August 16th EditionThe Purposeful Principalshipby Pete Hall, Executive Director, Education Hall What is the principal’s job? A better question might be this: What is the purpose of the principalship? Over the past few decades, the primary responsibilities of the school principal have shifted significantly, from one who focuses on the 3 B’s (budgets, buildings, and buses) to one who focuses on the status of learning and teaching. The follow-up question, then, is obvious: What should a principal do in order to positively impact learning and teaching in a schoolhouse? In a 2015 article for Educational Leadership, John Hattie, author of the mega meta-analysis Visible Learning, revealed a truth about education approaches and practices: almost everything works…to some extent. The key is to identify which strategies yield greater results than the other options available, given the intended goals, learning context, and student needs. This requires teachers to be aware, discriminating, intentional, and deeply reflective. Principals can – and must – create an environment in which this happens, so that learning and teaching can flourish. Focus on the Early Years: Promoting School Readiness and Reducing the Achievement Gapby Sherry W. Kimball, WI Department of Public Instruction It is well documented that brain development in the early years (birth thru five years) is directly correlated to the types of experiences and interactions that children have with others. These interactions play a vital role in shaping the developing brain. If interactions are positive, the brain develops a solid foundation for lifelong learning. On the contrary, less than optimal experiences may result in a weaker foundation that may impede learning and one’s ability to navigate the complexities of the world. The importance of the developing brain from birth thru five years cannot be understated. Research shows that a key way to foster this development is through the provision of high quality early childhood programs. High quality programs promote all areas of child development, fostering a foundation for “school readiness”, and, they play a vital role in reducing the achievement gap. How Ready are You for ACP Implementation? Probably More So Than You Thinkby Kevin Miller, School Innovation Consultant If you are reading this because you’re looking for a quick and easy solution to another of those dreaded, unfunded state mandates, then definitely read on. If you’re committed to implementing ACP in the best possible manner for your students and not looking for shortcuts and easy (but ineffective) solutions, then this article is for you, too. And if you’re thinking that “maybe this article will validate that we’re already well on our way to effective ACP implementation,” then you certainly want to click on the “Read more” link because you may be ready but have a bit more to think about. So, can one, relatively brief, article really address people in all these situations or is that just a clever (or maybe not even that clever) ruse to drag you down a rabbit’s hole. I wholeheartedly (cross my heart and hope to die) believe you will find valuable insights in this article regardless of where you believe your district and school are at as far as ACP implementation. Annual Notices InformationLast month, the Boardman& Clark Law Firm released this helpful chart of annual notices required under state and federal law.
Numerous state and federal laws require school districts to provide notices to students, parents, and/or the public. This attached chart lists state and federal laws and regulations that require districts to provide notice of a policy, procedure, or form. These notices vary as to when they must be provided; however, many notices must be provided at the beginning of the school year. While many of these notices have been around for years, the requirements of the notices occasionally are changed or new notices are added. Many of the federal agencies or Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction have created "model" notices or provide information useful to creating notices that could easily be tailored to meet each district's individual needs. 2017 Associate Principal of the Year AwardThe 2017 Associate Principal of the Year award is now accepting nominations! The Wisconsin Associate Principal of the Year program recognizes Associate Principals whose leadership has resulted in improved student learning, instructional collaboration, and a safe and positive school environment. Nominations are accepted from teachers, parents, principals, and others across Wisconsin. Specific information regarding the Associate Principals of the Year award is available here. To nominate an associate principal please fill out the nomination form and have it emailed to Jena Sebald at [email protected] by October 1, 2017. The 2018 Outstanding Wisconsin Leadership Award is Open for Nominations
AWSA and the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation is celebrating its third year of providing fellowships for principals and their schools. The 12 public school Kohl Leadership Award recipients and the 12 schools of those principals will each receive $6,000 grants from the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation and will be recognized at a spring banquet. Starting the School Year Supporting the Students and Each OtherHope that you can join the launch of the first-ever #AWSAconnect Twitter chat this Thursday, August 17 at 8 PM. Only 30 minutes. Thanks to AWSA members Jay Posick and Sharin Tebo for moderating! August 29th EditionBuilding Administrator ChecklistsYou might use a pen and paper, or Google tasks, or perhaps an app on your phone. We all have a way to keep track of our tasks and provide reminders of our “to-do” list. In an effort to support building leaders, AWSA has developed and continues to update Principal Checklists. These checklists provide monthly ideas and reminders about many of the things that a building principal is tending to throughout the year. There may be things you haven’t thought about, or perhaps simply good reminders about timing and scheduling of required items. As you grow capacity in others, there are items that may be helpful to consider when building your personal and school calendar. There are also items that remind you to take care of yourself, something we sometimes forget to do! If you’re in the New Building Administrators Academy, your coaches may reference these checklists as another means of support. And for all other building and district leaders, we hope these checklists are a resource for you as you hit the ground running this week and next, and welcome the minds and hearts of those we serve. Easy Way to Voice Your Opposition to Elimination of Title II FundingTeaching and leading are the first and second most important school-related factors to student success. A year after a bipartisan Congress passed ESSA with new Title II provisions to support teachers and leaders, President Trump and members of Congress are proposing to eliminate all Title II funding.
Here is a letter the AWSA Board of Directors sent to the WI Congressional delegation last spring. Asking Just the Right Questions and Other High-Impact Reading Comprehension Strategies
by Kathy Barclay, Ed.D., Professional Development Manager, Superkids/Zaner-Bloser
During a reading of Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss, after reading about Yertle sitting atop a nine- turtle stack and one little turtle at the bottom of the stack saying, “How long must we stand here, Your Majesty, please?" the teacher paused to ask, “What do you think Yertle the Turtle is going to say or do?” While many children stared blankly at the teacher, several children offered predictions: “He’s going to get mad,” “He might look down to see who is talking and fall off,” and “He’s going to tell them they have to stand there until it gets dark because he has to go to bed.” From their responses, we can tell these children are engaging in metacognitive thought during the read-aloud experience—but what about those children who didn’t respond? Were they engaging in productive reasoning, but for one reason or another simply did not verbalize their thinking for the class? Or is it possible that they had not yet come to the understanding that the role of the listener is to think about and respond to what they are hearing in the story? |
