March 2020 | VOL 22 | NO. 3
Indianagram A publication of the Indiana Association of School Principals
The Indiana Association of School Principals leads in the advocacy and support of all principals in their commitment to every child.
IASP Power by Lizz Walters, President of IASP
IASP, we sincerely hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. We have spent the last years discussing, and sometimes arguing, about accountability, student assessment, graduation requirements, and overall what is best for the current and future students in Indiana. Now in the midst of those discussions, we face struggles that are unprecedented in decades. It is completely understandable that many of us have feelings of uncertainty at this time. Elementary administrators are likely concerned about the activities that promote physical and emotional well-being to build skills for students at that level. Our middle school administrators are certainly considering the same, as well as questions about the power of social interactions and routine. I know my fellow high school administrators are likely considering the impact this will have on credit-bearing classes and ultimately the graduation of the 2020 cohort. Each day I hear from educators how much they miss being in the classroom and the building with their students. We are all educators for the simple reason that we want to work with kids of all ages to see them learn, grow, and succeed. This extended forced break from our ability to easily connect with students and colleagues is difficult, and we urge you to consider how you are caring for yourself. In the face of this extreme uncertainty, it is the power of our membership that comforts me. We are truly all in this together. As I’m sure many of you have also, I spent the last week commiserating with fellow administrators about the struggle and uncertainty that faces us, down to seemingly small things like prom. We all know what “school“, so much more than academics, really means to our students. But after some time for commiserating…much time has been spent on sharing ideas and plans and solutions to the current and possible future struggles. Each discussion revealed to me the tremendous dedication you all have for your role as a school leader. It looks different now as we navigate from behind a computer screen, but the essence of leadership remains; a vision of how we succeed, reflection on how we get there, and then communicating this by utilizing the relationships built from the first day you began your role. In collaboration with surrounding states, the state department of health, the state department of education, and surrounding districts and schools…we will navigate this! Across the state, we have food and basic resources being delivered to our students, and we have e-learning and social emotional activities being shared in many creative ways with our students. We continue to provide comfort for our families as they navigate these struggles from a personal perspective. In the face of this uncertainty, take comfort that we are maintaining what’s “school“ means for our students, families, and communities. IASP recently assisted the Indiana Department of Education in developing a set of recommendations that will assist our current 2020 Cohort to meet graduation eligibility. That information is available at this link and IASP will continue to work with elected officials and state agencies as these recommendations are considered. IASP Executive Director, Dr. Todd Bess, recently reached out to the Board to invite communication for each level. I extend this invitation to our entire membership. If you are struggling with something, please reach out for help. If you are celebrating a creative idea to maintain consistent educational opportunities for your students, please reach out and share. As I am sure many of you feel helpful, I am confident that the aftermath of these struggles will present a very strong opportunity for all the individuals discussing the state of education to come together in the best interest of our students. Stay healthy, stay safe…and we will see each other soon!
Inside this Edition
IASP Power..........................................................................................P1 IPLI Flyer.............................................................................................P2 Aspiring Principals Conference Flyer..................................................P3 Riley Hospital Kids Caring & Sharing Update....................................P4 Preferred Business Partner...................................................................P4 University Partners...............................................................................P5
Forging a New Path for Indiana Students............................................P6 Indiana Academic All-Stars and Regional All-Stars............................P7 Indiana School Counselor and Administrator Collaboration Institute..P8 Spotlight on Service-Learning............................................................P10 NAESP Update...................................................................................P11 Dave Emmert’s Situation Briefs..........................................................P12