March 1st EditionThe Unintended Consequences of High ExpectationsBy Elise Foster, Co-Author of The Multiplier Effect: Tapping the Genius Inside Our Schools How often do you see administrators who wholeheartedly believe their students and teachers are smart and capable? At the same time, how frequently do you see these same leaders missing out on the full talent and capability of their staff, students and community members? It happens frequently and usually it happens without the leader’s awareness – we call these leaders Accidental Diminishers – they believe their people are smart and capable; they follow popular management practice and still, they subtly shut down the intelligence of others. As I introduce this idea to leaders, I’m met with varied responses – some, nod in agreement saying “yes, yes, I tend to do that… and that…;” they are almost proud of their behaviors, signaling their lack of awareness and recognition that their actions have a diminishing impact. Most, including me, respond with some form of “oh my, I had no idea…!” No matter where you fall in this mix, I invite you to consider how your noble intentions – even the inherent belief that someone or some organization is capable of more – limits your access to talent and capability. 8 Tips for How School Districts Can Use Social Media EffectivelyBy Joe Donovan, Founder and President, The Donovan Group Social media offers a wide range of tools to allow schools and districts to communicate with their stakeholders in engaging ways. The majority of parents are at least casual users of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, making these platforms highly effective for delivering your key messages and telling your school district’s story. The following are eight tips for making the most effective use of social media in the education world. AWSA 2017 ElectionThe AWSA Board of Directors election will be held electronically from April 17 - May 1, 2017. This year, Directors will be elected from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, and 12. Members from each of these regions will be emailed a notification on April 17, 2017 with a link to an online ballot listing the candidate(s) for that region. As part of its succession planning, the Board has recruited candidates in each region.
In addition, write-in candidates can stand for election by submitting a petition to the AWSA headquarters by March 17. If you have any questions, contact Robin Herring It is contract renewal season and this edition of the Update provides you with important reminders, updates and new data. Including articles on:
We would like to thank our friends at Horace Mann for sponsoring this year's survey! Administrator Contracts: Annual RemindersBy Malina Piontek, Attorney Wisconsin law requires school boards to contract with administrators, in writing, as well as to comply with specific contract renewal and nonrenewal procedures and deadlines. Since December, principals have been increasingly calling AWSA’s legal hotline with questions about administrator contracts and these statutory requirements. The first weeks of January have seen a flurry of contract questions as well. This Update is designed to provide principals with essential information about individual principal contracts, their terms, and the timelines for renewal and nonrenewal of these contracts.
March 15th EditionConnecting The Dots - Why Redefining Ready! Matters to Wisconsin SchoolsBy Laura Schmidt, School District of New Berlin, Strategic Advisor to the Superintendent The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) launched a nationwide Redefining Ready! Campaign to expand the predictors of postsecondary success used in local and/or state accountability systems. These predictors are based on proven research related to the factors that positively influence postsecondary success. Many are not necessarily new; however, the campaign is gaining traction. Fourteen states, including Wisconsin, are now represented on the AASA Redefining Ready! Advisory Committee. The AASA is expanding their reach even further by forming a cohort of 40-50 districts nationwide that want to get more involved. So why should this matter to Wisconsin schools? At a State level, we have a disconnect between our current accountability system and the more holistic view of ‘College and Career Ready’ many districts believe is important for their students’ future success. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) recently published a report called Destination Known that explores this in more detail. State accountability is complicated and implementing changes that might be perceived as ‘high-stakes’ needs to be approached with care. However, we know how powerful data can be for influencing continuous improvement. The focus on standardized test scores in state accountability is understandable but inadvertently sends a message that it is the only thing that matters. Selective Abandonment in How You Lead and Live: Addition Through Subtractionby Dr. Joe Schroeder, Associate Executive Director, AWSA Leadership focus is the prerequisite for everything else that leaders do. This maxim -- taken to heart -- can rightfully compel leaders to choose the few “whats” (among many efforts they are doing) to prioritize within their improvement agenda. And such an exercise also then can lead to “selective abandonment” of a number of less-important initiatives already underway in order to prioritize resources and attention to “the vital few.” In this article, I want to explore a similar logic of prioritization and “selective abandonment” but this time in regard to our “hows” -- that is, how we conduct our daily affairs, specifically in the prevailing concepts or hang-ups we cling to that are potentially hampering our impact and fulfillment, both as a leader and as a human being. AWSA 2017 ElectionThe AWSA Board of Directors election will be held electronically from April 17 - May 1, 2017. This year, Directors will be elected from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, and 12. Members from each of these regions will be emailed a notification on April 17, 2017 with a link to an online ballot listing the candidate(s) for that region. As part of its succession planning, the Board has recruited candidates in each region.
In addition, write-in candidates can stand for election by submitting a petition to the AWSA headquarters by March 17. If you have any questions, contact Robin Herring at [email protected] or (608) 729-6637.
March 29th EditionDeepening Your Learning Leadership Through Balanced Analysis and Feedbackby Dr. Joe Schroeder, Associate Executive Director, AWSA “As a leader, how do I significantly improve student learning in my school without first significantly growing my ability to help faculty become more skillful, reflective, and resourceful teachers?” In other words, “How do I realistically think I can ‘coach up’ that which I personally don’t understand deeply yet?” That’s the central -- and convicting -- rationale for our newest AWSA Academy, Analyzing Teaching for Student Results (ATSR). Rooted in the highly regarded work of Jon Saphier (author of The Skillful Teacher, now in its 6th edition and used by hundreds of districts and leading institutions of higher learning around the country/world), we are personally witnessing how ATSR is growing Wisconsin leaders in several key and connected areas. State Superintendent Election on April 4Wisconsin voters will have the opportunity to elect the Superintendent of Public Instruction on April 4th. Please make sure you vote in this important election! AWSA and the SAA have endorsed Tony Evers.
In February the SAA sent a series of questions to each candidate concerning their views on education. The State Superintendent Candidate Responses to these questions can be found below:
What the Latest Neuroscience Research Says Every Educator Should Know About the BrainBy Sarah Bosch, 6-12 Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Elkhorn Area School District It is ironic to reflect on the genesis of my infatuation especially considering that my passion for the brain actually stemmed from great fear. It was 2011 and I was asked to teach Advanced Placement Psychology for the very first time in my teaching career. I remember looking at the course overview on the AP CollegeBoard website and saw one whole unit on the human brain, which spiraled back in more depth in every subsequent unit thereafter. I wanted to vomit. I was screaming in my own thoughts, “I am not a science teacher! I am a social studies teacher! How am I going to teach kids how the brain works?” I was officially intimidated by the structures and functions of the human brain. I muddled my way through the content of the brain unit my first year and was determined the next year to dominate the topic. I began reading everything I could about how neurologists believe our brains work, diving deep into the latest research that has come out of the field of neurology. Soon my studies began to collide with how that research could impact teaching and learning. Thus began my journey into neuroeducation, which is described by Tracy Tokuhama-Espinosa as an “interdisciplinary field that combines neuroscience, psychology, and education to help create improved teaching methods and curricula” (2011). One would think my infatuation with the brain would stem (Haha -- neuroscience humor, brainstem! Get it?!) from the amazing ability of this three pound organ to orchestrate everything a human being does, says, thinks, feels, sees, etc. It is remarkable; I will admit that. However, my passion comes from something deeper and became more powerful than what I could have ever imagined. The Challenges of Leading Two SchoolsBy Kenneth Kortens, Principal of Park Community Charter School and Victor Haen Elementary School As a member of the Principal Concerns Committee I have been asked to provide perspective on the challenges of leading two schools at one time. For the past five years I served as principal of Park Community Charter School and Victor Haen Elementary School in the Kaukauna Area School District. Leading any school is a challenge for principals to do well in today’s world. Parent meetings, staffing issues, teacher effectiveness evaluations, assessments and curriculum development are more than enough to keep any administrator busy. Add another school of any size and everything doubles. This is a challenge that I did my best to meet but often felt that neither school was getting my best work. |
