Winter 2013 by OAESA

Vol. 8, No. 2 Winter 2013

Principal Navigator The magazine of the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators serving Ohioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-k, elementary, middle level, and central office administrators

The Administratorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ever-Evolving Role

Join us at the 56th Annual Professional Conference to experience the presentation “Leaders Building School Culture” by FranklinCovey’s Lonnie Moore.

From the company modeled after Stephen Covey’s world-renowned book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People comes Lonnie Moore to the 2013 OAESA Professional Conference—Windows & Mirrors: Framing Your School’s Culture. Moore is an energetic teacher-turnedinspirational speaker whose work includes helping professionals achieve long-term change in effectiveness. His dynamic style makes his presentations fun, challenging, and thought-provoking. Leave with a clear idea about how to frame your school’s culture and improve educational effectiveness. The conference will be held June 18th & 19th at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio. To register, please visit www.oaesa.org. Questions? Call 614.794.9190.

We Weinvite inviteyou you

to share YOUR professional experiences, observations, and research with your colleagues by writing an article for the Principal Navigator magazine. We are currently looking for articles on the following topics: Spring 2013 Issue Evaluation: Becoming the Best We Can Be Due March 15, 2013

The issue will focus on teacher and principal evaluation and will feature tips & tricks, stumbling blocks & solutions, and case studies from all parts of the state.

To submit an article, email navigator@oaesa.org for guidelines.

Thank you for your contributions! We could not produce this magazine without them!

Vol.8, No. 2 Winter 2013

Principal Navigator The magazine of the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators serving Ohio’s pre-k, elementary, middle level, and central office administrators

Feature Articles 12 Nine Principles of Courageous Leadership for 21st Century School Leaders by John Robinson

Knowing When to Make a Decision Can Lead to Meaningful and Lasting Change by Ken Pease

Principal With-It-Ness by Tim M. Keller

Diamond for Success Model Batelle for Kids

Twitter 101 by Erin Simpson

The Ever-Changing Role of the Principal by Robert F. Schultz, EdD

The Principal’s Role: A Recipe to Help Get the Job Done by Tammy Wagner

Table of Contents 3

Executive Director’s Exchange by Julie Davis, EdD

Letter to the Editor

Local Educator Erin Simpson Among Nation’s Best K-8 Principals

Highlighting a PrinciPAL D. Mark Jones

SAIL for Education One Principal’s Journey—Choosing What Matters by Sandra Svoboda, EdD

Welcome to SAIL... Dr. Debra Bockrath!

Assistant Principals Corner The Pressure of Being Caught in the Middle by Jonathan M. Muro

OAESA Board of Directors

Retired Members Update A Gathering of Retired Administrators: Holmes County by Donna Ball

Middle School Matters The Good, the Bad, and the Acronyms by Jenniffer and Mike Kauffeld

Elementary Essentials The Administrator’s Role: An Evolution by Zana Vincent

Central Office Connection Shared Services: Past, Present, and Future by Tammy Wagner

Legal Report Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect by Dennis Pergram, esq.

Dr. Ozvat’s Report Time-Out Rooms—What Principals Should Know by Lucy Ozvat, EdD

Health Issues Academic Success Depends on Student Health by Laura Rooney

Sorry...We’re BOOKED Book Reviews

New Members

is proud to be sponsored by the following:

Corporate Members

GOLD

PLATINUM “Exclusive” Members

Concordia University Chicago The Horace Mann Companies ING Financial Advisors Lifetouch National School Studios Ohio Tuition Trust Authority

Members

Bowling Green State University

SILVER Members

California Casualty’s A+ Auto & Home Insurance Rowland Reading Foundation

BRONZE Members

FranklinCovey Martin Public Seating, Inc.

Horace Mann helps you create better classrooms Grant writing is hard. We’ve found an easier way. As a national sponsor of DonorsChoose.org, Horace Mann shows you and your teachers just how easy it is to find funds for classrooms. Give us 20 minutes. We’ll make your job easier.

To learn more, find your local agent at horacemann.com.

the smartest.

They think you’re When college comes, they’ll know it. Start saving now with CollegeAdvantage, Ohio’s 529 plan, and put college within reach for your child. Save as little as $25 at a time – plus 529 plans offer great tax advantages. Funds can be used at any college in the country, opening the doors to a world of possibilities for your child. Enroll today at www.collegeadvantage.com or call 1-800-AFFORD-IT (233-6734)

2 w Principal Navigator

Principal Navigator OAESA Board of Directors President, D. Mark Jones, Pickerington Local Past President, Jeromey Sheets, EdD, Lancaster City President-Elect, Elizabeth Johnson, Claymont City NAESP Representative, Kenneth Bernacki, West Geauga Local Zone 1 Director, Teresa Snider, Vinton County Local Zone 2 Director, Sean McCauley, EdD, Cincinnati City Zone 3 Director, Stephanie Klingshirn, Mississinawa Valley Zone 4 Director, Heidi Kegley, Delaware City Zone 5 Director, Kevin Gehres, Van Wert City Zone 6 Director, Aretha Dixon, Elyria City Zone 7 Director, Mary Anne Knapp Zone 8 Director, David Rogaliner, Chardon Schools Zone 9 Director, Donna Bishop, EdD, Perry Local Zone 10 Director, Timothy Barton, South-Western Middle School Rep., Barbara Werstler, Twinsburg City Central Office Rep., Daniel Graves, Columbus City Urban Rep., Charita Buchanan, Cleveland Municipal Assistant Principal Representative, Jonathan Muro, Madison Local

Editorial Committee Jeromey Sheets, EdD, Lancaster City, chair Steven Foreman, Zanesville City Adda Porter, retired Laurie Vent, Upper Sandusky Exempted Village Tammy Louise Wagner, Carey Exempted Village William White, retired Dr. Charles Wilkins, New Lebanon Local Paul Young, PhD, retired Kathy Zachel, retired Steven Zinser, Cincinnati Archdiocese

OAESA Staff Julie Davis, EdD, Executive Director Lucy Ozvat, EdD, Member Services Director Kathy Windau, Membership Coordinator Audrey Carson,Communications Specialist Abigail Smith, Editor Tony Piehowicz, Corporate Membership Advisor Joanne Turner, Administrative Assistant Nancy Abrams, Business Manager/Admin. Assistant

SAIL Staff Debra Bockrath, EdD, Advisor, SAIL/Univ. Partnerships Melissa Butsko, Advisor, SAIL/Univ. Partnerships Unless otherwise noted, all articles published in the Principal Navigator become the property of OAESA and may not be reprinted without permission. The articles published in the Principal Navigator represent the ideas and/or belief of the authors and do not necessarily express the view of OAESA unless so stated. Advertising inquiries should be addressed to OAESA (Telephone: 614/794-9190, FAX: 614/794-9191, Email: info@oaesa.org). The Principal Navigator (ISSN 1088-078X) is published three times per school year by the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators, 2600 Corporate Exchange Drive, Suite 168, Columbus, OH 43231. Subscriptions are available only as part of membership. Annual membership dues in the Association are $250 of which $30 is for a year’s subscription to Principal Navigator. Periodicals postage paid at Westerville, Ohio and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Principal Navigator, Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators, 2600 Corporate Exchange Drive, Suite 168, Columbus, OH 43231. OAESA is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).

Executive Director’s Exchange by Julie Davis, Ed.D. Dear Colleagues, Welcome to the winter issue of the Principal Navigator! I suggest you get yourself a beverage and settle into a comfy chair so you can read and reflect on the ever-evolving role of the school administrator. You’re going to smile as you see yourself in so many of the stories included in the magazine. For you veterans, you will relate to how the role has evolved from that of building manager to that of instructional leader. (See Dr. Bob Schultz’s article on p. 36, and Zana Vincent’s on p. 22). Not that the managerial tasks are off of your plate, though. Check out the delightful article written by husband and wife team, Mike and Jenniffer Kauffeld, about the many hats you wear (p. 18). Read Dr. Sandra Svoboda’s article (p. 8) for tips about how to choose what really matters. I love this quote that she included in her article: “…some things don’t matter much. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person’s heart—now, that matters. The whole problem with people is…they know what matters, but they don’t choose it…the hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters…” from Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees. Along those same lines, Tammy Wagner’s reflections (p. 42) are food for the soul. Tammy reminds us what really matters are the people in our lives and the relationships we form. She also encourages us to have graphic models of theoretical frameworks at the ready in order to help us when confronted with stressful situations. And, as an administrator, who doesn’t encounter stressful situations each and every day? I remember my very first class in administration at OSU when our professor told us, “Get up every morning, look yourself in the mirror, and say ‘I MANAGE CONFLICT.’” Yep, that’s about right. A successful administrator is proactive and equipped with strategies and tools to courageously manage and minimize the inevitable conflicts. For further insights, read John Robinson’s (p. 12) article about the Nine Principles of Courageous Leadership. As an administrator, your role also involves being an ambassador and marketer of your school! The 2012 OAESA National Distinguished Principal, Erin Simpson, gives us concrete steps on how to set up a Twitter account and how Twitter can be a quick marketing and communications tool for your school. She also shares some of her favorites to follow. Check it out on p. 32. While reading both Ken Pease’s (p. 21) and Jonathan Muro’s (p. 11), articles I was reminded that administrators are middle managers. We receive mandates and directives from the legislators, boards of education, central office personnel, and then we have to present them and make them palatable to many diverse stakeholders in our school community. Ken shares, “So many times I feel like I am at the door of the school protecting my staff and students from the relentless onslaught of outside forces—everything from district initiatives to state and federal mandates, curriculum leaders insistent on training my staff, parents asking more from us, and vendors around every corner wanting a piece of my phantom budget.” Ken reminds us that timing is so important when managing change, and Jonathan writes a terrific article articulating the “pressure of being caught in the middle!” Get to know more about your OAESA president, D. Mark Jones, by reading our Highlighting a PrinciPal section (p. 6). And make sure you save time to check out our other regularly featured sections. As you read your colleagues’ articles, I am sure you will be struck by how complex, multifaceted, and important the role of the principal is these days. Here’s to lifting people’s hearts and choosing what matters! Julie Davis, EdD Executive Director Winter 2013 w 3

Letter to the

Editor The Best Job in the World! Dear Editor,

I was very pleased to read the Fall 2012 issue of the Principal Navigator. It was a nice reflection to see how OAESA past executive directors, Howard Troutner (p. 14) and D. Richard Murray (p. 20), provided OAESA with a strong foundation from which to grow as an education association. It is also nice to see that today Dr. Julie Davis provides a focus on leadership and excellence, so we can succeed at state and national levels as professionals. OAESA has come a long way, due to this excellent leadership and the dedication of our board members. I enjoyed the article “The Ever Increasing Burden of America’s Public Schools” by Jamie Vollmer (p.28). It gave us a detailed reminder, not only of what has been added to schools, but also how responsibilities and duties have increased for all principals today. It shows the growing number of hats a principal is required to wear and the need to gain skills that are necessary to stay updated and informed in all of those areas. Although I am retired, it was my pleasure to serve OAESA as county representative, zone director, board member, and president. I was honored to serve on many professional committees, which helped me gain experience as a leader and provided me the knowledge and skills to increase success in my schools. It gave me the tools to become a Hall of Fame School and, later, be named the National Distinguished Principal of Ohio. When I attended OAESA and NAESP conferences, I was able to network with other educational leaders who were using best practices to make a positive difference. I was able to use their experiences and adapt them into my schools. I never looked at my role of principal as a job but rather a great opportunity to help children and teachers become the best they could be—each and every day. These learning opportunities made my job easier, and they really helped me be successful. The key was to use that knowledge to meet the needs of my school and make the necessary changes. Change in the role of the principal has shifted from mainly being a building manager to becoming an instructional leader to finally focusing on state standards and testing that reflect student growth. The everchanging role also demands the knowledge and skills to implement new teacher evaluations (OTES), new principal evaluations (OPES), and how to adopt the core curriculum. I was fortunate in my career to have success, but it was mainly because I took an active role in both OAESA and NAESP and used the opportunities they provided as professional education organizations. I encourage you to start today and attend a state or national conference, attend a county or zone meeting, serve on a state committee, and increase your networking with other members to help your students be successful.

4 w Principal Navigator

Today, no matter how much change happens, remember three things: 1. Change will always happen, but it is up to you to take a proactive role in that change to make a positive difference. 2. Always keep children first in all of your decisions; they require and deserve your best. 3. Encourage others to join OAESA and NAESP to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to become the leaders of tomorrow. I am retired now and living in Hawaii, and I have the time to reflect and see how far our OAESA has grown to be one of the best education associations in the nation. Be proud you are a member. You belong to an association of leaders dedicated to helping children become our future leaders. I promise you, if you take an active role in OAESA, it will be the most rewarding professional experience in your career. And, someday when you retire, you can reflect on how you had “The Best Job in the World.” I wish you all the success you earn and hope you use your membership to inspire and lead others. Use OAESA and NAESP to grow, and you too will find a roadmap for success. Sincerely, John Giles

Let Us Know What You Think! Would you like to share your thoughts with us about this issue? Please send us your thoughts, preferably in 300 words or less, to navigator@oaesa.org. To be considered for publication, you must include your full name, your title, and the name of your school. We look forward to hearing from you!

Local Educator Erin Simpson Among Nation’s Best K–8 Principals Erin Elizabeth Simpson, principal of Overlook Elementary School in Wadsworth, Ohio, was selected as Ohio’s 2012 National Distinguished Principal. The 2012 celebration marks the 29th year that the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) has presented this prestigious award. “Simpson was nominated and selected by her fellow principals through a statewide search process conducted by the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators (OAESA),” said Dr. Julie Davis, Executive Director of OAESA. A graduate of Miami University, Simpson previously held the position of building principal at Lincoln Elementary in Wadsworth and began her teaching career in the Medina City School District. She has served as principal of Overlook Elementary since 2008. “At the helm of every successful school is a successful principal,” said Gail Connelly, NAESP’s Executive Director. “Our National Distinguished Principals program provides us with an opportunity to recognize the outstanding leadership of these principals and their commitment to creating successful learning communities. Because of them, students thrive academically, teachers grow professionally, and communities are strengthened.” In October, Simpson traveled to Washington, D.C., for two days of activities planned to honor and bring well-deserved recognition to the elementary and middle-level educators chosen by the states, the District of

Columbia, plus private and overseas schools. Criteria for selection of the principals require that the honorees are active principals of schools where programs are designed to meet the academic and social needs of all students and where there are firmly established community ties with parents and local business organizations. While serving as principal at Lincoln Elementary, the school was recognized as a State Superintendent’s School of Distinction. Erin was also nominated for the Martha Holden Jennings Master Teacher Award during her tenure in the Medina City School District. Simpson and her husband Scott live in Wadsworth, Ohio, and have two children: Regan, nine and Reece, five. Since 1973, the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators has served as Ohio’s professional educational association and now represents nearly 2,000 pre-k, elementary, and middle-level administrators throughout the state. OAESA maintains close ties with the metropolitan Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Elementary School Principals and its 23,000 members worldwide. The National Distinguished Principals program is made possible through the corporate sponsorship of VALIC, an active supporter of NAESP for nearly two decades. For more than half a century, VALIC has served as a leading plan provider for K-12 schools, higher education, and healthcare institutions and manages plans for nearly 25,000 groups, serving nearly two million plan participants.

College of Education & Human Development

Classroom Technology & Assistive Technology Programs* Two of BGSU’s online Master of Education programs recognized for excellence by U.S. News and World Report > 100% Web-based > Learn skills and content for 21st century teaching & learning > Quality faculty credentials & training Classroom Technology Assistive Technology Graduates will be prepared to demonstrate leadership capabilities for local, state or national educational technology initiatives www.bgsu.edu/mct For more information: Classroom Technology Dr. Allison Goedde, agoedde@bgsu.edu

Assistive Technology Dr. Brenda Oyer, oyerb@bgsu.edu

Graduates develop skills to work effectively with individuals with special needs and their support networks to introduce assistive technologies into multiple environments. www.bgsu.edu/medat

* Certificate programs also available for those not seeking master’s degree: • Computer Technology Endorsement (for Ohio teachers only) • Assistive Technology Certificate G

T A T

Winter 2013 w 5

Highlighting a PrinciPAL D. Mark Jones

OAESA President, 2012-2013 1) Tell us a little bit about your background. After graduating from Lancaster High School in 1976, I attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, earning a BS in Science Education. I began my teaching career in the Pickerington Local Schools in 1980, where I taught Earth science for fourteen years at the junior high level. After achieving my MA in Educational Administration from the University of D. Mark Jones Dayton in 1994, I was hired as an Assistant Principal at Pickerington Middle School, where I worked for six years. In 2000, I opened the brand new Diley Middle School as its first principal. As our district continued to grow, I again had an opportunity to open a brand new building in 2009, when I became principal of Toll Gate Middle School. In 2011, I was assigned a second building, serving at Both Toll Gate Middle and Violet Elementary School for the year. This year, I am starting my 33rd year in Pickerington, leading Violet Elementary. 2) What are three words you would use to describe yourself? reflective, empathetic, and dedicated 3) What do you do to combat stress? Stress? What stress? I’ve always found denial works well. I also enjoy landscaping and yard work, because the results are immediate! 4) What do you read to stay current in your field?

6) What do you perceive is the top priority for a school administrator? First and foremost, the school administrator must ensure a safe and nurturing learning environment for every child. Having established that, one can focus on facilitating the teaching and learning needs of both staff and students. 7) What is the number one advice you would give your colleagues? Woody Hayes was correct…you win with people. Therefore, of all the important tasks that we perform throughout the year, hiring the right people to work in our schools is absolutely essential. Every child deserves a great teacher, so go find them for your school. 8) What has been your best experience about serving OAESA? We all know how isolated one can feel as a building principal, especially if we work in a school without the benefit of an assistant administrator. Without question, the opportunity to meet so many outstanding school administrators from around the state, and to get to know them on both a professional and personal level, has been tremendously rewarding for me. 9) Give us an idea of what the OAESA governance hopes to accomplish in the 2012–2013 school year. We have an ambitious set of goals for OAESA this year. Our primary focus will always be to serve our members’ professional needs, including offering a full slate of helpful workshops and the annual conference in June. We will also work on growing our membership by demonstrating

The Navigator is an excellent source of current information, as well as publications from ASCD. 5) What expectations do you have of yourself as an administrator? What expectations do you have of your staff? As an administrator, I expect myself to bring a broad perspective to each situation, problem, or issue. Although I left classroom teaching nearly twenty years ago, I certainly have the ability to see things through the eyes of a teacher as well. And as the father of two, I can view things through the parental lens as well. Understanding the mindsets of these different constituents is paramount to being a successful leader. Regarding my staff, my expectations are quite basic and probably sound like the classroom rules from a typical kindergarten room. Try to do your very best work every day. Share with others. Always treat everyone—especially the children—with respect. Be slow to judge but quick to forgive. Make it fun for yourself and others around you. 6 w Principal Navigator

Mark participates in the Experience the Envelope Exchange Game at the 2012 Professional Conference.

school leaders. By taking full advantage of the activities of OAESA, you can enrich your experience as an educator in a tremendously rewarding way. 11) The theme for this issue is The Administrator’s Ever-Evolving Role. Would you give us a paragraph or two of your observations about this topic?

Mark with his school board president at the 2012-2013 OAESA President’s Reception our relevancy to the work of today’s building administrators. Finally, we are taking a more assertive role in our advocacy at both the state and federal levels, for the needs and perspectives of our members. 10) Why did you get involved with OAESA governance? And why do you think others should get involved? I became involved in OAESA governance when I was asked by OAESA Executive Director, Dr. Julie Davis, if I would be willing to serve an unfinished term as the Middle School Representative on the Board of Directors. At the time, I was actively looking for a way to become more involved with our state association, so her offer was exactly what I needed to grow professionally. I would highly encourage others to consider seeking ways to deepen their involvement with OAESA because of the relationships that you can build with colleagues from around the state. School administrators share a special experience with each other, but often lack the opportunity to make those personal connections with other

Like every aspect of the American education system, the role of principal has undergone significant and accelerating change in the past few decades. Gone are the days when our primary function was simply to manage the resources of the school and to maintain a sense of order and discipline in the building. Although we must still address all those “managerial” tasks effectively, in recent years we have seen far greater emphasis placed on the instructional leadership challenges of our position. The expectations for successful principals now include a deep knowledge of an enriched curriculum, a well-versed understanding of a wide array of Mark speaking at the 2012 Professional Conference Awards Luncheon instructional strategies, familiarity with brain-based research, and the skill to meld and motivate teachers, students, parents, and the broader community into a focused culture of achievement. The ever-growing set of expectations placed on our school leaders has coincided with what seems like an ever-tightening fiscal picture. Like so many public and private sector workers, we are being asked to do more—much more—with fewer financial resources at our disposal. The challenge to achieve better test results is now felt directly not only by classroom teachers, but also building principals, as performance evaluations now include these results as indicators of success or failure. Indeed, one’s job security will now be impacted by student performance on high-stakes testing experiences. While the increasing expectations and dwindling resources might cause some to question the fairness of these circumstances, I prefer to take a long-range view of these trends. From that perspective, I’m thrilled that our education system is in the spotlight of public awareness and debate. I much prefer the increasing demands and focus of society’s attention on our work to the days of apathy or blind acceptance. Rather than balk at this state of heightened priority, we should leverage the opportunity to make our case for strong public discussion about the essential significance of our work. If the end result is a better system of educating our children, we all win!

Mark with Executive Director, Dr. Julie Davis, and Past President, Dr. Jeromey Sheets, at the 2012 NAESP Conference in Seattle Winter 2013 w 7

by Sandra Svoboda, EdD

One Principal’s Journey— Choosing What Matters

“What kind of tree are you?” I was asked this question by a kindergarten student when I was thirty-one-year-old, six-foot, one-inch principal. After he saw my briefcase, he also asked “Do you live here?” I could honestly say that I did feel I lived at the school as a new, young, eagerto-change-the-world principal. Although I envisioned becoming a strong instructional leader and spending my time immersed in improving instruction, my daily tasks pulled me from the idealistic goals I had embraced in my educational leadership courses. My very first day as a principal I had planned to hold a morning assembly and tell the students and staff about the many great achievement gains that we would attain as a school community. Instead, the playground bell began ringing incessantly this first morning—and never stopped—loudly chiming and scaring the students, who began crying. My first task as a new principal was to run wildly down the hallway to find the fuse box in order to end the persistent ringing; managerial tasks like that have never ended. So many times my goal was to focus on being an instructional leader, and so many times my tasks were focused on those “bell moments” of managing the next crisis. My time dissolved into running the clinic (we had no medical assistants at the time—ask any veteran school secretary what this means), fixing a student’s flip flop, replacing a toner cartridge, or answering yet another phone call. I also learned the additional responsibilities that principals endured, such as working on levy campaigns, bond issues, and public relation initiatives (I have participated in nineteen bond/levy campaigns during my seventeen years as principal). The managerial tasks are still never ending and must be addressed, but I always felt there had to be a better way to serve my students and staff as the building leader. During a very austere budget period in our district, in my tenth year as principal, I was given the additional responsibility of being the Director of Special Education for our very large district (six thousand students). I had to do some soul searching to determine if I were going to leave my role as a principal and new director, or if I were going to become the instructional leader that I had always hoped that I would be. I had searched for years to find those principals who were strong instructional leaders to help guide me, but most of my discussions with colleagues digressed to 8 w Principal Navigator

the same “bell moments” of crises that we were all experiencing. Then I learned of a professional development opportunity called Standards Aligned Instructional Leadership (SAIL), and to this day, attending SAIL sessions (and eventually completing the doctoral extension) was the best professional decision I have ever made. Like-minded people joined together, and we jokingly called our SAIL sessions “group therapy time.” We sifted through the many managerial tasks that were keeping us from our instructional leadership roles, and we implemented strategies to help us become more effective leaders. This change in perspective and focus became a blessed period of enlightenment as I worked with my SAIL colleagues to find better strategies to meet the ever-increasing demands of being a principal. It became apparent that everyday principals have a choice—to focus on managerial tasks or become the instructional leader they are destined to be. What has changed in the ever-evolving principal’s role? The choices we make every single day. For example, reflecting on just this past month, I had a choice to focus on the long line of cars in the parent drop-off area or to meet with my data team to discuss our Common Core alignment. I had a choice to check my never-ending list of emails or to discuss the universal screening data with our math and reading teams and develop plans to improve student achievement. I had a choice to answer questions and phone calls in the office before school or to meet with our Building Problem-Solving Team and develop individualized focus goals for our struggling Tier II students. Every principal has these daily choices, and, with the new age of accountability upon us, it has become glaringly apparent that instructional choices should trump all. As the most senior administrator in my district, one thing has become obvious as I have witnessed so many changes over the years: we can choose to change or be changed. Allowing circumstances to drive our decisions in a reactive approach will lead to days full of managerial “bell moments” that erode our time. In contrast, as proactive instructional leaders, we may help every single staff member become a leader and contribute to taking care of small “bell moments” to leave time for those more important instructional leadership tasks. Lessons to remember in the principal’s evolving role? • Focus on Your Priorities. I preach these priorities to my staff: • Health first (or you cannot take care of others) • Family and friends second (the best part of life) • Career third (without your health, family, and friends, your job is meaningless.)

• Laugh more, including at yourself. There will be many “bell moments” that simply must be addressed, such as the car fire that happened the first day of school during my second year as principal—another long story! Find the humor in these moments and never, ever stop embracing the joys of the job! Educator bonuses are paid in hugs, and these are priceless. • Serve others. Servant leadership (Svoboda, 2008; 2009) leads to greater job satisfaction, and helps us remember that our role is to serve others and not to be served. We have the rare privilege of changing the world, one student at a time, and it is the most rewarding career in the universe, if you stay the course. • Rely on others. The days of solo leadership are gone, and the more years that you work as a principal the more you will realize the importance of needing others to help you in your role. Every single classified and certified member is an important member of your team, and together you will accomplish far more than you would alone. • Keep improving. Attending opportunities, such as SAIL, can be life-changing and life-giving, reigniting the passion you had as a new principal. Keep fanning the embers of what led you into the field of education, and always keep the flame of lifelong learning burning. • Instruction first. Focus every decision around protecting instructional time. Announcements, classroom interruptions, frequent assemblies, and anything else that intrudes on this precious time should be avoided. Over the course of a year, losing just five minutes of daily instructional time results in approximately fifteen hours of instructional time that is lost forever. • Find the positive. Every staff member will look to you during the constant multitude of changes that educators must implement. They will follow your lead. Embrace change as the only constant in your job, and be the positive pioneer to lead every change by focusing on what can be accomplished. Never accept that something cannot be achieved, and relentlessly seek ways to move your staff, students, and building forward, regardless of the obstacles. • Most importantly...be an instructional leader. Let nothing, and no one stand in your way as you become increasingly focused on what matters most. Be the instructional leader that you were destined to be!

What kind of tree am I? I am a strong, continuously growing tree with deep roots planted in fertile SAIL soil, with branches reaching out to instructional leadership opportunities in every possible area (probably not what the kindergarten student was thinking as he almost fell over looking up at me!) What has changed most in the principal’s role? Me. I have learned to choose what matters! “…some things don’t matter much. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person’s heart—now, that matters. The whole problem with people is…they know what matters, but they don’t choose it...the hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters.” Sue Monk Kidd The Secret Life of Bees References Monk Kidd, S. (2002). The Secret Life of Bees. New York. Penguin Group Incorporated. Svoboda, S. N. (2009, Winter). Principals as Servant Leaders in the 21st Century. OAESA Principal Navigator, Columbus, OH. 4(1), 14-26. Svoboda, S. N. (2008). A Correlational Study of Servant Leadership and Elementary Principal Job Satisfaction in Ohio Public School Districts. Doctoral Dissertation, Northcentral University, AZ. Dissertation Abstracts International 69 (4) 125 (UMI No. 3310169).

Sandra N. Svoboda, EdD, completed her doctoral work at Northcentral University and is a SAIL graduate. She has worked in the field of education for twenty-eight years, serving the past seventeen years as principal of Medill Elementary in the Lancaster City School District in Lancaster, Ohio. She is also a SAIL instructor and an adjunct professor for Concordia University Chicago. In 2001 she was named the Ohio Administrator of the Year by BASA and EOPO and received special recognition for this award by the Ohio House of Representatives. In addition, she is a former scholar athlete who received a four-year basketball scholarship from The University of Michigan, and she also has attained master’s degrees from Ohio University and The Ohio State University.

Winter 2013 w 9

Welcome,

Debra Bockrath, EdD, joined SAIL for Education in October 2012 as Advisor for SAIL/University Partnerships. She will be working closely with Melissa Butsko to assist SAIL students as they complete graduate coursework at Concordia University Chicago. Dr. Bockrath has worked her entire career in the field of public education and has enjoyed the challenges and opportunities of school improvement initiatives. She received an EdD in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in 2006, an MA in Educational Administration from Dayton University in 1982, and a BS in Secondary Education from Bowling Green State University in 1974.

Debra Bockrath!

The Bockrath clan

Debra and her husband Kevin After teaching secondary social studies for eighteen years, Dr. Bockrath became an assistant principal of grades 7–12 in a rural high school. In 1999 she moved to middle-level administration and loved every minute of working with middle school students. Dr. Bockrath recently served as an educational consultant for the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). Her primary responsibility at the agency was school leadership programming, including leading the Ohio Entry Year Principal program, principal evaluation systems, and urban principal leadership programming. At ODE she also worked for the Office for Exceptional Children, investigating special Debra and her new grandchild 10 w Principal Navigator

education complaints, where she honed skills in leadership, counseling, and mediation. In addition to working for SAIL, Dr. Bockrath currently teaches online courses in educational leadership as an adjunct professor for SAIL/CUC and other educational organizations.

Skiing! She and her husband enjoy outdoor activities, especially hiking, fishing, and traveling. They have two married daughters and five grandchildren. They love spending time with family, especially those grandchildren. “I am much honored to serve the school children of Ohio by being part of a strong educational leadership program like SAIL,” Dr. Bockrath said of her new position at SAIL.

Fishing in West Virginia

Assistant Principal

Corner

by Jonathan M. Muro

The Pressure of Being Caught In the Middle One of the toughest aspects of being a leader is knowing where you stand. You are pulled in several directions every day and have many people to whom you must report. These may include the board of education, a superintendent, staff, parents, and most importantly, the students in your building. We have the power to make decisions, but most decisions usually never truly belong to us. Making decisions that require input from others, while demonstrating a vested interest in doing what is best for everyone, is part of our responsibility. The caveat is that, even though the decision doesn’t always belong to us, we are still responsible for it. This is the pressure of being caught in the middle. To help relieve this tension, we must keep in mind that we are never greater than the organization we are part of. If you desire to receive all the credit and recognition, you are either going to be frustrated, or others will be frustrated with you. I was a band director for thirteen years and found the following quote to be truthful and humorous: “Some want to beat the big drum; few are willing to face the music; and no one wants to play second chair.” Whether you are a principal or an assistant principal, if you desire all the credit, you are adding to the pressure of being caught in the middle. As principals we have the resources, authority, and responsibility to direct action in our building and create an ideal learning environment for students. Accordingly, there are critical areas in the capacity of the district that you must follow, such as finances, curriculum, and transportation. Ironically, sometimes it is these areas where we don’t have a voice. We find ourselves overrun with protocols and materials that we do not agree with and find ourselves playing a careful game where we try not to overstep our bounds to stay out of trouble. Although these boundaries to our position of leadership can seem restrictive at times, your desire to initiate is still a noble aspect of a leader. Look at boundaries as opportunities. At times it can be hard to find people with the desire to initiate, but it often leads to the expansion of responsibilities. American author Zig Ziglar said, “There are no traffic jams in the extra mile.” Do not let the boundaries of your position stifle your zeal. Creative thinking and hard work is very hard not to notice. Opportunities can present themselves at any time. Just remember that if we continually push the limits, we will rub others the wrong way and increase our chances of being caught in the middle. Consider the importance of communication. The more we become aware of our environment, the less we are surprised or blind-sided by the unforeseen. In his autobiography, Harry Golden wrote, “The arrogance of the young is a direct result of not having known enough consequences. The turkey that every day greedily approaches the farmer who tosses him grain is not wrong. It is just that no one every told him about Thanks-

giving.” As leaders we find that those who do not know what it is like to be caught in the middle think issues could have been easily avoided if you had only made a different decision earlier. What they don’t know is the decision they are referring to was not available at that time. Keeping consistent and clear communication will help reduce these misconceptions. Gradually our audience will begin to realize how little we have at our disposal to accomplish so much and why we get caught in the middle. Know what to own and what to let go. Many leaders tend to be both obsessive and compulsive about the details of a task. Although there can be nothing wrong with this, if you try to do everything on your own, you will hold everyone back. We must remember that effective leadership is adding value to others. One of the reasons we hesistate to give tasks to others is because at some point we know we will have to clean up someone else’s mess. To help others avoid mistakes, focus on your own integrity and job performance. Author and entrepreneur Byrd Baggett defines integrity as “doing what you said you would do, when you said you would do it, and how you said you would do it.” If you meet deadlines promptly, those around you will too. If you practice good communication skills, so will those around you. It doesn’t matter who you are, your actions will define your character. How many times have we seen politicians, professional athletes, and leaders put so much into their career, only to be defined by a poor decision or action made in their personal lives? These individuals are examples of those who got caught in the middle. As leaders there is no sure-fire way to avoid being caught in the middle; therefore, stress is inevitable. It is important to have or create opportunities for yourself to relieve stress. The analogy I like to use is the emergency instructions you receive after you board a jet airplane: if oxygen masks deploy, you must first put on your mask before you help the person next to you. We cannot help others if we do not help ourselves. Make time to invest in yourself—exercise or do another activity that interests you. This can be tough, because as leaders we find that we have no extra time after our work and family responsibilities. When you do find time to invest in your life, not only will it benefit yourself, but also those around you. Abraham Lincoln once said, “If given five hours to cut down a tree, I would spend four hours sharpening the axe.” If we don’t sharpen our ability to prevent being caught in the middle, we become dull and ineffective. Help yourself, sharpen your skills, and, chances are, you will find fewer instances where you are caught in the middle! References: Maxwell, J. (2005). 360 Degree Leader. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc. Maxwell, J. (2008). Leadership Gold. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Jonathan M. Muro currently serves as the assistant principal of Madison South Elementary School in the Madison Local School District. He also sits on the OAESA Board of Directors as the very first Assistant Principal Representative.

Winter 2013 w 11

Nine Principles of Courageous Leadership for 21st Century School Leaders by John Robinson

“A common requirement of leaders at all levels is having the courage to make tough decisions and take difficult actions,” write authors David Cottrell and Eric Harvey in their book, Leadership Courage: Leadership Strategies for Individual and Organizational Success. A big part of courage in 21st century leadership is standing up for what is right. As Cottrell and Harvey describe, “The true measure of leadership is the ability to look in the mirror and know that you had the courage to do what you felt was the right thing to do.” Our ability, as school leaders, to look at ourselves in the mirror each morning and feel that the actions we took the day before (regarding our students and staff) is a measure of our own 21st century-leadership ability. This contrasts starkly with an American culture that wants to turn schools into clones of businesses where maximization of self-interest is a virtue, often at the expense of many others. The problem is, these philosophies are at cross purposes in educational establishments. Ultimately though, as a school leader, I feel at my best when I have successfully passed a test of courage with my integrity intact. What are the Nine Principles for Courageous School Leaders in 21st Century? No doubt we all have core values we hold dear, but here are some principles I have modified a bit from Cottrell and Harvey’s book. I think they accurately describe what we have to do to be courageous 21st century school leaders. 1. Accept responsibility courageously. This includes accepting responsibility for all the actions of everyone in our schools—from students to teachers and to our own. When an unfortunate event happens under our leadership, we must publicly accept our re12 w Principal Navigator

sponsibility. Looking for places to cast blame is a weak, short-term strategy. If you want your school to be one where responsibility is important, then be responsible yourself. Implement change courageously. Courage comes from being able to step away from the status quo and enter into new possibilities. Courage is demonstrated in convincing others to move beyond their own comfort zones to stretch toward new horizons. Courage comes from leading change in the face of fierce resistance and even potential political peril. Change takes courage, and 21st century school leaders act courageously when leading change efforts. Hire people using strict standards. Lowering one’s standards to just “fill a position” does not promote excellence. A weak person on your school staff can pull down the entire team. Hire only those who fit your school’s standards and principles. Surrounding yourself with talent makes your school and district successful. Hiring out of political expediency or due to friendship connections is a recipe for organizational weakness. Also hiring only those who will rubber stamp your ideas or agenda is a recipe for long-term failure. Courage comes from hiring people who are often smarter and better equipped than you and who aren’t afraid to express their opinions. Courageous hiring means that getting the right people in place is a much higher priority than scoring political points or returning political favors. Keep everyone focused on what’s important. Cottrell and Harvey call this “Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing.” Courageous 21st century school leaders fight to keep the focus on what’s important: student learning. Real courage is demonstrated in those school cultures where this is lost, and the school leader courageously reminds everyone of what they are truly about: “Keeping the main thing, the main thing!” Communicate for understanding. The purpose of communication in a 21st century organization is understanding. This means

Focus

In the fast-paced environment of the 21st century for every school leader—from principals to state education leaders—courage must be a part of our leadership practice. These guiding principles make an excellent starting point to begin fostering that kind of leadership.

Positive

Ethics

Communication Responsibility Conflict Standards Change Integrity

Coach

making sure what you have to say is clear, concise, and on-point. There’s no room for murky, unclear messaging. Courageously saying what needs to be said means there’s only room for understanding. Coach others. School leaders have a responsibility to coach those within their schools or districts. This means setting aside the title of “boss” and giving your organization members the information necessary to improve their performance. It means inspiring those within to reach for higher levels of performance and providing them with the direction to do just that. Coaching is not playing “gotcha games.” It means you genuinely want others in your school organization to be successful, and you work hard to help them improve. Effectively address conflict. There is no room in 21st century leadership for avoiding conflict. Minor conflict can paralyze a school or district so that nothing is accomplished. Effective 21st century school leaders take conflict head-on. Courageous school leadership means having the difficult conversations. It means not passing the task of addressing a performance issue to a subordinate or waiting on someone else to say something. Courageous leadership also means not sending “nasty-gram” emails instead of sitting down, face-to-face, and talking with someone about an issue. Keep focus on the positive. This can be difficult. Trying to get everyone to see positivity in a toxic environment is quite a challenge. Keeping the focus on the positive isn’t about lying to people and building up a false sense of the positive. It is about fostering a “positive” belief that together we’re going to succeed. School leaders who keep the focus on the positive don’t drag others down. Instill a culture of ethics and integrity. An organization without integrity that has educating children as its purpose is a frightening thought. 21st century school leaders work diligently to foster ethics and integrity in their schools or districts. Principles are never sacrificed for political or other reasons. If your leadership lacks ethics and integrity, then you have no business teaching children.

John Robinson is currently the principal at Discovery High School with the Newton-Conover City School system. Discovery High School is a redesigned, small high school that focuses on delivering core academics through project-based learning in a technologically rich and personalized environment. He has been in education tewntythree years. He taught high school English and middle school language arts for sixteen years and worked for a brief period of time as an instructional technologist and a former coach of several sports. He has a BA in English from UNC Charlotte, a MA in Instructional Technology from Appalachian State University, an MSA from Appalachian State University, and a EdS in Educational Administration from Appalachian State University. He lives with his wife of almost ten years, their son, and two daughters. He is a practicing Buddhist and an avid reader, writer, and blogger at the 21st Century Principal. His twitter handle is @21stprincipal. He has been a high school principal three years and a middle school principal.

Winter 2013 w 13

OAESA Board of Directors 2012-2013

14 w Principal Navigator

D. Mark Jones President

Violet Elementary 8855 Education Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147

(614) 834-6400 mark_jones@plsd.us

Elizabeth Johnson President-elect

Eastport Avenue Elementary 1200 Eastport Ave Uhrichsville, OH 44683

(740) 922-4641 ejohnson@claymontschools.org

Jeromey Sheets, EdD Past President

Cedar Heights Elementary 1515 Cedar Hill Road Lancaster, OH 43130

(740) 687-7334 j_sheets@lancaster.k12.oh.us

Kenneth Bernacki NAESP Respresentative

Robert C. Lindsey Elementary 11844 Caves Rd. Chesterland, OH 44023

(440) 729-5980 ken.bernacki@westg.org

Teresa Snider Zone 1 Director

Central Elementary 507 Jefferson Ave. Mc Arthur, OH 45651

(740) 596-4386 teresa.snider@vinton.k12.oh.us

Sean McCauley, EdD Zone 2 Director

Ethel M. Taylor Academy 1930 Fricke Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45225

(513) 363-3600 mccauls@cps-k12.org

Stephanie Klingshirn Zone 3 Director

Mississinawa Valley Elementary 10480 Staudt Rd. Union City, OH 45390

(937) 968-4464 stephanie_klingshirn@darke.k12.oh.us

Heidi Kegley Zone 4 Director

Frank B. Willis Intermediate 74 W. William St. Delaware, OH 43015

(740) 833-1700 kegleyhe@delawarecityschools.net

Kevin Gehres Zone 5 Director

Jefferson Elementary 1120 Buckeye Dr. Van Wert, OH 45891

(419) 238-6540 k_gehres@vwcs.net

Aretha Dixon Zone 6 Director

Oakwood Elementary 925 Spruce Street Elyria, OH 44035

(440) 284-8010 dixonaretha@elyriaschools.org

Mary Anne Knapp Zone 7 Director

Orchard School of Science Elementary 7901 Halle Ave. Cleveland, OH 44102

(216) 631-1854 maryanne.knapp@cmsdnet.net

Zones LUCAS

VAN WERT

WYANDOT

ALLEN HARDIN

AUGLAIZE LOGAN

SHELBY DARKE

MIAMI

Y ER OM PREBLE TG GREENE ON M

HAMILTON

CLERMONT

WARREN

MARION

MEDINA

KNOX

Columbus

HIGHLAND

BROWN

ADAMS

PIKE

SCIOTO

MAHONING COLUMBIANA CARROLL

HARRISON

GUERNSEY BELMONT

NOBLE PERRY

PICKAWAY ROSS

FRANKLIN

PORTAGE

STARK

COSHOCTON

LICKING

FAIRFIELD FAYETTE

WAYNE

HOLMES

MORROW

CLINTON

UNION DELAWARE

CHAMPAIGN CLARK

BUTLER

4 MADISON

MERCER

HURON

SENECA

JEFFERSON

HANCOCK

PUTNAM

TRUMBULL

LORAIN

SUMMIT

PAULDING

CUYAHOGA

ERIE

SANDUSKY

WOOD

HENRY

ASHTABULA

GEAUGA

TUSCARAWAS

DEFIANCE

ASHLAND

WILLIAMS

LAKE

OTTAWA

RICHLAND

FULTON

MONROE

MORGAN WASHINGTON

HOCKING ATHENS

VINTON

MEIGS JACKSON GALLIA LAWR

ENCE

Dave Rogaliner Zone 8 Director

Hambdem Elementary 13871 Gar Highway Chardon, OH 44024

(440) 286-7503 dave.rogaliner@chardonschools.org

Donna Bishop, EdD Zone 9 Director

Watson Elementary 515 Marion Avenue, NW Massillon, OH 44646

(330) 832-8100 donna.bishop@perrylocal.org

Timothy Barton Zone 10 Director

Alton Hall Elementary 1000 Alton Rd. Galloway, OH 43119

(614) 801-8000 timothy.barton@swcs.us

Barbara Werstler Middle School Representative

Geo Dodge Intermediate School 10225 Ravenna Road Twinsburg, OH 44087

(330) 468-2201 bwerstler@twinsburg.k12.oh.us

Charita Buchanan Urban/Minority Representative

East Clark Elementary 885 East 146th Street Cleveland, OH 44110

(216) 588-0225 charita.buchanan@cmsdnet.net

Daniel Graves Central Office Representative

Columbus City School District 270 E. State St. Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 365-5000 dgraves@columbus.k12.oh.us

Jonathan Muro Assistant Principal Representative

Madison South Elementary 700 South Illinois Ave. Mansfield, OH 44907

(419) 522-4319 jmuro@mlsd.net

Winter 2013 w 15

Retired Members

Update

by Donna Ball, Retired Principals Committee Liaison

A Gathering of Retired Administrators: Holmes County The evening culminated with a dinner at Maudie and Andy Rabe’s home where we were treated to a delicious Amish home-cooked meal! The menu included chicken, steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, noodles, coleslaw, homemade bread, and an assortment of pies! Maudie

Members visited an Amish school. On October 25, over twenty retired principals, their guests, and OAESA staff visited Holmes County, Ohio. We started our adventure at the Behalt Amish and Mennonite Center in Berlin with an interesting tour that included an informational video and visit of a 360-degree mural that depicts the Amish and Mennonite history. Our guide was, appropriately, a retired teacher from a local Amish school. His willingness to answer questions and share the story of the area made the visit all the more meaningful. We spent some time with the teacher in a replica of an

The entire group that visited Holmes County. Amish school where he told of the differences in the Amish educational system from the English educational system. I know I came away with the feeling that if parents supported public education the way Amish parents support learning, we would not have as many issues in the public sector. After our visit to the center, several attendees then traveled to Sugar Creek to a local winery for a tour and wine tasting. Others went shopping for treasures in the area. 16 w Principal Navigator

Author Donna Bell (far left) enjoys an Amish meal with colleagues and friends. is 90 years old and shared her secret for her smooth mashed potatoes—a battery-powered drill with a long “whipping” bit! Thanks to Rhoda Mast who lives in Berlin and is a hometown Mennonite girl! Rhoda’s 94-year-old mom is a personal friend of Maudie Rabe, and she came along with Rhoda to help her friend serve our meal! Many of the attendees were members of our core committee, but there were several local retirees who attended. It is our hope that in moving our gatherings around the state, different people will join the fun as we meet closer to their location. We continue to think of ways to engage retirees and allow them to give back to our organization and our profession.

How to make smooth mashed potatoes!

Contrasts Between

Amish Schools • ...are run on a human scale.

Public Schools

• ...are run on an organizational scale.

• ...are operated by parents without an administrative bureaucracy.

• ...are operated by professionals with an administrative bureaucracy.

• ...stress drill accuracy and proper sequence.

• ...stress speed, variety, and freedom of choice.

• ...train youngsters to stay in their community.

• ...train youngsters to get ahead in life.

• ...stress tradition.

• ...stress progress.

• ...pick teachers because of their Christian example.

• ...pick teachers because of their ability and training.

• ...have teachers who are generalists in subjects.

• ...have teachers who are specialists in subjects.

• ...favor correct knowledge.

• ...favor critical thinking.

• ...value cooperation and humility.

• ...value competition and pride in achievement.

• ...reject technology.

• ...embrace technology.

• ...rank penmanship high as a skill.

• ...rank penmanship low as a skill.

• ...favor group identity.

• ...favor individual expression.

• ...have no kindergarten.

• ...have kindergarten.

• ...use limited amount of lesson material.

• ...use a great amount of lesson material.

• ...see child as a future Amish person with a soul.

• ...see a child as a citizen with an intellect.

• ...hire teachers only from the Plain community. • ...stress memorization. • ...see learning as work. • ...believe truth is revealed in the Bible.

• ...hire teachers with diverse backgrounds. • ...downplay memorization. • ...see learning often as fun. • ...search for truth. • ...stress questioning.

• ...stress believing.

In 2007, some Amish teachers and several teachers from public and private schools in Cleveland visited schools together. Over dinner afterward, the group worked together to compile this list of observations. Winter 2013 w 17

Middle School

Matters by Jenniffer and Mike Kauffeld

The Good, the Bad, and the Acronyms Jenniffer begins… Mike is standing at the stove and asks, “If I cook breakfast, can we begin to outline this article?” He declares that this article needs to be written from his perspective because he is a member of OAESA (Ohio Association Elementary School Administrators). I quickly inform him that I just joined the previous week so we could write it from both our perspectives—one as an elementary principal and the other as a middle school principal. He retorts, “Are you sure you joined OAESA and not ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development)?” With great patience I say, “Yes, dear, I know what acronym I joined.” As a husband and wife team both in education administration, many of our daily conversations are about our roles as principals and what we are doing in our buildings. Mike has always wanted to write an article about the many hats we wear and the new hats we add to our collection daily from the changes we face in our professional lives. As I try to focus, I ask him to give me the specifics of the article. As I write, he flips bacon and glances down at a paper lying on the counter. He begins, “What new roles have we taken on, how are we handling these roles, what changes have we seen in our building, and how we are handling these changes? “ “Wow, I think we need to create an outline so we are not all over the page with this article. With all of the mandated changes in the past three years both locally and from the state, we could write a book.” He looks over to see I have stopped writing just as I have started applying my second coat of nail polish. “What is the last thing you wrote?” he asks, visibly frustrated. I refocus, laying the polish aside for the moment. Mike begins throwing out acronyms—CCSS (Common Core State Standards), OTES (Ohio Teacher Evaluation System), OPES (Ohio Principal Evaluation System), FIP(Formative Instructional Practices), RtI (Response to Intervention), PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Support), SLOs (Student Learning Objectives) and then hands me a BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato) as he sits down. I make a suggestion to slow down. “The paper has to focus on specifics and how our roles have changed, not just all of the new acronyms. Let’s go back to 1999 when I was a teacher and you were an assistant principal. Remember that our 18 w Principal Navigator

favorite teacher line was, ‘What do you think the flavor of the month will be this time?’ This is how teachers felt about our professional development in regards to instruction, curriculum, character education or anything else that was being asked of us to do. The role of principal seemed to be that of a building manager and trying to locate a program that would improve building performance.” “Hold on.” Mike says, taking a piece of bacon off my plate. “In 2001 the Ohio Academic Content Standards were released, and as an administrative team, Kyle (my principal) and I began discussing SCAs (Short Cycle Assessments) with our staff, tracking data, and teaching to the standards, rather than to a program.” We switch gears and finish breakfast, talking about our schedule for the day and trying to add time to get a quick workout in at some point. Mike gives a quick reference to finishing the outline now and the deadline for submitting the article. He gets up and begins clearing the table. “Are you writing?” “Yes.” “The difference is now there is focus and alignment of all the acronyms. Take RtI—to maximize the effectiveness of this initiative you must have sound FIPs in place.” Mike rambles, trying to structure his thoughts about what new roles we have taken on in our profession and the alignment of all the arrows pointing to raising student achievement. He is talking much faster than I am writing. “Well FIP also goes hand-in-hand with OTES. Without sound FIP you cannot have quality differentiation or make sound instructional decisions based on formative assessment data. With the implementation of the new CCSS, our staff has to be prepared to deconstruct the standards into student friendly learning targets. Our building must have an RtI framework to provide student interventions and scaffolding that allow for all students to develop 21st century skills to prepare them for their futures. In the process we must have a PBIS program to try to improve student behavior and reduce office referrals.” Taking a breath, he states, “And we must also prepare teachers for our new evaluation system, OTES, so they know exactly how they will be evaluated. And that, in turn, affects our new OPES that will determine how administrators are evaluated.” He takes another deep breath, but not without me being able to add my two cents. “I agree, and all of these things may have been within our buildings under other acronyms and structures,” I offer, “But the

state has now redefined the expectations and made them very clear with accountability measures at every level and a framework to follow for all levels of education.” Mike is hitting his stride with our acronym banter; he is leaning forward, very engaged and listening intently as our conversation is unfolding. He loves these kinds of discussions—the ones that, at some point, may have a certain amount of debate involved about how each of us perceive our roles. I quickly glance at the clock. I have one hour before I have to leave and I have put my next comment off as long as possible, knowing it was going to deflate the whole conversation, “I have to take a shower and get ready.” I can tell the impact I just had on his goal, but the day must go on. So I suggest a few things that I would like to happen while I am gone this afternoon. I am trying to tread lightly but also get something accomplished, such as in education when I ask staff to do just one more thing. With a slight bit of sarcasm, I say, “Before I leave I will give you clear targets, a performance of understanding, success criteria, and provide you with examples of strong and weak evidence of mastering the target.” Basically I am leaving him with a HPDL (Honey Please Do List). “I get it,” he tells me, as I head upstairs.

Mike continues to write in my place… For me to be cooking and cleaning the kitchen with a “Honey Do List” is not a typical Sunday morning. As with co-teaching, we usually cocook and co-clean the house, but today Jenniffer is going to a baby shower for my assistant principal’s wife. I will pick up the slack of completing these chores before our work week begins.

As I begin the progress toward my target, Jenniffer is still partially focused on our conversation and calls down, “Please bring the paper and pen upstairs.” Leaving the kitchen, I head upstairs. I move the pillows and sheets around so I can lie on the bed and write at the same time. “You know, a major change is that with budget cuts and doing less with more, principals are now in charge of the professional development in our buildings. You know from 1999 until 2004 we were hiring outside experts to come in and teach our staff. Now we need to become experts on all the acronyms and how to present them to our staff for buy in.” Then she turns on the hair dryer, which gives me time to catch up with my writing. Off goes the dryer. “Follow up,” she states. “There was never any follow up. Professionals would come in, state their case, and then they were gone. Baldridge is a great example of a building initiative, and we were trained, as a staff, but with little or no accountability for follow through after the presentation. She turns on the hair dryer again and redirects her focus to getting ready for the shower. Yelling over the dryer, I say, “In this day and age, administrators must lead professional conversations daily and weekly with our staffs just to stay ahead of the wave of acronyms we deal with every day. Take the book studies we are both doing, as an example. I conduct mine during our team time once a week, and you do yours before and after school once a week. Thank goodness we chose the same book, so we can help each other with preparation, discussion topics, and delivery. The nice part about the state alignment is that we build on our professional de(continued on page 20)

Winter 2013 w 19

velopment in every meeting, from our book studies to early releases to our staff retreats. Everything fits. Even though we may use two separate topics, such as FIP or OTES, each focuses on improving instruction, and they speak the same language for our staffs.” Jenniffer sets down the hair dryer and picks up the straightener. Much better, I think. Her thought process is beginning to have laser precision to what changes she sees in her role and building. “You are right. Things have changed because now we have very specific initiatives. We are guided about how to locate all the resources for our initiatives, and then we are expected to learn them. It is also our responsibility to figure out how to present them to our staff, being careful to develop trust and buy-in. They need to believe that one of these initiatives is NOT the latest ‘flavor of the month.’” She picks up the straightener and says, “We cannot present the new information with just a canned presentation or PowerPoint. It needs to be presented in a different way. From an elementary perspective, I must be aware that my staff needs to view this new information from the same lens as our kindergarten students. And some of those students do not even recognize their ABCs when they enter our building! Along with that, I am working with a team to develop an RtI framework that will encompass kindergarten through fourth grade. As with differentiated instruction within the classroom, we must have differentiated professional development within our grade levels. As administrators, we are now truly being held responsible and accountable to prepare our staffs.” She takes a deep breath and finishes, “And I am the only administrator in my building. I do not have an assistant principal, special education director, guidance counselor, or curriculum director, but I do have 750 students and over fifty staff members.” No wonder you are always tired, I think to myself. “Not to mention next year we have to...” Jenniffer drops the straightener on the sink, and it flips onto the floor. As Jenniffer focuses on the next phase of getting ready, I zing her on the fact that, for wanting to stay focused, she just rambled about everything in one long breath (with run-on sentences that I will not include in this article). I try to refocus the discussion on the professional development of our staff. “Professional development is like effective feedback. You can only give them what they can handle. It is much more effective when it is timely, and your teachers have the knowledge and ability to act on the feedback.” These kinds of conversations will consume our weekends if we let them, I think, but continue aloud, “Not only can I not afford to bring in experts, but my assistant principal and I have assumed the roles of curriculum director, athletic director, and special education director. And next year we have to evaluate every teacher in our building.” Jenniffer snaps a look at me, “Well at least you have an assistant. I—” Realizing we are about to go off topic again, I put down the paper and pen and say, “I need to work through my scaffolding to master my target.” I head back downstairs to clean the kitchen.

Jennifer takes over again… Fast-forward to the following Sunday morning. “Can we finish this article today?” Mike asks, as we cater to the individual needs of our five children. We are a blended family with children ranging from eight to twenty-three, each with his or her own needs on this Sunday morning. Differentiation at its finest! 20 w Principal Navigator

“We will, I promise,” I say, as I finish cleaning the upstairs hall. “The questions we need to address today are ‘how do we handle our new roles and how have they changed our buildings?’” As I clean two bathrooms and three bedrooms, I chuckle to myself and think, This is one of the ways my role has changed. EVERYONE is cleaning the house because I am hosting my RtI team here on Wednesday and will not be home, due to school commitments, until after seven each day. Mike disrupts my thoughts and tells me I should mention what I am doing Wednesday with my eight RtI members. “Way ahead of you,” I say, “we need to get this into some type of final form.” We go to our library, and I begin typing another rough draft as Mike goes through the piles of papers, campaign ads, bank statements, and junk mail that have built up since the beginning of the school year. He begins sorting, keeping what he feels is important, discarding the rest (just as we do with our staff), and hoping not to abandon something of value. Later that morning Mike asks, “How have our buildings changed?” “I would say the main things are the type of conversations and goals our staffs are working toward each day.” “You’re right,” Mike says. “We are coaching our staffs through all these changes. Just this past week, I sat down with three teachers to discuss my walk-through of their classes; I called three middle school principals to ask them how they are dealing with all these acronyms; and I tried to read two articles on effective feedback, and I watched a module from Battelle on FIP.” “That reminds me—I have a meeting on Thursday with my assistant superintendent to go over my professional goals for this school year,” I say, lumbering downstairs, loaded with cleaning supplies. Mike yells from upstairs as he turns on the vacuum, “I want a copy of those; I need to begin framing my goals for my building this month.” “Only if you send them back to me when you revamp them with your goals!” I respond. It is funny how competitive we are about some things. I stop for a minute, sit down, and reflect. All of this really is about the students. Our goal here is to improve instruction, meet the new standards, and be accountable so that our students get the best education possible. I share my thoughts with Mike, as he bangs the sweeper against the steps. “We’ll get through it,” he says. “We got through this article, didn’t we? We must continue to grow as leaders for our buildings, attend professional development, become overwhelmed, and, at times, feel knocked down but still survive. We have to keep focused on dealing with the acronyms. And we must become better at guiding the improvement of instruction in our buildings. That, in turn, will raise student achievement, preparing our students to be college and career ready. That is truly what it is all about—the students.” Jenniffer Kauffeld is the principal at Buckeye Woods Elementary (rated Excellent with Distinction) in the South-Western City School District. She can be reached by email, jenniffer.kauffeld@swcs.us or by phone, 614-801-8025. Michael Kauffeld is the principal at Teays Valley West Middle School (rated Excellent and an Ohio School to Watch) in the Teays Valley Local School District. He can be reached by email, mkauffeld@tvsd.us or by phone, 740-983-5095.

Knowing When to Make a Decision Can Lead to Meaningful and Lasting Change by Ken Pease

One of my favorite movie scenes is from A Christmas Story where Ralphie’s dad stands at the door fighting off a pack of “wild” dogs that were intent on chasing him into the house. Cursing and screaming, kicking and fighting, he manages to hold off the dogs and retreat to the calm safety of his house. This analogy rings true for me as a principal. So many times I feel like I am at the door of the school, protecting my staff and students from the relentless onslaught of outside forces— everything from district initiatives to state and federal mandates, curriculum leaders insistent on training my staff, parents asking more from us, and vendors around every corner wanting a piece of my phantom budget. As a new principal, you want to throw open the door and let all the dogs in, and as a veteran you don’t want to open the door at all. Change is inevitable and some is essential. I am slowly learning how and when to open the door to change. During my first year as a principal, a colleague shared with me that the art of leadership is in knowing when to make a fast decision and when to make a slow decision. In the course of a day, I’ll have a hundred conversations on just as many different topics. Each conversation carries a degree of importance in the overall leadership of the building. However, to the other person in the conversation, it carries great importance, and they want change to happen immediately. The second grader wants the problem at recess solved; the professional development coordinator wants staff trained next week; the teachers want resources yesterday; and the parent wants justice for the playground fight immediately. Taking time to slow down and process each request helps me to prioritize and act accordingly. Upon questioning, you may find that the duty teacher has already solved the recess issue; the staff training will actually occur three additional times this year; the resources requested by the teacher aren’t needed until next semester; and the kids on the playground have been separated, calmly and safely. If you don’t take time at the onset to ask yourself if this needs immediate attention, you will launch yourself

into the drama of quick decision-making, which ultimately affects change negatively and creates more work and confusion throughout the change process. Conversely, there are times when swift action in decision-making is critical. People appreciate decisive, strong decision-making, but just not all of the time. The power of quick decisions rests in the trust you garner by making thoughtful, slow decisions. It comes when those you lead realize that you are willing and able to make a fast decision if needed. There are pivotal times in leadership where a decision is there in the waiting and you have to pounce. Often, these opportunities happen for me in the spring because each spring holds the promise of change for the next year. Staffing, scheduling, and programmatic changes often occur in the spring, and you have one chance to make significant and impactful change. It is ideal to have all stakeholders involved in the hiring process, but you also know there are times when the strongest candidate will get away if you don’t act immediately. Fast change comes at a price. The stakeholders may be upset that they were not asked to help interview, but as the leader you know it is better to make the great selection than to interview six lesser candidates the next week. A good principal needs to keep an eye on the landscape and be ready to make these quick decisions because the opportunity for impactful change can get away as quickly as it came. I have a good friend who tells me, “Change is always good…until it happens to me.” We can be assured that, as a principal, opportunities to make changes will come our way every day. Before you deadbolt that lock or throw open the doors, think through how fast your decision needs to be and chart your course. Doing so can lead to healthy, lasting, and significant change. Ken Pease is in his eighteenth year of education—eleven years as an elementary teacher and seven as an administrator. He is the Principal at Slate Hill Elementary School in Worthington, Ohio, and lives with his wife and four children in Hilliard, Ohio. He can be reached at kpease@worthington.k12.oh.us.

Winter 2013 w 21

Elementary

Essentials

by Zana Vincent

The Administrator’s Role: An Evolution No question, the administrator’s role is ever evolving. In Ohio, it has certainly evolved from that of the 1950s when the major role was to be a competent manager. The principal of a school could usually be found near his office involved in budgets, buses, and maintaining a smoothly run building. Curriculum was important but was mostly defined by the textbook. Technology was the filmstrip projector and differentiation of instruction was ability grouping. Preschools were private entities and not readily available, and kindergarten was not mandatory. Today’s administrator continues to assume the role of manager but also carries the responsibility of instructional leader and a leader of learners. The role has become more complex, more time intensive, and more public. Mandates have created challenges as well as opportunities but have also led to a conundrum of conflicting choices based on different and long-established belief systems. The evolving role has caused deep reflection about how to create a system that maximizes the early success of all learners and focuses on what is best for children. This prompts the question—where is the starting point? Or are there multiple points—families, early learning centers, schools, and communities? If true, does it call for a different way of thinking? See comparison on p. 23. Webster defines evolution as a progression of interrelated phenomena; to grow or develop out of something; to expand; unfold; ripen and mature. That is certainly true of the principal’s role. Being a principal brings with it a new adventure every day. Each day is a new story with new opportunities and challenges. To grow professionally—to evolve—is the work that keeps us engaged, and keeps us moving, reflecting, and changing. And yes, there is certainly a need for respite now and then. Hurrah for breaks and vacation time, and hurrah for a school day when everything is right with the universe!

Zana Vincent serves as Project Manager of the Ohio Ready Schools Initiative. She is also a consultant and a state trainer in the Ohio Resident Educator Program. Zana is a former elementary school principal, a central office administrator, and Regional Professional Development director.

22 w Principal Navigator

A Different Way of Thinking Traditional Thinking Teachers and administrators focus on content and believe: • Many children are at a disadvantage academically when they start school; therefore, we can only do a certain amount in a regular classroom. • Some children aren’t ready for school. We do them a favor by suggesting to families that they wait another year. • Some families need to do a better job of helping their children. • Student diversity means lower performance. • We treat all children the same. We help children who are different adjust to the norm and overcome their limitations. • Screening procedures provide data to determine a child’s readiness for kindergarten. • Communication with families is limited prior to the start of school. • The learning environment supports the “typical” student.

Ready School Thinking Ready Schools put children first and believe: • All children start school with the ability to learn. We must assess and find ways to narrow and close any gaps as quickly as possible. • All children are ready for kindergarten. Some may need extra attention. • We need to work together with families to ease transitions. • Student diversity is challenging but rewarding for all learners. • By teaching all children to embrace their own uniqueness and respect differences, we are helping them prepare for a diverse world. • Screening procedures provide data that informs instructional practices, the need for additional assessments, and the need for supportive services. • Communication starts early in the preschool years and is ongoing, providing multiple opportunities for children and families to visit the school. • The school environment is prepared to support the learning and development of all children. Winter 2013 w 23

Principal With-It-Ness by Tim M. Keller

With-it-ness. In the 1980s, we learned this term in college. It described classroom teachers who knew what was going on in their classrooms; the antithesis to those “with-it” teachers, of course, was those teachers who seemed clueless to their students. I vowed never to be that teacher. And I wasn’t. Yet, after my first couple of years in administration, I realized I was a principal who lacked with-it-ness. I only knew what happened in the classroom based on complaints and office referrals. It is well known that the observation process is a bit flawed. It only gets principals in the classrooms to see a “show” that teachers can put on to demonstrate they can do a great lesson. Once, while I was observing one of my classrooms, the teacher announced to the class, “Since the principal is here, let’s do…” I wondered, What happens in that classroom on a daily basis? Last week, I was in the classroom of a new teacher in my building. I was counting the number of students on task. On this particular day, the teacher sat at his desk with a line of students waiting to show him their work for feedback. The student talking with the teacher was highly engaged; two students were working on the assignment; twelve students stood in line, pushing each other; three kids rolled around on the floor; and five students were talking off topic at their seats. It is not rocket science to advise the teacher. If the teacher left his desk, and walked around the room, he would have seen which students were off task and would have addressed this. If we really want to have excellent schools, we must have excellent classrooms. Classes with a high degree of engagement will have the best chance of reaching that excellence. It is interesting that we principals can agree that a mobile teacher tends to be more effective, but we often find ourselves strapped into our offices, just like this teacher was strapped to his desk during class. When I began administration twelve years ago at the secondary level, I did not visit classrooms which put me at the same level as the teacher I just described. We know that, in classrooms like the one above, there will be increased discipline problems, a lot of lost time, and low-performing results. Is it really any different for principals? If administrators are not engaged in the art and science of educational leadership, is it remotely possible for our buildings to be academically excellent? I think not. About seven years ago, I began “walkabouts” in my school, which had 560 students and an ED unit. I was the only principal. I found my visibility increasing (no duh). I started to wonder what the point was… just PR? (whoop dee do). Then I started to track students who were on task and found that certain teachers had students at one hundred 24 w Principal Navigator

percent while others were at seventy-five percent. This gave me the opportunity for proactive coaching, and, in no time, we rose to nearly one hundred percent of students on task in each class one hundred percent of the time. I observed problems before they were referred to the office and offered minor suggestions to teachers. As a result office referrals dropped. My with-it-ness increased, because I learned the daily teaching styles of all of the teachers in the building. Since I began my walkabouts, I noticed another positive outcome—teachers were far more accepting of new curriculum ideas and programs. Because of my classroom visits, they believed the principal understood them. A surprise outcome I also discovered is that parents believed I knew what was going on in each classroom as well. When parents called to complain about a teacher, I told them that I was in the teacher’s room nearly every day—ask your child. When the students affirmed what I said, then the parents were more apt to believe and trust me. Instinctively, principals know this is right, but we allow the daily drudge of the office to prevent us from making these visits--now dubbed “walkthroughs.” If we did the math, we would find that if principals have twenty-seven rooms to visit and spend three minutes in each room, they could easily cover five rooms a day in just twenty minutes. Couldn’t a principal do that en route to getting coffee and back? In a week or less, a principal could cover his or her building. I believe that walkthroughs are a vital part of being an effective educational leader and have been a critical component to my building’s success. Last week I met with the above teacher and shared what I had observed six times, what the on task data was from his peers, and the data I had collected over last couple of years. It was hard for him to justify not needing to change something. If a principal wants to start tracking data from a walkthrough program, he or she should ask himself or herself a few questions: • What do I want to see in each classroom? • What can I realistically see in three minutes? • What am I willing to use the information for? • Those answers could be awesome documentation for professional conversations and for positive change! Tim M. Keller is the principal at Taft Elementary in the Ashland City School District in Ashland, Ohio.

DIAMOND OF SUCCESS MODEL

CREATING HIGH-GROWTH BUILDINGS THROUGH ORGANIZATIONAL, LEADERSHIP, AND TEACHING STRUCTURES & PRACTICES Introduction As we continue to anxiously await for the promises of the new teacher and principal evaluation systems and cautiously prepare for some of the unintended consequences, I would like to share some research shared at the Fall BASA Conference by educational reformer Michael Fullan. Fullan discussed the importance of building “social capacity” and discussed a concern of the approach of trying to improve our schools by one teacher or leader at a time or with accountability being a major driver. It will certainly take a systems approach. Developing the capacity and processes for teachers and leaders to plan, work, grow and learn from each in our schools are as important to the outcome as focusing on individual practices in the classroom. As a first year superintendent and a principal we had inherited teachers who had “Red” classroom data the previous year. In year one we increased instructional time, committed to a balanced assessment approach and create a systematic approach to collaboration to discuss students’ progress and achievement. The very next year many of those same teachers became “Green.” In other words, it is more than just classroom practices and the individual teacher that leads to student growth. It is resources, time on task, collaboration among educators and a laser like focus from the building, district and school leaders that produces gains for student learning. Last year at Battelle for Kids we sponsored a “Response to Red” workshop where practitioners from around the state shared how they too made extraordinary results in value added. The theme was all too common as they were frequent assessments, common assessments, formative instructional practices, collaboration and time in the day to work with struggling and advance students. The next year 15 of the 18 “Red” districts became Green and Yellow. In our Soar Leading and Learning Collaborative our School Improvement Framework focuses on these tenants: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Clearly Defined and Limited Goals for School Improvement Balanced Assessment Approach Structures, Procedures, and Routines in School Collaboration is Prioritized in the District Professional Development that Directly Aligns to Goals

Within the tenant “Structures, Procedures and Routines in School,” our Soar Collaborative is encouraging our schools to adapt their Response to Intervention Model (RTI) to a new model that is more inclusive to providing opportunities for all students in the school. This new model is our BFK Diamond of Success which promotes collaboration, teachers working together reviewing student data, and teachers and leaders responding together to all students. Diamond of Success Model Framework The Diamond of Success evolved out of a “pyramid” Response to Intervention (RTI) model and procedures that were successfully used with struggling students in the Solon City School District. In 2006, Canaan Middle School (Jonathan Alder School Local District) transformed and expanded Solon’s RTI models, to not only serve struggling students, but also to create a school-wide approach that delivered enrichment and stretch to students who were mastering material. This model and approach equipped classroom teachers with a decision making structure for providing differentiation, corrective instruction, enrichment, and intervention. Response to Intervention Many districts have implemented RTI models to provide additional assistance and structure to: 1. 2. 3.

Research-based instruction and intervention. Progress monitoring of student learning. Data collection to inform educational decisions for students over time.

The Diamond of Success model provides districts and/or schools with a systematic approach to use with students at every achievement level. This framework can and should be customized for each building and district with variable structures, routines, and procedures that can be followed for both students who master or do not master material. When accountability includes student growth measures, there is a distinct need for such an approach for growing or advancing knowledge for students who are mastering material. All learners, regardless of their level of proficiency, should experience more than one year of growth. If students who are not proficient do not grow beyond a year, the achievement gap will never be closed. Because schools, principals, and teachers are being held accountable for both achievement and a year’s worth of growth for each student, it is more important than ever to provide differentiated support to students at all achievement levels, both inside and outside of the regular classroom. Principals should work with their teacher-based teams (TBTs), building leadership teams (BLTs), and counselors (if possible) in creating a schedule, supports, and routines to provide enrichment and intervention, in addition to the differentiation, that occurs in classrooms. The Diamond of Success model organizes and leverages all building personnel and resources to meet the diverse needs of all students.

Implementation of the Diamond of Success Model All schools want and need to have highly qualified teachers in every classroom employing formative instructional practices. However, it is the schools that provide structures and processes for enrichment and intervention—in addition to what the classroom teacher can deliver—that will increase the probability of accomplishing higher levels of learning for all students and experience an increase in value-added data at the school and teacher levels. In other words, the highest performing schools have teachers who have committed and are skilled at using “formative instructional practices” (FIP) daily in the classroom and have created structures, procedures and routines within the school to respond to all learners to increase intervention and enrichment opportunities. To facilitate this model, a principal and the school team:    

Designs a school schedule that facilitates implementation and secures appropriate resources Provides professional development on processes and routines of the Diamond of Success. Ensures the model’s routines are implemented with fidelity through strong follow-up and monitoring Formatively assesses the efficacy of the model throughout the school year.

Before Instruction Teachers and teams need to make sure they are aware of what each student needs to know. Teachers can do this by: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Teachers review big ideas, learning progressions, scope, and sequence documents. Teachers create assessments before instruction begins. Teachers administer and review pre-assessments before instruction begins. Teachers create learning targets by identifying the key concepts and skills students must be able to master.

This preparation will be essential during the transition to the Common Core State Standards and must be performed before every new lesson, or at least weekly. Teachers will feel pressure to implement curriculum that covers all of the standards. They will be reconciling this with the responsibility to ensure that all students learn. Teachers may need assistance gauging advancement. In addition, they will need to balance diverse needs and set appropriate differentiated learning targets. With the Diamond of Success model in place, classroom teachers can sustain and enrich students through school-wide structures, programs, and resources. For instance, through coordinated collaborative efforts, TBTs can create common formative assessments as well as benchmarks for learning to help generate and document evidence of learning. Mastery and Non-Mastery Defined In the Diamond of Success model, mastery is defined as achieving 80 percent accuracy on material, tests, and/or quizzes. The goal should be at least 85 percent of students in the classroom reaching that level before the teacher should progress with the unit/lesson. Any teacher reluctant to re-teach material that only 16 percent of the class did not master should be reminded of the school’s commitment that all students learn and grow. Re-teaching material to get to the goal of 85 percent of the students mastering material will allow struggling students and students barely mastering material to establish solid foundational understanding at initial levels which in turn will enable them to successful climb staircases of learning progressions. Teachers can be assured that the extra time spent re-teaching students who have not mastered material with a different strategy or method will deepen the learning for students who have mastered material and whatever school-wide opportunities have been developed for students mastering work with the Diamond of Success model will stretch and enrich those students. MASTERY The Diamond of Success model is unique among RTI models. In this model, schools create processes and structures to respond to students who are mastering material as well as those who are struggling. Students who master material need to be continually challenged and stretched. We know many teachers do an outstanding job of this in the classroom through rigorous, and challenging tasks, and by using formative instructional practices. However, we also know some teachers are better at working with high-level students than others, and a school-wide response for students mastering material will help ensure all students are learning and growing. The Diamond of Success model is only a framework, and responses for students mastering material can be different from building to building or grade level to grade level. But, it is important to have a response. Some schools have accelerated technology programs or offer formal enrichment or advanced classes. Others use reading programs where students can be challenged with more difficult texts. Others systematically and regularly provide challenge tasks for students in math. These options should always be flexible because a student accelerating this week may need additional time to process a new concept the following week. Again, common planning time for teachers to meet in teams is essential, and they should meet at least every two weeks to discuss placement of students.

NON-MASTERY In the Diamond of Success Model, non-mastery is tiered in three levels. Level 1  Structures and routines are created so that the school schedule can provide no new instruction (NNI) and intervention periods daily. Without these additional periods for learning all the responsibility could be left to the classroom teacher for intervention and enrichment.  Students not mastering material are moved to Level 1 and put on a watch list and receive additional, carefully scaffolded instruction during the daily NNI periods, intervention periods, or both. There should be very limited times, if any, when students are taken out of their regular math or reading classes for intervention. Providing intervention in lieu of class time does not increase learning. Providing intervention in addition to class time does increase learning.  Parents are informed that students are struggling. A typical response to parents would be: “Your son/daughter seems to be having some difficulty with some of the concepts we are covering in class. We are going to adjust his/her schedule to provide some additional time for re-teaching and for intervention. We’ll be monitoring his/her improvement and will be keeping you informed.”  Weekly contacts with parents via emails and/or phone calls should continue during this level.  Every two to three weeks (or timeline determined by school) teacher teams discuss progress of student and decides on whether student should be: 1. Moved to Level 2 2. Continue in Level 1 3. Remove from watch list Note: Schools may immediately move students to Level 1 who scored below proficiency on the prior year achievement test. Level 2  Students failing to make progress in Level 1 are moved to Level 2.  Teacher-based teams continue to work on formative instructional practices. They analyze learning targets, refine assessments, and generate protocols for providing effective feedback.  A parent(s) meeting is set where the student, teachers’ team, and parent(s) discuss the learning challenge(s). Goals and strategies are discussed. After reviewing possible strategies, the parent(s), student, and teacher each choose one strategy to which they will commit.  A meeting with parent(s) is scheduled. Guidance personnel (or teacher) will meet with student prior to the meeting to help student develop strategies. All parties will bring one strategy to the meeting for the parent, student and teacher(s). Strategies are written down and each person (parent, student, and teacher(s) will choose the strategy that each can commit to and follow through on. (Meeting will not rehash student behavior, challenges, or struggles and will not last more than 30 minutes).  A date is set three weeks from strategy meeting to reconvene to review success. After three weeks of monitoring and documenting strategies, a decision is made to determine: 1. Were strategies helpful? 2. Was an appropriate goal established? 3. Where do we go from here? o Continue strategies and check progress in three weeks. o Establish a new goal, new strategies, and check back in three weeks. o Move student to Level 3. Level 3  Building-level and teacher-based teams, and allowance for common planning/collaboration time, are essential elements of Level 3.  Any students failing to make progress with the following are moved to Level 3: o Classroom interventions o No new instruction periods and intervention o Addition intervention time with another teacher or specialist is created in the schedule. o Strategies in Level 2 that have been implemented for three weeks and documented as unsuccessful.  School leaders may add other members to the team to review student data and progress such as a school psychologist.  School leaders may decide to evaluate student for learning disabilities.  School leaders can opt to continue monitoring progress of the intervention strategy for a few more weeks before formalizing referrals.

Evaluation and Moving Through the Levels There should be multiple levels of intervention before a student is referred to special education evaluation. Strategies should be determined, intervention should be offered, collaboration among teachers and parents should occur, and documentation should be in place. A Response to Intervention technique adopted to assist one student may ultimately benefit another or even many. For instance, a particular strategy can become part of a teacher’s skill set, available in the future for more general application. Many times, providing additional time (no new instruction or intervention periods), intensity (smaller groups) or frequency (number of intervention days per week) can help close the gap. It is important to realize some students will always need this additional time, intensity, or frequency to stay caught up and this does not necessarily mean that they are automatic candidates for special education. When students are moved through Levels 1, 2, and 3, it is important to document strategies, meetings, conversations with parents, and student progress. Documentation and monitoring is essential.   

Create “watch lists” for students and use folders to document and collect forms. (*Sample Form A—Classroom Intervention and *Sample Form B—Parent/Teacher/Student Conference.) Customized forms can be created at the school level. Document and monitor the success of strategies. Using technology may be an option for some schools to enhance documentation process. Show evidence of student learning to analyze student mastery. This may range from results of multiple response tests to portfolio-worthy essays, or artifacts resulting from project-based learning.

Key Points There are key points to take away from the Diamond of Success Model. The Diamond of Success model: 1. Establishes a school schedule with structures and routines including opportunities for frequent and intense intervention, no new information periods, acceleration/enrichment, and teacher collaboration. 2. Communicates the importance of creating clear learning targets, learning progressions, and common assessments before instruction begins. 3. Collects, analyzes, and proceeds based on evidence of student learning. 4. Provides students with effective feedback and encourages them to own their learning. 5. Creates a structure and purpose for collaboration time: o Identify students who have not demonstrated mastery (or have) of learning target(s). o Identify students who may need social, physical, and emotional intervention as well as academic support. o Refer and assign students to daily/weekly intervention.

*Please go to www.oaesa.org and find Sample Forms A and B on our home page.

Central Office

Connection by Tammy Wagner

Shared Services: Past, Present, and Future Shared services are a historic part of the educational system in America. Puritan settlers in Boston, Massachusetts, opened the first public school in 1635, supporting it with public funds (Boston Latin School, 2012). In other, more rural, communities throughout the nineteenth century, farmers contributed to the schools by providing wood or fuel to heat the schoolhouse during winter (Roundtable, Inc., 2001). Parents and community members often housed teachers on a rotating basis and took turns cleaning and providing needed materials and resources. “The power of the community and the high value placed on education was evident in the shared efforts involved in maintaining the schools” (Roundtable, Inc., 2001, para. 3). Over the years, informal supports of the past have evolved into the more sophisticated shared service agreements that we see in schools today. These agreements take place regularly among individual school districts, educational service centers, technology sites, and career centers. Such agreements are mostly bound by contractual language. Contracts are entered into in order to provide needed services at a reasonable cost; therefore, they are mutually beneficial to both the organizations and the students they serve. The Six District Educational Compact is one present-day example of a shared service agreement in the state of Ohio. It was organized in response to a 1969 state mandate that required school districts to provide access to vocational training for high school students. While the majority of school districts chose to either establish a joint vocational school or contract with a larger school district for vocational services, the Six District Educational Compact took a more regionalized approach (Six District Educational Compact, 2012). Superintendents from Cuyahoga Falls, Kent, Hudson, Stow-Monroe Falls, Tallmadge, and Woodridge school districts pooled together programs and services to offer their students a variety of career and technical services. Today the list of programs and services offered by the compact has expanded to include a wide range of shared services, such as professional development, special education, marketing, communications, adult education, business, summer school, Ohio Graduation Test preparation, and drug abuse prevention. It partners with area businesses, as well as hospitals and universities, and employs its own executive director, Mary Jane Stanchina, to oversee operations. This past year in Ohio, there has been a resurgence of media attention surrounding the concept of shared services. Media coverage 30 w Principal Navigator

has concentrated upon the passage and subsequent implementation of House Bill 153 (Ohio Department of Education, 2011) that Governor John Kasich signed into law on June 30, 2011. With it, he ushered in new opportunities for schools to engage in cooperative ventures. HB 153 outlines a plan for a more comprehensive regional system of supports to increase shared services and interagency collaboration among school districts, cities, counties, villages, or townships (McCauley, 2011). Using educational service centers as the backbone of this new system, the bill allows the formation of Councils of Governments, or COGs, among any political subdivision below the state level. Although COGs such as the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Government have existed since the 1960s, HB 153 substantially increases possibilities for future collaborations, particularly with regards to the scope and size of them. The theory behind this type of legislation is that the formation of partnerships will produce “economies of scale” that will enable participating entities to enjoy significant cost savings. Ideally, these savings can be realized alongside improved organizational performance. Not long ago I spoke with Dr. James Lahoski, Superintendent/CEO of the North Central Ohio Educational Service Center (NCOESC), in Tiffin, Ohio. His organization recently formed the North Central Ohio Regional Council of Governments (NCORcog) with John Davoli as its new director. For a small annual fee, villages, cities, school districts, townships, and counties can join NCORcog. Current members can take advantage of group purchasing for products such as paper, school buses, vehicles, and other goods. Technology, grant writing, healthcare, and legal services are also offered as part of NCORcog (NCORcog, 2012). As members, organizations have the option to select from the menu of items. For example, through NCORcog, one local city has contracted with the NCOESC for technology services for the upcoming school year. Similar to the Six District Educational Compact, Dr. Lahoski envisions that membership needs will drive the services offered. Projects and feasibility studies in the works include the following: a review of technology services within the Educational Service Center consortium funded by a local innovation grant, a grant study to help county school districts save money on Medicare, a partnership with a local landfill to examine methane gas output and the potential for turning it into natural gas, a city and county partnership grant to help fund safe routes to school, and another cooperative effort between city and county government offices to save money by merging office space. NCOR plans to extend memberships to private businesses soon. Its overarching mission is to help members reduce costs while enhancing services. In an effort to help expand the use of shared services in the future, Governor’s Office of 21st Century Education, assisted by the Office

of Budget and Management, released an action plan in June 2012. The report is called “Beyond Boundaries, a Shared Services Action Plan for Ohio Schools and Governments” (Ross, R. & Keen, T., 2012) Based on a shared services survey conducted over the last year, it proposes ten recommendations to address the critical issue of Ohio’s government expenditures outpacing its economic growth. The recommendations range from proposing the development of templates for simple shared service agreements between local government and education leaders to suggesting that competitive bidding and benchmark performance review process be implemented with regards to ESCs and ITCs prior to contract renewal. A complete list of the recommendations can be accessed at www.beyondboundaries.ohio.gov. The goal of this plan, as stated, is to provide leaders a “roadmap for a more cost-effective, collaborative way of doing business.” It is a call to action meant to improve efficiencies in the state’s government and educational services. Shared services, with their proud past and clear present, are once again coming to the forefront in education - holding promise for the future.

Ohio Department of Education. (2011). Summary of the FY12-13 State Operating Budget Am. Sub. HB 153. Retrieved from http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&T opicRelationID=4&ContentID=102848 Ross, R. A. & Keen, T. S. (2012). Beyond Boundaries: A Shared Services Action Plan for Ohio Schools and Governments. Retrieved from http://www.beyondboundaries.ohio.gov/ Roundtable, Inc. (2001). The Story of American Public Education. Retrieved from Public Broadcasting System website: http://www.pbs.org/kcet/publicschool/evolving_classroom/index.html Six District Educational Compact. (2012). Compact history. Retrieved from http://www.sixdistrict.com/

References

Want to read more from Tammy? Please see her article about the principal’s role on p. 42.

Boston Latin School. (2012). History 375+ Years. Retrieved from http://www.bls.org/history?rc=0 McCauley, B. (2011, September 13). Benson to education leaders: Ohio shared service initiative could save public education more than $1 billion. KnowledgeWorks. Retrieved from http://knowledgeworks.org NCORcog. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.NCORcog.org/

Tammy L. Wagner is in her nineteenth year in education. For the past ten years, she has been the elementary principal for the Carey Exempted Village School District. She also serves as the district’s coordinator for federal programs, gifted services, and professional development. She may be contacted at 419.396.6767 or by email, wagner_t@careyevs.org.

Winter 2013 w 31

Create Your Own Personal Learning Network (PLN)!

101 by Erin Simpson

Twitter Basics…

• Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, known as tweets. • It is a great PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING TOOL! It can be used to communicate and collaborate with colleagues from around the world, parents, and students. You can share resources with other educators, receive timely updates from educational organizations, and participate in real-time online professional development. • Handle = your username (@ehuthsimpson @OAESA @NAESP @ OVPrincipal) • Tweet = your updates limited to 140 characters • Retweet (RT) = forwarding someone else’s tweet so that your followers can read it. • Mention = someone is talking to you and has included your handle. Everyone who follows you will see this. • Direct Message (DM) = This is a private message between two people. It is stilll limited to 140 characters, and you can only DM someone if they follow you. • Followers = Those you will communicate with and follow the tweets of; a twitter friendship. • Hashtag = This is the # symbol placed in front of a word. 32 w Principal Navigator

(#ChooseKind, #satchat, #ptchat) It is used to categorize messages by marking a keyword and also to facilitate searches on words or topics. These are also used for chats. • Chat = Professional development custom created by you! Join with “like” educators to learn from each other, connect with each other, and share resources. These will expand your PLN. • List = Twitter lists enable a user to organize all the different users they may have. This list can be based on occupation, location, or any other criteria a person deems important for keeping track of users. Create and/ or join lists to keep your Twitter stream manageable and get the information you want with less distraction. (Ed Leadership— 163 members, Administrators on Twitter—501 members, Principals/APs—81 members).

Why Tweet?

• Share your great ideas with others! • Post information relevant to your position or building! • Share the GREAT HAPPENINGS occurring in your building and district every day! • Get feedback from colleagues across the country! • Stay on top of the latest educational articles in real-time! • Follow and communicate with colleagues you would never learn from in any other way! • 24 hour FREE Professional Development! We all have those nights we can’t sleep, right?!

How to Set Up Your Account

• Go to the Twitter website www. twitter.com or download the app on your phone or tablet • Click Join the Conversation to set up an account. Upon clicking the button you will be brought to the Create a Free Twitter Account page. Select an available username. It’s recommended that you choose a username that represents you. This is the name by which other Twitter followers will recognize you. • Select a password, provide an email address, read the terms of service and click “I accept, Create my account.” It is important to note that you can only have one Twitter account per email address. • Add friends or skip it until you become more familiar with Twitter. The first screen you’ll see when you successfully sign up for an account will ask you to add friends. Since you’re brand new, it’s best to get a little familiar with the service before adding friends. If you don’t want to add friends at this time, click “skip.” You can always add friends later. • Begin tweeting. Your new Twitter account is all set up and ready to go. If you don’t like the way it looks, you can change the appearance, change your icon add your website and location by clicking on the settings tab. The amount of customization is up to you. • Update your profile. Be sure to add a picture so you don’t remain an egg! • A great way to find people to follow is from lists as well as by looking at who others are following.

Suggested Follows …

• @OAESA Our awesome organization! • @NAESP National Association of Elementary School Principals • @ASCD Get all the latest research and articles from this phenomenal organization and have them electronically available to share with colleagues. • @OHEducation Ohio Department of Education • @ptotoday PTO Today. Offer great ideas for your parent groups and school projects. • @NMHS_principal Eric Sheninger, The Twitter guru and a high school principal. He is phenomenal and recently presented at both the NASSP conference and ASCD conference! NASSP National Digital Principal Award Winner, 2012 • @WiscPrincipal Curt Rees, Elementary Principal. He is always sharing great ideas, articles, and tech resources.

• @PrincipalJ Jessica Johnson, Elementary Principal. She has great resources and a blog! • @donalynbooks Donalyn Miller, author of The Book Whisperer; keynote speaker at the Dublin Lit conference last spring. She is a fourth grade language arts teacher who is phenomenal! • @ToddWhitaker Todd Whitaker; Author of What Great Teachers Do Differently and Shifting the Monkey as well as 28 other books! He focuses on leadership, teaching and motivation. • @sjunkins-Sean Junkins, Instructional Technology Coach, Apple Distinguished Educator. • @gcouros-George Couros, Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning for PSD70. • @HowePrincipal Matt Renwick, Elementary Principal. He is a leader in literacy. Always sharing great ideas and resources. • @MrsB_LMS Carmen Buchanan, Middle School Assistant Principal. She is a great Twitter PD resources and is always willing to share. • @Joe_Mazza Joe Mazza, Elementary Principal and host of #PTchat. • @edutopia -Edutopia, Inspiration and information for what works in education. • @MarzanoResearch -Marzano Research Lab, synthesized educational research into products & services that teachers & principals can put to use for concrete gains in student learning. Erin Simpson is the principal at Overlook Elementary School in Wadsworth, Ohio. This is her eighth year as an administrator in the Wadsworth City Schools and she is the 2012 OAESA Elementary Distinguished Principal. Erin is a proud graduate of Miami University and the University of Akron. Erin’s Twitter handle is @ehuthsimpson. She is happy to help you navigate Twitter to develop your own PLN and can be reached at wadc_simpson@wadsworthschools.org.

Winter 2013 w 33

Legal Report by Dennis Pergram, esq. of Manos, Martin, Pergram & Dietz Co., LPA

REPORTING CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT This article will focus on the reporting of child abuse or neglect in the education setting.

I. Where is the law? The relevant law is found in Section 2151.421 of the Ohio Revised Code, titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reporting child abuse or neglect.â&#x20AC;? This law has undergone many amendments; therefore, it is important to make certain that you are aware of the most recent amendments that became effective September 29, 2011.

II. Mandatory reporters in the public school setting Section 2151.421(b) lists that in the public school setting the following individuals must submit mandatory reports: licensed school psychologist, school teacher, school employee, school authority, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, visiting nurse, or other healthcare professional.

III. What is the legal prohibition under the law? The legal prohibition is specified in Section 2151.421(A)(1)(a), as follows: No person described in division (A)(1)(b) of this section who is acting in an official or professional capacity and knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar position to suspect, that a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired child under twenty-one years of age has suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child shall fail to immediately report that knowledge or reasonable cause to suspect to the entity or persons specified in this division. Except as provided in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report shall make 34 w Principal Navigator

it to the public children services agency or a municipal or county peace officer in the county in which the child resides or in which the abuse or neglect is occurring or has occurred. In the circumstances described in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report shall make it to the entity specified in that section.

IV. How is the report made? The report shall be made forthwith, either by telephone or in person, and shall be followed by a written report, if requested by the receiving agency or officer. The written report shall contain:

(1) The names and addresses of the child and the child’s parents or the person or persons having custody if the child, if known; (2) The child’s age and the nature and extent of the child’s injuries, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to have occurred or of the threat of injury, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to exist, including any evidence of previous injuries, abuse, or neglect; (3) Any other information that might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injury, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to have occurred or of the threat of injury, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to exist.

V. Is there a risk in making a child abuse report? The mandatory reporters mentioned above are provided with an absolute immunity from civil liability or criminal liability for participating in the making of the reports under Section 2151.421(A). Once again, this absolute immunity is for mandatory reporters.

VI. What can the consequences be for a mandatory reporter not making the report? (A) Criminal Liability: Section 2151.99(C)(1) provides that except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2) of that section, the mandatory reporter who fails to report is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. A misdemeanor of the fourth degree carries a maximum penalty of 30 days of imprisonment plus a $250 fine and court costs. The penalty is increased to a misdemeanor of the first degree (maximum sentence of 180 days and maximum fine of $1,000 plus court costs) under the following circumstances:

The offender is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree if the child who is the subject of the required report that the offender fails to make suffers or faces the threat of suffering the physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition that would be the basis of the required report when the child is under the direct care or supervision of the offender who is then acting in the offender’s official or professional capacity or when the child is under the direct care or supervision of another person over whom the offender while acting in the offender’s official or professional capacity has supervisory control.

(C) Employment: The failure of the mandatory reporter to report the known or suspected child abuse or neglect could result in the employer (Board of Education) taking action to terminate the employee’s contract or employment. (D) ODE-Office of Professional Conduct: The failure to report may result in a report to the Office of Professional Conduct for an investigation and a potential license limitation, suspension or revocation for a criminal conviction (if applicable) and/or for conduct unbecoming the profession.

Dennis Pergram, esp., who is legal counsel to OAESA, is a partner in the law firm of Manos, Martin, Pergram & Deitz Co., LPA, a former chairperson for the Ohio State Bar Association Committee, and has practiced school law for over thirty years.

(B) Civil Liability: The mandatory reporter may be personally liable for compensatory and punitive damages.

Winter 2013 w 35

The Ever-Changing Role of the Principal by Robert F. Schultz, EdD

Bolman and Deal (2008) claimed “Organizations have changed about as much in the past few decades as in the preceding century” (p. 6). I would go further to say that schools have changed about as much in the past two decades as they have in the entire twentieth century. Therefore, the demands on school leadership (particularly the principalship) have also changed. When I began my journey as a school principal in the 1970s, it was accepted practice that good management skills and strong student discipline were hallmarks of the principalship. However, today the emphasis is on leadership, and the skill set for the principal is remarkably different. While it is true that the principal must be a competent manager of schedules, discipline, and communication, those skills are insufficient to meet the leadership needs of the position. Make no mistake, management skills are still a part of principal responsibilities, but, in addition, principals are now expected to lead in school improvement for gains in student achievement. Interestingly, improvements in student achievement were on the list of expectations throughout my career but beginning with A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform (1983), school administrators (including me) took note of the serious efforts necessary for fundamental improvements in achievement. Over time we began to accept the important notion that generating improved achievement was not just a good idea, it was a critical piece of our jobs. For years we tested students and made the results available for teachers to review. Yet we did not effectively analyze and dissaggregate those results. In the 1980s I remember considering student math performance on a standardized achievement test (norm referenced) and noticing that the test used both vertical and horizontal algorithms for solving simple math problems. At that time we 36 w Principal Navigator

were only teaching one algorithm in our curriculum and thus teaching students to solve equations using only one method. AH HA, I thought, if we just taught both problem-solving algorithms our kids could improve performance in math. That year we experienced an almost-instantaneous ten percent jump in our math scores. For me that revelation began the ongoing search for ways in which the principal could make a difference in student learning. The 1990s ushered in an accountability movement, and governors from across the US gathered to formulate the education agenda for the next decade (The George H. W. Bush Years, 2009). Student performance would no longer be measured through norm-referenced tests but rather through a standards-based system where students were tested against a concrete set of expectations rather than against one another. The new way of looking at how schools operate included alignment to the standard for curriculum, assessments, and professional development. In Ohio the new commitment to this shift in policy resulted in school improvement grants designed to fund innovative ways to move schools toward improved educational practices and statewide recognition programs like Ohio’s Best. This positive momentum was turned on its ear with the tragedies of Columbine, 9/11 and a myriad of school safety incidents. The challenge of the principal shifted to address student safety while maintaining impetus toward academic improvement. Approximately ten years ago PUBLIC LAW 107–110 (NCLB) was enacted to “close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and choice, so that no child is left behind” (January 8, 2002, p. 1). The intersection of this law with improved computing capacity allowed principals and teachers to move from a data-rich and analysis-poor situation into a data-rich and analysis-rich environment. With academic standards on the books, high-stakes assessments in place, and professional development aligned with needed improvements, the stage was set for the next incarnation of the school leader. Today, at a minimum, the principal is expected to select, manage,

motivate, and evaluate a team of teachers to meet the academic goals of the school. Managing, motivating, and evaluating are typical responsibilities in almost any field, but instructional leadership is a unique characteristic to the work of the principal. It implies more than just finding top quality teachers and letting them do their own thing. Twenty-first century instructional leaders are school principals who hold a comprehensive vision of how children learn and communicate that vision across the school community. They visit classrooms, assess teaching for strengths and weaknesses, and guide improvement through collaboration and feedback. They actively assist teachers in becoming more effective at helping students learn through dataanalysis, coaching and mentoring. The role of the principal has changed dramatically throughout my career but particularly over the past twenty years. Yet, many of the training programs offered to prepare principals for this new form of work are structured in a way strikingly similar to the one I began in 1972. Professors with broad knowledge of academic requirements but little hands-on experience were my teachers forty years ago. The demands on principal leadership programs today require a model that combines deep and practical knowledge and experience in schools plus academic credentials distinguishing the professors for their content knowledge. One program that meets these expectations is the SAIL/Concordia University Chicago partnership. Research shows (Schultz, 2006) that leadership programs grounded in standards (ISLLC, 2007; ELCC, 2012; Ohio Standards for Principals, 2007)) provide the best path for those seeking to enter building administration or those experienced administrators who want to sharpen leadership skills. The role of the principal continues to change. School leaders with a vision for improving student achievement have emerged. Principals remaining in the profession must continue to adapt to the changing expectations including the implementation of the Common Core curriculum. Those just entering must be properly prepared with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to accomplish the hard work of instructional leadership. As the educational environment continues to evolve, the best hope for ongoing school improvement still rests with the principal. References A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform (1983). A report to the nation and secretary of education. Washington, DC: The National Commission on Excellence in Education. Retrieved November 1, 2012 from: http://datacenter.spps.org/ uploads/SOTW_A_Nation_at_Risk_1983.pdf Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (2008) Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Council of Chief State School Officers [CCSSO] (2007). Educational leadership policy standards: ISLLC 2008. Washington, DC: Author. ELLC Building-Level Standards (2011). Retrieved November 2, 2012 from: http://www. emich.edu/ncpeaprofessors/bulletinboard.html Elementary & Secondary Education Act [PL 107–110] (2001). No child left behind act of 2001. Retreived October 29, 2012 from: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/ esea02/index.html

Ohio Department of Education [ODE] (2007). Standards for Ohio educators. Columbus, OH: Author. Schultz, R. F. (2006). Assessing the effectiveness of a principal leadership program using evaluation methodology. Doctoral Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale-Davie, FL. The George H. W. Bush Years (2009). States’ impact on federal education policy project. Retrieved from: http://nysa32.nysed.gov/edpolicy/research/res_essay_bush_ghw_ outline.shtml

Dr. Robert F. Schultz received his EdD in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in 2006. He earned his MSEd in Educational Administration from Bowling Green State University in 1975 and a BS in Elementary Education from BGSU in 1972. Through additional coursework at Akron University, Kent State, Ashland University, Ohio State, and College of Mt St Joseph, Dr. Schultz earned permanent licenses in teaching and administration in the state of Ohio. Dr. Schultz was an elementary principal and migrant school principal in two rural districts in northwest and northeast Ohio for eight years before accepting a secondary administrative appointment in a large suburban district in central Ohio. During his tenure, he served as head principal and designed and implemented the first self-supporting K–12 summer school within the district. He also had the unique responsibility of opening a new middle school for 1,200 students including staffing and program design. Dr. Schultz retired in 2005 from the Office of Human Resources. Since retirement Dr. Schultz has served on the writing team for the Ohio Principal Leadership Standards, worked as an assistant professor, lead professor (in Organizational Leadership) and adjunct professor for NorthCentral University. He continues to teach, develop courses and direct seminars on leadership for SAIL, NCU, Concordia University Chicago, and Leadership Westerville. Dr. Schultz may be reached by email at rschultz@sailforeducation.org.

Winter 2013 w 37

by Lucy Ozvat, EdD

What Principals Should Know School administrators have been given the authority to apply reasonable use of force and restraint as needed to maintain a safe and secure learning environment for students. Both Ohio Revised Code Section 3319.41(C) and federal law (the Paul D. Coverdell Teacher Protection Act of 2001) protect K–12 school employees from liability if a student is injured while the employee is trying to maintain order in the classroom or school. However, prior to the use of reasonable force, many educators have created a progressive discipline process that may include removal of the student from the classroom. Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.66 (C) allows a superintendent, administrator, or teacher the right to remove students from curricular activities on a temporary basis. This procedure is frequently used to provide time for students to resolve their issues. Where students are placed during this time-out period may vary, depending on available space. For extreme cases, some schools have created isolation rooms to protect the students as well as others—including the adults. School officials have been slow in adopting formal policies regarding time-out areas and there are limited guidelines available for creating such policies. In the case of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) students, it is imperative school administrators include behavioral strategies in the students’ Behavior Improvement Plan (BIP). The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) is beginning to provide some guidance on the use of restraints and seclusion rooms. ODE distributed a draft policy in September to educators and education groups for review. The policy, if adopted, would go into effect the 2013–2014 school year. It targets students with special needs. The Ohio Department of Education draft policy can be found on the ODE site. Search “restraint and seclusion.” This draft policy creates rules for the use of it and restricts the use of restraint or seclusion to an “immediate threat of physical harm to the student or others, and shall occur only in a manner that protects the safety 38 w Principal Navigator

of all children and adults at school.” Documentation of each restraint or seclusion event will be required under this new policy. In addition, there must be new board policies that govern the use of restraints and seclusion for all schools. These policies must be available to parents annually and posted on district websites. Components of these new policies must include the creation of positive behavior support plans, pre-established emergency procedures, specific procedures and training in the use of restraint and seclusion, and a data-collection process. They also provide specific guidelines for the use of restraint and seclusion as well as prohibited practices. The required data collection and documentation has been receiving considerable attention from Ohio educators. These new policy requirements need additional efforts by all educators in the school environment. School administrators will need to fill out additional paperwork. School psychologists will also have new requirements as they must assess more students. Teachers will have to adjust their instructional styles to meet the unique needs of these students. All staff members will be required to work with the families of the students. These sound practices are not questioned by educators; however it is apparent more personnel, time, money, and training will be needed to accomplish these requirements. The new policy states: All students who display severe or pattern of unhealthy or disruptive behaviors that impede the learning environment for themselves and/or others should have a functional behavioral assessment to identify their needs. Functional behavioral assessments should be followed by behavioral intervention plans that incorporate appropriate positive behavioral interventions. Families should be included in the development of the behavior intervention plans and given information that can help families extend behavior supports at home. Schools must establish a system that will support students’ efforts to manage their own behavior; implement instructing techniques in how to self-manage behavior, decrease the development of new problem behaviors; prevent worsening of existing problems behaviors; redesign

learning/teaching environments to eliminate triggers and maintainers of problem behaviors. The system should include family involvement as an integral part of the system. The broad language found in this policy may need more clarification and definition. Feedback from educators suggests the idea of behavioral testing could be generalized for any inappropriate behavior—including habitual truants. However, it is apparent this issue is being debated across the country. The New York State Education Department has created some guidelines for the use of time-out rooms for IDEA students. School administrators may wish to consider these guidelines for all students. The New York State Education Department has made the following recommendations regarding the use of time-out physical space:

Therefore, except for unanticipated situations that pose an immediate concern for the physical safety of a student or others, (Section 3313.66 (C)) the use of a time-out room should only be used in conjunction with a BIP that is designed to teach and reinforce alternative appropriate behaviors. Only in emergency situation, should the provisions of ORC 3313.66 (C) be used for an IDEA student. Board adopted policies and the individual BIP should make the distinction clear. Lucy Ozvat, EdD, is the Member Services Director for the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators. You may reach Lucy by emailing her at lozvat@oaesa.org.

• Must allow for continuous visual and auditory monitoring • Must be of adequate width, length, and height to allow for movement and resting • Adequate lighting and ventilation • Must not pose any safety threats to the student • Climate controlled for appropriate temperatures • Clean • Meets fire and safety codes • Free of any dangerous objects or fixtures • Doors must be unlocked and must be able to open from the inside. • No student should be in a locked facility. • Staff must be assigned to continuously monitor the student. • Staff must be able to see and hear student at all times. • Use of a time-out room should be a part of a larger student discipline process and included in the code of conduct and school handbook. In addition to the above recommendations, additional guidelines include the use of written policies and procedures on the use of the timeout area, documentation requirements, and data that provides information as to the effectiveness of the time-out room to improve behaviors. Parental notification procedures should also be a part of the time-out procedures. The above mentioned policy can be found at www.p12.nysed. gov/specialed/publications/topicalbriefs/timeoutroom.htm. It is apparent that school administrators must manage the use of restraint and seclusion processes and procedures very carefully. An investigation by the Columbus Dispatch and StateImpact Ohio (August 5, 2012) provided compelling evidence of the misuse of restraint and seclusion rooms. As a result of this investigation many organizations such as Ohio Legal Rights Service and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have called for the phasing out of such practices. According to Richard L. Mann, OASSA Attorney, Not all schools use time-out rooms, but most districts have one or more schools that do. As a general rule, time-out rooms involving IDEA students should only be used in conjunction and strict compliance with the IDEA student’s Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP). Standing alone, the use of time-out rooms without such use being covered in the BIP gives rise to the claim of negligent identification of the student’s behavioral issues and a proper BIP. Winter 2013 w 39

Health Issues by Laura Rooney

cademic Succes Depends on Student Health

Many barriers to learning impact overall student health, including absenteeism, discipline, violence, truancy, and drop-out. Physical and emotional illness can also lead to poor school performance. In turn, academic success is an excellent indicator of student well-being, and it is a primary determinant of adult health outcomes. Many national education organizations recognize the close relationship between health and education, as well as the need to foster health and well-being within the educational environment. School health programs can have positive effects on educational outcomes as well as health-risk behaviors. Similarly, programs primarily designed to improve academic performance are increasingly recognized as important public health interventions. This synergistic relationship stresses the importance of a partnership between academics and health. However, the structures and improvement processes within the educational environment do not naturally incorporate the two cultures. District leaders must understand the relationship between academic success and health. They must also identify the best approach for integrating evidence-based, feasible strategies into the district’s overall structure, environment, and culture. Public health leaders must also be aware of the educational environment and ensure health strategies and practices are created to fit into the school structure and culture. Creating a healthy, high- performing district requires a coordinated and collaborative data-driven approach to district improvement planning that addresses the health and environmental elements impacting students’ ability to succeed. The Ohio Departments of Health and Education are currently working with a small number of districts to create healthy school environments that foster academic success. The pilot program guides districts and public health partners through a process of incorporating health and wellness strategies into their overall improvement plan. This program integrates student health indicators into the process of assessing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating academic

40 w Principal Navigator

indicators. Using this information, educators can then make collective decisions about where to invest resources that will result in sustainable academic and health improvements for their students. One of the most- noted pieces of research that explains the importance of health and wellness in achieving academic goals is “Healthier Students Are Better Learners: A Missing Link in School Reforms to Close the Achievement Gap” by Dr. Charles Basch. In his study Basch identifies seven educationally relevant health disparities that directly impact school performance—vision, asthma, teen pregnancy, aggression and violence, physical activity, breakfast, and inattention and hyperactivity. These seven health problems play a major role in limiting students’ motivation and ability to learn. He also noted the causal effects on educational outcomes and the feasibility of implementing school-based programs and policies to address the health problems. The first step is having a well-balanced team that includes district and building leaders, teachers, support staff, school nurses, parents, and public health agencies. Ideally, this team is formally linked to the district’s overall improvement team and should be familiar with the district’s current improvement plan and goals. The second step is data collection. The team should identify and understand the district’s academic data, including as follows: • Academic scores per building • Graduation rate • Attendance measures (chronically absent student data) • Discipline data, including bullying or aggressive behavior incidents • Drop-out rate • School climate data • It is important to examine the data collection processes and understand data results and implications. The next step is to focus on health data including, but not limited to, the number or percent of students engaging in the following behaviors or with specific conditions: • Number of students with chronic disease (asthma, diabetes, etc.) • Vision and hearing screening results • Teen pregnancies in district or county

• • • • • •

Unintended youth deaths due to drugs/alcohol and motor vehicles Violent incidents in district or county Use of alcohol and other drugs Depression High body mass index Students without a medical home

This data may be available through student health records, building/district surveys, or through county health reports and screenings. It is important to aggregate the data to protect student privacy. Evaluators should note that data availability differs by district and county. If data is unavailable at the time of initial collection, plans can be put in place to collect it in the future. The next step is to examine the data and literature in ways academic indicators may be affected by poor health outcomes and risk behaviors of students. For example, absenteeism is strongly associated with the following student health problems: asthma, diabetes, bullying, pregnancy, and social disconnectedness. Chronic absenteeism usually begins in the primary grades and continues through high school, resulting in a damaging cycle. As the student continues to miss school, he or she becomes more disengaged and falls further behind academically and emotionally. Without an intervention to interrupt this cycle, student health problems can escalate to riskier behaviors, such as substance abuse, pregnancy, and behavioral problems. The time of intervention is critical. Focusing on chronic absence in the primary years is necessary versus waiting until high school when behaviors are harder to change.

Once the data has been collected and examined, strategies can be identified and written into the district’s improvement plan. It is important to select strategies that meet the goals and intended outcomes rather than activities that may have only a short-term gain. An implementation and evaluation plan will support change in academic indicators and student outcomes. School districts cannot solve the academic challenges and health issues of students alone. Partnerships, collaboration, and communication are key to success. The good news is many of the strategies do not require money; simple changes in processes can often lead to successful outcomes. Laura Rooney serves the Ohio Department of Health as Coordinated School Health Manager. To learn more information on the link between health and academics, contact Laura Rooney at laura.rooney@odh.ohio.gov.

Winter 2013 w 41

The Principal’s Role:

A Recipe to Help Get the Job Done by Tammy Wagner

As a principal currently in my fifteenth year of administration, I treasure those quiet moments when I can sit down and truly reflect upon the day, week, or month and consider what I have accomplished. In such rare moments of quietude, I have realized that my best accomplishments are rarely ones that can be quantified by a checkmark on one of my plentiful and never-ending to-do lists. Instead, I find myself recalling, with a smile, past conversations that I have had with teachers, staff, and other administrators. I remember one brief exchange when a teacher enthusiastically shared a chart that marked improvements in reading fluency that “Johnny” had made. I consider how conscientious one teacher has been in preparing for her maternity leave, her high level of concern for students, and their academic achievement in her absence. This teacher has made such growth already this year in evaluating materials and planning for instruction. I ponder how a potentially aggressive teacher conducted a parent meeting that was student-centered and compassionate, and I wonder at the dignity with which he expressed his concerns. I also contemplate the new programs that we are piloting in the building, and the feedback we have received. And I look back upon the many ways in which our staff, personnel from other school districts, members from our association, and people in higher education have come together to research and share information regarding the K–12 reading endorsement and some of the other requirements embedded in Senate Bill 316. Memories like these embody genuine, lasting accomplishments. In these changing times, I think it is worth remembering that the essence of the principalship has been, and always will remain, constant. It is the people in our lives and the relationships we build that are at the core of our role as building leaders. Of course, dealing with people can be challenging. Thankfully, the topic of human interactions has been well researched, and there are many theoretical frameworks available to help guide our practices. Some of the best I have found are grouped 42 w Principal Navigator

under the area of organizational behavior. Such subject matter is essential in understanding human behavior, relationship building, and power dynamics. These topics, however, are often addressed only peripherally in administrative program coursework at the universities. In-depth study of such coursework is often reserved for those pursuing MBAs or doctoral degrees in educational leadership. And it is rare that these courses are designed to provide intentional opportunities for adult learners to put theory into practice. This is unfortunate because, as building leaders, we are at the forefront of personal interactions on a daily basis. We are tasked with tending to and leveraging our cultural and emotional “intelligence” in order to encourage the head, heart, and body of our constituencies— be they students, parents, teachers, community members, other administrators, etc. (Earley & Mosakowski, 2004). And our practice is situated in real life circumstances. Graphic models of theoretical frameworks are one tool that can help leaders transform theory into practice. Such visual representations are helpful in aiding recall and enacting theories when dealing with stressful situations. Thompson (2008) and Morgan (1989) have compiled a number of theoretical models for conceptualizing different aspects of organizational behavior. As an exercise in self-reflection, I have combined components of several different theorists into a working model of organizational behavior. It is one I use to guide my daily practice and helps keep me grounded in sound organizational theory during my interactions with others. The primary dynamic of the model consists of Lewin’s equation B=f (P+E), read as “behavior is a function of the person in their environment” (Thompson, 2008). I have simply interpreted it in a way that makes sense to me. It bears my fingerprint in the ideas and concepts I included as well as those that I chose to exclude. First, I believe that self-awareness of the individual is key. In order to lead well, one must know oneself. Second, I believe that as a leader, one must be hyperaware of the environment. The cultural values, norms, and beliefs of an organization can shade interpersonal relations. The result is that, depending on the situation, enacting similar tactics may have widely different effects. Third, I believe that social interactions are equally significant. Choosing the correct mannerisms, facial expressions, and words enable a leader to leverage power and influ-

ence appropriately to get the right work done. Hyperaware knowledge of oneself, others, and the situation are essential for good leadership. In my everyday work, I like to refer to those three variables as the “cook,” the “kitchen,” and the “people eating the food.” It is the “recipe” that I follow and fall back on when the unexpected happens, and I find myself addressing new and unusual circumstances. I consider myself the main cook—a chief bottle washer at times. Just as any good cook takes stock of the pantry, my first move is to assess my energy levels and attitude as well as my physical, emotional, and mental state. Depending on my mood, I know that I might be seeking comfort food, gearing up for a challenge, or just feeling like trying something new. This is the “lens” through which I operate and interpret events. Others can often read such moods. Intentionally focusing on the positive or mentally acknowledging one’s own stress and fatigue can be helpful in containing its effect. My second step is to gauge the environment. I check to see if I’m on my home turf or invading someone else’s territory. Schools can be rather institutional-looking settings, so if the situation warrants it, I look around to see if there are aspects that can be softened or adjusted to facilitate outcomes. In meetings with multiple persons, seating arrangements can often have an impact on the end result. Culture, norms, and psychological contracts change depending on the environment. For example, a hallway conversation may have a different impact than one held in an office or conference room. I personally change my behaviors based on whether I am in my own, my mom’s, or a friend’s kitchen. Similarly, having a teacher lead a meeting may be the norm in one school district, but not in another where a culture of student-led conferences has been implemented. The third piece in my formula is to think about the people who will be sharing in the engagement and what impact that will have. I determine where I sit in the power structure—top, middle (equal), or bottom. There is a different dynamic and approach, for instance, in an exchange between my superintendent and me than in one with a parent or a member of the board of education. Likewise there are varying levels of

tension and ideas depending on the number and type of individuals convening. A leader must balance all three skills in order to achieve results. My main premise throughout this article has been that the fundamental core of the principalship can be thought of in the terms of managing and directing behavior. And behavior—when properly focused—is nothing more than the work getting done. In top-performing organizations, it is the right work being accomplished (Aldritch, 2003). Of course, the best recipe does not guarantee the same results every time. However, having a good recipe to follow, as well as a solid knowledge base of interventions and strategies to employ, does improve one’s chances of producing an “edible” concoction. Also, there are a number of good theoretical “cookbooks” out there. Find one that fits your style and method. Still, a word of caution: even with proper planning and preparation, kitchens can be dangerous places. It is always wise to expect the unexpected. References Aldrich, C. (2003). Using leadership to implement leadership. T+D, 94 -100. Earley, C.E. & Mosakowski, E. (2004). Cultural intelligence. Harvard Business Review,139-146. Morgan, G. (1989). Creative organization theory. Newbury Park, California: SAGE Publications, Inc. Thompson, L. L. (2008). Organizational behavior today. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

Winter 2013 w 43

Sorry

...We’re Booked The Principal as Leader of the Equitable School

by Corwin and Ontario Principals’ Council The premise of this book is that we have a moral and ethical imperative to promote high levels of learning for every child. But learning and achievement of students from similar backgrounds varies significantly depending on the practices of their schools. Equity is not treating all students the same; it is treating all students with respect to their own cultures and beliefs. Students need to feel welcomed, respected, accepted, and celebrated in school for optimal success. In an equitable school, race, gender, sexual orientation, family background, and socioeconomics are not conditions for success. Leaders need to understand exclusion in order to intentionally increase inclusion. Students are excluded when languages and cultures favor other people more than themselves. Inclusion is not bringing people into what already exists: it is making a new space, a better space for everyone. (Dei) Cultural proficiency includes practices, such as religious accommodation and the prevention of discrimination and harassment through inclusive curriculum and assessments, shared leadership, and professional learning. Leaders need to consider their cultural proficiency on a continuum ranging from destructiveness to celebrating and integrating cultural differences of all families. School leaders need to recognize their own assumptions based on experience and deliberately analyze school practices for equity in order to create safe places of learning for all students. The aim should not be to assimilate students into the dominant culture, but to enrich the collective culture by honoring the traditions and experiences of multiple groups. I appreciated the book because the authors increased my own awareness of cultural proficiency and provided me with ideas to improve the culture at my school. The self-reflection checklists were helpful, but the case studies were especially thought-provoking for me. reviewed by Donna Bambic, Principal, Ledgeview Elementary School, Nordonia Hills City Schools

Instructional Coaches and the Instructional Leadership Team A Guide for School-Building Improvement (2012) by Dean T. Spaulding and Gail Smith

During the early 1980s, peer coaching emerged as a panacea for the culture of isolation that prevented teachers from professional collaboration. Coaching and instructional teams began appearing as teachers collaborated with one another, and the detrimental effects of the isolated, autonomous teaching experiences became recognized as potholes in the road to success. The yearly, one-time evaluation by the principal could 44 w Principal Navigator

not become a formative professional development program, even with the most illustrious forms and scripted conferences. Authors Dean Spaulding and Gail Smith provide a roadmap for building on the research concerning teacher-coaching in their clearly outlined and reader-friendly Instructional Coaches and the Instructional Leadership Team. Step-by-step approaches to the development of an instructional leadership team (ILT) are provided, as well as a flexible job description for the instructional coach (IC). Journal entries of an IC, a principal, and teachers, allow readers to enjoy a broad perspective of the process of coaching in case study form. There is great emphasis on research as a key role of the ILT, and data-analysis studies between the IC and coached teachers bridge the practical and the theoretical. Useful, field-tested examples are shared in every chapter, and a handy “toolbox” of data collection forms, materials, and activities are helpful resources for schools whether they have an IC or not. Need a compass and a map to actualize exemplary teaching practices and to increase student achievement? Read Spaulding and Smith’s guide for school improvement! reviewed by Cheryl C. Reichel, Ph.D., Principal, Incarnation School, Centerville, OH

Blended Learning in Grades 4–12 by Catlin R. Tucker As I began to review this book, I thought an alternate title could be, Leading More with Less! How Do We Do This? As administrators, we have less time to do more. We must be much more creative in providing leadership and resources that actually impact all children while supporting and assisting positive learning outcomes. Our classrooms and teachers need to feel that they can effectively instruct across curriculums to better support all learners. And they can do this while still meeting time restrictions, mandated state standards, and high-stake standardized assessments for each curricular area of instruction. In her book, Catlin Tucker builds the case for the creation of student-centered, blended-learning classrooms through the greater use of technology. The students in these classrooms are able to become active participants in the teaching and learning process because the focus shifts the performance accountability and curricular ownership to the student.

Blended learning is a term to describe an active, student-centered classroom with the integration of technology into the instruction process and the existing curriculum. It supports building a community in the classroom and empowers each student to exercise a voice that supports critical thinking and problem solving. These are critical skills for every student, even long after they have left school and the safe environment of the classroom. This book is a well written blueprint of a blended-learning model that a teacher can embrace and implement in the classroom. This model will easily assist the teacher in creating learning experiences that foster collaboration, flexibility, student-centered instruction, and dynamic computer use. Blended-learning environments also support the establishment of classrooms that exercise challenging classroom and individual discussion as well as respectful collaboration with peers. It is obvious that today’s students need to be extremely technologically proficient, whether they enter college or the workforce. This model of blended learning also supports many of the “need to know” strategies and competencies that both teachers and students will need to be successful lifelong learners. This book is a must read for administrators and teachers struggling and juggling the many demands of education today. Blended learning is a viable alternative to the creation of a more structured, systematic, and organized instructional classroom. This model will not add additional work but will allow one to create instruction that is supportive of time restraints and mandated requirements while returning focus to the students. Tucker writes about classroom that invites students to learn while enjoying the day-to-day classroom instruction. Imagine that! One added bonus: this model actually allows the teacher to change what dreaded homework looks like. It makes students want to complete homework because they direct their own learning in a home environment. reviewed by: Jane L. Sweeney, Retired Administrator, Willoughby-Eastlake Public Schools

Fanatically Formative: Successful Learning During the Crucial K–3 Years By Bob Sornson

How many times have you thought and/or discussed with your colleagues that all we need to do is return to “good” teaching? It would not matter what the standards were or how much material you covered. If students received a quality early education and learned skills that are essential to future achievement, standards would not matter. Welcome to Bob Sornson’s work on the importance of early education. He has documented and cited research that supports the theory that students learn best when taught at their instructional level. His book provides scaffolding to include the skills that will make successful learners. He includes much practical information for teachers and administrators as they move toward focusing instruction at appropriate levels and depth for early learners. The book contains his Essential Skills Inventory for grades K–3 which cover basic literacy, mathematical, and behavioral skills. Woven into the research and argument for quality preK-3 education is a story of a first grade teacher who begins the process for meeting each one of her students’ needs. Then she slowly draws a core group of her colleagues into a study group. The story outlines the focused work of teaching, using formative assessment for the essential skills and how a school transitions to using data to inform instruction. It also touches on the importance of involving parents in their children’s education. The book provides a positive look at making learning joyful for both teachers and students. The author stresses that curriculum-driven instruction often overlooks the essential skills needed for lifelong learning. This is a practical guide for focusing on what is important for our youngest learners. reviewed by Joanne M. Brookover, Principal, Willyard Elementary, Ravenna City Schools

School Discipline, Classroom Management, & Student SelfManagement by Howard M. Knoff

The ultimate power of the book, School Discipline, Classroom Management, & Student Self-Management, lies in its practical, comprehensive, and systematic approach to applying positive school-wide behavioral support. Howard M. Knoff is the creator of Project ACHIEVE’s Positive Behavioral Support System (PBSS). It offers user friendly, research-based options to increase building and teacher’s classroom management skills. This will result in less time spent on discipline and more time engaging students in academic lessons through the process of student self-management. The consistency of proactive staff in implementing school-wide approaches results in engaged classrooms and safe schools. School Discipline, Classroom Management, & Student Self-Management proposes skills to help children become more efficient selfmanagers through strategies that lead them to becoming effective listeners, collaborators, and conflict managers. User friendly charts and graphs included in the text allow for easier implementation of the PBSS model. This is not an easy-fix book. It is a multi-year process to properly integrate PBSS into a school. reviewed by Tracy Carpenter, Principal, Steven Dohanos Elementary, Lorain City School District

We extend our appreciation to Corwin Press for providing these publications to our reviewers.

You can order these books and many other educational materials at

www.corwinpress.com

Or call 800-233-9936 Or fax to 800-417-2466 Or mail to 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320

Those with purchase orders for large quantities or who need assistance matching our books to their district’s initiatives or school needs can speak with a sales manager by calling 800-831-6640. Winter 2013 w 45

New Members Name

Title

District

Zone

A.J. Hoffman

Assistant Principal

Licking Valley Local SD

Aaron Kaufman Adam Biedenbach Adrienne Smythe Amara Toure Amy Cruse Amy Gwazdauskas Andrea Townsend Angela Belcher Anne Fox Anne Haverty Ashley Knowlton Asia Armstrong Athena Wasmus Billie Jo Catanzarite Brett Gambill Brian Novar Brian Wilkinson Brice Frasure Cathy Mowry Cheri Denis Chris Dopp Cory Sprow Dana Ward David Skelton Dawn Bryant Dawn Lauridsen Dennis Ramsey Diana Smith Galen Gingerich Jeannine Hetzler Holly Coombs

Principal Teacher Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Principal Principal Education Consultant Principal Principal/CCIP Coordinator Intervention Specialist Middle School Principal Principal Assistant Principal Literacy Coordinator Special Education Supervisor Principal Principal Asst Principal Principal Elementary Principal Principal Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Principal Principal

West Holmes Local SD Northwest Local SD Kenton City SD Columbus City SD Brooklyn City SD OAESA Greenville City SD Swanton Local SD Avon Local SD Bridgeport Exempted Village SD Heath City SD Canal Winchester Local SD South-Western City SD Youngstown City Schools Westerville City SD Logan-Hocking Local SD Licking Heights Local SD Logan-Hocking Local SD Canfield Local SD South-Western City SD Edison Local SD Pike-Delta-York Local SD Napoleon Area City SD Coshocton City SD Genoa Area Local SD South-Western City SD Reading Community City SD New Albany - Plain Local SD Tipp City Exempted Village SD Bexley City SD Worthington City SD

9 2 4 10 7 10 3 5 6 9 10 10 10 8 10 1 10 1 8 10 9 5 5 9 5 10 2 10 3 10 10

46 w Principal Navigator

Name James Smith Jana Thomas Jeffrey Fraley Jeffrey Swavec Jen Hartman Jennifer Updike Jenniffer Kauffeld Jessica Fry Jill Elliott Joan Bucy Jonathan Hayes Joseph Kuzior Josh Hayes Josh Tyburski Julâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;yanna Collier Karen VonStein Katherine Ellison Kathryn Karacson Kathy Reid Kelly Holbrook Kelly Neundorfer Kermit Riehle Kevin Rice Kimberly LeGault Kylie Payne Larissa Will Laura Kanney Leah Childers LeAnn Gausman Linda Sobevski Lindsay Zonker Lisa Tobin Lora Flora Mary Martin Matt Quatman Matthew Cox

Title Principal Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Academic Dean Instructional Coach Teacher Assistant Principal Assistant Principal Principal Principal Adminisrrator Teacher Assitant Principal Principal Principal Teacher Principal Principal Principal Principal Assistant Principal Administrative Intern Principal Principal Principal Teacher Dean of Students Special Needs Preschool Teacher MD Teacher Principal Assistant Principal Principal

District New Lebanon Local SD Switzerland of Ohio Local SD Rock Hill Local SD Austintown Local SD Cuyahoga Falls City SD Clinton-Massie Local SD South-Western City SD Lakewood Local School District Gahanna-Jefferson City SD Columbus City SD London City SD Rittman Ex Vill SD Nordonia Hills City SD Sylvania City SD Columbus City SD Madison Local SD Olentangy Local SD Buckeye Valley Local SD Newcomerstown Ex Vill SD Pickerington Local SD Northwood Local SD Edgerton Local SD Logan-Hocking SD Madison Plains Local London City SD Berea City SD Plymouth-Shiloh Local SD Jonathan Alder Local SD Highland Local SD Imagine Schools Streetsboro City SD Auglaize Co. ESC Miami Co. ESC Trotwood-Madison CSD Lima City SD South-Western City SD

Zone 3 1 1 8 4 2 10 10 10 10 10 6 6 5 10 4 4 4 7 1 5 5 1 10 10 7 5 4 6 10 6 4 3 3 4 10

(continued on page 48) Winter 2013 w 47

Name Matthew Dansby Matthew Young Maureen Kemper Megan Forman Megan Miller Michael Clay Michael Wang Michele Eble Pam Hartman Patricia Dawson Paul Jones Jr. Rebecca Holtgreven Robert Schrembeck Russell Burt Ryan Davis Ryan Malany Sandra Walker Sara Patterson Shannon Kriegmont Shannon Parker Sheri Bobeck Sherry Szezepanki Steven Lesco Susan Digiorgio Susan Loader Susan McLaughlin Tamara Klammer Tamu Lucero Teresa Smith Thomas Williams Timothy Babiczuk Trisha Delaney Wes Davies Wes Welbaum William Christian

Title Administrative Intern Assistant Principal Dean of Students Principal Principal Administrative Assistant Principal Principal Assistant Principal Middle School Principal Elementary Principal Director of Children Services Associate Principal Teacher Dean of Students Elementary Principal Dean of Students Principal Principal Coordinator of Student Services Principal Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal Director of Curriculum & Instruction Administrative Intern Principal Principal Principal Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Administrative Assistant

District Pickerington Local SD Adams County/Ohio Valley Local Lancaster City SD Big Walnut Local SD Fort Frye Local Schools South Point Local SD South-Western City SD Maumee City SD Franklin Local SD Hillsdale Local SD North Central Local SD Sandusky Co. BDD Nordonia Hills City SD Canton City Schools Miami Trace LSD Arcanum Butler Local SD Lancaster City SD Tipp City Exampted Village SD Madison Local SD North Fork Local SD Youngstown City SD Avon Local Schools New Albany - Plain Local SD Cincinnati Archdiocese Zanesville City SD Licking Heights Local SD Berea City SD Worthington City SD Reynoldsburg City SD Hillsdale Local SD Brown Local SD Warren Local SD Clearview Local SD Miami East Local SD South Point Local SD

Zachary Cousins

Administrator

Manassas City SD

48 w Principal Navigator

Zone 1 2 1 4 1 1 10 5 9 4 5 5 6 9 1 3 1 3 8 10 8 6 10 3 9 10 7 10 10 4 9 1 6 3 1 99

serving Ohio’s pre-k, elementary, middle level, and central office administrators

Enrollment Form

First Name

Middle Initial

Last Name

Preferred Email Address

Job Title School Name

School District

School Address School City

State

School Area Code and Phone

Fax

Home Address

Zip

County

City

State

Zip

Home Phone Alternate Email Address SPONSOR

Preferred Mailing Address:

 School  Home

oaesa MEMBERSHIP TYPE. Please check one:  OAESA Professional .......................... $250.00  OAESA Associate ................................ $60.00  I am a member of: BASA, OASBO, or OASSA

 OAESA Retired .....................................$60.00  OAESA Institutional .............................$60.00  OAESA Aspiring Principal ...................$60.00

PAYMENT METHOD. Please check one:  Full Payment (Check or credit card)  Purchase Order #______________ (Payment due within 30 days—See Expiration Policy)

 Payroll Deduction

Master Card  Amount: $

Visa

 Discover 

Card Number:

(Professional members only. Includes $2.50 per payment processing fee. Payments is due in TEN EQUAL INSTALLMENTS.)

If paying by credit card: (for OAESA Membership)

Expiration Date: Cardholder name: Security Code (last 3 digits on back of the card): City, State, Zip: Signature:

Make checks payable to OAESA and send to OAESA 2600 Corporate Exchange Dr. #168 Columbus OH 43231 Fax form with payment information to 614.794.9191. Questions? Call 614.794.9190. An account with an outstanding balance more than 30 days past due will be suspended and must be paid before membership can be reinstated. Contributions to OAESA are not deductible as charitable contributions.

Interested in joining your national association? NAESP provides the resources you need to make an impact in your school, in your profession and in your life. Please visit http://www.joinnaesp.org to learn more about how you can play an important role in shaping your future and that of the schoolchildren in your community. Winter 2013 w 49

Periodical Postage Paid Westerville, OH

56TH ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW Windows & Mirrors: Framing Your School’s Culture June 18–19, 2013, at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio Reflect on: Lonnie Moore from Franklin Covey. His experience as classroom teacher, author, and inspirational speaker prepared him to help his clients find solutions that result in long-term change. Lonnie will be speaking to attendees about “leaders building school culture.”

Frame time in your calendar for family fun at Kalahari Resort. Enjoy Ohio’s best indoor water park, dine at many restaurants in the area, or indulge in the resort spa. Kids will love the zoo and ziplining.

A window of opportunity for NETWORKING! Breakout sessions with topics such as:  Building Culture  Third Grade Reading Guarantee  Common Core Standards  OPES and OTES

See yourself coming this year? Registration is now open! Go to www.oaesa.org, click on EVENTS, and choose Professional Conference. Register before January 31, 2013, and you will receive $25 OFF registration cost.