Better Schools Winter 2025

WINTER 2025

Fundamental Resources and Editorials for School Administrators

American students represent Roots to Native their heritage at high school the Future graduation thanks to a flagship page 28 policy from Poteau Public Schools.

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POLICYMAKERS, PANELS, AND PARTNERSHIPS AT THE 2025 OASA LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE

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CONTENTS CCOSA Executive Committee Melissa Barlow Principal, Yukon HS CCOSA Chairperson OASSP Past-President Laura Bullock Principal, Idabel MS CCOSA Vice Chairperson OMLEA President Scott Farmer Superintendent, Ft. Gibson OASA President

8 State Board of Education Rules – NOT SO FAST!

By Dr. Pam Deering, CCOSA/OASA Executive Director

11 Ignoring the Red Flags

How to avoid hiring mistakes that can be costly in the long run.

32 Enhancing Education at Idabel Public Schools Through Uplifting Classrooms Training A professional development partnership is helping a southeastern Oklahoma district equip new teachers for success.

By Dr. Alan Bryant, Laura Bullock, and Chris Gammon, Idabel Public Schools

By Dana Ezell, Chief HR Officer, Jenks Public Schools

Dale Spradlin Superintendent, Buffalo OASA President-Elect Matt Johnson Principal, Shawnee HS OASSP President Joe Ballard Principal, Poteau HS OASSP President-Elect John Potter Asst. Superintendent, Pryor OMLEA President-Elect Tara Burnett Principal, Highland Park ES, Woodward OAESP President Amy Estes Principal, Hollis ES OAESP President-Elect Amy Swartz Director of Special Services, Ponca City ODSS President Michelle Dalton Director of Special Services, Eufaula ODSS President-Elect Dr. Stacey Butterfield Superintendent, Jenks PAC Representative Dr. Gregg Garn University of Oklahoma Higher Education Liaison

19 Spotlight on CEC Members

In this issue, we’re learning about four CCOSA Executive Committee members.

By John Potter, Tara Burnett, Amy Swartz, and Matt Johnson

24 How to Keep Principals on the Job

Site leaders have a huge impact on student success. These recommendations can help retain them.

By Dr. Michael James, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel, Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools

28 Partnering With Native American Families and Tribes

One Oklahoma school district’s policy about integrating tribal regalia into graduation ceremonies blazed a trail for others to follow.

By Joe Ballard, Principal, Poteau High School

37 Planning for Next Year’s Budget

Preparing now can help meet the challenges ahead.

By Cody Way, Chief Financial Officer, Jenks Public Schools

41 Revolutionizing School Communication With AI Assistance Firm App can help streamline the process.

By Deren Boyd, Co-Founder, Firm App

43 Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Update 54 Read to Lead

A school-focused review of Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results.

By Dr. Jeanene Barnett, CCOSA Director of Policy, Research, and TLE

ON THE COVER: Poteau High School Principal Joe Ballard with his kids, Pierce, left, and Traegan, right, who will graduate from Poteau this spring. All three are citizens of the Cherokee Nation. Photo by Terra Fondriest.

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CCOSA Staff Dr. Pam Deering CCOSA/OASA Executive Director Derald Glover OASA Assistant Executive Director Chris LeGrande OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director Glen Abshere OAESP Executive Director

Oklahoma Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert was among the speakers at the OASA Mid-Winter Legislative Conference.

12 2025 OASA Mid-Winter and Legislative Conference Update School officials had the opportunity to hear from policymakers at CCOSA’s annual policy forum.

By Dr. Jeanene Barnett, CCOSA Director of Policy, Research, and TLE

15 The Case for Comms Directors If your district doesn’t already have this expertise on its administrative team, the time is now to bring one of these skilled professionals on board.

By Melissa Hite, Managing Editor, SchoolCEO magazine

ASSOCIATION UPDATES 44 OASA

50 OAESP

47 OASSP/OMLEA

53 ODSS

Andrea Kunkel CCOSA General Counsel ODSS Executive Director Dr. Jeanene Barnett Director of Policy, Research, and TLE Kathy Dunn Director of Professional Learning, State and Federal Programs Madeline Pollard Marketing, Events & Corporate Sponsorships Specialist Cynda Kolar Business Manager Lynne White OAESP Executive Assistant & Assistant to the TLE Coordinator Nicole Donnelly Membership Coordinator & CEC Executive Assistant Jen Knight Executive Assistant Kasiah Mims OASA Executive Assistant Catherine Goree OASSP/OMLEA/ODSS Executive Assistant

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Leadership Conversations

State Board of Education Rules— NOT SO FAST! Dr. Pam Deering, CCOSA/OASA Executive Director deering@ccosa.org

The Oklahoma State Board of Education (SBE) passed their Administrative Rules at the January 28, 2025, meeting. After many comments submitted by CCOSA and other organizations, they passed the rules with no substantive changes. Our members are concerned about the rules. Remember, the SBE approval is only one step in the overall approval process before the rules become permanently added to the Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC).

Though approved by the State Board of Education, these rules are not yet in effect; they do not become law until they make their way through the entire process. A review of the process for rules to become law can help us better understand the timeline for implementation.

Step 1: In K-12 education, the process for rules to become law and entered into the Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) begins with Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) and State Board of Education (SBE) approval. OSDE proposes a new Administrative Rule in response to legislation that calls for the agency to promulgate rules, or the agency may propose an amendment to an existing rule.

Step 2: OSDE must submit the final rule to the Oklahoma Legislature for review. This is where the process is now for these rules. The Legislature then has the authority to approve or disapprove the rule. The Legislature’s role is clearly laid out in 75 O.S. § 250.2 (OSCN 2025), and it has “a right to disapprove a proposed permanent, promulgated, or emergency rule at any time if the Legislature determines such rule to be an imminent harm to the health, safety, or welfare of the public or the state or if the Legislature determines that a rule is not consistent with legislative intent.”

Oklahoma has approximately 150 regulatory agencies. According to current law, all agency rules, including those from the OSDE as well as other state agencies, are reviewed through the House and Senate Administrative Rules Committees and then submitted to the full bodies with all or some rules identified for approval and some identified for disapproval. The two chambers consider the committees’ recommendations and vote on the rules through a Joint Resolution.

Step 3: The Legislature has the power to approve Administrative Rules from state agencies, reject them, or allow the governor to decide. Upon approval or disapproval by the Legislature, the rules package then moves to the Governor for consideration.

Step 4: Final approved rules must then be published in the Oklahoma Register and will not become effective until at least 10 days after publication.

In the past, most OSDE rules that make it through the process have not become effective until September based on the timeline described above. When the rule goes into effect on the specified date, from that point forward, it carries the force of law and must be followed by affected parties.

Most rules impacting Oklahoma public schools are published through the Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC), Section 210.

You can access those Rules here. You can access CCOSA’s submitted comments to the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) here.

Looking Ahead to This Legislative Session Ref: SBE Rules Several bills that have been introduced for the 2025 Session propose a review and possible change to the process for administrative rulemaking, so there may be the opportunity to make changes in the rules process this year. Bills that have been introduced to date could change the rules process in several ways, including a bill that stipulates that the Legislature must vote to approve a rule for it to go into effect.

If no action is taken or it is specifically disapproved, then the Governor could not approve on his own or override the Legislature.

We will continue to monitor legislation regarding the rules and the rules process and will keep you advised and aware when advocacy is needed on any of these rules or bills.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely, Pam Deering, Ph.D. CCOSA/OASA Executive Director ■

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IGNORING THE RED FLAGS

THE COST OF A BAD HIRE

By Dana Ezell

Late for the interview without apology, negative comments about previous employers, exaggerations on the resume, unexplained gaps in employment history, lack of enthusiasm for working with students, clothing that would not pass the student dress code, an abnormal number of questions about drug testing requirements, lack of progress on a certification pathway — the list of red flags in an interview is endless! Yet despite these clear warning signs, many administrators ignore them and make a bad hiring decision. The consequences of doing so can be significant. So, why do we do it, and how can we avoid it?

While the cost of recruiting, hiring, and training a new staff member is concerning, the cost of hiring a bad candidate goes beyond financial implications; it can have far-reaching effects. One bad hire can have a lasting impact on morale within the building and damage the school’s reputation with parents and the community. It can impose undue strain on educators who are required to assume additional responsibilities in providing support. A bad hire also demands more time and effort from administrators in addressing questions and concerns, documenting issues, and finding ways to resolve the situation. Even more concerning, a disengaged or unqualified teacher can disrupt instruction, create a negative classroom environment, and require additional resources to address gaps in student learning.

So why do we do it? Administrators ignore red flags for a multitude of reasons. One is the great sense of urgency to fill a vacancy.

Another is the shortage of qualified candidates, leading to the belief that any candidate is better than no candidate. A less obvious reason is a lack of training in conducting interviews, which can result in failing

to uncover the necessary details to identify problems and select a great employee. Without a structured approach, administrators may fail to ask probing questions or recognize concerning patterns in a candidate’s responses.

Avoiding bad hires benefits everyone.

It is crucial that administrators take steps to ensure they select the best possible candidate for their schools.

As one of our principals is known for saying, “Having a vacancy is far better than wishing you had one!”

Ignoring red flags during the hiring process might save time initially, but the long-term consequences often outweigh the short-term convenience. By investing in a careful, strategic approach to hiring, administrators can ensure they bring on employees who are worth the investment. ■

Dana Ezell is the Chief Human Resources Officer for Jenks Public Schools.

STEPS TO AVOID A BAD HIRE

Define the Need: It is critical for everyone involved to understand the attributes, skills, and experience required to perform the essential functions of the open position.

Identify the Stakeholders: Ensure the interview committee includes the right stakeholders who offer diverse perspectives but share the common goal of finding the right fit.

Use a Structured Interview Process: Interview questions should be carefully crafted to reveal qualifications and characteristics without bias. The same set of questions should be asked of every candidate by the same committee.

Check References: While some are wary of calling past employers, these calls are worth the time and effort. At the very least, verifying employment history and eligibility for rehire can prevent costly mistakes.

Wait for the Right Candidate: There is often a sense of urgency to fill a position, but waiting for the right candidate is worth it.

In the meantime, consider using substitutes, temporary coverage, or other interim measures—all of which are preferable to making a permanent bad hire.

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Oklahoma school administrators and education policymakers attended the OASA Legislative Conference Jan. 22-23, 2025, in Oklahoma City.

2025 OASA Mid-Winter and Legislative Conference Update

CCOSA hosted hundreds of school officials and policymakers at their annual policy forum.

By Dr. Jeanene Barnett, Director of Policy, Research, and TLE OASA welcomed state leaders from all branches of government to the 2025 OASA Mid-Winter and Legislative Conference at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Oklahoma City on January 22-23.

CCOSA/OASA Executive Director Dr. Pam Deering opened the first halfday of the conference, then turned the program over to OASA President Scott Farmer, Superintendent, Fort Gibson Public Schools, who welcomed Secretary of Education Nellie Tayloe Sanders. Secretary Sanders introduced First Lady Sarah Stitt, who brought a message of hope

and resilience. The First Lady spoke of her appreciation for the hard work of the public school administrators in the room. After the conference, she shared a note of thanks with Dr. Deering and the CCOSA organization for welcoming her and offered to help support CCOSA members as we strive to create safe, healthy environments for Oklahoma students to succeed.

Legislative insights from Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, and Senate Appropriations Chair Chuck Hall, R-Perry, followed. The afternoon ended with a presentation from Dr. Sara Doutre on the federal

Piedmont Superintendent Dr. Drew Eichelberger was among the conference attendees.

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More Money Is Not Enough Dr. Sara Doutre’s presentation revealed systemic inequities in federal special education funding.

Left to right, OASA President Scott Farmer, OASA President-Elect Dale Spradlin, CCOSA/OASA Executive Director Dr. Pam Deering, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, and OASA Policy & Advocacy Chair Dr. Mike Simpson at the conference. funding formula for IDEA and remarks from the new leader of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Chancellor Sean Burrage.

Dr. Deering opened the second day of the conference with comments about what CCOSA provides for its members through professional learning opportunities, advocacy, and membership benefits.

Scott Farmer then introduced and welcomed Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond to provide opening remarks. Attorney General Drummond reminded OASA members that he had been with them at the same conference just two years before and reinforced his love and respect for the work of those who serve in Oklahoma public schools.

Next, President Farmer reviewed the CCOSA information sheets provided for each participant to help guide conversations with legislators and community members:

■ Access the OASA Talking Points here.

■ Access the CCOSA Administrative Costs Fact Sheet here.

Tara Thomas, AASA Government Affairs Manager, brought an update on federal legislation but cautioned that everything is in so much transition and is moving so quickly it is difficult to determine anything with certainty. She identified areas that the new administration may work on in the first 100 days: Senate

confirmations for Cabinet posts, raising the debt ceiling, proposing possible messaging bills (anti-woke, parental rights, etc.), unveiling reconciliation plans, and passing FY25 funding.

Afterwards, conferees heard from the Oklahoma Legislative education leadership: Senate Education Chair Adam Pugh, R-Edmond; House Education Chair Dick Lowe, R-Amber; and House Education Oversight Chair Dell Kerbs, R-Shawnee.

Following this robust and straightforward panel discussion, CCOSA/OROS Legislative Consultant Megan Benn gave a thorough overview of the 448 current bills on the 2025 CCOSA Tracking List.

Sprinkled across all of the bills filed this year (over 3,100 – a new record), several address the teacher shortage, some change the timeline for elections for local Boards of Education, and one focuses on dyscalculia and introduces help and support for students to develop grade-level math skills.

OASA Policy and Advocacy Chair Dr. Mike Simpson, Guthrie Superintendent, closed out the conference with a review of the OASA Guiding Principles and OASA Legislative Goals. You can access those documents here.

Overall, the 2025 OASA Legislative and Mid-Winter Conference concluded with another successful year. ■

Dr. Sara Doutre, Senior Program Associate for WestED, shared research about the inequities in the formula for federal special education funding at the 2025 OASA Mid-Winter and Legislative Conference. Her presentation, “More Money Is Not Enough: The Case for Reconsidering Federal Special Education Funding Formulas,” examined the disparities in federal funding allocations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Despite intentions to distribute funds equitably, the current formula results in significant per-child funding differences among states. For instance, in FY2021, Wyoming received approximately $3,215 per child, while Nevada received about $1,835 and Oklahoma received $1,780.

The difference in IDEA funding per child receiving special education services between Oklahoma and Wyoming is -$1,435. Doutre and other authors of a Brookings article suggest that merely increasing federal appropriations without revising the funding formula may perpetuate or even exacerbate these inequities.

They advocate for a comprehensive reevaluation of the allocation methodology to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources across states. You can access Dr. Doutre’s presentation here, and the Brookings article that provides more details about the research findings here.

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The Case for Comms Directors Why your district needs communications professionals.

By Melissa Hite At this point, you know a strong communications strategy is crucial for a successful school district. (If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be reading this magazine.) But as a superintendent, you may be trying to squeeze communications into a teacher or staff member’s already long list of priorities. You may even be trying to handle it all yourself.

We get it. Money is tight; hiring a new central office staff member is a big investment. And as the school leader, you should be involved in your district’s branding and communications strategies.

But you don’t have to go it alone — and in fact, we believe the benefits of hiring a full-time school communicator far outweigh the costs. Here are a few reasons why schools need public relations professionals.

School communications professionals save you time and stress.

In AASA’s most recent Decennial Study on the American Superintendent, released in 2020, superintendents ranked “job-related stress” as the most pressing problem they faced in their positions. Only 8% of those surveyed said they felt “little to no stress”; 56% felt “very great or considerable stress.” And that was before the onset of COVID-19. More recently, a 2023 survey from nonprofit think tank RAND Corp found that school superintendents were more than twice as likely as other working adults to report job-related stress. In that report, nearly 80% of the school leaders surveyed said work was “often” or “always” stressful. We’re sure none of these numbers surprise you.

Faced with all those challenges, are superintendents actually spending their time on the issues they’d like to? It would seem not. When asked which issues consume the bulk of their time, school leaders cited “school-community relations” in the top five — above “school reform/ improvement,” “curriculum/instructional issues,” and “educational equity/diversity.” However, when asked which skills they would like to improve, 30% of superintendents listed “school reform/improvement,” and 26% answered “curriculum/instructional issues.” Furthermore, only 34% rated themselves “very effective” in handling diversity issues. It seems that superintendents want to improve in areas that they simply don’t have time to focus on.

All that stress seems to come, at least in part, from the myriad demands on a superintendent’s time. In the Decennial Study, “excessive time requirements” ranked second among school leaders’ most pressing problems.

“For the superintendent, the position is a 24-hour-a-day job,” write the study’s authors. “The challenges and the demands upon time are never-ending.”

Communications issues are no doubt important and no doubt time-consuming. But just as important (if not more so!) are concerns about academic rigor, continuous improvement, and equity. You can’t do it all, and trying to do so might be destroying your mental health and worklife balance. So why not bring in some expert help in the form of a communications professional?

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School communications professionals are becoming more common.

At one point in the not-so-distant past, having a dedicated school PR professional was generally seen as a luxury, something only the very largest districts could justify. However, this is no longer the case. The field of school communications is growing — and if your district doesn’t have a school communicator in its ranks, you may be at a disadvantage.

Need proof? Take a look at the growth seen by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA), the country’s leading organization for school comms professionals. Just since 2020, they’ve seen a 51% increase in membership, gaining nearly 1,000 new members. Also telling is what kind of districts those members are working for. In their 2022 Profile of a School Communicator report, NSPRA found that 10% of those surveyed worked for a district with an enrollment of fewer than 2,000 students. This is the highest percentage of school comms pros working in districts this size since 2009, when overall membership was significantly lower.

“It could be reasonable to consider one such factor of this

shift to be that smaller school districts that did not previously have a communications-specific position added one over the last two years,” the report speculates.

This shift isn’t exactly a surprise, either; after all, in the last four years, we’ve gone through a global pandemic that necessitated clear and consistent communication. Now more than ever, people are seeing how critical it is to have a school communicator on their team. No matter the size of your district, your peers are hiring communications professionals, maybe even more than one — and they’re reaping the benefits. You can’t afford to be left behind.

School communications professionals offer a different perspective.

As a leader, you already know the value of listening to multiple viewpoints. It’s why you survey your community before building a bond campaign or bring families together to collaborate on your district’s Profile of a Graduate. You are only one person, with a limited perspective and your own built-in cognitive biases. The more diversity your team includes, the better solutions and strategies it will generate.

AGE, GENDER, AND DIVERSITY

ADOBE FIREFLY, OPENAI, ADOBE, 16 FEBRUARY 2025, FIREFLY.ADOBE.COM

But what does this have to do with school PR professionals?

School comms pros often provide a different perspective than superintendents, whether due to their age, gender, or professional background.

You’re probably well aware that even though it has been slowly diversifying over the years, the superintendency is still dominated by men.

Research conducted

by Dr. Rachel S. White at the Superintendent Lab found that during the 2023-24 school year, 71% of all superintendents were male. The position is also fairly uniform in terms of age; according to a 2024 survey from AASA, more than 85% were between 40 and 60 years old.

Only 4% of those surveyed were under 40.

But according to our recent survey, conducted in partnership with NSPRA, most school comms professionals — 76% — are women. Comms directors are much more diverse in age as well. Our research found that more than one-quarter of school communicators are under 40, and in fact, 6% of those surveyed were in their 20s.

These differences matter. Research has shown that diverse teams — as opposed to homogeneous ones — come up with more innovative ideas and identify the flaws in a plan more readily. What’s more, the presence of women on a team greatly improves collaboration, regardless of what role they play.

We’re not suggesting that by hiring a comms professional, you will automatically have solved diversity issues in your central office staff or cabinet. Though both positions are slowly diversifying over time, both superintendents and school communicators are still overwhelmingly white. As you look at your executive team, you should always be considering which perspectives are represented there and which ones aren’t.

Of course, these numbers are generalizations, and they don’t represent reality for every district. But the odds are decent that if you hire a comms professional, they’ll be different from you in some major way — and the more perspectives you have on your team, the better your collective decision-making will be. Adding a school PR professional is just one way to add another crucial, unique perspective.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND No matter what path they took to the superintendency, nearly all school leaders have one thing in common: They’re education insiders. Even if you’re in your first year in the role, you probably spent years (if not decades) teaching or coaching before moving into administration — and just about everyone in your cabinet likely did the same.

Communications professionals, though, are different.

Many of them are — or at least were — education outsiders.

In our recent survey, we found that 42% of current school comms professionals worked in public relations or marketing outside of schools prior to their current roles.

About a quarter had worked as reporters or journalists before joining their current districts.

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“The field of school communications is growing – and if your district doesn’t have a school communicator in its ranks, you may be at a disadvantage.”

This means that a school communications professional will likely know a lot more about public relations and marketing than you do. They’ll bring outside expertise to the table — whether it’s knowledge of the latest trends in private sector marketing or insight into the types of stories reporters are looking for. A former journalist, for example, will know the best ways to pitch positive school stories to your local news — because they’ll know what would have piqued their interest when they were on the beat.

As education outsiders, comms professionals also act as a bridge between you and your larger community.

Remember: Many of your parents, families, and community members are education outsiders as well. A comms pro with a non-education background can help you cut out any “eduspeak” and translate your messaging to appeal to a broader audience. It’s true — you or someone in your central office might be able to develop the skills necessary to handle communications competently. But you’ll never have the unique viewpoint of an education outsider.

ADOBE FIREFLY, OPENAI, ADOBE, 11 FEBRUARY 2025, FIREFLY.ADOBE.COM

School communications professionals are a good investment.

We haven’t been living under a rock — we know this is a tough time for schools financially. As ESSER funds run out and student enrollment declines nationwide, you may be looking to save money wherever you can.

Maybe you did hire a school communicator with pandemic relief funding, and you’re now wondering if it’s worth it to find the money elsewhere.

Whatever your situation, we believe it’s well worth the investment to hire (or keep) a comms professional.

Here’s the thing: The work of school communications has to be done. It’s nonnegotiable. Just think what would happen if your district suddenly went dark on social media, stopped sending out any updates, and quit responding to incoming messages from families or the media.

Your community’s trust in your schools would implode overnight. Whatever your district’s financial situation, you have to keep communicating; the question is on whose shoulders that massive responsibility will fall.

Imagine you’re a restaurateur looking to hire a chef. You’re strapped for cash, but opening a restaurant without any food is not an option. You could hire a professional with experience working in successful restaurants, or you could hire your neighbor Jeff, who volunteered to do it as a side gig. Jeff is a decent home cook, and he’d definitely be cheaper than a pro — so he’ll do, right?

When we frame it this way, it sounds ridiculous, but that’s the reality for a lot of districts when it comes to school comms. Instead of investing in a professional, districts cram school communications onto a staff member’s already long list of responsibilities and hope for the best.

But no matter how competent they are, a stipended employee probably won’t have the expertise or the capacity of a full-time school communicator.

The truth is that a skilled comms professional costs more because they can do more. They can help you shape your brand; prepare you to communicate during crises; recruit teachers and classified staff; and even boost your finances through successful bond votes and enrollment campaigns.

Just like a five-star chef attracts diners to a restaurant, an effective school comms professional can actually help you generate funding for your district. Why wouldn’t you make that investment?

We realize that you, the superintendent, may be handling communications yourself — but you won’t be as effective as a professional, either. As we’ve already seen, you have way too much on your plate. Of course, we’re not saying that you should hire a communications director and then divest yourself of all comms concerns and responsibilities. To be successful, a comms professional will need to work in partnership with you to keep your marketing and comms strategies aligned with your overarching district goals.

You can’t walk away from school communications completely — but you also don’t have to do it alone.

Leave the heavy lifting to the experts. Hire a school communicator. ■

Melissa Hite is the managing editor of SchoolCEO magazine.

This article was originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Apptegy’s SchoolCEO magazine and is reprinted with permission.

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Spotlight on the CCOSA Executive Committee (CEC) We asked four members of the CEC to tell us a little about themselves and to share a recent success story.

students when they were feeling discouraged the years that I taught at Pryor High School, I’ve always carried with me the understanding that teaching is an act of empathy.

It’s not just about the content — it’s about the people, their stories, and how we can grow together through the process of learning.

John Potter, Assistant Superintendent of Pryor Public Schools Becoming an educator is a journey that often begins long before stepping into a classroom. For me, it was always a natural extension of who I was — shaped by the countless moments in my life where I found joy in helping others learn. From teaching my friends how to ride a bike to guiding my sister through the complexities of a science lab report, these experiences laid the foundation for my passion for teaching.

When I think back to those early teaching moments, they were never about instruction in the traditional sense. They were about patience, understanding, and the joy of seeing someone master something new.

I can vividly remember the pride I felt when my friend first balanced on their bike or when my sister took first place at the school science fair.

It wasn’t about imparting knowledge in a rigid way — it was about making someone feel confident, capable, and supported. That, I now realize, is at the heart of being an educator.

Teaching, for me, was always about more than just the skill being learned. When I first started teaching as a 3rd grade bilingual teacher in Sherman, Texas, it was about building a connection, creating a safe space for mistakes, and celebrating progress no matter how small. Over the years, that sense of fulfillment has only deepened. Later I moved to Colorado Springs to teach a 3rd-5th

Ultimately, becoming an educator wasn’t a decision made overnight.

It was a journey that unfolded naturally, shaped by years of teaching moments in everyday life. When I served as the Pryor Middle School Principal, I carried with me the same principles: patience, support, and the belief that everyone has the potential to succeed, no matter where they start.

John Potter, the Assistant Superintendent at Pryor Public Schools, serves on the CEC as OMLEA President-Elect. multi-grade class. The satisfaction of guiding someone through a challenge, seeing them push past their doubts, and watching them succeed became an integral part of who I am.

As I transitioned into more secondary teaching roles, I found that my approach remained unchanged. Whether it’s helping a student grasp a difficult concept while teaching 8th grade science in Claremore or simply offering encouragement to my leadership

Now as the Assistant Superintendent of Pryor Public Schools, I find immense joy in fostering a positive, thriving learning environment for other educators. It’s rewarding to support teachers, guiding them in refining their craft and seeing their growth impact students. The opportunity to shape school culture, inspire collaboration, and create a space where both students and staff feel valued is fulfilling. Witnessing other teachers’ success, whether through academic achievements or personal growth, reminds me daily of the transformative power of education and the critical role leadership plays in shaping the future. Every challenge is a chance to make a meaningful difference today and tomorrow.

“Whether it’s helping a student grasp a difficult concept while teaching 8th grade science in Claremore or simply offering encouragement to my leadership students when they were feeling discouraged the years that I taught at Pryor High School, I’ve always carried with me the understanding that teaching is an act of empathy.”

— John Potter

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“It takes one caring adult in a child’s life to make a difference.”

— Tara Burnett Tara Burnett, OAESP President Tara is currently in her 11th year as Principal at Highland Park Elementary in Woodward. Her career began when she received her Bachelor of Education degree at Oklahoma State University in fall 1995. In her 29 years in Education, Tara has taught 3rd grade, 5th grade, and 7th grade reading. Tara taught in Everman, Texas, for one year, and the remainder of her career has been spent in Woodward. In 2001, Tara received her master’s degree in K-12 counseling from Northwestern Oklahoma State University, followed by her K-8th grade principal certification. She has been 5th-6th grade counselor at Woodward Middle

School and 2nd-5th grade counselor at Cedar Heights Elementary. Her teaching spotlights include being named one of Woodward’s final candidates for Teacher of the Year in 2001 and obtaining National Board Certification in Elementary Education. Before being named Highland Park Principal, Tara was the Assistant Principal for two years at Woodward Early Childhood Center.

She has served as the Woodward Education Foundation President and also the President of Woodward District Professional Development Committee. Two years ago, Tara was awarded the Jimmy Peck Educator Award after being nominated by a teacher at her elementary school.

This is Tara’s fifth year serving on the OAESP executive committee, currently as President, and her second year on CCOSA’s Executive Committee. OAESP has brought her top-notch professional development,

colleagues turned lifelong friends, and a table of wisdom through deeply passionate conversations about the importance of public education.

Recent Success “Highland Park’s most recent success story was celebrating the tenth year of sustainability of our mentoring program, ‘Each One, Needs One.’ We have grown our program to consist of over 40 community members, including our Woodward High School juniors and seniors, mentoring at-risk students on a weekly basis. It takes one caring adult in a child’s life to make a difference. And many times, our mentors fulfill that role to flip the script for our at-risk students.

Because of the success of our mentoring program, each school in our district is now engaging in a mentoring program of their own. To us, that is true success because we are able to impact a larger number of our students in Woodward Schools.”

“I’m proud of the progress made in providing comprehensive services for all students and excited to continue my efforts to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed.”

— Amy Swartz Amy Swartz, ODSS President Amy was born into a family of educators, growing up surrounded by strong role models in the public school system. From an early age, she witnessed firsthand the power of education and the profound impact that teachers and school leaders can have on students’ lives.

Inspired by her family’s example, Amy pursued a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University, where she built the foundational knowledge that would shape her career. She later continued her academic journey by earning a master’s degree from Northwestern Oklahoma State University, further enhancing her expertise in education.

With 19 years of experience in public education, Amy has had the privilege of working in both general education and special education settings. She began her career as a teacher, where she connected with students, guided their academic growth, and tailored learning experiences to meet their

unique needs. Throughout her career, Amy has witnessed firsthand the profound impact that tailored support and resources can have on students’ success.

Outside of her professional duties, Amy recently participated in Leadership Ponca City through the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce. She worked collaboratively with her classmates, holding a successful fundraiser supporting ten different local nonprofit organizations, including the Dearing House Child Advocacy Center.

Amy also volunteers on local boards within the community, supporting early childhood development and animal welfare. Giving back to the community that has supported her throughout her career is something she deeply values. She finds fulfillment in helping strengthen local initiatives and providing resources to those in need.

Recent Success “In my current role as the Executive Director of Special Services at Ponca City Public Schools, I oversee a range of services designed to support students’ academic, emotional, and behavioral development. My position

is both challenging and immensely rewarding, as it allows me to lead and collaborate with others on initiatives that directly improve student outcomes and foster inclusivity in education. Notable successes during my tenure include the addition of full-time school counselors at every school site in the district, an increase in licensed professional counselors on staff to provide mental health support to students district-wide, and the upcoming addition of a therapeutic classroom set to open in fall 2025.

These initiatives have enhanced the district’s ability to meet the diverse needs of students and support their overall well-being.

Looking back on nearly two decades of work, I’m proud of the progress made in providing comprehensive services for all students and excited to continue my efforts to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed. For me, education is not just a career — it’s a lifelong passion driven by a growth mindset, focused on empowering others, including students, teachers, and families, and helping them unlock their full potential through continuous learning and development.”

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Matt Johnson, OASSP President Matt is currently in his 17th year in administration and 24th year in public education.

He has served as the head principal of Shawnee High School for nine years. Previous to his employment with Shawnee Public Schools, he was the Academic Assistant Principal at Del City High School in Del City, Oklahoma, and an Assistant Principal at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Oklahoma. Long a child advocate, Matt was an art teacher at Del City High School, Classen School of Advanced Studies, Telstar Elementary School, Mark Twain Elementary School, and Western Village Elementary School and was an Arts Integration Specialist for Oklahoma City Public Schools. He also served as Supervisor for the Community Intervention Center and worked with homeless children and violent juvenile offenders at Youth

Services for Oklahoma County Inc. and Sisu Youth Services.

Since he has been at Shawnee, the school has added a number of programs, including aerospace and drones classes, cybersecurity, computer science, eSports, internships, an Associates Program, a food backpack program, clothing closet, community garden, and multiple student leadership groups.

The school has also increased its graduation rate by 20%.

Matt earned his Masters of Education Administration degree from UCO in Edmond and his Bachelors of Fine Arts from OSU in Stillwater.

Over the past several years, Matt has been fortunate to be involved in CCOSA as a regional rep, Oklahoma Principal Leadership Institute (OPLI) graduate, OPLI coach, and now OASSP President. Although he has always been a big fan of their professional development, Matt has reaped the benefits of the networking that this organization provides. COSSA has really helped Matt grow as a leader.

Recent Success “As most people know, virtual learning is here to stay. Shawnee High School, not unlike many schools, has ventured into that arena in order to meet the needs of all of our students. We have worked very hard to not only increase the rigor of our virtual program, but also our pass rate, all while helping students meet all of their graduation requirements, including CPR, civics test, ICAP, state testing, etc. Through the efforts of our Virtual School Principal and Virtual School Coordinator, we were able to increase our pass rate from around 50% from when we first started the program during COVID to 90% this past semester. Although we are never satisfied with anything less than 100%, I am very proud of the hard work that my team has put into this program and direction it is going.”

“Being positive in a negative situation is not naive.

It’s leadership.”

– Ralph Marston ■

Better Benefits, Better Value We provide best-in-class employee benefits programs for school districts across Oklahoma. We have invested comprehensive resources to support your needs, and we have extensive expertise in strategic planning and operational execution. We serve as an extension of your Human Resources team, learning about your district’s direction, culture, and benefits objectives. We offer a hands-on approach, guiding and assisting you every step of the way.

Why should your district choose the new OSSBA Employee Benefits Program?

Comprehensive benefits options empower your employees with extraordinary flexibility and cost savings. All plan options are 1525% less expensive than current plans availabe to employees, with the same or better benefits.

Our no-hassle flexible spending accounts result in less administrative burden for school districts and employees.

Our effective billing solution maximizes efficiency so routine tasks like calculating payroll deductions and reporting are streamlined, allowing human resources benefits employees to invest their time in other responsibilities.

Enroll with ease with flexible in-person and online options that allow school districts to provide education and enrollment opportunities that best suit the needs of employees.

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Instead, as salaried consultants, they take the time to carefully match each employee with benefits that provide true security and peace of mind.

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HOW TO KEEP

Principals ON THE JOB

Research proves the critical relationship between school principals and student success. The strategies in this case study will help administrators retain them.

BY DR. MICHAEL JAMES

ADOBE FIREFLY, OPENAI, ADOBE, 14 FEBRUARY 2025, FIREFLY.ADOBE.COM

It was well after 4:30 p.m., and high school principal Dawn Stacey was working diligently in her office. She had already told her family to order pizza because she would be late getting home. Angela Simpson, a thirdyear English teacher, came into her office and sat down.

“I just want you to know that I will not be returning next year. I want to go another direction with my career and have turned in my resignation at central office,” Angela informed her principal.

Dawn tried to subdue that sinking feeling in her stomach.

“I am sorry to hear that. You do a great job, and the students like you. Is there anything I can say to change your mind?”

Angela shook her head. “I appreciate you and the school; I just need to do something else. Thanks for your support.”

Dawn leaned back in her chair and thought to herself, “I am worn out. I can’t do this today.”

Dawn knew that research supports the fact that a principal plays an important role in student achievement. Corcoran (2017), Pendola (2018), Oyugi & Gogo (2019), and other researchers have established that principals play an important role in improving student achievement and overall school effectiveness. Yan maintained that “principal leadership is believed to be the second most influential school-based factor that influences student performance after classroom instruction, accounting for onequarter of all school effects on student achievement” (Yan, 2020).

The sinking feeling in Dawn’s stomach isn’t unique to her. Research shows that about “25% of the country’s principals leave their schools each year, and almost 50% quit during their third year” (Jones, 2021). This alarming statistic makes clear the critical importance of going the extra mile to ensure principals are retained.

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In order to increase sustainability for principals, a dissertation research study (James & Bush, 2024) was conducted to better understand the experiences of secondary principals of large high schools in Oklahoma.

The data was collected through interviews, following predetermined questions.

ADOBE FIREFLY, OPENAI, ADOBE, 14 FEBRUARY 2025, FIREFLY.ADOBE.COM

The findings, while not surprising, are significant and can help guide pathways to better support site-level administrators. The findings centered around addressing the teacher shortage, effective time management that conflicts with family time, inability to use noncontract days, and a lack of resources for working with students with behavioral characteristics that are challenges for teachers and principals.

In order to address these and other issues from the findings that negatively impact the principal position, the principals recommended ways to address the problems they experienced. Based on the data gathered from these administrators, the abbreviated list of recommendations should be considered by central office staff and Boards of Education: ■ Districts should provide a general schedule of activities and events beyond the school day which principals are required to attend.

This will allow a principal to feel confident to know that if they attend the required events, they will meet the district requirements for visibility to the community.

■ The district should provide an athletic and activities facilitator to assist with activities and events.

■ Personnel and hiring decisions should be made quickly, with several assistant principals or

building leaders scheduling the hiring teams and making hiring decisions without the principal’s approval when necessary to avoid losing candidates to other districts.

■ Districts should implement instructional improvement practices to address issues associated with student absenteeism, graduation rates, and high-stakes testing. The role of the principal should only be to make sure that the instructional practices from the district are implemented.

■ Districts should provide for a high school administrator other than the principal to cover some portion of summer duties. This would allow the head principal more flexibility to use earned leave or vacation days during the summer.

■ Districts should provide more behavioral resource personnel to those students with behavioral characteristics that are challenges for teachers and principals.

Dawn is an effective school administrator who puts students first. She cares deeply about the teachers and staff in her building, enjoys the students, and measures her effectiveness against her primary concern, student success. For Dawn to remain principal, district officials must recognize that she needs support to remain a healthy and effective school leader. ■

Dr. Michael James is Assistant Superintendent for Personnel at Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools.

Corcoran, R.P. (2017). Preparing principals to improve student achievement. Child & Youth Care Forum, 46(5), 769–781.

James, M., and Bush, M. (2024). Oklahoma high school principal experiences and their relationship to sustainable principal tenures.

(Order No. 31481831). Available from Dissertations & Theses @ Oral Roberts University. (3078512810) Jones, M.L., Jr. (2021). No great principal, no great school: a phenomenological study of principal turnover [ProQuest LLC].

Oyugi, M., & Gogo, J.O. (2019). Influence of principals’ leadership styles on students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Awendo Sub-County, Kenya. African Educational Research Journal, 7(1), 22–28.

Pendola, A., & Fuller, E.J. (2018). Principal Stability and the Rural Divide. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 34(1).

Yan, R. (2020). The influence of working conditions on principal turnover in K-12 public schools. Educational Administration Quarterly, 56(19), 89-122.

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Partnering With Native American Families and Tribes Poteau Public Schools developed a tribal regalia graduation policy that was used to shape statewide legislation and serves as a blueprint nationwide.

By Joe Ballard PHOTOGRAPHY BY TERRA FONDRIEST

Next spring, when the students at Poteau High School in Poteau, OK, put on their caps and gowns for graduation, my twins will be among them. I look forward to watching them receive their diplomas wearing caps embellished with colorful beads representing their Cherokee heritage.

As principal at Poteau High School, I have worked with students, parents, staff, tribal leaders, and the broader community to make it possible for students like my own children to include Native regalia in their graduation attire. The first six students wore their beaded caps six years ago. Last year, that number was more than 20, which is more than half of our graduating Native American students. They make up about onethird of our total student population.

Our decision to allow Native American students to decorate their caps wasn’t just a matter of pride, although it certainly is that. Several years ago, I was reading news

stories and hearing from other school leaders about controversies throughout Oklahoma when Native American students tried to express their heritage and their culture through tribal regalia. I wanted to head off those controversies before we had any issues in our school, so we developed our detailed policy. We wanted to do it carefully and in a culturally sensitive manner.

From the beginning, it has been a big success. After that first ceremony, Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw tribe congratulated us and our students. He met with school leadership, including administrators of our Indian education programs, as well as students and parent committee members, at the Choctaw Nation Dale Cox Community Center in Poteau.

Outreach to Local Tribes

In the 2019–20 school year, we also began including Choctaw as one of the offerings for students studying a world language, alongside more common languages like Spanish. We added Choctaw Language II the following year.

I met with Bobbi Gillham, our school’s director of Indian education; Julie Marvin, our coordinator of Indian education; and Dewayne Hornbuckle, the outreach coordinator for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, to discuss the issue and the best approach. In the past, there had been a local administrator who prevented students from wearing tribal regalia.

It took a lot of time and effort and meetings with different people, including from the local Choctaw and Cherokee Nations. Our school is on the tribal land of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, which is one of the largest tribes in the United States, so we made sure the tribal leaders backed what we were doing.

The guidelines we developed, in cooperation with various school and community partners, worked so well that last year, Oklahoma adopted a statewide policy based very closely on ours. The U.S. Department of Education also incorporated it into national guidance on tribal regalia so our policy can serve as a blueprint for state departments of education or school districts in all 50 states.

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Principal Joe Ballard with his twin children Pierce, left, and Traegan, right, who will graduate from Poteau this spring.

All three are citizens of the Cherokee Nation.

Expressing Their Culture for the Right Reasons Students who want to enhance their caps must complete a few steps in the application process. We don’t want students who are just trying to get attention. We want students to express and understand their culture respectfully and for the right reasons.

I’m pleased that we have excellent working relationships with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the other tribes represented among our students. This year, our Native seniors are represented by six tribes, including the Cherokee Nation, Mississippi Band of Cherokee, Seminole Nation of Florida, the Muscogee Creek Nation, and the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, in addition to the Choctaw. The tribal leaders know we are approachable and work hard to provide high-quality services for our Native American students. That has helped build trust among our families and with tribal leadership.

Our school’s general policy is that graduation caps cannot be embellished. That’s why Native American students who want to add beading must go through our process. Some students have learned the art of beading from their elders, such as grandparents. Others don’t have anyone in the family carrying on the beading tradition, so they’ve reached out to other Native Americans outside their family. Some students have learned themselves, and some ask other tribal members to do the beadwork.

A Priceless Family Heirloom One of the great things is that every pattern and color combination is different. We’ve had no repeat designs in the six years we’ve done this. To our students, the caps represent a piece of their heritage they are very proud of. I know several graduates who have had their caps

framed afterward; it’s a family heirloom that they plan on passing down. And being in rural Oklahoma, some of these students are the first in their family to graduate from high school, so it’s an important milestone.

I’m proud we were the first Oklahoma district to develop beaded graduation cap procedures. Now schools and districts, not just in our state but from across the country, are calling us for more information and advice and pretty much adopting our policy as their own.

I know that our procedures are different from when we started.

They have evolved over the years.

For example, initially I notified the students when the Native American parent committee approved their applications. Now, our director of Indian education notifies students and guides them through next steps.

I think that approach can apply to other schools as well. The policy can give them a place to start, and they can always revise it to fit their community.

My advice for other school leaders looking into this is to start small. Talk to your Native students and families first. Then it makes sense to move on to discussions with staff and the community — especially the local tribe or tribes. ■

Joe Ballard, principal of Poteau High School and the 2024 Oklahoma High School Principal of the Year, is a member of CCOSA’s Executive Committee. This article first appeared in the December 2024 issue of Principal Leadership and is reprinted here with permission.

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Ballard holds a medallion beaded by Gennavie Tom that was gifted to him to show the community’s appreciation for his proactive approach to cultural expression. In October, Ballard wore it in Washington, D.C., where he was presented with the 2024 Oklahoma Principal of the Year award.

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Enhancing Education at Idabel Public Schools Through Uplifting Classrooms Training A partnership among the district, CCOSA, and OU’s K20 Center is making a positive difference.

By Dr. Alan Bryant, Laura Bullock, and Chris Gammon

CCOSA and the OU K20 Center’s Creating Uplifting Classrooms training has been so successful at Idabel Public Schools that the district uses the training every school year.

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Idabel Public Schools has consistently demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the educational experience for both students and teachers. A shining example of this dedication is the partnership with the University of Oklahoma’s K20 Center and CCOSA to offer the Uplifting Classrooms training.

This program, aimed at supporting new teachers – whether standard certified or emergency certified – has become a cornerstone of teacher development within the district.

The introduction of Uplifting Classrooms to Idabel Public Schools dates to 2018 when Laura Bullock, the Director of Special Services and Accountability, first brought this initiative to the attention of Idabel educators. Recognizing the potential of this program to transform classroom dynamics and instructional quality, Bullock’s efforts have left a lasting impact on the district. Her foresight has enabled new teachers to better navigate the complexities of classroom management and instructional delivery.

The immediate success of the Uplifting Classrooms training led to its adoption as an annual event, spearheaded by the Director of Instruction, Chris Gammon, and Superintendent Dr. Alan Bryant. Their continued support underscores the district’s recognition of the program’s value in fostering a nurturing and effective educational environment.

The Uplifting Classrooms training is meticulously designed to equip teachers with the tools necessary for success in the modern classroom.

One of the core components of the program is its focus on classroom environment. Teachers are guided through strategies that promote positive behavior and create a conducive learning atmosphere. This aspect of the training is particularly beneficial for emergency certified teachers, who may not have the traditional background in education pedagogy.

In addition to classroom environment, the program emphasizes the development of procedures for quality instruction. New teachers are introduced to best practices in lesson planning, student engagement, and assessment techniques. By providing a structured framework for instruction, Uplifting Classrooms ensures that all teachers, regardless of their certification path, can deliver consistent and high-quality education.

Teachers who have participated in the Uplifting Classrooms training are more confident about managing their classrooms effectively and delivering engaging lessons.

“The Uplifting Classrooms training is meticulously designed to equip teachers with the tools necessary for success in the modern classroom.”

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Another significant advantage of the program is its role in acclimating emergency certified teachers to the education process. These individuals, often coming from nontraditional backgrounds, receive targeted support to bridge the gap between their previous experiences and the demands of the classroom.

This support not only benefits the teachers but also enhances the overall educational experience for students, ensuring they receive instruction from well-prepared and confident educators.

The impact of the Uplifting Classrooms training on Idabel Public Schools has been profound.

Teachers who have participated in the program report increased confidence in their abilities to manage classrooms effectively and deliver engaging lessons. The ripple effect of this confidence is seen in improved student outcomes and a more positive school culture.

Moreover, the program’s success has positioned Idabel Public Schools as a leader in teacher development within the region. By investing in the professional growth of their educators, the district is ensuring that students receive the highest quality education possible. This commitment to excellence is evident in the district’s ongoing efforts to support and retain new teachers, recognizing that their success is integral to the success of the students they serve.

Left to right, Chris Gammon is the Director of Instruction and Finance at Idabel Public Schools, Dr. Alan Bryant is the district’s Superintendent, and Laura Bullock is Idabel’s Director of Accountability and Special Services.

In conclusion, the collaboration between Idabel Public Schools, the OU K20 Center, and CCOSA through the Uplifting Classrooms training is a testament to the district’s dedication to educational excellence. By providing comprehensive support to new teachers, Idabel Public Schools is not only enhancing the skills of its educators but also fostering a learning environment where students can thrive.

Creating Uplifting Classrooms: Environmental Support for New Teachers trainings have concluded for the current school year. Follow this page for additional information and updates on training dates for the 2025-26 school year. ■

Positive school culture is both a focus and an outcome of Uplifting Classrooms training.

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The Oklahoma School Assurance Group was established in 1994 as a remedy for Oklahoma public schools to save money to use for educating our children rather than for paying higher workers’ compensation premium. No other company exists like OSAG, providing full coverage insurance to our members, with no financial risk. Since inception, approximately $27,092,033 has been awarded to qualifying members as premium refunds, performance dividends, $500,000 in Safety Equipment Grants, a $250,000 Shared Premium Credit, along with upfront premium savings. This savings goes a long way in helping to provide benefits to our district members and the children that they educate.

OSAG is proud to be the largest provider of workers’ compensation services to Oklahoma schools, serving 498 districts, and over 75,000 employees in 2024-2025. We continue to live by our motto of “providing the most efficient and economical workers’ compensation services to Oklahoma public schools.” OSAG members enjoy many benefits, all FREE OF CHARGE, and we appreciate each and every district in our program. **The OSAG Board of Trustees has awarded members with a shared $250,000 Safety Equipment Grant in 2018 & 2021. A Shared Premium Credit of $250,000 was awarded to all members in 2024. OSAG continues to review this grant opportunity and will make future announcements when another award is approved. *Pic credit: citizensgeneral.com

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ADOBE FIREFLY, OPENAI, ADOBE, 17 FEBRUARY 2025, FIREFLY.ADOBE.COM

Planning for Next Year’s Budget How Oklahoma public schools can plan now for the challenges of next year’s budget.

By Cody Way

As Oklahoma school districts look ahead to the 2025-26 school year, they face a challenging financial landscape. With state funding flat and federal funding likely to be reduced, school district leaders must adopt proactive strategies to effectively plan for next year’s budget. Here is what Oklahoma public schools can do this spring to ensure financial stability while continuing to provide high-quality education to students.

1

Conduct a Thorough Review of Current Spending

Spring is an ideal time for school districts to conduct a comprehensive review of their existing budget. This includes assessing spending across all school sites and departments, identifying areas where costs can be reduced or streamlined and pinpointing non-essential expenditures. By identifying inefficiencies, schools can shift resources toward priorities that directly impact students’ education.

For example, schools can review contracts, supplies, and technology spending, as well as evaluate staffing levels. Efficiency audits can help find cost-saving measures without compromising the quality of education, such as renegotiating vendor contracts or consolidating services where possible.

2

Leverage Community Partnerships and Local Support

Given the uncertainty surrounding state and federal funding, Oklahoma schools must also tap into local resources. Engaging the community is key to bolstering financial support.

School districts should build relationships with local businesses, organizations, and philanthropic entities that may be able to provide grants, sponsorships, or donations.

Additionally, schools can organize fundraising initiatives or partnerships with local government agencies to share resources and services.

Engaging parents and community members in budget discussions can also help schools understand the specific needs and concerns of their constituencies, making it easier to align resources with community priorities. If your school district has a foundation, this is a valuable resource to use to connect to your community and business partners.

3

Advocate for Legislative Support

Advocating for legislative action at the state level is crucial.

Oklahoma public schools must work with advocacy groups such as CCOSA, school boards, and parent associations to communicate the importance of maintaining adequate funding for education. This includes continued funding for the large teacher pay raises implemented in FY2018 and FY2024. Districts need to push for funding reforms, such as better allocation of resources to meet the diverse needs of today’s students and ensure that policymakers understand the real-world impact of funding cuts.

While state legislators may not be able to secure immediate relief for the upcoming fiscal year, sustained advocacy can help create a foundation for future budget negotiations, securing a long-term solution to the funding issues Oklahoma schools face.

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“By carefully monitoring financial trends and remaining agile, districts can ensure that they are prepared to adjust course as needed while maintaining a focus on delivering quality education.”

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6

Maximize Efficiency With Technology and Digital Learning Tools

Technology can be a game-changer when it comes to cutting costs and improving the overall learning experience. Schools can assess their current technology infrastructure and make strategic investments in digital learning tools that offer long-term savings.

In addition, leveraging technology for administrative tasks – such as automating scheduling, student data management, and communication – can reduce operational costs, freeing up funds for more critical educational priorities. For example, at Jenks, facilities maintenance staff control most HVAC units centrally from one location. This allows the district to easily adjust thermostats for holiday breaks and control run times before and after school to maximize energy management savings.

Also, perform an analysis of all the district’s software tools. There may be modules that are not being utilized or are under-utilized and can be eliminated in a contract or software agreement. Most software support agreements increase up to 5% annually. Eliminating unused modules can lead to significant savings.

5

Prioritize Educator Retention and Professional Development

Teachers are the backbone of any school district, and retaining high-quality educators is essential to maintaining academic success. While it may be difficult to offer significant pay raises in the face of flat or reduced funding, districts can explore ways to enhance teacher morale through professional development opportunities. Teacher training programs that focus on improving instructional strategies, classroom management, and digital literacy can help educators succeed in increasingly challenging environments, benefiting both students and the overall school system.

Prepare for Budget Flexibility and Contingency Planning

Finally, Oklahoma schools should develop contingency plans that allow for flexibility in response to changing funding conditions. Creating a “rainy day” fund, if possible, can help districts manage short-term funding fluctuations without making drastic cuts. Schools should also be prepared to adjust their budgets mid-year if state or federal funding reductions occur unexpectedly. Budget makers should also use caution to spend a substantial portion of the district’s cash reserves. Most districts have propped up their fund balances in recent years with the use of ESSER funds and high interest earnings.

Paying for recurring expenditures with one-time cash sources can lead to long-term disaster financially.

By carefully monitoring financial trends and remaining agile, districts can ensure that they are prepared to adjust course as needed while maintaining a focus on delivering quality education. Through careful planning and collaboration, Oklahoma schools can weather financial uncertainty and continue to provide a high-quality education for all students. ■

Cody Way is the Chief Financial Officer for Jenks Public Schools.

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Revolutionizing School Communication With AI Assistance

By Deren Boyd

In today’s fast-paced world, effective communication is critical for schools to maintain a strong connection with students, parents, and the broader community. Yet managing the sheer volume of inquiries schools receive daily – ranging from district policies to lunch menus to enrollment questions – can be a daunting task. This is where artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions are stepping in to transform school communication and enhance operational efficiency.

At its core, Firm App, an Oklahoma-based technology company, is using AI technology to address the unique challenges schools face in delivering timely and accurate information to their stakeholders.

With its ability to provide instant answers through multiple channels such as phone, email, and contact forms, Firm App’s AI ensures that students, parents, and staff can access the information they need, when they need it. This reduces the workload on administrative teams, enabling them to focus time and effort on other strategic tasks.

One of the key benefits of AI assistance is its capacity to streamline communication.

School websites often house an overwhelming amount of information that can be difficult for stakeholders to navigate. AI simplifies this process by quickly retrieving relevant answers, saving time and frustration for users. To maximize the effectiveness of AI assistance, it is crucial for schools to control and curate the knowledge base.

This ensures that the AI agent only references accurate, school-approved content, providing stakeholders with consistent and reliable information.

Whether it’s a parent seeking details about after-school programs or a student checking on recommended courses, AI delivers precise, reliable information in seconds.

Additionally, for inquiries that fall outside the scope of the AI’s knowledge base, these systems can seamlessly escalate questions to the appropriate staff members.

This ensures that no question goes unanswered and a high standard of service is maintained.

Beyond convenience, AI assistance fosters equity and accessibility.

By offering 24/7 support, these systems ensure that all stakeholders – regardless of their schedules, language preferences, or time zones – can access critical school information. This is especially beneficial for working parents or families with diverse needs, as they can obtain answers without being constrained by office hours.

Schools that have implemented AIpowered solutions report measurable improvements, including reduced call

and email volumes, faster response times, and increased satisfaction among stakeholders. These benefits translate into a stronger sense of trust and engagement within the school community.

As the education landscape continues to evolve, embracing AI assistance is no longer just an option – it’s a necessity for schools striving to meet the expectations of modern families.

Firm App is proud to empower schools with the tools they need to communicate more effectively and efficiently, fostering a better experience for everyone involved.

By leveraging the power of AI, schools can turn communication challenges into opportunities, ensuring that every stakeholder feels heard, informed, and supported. ■

Deren Boyd is the Co-Founder of Firm App, a technology company based in Norman.

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CoSN Update

The Consortium for School Networking is leading the way on digital learning.

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) in partnership with the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA) and the CoSN Oklahoma state affiliate chapter, Oklahoma Society for Technology in Education, is honored to support the work of current and aspiring superintendents and district leadership teams in leading all aspects of digital learning transformations.

Trusted Learning Environment Seal

Data Privacy Week Data Privacy Week, which took place January 27-31, 2025, is an international event created to encourage everyone to safeguard their data and respect the privacy of others in order to enable trust when working online. Within school settings, one of the main criteria is having policies and practices in place to protect the personal information of all staff and students.

CoSN has a history of providing reliable resources to help school leaders when it comes to protecting their school systems’ data and the data of the people they serve, not only during Data Privacy Week, but throughout each year. You are invited to review and implement CoSN’s free resources for assuring data privacy at https://www.cosn. org/edtech-topics/student-dataprivacy/.

Among the new data privacy resources on the CoSN website is a series of five video interviews with “CoSN Privacy Champions” who each share their thoughts about the importance of Student Data Privacy.

Other free resources include links to Data Privacy Blogs and a menu of Data Privacy Resources.

Join Us!

The CoSN Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal program is a unique privacy framework designed to support school system leaders in building effective privacy policies and programs within a culture of trust and transparency. Earning the TLE Seal is a mark of distinction for any school system. When districts earn the TLE seal they are communicating that they have taken strong, measurable steps to help protect the privacy of their students and staff. The TLE Seal Program was developed by CoSN in collaboration with a diverse group of 28 school system leaders nationwide and in partnership with AASA, The School Superintendents Association, the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), and ASCD. Districts now have two options for earning the TLE seal. They can validate their successful practices across all five of the required areas of Leadership, Business, Data Security, Professional Development, and Classroom. Additionally, school districts may choose to work through the TLE process in smaller units by earning separate TLE Mini Seals in one practice area at a time. The TLE website can be accessed at https:// www.cosn.org/trusted-learningenvironment/.

CoSN 2025 Conference The CoSN 2025 Conference will take place in Seattle, Washington, from March 31 through April 2, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Seattle. You can learn more about CoSN 2025, view the list of Pre-Conference Events and the CoSN 2025 “Schedule at a Glance” agenda, as well as register for the CoSN 2025 Conference at: https://www.cosn.org/cosn2025/.

EmpowerED Superintendent edLeader Panel Series CoSN, AASA, and edWeb.net co-host an online edLeader Panel broadcast series, sponsored by ClassLink, to help superintendents connect and collaborate. Registration is free, and participants can join the live event, view recordings, or listen to podcast versions starting a day or two after the live broadcast.

The February 10, 2025, edLeader Panel broadcast focused on the topic of Data Privacy: A Critical MultiStakeholder School District Priority.

Stephen Harrell, Superintendent, Deer Park Independent School District, TX; Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent, Loudoun County Public Schools, VA; and Dr. Calvin J. Watts, Superintendent, Gwinnett County Public Schools, GA, share the strategies their districts implement to assure that data privacy is successfully put into practice across all facets of their school district operations. Linnette Attai, Project Director for CoSN’s Student Data Privacy Initiative and Trusted Learning Environment Program, joined the superintendents on the February 10, 2025, edLeader Panel broadcast. You can access the video recording and podcast at https://home.edweb.net/ webinar/supers20250210/.

If you missed the January 13, 2025, edLeader Panel broadcast on Strategic Technology Planning and Investment: Aligning Priorities, Costs, and Outcomes which featured Krestin Bahr, Superintendent, Peninsula School District 401, WA; Dr. Doug Brubaker, Superintendent, Texarkana Independent School District, TX; and Dr. Bryan Duffie, Superintendent, Alma School District, AR, you can access the video recording and/ or the podcast version at https:// home.edweb.net/webinar/ supers20250113/. ■

COSN MEMBERSHIP: If you, your school or district would like more information about joining CoSN or getting more involved with CoSN, please contact membership@cosn.org.

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ASSOCIATION UPDATES

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OASA

Dr. Pam Deering, CCOSA/OASA Executive Director Derald Glover, OASA Assistant Executive Director

Left to right, Sen. Adam Pugh, Senate Education Committee Chair; Rep. Dick Lowe, House Common Education Chair; and Dell Kerbs, House Education Oversight Chair, participated in a panel discussion at the 2025 OASA Legislative Conference.

Our PAC fundraising goal of $15,000+ was reached by January 2025! Thanks to all of our members and their contributions.

It is important for CCOSA to be relevant in 2026 elections. We can’t continue to fall behind other associations who raise far more to contribute to candidates who we believe will make a difference for public education. We have another goal by the end of FY25 of $20,000, and then $40,000 by the end of FY26. Let’s keep the momentum going to be in a place to make a difference for public education candidates in local and state races!

The 2025 OASA Legislative and MidWinter Conference was a huge success, with participation from First Lady Sarah Stitt, Secretary of Education Nellie Tayloe Sanders, AG Gentner Drummond, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, Senate leadership with Chuck Hall, and a panel with Senate and House Education Policy Chairs, Senator

Adam Pugh and Representative Dick Lowe. Representative Dell Kerbs, House Education Oversight Chair, was also able to join the panel discussion. The discussion was robust, as we listened to leaders discuss appropriation possibilities and education policy priorities. Other presentations included federal education updates, special education funding formula at the national level, and a review of 2025 introduced bills that could impact education during this legislative session.

First Lady Sarah Stitt was a keynote speaker at the 2025 OASA Legislative Conference.

Thanks to our Policy & Advocacy Committee, chaired by Dr. Mike Simpson, for their work on our Goals and Fact Sheets with Talking Points on legislative appropriations, increased costs in schools, administrative costs, and more. (Find Goals and Talking Points link here & Fact Sheet: Administrative Costs link here.)

WI NTER 2025 | better sch o o ls

Clockwise from top left: Owasso Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Margaret Coates, Secretary of Education Nellie Tayloe Sanders, and Ponca City Executive Director of Finance Erika Johnson attended the OASA Legislative Conference.

The Legislative reception was a huge success. We had more legislators and conference attendees than in the past. Our members networked with legislators before the session started on February 1 with the Governor’s State of the State.

Megan Benn and Dr. Deering have been meeting with new and key legislators before the session started and will continue during the year. They prepare a packet with our goals, talking points, and Better Schools magazine that represents our work. These documents are great introductions to CCOSA and OASA and our work for schools and school leaders. ■

OASA Association – Leadership Offices & Elections Update by OASA President Scott Farmer December is the month that is set aside in our Constitution and By-Laws to begin our declaration of candidates for OASA Districts that are up for election. Each year, five to six positions rotate off their three-year term. The office of Vice President is also held annually with a rotation by school size. This year, a medium size district candidate is eligible for VP. OASA proudly has earned a third seat on the AASA Governing Board. In addition to this new third seat, AASA Office #2 is up for election.

OASA is now in the process of conducting an election for the new AASA Office #3. All the other offices were not contested. Thanks for the opportunity to share this report!

— Scott Farmer, OASA President ■

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ASSOCIATION UPDATES

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OASSP/ OMLEA Chris LeGrande, OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director

OASSP UPDATE OASSP membership continued to show steady growth during the fall semester. For the 2024-25 membership year, 857 individuals have joined our association. Thus far, we have welcomed 156 new members to OASSP. We continue recruitment efforts to reach our goal of 900 members and CCOSA’s goal of 3,100 members for the current year.

The week of October 16-19, 2024, OASSP Principal of the Year, Joe Ballard, Poteau High School, joined award-winning principals from across the country for the annual NASSP recognition program in Washington, D.C. During the trip, Ballard visited the U.S. Department of Education, the White House, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building. OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director Chris LeGrande joined Ballard on Friday evening for the NASSP Illuminate dinner gala, where each state Principal of the Year was celebrated with a personalized video clip and a joint trophy presentation from NASSP President Raquel Martinez and NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe. During the gala, guests were treated to a keynote presentation from Cindy Marten, Deputy Secretary of Education with the U.S. Department of Education, and a motivational address from former NFL athlete J.J. Moses.

Jaime Griggs, Assistant Principal at Tecumseh High School, Tecumseh Public Schools, has been named the 2024-25 Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year by OASSP. As an assistant principal for the past seven years at Tecumseh High School, Griggs has played an instrumental role in creating and developing the school’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program. Under her leadership, a radio class was formed that enabled students to communicate with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. She

has also worked with local businesses to provide internship opportunities for students at her high school.

Griggs will be recognized as the Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year by CCOSA and OASSP at the CCOSA Summer Leadership Conference in June 2025. She will also join her fellow state nominees in Washington, D.C., on April 11, 2025, where NASSP will announce the 2025 NASSP National Middle Level and High School Assistant Principals of the Year during its National Education Leadership Awards ceremony. ■

OASSP Regional Meeting Updates On Friday, November 15, 2024, OASSP President-Elect Joe Ballard, Poteau High School Principal, hosted a Region 16 luncheon at Warehouse Willy’s in Poteau. Ballard invited OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director Chris LeGrande to bring greetings and updates from the association. Leaders enjoyed fellowship and shared successes and struggles at their respective schools. Administrators from Arkoma, Heavener, Howe, Panama, Poteau, Spiro, and Kiamichi Technology Center were in attendance.

Jaime Griggs, here with OASSP Executive Director Chris LeGrande, was recently named OASSP Assistant Principal of the Year.

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ASSOCIATION UPDATES

OMLEA UPDATE OMLEA membership is comprised of members of CCOSA’s umbrella associations who also elect to become members of the Oklahoma Middle Level Education Association. At the end of the 2023-24 school year, OMLEA membership represented 478 educators. For the 2024-25 school year, OMLEA has 737 members – a significant increase compared to the previous year.

The week of November 6-9, 2024, OMLEA PresidentElect John Potter, Pryor Public Schools; OMLEA Principal of the Year Arlis Henegar, Jay Public Schools; and OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director Chris LeGrande attended the Association of Middle Level Education’s (AMLE) 51st Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

The event was held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, brightly decorated for the holiday season. Keynote speakers included Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Dominique Dawes and Dr. Clay Cook, Chief Development Officer of Character Strong. Attendees were treated to breakout sessions featuring awardwinning administrators, practicing middle level educators, and sought-after authors and presenters.

Our OMLEA contingent took in the sights and sounds of the Music City and left with new strategies and best practices to bring back to our school communities.

On December 13, 2024, Dedee Emory, Assistant Principal at Chouteau Middle School, Chouteau-Mazie Public Schools, was announced as the OMLEA 2024-25 Assistant Principal of the Year during a schoolwide assembly. As an assistant principal for the past four years at Chouteau Middle School, Emory has been instrumental in promoting and upholding the school’s core values of respect, on-task behavior, accountability, and responsibility. Under her leadership, perseverance, practice, and learning from mistakes have become standard pillars of the educational experience. Emory will be recognized as the Oklahoma Middle Level Assistant Principal of the Year by CCOSA and OMLEA at the CCOSA Summer Leadership Conference in June 2025. Emory will also join her fellow state nominees in Washington, D.C., on April 11, 2025, where NASSP will announce the 2025 NASSP National Middle Level and High School Assistant Principals of the Year during its National Education Leadership Awards ceremony.

Oklahoma educators from across the state gathered at the Edmond Hilton Garden Inn on February 13-14, 2025, for this year’s combined OASSP/OMLEA Leadership & Learning Conference. Coinciding with Valentine’s Day, this year’s conference was themed “Heartfelt Leadership: Cultivating a Culture of Care.” Keynote speakers included Jim Wichman, a former middle school principal in Iowa and highly sought-after speaker and leadership coach; and Joy Kelly, co-author of Handle with Care: Managing Difficult Situations in Schools with Dignity and Respect, and a leadership coach for J Casas

Choteau-Mazie Superintendent Lori Helton, Dedee Emory, Middle School Principal Michelle Brumley, and Chris LeGrande celebrated Dedee Emory being named OMLEA’s Assistant Principal of the Year.

& Associates. Participants received a complimentary copy of Kelly’s book. The conference featured two days of practical professional development solutions and breakout sessions designed specifically for middle-level and secondary educators and school leaders. Federal legislation affecting public schools was presented on Day 1, while CCOSA Executive Director Dr. Pam Deering shared state legislative updates during lunch on Day 2. Also at the conference, OMLEA recognized Tochi Monteith, English/Language Arts/Reading teacher at Empire Middle School in Duncan as the 2025 Middle Level Educator of the Year. ■

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ASSOCIATION UPDATES

OAESP

Glen Abshere, OAESP Executive Director OAESP membership is currently at 876. This is a new record! Last year, OAESP ended the year with 867 members. Our goal this year is to become 3,100+ members strong for all of CCOSA. Encourage your colleagues and administrator friends to join CCOSA today! Membership rates are prorated for the remainder of the year.

The OAESP Leadership Conference will be held February 26-27 at the Embassy Suites OKC Downtown/Medical Center. Allyson Apsey will give the opening keynote on February 26. She is the author of several books including The Path to Serendipity, Leading the Whole Teacher, and her latest book, What Makes a Great Principal: The Five Pillars of Effective School Leadership. Emily Paschall will give the closing keynote on February 27. She is the author of Multiply Excellence in Your School. Breakout sessions will also be available. NAESP Executive Director Dr. Earl Franks and NAESP President Dr. Kevin Armstrong will be our special guests.

The OAESP Presidential candidates for this year are Dr. Ryan Glaze, Jenks Public Schools, and Dayna Hamilton, Edmond Public Schools. Both candidates will speak at the OAESP Leadership Conference, and the election will take place in early March.

The OAESP Principal of the Year/NAESP National Distinguished Principal (NDP) program honors outstanding elementary and middle-level principals across the nation who ensure that America’s children acquire a solid foundation for lifelong learning and achievement. This year, 14 principals were nominated for Principal of the Year. We have received their application packets. The OAESP Executive Committee has selected the NDP committee members, who will review all packets and score them based on the OAESP-approved rubric. The committee will narrow the candidates to the top three by mid-March, with the top three candidates selected for a site visit. On the site visits, the committee will conduct interviews with the principal, a teacher committee, and a parent/community committee to make a decision on the OAESP Principal of the Year/NAESP National Distinguished Principal. The final decision is expected to be made in April.

Pam Cook, assistant principal of Choctaw Elementary School in Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools, was selected as the OAESP Assistant Principal of the Year and the NAESP National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year. This is the first time that OAESP has offered this award. Cook will be recognized at the OAESP Leadership Conference February 26-27, at the CCOSA Summer Leadership Conference June 11-13, and at the NAESP/NASSP National Conference in Seattle, Washington, on July 11-13.

Choctaw Elementary School Assistant Principal Pam Cook was recently named OAESP Assistant Principal of the Year.

The Annual NAESP National Leaders Conference will be held March 9-12 in Washington, D.C. OAESP President Tara Burnett, OAESP President-Elect Amy Estes, NAESP State Representative Andrea Sifers, and Executive Director Glen Abshere will attend the conference and visit with the Oklahoma delegation at the U.S. Capitol.

The NAESP National Conference will be held July 11-13 in Seattle, Washington. Keynote speakers include Daymond John, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, and John C. Maxwell.

Registration is now open on the NAESP website. ■

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53

ODSS

Andrea Kunkel, CCOSA General Counsel & ODSS Executive Director ODSS is continuing to beat its membership goals, with 238 active members so far for the 2024-25 school year. That number puts ODSS five over last year’s record.

During its meeting on December 19, the ODSS Executive Committee decided to change the timing of the next Best Practices Conference from October 2025 to mid-winter 2026 to avoid meeting too close to the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) Annual Conference on November 5-7.

CASE, ODSS’ national affiliate, will be holding its conference in Oklahoma City for the first time.

ODSS officers are meeting with the CASE Executive Director in Oklahoma City on February 28 to discuss what ODSS can do to support their conference.

We’re currently looking at potential ODSS Best Practices Conference dates and venues from February 1 through March 6, 2026. We discussed potential presenters and format at the ODSS Executive Committee meeting on February 20 and will continue the conversation at the ODSS membership meeting on February 27.

ODSS’ New & Early Career Directors group and our Section 504 Compliance Coordinator group will both continue to meet monthly through May. The New & Early Career Directors Boot Camp is scheduled for July 8, with location to be announced later. The 2025-26 virtual meeting schedules for both groups are available. Contact Andrea Kunkel at kunkel@ccosa.org for more information.

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Happy 50th anniversary of the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act! Please thank teachers, related service providers, support staff members, special education directors, and other administrators for their hard work on behalf of students with special needs and their families. Although there is always more to do, celebrate your many successes. ■

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Applying Atomic Habits to K-12 Public School Administration

READ TO LEAD

Dr. Jeanene Barnett, CCOSA Director of Policy, Research, and TLE

James Clear opens his book Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results (2018) with an example that emphasizes the importance of making small changes or improvements in our daily habits. He writes: …the impact created by a change in your habits is similar to the effect of shifting the route of an airplane by just a few degrees. Imagine you are flying from Los Angeles to New York City. If a pilot leaving from LAX adjusts the heading just 3.5 degrees south, you will land in Washington D.C. instead of New York. Such a small change is barely noticeable at takeoff – the nose of the airplane moves just a few feet – but when magnified across the entire United States, you end up hundreds of miles apart. Similarly, a slight change in your daily habits can guide your life to a very different destination. Making a choice that is 1 percent better or 1 percent worse seems insignificant in the moment, but over the span of moments that make up a lifetime these choices determine the difference between who you are and who you could be (p. 17-18).

In Atomic Habits, Clear provides a powerful framework for school administrators to create positive, lasting changes in their schools. By focusing on small, strategic improvements, administrators can enhance school culture, improve staff and student performance, and drive long-term success.

Key Concepts and Applications for School Administrators

1

The Power of Small Habits in School Leadership

■ Small, consistent changes in school

policies, practices, and routines can lead to significant improvements over time in school culture and, ultimately, in student achievement.

■ Application: Instead of attempting

large-scale reforms all at once, administrators can focus on small, sustainable initiatives, such as implementing brief weekly teacher check-ins, streamlining communication, or gradually improving schoolwide routines and procedures.

2.

The Four Laws of Behavior Change for School Improvement

■ Make it obvious: Clearly define

expectations and routines for teachers, staff, and students. Use signage, newsletters, and schoolwide communication to reinforce key priorities.

■ Make it attractive: Highlight the

benefits of new initiatives, recognize excellence publicly, and use positive reinforcement to encourage participation.

■ Make it easy: Reduce bureaucratic

barriers that slow progress. For example, simplify paperwork, digitize processes, or provide ready-to-use lesson plan templates for teachers.

■ Make it satisfying: Celebrate small

wins, such as tracking progress toward schoolwide goals, showcasing student achievements, and recognizing staff efforts.

3.

Identity-Based Habits for a Stronger School Culture

As an English teacher, I always have believed that words and their origins matter. Clear tells us, “the word identity was originally derived from the Latin words essentitas, which means being, and identidem, which means repeatedly. Your identity is literally your ‘repeated beingness’” (p. 37). Identitybased habits start with an intentional articulation of your school identity or school brand.

■ Encourage the development of a

positive school identity (e.g., “We are a school that prioritizes student success and teacher support”).

■ Application: Shape school culture by

reinforcing shared values in meetings, professional development, and public messaging. Encourage staff and students to identify as lifelong learners, leaders, and problem-solvers.

4.

Habit Stacking for Organizational Efficiency

Link new practices to existing routines to make them easier to adopt.

Application: Embed check-ins and follow-ups into existing meetings (e.g., after reviewing attendance data, discuss intervention strategies). For teachers, tie professional development directly to classroom application with follow-up discussions and coaching.

5.

The Role of Environment in School Success

Recognize that the environment impacts behavior. For example, Clear writes, “the most powerful of all human sensory abilities…is vision. The human body has about eleven million sensory receptors. Approximately ten million of those are dedicated to sight. Some experts estimate that half of the brain’s resources are used on vision… A small shift in what you see can lead to a big shift in what you do” (p. 84).

Application: Administrators can design school environments that foster engagement and learning by organizing classrooms for optimal student focus, creating welcoming spaces for staff collaboration, and ensuring schoolwide routines are structured and supportive.

6.

Breaking Bad Habits in Schools

Identify and remove obstacles to success, such as ineffective policies, unnecessary administrative burdens, or negative staff culture.

Application: Analyze discipline issues to determine if some may be mitigated by adjusting environmental triggers (e.g., improve hallway supervision, redesign lunch schedules, or implement restorative practices). If teacher burnout is high, examine workload distribution and prioritize staff well-being.

By applying Atomic Habits at an administrative level, school leaders can create a culture of continuous improvement, where small, strategic changes drive meaningful results.

Incremental progress – when consistently reinforced – leads to lasting positive change for students, teachers, and the broader school community. We all want to make sure that we make it to the right destination. ■