update
LEADERSHIP ISSUE / SPRING 2019
INDISPENSABLE TOOL for SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
MAKE YOUR
LEADERSHIP
MATTER
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Inside This Issue
32 | 36 |
The Unlearning Leader
40 |
The Dark Side of Leadership
The Path to Excellence
FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS Designed by support professionals working on the front lines, the Support Professionals Program delivers relevant topics you need on the job.
THE ILLINOIS ASBO SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS PROGRAM CREATED TO MEET YOUR UNIQUE NEEDS
The Illinois ASBO Support Professionals Program is designed by a task force of support professionals to bring you the knowledge and skills that are essential to the work you do every day. Benefit from networking and professional development opportunities that are specialized to your area of responsibility. The skills you gain will take your performance to the next level to better serve your district, community and ultimately, your students.
Complete all of the program requirements and receive a certificate to bring back to your school district and demonstrate your dedication to excellence! For more details, please visit: WWW.IASBO.ORG/SUPPORTPRO.
INSIDE
Illinois Association of School Business Officials UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2019 / v.26 / i.03
LEADERSHIP ISSUE
Make Your Leadership Matter School business personnel have a tremendous opportunity and expectation to serve others. Learn best practices to maintain a servant heart despite all of the challenges and distractions that you endure on a daily basis.
DIGITAL LEARNING ISSUE / SUMMER 2019
INDISPENSABLE TOOL for SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
A NEW WAY TO LEARN A HOLISTIC APPROACH
TO DIGITAL LEARNING
THE NEXT ISSUE: DIGITAL LEARNING A New Way to Learn: A Holistic Approach to Digital Learning
Cover Story by Nathan Fretz
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LOOKING FOR PAST ISSUES? Visit ISSUU.com and search for Illinois ASBO.
BUSINESS MANAGER IS
NOT YOUR ONLY TITLE You are not just a business manager; you are a community leader. Understanding your community and developing relationships with all municipal leaders will pay huge dividends for students in the long run. By Mark Altmayer, CPA, and Adam Parisi, CSBO
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www.iasbo.org
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Leadership Lessons
from the Field Leadership lessons can come from anywhere, whether through a program, another leader or an experience. Read three stories of leaders learning “in the field” what it takes to foster successful relationships, stay balanced and get the job done.
PERSPECTIVE
By Susan L. Harkin, Jeff E. Feyerer, Stephen M. Chassee and Dr. Jim McKay
FROM-THE-PODIUM True Leadership is Inspiring Others to Dream. 07
The leadership of today looks a lot different than it did even just a few years ago. Today’s leadership emphasizes soft skills, empathy, relationship building, collaboration and requires competencies in influencing your boss, peers and yourself.
FROM-THE-OFFICE Develop Your Leadership Skills that Matter. 09
By Susan Bertrand
28
FROM-THE-FIELD A Culture of Membership. 11
POINT OF VIEW The Credentialed Leader: The revolution in personalized, professional learning is here. 18
SCHOOL BUSINESS 101 Leadership lessons school professionals have learned over the course of their careers. 19
20
The Unlearning Leader As leaders we do not have time to waste waiting for people to change. It’s time to unlearn old knowledge in order to modernize our thinking to align with what is true today. By Dr. Michael Lubelfeld and Dr. Nicholas Polyak
THE PATH TO EXCELLENCE
CHANGING THE TRAJECTORY OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT
With a long-standing structural deficit, Roselle School District 12 simply did not have the resources to keep pace with educational initiatives, unfunded mandates and aging facilities. Read District 12’s story about changing the trajectory of the district academically, financially and physically. By Anthony R. Arbogast and Dr. Melissa Kaczkowski
32
36
THE DARK SIDE OF LEADERSHIP RESOURCES Although you may never have all the answers, there are steps you can take before the crisis that will make leadership during the crisis more successful. By Barry Bolek
40
Are You a Renewable Employee? When you become indispensable to an organization, you will not only create job security but you will give yourself positive opportunities throughout your career as a renewable employee. By Ron Johnson
42
ON THEIR LIST Learn about leadership through learning in this book review from Steve Smidl of Fenton CHSD 100.
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The Final Word David Bein, SFO
Asst. Supt./Business, CSBO Barrington CUSD 220 David believes that while SBOs focus on finance and operations, it is neither adequate nor sufficient to be financial leaders who focus solely on the numbers. We share in the responsibility to educate children, and our leadership should holistically support the students, staff, parents and community.
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www.iasbo.org
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THE
MAGA ZINE Illinois Association of School Business Officials
CALENDAR OF
Northern Illinois University, IA-103 108 Carroll Avenue DeKalb, IL 60115-2829 P: (815) 753-1276 / F: (815) 516-0184 / www.iasbo.org
EVENTS
UPDATE Editorial Advisory Board
Check out www.iasbo.org or the latest Calendar of Events included in the UPDATE mailing for full seminar listings including location and PDC sponsorship and register for professional development today. March 2019 June 2014
S 24 3 10 17 24 31
M 25 4 11 18 25 1
T 26 5 12 19 26 2
W 27 6 13 20 27 3
T F S 28 1 2 7 8 9 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 30 4 5 6
April 2019
May 2019
S M T W T F S 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
S 28 5 12 19 26 2
M 29 6 13 20 27 3
June 2019
T W T F S 30 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 24 25 28 29 30 31 1 4 5 6 7 8
S 26 2 9 16 23 30
Event
M 27 3 10 17 24 1
T 28 4 11 18 25 2
W 29 5 12 19 26 3
T 30 6 13 20 27 4
F S 31 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29 5 6
Date
Time
Location
3/6/19
12:00pm
Lunch & Learn Webinar: Bonds 201: Post-Issuance Compliance
3/7/19
8:00am
Facilities Professionals Conference
3/8/19
8:00am
21st Annual Risk Management - AAC #1283
3/12/19 3/13/19 3/14/19
9:00am
Assessing Financial Condition & Preparing for Collective Bargaining - AAC #1896
Naperville East Peoria O'Fallon
3/12/19 3/13/19 3/14/19
9:00am
ISDLAF+ School Finance Seminar
Naperville East Peoria O'Fallon
3/13-14/19
5:00pm
WELL: Women in Education Leading and Learning
Springfield
3/15/19
8:30am
Bookkeepers Conference
Northbrook
4/8-11/19
8:00am
CPMM: Facilities Certification Training & Exam
4/10/19
12:00pm
Lunch & Learn Webinar: Cutting through the Cybersecurity Hype
4/17/19
12:00pm Lunch & Learn Webinar: Trust in the Workplace
5/1/19
8:00am
Sustainability for PK-12 Schools: How to Create a Sustainability Program - AAC #1889
Schaumburg
5/1/19
8:00am
Legal Standards for the Management of School Personnel - AAC #820
Schaumburg
5/1/19
9:30am
2019 Legacy Project at the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin
Elgin
5/1/19
11:30am
2019 Illinois ASBO Golf Outing - Elgin Country Club
Elgin
5/2-3/19
7:00am
2019 Illinois ASBO Annual Conference
Schaumburg
5/8/19
12:00pm
Lunch & Learn Webinar: A Deep Dive into Fee Waivers
5/15/19
9:00am
Radical Candor
5/17/19
9:00am
Optimizing Transportation Ops, the Claim Process & Safe Transport of Students - AAC#1870
6/27/19
1:30pm
PDC Networking Meeting
Online Oak Brook Peoria
Bloomingdale Online Online
Online Naperville Online Schaumburg
PDC MEMBERS Ryan Berry Legal Issues Yasmine Dada Principles of School Finance James T. Fitton Budgeting & Financial Planning Kathy M. Gavin, M.S. Ed., CSBO Special Education Sean Gordon, CPMM, CPS Maintenance & Operations Richard J. Hendricks, JD, CPA, CSBO Cash Management Stephen R. Johns, Ed.D. Planning & Construction Tim J. Keeley Purchasing John E. Lavelle Risk Management Stacey L. Mallek Accounting, Auditing & Financial Reporting Patrick McDermott, Ed.D., SFO, RSBA Public Policy Sherry L. Reynolds-Whitaker, Ed.D. Human Resource Management Michael J. Schroeder Transportation Laura L. Vince Food Service BOARD & EXTERNAL RELATIONS MEMBERS Cathy L. Johnson President Carrie L. Matlock, AIA, LEED ® AP, BD+C SAAC Chair AT-LARGE MEMBERS Jeff E. Feyerer Fairview South SD 72 STAFF MEMBERS Michael Jacoby Executive Director / CEO (815) 753-9366, mjacoby@iasbo.org Susan P. Bertrand Deputy Executive Director / COO (815) 753-9368, sbertrand@iasbo.org Craig Collins Statewide Professional Development Coordinator, (630) 442-9203, ccollins@iasbo.org Rebekah L. Weidner Senior Copywriter / Content Strategist, (815) 753-9270, rweidner@iasbo.org Tammy Curry Senior Graphic Designer (815) 753-9393, tcurry@iasbo.org John Curry Senior Graphic Designer / Videographer (815) 753-7654, jcurry@iasbo.org Laura M. Turnroth Communications Coordinator (815) 753-4313, lturnroth@iasbo.org
Illinois ASBO Board of Directors Cathy L. Johnson President Dean T. Romano, Ed.D. President-Elect Mark W. Altmayer Treasurer David H. Hill, Ed.D. Immediate Past President 2016–19 Board of Directors Jan J. Bush, Julie A. Jilek, Bradley L. Shortridge 2017–20 Board of Directors Mark R. Bertolozzi, Kevin L. Dale, Eric DePorter 2018–21 Board of Directors Seth Chapman, Ed.D., Angela M. Crotty, Ed.D., Adam P. Parisi
Illinois ASBO Board Liaisons
Carrie L. Matlock, AIA, LEED ® AP, BD+C Service Associate Advisory Committee Chair Terence M. Fielden, Service Associate Advisory Committee Vice Chair Deborah I. Vespa ISBE Board Liaison Perry Hill IASB Board Liaison David Wood Governmental Relations Specialist Calvin C. Jackson Legislative Liaison
Privacy Policy
All materials contained within this publication are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, displayed or published without the prior written permission of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. References, authorship or information provided by parties other than that which is owned by the Illinois Association of School Business Officials are offered as a service to readers. The editorial staff of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials was not involved in their production and is not responsible for their content.
See a full list of Spring 2019 event offerings at: www.iasbo.org/events/calendar
PERSPECTIVE / Board President
FROM–THE–PODIUM True Leadership Means Inspiring Others to Dream Lead, follow or get out of the way: It’s an interesting phrase, and has been a predominant line of thinking by managers for years. While considering this edition the phrase came to mind, but I felt the need to make one small change. What if, instead, we all chose to lead, follow AND get out of the way? That is what we should consider, inspiring others toward a vision and then getting out of their way to let them achieve. Cathy L. Johnson I was reminded of a poem about a child holding a ripped teddy bear named Dreams. ASSOC. SUPT./FINANCE & OPERATIONS TWP. HIGH SCH. DIST. 214 Throughout the poem the child implores the adult to fix the bear but will not let it go to be mended. It ends with the child asking how could you be so slow, with a response from the adult saying, “What could I do? You would not let it go.” SIMPLY SAYING
Imagine the difference when we inspire others to dream, provide them support, then let go, allowing them to exceed even their own expectations. That is true leadership. I have found that others rise to the expectation set for them. Leaders see the very best in others and expect nothing less. On those rare occasions when the target is not met, leaders use what our district calls “failing forward,” and takes the lessons learned as an opportunity to grow. A leader inspires others to new heights, not taking the credit but sharing in the celebration of that new success. Leaders listen, recognize others’ strengths and empower those around them.
As your president for just a short while longer, know that I have every confidence you can achieve your dreams and I encourage you to consider Illinois ASBO and the role it can play in supporting those dreams. Follow through with the steps necessary to achieve even more than you imagine and invite me to the celebration when you get there. I’ll be the first to arrive.
You will see by the wonderful articles in this edition that we lead in so many ways. Our roles encourage us to lead in multiple directions: within our communities, with our staff, our peers, our boards and even on occasion, our boss. I am confident you will find the articles to be relevant, timely and insightful.
www.iasbo.org
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Illinois ASBO Micro-Credentials A New Way to Demonstrate Your Next Level Skills Beyond earning your CSBO certification, Illinois ASBO is excited to introduce a new way to stand out from the crowd and share your school business competencies! Micro-Credentials allow you to demonstrate your knowledge in a specific subject area to earn a digital badge that you can proudly display on your resume, email signature and social profiles. Plan now to enroll in the first Illinois ASBO micro-credential on the Tax Levy Process, coming this April. Then, watch for new micro-credentials to emerge in the near future!
TAX LEVY EXPERT
TAXTAX TAX LEVY LEVY LEVY TAX EXPERT LEVY EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
PROJECTING REVENUE EXPERT
STAFFING ANALYSIS EXPERT
PROJECTING PROJECTING PROJECTING PROJECTING REVENUE REVENUE REVENUE EXPERT REVENUE EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
BUDGET PRESENTATION EXPERT
STAFFING STAFFING STAFFING STAFFING ANALYSIS ANALYSIS ANALYSIS ANALYSIS EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET PRESENTATION BUDGET PRESENTATION PRESENTATION PRESENTATION EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
BUDGETING EXPERT
BUDGETING BUDGETING BUDGETING BUDGETING EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
Learn more about this exciting new program at
www.iasbo.org/microcredentials
PERSPECTIVE / Executive Director
FROM–THE–OFFICE Develop Your Leadership Skills that Matter The issue statement for this edition of UPDATE is Leadership Skills that Matter. What do you think those are? Some would say, “be an authentic leader.” Others might proclaim that “leadership is influence.” However, these are not skills, they are statements of philosophy about leadership. So, again I ask, what skills? In my opinion, a leader can be taught to lead well by taking specific actions that match with the needs of the moment. Therefore, we need to talk about the behaviors of leaders, not the philosophy of leaders, if we are hoping to understand how to lead well.
Michael A. Jacoby, Ed.D, CAE, SFO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO ILLINOIS ASBO
SIMPLY SAYING
We need to talk about the behaviors of leaders, not the philosophy of leaders, if we are hoping to understand how to lead well. You see, there are communication skills that appropriately read situations and respond in precise and meaningful ways. There are skills that visionary leaders use to make sure an organization knows where it is going, skills that help people be more productive in their subordinate roles, skills that establish credibility and reliability for a leader, etc. Again I ask – what are those specific skills? For that answer I would encourage you to take a look at the Illinois ASBO Leadership Center. We have an array of programs and offerings that teach the skills that matter. From assessment-oriented exploration to practical workshops, we teach the behaviors of leaders. • Our Leadership Institute is the flagship of our Center and all graduates emerge with specific goals and actions they know they need to do to lead others effectively. Learn more at www.iasbo.org/institute. • Our Lunch and Learn topics offer food for thought (pun intended) on everything from developing trust to managing change. Real issues that face all leaders. Find a full listing of topics at www.iasbo.org/lunchlearn.
• Our Academies and Seminars explore many different topics and are a deeper dive into working relationships and leader behaviors. Visit www.iasbo.org/events/ calendar to see a full list of events. • Our Administrative Team Development opportunities can lead a whole district team to greater impact and influence as they learn and practice the skills that matter together. Explore www.iasbo.org/adminteam to find a training that fits your needs! You will note that in all of this discussion, I did not mention school business skills once. Leadership is not about functional technical skills and therefore all of these offerings are relevant to all of our members. Facility directors, payroll, purchasing, bookkeepers, school business officials, Service Associates, superintendents, principals and even teachers can benefit from participation. In fact, we have had all of these in our Leadership Institute cohorts over the years. Don’t waste this opportunity to obtain some skills that matter. Read the issue and then engage with our Leadership Center. Tomorrow can be a different day when leaders know how to lead well. Let’s do it together. www.iasbo.org
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EXPERIENCE THE CONFERENCE BEYOND THE MARKETPLACE
The jam-packed, one day exhibition in the School Business Solutions Marketplace has been re-imagined with a new, improved layout including networking lounges, microlearning opportunities as well as food and beverage stations.
For Service Associates who register for the full conference, your engagement doesn’t begin and end there. Attend meetings, networking events, sessions and more to connect with your powerful Illinois ASBO network!
LEARN MORE AT WWW.IASBOCONFERENCE.ORG/EXHIBIT
PERSPECTIVE / SAAC Chair
FROM–THE–FIELD A Culture of Membership Are you a member or a vendor within Illinois ASBO? I’m guessing that if you are defined by the title of Service Associate, your first response is likely “vendor.” To be fair, I understand why many of us would respond that way. There is a clear separation between school business officials and Service Associates. But with a slight shift in perspective, you can reap tremendous benefits. I challenge my fellow Service Associates to make the shift to a member mindset. I became involved in Illinois ASBO over 15 years ago. Over that time, I have participated at various levels. As my involvement changed, so did my experience and the value I received. I started with the Annual Conference. Strictly booth time, nothing more. This meant I saw the exhibit hall and maybe a few existing clients, but other than that there wasn’t much real benefit. The owners of the company, my mentors, were far busier. They attended sessions and stuck around for drinks afterwards. These mentors encouraged me to do the same.
Carrie L. Matlock, AIA, LEED® AP, BD+C PRESIDENT DLA ARCHITECTS, LTD.
SIMPLY SAYING
Challenge yourself to go beyond being a “vendor.” Get more involved this year as an Illinois ASBO member. Each year, I participated more and more. I joined a PDC. I golfed at the annual outing. As my level of involvement increased, my network did too. So did my communication and leadership skills. Soon, I was giving presentations for Regional Organizations and at the Annual Conference. I participated in the Leadership Institute. I wrote articles for the UPDATE. I even attended ASBO International. I applied for the Service Associate Advisory Committee (SAAC) and I am currently part of the Delegate Advisory Assembly. My experience has been rich with learning and networking opportunities that have helped me to understand the needs of school business officials. As a bonus, it has allowed me and my company to become a valuable architectural resource to the friends I have made. This has transformed into leads for new work, expanding our school market presence. While the extra time for participating was significant, the professional development was excellent and the personal satisfaction I received was noteworthy.
In my current position as Chair of the SAAC, I have seen the inner workings of Illinois ASBO on a whole different level. I have gotten to know the people who work for the association and the Board of Directors. The staff and the Board truly care about the opinions of Service Associates. They look to the SAAC for perspective to make this a greater organization for all. They are also promoting our participation. So please challenge yourself to go beyond being a “vendor” and get more involved this year as an Illinois ASBO member. Attend a session at the Conference, join a PDC and stick around for the evening events. Value the knowledge and support you have to share, and you will also see a return on your investment.
www.iasbo.org
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CONTRIBUTORS
Anthony R. Arbogast
Mark W. Altmayer
Barry Bolek
Dir./Business Services, CSBO Roselle SD 12
CFO/Treasurer Huntley CSD 158
Retired School Business Official
Is in his third year as Dir./Business Services at SD 12. Anthony earned his CSBO and Master’s in School Business Management from NIU and his MBA from Colorado State. He worked in higher education and online program management prior to obtaining his CSBO.
Prior to joining the district, Mark spent six years in public accounting followed by 13 years in a financial executive role for large corporations. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Illinois State. Mark currently serves on the Illinois ASBO Board of Directors.
aarbogast@sd12.org
maltmayer@district158.org
Barry retired from Township HSD 113 after 14 years as the Asst. Supt./Finance, Facilities, Operations and Transportation. He served many roles in his 33 years as an educator including teacher, dean of students, director of technology and assistant principal. Barry currently works with the Illinois ASBO professional development team. bolekbarry@gmail.com
Stephen M. Chassee
Jeff E. Feyerer
Nathan Fretz
Associate Principal GreenAssociates, Inc.
Business Manager Fairview South SD 72
Dir./Accounting Springfield SD 186
A Past Chair of the Illinois ASBO Service Associate Advisory Committee, Steve is an active member of his local community. At GreenAssociates, he focuses helping clients maintain, improve and add on to their district facilities as necessary, designing spaces to deliver 21st century learning schassee@greenassociates.com
Jeff received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois, his Master’s in School Business Management from NIU and is a graduate of the Illinois ASBO Leadership Institute. He has spoken at numerous Illinois ASBO Annual Conferences.
With over eight years of school business management experience and nearly 20 years of business experience in both the private and public sectors, Nathan has been with Springfield Public Schools for the last three years. He is a CPA and graduated from NIU with his Master’s Degree/CSBO in 2014. nfretz@sps186.org
jfeyerer@fairview.k12.il.us
Susan L. Harkin
Ron Johnson
Dr. Melissa Kaczkowski
Chief Operating Officer Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 300
Dir./Support Services Indian Prairie SD 204
Superintendent Roselle SD 12
Susan has been a school business official for over 13 years. She is the State Evidenced-Based Funding Professional Review Panel ViceChair and serves on the ISBE ESSA Site-Based Expenditure Reporting Committee. Susan is a Past President of Illinois ASBO and currently serves as an ASBO International Director. susan.harkin@d300.org
A past Chair of the Illinois ASBO Purchasing PDC, Ron has a strong financial background with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master’s in Business Administration as well as Secondary Education.
With over 30 years in education, Melissa is a graduate of the AASA National Superintendent Certification Program and is a member of the AASA Women’s Leadership Consortium. Kaczkowski earned her doctorate and superintendent licensure at Aurora University.
ronald_johnson@ipsd.org
mkaczkowski@sd12.org
Michael Lubelfeld, Ed.D.
Dr. Jim McKay
Adam P. Parisi
Superintendent North Shore SD 112
Superintendent Comm. High Sch. Dist. 117
Asst. Supt./Finance & Operations Mt. Prospect SD 57
Co-author of The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today and Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable, Mike is the co-moderator of of #suptchat, the superintendent educational chat on Twitter. His blog is at http://mikelubelfeld. edublogs.org/ and he can be found on Twitter @mikelubelfeld.
Has worked in District 117 for nearly twenty years in a variety of capacities including a classroom teacher, department chair, assistant principal, principal and superintendent. Is an active member of his Rotary Club and very active in his community here as well as in Puerto Rico.
mlubelfeld@nssd112.org
jim.mckay@chsd117.org
Is completing his third year in his position, his seventh year as a CSBO and his 20th in education. Adam has been active in the DuPage Regional Organization the Human Resources and Planning and Construction Professional Development Committees. He currently serves on the Illinois ASBO Board of Directors. aparisi@d57.org
Nicholas Polyak, Ed.D. Superintendent Leyden CHSD 212
Co-author of The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today and Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable, Nick is the co-moderator of #suptchat, the superintendent educational chat on Twitter. He can be found on Twitter @npolyak. npolyak@leyden212.org
www.iasbo.org
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UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2019
By Mark Altmayer, CPA
ARTICLE
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER HUNTLEY CSD 158
Adam Parisi, CSBO
ASST. SUPT./FINANCE & OPERATIONS MOUNT PROSPECT SCHOOL DISTRICT 57
Business Manager is
Not Your Only Title You are not just a business manager;
you are a community leader.
School business officials take on numerous leadership roles and responsibilities. Among the more critical roles, one that is not emphasized enough, is our role as a community leader. As administrators and leaders in our schools we not only have an obligation to the families of our community, but while working under the goals and strategic plan of our district, we also have an obligation and responsibility for the well-being and improvement of our communities. Often, the school district is the largest organization within a city or township and it has the greatest ability to engage with residents throughout the year. The benefits of a tight-knit community are huge, from increasing residential home prices to driving commercial business to nurturing our students. Creating a community that is active, philanthropic and socially connected is extremely challenging and cannot be done in isolation by only one leader or one municipality. It requires a team! Do you have relationships with your municipal leaders? Do you meet quarterly to discuss local issues and the overall goals of the community? What are the biggest challenges for your villages, police departments, libraries and park districts? Understanding your community and developing relationships with all municipal leaders will pay huge dividends for students in the long run.
Qualities of a Successful Community Leader Integrity: Having the highest of moral principles is key to developing strong community relations. Courage: In today’s innovative educational environment, we need courage to step outside of the box, to challenge our methods and strategies in order to support the success of all students always!
Commitment: Educators and community leaders need to be dedicated to a cause with both the head and the heart.
Caring about others: As leaders, we need strong virtues in compassion, empathy, kindness, fairness, justice and respect.
Creative and flexible: As multifaceted leaders within education, identifying opportunities and having the willingness to learn and redirect are critical.
Here are examples of how two districts
are improving their communities:
In Mount Prospect School District 57, many of the taxing bodies have come together to work on a myriad of issues. The school district is located in the heart of the village and the center of town. However, like many school districts in the suburban Chicagoland area, the boundary lines of the school district do not completely align with the village, park district, police and fire departments. It is imperative for the Chief School Business Official to lead and facilitate those discussions between the various taxing bodies. In March of 2018, Mount Prospect SD 57 passed a 0.85 percent limiting rate referendum increase. Throughout the referendum process, the administration participated in numerous community forums, task force meetings and listening sessions. The school district had previously not passed a tax rate increase in almost 30 years. Unfortunate consequences of this period of failed referendums were cuts to staffing and programs as well as deferred maintenance on all of the schools and the district’s administration and maintenance buildings. As CSBOs, we generally take the lead in interacting with the community members and soliciting feedback regarding issues. We are the ones who have the greatest knowledge of the finances and conditions of the facilities in the district. Therefore, we can articulate the needs to the community most effectively. People look to us for direction so they can understand and dissect the crucial problems.
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UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2019
Within the community, it is critical that leaders strategize around many issues: student academic development, economic growth, substance abuse, crime, the environment and health care — the list goes on and on. Each of these issues requires a troop of skilled leaders to handle them. At Huntley Community School District 158, administration works with all key stakeholders, from the village, police and fire departments to the park district and library, with the primary goal of enhancing and vitalizing the community. Most recently, Huntley CSD 158 has been working with the Village of Huntley on bringing additional commercial development to the area via short-term real estate tax incentives that will benefit the community and school district in the long run. In addition, the district has been working with local law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and security of our students during and after school. Lastly, the district works with the public library and park district to ensure our summer reading and curriculum programs, as well as extracurricular and fitness activities and goals are aligned. The residential environment and morale of the community can have profound effects on student success and wellbeing. Nature versus nurture is a long-standing discussion, but most would agree that nurturing plays play a big role in our student outcomes. There are many ways that Huntley CSD 158 has been working to nurture and improve our local community. Most recently, the Huntley CSD 158 and Education Foundation, in partnership with the Village of Huntley, organized the Huntley Hootenanny 5k, an event to bring the community together around personal fitness and family fun and marketing the event as a chance for a “family’s first 5k.” The event was a huge success, with more than 1,800 participants, about half of whom were elementary and middle school students. At Huntley CSD 158 we continue to work with municipal leaders to instill pride in the community.
ARTICLE / Business Manager as a Community Leader
Take Responsibility for Your Community You have already made the decision to be a leader by taking on your role as a school business official. Take the next step and become a community leader. Forge connections with other municipal leaders and build a common sense of purpose. As a school business official, you have a unique set of skills. No one else can contribute what you can or has your point of view. Every CSBO is different. Our backgrounds and skill sets are extremely diverse and play a defining role in the ways we lead and how others view us. We are former teachers, principals, accountants, auditors, sales managers, technology specialists or other private industry professionals that have decided to pursue a degree and ultimately, the reward, of a role in school business management. It is the networking with other school business officials and tapping into that pool of knowledge, experience and resources that makes us great and allows community members to view us in a positive light.
Practices of Exemplary Leadership
The Five Practices of Exemplary LeadershipÂŽ Model,1 measured by the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), emphasizes these skills.
1. Model the Way
Leaders establish principles concerning the way people (constituents, peers, colleagues, and customers alike) should be treated and the way goals should be pursued. They create standards of excellence and then set an example for others to follow.
2. Inspire a Shared Vision
Leaders passionately believe that they can make a difference. They envision the future, creating an ideal and unique image of what the organization can become.
3. Challenge the Process
Leaders search for opportunities to change the status quo. They look for innovative ways to improve the organization.
4. Enable Others to Act
Leaders understand that mutual respect is what sustains extraordinary efforts; they strive to create an atmosphere of trust and human dignity. They strengthen others, making each person feel capable and powerful.
5. Encourage the Heart
To keep hope and determination alive, leaders recognize contributions that individuals make. In every winning team, the members need to share in the rewards of their efforts, so leaders celebrate accomplishments.
Footnotes: 1. Retrieved from www.leadershipchallenge.com. Copyright @2000-2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. or related companies.
THE CREDENTIALED LEADER
TAX LEVY EXPERT
TAXTAX TAX LEVY LEVY LEVY TAX EXPERT LEVY EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
By Dr. Susan Homes
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ILLINOIS PRINCIPALS ASSOCIATION
PROJECTING REVENUE EXPERT
STAFFING ANALYSIS EXPERT
PROJECTING PROJECTING PROJECTING PROJECTING REVENUE REVENUE REVENUE EXPERT REVENUE EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
BUDGET PRESENTATION EXPERT
STAFFING STAFFING STAFFING STAFFING ANALYSIS ANALYSIS ANALYSIS ANALYSIS EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET PRESENTATION BUDGET PRESENTATION PRESENTATION PRESENTATION EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
BUDGETING EXPERT
BUDGETING BUDGETING BUDGETING BUDGETING EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT EXPERT
CONSIDER THIS TALE OF TWO PROSPECTIVE SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS. Both have earned their CSBO designation. Both have great potential based on their resumes, reference letters and communication skills. One, however, has earned a tax levy credential. What might that tell the interviewer about the individual’s skill set, commitment and innovativeness? There is a revolution in personalized, professional learning on the horizon for educational leaders. These leaders, along with teachers, share concerns about the efficacy of current professional development, tending to see a focus on compliance rather than on true professional growth. Educators often find learning opportunities are not relevant, not effective and/or are not connected to their core work.1 Others have completed graduate degrees but desire specific, job-related training to support their professional growth and endorse their skills. Enter the age of competency-based learning. This shift follows a business trend toward skill recognition using open or “digital” badges. In 2013, the Mozilla Foundation released its Open Badges 1.0, providing the technical specifications for what a digital badge must represent for both an earner and an issuer.2 Millions of badges have been awarded since their introduction. Open badges represent a new way of recognizing learning beyond traditional “seat time.” It is important to understand that a micro-credential is not a course. A micro-credential is documentation of skill competence earned through assessment by a content area expert. Competency may be developed through a variety of traditional and non-traditional experiences such as coursework, employment, workshops, conferences, independent research, professional learning networks and collaboration with others.
HERE IS HOW THE PROCESS WORKS: The learner selects a micro-credential that aligns with his or her professional growth plan. The learner is provided a detailed document outlining the skill’s importance, the actions observable for skill mastery, resources to guide the participant’s learning, a connection between the skill and published professional standards, a listing of the artifacts to be submitted by the learner and the rubric that will be used by the assessor to evaluate mastery. Upon successful demonstration of competence, the learner is issued a digital badge which can be added to their virtual or physical portfolio and social networks. The value of digital badges for educators continues to evolve. Throughout the United States, a growing number of states are acknowledging earned micro-credentials with salary adjustments, licensure renewal or issuance and professional development credit. From an organization’s point of view, micro-credentials allow for candidate differentiation and skill verification. A NEW PARTNERSHIP Illinois ASBO has partnered with IPA and its multi-state collaborative to issue micro-credentials via the Ed Leaders Network (ELN) platform. Illinois ASBO is currently piloting a tax levy micro-credential and IPA is piloting four leadership communication micro-credentials. Both organizations have plans for continued development of an extensive collection of micro-credentials. Ed Leaders Network currently offers three leadership coaching micro-credentials: collaborative, reflective and directive. The ELN micro-credential catalog can be viewed at https://edleadersnetwork.org/microcredentials. The ELN micro-credential ecosystem has garnered national interest and is expected to grow in 2019 and beyond.
Footnotes: 1. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2014). Teachers know best – Teachers’ views on professional development. Retrieved from https://s3.amazonaws.com/edtech-production/ reports/Gates-PDMarketResearch-Dec5.pdf 2. Open Badges. (2016). About open badges. Retrieved from https://openbadges.org/about/
PERSPECTIVE / On the Profession
SCHOOL BUSINESS 101 What is a leadership lesson you have learned over the course of your career? of the best pieces of advice I received was during my internship, My mentor, Eric “ One DePorter, told me "Don’t make any big changes year one unless totally needed. Earn some equity with everyone and learn the district, then year two is when you can start to recommend changes.” It did not really resonate at the time coming from the private sector, but it was some of the best advice I have received.” ANTHONY ARBOGAST Dir./Business Services, CSBO, Roselle SD 12 remember to recognize the good work of your team, both publicly and privately. “ Always My Superintendent has never presented anything to the board without recognizing my contribution. When I am recognized publicly at a board meeting or privately at a leadership meeting it helps me to feel proud of the work I do for students. Managing transportation, facilities and the business office, I have found that, “thank you” is a very powerful phrase. Projects go more smoothly and people feel more invested in their work when they feel valued. It also eliminates the feeling of, ‘that’s not my job’ and opens the door for more two-way communication.” KATHY M. GAVIN, MS ED., CSBO Dir./Fiscal Services, Niles Twp. Dept. of Special Ed. a previous director, anytime I wanted to start an initiative or change a process “ Under I had to come up with a “three up and three down” report, including three good things that could come from the project and three impacts to the organization. I used to think it was a pain, but now I realize it was mostly to slow me down so I would think through all the details of whatever I was working on.” MARCUS LA POINTE, CPMM, CPS Coor./Custodial Services, School District U-46 of the best things that I learned about correcting an employee, is to use the “ One “ten to one” ratio, i.e. for every time you correct or criticize, find ten things to praise. While implementing this, always correct or criticize in private and praise in front of others. This has helped build a stronger team as everyone always appreciates acknowledgement of a job well done. It also creates an incentive for others on the team to strive for their own recognition. Conversely, criticism of their work, if not up to standards, is received much better than if all they ever hear is criticism.” JIM PIERSON, CPMM Dir./Buildings & Grounds, Lockport SD 91
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3
Leadership Lessons from the Field
Leadership lessons can come from anywhere, whether through a program, another leader or an experience. Gain insights from three stories of leaders learning “in the field� what it takes to foster successful relationships, stay balanced and get the job done.
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UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2019
ARTICLE
Survival Skills from the Institute One of the most important investments in my leadership development was participating in the Illinois ASBO Leadership Institute. Weekly if not daily, I incorporate the lessons I learned from this program to be a more effective chief school business official (CSBO). My first leadership experience in CUSD 300 (D300) was serving as my son’s room mom. I went on to be PTO president, boundary and school improvement committee member, school secretary and then joined the business office in 2001. I left the district in 2006 to get my first CSBO position at Des Plaines CSSD 62. In 2012, I had the opportunity to return to D300 when the CSBO position opened up. My intimate knowledge of D300, experience from following outstanding CSBOs and participation in Leadership Institute made me believe I would return to D300 without skipping a beat. I soon learned that the skills I developed in Leadership Institute would become necessary survival tools for me. A Relationship Realignment In 2014, D300 hired a new superintendent from Florida. About six months into this new relationship, things were not going as smoothing as I thought they would. I knew my superintendent wanted to do great things for D300 but we were not clicking together the way I thought we should.
Susan L. Harkin Chief Operating Officer Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 300
My superintendent was fast-moving, competitive and enterprising, i.e., controlling/taking. My reaction was we needed to slow down, study things more, be systematic with our decision-making and have all the facts before making decisions, i.e., conserving/holding. One day after a less than desirable conversation with my superintendent, I pulled out my Leadership Institute book and decided it was time to apply the new golden rule – “Do unto others as they want to be done unto.” I had been speaking to my superintendent in all the ways that would shut him down. I was creating barriers that made him feel like I was undercutting his authority and restricting his resources. Fortunately, I can be fast-moving. I quickly found ways to share concerns while still allowing him to implement his vision and ensuring that the district’s finances were not compromised. This realignment of the relationship has paid great dividends. Not only did I gain the trust and support from my superintendent, we have seen great improvements in student achievement. We have been able to allocate resources to evidence-based practices while improving the district’s overall finances. We have also been able to implement creative programming for our most at-risk students. Had it not been for the training I received through the Leadership Institute, I may have crashed and burned in my role at D300 with our new superintendent. Illinois ASBO members are so very fortunate to have access to such a high-level leadership training program to assist them on their leadership journey. If you are struggling with someone in your organization, I encourage you to try to understand them better and to find ways adjust your interaction with them. Not only will you improve your relationship with them, your organization will benefit as well!
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Leadership Lessons to Live By To distill all of the valuable information I have received from mentors and colleagues during my seven years in the school business field to one particular experience would be a momentous task given the sheer volume of sage advice and wisdom I have received. While I have leaned on other CSBOs for the business side of the education world, it was the leadership team at Fairview that I have leaned on early to broaden my knowledge base on the other side of education and develop leadership tools to continue my growth as an administrator. There are three main leadership tenets that have been ingrained in our administrative team by our superintendent and have filtered down to our staff as a whole. They may seem simple, but they are three things that have proven effective and I continue to carry them with me to this day. Become Involved In The Fabric Of The School It can be easy for a business manager to remain secluded from the rest of the school population. Sometimes it is nice to sit in the office away from the hustle and bustle and get some work done. But managing the business office is not enough. Being behind a desk and away from the real action in a school does not help anyone. Relationships need to be developed. Eyes need to be laid on the real work being done by our students and teachers in the classroom. Regardless of whether or not those in your district or parents in the community know your position even exists, as an administrator, it is your responsibility to set time aside in your schedule to be a face people recognize so they know the person managing the finances is not just a number-cruncher.
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UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2019
Jeff E. Feyerer Chief School Business Official Fairview South SD 72 In-Person Conversations Are More Effective In an age where technology attempts to dominate every segment of our lives, face-to-face interactions remain the most effective form of communication. It is easier and quicker to email, but message and tone can often get lost. Having actual sit-downs with staff or parents is more personal and often removes any barriers that either party can hide behind to avoid getting to the crux of any issue. I have caught myself numerous times typing an email, deleting it and then calling a staff member and taking care of the problem directly and each time it has been effective. Strike a Healthy Balance In my first interview, our superintendent asked me, “What do you enjoy doing in your free time?” Not only was the question unexpected, but I could not believe that I did not know how to respond. What I found out later, was that the answer did not really matter. The purpose of the question was to show that although our jobs are busy, if you do not take time to recharge your batteries, you will not reach your optimal productivity. If you allow your job to consume you, it will oblige. But if you recognize there needs to be a balance between work, family, health, other interests, etc., you will get closer to realizing work-life harmony and you will ultimately be a better employee for it. Not a day goes by where a valuable piece of information is given to me by a co-worker or fellow CSBO that does not immediately go in my fictitious “Business Manager Toolbox” (currently masquerading as a text file within Evernote). However, the three aforementioned tenets of school leadership I acquired early on from our Fairview administrative team are at the top of any list.
ARTICLE / Lessons From the Field
Relief Through Leadership In November of 2017, I (Steve) was approached by Dr. Jim McKay, Superintendent at Community High School District 117, regarding an effort to help hurricane ravaged Puerto Rico recover from the three most recent storms. The goal was to find volunteers and sponsors to provide some relief to La Esquela de Rafael de Jesus, a badly hit elementary school in the area of Puerto Rico where his wife was born and raised. I was very excited to hear about the project and to be a part of the solution. The goals of the trip were direct and simple: 1. Improve the learning environment for students and teachers. 2. Provide technical assistance and equipment to create the opportunity for digital instruction and distance learning. 3. Establish relationships with local Rotary Clubs and develop a service learning program. When we first received the “wish list” of projects from the school administration, our gut reaction was to try to tackle everything they requested. After careful consideration, we realized that this was just not feasible. We were unaware of our teams’ capabilities and were limited by the logistics of getting equipment and supplies to Puerto Rico. Additionally, a five-day project schedule limited the amount of work that could be accomplished. Given all of these limiting factors, we focused on changes that could make the most meaningful and positive visual impact for the teachers and staff. Ultimately the project scope would entail cleaning, prepping the facility for painting, roof repairs and the painting the entire façade of the school. We needed to ensure we had enough tools and materials so the volunteers could work safely and effectively. It was also important to have the resources available to complete each task completely, so we did not leave more work for the school after we left. We understood that if we could not complete the projects we set out to do, they would remain unfinished, therefore it would be best to not even start.
Stephen M. Chassee Associate Principal GreenAssociates, Inc.
Dr. Jim McKay Superintendent Comm. High Sch. Dist. 117
To effectively assess the needs of the school, we needed to have somebody visit the facility in person. This helped us to eliminate many of the surprises, but even with the most diligent inspection there were items missed. For example, the sanding and scraping often led to large chunks of the wall and ceiling falling off thus requiring the need to re-plaster the exterior walls and the classrooms prior to painting. In addition, many of the drains were clogged and backing up, causing a great deal of moisture to be trapped between the plaster and paint. Case in point, what sounded like a simple painting project, quickly became more complex and took on a life of its own. A Team of Leaders As a team of leaders, our project was only successful because of the exceptionally strong leadership of the group that participated. We had a number of superintendents from Lake County, building principals and high-level executives from corporate sponsors: • We worked closely with the Rio Grande Mayor’s office as well as the school administrators. • A GoFundMe page was created to raise the money for the necessary supplies. • Through web and social media exposure, we were found by a district looking to donate their furniture. • Through the generosity of Lake Forest School District 67, we organized volunteers to load three truckloads of furniture and equipment to be sent to Puerto Rico. We overcame language barriers, logistical barriers and a lack of supplies to complete the project. When it was all said and done, Rafeal de Jesus received over 100 technology devices, improved wireless internet for the campus, received a facelift to the entire school, as well as being completely retrofitted with more modern furniture. All of this came from excellent leadership in identifying a need and working together to provide a solution.
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MAKE YOUR
LEADERSHIP MATTER
Servant-Based
Leadership Practices
W
e as school business officials have a tremendous opportunity and expectation to serve others.
Public service is not only a privilege, but also a selfless endeavor that comes with tremendous responsibility to others, including board members, superintendents, teachers and staff, external constituents and our own teams. Most importantly, we are here to serve our students and their families. John Maxwell said: “The bottom line in leadership isn’t how far we advance ourselves, but how far we advance others. That is achieved by serving others and adding value to their lives.”1 A school district’s greatest charge is advancing the lives of our students. Shouldn’t a similar level of devotion be placed towards advancing the lives of our teams? The very essence and core of effective leadership is servitude, placing the needs of others above our own; however, how do we maintain a servant heart despite all of the challenges and distractions that we endure on a daily basis?
Communication and Cultural Cognizance At the very soul of servitude lies communication and the foundation of effective communication is listening. Effective communication is also the driving force of workplace culture. Servant leaders should consider daily their influence on culture. Here are some key practices to focus on:
Treat Every Interaction as an Opportunity As leaders, every little thing matters. The way we handle ourselves around others makes a huge difference. Some of us work in larger offices and some are in smaller offices, so our levels of interaction with others may differ substantially. However, no matter what your situation, acknowledging others is critical. While a “hello” is great, make it a point to find out something new about your team members on a regular basis. Taking interest in and engaging with others builds rapport, which builds trust, which builds relationships and teams.
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UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2019
ARTICLE
By Nathan Fretz
DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 186
Share Your Virtues As a former grad student at NIU, Dr. Michael Jacoby, one of my professors, gave my class an assignment to write a personal code of ethics, the purpose of which was to share with prospective employers. I realized while doing this that I was documenting the characteristics that I hold most dear within not only my profession, but also my life beyond work. Then I realized if I were willing to share this with my employer, why wouldn’t I share this with my team? I subsequently decided to put an enlarged copy of my code of ethics on my wall in my office. I keep it next to my door and point it out to new and current team members on a regular basis. Moreover, I have made it a habit to read a few lines of it daily as a reminder of what I value most. This helps not only my team members to have a better understanding of who I am and what I believe, but it also helps me to stay grounded and focused on what I value the most. Sharing your virtues shows vulnerability, a key trait for those seeking to inspire others.
Feedback – Give It and Expect It No one wants to feel isolated or alone in any setting, whether it is within a business or personal-life context. Providing feedback to your team members serves them by adding value, whether that feedback is positive or negative. Choose to give positive feedback both publically and privately to show others your affirmation and lift them up. Choose to give negative feedback privately to avoid public scrutiny and shame. Even negative feedback should be provided in a way that lifts others up rather than puts them down. Be sure to focus on both grace and truth. Furthermore, it is incredibly important to show appreciation at all times. Saying “thank you” for even the normal daily tasks of your team members lets them know you care. Another great way of giving thanks is through personal notes. I make it a point to write a few of them weekly. There is no better way to be genuine than to thank others with a handwritten message.
Solicitation of feedback from your team is just as important as relaying it. This adds value to your team members by giving them a voice and a sense of significance, but be sure to acknowledge feedback and use it to move forward. Even though you may choose a different direction, informing your team as to why is essential. Otherwise, team members will feel they weren’t heard and will be less inclined to chime in next time. Do not allow your team members to feel disillusioned.
Don’t Just Take the Time, MAKE the Time With our busy schedules, it is easy to let our days fly by without giving time to the teams who keep the wheels spinning within our offices. If you are calendar-centric like me, dedicate 15-20 minutes each day to just walk around the office and talk to people. During these times, stay clear of work talk unless it is to praise or interject quick reminders. Focus on the relationships, not the work. This time may open your eyes to things going on to which you were previously unaware. Engaging your personnel in this manner will pay huge dividends in the long run.
Focus on the Team Dynamic The greatest workplace cultures are built on a system of collaboration, which is born by a devotion to teamwork. Building and maintaining team unity starts with how you refer to your personnel both within the workplace and beyond. When communicating, consider a habit of referring to your staff as team members rather than by position or title.
Show Humility There is perhaps no better way to serve others than to show humility, or true human realness. Rick Warren said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”2 Own your mistakes to your team and apologize when necessary. Acknowledge that your way is not the only way and empower others to pave the way forward.
ARTICLE / Servant Leadership
Commitment to Self
Take Downtime
Servant leadership does not just require a focus on others, but also a focus on oneself. Our batteries are not meant to keep going without a recharge. Here are some tips on how to stay committed to our purpose:
Stress can quickly take its toll on us if we do not take some time to ourselves. This may look different for each person, but I choose to close my office door for a short time each day to refresh doing one of more of the following: • Daily devotion / prayer • Meditation • Journaling • Minute with Maxwell – short video clips on leadership from John Maxwell • Reading
Surround Yourself With Things You Love Our offices are often our refuge. The design of our office space is central to who we are and how we focus. Years ago I realized that all I was looking at was a wall of boring framed documents and empty space. At best that was unmotivating to me. Then I moved them to the back of my office and now I look at artwork and pictures of my beautiful family. On my desk I keep mementos and sports memorabilia and a Bible. These things remind me of what I love most and that motivates me!
Stay Connected to the Students I have worked in both small and large school districts, both near and away from students. It was easy to stay connected when my office door backed up to a pre-k and kindergarten hallway (they always let me know they were there). Now, however, I must venture out of my office to visit the schools. I especially love volunteering my time at high schools in a periodic mentoring capacity. If you do not make time for the ones you are there to support, then your service to others will never realize its full potential.
All of these methods also provide me with personal growth, which is so essential to our lives as leaders.
Reflect – Feed on Failure & Sip on Success Often coinciding with my planned downtime, reflection gives me the opportunity to take stock of both my strengths and weaknesses, to self-evaluate. Be thankful for the successes of you and your team, but focus your energy on overcoming your individual struggles and failures. The greatest of opportunities are born from obstacles. There may be days when all you see are struggles. I like to look back at personal notes I have received from others to lift me up and remember that we are all here to fulfill a common mission: to enrich the lives of children. I have found that the greatest leaders in my life are not the ones whose focus was to count on me, but rather the ones who I could count on to encourage, support, mentor and value me. I have made substantially more progress in my life having been served rather than being managed. So, too, will your teams as you carry a servant heart forward in all that you do.
I have found that the greatest leaders in my life are not the ones whose focus was to count on me, but rather the ones who I could count on to encourage, support, mentor and value me.
Footnotes: 1. Maxwell, John. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership 2. Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life
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LEADING ACROSS W AND UP
In today’s world of collaboration, feedback, empathy and soft skills, leaders can no longer employ positional authority, or the traditional top down autocratic leadership style of the past to achieve success. Just flip a few pages and you will read insights from two innovative superintendents, Dr. Michael Lubelfeld from North Shore SD 112 and Dr. Nicholas Polyak from Leyden CHSD 212, as they discuss their book, The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today. Their premise is that leaders need to unlearn the leadership of the past to lead for the innovative schools of tomorrow. Leadership today looks a lot different than it did even just a few years ago. Today’s leadership emphasizes soft skills, empathy, relationship building, collaboration and requires competencies in influencing yourself, your peers and your boss.
By Susan Bertrand
ARTICLE
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/COO ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS
LEADING ACROSS The hardest person to lead is yourself. Emotional Intelligence tells us that a leader must first know him or herself to lead effectively. A typical career span lasts 50 years, so what does that mean for educators who tend to reinvent themselves along the way? You need to understand your values, who you are and why you do what you do. To know yourself is to know your strengths, weaknesses, values and your blind spots. You are the only one responsible for your lifelong learning efforts; only you can complete that doctoral thesis, or master's in education. In LIFO™ (Life Orientations) we discuss strengths. We learn that strengths used in excess can become weaknesses. While, the opposite of this, the conscious application of under-utilized strengths can mitigate blind spots, thus encouraging success. Effective leaders know when they overuse a strength and have the aptitude to adapt by drawing on an underutilized asset. They can read the situation and understand how they and their leadership fit in. It is important to know the outcome you want to achieve and be willing to adjust to achieve it. Know yourself and have confidence in the effect you intend to achieve. Do you know yourself well enough to have your thirty second elevator speech at the ready? Or to put it in John Maxwell’s terms, do you know what epitaph you want to leave on your tombstone? You want to craft that statement; you do not want to let others craft it for you. Think about what you want your legacy to be: what do you want others to remember about you and your leadership ability?
Legacies and elevator speeches may sound unimportant, but our values shape us. It means knowing your values, and understanding who you are and what you want to be known for. Others see our strengths and weaknesses far better than we do. Managing your own message means defining who you are and how you want to lead before someone else defines it for you. Leaders lead by example. Your mannerisms and behavior tell who you are. Is your example more like Abraham Lincoln or General George S. Patton? What example are you setting? Emotional intelligence, knowing yourself and having the soft skills of empathy and active listening rise to the top of today's leadership skills. Your leadership style, or how you utilize your strengths and soft skills when leading your peers and direct reports, stems from your values, experience and ability to influence others.
TIP:
In addition to knowing your values, work on understanding and accepting the varied cultural norms in your district. How does culture and diversity shape the world in the eyes of others? Consider this as you lead the multi-lingual parents in districts that boast a variety of languages and ethnicities. This too is leading across.
Illinois ASBO Leadership Institute maxims include: • Leaders are lifelong learners. • The hardest person to lead is yourself. • Feedback is a gift. • Do not send a duck to eagle school. • Leadership is influence. • Good leaders lead up, down and across (i.e lead themselves, their bosses and their peers).
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LEADING O W N In 2012, Jaime Casap, Google Education Senior Evangelist, keynoted Techcon. Casap told a story about how his son used technology to collaborate on school projects with other students. The students used cell phones and the internet to engage with a sister school in a different country. In 2012, this type of learning was cutting edge. After sharing his son’s story, Casap asked the audience what would it look like if you went in for a job interview, discussed a great project your district achieved and then said that you did it all by yourself? Today’s organizations are looking for collaborators, who can work well together in groups, positional titles aside. Complex education systems benefit when school leaders engage, whether that is leading your cabinet level peers through complex political issues in a concerted effort to bolster both district and community when driving change and innovation, such as closing a building, or going out to referendum for that third high school or Ed Fund rate increase.
Your job as a leader creates opportunities for those you lead to contribute to the outcomes desired by the district. Often the employees closest to the operational issues have the most creative solutions for the problem. To influence direct reports, reach beyond departmental silos, look to IT, facilities, curriculum and HR. By creating an open environment for them to share ideas, and for those ideas to be fully vetted through organizational conflict, you instill confidence in your direct reports and offer your district optimal solutions to complex problems. When managing down, perspective taking helps leaders better relate to their direct reports. Consider how they define their job and try to determine what their priorities are. Not everyone wants the corner office; many want to come in, do their job and go home to other priorities. Theirs may be more a job, whereas yours is a career. Good leaders have their antenna up and understand the values of those they lead. Do this by getting to know them. Lead through human interaction, create social capital and empower others. One of the most important things you can do as a leader is to build trust. You build trust through communication. Listening is key. Pay attention, take perspective and give praise. You are leading and influencing by getting work done through others; empower, rather than micro-manage. Successfully leading direct reports and peers helps build influence and credibility with your superintendent, which helps you lead up.
When it comes to leading others, leadership maxims include: • Never eat alone. • The best leaders are listeners. • The best leaders are perspective takers. • Innovation occurs when leaders encourage others to talk and leaders listen. • No one of us is smarter than all of us.
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UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2019
ARTICLE / Leading on Three Levels
LEADING UP Today, more than ever before, superintendents need to embrace organizational conflict, feedback and the expertise of their cabinet to succeed. To successfully navigate the complex school system, you can help your district and superintendent by leading up. Keep your boss in the know, make sure there are no surprises, offer solutions, avoid drama, take on responsibility and increase your influence. Leading your boss is a skill, one you should spend time developing and honing. To develop this skill, learn to think like your boss. What are their goals? What is important to them? What is their vision? Mission? Position your work, the team and resources to fulfill those. Anticipate and be proactive when problem solving. Do not be a yes person, challenge ideas professionally and work toward an improved outcome. Never leave the boss hanging, become their go-to resource.
Getting to know your boss is just as important as getting to know your peers and direct reports. Leadership is relational. In the Leadership Institute, we spend a lot of time talking about leadership styles, learning how to identify them and then learning how to bridge to that style. The new golden rule is “do unto others as they want to be done unto” (LIFO™/Schutz). Different bosses require different actions from you. What worked with one Superintendent likely will not work with another. Just like what works with one direct report may not work with another. Learn your superintendents’ leadership style; are they a traditional top down authoritative leader or are they an innovative and engaging collaborative leader? Do they need to process a lot of data prior to making decisions or do they shoot from the hip? Do they want a long and detailed report from you or do they want you to get to the point in five words or less? Learn how to read your boss, then adapt and learn how to converse in their language.
Some leading up maxims include: • Feedback is a gift • Leaders see within the larger context • Build and earn trust • Leadership is based on relationships • Understand your boss’s leadership style
GO FORTH AND LEAD A crucial skill in leading up, down and across is being able to create dialogue in critical situations. In order to do this, make it a safe environment for others to contribute, take the perspective of others and see the bigger picture. Part of making that safe environment requires you to hold your own emotions at bay, build trust and lead yourself. Managing your emotions and making it safe for others to contribute goes to the heart of why leading yourself is the hardest leadership skill to perfect. Understanding others, be they peers, direct reports or your boss helps to see within the larger context of leadership. Leading up may be what peaked your interest in reading this article, but the three aspects of up, down and across are all equally important. Self-awareness coupled with the ability to influence fellow administrators and your superintendent will help you successfully navigate the complex school system you work in. Lead on!
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By Dr. Michael Lubelfeld
ARTICLE
SUPERINTENDENT NORTH SHORE SD 112
Dr. Nicholas Polyak SUPERINTENDENT LEYDEN CHSD 212
Shoulder to shoulder, through our work in K-12 education, we have helped many learn, unlearn and relearn. We ourselves, for example, have experienced the challenges of taking something or some concept we learned as best practice to no longer be best. For the better part of this century, we have served as educators, educational leaders and facilitators of change. We have experienced unlearning what we once thought was right in an effort to relearn how to implement changes on behalf of students and staff. As leaders, especially as educational leaders, we do not have time to waste waiting for people to change. It’s time to UNLEARN. We have helped multiple organizations benefit from unlearning and relearning. In this article, we share excerpts from our 2017 book, The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today. In some school systems, the executive leadership still does not understand or value current methods of communication, especially technological methods. Their relative lack of knowledge about social connectivity can become quite detrimental to a school system in search of change, innovation and leadership. We want to help school leaders unlearn their current approaches to leadership in how they “connect,” lead, support student learning, transform schools and impact organizational culture.
We wrote the book to celebrate the connected leader, show case study examples of change and modern change processes and to help leaders unlearn to relearn! Our landscape is applied to leadership, classrooms, pedagogy and education in general. In order to change and prepare for tomorrow, we propose that much of what we have learned must be unlearned as we aim to create a new tomorrow for our nation’s children. Our current public school system was essentially created by ten university leaders in the 1890’s (Committee of Ten). A lot has changed since they met in the 1890s, yet our structures in many public schools seem unable to unlearn the structures and conventions from the 19th Century. Our purposes for writing the book include supporting and enabling leaders to better lead for tomorrow’s schools. There is an urgency for change.
“Just because our teachers, leaders, elected boards of education, parents, grandparents and the community at large learned what school is – in another era – that does not mean we need to lead for nostalgia.”
Futurist Jack Uldrich has made presentations across the country about the concept of unlearning. While at a Future Ready Summit in Illinois, we participated in an activity that has been practiced across the country by Jack and others. We were asked one simple question, “What color are yield signs?” Sounds simple. Uldrich asked the audience to raise their hands if they thought yield signs are yellow and black. The majority of those in the audience raised their hands in a sign of agreement that yield signs are yellow and black.
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That was the correct answer many years ago when members in the audience first learned about yield signs. Years after the audience members learned the yellow and black color scheme, the yield signs across the country changed to red and white. Folks knew intellectually that the signs were no longer yellow and black, but they “learned” this earlier in their lives and knowledge proves difficult to unlearn. This provides a powerful lesson about our need to unlearn old knowledge in order to modernize our thinking to align with what is true today. The challenge is clear, that which leaders learned early on in their careers, or in leadership schools, often stifles their growth due to their inability to unlearn. The world is changing at an exponential pace, but often times our educational leaders and our educational systems are not. This experience (with the yield sign) was an epiphany of sorts for both us that has led us to look at educational leadership through the lens of unlearning.1
“Why has it been so hard to change structures in schools? It is incumbent upon us as leaders to demonstrate an organizational agility and flexibility so that the current needs of children are reflected in the nation’s schools.”
Now, more than ever, with the nation becoming an ethnic “minority majority” leaders need to unlearn and unleash powerful innovation in the new reality. Today is far different from yesterday. Leaders must get out from behind their 34 |
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desks and integrate doing and empowering others with managing and leading from a 30,000 foot view. Since 1983, our nation’s schools have been at risk. Since 2002, we have been leaving no child behind. Now with ESSA reauthorization, we are getting ready for every student to succeed. In order for every student to succeed, school leaders must unlearn the old ways and learn the new ways of practicing leadership through innovative methods and courageous actions. Representing careers in leadership and public education spanning many decades and impacting thousands of K-12 students and teachers, we are sharing a passion for excellence in education with the leadership lessons and insights throughout our book. We serve as educational leaders as part of a larger calling to serve.
Students in each grade level have but one chance to experience that grade level. Students do not have time to wait. We mentioned a sense of urgency – the urgency is that the 19th century structures no longer serve as relevant to the needs of modern society. Why has it been so hard to change structures in schools? We propose that it is part of the challenge of unlearning. “Everyone” has attended school, thus everyone has a construct as to what school should be. We are learned leaders in the education space. We too were schooled in traditional, 19th and 20th century structures, though we have enjoyed success and fulfilment as change leaders, and as unlearners in the 21st Century.
ARTICLE / Unlearning Leadership
We are from another era than our students. It is incumbent upon us as leaders to demonstrate an organizational agility and flexibility so that the current needs of children are reflected in the nation’s schools. We have a moral, an economic, a pedagogical and a leadership imperative to unlearn. Just because our teachers, leaders, members of elected boards of education, parents, grandparents and the community at large learned what school is – in another era – that does not mean we current leaders need to lead for nostalgia. Nostalgia has a place in museums and other venues, but not in schools. Unlearning individual’s experiences proves quite difficult. Learning is often hard-wired into our brains and challenging to unlearn. Policymakers do not know what is current in education – they know what made them successful and happy. They do not know what is needed now since often they are many levels removed from schooling. It is policymakers who are credited with legislating mandates, standards, expectations, training, rules, etc., but they base their views on their own construct of education and schooling – that of nostalgia.
We wrote The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today because nostalgic policies might be destroying public education. Nostalgic experiences are actually incongruous with the information generation. Voices in telephone devices can restate the 50 state capitals – that does not mean it is not important to learn the 50 state capitals, it means that memorization is not the only form of “learning” anymore. Just because you, your mother, your aunt, your grandfather and his great grandfather also memorized capitals in 4th grade does not mean that it is relevant for today’s youth.
“Education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.”
We speak about unlearning because leaders who unlearn and innovate make opportunities possible for children. Leaders can unlearn ways of the past to create new and relevant futures. So many great coaches, mentors and friends guide and support our unlearning and we, as - Horace Mann change leaders, feel called to share and illustrate how unlearning is impacting systems in our care. The time is now to change, unlearn, create a new system and a new construct of structures for schooling – we have the knowledge and we have the will, so let’s unlearn together!
Footnote: 1. Uldrich, J. [Keppler Speakers]. (2014, Feb 10). Jack Uldrich: The Future Requires Unlearning [Video file]. Retrieved from <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7MfbCWHRto>. Accessed on January 9, 2019.
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THE PATH TO EXCELLENCE
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CHANGING THE TRAJECTORY OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT
By Anthony R. Arbogast
ARTICLE
DIR./BUSINESS SERVICES, CSBO ROSELLE SD 12
Dr. Melissa Kaczkowski SUPERINTENDENT ROSELLE SD 12
With a long-standing structural deficit, Roselle School District 12 was working hard to stay afloat, but simply did not have the resources to keep pace with educational initiatives, unfunded mandates and aging facilities. Over the past five years, a turnaround has taken place that the district has coined the “Path to Excellence.” While the term “turnaround” may often have a negative connotation, District 12’s story is about changing the trajectory of the district academically, financially and physically.
A SEEMINGLY INSURMOUNTABLE TASK
When Superintendent Melissa Kaczkowski arrived at District 12 in 2014, it became immediately apparent that the district had significant financial challenges. Historically, the district was plagued by a structural deficit that they had been unsuccessful in remedying. A series of failed referendum attempts years ago had left a lasting negative impact on the community. The belief that a referendum “would never pass” permeated the community and left the board of education with few choices other than deficit spending, borrowing and putting off crucial work and investments. As a brand new superintendent, Kaczkowski knew that she had a seemingly insurmountable task ahead of her, one that could realistically be a career-ender for a veteran superintendent let alone for someone who had been on the job all of 14 days. After a bit of professional soul searching, Kaczkowski knew that there was really only one option for District 12 and for her as the leader. “I knew that I needed to tackle the issues in the district as I have any other challenge that life has thrown at me. Somehow, you manage to do what is needed and you don’t give up when things seem impossible. It comes down to knowing your own strengths and limitations and surrounding yourself with the right people. When you have others depending on you, failure is not an option.”
GETTING TO AGREEMENT
By December of 2014, six months after arriving in the district, Kaczkowski and the board were in agreement that an operating rate referendum was the only solution for the district. The decision was an easy one; the reality of making it happen was not. By January of 2015, Kaczkowski was hard at work crafting a plan for the referendum and for the future of the district. This period of time required working with transparency tenacity. Earning the trust of the community was not easy for one minute of one day. Working with an incredible amount of transparency means that you are exposing the work of the district, the district’s leader and board of education to ongoing questions, scrutiny and criticism. District 12 passed a significant (.6 percent) operating rate referendum in March of 2016 with a 56.3 percent approval margin. Reflecting on the time between then and now, passing the referendum almost feels like it was the easy part to Kaczkowski. “We have worked incredibly hard since March of 2016 to not only deliver on but to exceed the promises made during the referendum campaign.” Because there was about an 18 month lag between passing the referendum and seeing any of the new funds, the district had time to carefully lay out a plan for their Path to Excellence. The first step was for the board to recognize that the district would forever need to be deliberate and strategic with district finances.
“I made it a point to seek out veteran and retired experts in the field of educational finance and pick their brains as much as they allowed. When you are brand new and the district is counting on you, there is no room for ego. Our plan was analyzed and scrutinized by experts because I knew the community was going to scrutinize it, doubt it and try to poke holes in it. There was no margin for error because I knew that we had to pass the referendum on our first attempt.” Dr. Melissa Kaczkowski, Superintendent, Roselle SD 12
INVESTING IN THE RIGHT PEOPLE
Investing in the right people with the right expertise was a priority for the board of education. Adding a financial officer with the Chief School Business Official credential and a Director of Curriculum came at a cost that was hard for some members of the community to understand, but the board was firm in their commitment to invest in the financial and academic stability of the district and understood that a CSBO and a Director of Curriculum were not luxuries; they were necessities.
Kaczkowski explains, “The role of the superintendent has changed dramatically. There are not enough hours in the day to do it all and be all things to everyone. If sound finances and state-of-the-art learning opportunities are priorities of the district, these positions are crucial.” In August of 2016, Tony Arbogast was hired on during a time of transition in the District 12 business office. Tony was close to completing his CSBO program and quickly demonstrated the impact that strategic financial leadership could have on the district.
THE NEW CSBO’S CHALLENGE
Joining a district that has endured a long-standing structural deficit presents many challenges for a new CSBO. It takes exercising extreme caution in how you ask questions and learn about the history so that you do not appear critical of past decisions and understand where the district has been. You have to learn about the values and priorities of the community to give context to past decisions and also so that you can craft a strategy to move the district forward towards financial stability and academic prosperity. Anthony, as a new CSBO, was tasked with cultivating a paradigm shift in how the district approaches finances. “With the turbulence at the State and Federal levels, being reactive was no longer an acceptable financial strategy,” says Arbogast. The board and the community made it clear after the referendum that they expected the district to demonstrate strategic financial decision making that was in the best interest of the students and the community as a whole.
Arbogast is firm in his commitment to networking. “You have to understand you can’t solve these types of issues on your own. You have to be collaborative.” For District 12, leaning on the Illinois ASBO network was a tremendous support. “Many vendors that we did not know are now fantastic partners for our district thanks to Illinois ASBO. Other local business officials helped us think in ways we never did before, come up with solutions to problems we could not solve, provide templates to save us time in building our own. I don’t know if anything we did was original; we may have just been very good sponges,” says Arbogast.
The district’s referendum strategy was grounded The district’s on three referendum core commitments. strategy was In grounded order to stabilize on three their core finances, commitments. the In order to district stabilize needed theirto: finances, the district needed to: 1. 2. 3. Reduce 1. Increase 2. Borrow 3. Expenses Reduce Revenue Increase Responsibly Borrow Expenses Revenue Responsibly Find a detailed overview of the strategy at: Findwww.iasbo.tools/d12referendum a detailed overview of the strategy at: www.iasbo.tools/d12referendum
“One of my priorities has been to look for cost-saving measures that would open up our ability to provide high-quality opportunities and materials for our students and staff. Renegotiating contracts that may not have been favorable to the district took a considerable amount of creativity, patience and fortitude. I put a great deal of pressure on our vendors to be partners to our district when it comes to making things happen for our students. One vendor once told me I asked for so much I should probably have a sign by our highway exit. But our students deserve it.” 38 |
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Anthony R. Arbogast, Dir./Business Services, CSBO, Roselle SD 12
BUILDING A LEADERSHIP TEAM IS CRUCIAL IN TODAY’S EDUCATIONAL CLIMATE. DISTRICTS CAN NO LONGER KEEP PACE WITH THE EVER-CHANGING MANDATES AND INITIATIVES WITHOUT A SOLID TEAM AT THE HELM.
CELEBRATING THE WINS
Both Arbogast and Kaczkowski believe it is mission critical to celebrate your wins. Financially, the wins have been instrumental in allowing the district to do more for students. This includes the first balanced budget, underspending the budget in a given year, having a great bid day for construction, earning multiple financial rating upgrades, etc. “So much work and energy is dedicated to this turnaround, that if you can’t celebrate your small wins, you will lose the forest for the trees,” says Arbogast. Fast forward to September of 2018 and it is evident that D12 has been making major strides on their Path to Excellence. Here are some of the major accomplishments that have taken place in under five years: • State-of-the-art curricular implementations in ELA, Math and Science, K-8 • Implementation of Discovery Zone (aka Genius Hour), Grades 1-8 • Co-teaching model (every grade has a special education specialist), K-8 • Expansion of the EL program • Completion of an 8.8M facilities improvement initiative inclusive of safety and security improvements, all Health/ Life Safety items, new HVAC and LED lighting, roofing and innovative learning spaces for students • Back-to-back balanced budgets • Several credit rating upgrades through Moody’s
• Return of a new and improved model for full-day kindergarten (fall 2019) • Implementation of a quality multi-tiered system of supports for students that includes both intervention and enrichment/acceleration • Implementation of a 1:1 technology initiative, K-8 • Student board liaisons (three eighth grade students sit on the D12 board of education to give students voice and leadership opportunities) • Complete redesign of the District Assessment Plan • Implementation of Skyward • Roll out of the D12 magazine, Path to Excellence • Introduction of the D12 app (winter 2018)
The district is excited to see that their data validates the tremendous amount of work that has taken place. D12 spends under the average yet achieves above the average when compared to the other elementary districts in DuPage. The performance of the district has also increased over time. Kaczkowski and Arbogast share the belief that collaboration and respect have been key. “We have worked very hard to foster a relationship of trust and collaboration with our Association leadership that is mutually beneficial,” says Kaczkowski. “These are the people on the front lines with students. They turn our plans into reality. Without them, none of this would have been possible.” Kaczkowski also attributes their successes to learning how to have fun as a district. “It is important to me that you hear laughter and feel joy when you come to D12. We all do our best work when we can let our guard down and find the humor in the situation. Kids deserve to know that all of us love the work that we do on their behalf.”
FOR DETAILED ARTICLES ABOUT THE DISTRICT TURNAROUND, READ THE D12 PATH TO EXCELLENCE MAGAZINE AT: WWW.IASBO.TOOLS/D12PATH www.iasbo.org
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THE DARK SI OF LEADERSH Leadership is one thing when times are good, but how do you lead on the “dark side” when facing difficult issues and crisis situations? Although you may never have all the answers, there are steps you can take before the crisis that will make leadership during the crisis more successful. Each new year brings the opportunity to form or continue to build on key professional relationships that will be crucial to you and your team when challenges arise. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN YOUR ORGANIZATION When dealing with a difficult issue, having strong relationships throughout your organization is key. That way, when a crisis occurs, you will have a solid team supporting your leadership while you find a solution. As a supervisor, make sure the team that you build and work with daily has built faith in your decision making and planning. BE POSITIVE — You only have one opportunity to make a first impression when working with others, so be positive and smile. A smile and a positive outlook on the situation can help foster a strong relationship with the people involved. PAY ATTENTION — Take note of the little details like birthdays for celebration and whether your staff members are dealing with health issues themselves or with their family members. GIVE PRAISE — When you see someone doing something good or above and beyond the normal scope of their job description, let them know and document it in writing in their file.
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As a leader that is held accountable by your evaluator, show that you are confident without being arrogant. People do not like an ego, but they like someone who is confident in how they accomplish tasks. • Whenever working on a task, always work on the issue as a team and try to give credit to others as much as possible. • Each week, document things that you and others have accomplished so when you have your mid-year or end of the year evaluation, those items that you may have forgotten are easier to reflect upon. BUILD BRIDGES AS A COMMUNITY LEADER A key resource during a crisis is the connections you have built as a community leader. Make sure you meet with other public leaders and create healthy and sustainable relationships. • Try and meet with your other government entities quarterly. Create a relationship outside of a crisis, so that when one does occur, trust and communication will be better for all parties. • As the risk manager for the district, go out to lunch with the police and fire chiefs in your different communities. Try to have a table top drill and determine who is responsible for what areas. • Meet regularly with the lead finance person of the park district and city to build a common ground with the taxpayers you all serve. A natural time to meet is prior to putting the levy together.
ARTICLE
By Barry Bolek
RETIRED SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIAL
IDE HIP Another group that can support you in a crisis situation are community members. Create community committees in either finance or facilities. Many community members have expertise and ideas that are outside of the box that can assist you with finding a creative solution to issues. When the bad times hit, you will have community resources to speak on your behalf. KNOW YOUR RESOURCES Crisis and “dark side” situations usually require other resources outside of your daily work. When a crisis does come up, it is important to know your resources, who has access to those resources and how to get in contact with them 24-7. • Share what resources you have with the police, fire department, park districts, cities and villages. When you need to ask for their assistance, it is a reciprocation venture. • Having the cell phone numbers for all of your crisis contacts is key because a crisis usually happens outside the normal work hours. It is also helpful to practice active listening and observe others whenever possible. Learning how others react indicates what you will need to provide to them in a crisis and what they will be looking for from you in their time of need. DOCUMENT THE GOOD AND BAD Always document the good and bad to keep a balance so that when something does turn dark, you have the facts and not just hearsay when dealing with the issue.
When the time comes to release any individual (firing or not renewing an employee), the true leader has taken the time to process the entire situation and generate the appropriate documentation. Always allow for due process in the situation and never rush a decision. When in doubt, buy time with a paid suspension during an investigation to avoid potential litigation. KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON Lastly, when a crisis or “dark” situation occurs, remember to stay calm and review your current policies and procedures. Following your policies and procedures creates a safety net for you. You may need to modify how you proceed and what plans/procedures you utilize, but always start with keeping people safe, secure and out of harm’s way. Keep a pulse on the emotional reaction that others may be having during the crisis and reassure them that your first goal is safety, but you have not forgotten about the personal and emotional factors involved in the situation. Good luck, and remember, the relationships you build in good times pay huge dividends in the times of crisis.
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Are You a Renewable Employee? Tips for making yourself indispensable
At some point in our lives, we have all come across a person that had that special “something” that made us feel that person was simply irreplaceable. As school district employees, many of us bring skills to the table that cannot be dismissed. But we must ask ourselves, what traits or skills do we need to possess to demonstrate that we are needed and essential to the district? How do we make ourselves indispensable? To re-word the quote from President John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your district can do for you, but what you can do for your district.” There must be a balanced relationship that is equal parts enjoying the work you do and your boss appreciating the work you do. This positive relationship requires some work on the part of the employee to make sure that their value is recognized by the employer. The following tips are some ways to ensure that you are indispensable to your employer.
By Ron Johnson
ARTICLE
BECOME SELF-AWARE
Knowing your strengths and utilizing them accordingly is the starting point for becoming an irreplaceable employee. Sometimes we may find ourselves chasing the wrong career or position and forcing ourselves to obtain skills that we cannot perform at a high level. We may find ourselves focusing only on skills that are required in our core position and fail to grow as an employee. Professional development and having the mentality of continuous learning, will expose yourself to situations that will complement your natural skillset and further your value within your organization. We all have natural talents or traits that make us valuable; we just need to make sure we master, extract and make the most of them in our daily work. Understand what your organization wants from you. Most employers are looking for employees that require little supervision and direction to get the work done in a timely manner. Make an honest assessment of your situation, skills and traits, then make adjustments to lock in your value and meet the expectations of your superiors.
COMPETITION AROUND US
Indispensable employees do what needs to be done and take ownership of tasks and projects. With the limited number of job opportunities available within an organization, the competition to secure a desired position can be fierce. Compete with yourself to further your knowledge and develop skills for the job that make you essential. Some people believe that indispensable means you are absolutely necessary to the success of the organization, but an important element of being indispensable is making sure our employer believes that we are essential in the achievement and excellence of the company’s mission and goals – that is what makes an employee renewable. There is no one single employee that an organization cannot live without; however, there is a category of employees that companies cannot excel without. This type of employee ensures success for the organization and adopts the attitudes of “if you don’t know something, learn it” or “if you don’t have a skill, obtain it.” You must be better than just “good” to be considered indispensable. This does not mean you have to be perfect, but it does takes hard work and continued self-evaluation. Helpful actions to maintain your competitive edge are: • Adapt and maintain flexibility in completing tasks. • Become open to change and take recommendations for improvement. • Adapt to personality traits of co-workers and superiors.
DIR./SUPPORT SERVICES INDIAN PRAIRIE SD 204
We all poses our own set of strengths and accommodating others’ strengths and behaviors is what it takes to work effectively as a team. Learning new skills, techniques, methods and/or theories through professional development helps keep the organization successful and makes the employee’s job more interesting and exciting. Keeping up with changes in your occupation is vital for success and increased job security.
GOING THE EXTRA MILE
Look for ways to help the organization even if it is outside of your assigned duties. If your boss needs help on a project, ask to be part of it. If your boss comes to you with an opportunity, take it. Offering a helping hand, fostering collaborative relationships and having a contributory mindset goes a long way in the eyes of your boss and colleagues. Look for ways to be innovative and find new solutions to age-old problems. Examine the current ways of doing business and find better, more efficient and effective ways to complete tasks. This will demonstrate you are looking out for the best interest of your district and looking for ways to ensure its success.
ATTITUDE
A positive attitude goes a long way. You will show your boss that you can get the work done and motivate others around you to do the same. Developing new strategies, ideas, priorities and work habits will foster confidence with your boss and coworkers that will contribute to a better place to work. Do not dwell on challenges, rather work towards creating an environment of good will and becoming a positive role model for others. The more pleasant and productive you are, the more successful you will be in becoming essential and, ultimately, renewable to your employer.
HONESTY AND INTEGRITY
In our profession, we are spotlighted by the communities we serve. Our decisions and actions are a reflection of the organization as a whole. We must have high standards for professional conduct while conducting business for the school district. Employers value employees who maintain a sense of honesty and integrity above all else. Good relationships are built on trust. Employers want to know that they can trust what you say and what you do. It is the responsibility of each person within the organization to use their own individual sense of moral and ethical behavior when working with and serving others within the scope of their job. The right thing is not always the easiest thing to do, however, the organization's reputation can be damaged if we do not make the right choice. www.iasbo.org
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Check Your Indispensability Score The trend in today’s work environment has shifted. Many modern employees demonstrate a strong sense of entitlement. Entitlement (not skills, knowledge or relationships) can be seen as a replaceable trait. Employers have a responsibility to create an environment where their employees feel secure in their position with the organization, however it is the employee’s responsibility to make themselves irreplaceable. When you become indispensable to an organization, you will not only create job security but you will give yourself positive opportunities throughout your career as a renewable employee. Answer the following questions then add up the scores to discover if you are a renewable employee.
1. DO YOU SPECIALIZE IN SOMETHING AT WORK? a. Yes, only I can do it. b. Yes, but I am not the only one. c. No, but I will try to gain expertise. d. Not possible for me to learn.
4. HAVE YOU LEARNED A NEW SKILL RECENTLY (PAST YEAR)? a. Yes, I keep learning new things. b. Yes, but not recently. c. No, but I am trying. d. Never attempted.
2. HAVE YOU OFFERED SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS AT WORK? a. Yes, a lot of times. b. Yes, a few times. c. Nobody asked me. d. Not my responsibility.
5. DO YOU VOLUNTEER TO DO MORE THAN YOUR ASSIGNED WORK? a. Yes, most of the time. b. Yes, sometimes. c. No, but I will try. d. I don’t have time.
3. DO YOU MENTOR COLLEAGUES? a. Yes, all the time. b. Yes, sometimes. c. No, but I can try. d. Not possible for me.
6. DO YOU HAVE GOOD RELATIONS WITH COLLEAGUES AND SUPERIORS? a. Have a very good rapport. b. Normal cordial relations. c. Problems were sorted out. d. Not on very good terms.
SCORE YOURSELF USING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
A = 3 Points
Above 14 points:
INDISPENSABLE Congratulations! You are an asset for your company and indispensable to the organization. A bright future awaits you if you continue with the good work. But the knowledge that you are indispensable should not make you complacent.
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B = 2 Points
12-14 points:
VALUABLE
C = 1 Point
8-11 points:
SEMI-VALUABLE
You have done well and Your performance is average are considered valuable to and the company may your organization. You may not see you as a valuable not be seen as indispensable, resource. You should attempt but you can be by making to immediately improve your some changes in your attitude and approach to work. approach at work. Any improvement can easily get you into the safe zone.
D = 0 Points
Below 8 points:
DISPENSABLE You may be seen as a dispensable resource. If there are job cuts in your organization, you may be affected. It may be difficult, but you could change your status, by improving your interpersonal skills and be more proactive at work.
RESOURCES An Exemplary Leader is a Learner There are plenty of leaders that have natural talents, but talent only goes so far. Exemplary leadership really emphasizes learning.
On Their List Book reviews from your peers on relevant career topics
The authors present five fundamentals: • • • • •
Are you looking for a greater challenge in your organization? Do you feel like you want to take on more in your current administrative role? Are you looking for a book that can benefit your new administrators? Learning Leadership: The Five Fundamentals of Becoming an Exemplary Leader could be the next professional development book for your personal or professional growth. From the bestselling authors of The Leadership Challenge, James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, Learning Leadership presents nothing that hasn’t been articulated through the writings of Bolman and Deal, Carol Dweck, or even Malcolm Gladwell. What makes Learning Leadership stand out is that it breaks down the stereotypes, or myths, of leadership. For one, the old debate of whether nature versus nurture plays more into the development of an exemplary leader is debunked.
Believe you can Aspire to excel Challenge yourself Engage support Practice deliberately
Exemplary leadership skills can be achieved through each of these fundamentals, but the most important takeaway from this book is about recognition. Recognize the potential that you have for yourself and what you want to achieve. Recognize that what you do matters to everyone around your organization. Most importantly, recognize the team around you because our most challenging work is never completed alone. As a librarian and future school leader, I feel this book is a nice introductory text that could be used to form a professional development program for new administrators, especially if your district promotes the teachings from Dweck’s Mindset or Duckworth’s Grit. As suggested by the authors, Learning Leadership promotes a reflective leadership practice. Exemplary leaders will continue to recognize their skillset but also challenge themselves, not just for their own development but also for their team.
Steven J. Smidl Librarian Fenton CHSD 100 A member of the Special Education: Finance and Administration Committee and a student of the NIU CSBO program, Steven is the solo librarian for a one-school district who promotes the values of research skills, logical reasoning and reader recommendations for students and staff members. He believes that effective leaders can inspire teachers through authenticity.
There are plenty of leaders that have natural talent, but talent only goes so far. Exemplary leadership really emphasizes learning.
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THE FINAL WORD SPEAKING UP ON SCHOOL LEADERSHIP DAVID BEIN, SFO Asst. Supt./Business, CSBO Barrington CUSD 220
I have several areas of leadership responsibility. I am a member of the district senior leadership team and work with the board, superintendent, and other assistant superintendents to achieve the board goals and objectives. More specifically, like many SBOs, I lead the finance and building and grounds departments.
SBOs have a unique lens that others in the district don’t have. Professional educators, many of whom may have only worked at one or two districts, may be challenged to think about why things are what they are and how things might be different. With almost 20 years of private sector work experience, I bring an outside perspective that can be beneficial. I have been in cabinet meetings where I have asked why we are doing something and why we cannot change it. Sometimes there are good reasons, but sometimes those questions have caused the team to sit back and reimagine something new that is better for students and staff.
SBOs are financial and operational experts, but need a broader understanding. It is important to remember that pretty much no one else has gotten into education because of a love for school finance and operations. When we as SBOs talk about our areas of responsibility, we need to take time to make the concepts clear and meaningful for others. A short, insightful explanation of the topic and why it matters goes a long way. It is also important to know more than just finance and operations. While we do not have primary responsibility for curriculum and instruction, for example, we need to engage with our colleagues on all topics and not just sit passively by when they are being discussed. It is hard to ensure that resources are being used effectively to achieve district goals if we do not know much about what we are trying to accomplish and how the resources are actually being used.
Leadership in education is different than the private sector. While SBOs focus on finance and operations, we work in a human capital-intensive industry. It is not adequate nor sufficient to be financial leaders who focus solely on the numbers. We share in the responsibility to educate children, and our leadership through words and actions should holistically support the people who are involved — the students, staff, parents and community.
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UPDATE Magazine / Spring 2019
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