September 11th EditionEffective Teacher Supervision, Coaching, and Evaluationby Kim Marshall The biggest challenge for principals is how they spend their time. What school leaders do minute by minute, day by day, week by week, and month by month has a direct impact on the most important goal: more good teaching in more classrooms more of the time (Saphier, DuFour, and Mattos, 2016). Beyond the basics of safety, discipline, systems, materials, supplies, technology, and the copying machine, here are five facets of instructional leadership that are the keys to successful teaching and learning:
Take Advantage of Your AWSA Legal and Communication ServicesBeing a school leader today presents frequent legal and communications questions and challenges. So, it’s important that you maximize your AWSA benefits in these two important areas. This brief article includes user-friendly descriptions with links to each legal and communications service. Communication Challenges: Dress Codesby Joe Donovan, Founder, and President, The Donovan Group Among the issues I have been following over the last few years is how schools are dealing with student dress codes. It is an issue that transcends all educational leadership, but can be particularly challenging when it comes to communication. The issue is difficult on many levels, and there is no one right way to communicate about dress codes. However, I have found that there are some things to consider doing—and certainly things to avoid—when communicating about them. Read more.
Important Tobacco/Vaping Legislation ProposedAWSA and the SAA are strongly supporting Senate Bill 364, which would change the age for purchasing tobacco and vaping products to 21.
AWSA/SAA will keep you updated on SB 364.2020 Principals Leadership AwardsAWSA and the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation is celebrating its fourth 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. Nominations are due October 8, 2019. If you would like to nominate an Associate Principal please see our 2019-20 Associate Principals of the Year Award. September 25th EditionA Transformational Time for Literacy Leadership 365 Days a Yearby Pam Allyn, Author and Motivational Speaker Recently, I visited a district to speak about my book co-authored with Dr. Ernest Morrell, Every Child a Super Reader. The district had adopted this book as a district wide book club read. I thought I would be talking to teachers and literacy coaches. I was delighted when the principals and the superintendent also attended my session. Each of them shared with me how they had read my book too and that they spearheaded a district wide follow up where the schools were incorporating the 7 Strengths, my social emotional literacy learning framework into monthly rituals and routines. Supporting PLC Development by Tending to Adult SEL Competenciesby Maria Dyslin, Principal, Sunset Ridge Elementary DPI has been working to support social emotional learning for students across Wisconsin. (https://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/mental-health/social-emotional-learning). As leaders, we see there is a need to support students by building competencies and teaching students identified lagging skills so that they can thrive in our schools. WREA Foundation Challenge Award Information and Application Process 2020 High SchoolsThe WREA Foundation Challenge Award Program annually supports regional awards for innovative educational projects in Wisconsin. The awards recognize:
This is your opportunity to showcase your high school’s innovative educational achievements. Awards will recognize an innovative educational project operational in the last two academic years. Awards contribute to an improved environment for the students, the school, or the community served by the school. A $2000.00 award will be given to each first-place winner and a $250.00 award to each second-place winner. First place winners will be recognized at WREA District meetings in May of 2020. Application Start Date: November 1 Visit the WREA website (www.wrea.net/page/WREAFoundation) November 1 – February 1 to submit your application. 2019 Elementary Principals Convention
Michele Borba, Sean Covey, and Pam Allyn will present our keynote sessions and the convention will feature over seventeen sessions focused on Elementary Leadership. 2020 Principals Leadership AwardsAWSA and the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation is celebrating its fourth 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. Nominations are due October 8, 2019. |
The 2019 Elementary Principals Convention will take place from October 9-11, 2019 at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells.