Principal Navigator Fall 2018 by OAESA

principal

Vol. 14 No. 1 Fall 2018 $9.95

Navigator the magazine of the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators

once upon a time educator stories to empower & inspire you

IN THIS ISSUE: Teacher Shortage Solutions / The Principalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Role in Advocacy / MTSS Resources

our vision An eﬀec�ve, empowered, and passionate administrator leading every school

our purpose To champion and engage administrators throughout their careers

our mission inten�onally connect eﬀec�vely develop passionately advocate

principal navigator

Executive Director’s Exchange: Telling the OAESA story

y article for the Spring 2018 Principal Navigator focused on the work the OAESA Board of Directors and staff initiated with a company called Storyforge. The company exists to help organizations achieve their goals by discovering and articulating clarity of purpose, forging a meaningful brand story from said purpose, and aligning all aspects of the business with that story. I want to continue sharing some of the “aha” moments we had from our work. We conducted surveys, focus groups, and interviews to gain insight into what OAESA stands for and believes, what OAESA does better than anyone else, and what OAESA’s stakeholders want and need. We were thrilled with the number of responses and information gleaned from multiple sources. You told us that quality education systems are essential in healthy, vibrant communities, and these systems rely on passionate, effective, and informed leadership. You also shared that across Ohio, many administrators face challenges: isolation, illinformed policy, insufficient resources, time constraints, and a barrage of best practices. It can make the job feel overwhelming. The Board of the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators and I affirmed that OAESA exists to meet these challenges. We connect and support pre-K, elementary, and middle-level administrators throughout their careers through advocacy, engagement, and development. As we do, administrators create environments where teachers are empowered to teach, and students are inspired to learn. In my 11th year as your Executive Director, I predicted that you would say that networking was an important benefit of being a member of OAESA. I was wrong, as you did not use the word “network.” Instead, you used the more powerful, enduring word, “connect.” You told us that OAESA connects you to colleagues, information, and resources. Members told us that “OAESA is a bridge from the isolation that administrators often feel” and “it is a great place to connect with other people in the same position and profession.” As we listened to members’ stories, it became evident that we not only connect – we intentionally connect. Connecting you to people, resources, and information is not just a random act, but one made with intention and purpose. The input from members also indicated that OAESA and its nonprofit affiliate, SAIL for Education, are go-to places for meaningful and effective professional development. From legislative updates,

workshops, and webinars to this magazine, you said that OAESA offers relevant learning to support your work. When asked what OAESA does better than anyone else, many members affirmed our annual professional conference as a source to access new information and learning. Additionally, our partnership with Concordia University Chicago has continued to grow to over 500 Ohio students each year. Our Initial Leadership Program leads to a principal license in the state, and last year, SAIL students comprised 11% of those teachers getting a principal license. We are making an impact with instructional leadership in this state as we effectively develop educators throughout their careers. You also shared many stories about how OAESA has been there for you at different times in your career. As one member said, “OAESA is willing to stand with me on the line.” As an OAESA member, you have access to one hour, no-cost, job-related legal support annually and access to our legal defense fund. Mark Jones, Barbara Shaner, and I are all registered lobbyists, advocating for educational issues – issues important to you at both the state and local levels. Your Advocacy Service Team members and the OAESA Executive Committee advocate for you on many fronts. A member shared that “OAESA provides political connectedness and gives us a voice at the legislature.” Members also shared that OAESA provides a sense of security and community, and we are a resource to contact in times of need. You told us that we not only advocate, but that we passionately advocate for you and your colleagues. In this issue of the Principal Navigator, we worked to weave in our story. At the top of articles, check to see which aspect of the framework the article addresses. The three branches, intentionally connect, effectively develop, and passionately advocate, will have a corresponding symbol to reinforce that we are living our mission with the content we provide to you here. Our vision is an effective, empowered, and passionate administrator leading every school. OAESA is here for administrators, so you can be there for your students, your faculty, and your communities. Sincerely, Julie Davis, Ed.D. OAESA Executive Director

INTENTIONALLY C

NNECT

EFFECTIVELY DEVEL PASSIONATELY

DVOCATE

Look for these symbols by each article to denote the aspect of our mission that the article reinforces.

fall 2018

onceupon

time

In this issue

Setting the Standard

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

From Staff to Team

Lessons in the Criminal Justice System

OAESA tells your stories.

What the Educational Standards Board does for you Julie Lather How to deliver intervention, care, and services to students by implementing MTSS Mark Gallagher Strategies to combat the national teacher shortage J. Renee Gordon Students learn while solving ‘crime’ with BCI Science School Mike DeWine

My Worst Assignment was the Best 23

One principal’s account of turning difficult change into positive growth Paul G. Young, Ph.D.

It Takes a Village 26

For many educators, community is essential in shaping who we are Jane Myers

The Discovery of Why 29

Education wasn’t this principal’s inevitable choice, but it was the obvious one Jen Schwanke

Living our Beliefs 30

Core principles guide behavior and practice at Highland Local Schools Matt Bradley

Why Don’t You Give Us Hugs? 32

Questions from kindergarteners caused this teacher to reconsider his student interactions Matthew Luginbill

Sharing the Superhero Role 34 4

One principal’s experience in the OLi project Deborah Telfer, Ph.D.

Grow Every Day, Grow Your Joy 36

Gardening provides joy, growth, lessons, and professional reflection Carrie Sanchez

Right Where You Should Be 38

Our biggest challenges are often our greatest teachers Sean Flynn principal navigator

In every issue table of contents

Executive Director’s Exchange

OAESA Board of Directors

Highlighting our OAESA President

SAIL for Education

From the Desk of OAESA’s Associate Executive Director

Team Up! Superheroes for Kids

Health Matters

Telling the OAESA story Julie Davis, Ed.D. Our 2018-2019 Board

Erin Simpson, 2018-2019 President

Making the SAIL for Education program part of your story Amber Gresham Lessons in Principalship Mark Jones

A photo review of our 2018 professional conference School wellness policies Heidi Briscoe Scarpitti

Legal Report

Legislative Update

Important dates for principals Dennis Pergram The principal’s role in advocacy Barb Shaner

ABOUT THE PRINCIPAL NAVIGATOR EDITORIAL SERVICE TEAM Luna Alsharaiha, Columbus Diocese Julie Kenney, South-Western City Schools Kirk Pavelich, North Royalton City Schools Dan Sebring, Bay Village City Schools Jeromey Sheets, Ed.D., Lancaster City Schools Erin Storer, Forest Hills Schools Tammy Wagner, Ed.D., Carey Exempted Village Schools Paul Young, Ph.D., retired Stephen Zinser, retired

OAESA/SAIL STAFF

Julie Davis, Ed.D., Executive Director Mark Jones, Associate Executive Director Nancy Abrams, Business Manager Michelle Burke, Executive Administrative Specialist Melissa Butsko, Graduate Program Specialist Rebecca Hornberger, Ph.D., Department Chair, SAIL for Education KT Hughes Crandall, Communications and Project Manager Mary Mitton-Sanchez, Editor, Principal Navigator, and Multimedia Specialist

EDITORIAL POLICY Unless otherwise noted, all articles published in the Principal Navigator become the property of OAESA and may not be reprinted without permission from OAESA. The articles published in the Principal Navigator represent the ideas and/or beliefs of the authors and do not necessarily express the views of OAESA. Advertising inquiries should be directed to OAESA by phone at 614.547.8087 or by emailing info@oaesa.org.

The Chalkboard

We’re Booked

For the School Library

The Principal Navigator (ISSN 1088-078X) is published three times per school year by OAESA, 445 Hutchinson Ave., Suite 700, Columbus, Ohio, 43235. Subscriptions are available only as part of membership. Periodical postage paid at Columbus, Ohio, and additional mailing offices.

Welcome OAESA’s New Members!

OAESA is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).

News from the Association

Members’ reviews of the latest, greatest books about education

Check out our selection of children’s book recommendations

CALL FOR ARTICLES

for OAESA’s Winter 2019 Principal Navigator: Fueling the Fire Here’s your chance to share your own story with your colleagues in OAESA’s Principal Navigator magazine. See page 57 for more information. Email all submissions to navigator@oaesa.org by November 1, 2018.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Principal Navigator 445 Hutchinson Ave., Suite 700 Columbus, Ohio 43235

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OAESA’s 2018-2019

Board of Directors Executive Board

PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT-ELECT

PAST PRESIDENT

Erin Simpson

Gretchen Liggens

Melanie Pearn

Overlook Elementary 650 Broad St. Wadsworth, OH 44281 330.335.1420 esimpson@wadsworthschools.org

Timothy Barton

Fairfax Elementary 6465 Curtiss Ct. Mentor, OH 44060 440.255.7223 pearn@mentorschools.org

Walton Pre-K–8 School 3409 Walton Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113 216.838.7500

gretchen.liggens@clevelandmetroschools.org

NAESP REP

ZONE 2 DIRECTOR

ZONE 3 DIRECTOR

Ryan McGraw

The Arts Academy at Summit 1100 10th St. NW Canton, OH 44703 330.452.6537 paydock_a@ccsdistrict.org

ZONE 4 DIRECTOR

ZONE 5 DIRECTOR

Jane Myers

Tammy Wagner, Ed.D.

ZONE 10 DIRECTOR

Minford Elementary PO Box 204 Minford, OH 45653 740.820.2287 rmcgraw@minfordfalcons.net

Danielle Wallace

Winton Woods Primary South 825 Lakeridge Drive Cincinnati, OH 45231 513.619.2470 wallace.danielle@wintonwoods.org

Cathryn Petticrew

ZONE 6 DIRECTOR

ZONE 7 DIRECTOR

ZONE 8 DIRECTOR

ZONE 9 DIRECTOR

Kesh Boodheshwar

Abbey Bolton

Susanne Waltman

Steve Foreman

Huntington Elementary 1931 Huntington Circle Brunswick, OH 44212 330.273.0484

kboodheshwar@bcsoh.org

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Davey Elementary 196 N. Prospect St. Kent, OH 44240 330.676.7400 ke_abolton@kentschools.net

Tecumseh Elementary 1058 Old Springfield Pike Xenia, OH 45385 937.372.3321 cpettic@gmail.com

Strausser Elementary 8646 Strausser St. Massillon, OH 44646 330.830.8056 sew2jc@jackson.sparcc.org

Aretha Paydock

Galloway Ridge Intermediate 122 Galloway Rd. Galloway, OH 43119 614.801.8850 tfb0523@swcsd.us

Zone Directors

ZONE 1 DIRECTOR

FEDERAL RELATIONS

Defiance Elementary 400 Carter Rd. Defiance, OH 43512 419.785.2260 jmyers@defianceschools.net

Zanesville City Schools 956 Moxahala Ave. Zanesville, OH 43701 740.454.9751 foreman@zanesville.k12.oh.us

Carey Elementary 216 Blue Devil Dr. Carey, OH 43316 419.396.7922 twagner@careyevs.org

Katie Nowak

New Albany Intermediate School 177 N. High St. New Albany, OH 43054 614.741.3000 nowak.3@napls.us

OAESA needs county representatives and district liaisons. Is your district represented?

Zone Map

Contact your zone director or email info@oaesa.org to find out more information about this opportunity. Sign up to be a district liaison online: oaesa.org. membership/ district-liaison

Board Representatives

CENTRAL OFFICE

ASST. PRINCIPAL

MINORITY

Daniel Graves

Stephanie Morton

Asia Armstrong, Ed.D.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

CLEVELAND DIST.

COLUMBUS DIST.

Audrey Staton

April Knight

Columbus City Schools 270 E. State St. Columbus, OH 43215 614.365.8951 dgraves@columbus.k12.oh.us

Carrie Sanchez

Port Clinton Middle School 807 S. Jefferson St. Port Clinton, OH 43452 419.734.4448 csanchez@pccsd-k12.net

Iowa-Maple Elementary 12510 Maple Ave. Cleveland, OH 44108 216.451.6630 stephanie.morton@ clevelandmetroschools.org

Warner Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Leadership Academy 8315 Jeffries Avenue Cleveland OH 44105 216.838.8950 audrey.staton-thompson@ clevelandmetroschools.org

Worthington Park Elementary 500 Park Rd. Westerville, OH 43081 614.450.5500 aarmstrong@wscloud.org

Avondale Elementary 141 Hawkes Columbus, OH 43222 614.365.6511 aknight@columbus.k12.oh.us

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g n i t h g i Highl SA E A O r ou t n e d i s e Pr

Incoming OAESA President, Erin Simpson

THE BASICS

FAMILY MEMBERS? Two daughters, Regan (14) and Reece (11). They are in ninth grade and sixth grade at Wadsworth City Schools. PETS? Goldendoodle puppy, Zoe YEARS IN THE CLASSROOM? YEARS IN ADMINISTRATION? 8 in the classroom, 13 as a principal EMERGENCY DESK FOOD? Diet Coke, chocolate, and peanut butter PERSONAL MANTRA? You have to have passion for what you do. Kindness matters. BEST DECISION? Joining OAESA! FAVORITE HOBBIES? Reading, shopping, and going to my kids’ basketball games

ELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND CURRENT POSITION.

I am a graduate of Miami University, and my master’s degree is from the University of Akron. I was a sixth grade teacher for five years and fourth grade for three years in Medina Schools. I started in Wadsworth City Schools in 2005 as principal of Lincoln Elementary and have been at Overlook for ten years. I am heading into my eleventh year there. I also have my superintendent’s license from the University of Dayton.

UP NEXT ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? To do something different and grow each year.

WHAT IS THE SCHOOL CLIMATE LIKE AT YOUR SCHOOL?

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A STUDENT? I was the talker in the class and drove the teachers crazy. In high school, I was very involved. I always enjoyed learning.

I have an amazing team and community that I work with, so every child is truly cared for by every staff member and community member. It’s a real family atmosphere where people are willing to do things for our students and staff. Our community and our parents want to do whatever they can to help us make students successful.

FAVORITE OAESA EVENT? Professional Conference

As a building, we have a theme that revolves around kindness. Last year, it was “Be the

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Reason” (be the reason for yourself or someone else). We try to focus on students’ emotional development as well as academic. Two years ago, we did Kids Deserve It (by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome) as a book study and wanted to make sure that we were putting those pieces into play, so we focus on student enjoyment and engagement in the classroom. I cannot stress how amazing the team around me is. We believe that every child is our child. WHAT DO YOU VIEW AS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF YOUR BUILDING? For every student, it’s loving them, making sure they have someone who believes in them, and cheering for them. For my staff, it’s supporting them to be the best teachers they can be and grow to give their best to our kids. IF WE INTERVIEWED YOUR STAFF, WHAT ARE THREE WORDS THEY WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE YOU? Dedicated. Passionate. Inspiring. CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING THE 2018-2019 PRESIDENT OF OAE-

“We have a chance to build the capacity and excitement for students’ learning. That is so powerful.”

SA. TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE ON THE BOARD. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE BOARD? WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT? Way back when I was an aspiring principal, I went to the OAESA aspiring principals’ conference (Preparing to Lead). I loved it. I loved the atmosphere and talking with everyone. I continued to be an interested member and follow the happenings. Eventually, I started to become more active. I was nominated for National Distinguished Principal, and I saw so many opportunities to be involved in the organization. The next year, I started working on the awards committee. Then there was an opening in my zone, so they asked me to run. I wanted to continue to give back to an organization that, I think, gives a lot back to the state. I wanted to serve a group that has served me and allowed me to grow so much as a principal. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BOARD’S GOALS FOR THE YEAR? One goal would be living our mission and vision. We also want to make intentional connections and supports. We worked on defin-

ing ourselves, and now we want to make sure that we are living that. We also want to work to be a support network, since so many of us work alone in our buildings. We want to be a resource for programming, support, and events that are opportunities for principals to grow. One of those is the new Beginning Administrators Mentorship Academy (BAMA) program that allows us to mentor new administrators in collaboration with the secondary association. THIS ISSUE FOCUSES ON TELLING EDUCATOR AND ADMINISTRATOR STORIES. WHY DID YOU BECOME AN EDUCATOR? WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO STAY IN THIS ROLE? I love what I do. I love the opportunity to work with students, families, and teachers. I love to work with them, share great books with them, challenge them, and learn new things with them. I learn every day! I feel like I could go back and do so many cool things in the classroom. We have a chance to build the capacity and excitement for students’ learning and help them believe in themselves at a young age. That is so powerful. The relationships we build with people are the most important things we can do. What I expect my

staff to do with my kids, I expect of myself. I have always wanted to work with kids and make a difference. I always felt good going to school, and I want all of my students to feel like they are the most important kid walking in the school. COULD YOU SHARE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE CONSIDERING AN ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE? WHY SHOULD THEY MAKE THIS PROFESSIONAL LEAP? The opportunity to work with all of the levels (students, families, teachers, peers) is such a great thing. You have to love doing what you do every day, so if you have that feeling, it’s a great time. I like to think with both my administrative and teacher hats on. We need strong leaders for our kids in these tough times for public educators. Yes, it’s hard, but anything worth doing is difficult. You have to work hard at it, because it’s the greatest gift we can give our kids. You can be the reason a child smiles, a teacher is inspired to learn, or a colleague picks up a new book. You can inspire so many people every day. fall 2018

SAIL story:

My journey through teacher leadership

ELL US YOUR BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION CAREER HISTORY.

I started out teaching in a daycare while finishing up my undergraduate degree. After graduating, I began my official teaching career at a charter school. I taught third grade there for three and a half years, serving as gradelevel team leader for most of those years. I moved to Columbus City Schools and taught a year of kindergarten, and then I joined the Lions at Livingston Elementary to teach second grade (one year) and third grade (three years). I ended up taking on more leadership roles by being in charge of my team’s teacher-based data team meetings and the after-school program. This year, my ninth year of teaching, I will teach third grade. HOW DID THE SAIL PROGRAM BECOME PART OF YOUR STORY? During my second year as a teacher, I saw a letter in my school mail about a master’s

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BY AMBER GRESHAM

program. Getting my master’s was on my checklist, especially since I thought it would be a requirement for teachers in the future. Since there was a great opportunity with the master’s program at Concordia, I decided to enroll. I ended up doing really well in the program and learned a lot. About three years later, I received a lot of emails about earning doctorate degrees from Concordia. I felt motivated to get my Ph.D., not only because I would be the first in my family to do so, but also because I remembered the great experience and support I had with my master’s program. I thought to myself, if I can earn a 4.0 with my master’s, maybe I could do the same with my doctorate degree. So I applied, took the test, and now I am toward the end of the program. WHAT APPEALS TO YOU ABOUT LEADERSHIP? You know? It’s a funny thing. If I were to tell myself 20 years ago that I would be leading others, I would have laughed or denied it because I was very shy. Since my junior year in high school, I was placed in leadership positions for sports, which

ended up preparing me to be a leader in other areas of my life, including church. Being a leader is a humbling experience. What appeals to me about leadership is the ability to help others in creative, fun, and effective ways. I love helping others, and acknowledging that gift has allowed me to make a huge impact on my peers and students. What I truly like about leadership is that I am learning about myself while I lead. I learn about the way I approach things, but also I am in a position where I can learn from others. HAS THE SAIL PROGRAM HAD AN IMPACT ON YOUR LEADERSHIP CAPACITY? IF SO, HOW? Absolutely! The SAIL program has opened up opportunities for me to use my Godgiven gift. I appreciate and love the advisors and professors that have helped me during my master’s and doctorate experiences. The people that I speak with throughout this program are very helpful and responsive to my needs. I really like the guidance with the program. I trust those in charge to lead me on the right path so that I can succeed.

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OAESA_AD_BIL-8x5.5_2018.indd 1

That type of leadership has also helped me develop a clear mindset and create a clear path for my own choices, whether it’s in my leadership role as a student or teacher. WHAT’S THE END OF YOUR STORY? HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF LEAVING A MARK ON THE WORLD OF EDUCATION? I feel like my story has just begun, and I am just starting to test the waters. Throughout this experience, I have been blessed to be in leadership positions at my job and be able to apply what I have learned in my current job. Being able to lead teachers with data and just helping them perfect their craft has been an amazing experience so far. So what does the road look like in the future? The end of my SAIL story would be me finishing school and earning a doctorate degree with honors. After that, I will continue to perfect my craft as a general education teacher. Eventually, I would like to become a master teacher,

6/29/18 11:17 AM

using my degree to travel around the world as a teacher consultant or become a college professor to lead future teachers. In the world of education, I want people to think of me as a great, energetic teacher leader who is a team player. I want to be known as someone who helps everyone I interact with achieve their highest potential. Amber Gresham lives and teaches in Columbus City Schools. She has one daughter, Laila. She dreamed of being a teacher since the second grade so she could continue the family tradition of teaching like her grandmother, Mary Ann. She enjoys making people laugh, creating excitement, and bringing energy to the classroom. When she is not teaching, she likes spending time with family and friends, baking, watching movies with her daughter, sewing, coaching (cheerleading, miming, acting, dancing), and participating in the media ministry at First Church of God.

Amber Gre

fall 2018

feature story

setting

thestandard What the Educational Standards Board does for you.

BY JULIE LATHER

HO IS THE ESB? The Educator Standards Board (ESB) is a committee nominated by professional organizations and approved by the Ohio State Board of Education (SBOE) to review both standards and licensure. Committee members include stakeholders such as principals, teachers, professors, superintendents, treasurers, and board members. By law, the SBOE is required to appoint ten teachers from public schools, one teacher from a chartered non-public school, five school administrators, one school board member, one parent representative, and three representatives from higher education to the ESB. The nominations for the ESB came from teachers’ unions, higher education, and educational associations that represent teachers, administrators, parents, and school board members. Membership on the board is voluntary. OAESA has a representative on the ESB. I am that representative, Julie Lather. As an elementary principal for 12 years and an educator for 30 years, I participate as an ESB member by sharing the principal’s point of view. WHEN DO THEY MEET? The committee typically meets seven times between September and June. We hold an evening meeting on Thursday followed by a fullday meeting on Friday. WHERE DO THEY MEET? Quest Conference Center 8405 Pulsar Place Columbus, Ohio 43240 614.540.5540 WHAT HAPPENS DURING MEETINGS? On Thursday evening, we usually meet as separate Standard and Licensure Committees. On Friday, we meet as a unified ESB committee to share the work from those sub-committees.

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We review items such as Ethics for Educators, Ohio Assessments for Educators, Ohio Standards for Teachers, Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES), and Ohio Standards for Principals. The conversations are lively, informative, and professional. We debate the strengths and areas for improvement based on data, feedback, and guidance from experts in the field. Often, we review multiple iterations of a document until it is “just right” and ready to publish. Feedback is collected frequently, and tweaks are made. Drafts become final versions, and a pilot may follow. Then, there is more review with stakeholder feedback and data from the field. Finally, repeat. We hear reports from the Ohio Department of Education, SBOE, Ohio Department of Higher Education, and the Office of Educator Effectiveness. Reports include information about past, current, or future topics, as well as legislation impacting our profession. Carolyn Everidge-Frey is the Director of the ESB, and Jeffrey Cooney is the Chair. At our latest meeting Thursday, June 7 and Friday, June 8, we discussed next year’s calendar and reflected on ESB’s self-evaluation results. In addition, we looked at the latest draft of the OTES rubric. The new evaluation rubric will be similar to the original OTES rubric. It takes into account the things we learned from the field during the implementation of the original OTES rubric such as making descriptors specific, clearly delineating from one performance level to the next, and incorportating data measures within the rubric. A pilot of the OTES rubric will happen in the upcoming school year. Finally, we reviewed the draft of the new Ohio Standards for Principals. This document outlines four domains that principals should know and be able to do: Leadership, Learning, Culture, and Management. The Ohio Standards for Principals aim to support principals, assess their leadership practices, and improve the wellbeing and academic success for each student in Ohio. For more information about the ESB, contact Julie Lather, at julie_lather@olsd.us or 740.657.4700. Julie is the principal at Oak Creek Elementary School in Olentangy Local Schools.

2018-2019 Professional Development

what does the future hold?

Beginning Administrators Academy

Part I: Sept. 10-11, 2018 and Part II: Dec. 5-6, 2018 at Hilton Columbus at Easton

New to administration? This two-part academy is designed to help you bridge the gap from theory to practice by providing guidance, networking, and a thorough overview of the practical details of your new role. Led by experienced principals, superintendents, and other education community leaders, the Beginning Administrators Academy gives you all the tools you need to run a successful school community.

OAESA Reading Summit

Oct. 9, 2018 at Nationwide Conference Center Join us for an exploration of creating strong reading communities with an emphasis on equity, access, and parental engagement. Breakout sessions and panels will be geared toward principals, teachers, intervention specialists, and literacy coaches. Topped off with keynotes by Donalyn Miller and Byron Garrett, plus a Scholastic book fair, get ready for a full day of inspirational, literacy-based learning!

OAESA Secretaries Conference Nov. 15-16, 2018 at DoubleTree Columbus Worthington

Reward and develop your school secretary by investing in his or her professional development. This practical, hands-on session is designed to help your secretary—and school—go to the next level with topics from time management and organization, to Google Training, office management, and legal updates, plus a trade show for the latest products and services for your school.

Handbook Conference

Jan. 10, 2019 at OCLC Conference Center

Compliance, legal issues, and ineffective practices can make updating your school handbook a sticky situation. Led by legal experts and practitioners, this interactive session is designed to ensure your school handbook has you covered.

Hot Topics Conference

Mar. 12, 2019, at OCLC Conference Center

The heat is on for school administrators across Ohio, and the uncertainties around new initiatives and demands can make it hard to keep your cool. Don’t sweat it! Our experts are here to answer your burning questions and address all the hot-button issues affecting education and administration today.

Assistant Principals Conference

Nov. 8-9, 2018 at Hilton Columbus at Easton This informative and engaging two-day event focuses on running a successful school with the diverse position of the assistant principal in mind. Learn and connect with colleagues from across Ohio as we discuss the challenges faced on the job and uncover the secrets of success.

Aspiring to the Superintendency

Nov. 29, 2018 at OCLC Conference Center Interested in the superintendency? Power up for the next phase in your career. This workshop will show you challenges today’s superintendents face, the politics of the position, how to work with school boards, negotiating your contract, and most importantly: what principals DON’T know about the position!

Legal Update Seminar

Feb. 7, 2019, at OCLC Conference Center Stay on top of the constantly changing laws and legal issues that affect your school and your day-to-day decisions. Legal experts will be on hand to demystify these changes with a focus on the legislative issues schools need to know.

Preparing to Lead

Mar. 7, 2019, at OAESA Conference Room

Have an aspiring administrator in your building, or just getting your own principal’s license? We’ll cover the in-depth topics you’ll need for a successful start: interviewing techniques, maneuvering through the hiring process, administrative contracts, and real-life case studies from the field. Don’t miss this chance to connect with current admins—your future colleagues!

The Magic of Why: Stories of Purpose

OAESA’s Annual Professional Conference June 12-14, 2019 at Hilton Columbus at Easton

Educators are driven by a mystical force—the WHY—the reason you’ve chosen this career. With keynotes by Todd Nesloney (Kids Deserve It) and “Outspoken Literacy Consultants” Sara Holbrook and Michael Salinger, learn how to harness your own WHY and join colleagues from across the state to explore purpose-driven practices that will transform your WHY into HOW. fall 2018

feature story

multi tiered

support

systems of

Students enter our schools every day in need of intervention, care, and services. Here’s how your school can help by implementing MTSS.

BY MARK GALLAGHER

HAT IS MTSS? WHY WAS IT THE RIGHT DECISION FOR YOUR DISTRICT?

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is the framework we use to deliver intervention, care, and services in the most appropriate fashion, as soon as the child enters those services. We try to size up the severity of the child’s needs and match them up with the most appropriate services. Our core multi-discipline data team works with every teacher to analyze every student in their class in some capacity. It allowed us to be more efficient and make effective decisions for kids and families in an expedient way. When we used RTI, we were concerned about kids spending too much time in each tier, operating on a referral basis, and the burden on the teacher. It felt like we were sitting around admiring a problem. Mostly, we wanted to improve our own internal systems of how we made decisions for kids. TELL US ABOUT WHAT PROMPTED THE TRANSITION TO MTSS? We didn’t feel like we were doing RTI well, and I think many districts agree that it is difficult to pull off. RTI is more of a scientific approach to something that has a lot of art and nuance. Making the shift was a no-brainer. We try to worry less about procedure and more about personalized fit.

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WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST ISSUES, IN YOUR MIND, THAT STUDENTS TODAY ARE FACING? The number one issue I see is the struggle with healthy socialemotional development. Our society grows more complex every year. With the advent of social media and technology, along with trust being down, it’s difficult for people to develop positive relationships with others. When you’re constantly being measured against the rest of the world, it can be difficult. As educators, it’s our job to try to foster students’ confidence and make the most of our time together. We have this time, so we must engage in best practices to help students be the best they can be. WHAT STEPS WOULD A SCHOOL NEED TO TAKE TO INITIATE THEIR OWN MTSS PROGRAM? Start with a needs analysis. When I start out, I need to size up my “problem.” I need to see the depth and breadth of what’s going on. Once I see what we need, I can start going to work. I ask if the program can pass the three-legged stool test: I look at timing, capacity, and resources. Is it the right time to initiate this? Do we have the right resources (capital and staff)? Do I have the professional capacity in our staff to pull this off ?

OAESA’s professional conference attendees participated in panel sessions focused on students’ social emotional well-being.

MARK’S BEST ADVICE: Don’t look at problems in isolation. No two children are alike, so it’s important to look at connections between problems and behaviors. Change the dialogue. We had to completely change how we thought about student needs and how we talked about their problems. Real change takes time. When we started MTSS, I was a building psychologist in a middle school, and it grew to a district-wide initiative. We’ve brought in community elements to create an integrated system of support. We have a much faster level of engagement to screen kids, understand issues, and make referrals. We serve as the lynchpin to address the needs of kids and families. We’re at the five-year mark, we’ve gone through some great transitions, and we have a ways to go. Mark Gallagher began working as a school psychologist at Marysville Exempted Village Schools in 2013. Since 2016, Mark has worked as Marysville’s K-12 MTSS Coordinator, designing systems for addressing student needs, warehousing and visualizing universal screening and general outcomes measure data, designing and delivering technology solutions to enhance our support systems, liaison with community assets, conduct functional behavior assessments, and design and support behavior intervention plans. Mark and his wife reside in Delaware, Ohio, where she is a school psychologist for a neighboring district. The author can be contacted at mark.gallagher@mevsd.us.

EXPERT ADVICE Use Mark’s resources to implement MTSS into your own school culture.

to browse

Promiseneighborhoods.org/kernels is a federalresearch consortium on research-based practices that work for MTSS . Ci3t.org/screening is a free-access tool to detect students at risk of anti-social behavior patterns.

to read

Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support: Blending RTI and PBIS by Kent McIntosh and Steve Goodman

to contact

Your county’s department of health to start the conversation about collaboration amongst agencies.

to save

Oaesa.org/mtssresources/ is the place to check out all of Mark’s MTSS documents and resources. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to implement this program! fall 2018

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from staff

team

Strategies to combat the growing teacher shortage.

BY J. RENEE GORDON

hey say that there are just two things one cannot avoid: death and taxes. If you are in K-12 education, I would add being impacted by the teacher shortage to that list.

With 50% of the 3.5 million teachers in the US now eligible to retire and a 39% decline in the number of new teacher graduates, this problem will only worsen. Depending on the rate of retirement, we project between a 650,000 to 1.5 million teacher shortages within five years. That works out to every public, private, and charter school being short 13 teachers per building (see tables on page 17 for more information). After working in recruitment for the IT industry and now working in recruitment for K-12 schools, there are some simple steps administrators can take to avoid getting caught up in the teacher shortage tsunami. Schools must move from the current passive model of recruiting to an active model. Passive recruiting means putting a stock job description out there that lists more of what you want and less of what you have to offer. It’s kind of like going on a date with a narcissist. It starts late and moves slowly. There is no urgency. The process to apply is often long and complicated. The interview process is even worse, because it is dependent on the candidate finding you. Active recruiting means that you stop hiring to fill positions and start hiring to build a winning team.

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To do so, there are four critical components: • First, you have to know what you are looking for. Knowing who your students, staff, and stakeholders are will allow you to understand who will best serve those groups. • Second, you have to have a strong value proposition. That means over and above money and benefits, what is it that you have to offer? • Next, you have to know where to look. Helpful hint: job fairs are not the best place to look, because again, it is dependent on the candidate coming to you. • Finally, you have to know how to manage the process. If it takes you more than 30 days to fill a position, you are doing it wrong. Imagine if sports teams filled their rosters with those who simply showed up. Teams know what types of skills players need to go from a group of athletes to a winning team. Teachers leave schools, they don’t leave winning teams. Starting to assemble your winning team now will put you in a more secure position as the teacher shortage grows. J. Renee Gordon works with K-12 schools in the US helping them find the leaders they need to succeed. Internationally, she represents the largest private education group in China, with 12 schools and 45,000 students. To contact the author, please email rgordon@esquared.us.

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Of the 3.5 million teachers and 240,000 administrators, 50% could retire today. fall 2018

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justicesystem

lessons in the criminal Students learn while solving ‘crime’ with BCI Science School

BY OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL MIKE DEWINE hile solving a “crime” and untangling a mystery about a farmer and his dog, fourth graders who participate in the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) Science School are also learning the STEAM subjects of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

The rural whodunit is at the heart of BCI Science School, a free, 26-part lesson plan that uses hands-on experiments and inquiry-based learning aligned to the Ohio Department of Education’s fourth grade standards. The program, which started in March 2017, is available statewide. To increase students’ interest in STEAM disciplines and professions, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office created a curriculum with accompanying video clips that take students into the field with BCI agents and into the laboratory with forensic scientists. By

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participating in the lessons, students take on the roles of scientists and criminal investigators while solving a fictitious crime.

between algal blooms and fertilizer, laundry detergent, and water temperatures.

While being captivated by the mystery, students are also learning. The curriculum includes:

In some cases, the program has inspired teachers to take the science school mystery to another level. A teacher from the Union-Scioto Local School District, for example, proposed working with the Attorney General’s Office and BCI to put on a special “learning day” for students.

• Hands-on, inquiry-based lessons and experiments. • Opportunities to develop problem-solving and criticalthinking skills. • A window into careers in forensic science and criminal investigation. • Activities that call for learning by trial and error and individual exploration. • Opportunities for collaboration and social interaction. • Tasks that call for the application of core knowledge through solving relevant challenges, while developing perseverance and tenacity. Most of the lessons require common household or classroom supplies and materials. The few lessons that require supplies that may be slightly more expensive are optional and are not integral to solving the mystery. The implementation schedule of the curriculum can be modified to take into account a classroom’s structure, resources, and student needs. For example, some teachers complete one lesson every day, and some teachers opt for one lesson every week. While the curriculum was developed for a typical classroom environment, BCI Science School can easily be adapted for after-school programs, summer camps, and homeschool settings. Marlana Mielke, the gifted intervention specialist and SmartLab facilitator at Danbury Schools in Ottawa County, Ohio, introduced her fifth and sixth grade students to BCI Science School. The experiments were popular with the children, and Mielke liked how the lesson plans provided extension options to allow her to make each unit more challenging. “I particularly enjoyed the optional algal bloom experiment and lesson; our district is located right on Lake Erie, and my students see these blooms each summer, but didn’t know too much about them other than that they prevent them from swimming in the late summer,” Mielke said. “The BCI lesson allowed us to ‘grow’ our own blooms in jars to fully understand the effects that fertilizers and heat have on the creation of algal blooms.” As part of their final projects for science school, some of Mielke’s students wrote persuasive essays against the use of fertilizers, while others created a data table and graph showing the connection

For the event, about 50 students from three elementary schools in Ross and Pickaway counties joined BCI agents and law enforcement representatives at a barn in Chillicothe to be “sworn in” as BCI junior agents, work on some extension activities to the lessons, and talk about science and investigations. Tammy Days, who teaches at Bloom-Vernon Elementary School in Scioto County, Ohio, has twice used the BCI Science School curriculum and is eager to continue with it. “I love that BCI Science School is cross-curricular with embedded English Language Arts (ELA). Even though it targets fourth grade standards, it is very easily adaptable to grade 3,” she said. “This project-based adventure allows students to explore a fascinating branch of science in a real-world scenario.” The students are always eager to participate in BCI Science School, Days said. “They do not just enjoy the program, they adore it. This has become their favorite time of the day,” she said. “Their interests are piqued. Their curiosity stoked. They really like the hands-on aspects and the feeling that they are using real police procedures. “If I had to nail down one thing I like most, it’s that (the lessons) are age-respectful,” Days said. “The content is not watered down. It is presented on a level students can understand, but great care was taken to respect their talents and abilities. They feel like they are solving a real crime, and that it is a worthwhile endeavor.” For more information or to access the lessons, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/BCIScienceSchool or contact BCI@ohioattorneygeneral.gov. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has served as a U.S. senator, a U.S. House member, Ohio’s lieutenant governor, an Ohio senator, and Greene County’s prosecuting attorney. He supports education and started the BCI Science School to prompt students to think about pursuing careers in science and criminal justice. He and his wife, Fran, live in Cedarville, Ohio. They have eight children and 23 grandchildren.

fall 2018

FROM THE DESK OF OAESA’S

Associate Executive Director

Lessons in principalship BY MARK JONES

ccording to the old adage, time flies when you’re having fun. It must be true, because it seems like only a year or two ago, I was fresh out of college and launching my career as a classroom teacher in a small but growing county school district in central Ohio. In reality, it was 38 years ago, and that “small” county system is now the 15th largest district in Ohio with more than 10,000 students.

learned than by those I’ve taught. Especially meaningful are those recurring themes that I have found to hold true regardless of the role I’m in at the time. In particular, two such lessons seem to me to be rather universal, and I’d like to share them with you. First, there is clearly strength in numbers; and, second, there is a big world out there beyond the walls of my classroom or school that is full of new ideas, strategies, and perspectives that can add value to my instruction and leadership.

As a first year teacher preparing my lessons, my basic plan was to always stay at least one day ahead of my students. At times, I felt lucky to have lessons planned even one class period ahead my kids! But, as stressful as that first year was, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Indeed, I believe there was more opportunity for growth and experimentation than I ever imagined, and the experience of being a rookie taught me so many valuable lessons. Eventually, I settled into a comfortable routine, but the excitement of watching students grow both cognitively and emotionally never diminished.

From a teacher’s perspective, it was easy to understand that we are stronger collectively, and that much more will be accomplished when everyone is rowing in the same direction. Having served on the negotiating team for our teacher’s association through three different contract cycles, I learned that it could be far more challenging to get our entire membership on the same page about a particular topic or issue than it was to “win” our point at the bargaining table.

Without a doubt, I’ve been far more fascinated by the lessons I’ve learned than by those I’ve taught.

At this point, my journey as an educator has spanned 14 years as a middle level science teacher, another 19 years as an elementary and middle school building administrator, and, for the past five years, I’ve served our pre-K through 8 administrators here at OAESA. Each role has afforded me its own unique experiences, risks, rewards, and growth opportunities. In the spirit of Dr. Seuss, “Oh, the stories I could tell!”

Without a doubt, I’ve been far more fascinated by the lessons I’ve

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As a principal, I found that the success of any new building initiative or program was directly proportional to the amount of buy-in that I was able to generate within the staff. The actual value or results of a program turned out to be less important than the staff ’s belief in its worth. And now, in my role as OAESA Associate Executive Director, collectivity continues to be a theme. When it comes to advocating for the importance and perspectives of our school administrators, it is clear to me once again that we have strength in numbers. Yes, that’s a shameless, bold-faced plug for you to join us in membership each and every year of your career

as a school administrator. Beyond that, it is a plea for you to actively encourage your fellow administrators, both within and beyond your district, to join us as well. We have more clout and impact when we stand together!

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The second axiom that I’d like you to consider involves the reality that the world is full of other people who are doing the same job that you have and from whom you might learn a great deal about how to be successful. The reason I feel it is important to highlight this concept is simple: I know firsthand how your work can be overwhelming and, at times, isolating. With so much urgent, important work on your plate, it is very easy to fall into the trap of working full-bore, with your nose to the grindstone, and without any time to look up! I remember that for the first several years of my principalship, I was so focused on what was happening inside my school that I didn’t pay much attention to what was going on in education at the state or national level. I convinced myself that I was too busy to get involved with activities beyond the walls of my school, like our state association, or to leave the building long enough to attend any conferences. I hate to admit it, but I was a little arrogant in assuming that I already knew everything necessary to run my building. I thought that I only needed the time to do it. Boy, was I wrong!

Break free from student loan debt

Fortunately, I was encouraged by a superintendent to look beyond just my own building and to get more involved with issues impacting education on a wider scale. Even luckier for me, I found the perfect vehicle with which to do it: OAESA. Over the past few years, I have attended countless conferences, workshops, and seminars that have broadened my understanding of the principal’s role in creating wonderful learning environments for students. These experiences have deepened my appreciation for all that our school administrators do each day.

We can help you explore ways to remove or reduce monthly payments and redirect any savings to retirement to help you get on the road to financial success.

One other thought struck me the other day. I recalled thinking that I was a pretty good teacher when I was in the classroom, clear up until the time I became a principal. Curiously, once I became a principal, with the opportunity and responsibility to observe different teaching styles and techniques around the school, I saw so many examples of outstanding teaching. In many ways, it was a humbling experience! I worked on my skills as a principal, again believing that I was doing a pretty good job. It wasn’t until I fully engaged with our state and national associations, attending many conferences with terrific sessions on all aspects of school leadership, that I realized how much more I could be doing for my school. Again, a humbling realization! So, the message here is simple. Your state and national associations exist to help you grow as a leader. Take advantage of all we offer for your professional growth and to foster intentional connections. Trust this veteran; you will be glad you did!

Get on the road to financial success Horace Mann offers a suite of solutions to help OAESA employees manage student loan debt.

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editor’s note At the start of a new year or at the end of a hard day, it’s important to remember

why

themagic of

nce upon a time you made a decision. You decided to become a teacher or principal, and that decision inevitably changed the rest of your life. Think about your own education story. Consider the settings where you’ve worked, the plotting you’ve done to get to where you are, the characters you’ve encountered, the conflicts and conquests you’ve overcome, and the resolutions and contributions you’ve made to the people and lives around you. We’re betting it’s a pretty riveting tale. This year, in the midst of the busy lives we all lead, we hope to take some time to reflect on why we do what we do. Our hope is that even after a trying day or a busy week, you can look back on the following stories, and your own story, with confidence and happiness.

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My worst assignment was the best

BY PAUL G. YOUNG, PH.D.

hile reading Chip and Dan Heath’s The Power of Moments, their description of “pit” and “peak” moments hit home with me as I reflected on a specific event prior to my fourth and final principalship.

It was May 10, 1996. I was busy wrapping up Teacher Appreciation Week activities on a sunny Friday afternoon, and I noticed my superintendent unexpectedly walking up the sidewalk to my school. After welcoming him as I had done numerous times, we walked to my office to chat. Minutes flew by, and I remained unclear as to why he was visiting. My mind was racing, trying to figure out a reason for his visit. An angry parent? Disgruntled union representatives? What was it? The small talk continued for a seemingly long time before he dropped the bomb. “You’ll be the principal of West School next year!” he announced. Those words were shocking. I was comfortably serving a school located in one of the city’s most affluent neighborhoods, and now I heard him say that I was being assigned to one of the toughest. I hadn’t asked for a change or had any indication that one was forthcoming. I wanted to scream! I know he could clearly see my surprised, frustrated reaction of despair. I remember uttering, “What did I do wrong?” He replied with words of reassurance, but in that “pit” moment, they were lost. I felt increasingly sick from the pit in my stomach.

What had happened to me and to my career? Like many school districts, our negotiated agreement permitted involuntarily transfers of teachers and principals between schools. Sometimes, the reasons were justified, but often they were negatively perceived. West School, to which I found myself being involuntarily moved, had a reputation as a tough school. It was a school where teachers were “assigned” after trouble and problems had developed in other schools. I’d heard all the rumors as they went through the district’s “gripevine,” and now I assumed I was also in trouble, regardless of what my superintendent tried to say. I was completing my sixth year at the current school and my tenth as a principal. There had been many instances of conflict with the staff over site-based, decision-making implementation, homogenous vs. heterogenous grouping, discipline philosophy, evaluations, and more. I was not a favorite with the teachers’ union representatives. I assumed they had gotten to the superintendent, and this move was my punishment. As the summer months passed, a depression consumed me. I was too young to retire. My wife taught in the district, and our daughters attended the high school. A move elsewhere wasn’t viable, and I felt trapped. I seemed to have few options, so I sucked it up. I became the new principal of West School. Fortunately, my secretary chose to transfer with me. I’m not sure how she convinced her union representatives to support

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the move, but nevertheless she did. She was one of the most efficient office managers in our district with a tremendous work ethic. We both valued how the other worked, and we clicked as a team. We set about creating the structure we needed within the office to be effective. West School was situated across the street from the Anchor Hocking Glass Factory, which had been Lancaster’s largest employer until the late 60s. However, as with many manufacturing cities in Ohio, the once prosperous, locally-owned, and managed industry had been sold in the 70s, and many operations and jobs had been outsourced to other states or overseas. The surrounding homes in the once proud, working-class neighborhood had deteriorated into rentals with phantom landlords. Drugs, violence, and crime had become widespread. A homeless shelter and food pantry had been established within blocks of the school to help address the needs of the destitute. The school seemed to be on the wrong end of any sort of measurement – low achievement, high disciplinary referrals, highest poverty level, etc. What could I do as the principal that leaders before me had not?

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Nonetheless, there were many “pit” moments during the transformation of West School which were disappointing and hurtful: • I was told by a different superintendent that I could not run for NAESP president-elect the first time I asked. • Resistance from union representatives and several veteran staff members was a persistent problem. • Often, at first, kids and parents were angry and disrespectful to me and my staff, but that later changed. • Parental involvement was inadequate. • Achievement continued to lag behind other schools.

What could I do as the principal that leaders before me had not?

Fortunately, I had become active in OAESA prior to the transfer. I was serving on the Board of Directors, and within a year was voted to become President-elect. The support I received from respected and trusted leaders across the state, fellow board members, and valued mentors Dick Murray and Fred Fastenau (OAESA’s Executive and Assoc. Executive Directors at the time), kept me focused on positive initiatives happening throughout Ohio and the nation. They helped lead me out of my depression. Then, within a few years, I was elected to the Board of Directors of NAESP (an outcome of an unimaginable write-in campaign) and three years later was victorious in my campaign to become NAESP’s President-elect. My connection with outstanding leaders in my professional

associations became a lifeline. I thrived from the ideas I absorbed and synthesized them into the catalyst for change at my school. OAESA and NAESP experiences provided many of my “peak” moments as a principal.

My story of gloom and doom could be yours, but my worst assignment eventually became my best. It is a story of grit, determination, and growth mindset of the faculty, staff, students, parents, and community benefactors who teamed up to create dramatic changes. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” could have been our theme song. The transformation was a journey, and we never stopped believing in why we were doing what we were doing. I served eight years as principal of West School before retiring in December 2004. Once we began clicking, the years flew by. I realize now that my superintendent had handed me the best leadership opportunity of my career. Upon retirement, I could proudly reflect on many positive outcomes: • An integrated language arts professional development training process that elevated many

teachers to master levels and increased test scores. It also confirmed that effective training and new practices had put us on the right path for change. • A school-wide, teacher-developed code of conduct that dramatically decreased referrals to the office for student management support. Long before Positive Behavioral Intervention & Supports (PBIS), the West School staff began teaching positive behaviors, resulting in numerous days without serious behavioral incidents. The change in school culture was immediately noticeable. • The development of a fully-inclusive mindset with respect to teaching kids of varied abilities. Our school’s participation in OAESA’s Leadership for Results training motivated us to become trailblazers in the delivery of inclusive special education programming in our district and region of the state. • A focus on arts enrichment which produced greater numbers of students participating in band and choir, the pilot and eventual adoption of Yamaha’s Music in Education (MIE) program, and a communitysupported summer arts program. • The creation of an after-school program with strong support from community volunteers as well as the congregation of the neighboring Sixth Avenue United Methodist Church. From that fledgling volunteer program developed the non-profit West After School Center, a 501(c)(3) independent, community-based service organization that continues to support all Lancaster schools. My work in supporting this initiative led to a job upon retirement and my eventual employment with the National AfterSchool Association as the group’s President and CEO. • West’s recognition in the Blue Ribbon Schools Program and designation as an OAESA Hall of Fame School. Thinking back to that day in May 1996 and learning about my transfer, I remember feeling so disheartened that I could have quit. My journey, as with yours, was to take many unexpected twists and turns with countless bumps, bruises, mistakes, and triumphs. One of those occurred in June 2002, on my final day with teachers before I was scheduled to begin a leave-of-absence in order to serve as NAESP’s President. We received the results of our state proficiency tests, and West School students (and teachers) had achieved the highest scores in reading at first, fourth, and sixth grade levels. We had made it! The

journey had been long, often dangerous and lonely, but worth it. I recall sharing the news via the school PA and being able to hear my staff ’s thunderous cheers echoing throughout the school all the way back to the office. I still get goosebumps thinking about that day. We had created an epic “peak” moment (and there were many others). Those peaks helped us forget the feelings we had shared during our pit moments. There isn’t enough space in any magazine or journal to acknowledge and detail everything that took place in our school’s transformation or the players who led the changes. Your school might face similar challenges. Hopefully, our West School Story gives you hope. Most importantly, it is shared to reinforce a valuable lesson: Connect with other principals. Make time to get out of your community and learn best practices elsewhere. Then, cast your vision, believe in yourself, make your mark, and enjoy the journey. Principals have the best jobs! Recommended Reading: Heath, Chip & Heath, Dan (2017). The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact. New York: Simon & Shuster. Sinek, Simon (2009). Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. New York: Penguin Group. Young, Paul (2008). Promoting Positive Behaviors: An Elementary Principal’s Guide to Structuring the Learning Environment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Young, Paul (2004). You Have to Go to School - You′re the Principal! - 101 Tips to Make It Better for Your Students, Your Staff, and Yourself. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. *** Dr. Paul G. Young, a past-president of OAESA, also served as President of both the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National AfterSchool Association (NAA). He has written extensively on the topic of school leadership, school, and after-school alignment, led training workshops throughout the country, and played an influential role in the development of practical, evidence-based alignment strategies for school leaders and after-school professionals. The author can be contacted via email at paulyoungohio@gmail.com.

fall 2018

feature story

it takes

a village

For many educators, community is essential in shaping who we are.

BY JANE MYERS

he phrase “It takes a village” is thrown around a lot in education. This African proverb has been around a long time. It gained renewed popularity in the mid 90s when Hillary Clinton penned a book by that name, but it has always been my motto when thinking about things that have shaped me as an educator. I’ve had a village for as long as I can remember. The members and the function of the village has changed throughout my life, but the personal and professional importance of the village has been a constant for over 50 years. You see, my mother was a teacher, and my first village consisted of the ladies who took care of me while my mother worked outside of the home (not very common in the early 60s). Arlene and Ila provided me care in their homes, accompanied me to events when my mother was working, helped with homework, and made me a part of their families. I learned from my mother at an early age that a career in education was hard, but it was rewarding work that didn’t end when the school bell rang. The second village consisted of my mother’s coworkers, also working mothers, whose children I grew up with at Grand Rapids Elementary. We had the run of the hallways and playgrounds before and after school. Those women shared in praising us when we did good and scolding us when we misbehaved. They took turns being responsible for homework completion if another mom/teacher had an after-school meeting. These ladies were also my teachers, and I learned from them that I could be anything I wanted to be.

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From Mrs. Frazier in kindergarten to Mrs. Doman in fifth grade, these women would encourage me, even into adulthood, to pursue my dream of being a teacher. The story goes that I told Mrs. Frazier that I wanted to be a teacher, and that I would just stay in kindergarten for 12 years and then take her place. Many of these women became mentors as I traversed through college and the early years of my career. They continued to be my village long after I thought I didn’t need a village. I did forge a special bond with Mrs. Frazier and as recently as last summer, I visited with her as she celebrated her 102nd birthday. She never failed to tell me how proud she was of me, and that I had indeed chosen education as a career. I felt honored to speak at her funeral last December and let her family know how she had begun shaping me into an educator, beginning in kindergarten. Currently, my village consists of those administrators for whom I have worked, those colleagues in similar positions, and the teachers in my building. I depend on them for support, encouragement, and wisdom. They can talk me off the ledge when need be, show me what true patience is, commiserate when that’s the only option I see, and then help me envision a solution to an issue. Their leadership inspires me to step up my game. Although the members may change, my village will always continue to shape me as an educator. And my hope is that I can play even a small part of someone else’s village. Jane P. Myers is beginning her 22nd year in education, her 11th year as a principal with the last seven being at Defiance Elementary. She and her husband, Ralph, live in Defiance, Ohio, where they spend time with their daughter and two active grandsons. The author can be contacted at jmyers@defianceschools.net.

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“I didn’t find teaching and leadership. It found me.” 28

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the discovery

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of why

Education wasn’t the inevitable choice; it was the obvious one.

BY JEN SCHWANKE hen I am completely honest with myself, I know this: I didn’t find teaching and leadership. It found me. And with it came my “why.”

I was that student – the one who honestly didn’t know what she wanted to do. For a long time, I had no idea. I was (and remain) the only person in my family, immediate and extended, who wasn’t self-employed. My parents were exceedingly respectful of teachers and schools, but it had never occurred to me – or them – that school was a thing someone could do for a job. In school, I found kindness, mentorship, and emotional safety. I found bullies, tattletales, and social hierarchies. There were good teachers and poor teachers. I found my strengths as a reader and writer; I found many areas of weakness. Sometimes, I fit in. Other times, I struggled as an outcast. Hard as it was, I was comfortable there. But I was fiercely eager to leave, because that’s what teenagers feel when it is time to graduate. I looked for a new and different path, thinking, vaguely, of a career as a writer or editor. Later, to combat student loans, I was a bartender in a corporate restaurant. I was invited to a management-training program – which sounded all right, I supposed. There were stumbles and missteps, and an elusive sense of discomfort. After awhile, nothing made sense. Confused and uncertain, I found myself thinking about previous teachers and their role in my journey as a learner. I thought of the things they’d identified to me – for me, with me, and about me. I enrolled in a masters’ program to obtain a teacher’s certification. Five minutes into my first class, I felt a little glimmer of optimism – these people are speaking a language I believe in! This is something important! I want to be part of this! Becoming a teacher was like coming home.

It wasn’t the job I loved, not specifically – it was the environment. Schools have all the things the larger world has, but in each situation, there is an understanding that learning can, and should, be part of the process. There are supports, scaffolds, systems, and tribes of people there to keep everyone moving in the right direction, saying: • Learning is a lifelong process. • It’s okay to ask for help. • Don’t let a bully win. • Everyone gets a voice. • Be an advocate for others; find an advocate for yourself. • When things aren’t right, challenge them. Respectfully. • Take when you need. Give back when you can. • Confidence, resilience, perseverance, and dependability matter, and all can be learned. • Build relationships relentlessly. • Young people know things; it is wise to listen to what they say. I bristle when I hear someone blasting public education. With notable exceptions, public education is one of the things in our society that is working well. Every kid has the right to a free education. That’s notable. We can’t say the same for some other social services, including medical care, nutritional sustenance, or mental health services. These days, I keep a keen eye on students who may someday be teachers, and on teachers who may someday be school leaders. I consider it a delightful responsibility to tap on the shoulder of others who should join in the movement. Their “why” might be right there, looking for them. Jen Schwanke has served as an administrator at the elementary and middle school level. She is a frequent contributor to Choice Literacy, Lead Literacy, and Education Week Teacher. She is the author of the book, You’re the Principal! Now What? Strategies and Solutions for New School Leaders, published by ASCD. An graduate instructor in educational leadership, she has presented at multiple conferences at the state and national level. Schwanke can be heard on several radio and podcast programs, including BAM! Radio and Education Talk Radio. The author can be contacted at jenschwanke@gmail.com. fall 2018

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living

ourbeliefs At Highland Middle School, getting to the to the intersection of growth and learning is the final destination. BY MATT BRADLEY

t Highland Middle School in Morrow County, we aim to set high standards for all students through a personalized learning environment. We strive to create and sustain this environment, where we are able to meet each student’s individual needs. Through personalization, we provide instruction right at students’ levels. There are many instances where students are working at a level of discomfort. Even the “smartest” students have a ceiling, and our approach allows students to work right at those levels. Rather than having to regurgitate things they already know, students must work at the edge of their current level. At this edge comes learning and growth. Creating and maintaining high standards from both staff and students is of utmost and vital importance. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, recently explained high standards in a memo to shareholders: “High standards are contagious. Bring a new person onto a high standards team, and they’ll quickly adapt. The opposite is also true. If low standards prevail, those too will quickly spread.” We are building a culture of excellence and

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continuous learning at HMS that is positively contagious and pervades both the student body and teaching staff. Four core beliefs guide us on our mission to create life-long learners: We believe that students learn and grow at their own pace. Our teachers provide a variety of instruction to students (whole class, partial group, individual). Students determine when to assess on grade-level curriculum based on their personal readiness and are challenged as they work in their zone of proximal development. Students, teachers, and parents use online platform to set goals, track progress, and access multiple resources. Students will grow as learners, become self-motivated owners of their learning, and work at levels that are appropriately challenging. We believe that every student should be known. Our students are assigned to an adult mentor and have weekly 1:1 checkins. Each student will have new mentors each year, and by eighth grade, they will have had at least three adult mentors. Also, regular, ongoing communication between mentors and

“What we believe about kids empowers them or limits them.”

families is vital to knowing every student. Students will feel significant and connected to at least one adult during their three years at HMS. We believe that students should grow in every area of learning (whole child). Teachers provide students with real-world, higher-level thinking projects where they apply content knowledge. Teachers/mentors also work with students to build habits of success such as: setting goals, making study plans, reflecting on progress, prioritizing learning, communicating with others, building confidence (academic and social), creating steps to achieve future goals (college and/or career), and responding to events appropriately. Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively manage and enjoy their lives. We believe that students deserve a safe and caring learning environment. Students create positive student/ mentor relationships, and teachers/mentors help students manage the myriad of adolescent emotions. Teachers greet students in class and in the hallways with a smile and respect.

Students are recognized for good character with “Character Corn” coupons. The Friends of Rachel Club promotes kindness initiatives throughout the school year, including the New Student Committee. Students will genuinely enjoy coming to school and will know it is a safe place to truly be themselves. On the whiteboard in the principal’s office reads the following quote: “What we believe about kids…empowers them or limits them.” At Highland Middle School, we aim daily to truly empower every single one of our kids. Matt Bradley has been the principal of Highland Middle School in Morrow County since 2015. Prior to 2015, Matt served as the assistant principal of Highland Elementary School for two years and was a classroom teacher for nine years in the Mount Vernon and Wapakoneta City School Districts, respectively. The author can be contacted at matt_b@hlsd.us.

fall 2018

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“Why don’t you give us hugs?” A casual classroom conversation caused a male kindergarten teacher to consider his interactions with students.

uring the last day of my third grade student teaching experience, a young girl named Sarah silently approached me from behind, unnoticed, and gave me a hug. She wrapped her arms around the back of my leg, closed her eyes, and rested the side of her head on my khaki pants. Her grip on my leg offered an uncomfortable moment for me, and I was left with a situation where I did not know how to react. It seemed to last for hours. I quickly looked at my cooperating teacher, not only for help, but to see her reaction. Her attention was focused in another direction. I looked back down at the young girl and patted her head like I would pat a dog. This brief encounter passed unnoticed by the class. This kind and loving goodbye gesture left me conflicted. Being a male teacher, I was uncomfortable with the touching nature of giving a hug to a young girl and the perceptions that go along with it, but part of me enjoyed the nurturing thank you Sarah had offered on my last day in her classroom.

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BY MATTHEW LUGINBILL, PH.D. My teacher education program did a wonderful job of preparing me for the curriculum aspects of teaching such as creating lesson plans, differentiating instruction, writing assessments, and providing intervention. I was not prepared for the gendered environment of early childhood education when Sarah hugged me. The topic of physical contact was not addressed in my preparation program, and during my field experiences I often kept my distance from touching students. I would give both boys and girls high fives or fist bumps on the playground or in the classroom for positive reinforcement. When students would approach me for a hug I would back away or stop their progress with a hand to the head, because I was not comfortable with this aspect of my role. These field experiences were the first opportunities in which I was interacting with young children, and I was more comfortable establishing physical boundaries between us. By the time I started my teaching career, I had developed a hands-off approach to physical contact with students. My peers in the building warned me about touching students, and my mom, who was a

kindergarten teacher at the time, said, “You should never be alone in the classroom with a student.” After only two short years in third grade, I moved down to first grade and finally settled in kindergarten. The combination of sustained experience and teaching in younger grades began to erode the boundaries I had established. My handsoff stance regarding physical contact with students, however, would soon meet its match. Kindergarten students are wired to be inquisitive. They are constantly asking questions about every topic under the sun. By spring they sometimes begin to show interest in the personal aspects of my life. Before this time, some of them think I live and sleep at the school. I became the topic of interest one spring afternoon. Kindergarteners can be remarkably blunt and honest. One girl raised her hand and asked, “Are you married?” I quickly replied, “No.” She asked, “Why not?” I replied, “I haven’t found the right person yet.” I called on another student who asked, “Do you have any kids?” I responded, “Sure, all twenty-two kids in our room!” The class smiled and the girl followed up with, “You

know what I mean, do you have any kids?” I said, “No.” Our discussion continued and I answered both the initial and follow up questions from the class. As quickly as the spontaneous interview started it was beginning to fizzle out when one young lady asked a seemingly harmless question, “Why don’t you give us hugs?” This thoughtful question left me speechless. I was at a loss for words. When I find myself in situations like this, I try to buy time and said, “Great question.” I thought about her question for a few more seconds and eventually responded, “I really don’t know.” Not knowing it at the time, this moment created the momentum for improving my relationships of care with the students in kindergarten. After school, I began to reflect on why I never gave hugs to students. I had over eight years teaching experience. I was comfortable with my own masculinity and my nurturing role as a kindergarten teacher. At the time I was not ready to completely abandon my policy regarding physical contact with students, but this discussion really shook my philosophy. A few days later, as a result of

our discussion, I said to the class, “On the last day of school you can have a choice: a handshake, a high-five, or a hug.” When I made this announcement I looked over at the young girl who had prompted me to reflect on my policy, and a smile crept across her face. She was glowing and seemingly had already made her decision. Now, with seventeen years in early childhood education, I check all of the boxes to make parents feel comfortable about their children spending the day with a male teacher: I am married to a woman, I am a dad with two of my own daughters at home, and I have built up a reputation over the past fourteen years in my current district. Unfortunately, not all men who enter early childhood education have the time and support to navigate these gender stereotypes. Surprisingly, a few years ago one of my administrators actually addressed the topic of physical contact with students at the opening of the school year. He gave teachers the green light to hug and squeeze students, because they need to feel safe, secure, and loved in our district. Hearing this put me even more at ease about

giving daily hugs to the children in my class. When school begins every year, school personnel have lofty goals of developing students into problem solvers, risk-takers, critical thinkers, creative students, and good citizens. This broad focus seems to narrow after initial getting-to-know-you activities, and our spotlight shifts to speaking, writing, reading, and work with numbers. Whether you welcome your students to a new school year with a smile, high-five, or hug, showing them you care is a necessary first step in building relationships and helping them become passionate, life-long learners. Dr. Matthew Luginbill has spent the last seventeen years teaching students in kindergarten, first, second, and third grade. He currently works in second grade at Cuyahoga Heights Elementary School. He completed his master’s degree in educational administration from Ashland University and his Ph.D. in urban education from Cleveland State University. His research interests include the recruitment and retention of men teachers in early childhood education. The author can be contacted at matthew.luginbill@gmail.com.

Achieving results in Academics, Leadership and Culture

Adriana Berger adriana.berger@franklincovey.com (614) 580 - 7449

�, FranklinCovey.

'-J

EDUCATION

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sharing the

role

superhero

One principal’s experience in the Ohio Leadership for Inclusion, Implementation, & Instructional Improvement Project.

BY DEBORAH TELFER, PH.D.

“

nce upon a time I was a student. Here I am, more than 20 years later, and I’m a student again – this time learning how I can grow to become better so I can positively affect learning in the classroom,” said Kesh Boodheshwar, Principal of Huntington Elementary School, in the Brunswick City School District. In his 15th year as a principal, Boodheshwar previously served as an assistant principal and kindergarten/first-grade teacher. He is also the OAESA Zone 6 Director, serving fellow principals in Cuyahoga, Medina, and Summit counties. Boodheshwar credits his opportunity to continue learning, in part, to his participation in the Ohio Leadership for Inclusion, Implementation, & Instructional 4 Improvement (OLi ) project, a professional development (PD) initiative created and operated through the Columbusbased University of Cincinnati Systems Development & Improvement Center (UC SDI). Principals participate in a two-year cohort experience, receiving (1) centralized PD along with other cohort principals from across the state three times per year, (2) support through regional cadre discussion groups about six times per year during which principals have the opportunity to interact and learn from each other closer to home, and (3) monthly in-school individual coaching provided by coaches trained in leadership performance coaching.1 Boodheshwar, who hails from the northern part of the state, 4 appreciated the structure of OLi , which he described as “creating a cohort within our school district and then within our region. Being able to get together once a month to talk about instructional 1 2

leadership and classroom issues was really helpful. Most of the time, principals operate in isolation; to have this opportunity to not only learn about BLTs and instructional strategies, but also to learn from other principals and colleagues, was really beneficial to me,” he said. OLi4 integrates social justice leadership and instructional leadership, addressing six domains of inclusive leadership practices (e.g., sharing leadership, coaching, teaching). It also supports principals as they put these practices into operation through effective facilitation and use of collaborative learning teams at the building and teacher-team level (e.g., BLT, TBTs) and through leading teacher learning. At the heart of OLi4 is a commitment to equity and social justice. Boodheshwar describes what this means at Huntington Elementary School: “When we talk about equity and, for example, least restrictive environment for students with disabilities, nine times out of ten, that’s the general education classroom setting. When we focus on good, quality instructional strategies based on student need, and use the data that we derive from TBT meetings, it doesn’t matter if the students are on an IEP or are gifted/ talented. Using the Ohio Improvement Process (OIP), and gathering data on a regular cycle, allows us to identify themes and patterns for why one group of students is successful versus another group or why one classroom is doing better than another. Including special education and gifted teachers as part of grade-level TBTs helps us pull it all together to better address all students’ needs in the general education classroom. This work has really changed our perspective about meeting the needs of children exactly where they’re at instead of just putting a label on them.”

Leadership performance coaching is an approach to leadership coaching developed by Elle Allison. For more information about Ohio’s Leadership Development Framework, go to the Ohio Leadership Advisory Council (OLAC) website at www.ohioleadership.org.

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Kesh Boodheshwar, Principal of Huntington Elementary School and OAESA Zone 6 Director, credits his opportunity to continue learning, in part, to his participation in the Ohio Leadership for Inclusion, Implementation, & Instructional Improvement4 Preoject (OLi ). 4

OLi is aligned with Ohio’s continuous improvement framework (i.e., the Ohio Improvement Process and Ohio’s Leadership Development Framework2) and supports principals in making and sustaining meaningful changes that improve learning for all children. Members of State Support Teams (SSTs) – well-versed in the use of OIP-OLAC to support district-wide continuous improvement – serve as coaches and are assigned to support principals participating in OLi4. The coaches participate in regular training to develop and refine their skills in the use of leadership performance coaching, which is designed to enact a collegial, confidential, and nonjudgmental helping relationship. The role exists to help principals become more inclusive instructional leaders. “Having my coach come out to my building once a month was phenomenal; I absolutely loved it,” Boodheshwar explained. “We had one-on-one discussions about my building and focused on its unique challenges. The centralized training provided an overall direction and meeting as a whole group with principals across Ohio, and talking to people from across the state was extremely valuable. The hands-on activities and small-group learning allowed for authentic conversations with other principals; hearing what they did that worked or didn’t work helped me to tweak what I was doing in my building and improve instruction for the teachers and students. I had a couple of ‘aha’ moments, and my building got to reap the benefits of participating in this project,” Boodheshwar added. As Zone 6 Director for OAESA, Boodheshwar is a leader among his peers and has had the opportunity to share what he’s learning 4 through OLi participation with other principals. “Our number one job is to help students learn, period. The coaching questions we’ve 4 received through OLi are part of what I and other principals use to help teachers reflect on what they’re doing in the classroom. They help us consider what we’re doing, rather than using an ‘I’ve always done it that way,’ approach. We must be purposeful in our teaching,” Boodheshwar observed.

“Once upon a time, I was a first grade teacher, and I led my first graders. As a beginning principal, I ran the school; now, I run instruction. I’m an instructional leader, and even though I’m no longer a teacher, I teach – I teach my staff, I teach myself, and I’m also a student. I need to learn, because if I don’t learn, how can I expect my teachers to grow and learn?” Boodheshwar said. His advice to other principals? “Never be complacent and accept the status quo; always grow, learn, and take risks. Our students are worth it.” 4

OLi will begin its sixth year of operation and is recruiting for a fifth cohort of principals to begin year one of their participation in the project during the 2018-19 project year. To date, more than 300 principals across 90 school districts in all regions of Ohio have or are participating in OLi4. For more information about the work Kesh and his colleagues are doing on behalf of all Huntington Elementary School children, contact Kesh Boodheshwar at 330.273.0484 or via email at kboodheshwar@bcsoh.org. 4

For more information about OLi , contact Pamela VanHorn, Ph.D., Project Manager, UC SDI, at 614.897.0020 or via email at vanhorpm@ucmail.uc.edu, or visit the OLi4 website at https://oli-4.org/. Deborah M. Telfer, Ph.D. is Director and Research Associate, University of Cincinnati Systems Development & Improvement Center. Prior to working in higher education, she held a variety of leadership roles during her close to 25year tenure at the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), including serving as executive director of the ODE Center for School Improvement, and associate and interim director of ODE’s Office for Exceptional Children. The author can be contacted via email at deborah.telfer@uc.edu.

fall 2018

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grow

everyday For one principal, gardening provides joy, growth, lessons, and professional reflection. BY CARRIE J. SANCHEZ

am learning, as I get older, the importance of nurturing activities that I enjoy. I have found that one of my most cherished “me time” activities is working in my yard. It’s important that you know that I live in a very modest home on a very modest street. I am by no means a Master Gardener. I would venture to say that apprentice would be a very generous category for my skills, but the delight that I glean each day is a gift that I truly enjoy. One may argue that finding “me time” in yard work isn’t really “me time” at all. I think it is though, because it is good for both my mental and physical health. I cherish this work for several reasons: 1) I cannot multi-task. Working in my yard and tending to my landscaping requires both of my hands and my full attention. As a middle school principal, the luxury of focusing on one single task cannot be discounted. It is a pleasure that is rarely experienced throughout the course of one’s typical school day. 2) I can see progress. Whether I have completed small or large tasks, my work is evident. I feel a sense of accomplishment every time I dedicate efforts to this task.

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3) It causes me to reflect. As I approach the beginning of my tenth year in administration and my 23rd year in education, the correlations between my work at school and my work in my yard is, at times, significant and overwhelming. In addition to my flowers, shrubs, and trees, here are some thoughts that have grown in my garden... DO THE WORK In my yard, if I don’t do the work, who will? That is very similar to my work at school. As the building leader the buck stops with me. My work ethic is a model for my students and my staff. I cannot allow anyone to see me shy away from the tough tasks. I cannot allow anyone to observe me cutting corners. My work is an example for all. I take pride in my work, and I take pride in the fruits of my efforts. As school leaders, we must model diligence, consistency, and commitment. We must embrace the challenge that comes with every unique day. Within the work comes joy. From the work comes satisfaction. The results of the work are often immeasurable, and the influence of the work will help define expectations.

PLAN PURPOSEFULLY My foliage and flowers are carefully planned and placed each year. I consider sun exposure, colors of blooms, and ground coverage when making my choices. This is very similar to my work at school. I must be purposeful in every decision I make, whether it’s teacher assignments, student schedules, or resource allocation. As the building leader, I must have intentional explanations for every decision I make. As school leaders, we must never lose sight of the value of intentional planning. Every single one of us has worked with or for someone who merely introduced initiatives, but never implemented purposeful plans. We must plan with an end in sight. It may be a short goal or it may be a significant goal, but as the leaders of our schools we must stay the course each and every day. NURTURING IS KEY My flowers and landscaping require my constant attention. If I become lax in any element of my gardening, bad things begin to happen. Weeds begin to flourish. Blooms expire and choke out new growth. Every plant and flower has a unique need, and they all must be cared for differently. As a school leader, I am charged with overseeing the well-being of the entire school. I must be diligent and intentional in every aspect of my leadership. I must consistently tend to every element of our school. I must nurture our teachers. I must nurture our students. I must nurture the relationships with our parents.

and nurturing it is given. A season is a remarkable thing. A season is not permanent. School leaders often find themselves succumbing to the comfort of “this has worked in the past so we will continue to do it” and not honoring the progress of the seasons within their schools. If an initiative has lived a good life but has reached the end, do not fear the end of the initiative. Expiration is not failure. Reflect on successes and welcome new adventures that await. GROW AND LEARN Every year a new situation presents itself in my garden that I have never had to handle before. Whether is it bugs or bunnies, drought or flood, or a species no longer successful due to the acidity/alkalinity of the soil, I learn something new in my garden. What if I did not? What would happen to my garden? It would fail. In all of the lessons I have learned, I am able to move forward and apply that learning to future successes. Leading our schools regularly provides us with daily challenges and new experiences. As school leaders, we must be eager to learn. Our approach to learning is observed by our staff and our students. The implementation of our learning is what sets us apart from our counterparts. Our schools will flourish because of our personal pursuits in learning and growth.

“In my yard, and at school, if I don’t do the work, who will?

As school leaders, we accept ominous responsibility, but our scope of influence is second to none. One of my favorite quotes by Tim Kight is, “What you permit, you promote.” I would never permit weeds to poison my garden. I never want the positive growth within our school to be overtaken by the weeds of cynicism, negativity, and pessimism. School leaders must intentionally nurture individual relationships within our schools. Every person has individual needs. When those needs are met, the entire building will flourish. EMBRACE THE SEASONS Nothing lives forever. There will always be a beginning and an end. As exciting as it is to place the young, fresh roots of a new plant into the welcoming spring soil, one must also acknowledge that at some point, that plant will expire regardless of the care

So often, school leaders assume that because something did not go as they had planned, it was a failure. That is not the case! Winston Churchill said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” I offer similarly, never pass up the opportunity to learn something from every situation, even a failure. An older gentleman was taking an evening walk past my home last week. He stopped to chat for a moment and made the comment, “You sure do spend a lot of time out here working on these flowers.” I smiled and replied, “I enjoy the time out here, but I’m really just working on me.” Find time for yourself. Embrace the work. Grow a little every day. Take time to grow your joy. Carrie Sanchez is the principal of Port Clinton Middle School in Port Clinton, Ohio and OAESA’s middle school board representative. To learn more about Port Clinton Middle School please visit www.pccsd.net. The author can be contacted via email at csanchez@pccsd-k12.net.

fall 2018

feature story

right where

youshould be

Our biggest challenges are often our greatest teachers.

BY SEAN FLYNN

s I sat in the unfamiliar office reviewing my notes for the umpteenth time, I couldn’t help but revisit the levity of the situation. New to the area, I had no contacts to lean on for my initial job search. It had proven a harder task than I anticipated just to get in the door for an interview for my first teaching job. With my wedding just weeks away, the uncertainty of my professional future was looming much like those futures laid out in front of the students served by this school. As I noticed the multi-lingual handouts lining the shelves in the office, my stream of consciousness was broken when the principal walked out of her office escorting another interviewee to the front door. She let me know that she would be right with me. I quickly dove back into my notes: 700+ students, tremendous annual growth, slightly below average achievement, high percentage of economically disadvantaged, and a principal who had been in place since the school was built 10 years prior. Next, it was my turn to smile, shake hands, and enter the rest of my life.

of education through parents’ eyes like never before, as many of those parents were uneducated and worked manual labor jobs during all waking hours in order to give their children a better future. I learned the creativity and flexibility necessary to educate a room full of students with the greatest individuality, a wide range of abilities, and a variety of background knowledge. I learned the value of trying and failing – then regrouping and trying again a different way. I learned the necessity of relying on my outstanding teammates and trusting in them when I needed help (which was often). I learned how much I appreciated a principal who was confident in my abilities but was there every step of the way to support me when I struggled. These lessons still hold true now as a building principal. That job was the genesis of my career, and that role allowed me to forge the vision for education and leadership that I carry with me today: • Always put the students first. • Work hardest to foster positive relationships. • Narrow your focus. • Use data and evidence to guide decisions.

I still remember the first comments out of Linda’s mouth in that interview were to inform me that the position was a fifth grade math/science position for 50 students who each had English as a second language and up to 16 of whom also received special education services. As a boy from rural Ohio, these subgroups were not my forte, but I had been known to “fake it ‘til you make it.” I was up for the challenge.

Five minutes into that interview, I could not have dreamt of the opportunities that would develop through the challenges that lay ahead. We never know where our paths will take us, but I’ve learned enough to know that if you work hard, believe in yourself, and trust in others, you’ll end up exactly where you should be.

Though the rest of that interview is a blur nearly a decade later, I must have said something right. I spent the next four years on our SIOP team teaching math and science to students who were emerging English learners. I put everything I had into those kids, but I took far more than I gave. I learned the importance

Sean Flynn is entering his third year as the principal at Finland Elementary School with the South-Western City School District in Central Ohio. He began his career at Holt Crossing Intermediate School in the same district, and has walked a meandering path of continual growth ever since. You can contact the author via email at sean.flynn@swcsd.us.

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“I’ve learned enough to know that if you work hard, believe in yourself, and trust in others, you’ll end up exactly where you should be.”

2018 FALL REGIONAL MEETINGS ZONE ONE

Oct. 23 9am–Noon OSU Endeavor Center 1862 Shyville Rd Piketon, OH 45661

ZONE FOUR

Sept. 18 4:30pm–6:30pm Azul Tequila 601 E Riverview Ave Napoleon, OH 43545

ZONE SEVEN Oct. 25 5pm-7pm BWW 176 E. Main St. Kent, OH 44240

ZONE TWO

Oct. 23 5pm-7pm Old Spaghetti Factory 6320 S Gilmore Rd Fairfield, OH 45014

ZONE FIVE

Oct. 15 4:30pm–6:30pm The Warehouse 320 W. Center St Marion, OH 43302

ZONE NINE

Oct. 11 9:00am–Noon Muskingum County Convention Center 205 N. Fifth St. Zanesville, OH 43701

ZONE THREE

Mark your calendar!

Sept. 25 4:30pm–6:30pm Brio @ The Greene 4459 Cedar Park Dr. Beavercreek, OH 45440

ZONE SIX

Oct. 4 4:30pm–6:30pm The Boneyard 101 E. Royalton Broadview Heights, OH 44147

ZONE TEN

Sept. 26 4:30pm–6:30pm Shades Canal Winchester 19 South High St. Canal Winchester, OH 43110

ZONE SIX/EIGHT Oct. 3 4:30pm–6:30pm 35 Brix 3875 Massillon Road Green, Ohio 44685

ZONE TEN

Oct. 3 4:30pm–6:30pm J. Lui 6880 North High St. Worthington, OH 43085 (Worthington Room)

Zone meetings are FREE thanks to the generosity of OAESA’s corporate partners: AXA, Curriculum Associates, Horace Mann, FranklinCovey, Lexia Learning, National Geographic Learning, and Renaissance myON.

fall 2018

Be the hero of your own story! Team Up! Superheroes for Kids OAESA’S 61ST ANNUAL CONFERENCE

ore than 400 education professionals gathered June 1315 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton for OAESA’s 61st annual professional conference. Wednesday, we had record attendance at our Edcamp, and we celebrated OAESA presidents past, present, and future at a Presidents’ Reception. Thursday, we hosted an outstanding trade show with over 50 vendors. Popular keynotes Tim Kight, Peter

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H. Reynolds, and Stephen M.R. Covey engaged participants with their speeches. We had dozens of clinics designed to develop and connect attendees with crucial information and resources. The conference, from start to finish, armed educators with the tools they need to go back to their schools and be heroes for kids. Join us next year for The Magic of Why (see the back cover for more information).

fall 2018

Secretary of the Year, Patti Wilson (accepted by Principal Todd Poole) Holden Elementary, Kent City Schools

Outstanding Assistant Principal, Brian Lyons Wilson Elementary, Forest Hills Schools

C o n g r a t D. Richard Murray Service Award, Zana Vincent Former Project Manager, Ohio Ready Schools

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D. Richard Murray Service Award, Zana Vincent, and her family Former Project Manager, Ohio Ready Schools

National Distinguished Principal, T.J. Ebert, and his family Redwood Elementary, Avon Lake City Schools

u l a t i o n s 2018 OAESA Awards

Hall of Fame School, Ayer Elementary Principal Todd Hartman, Forest Hills Schools

National Distinguished Principal, T.J. Ebert (presented by Valic) Redwood Elementary, Avon Lake City Schools

Hall of Fame School, Rushwood Elementary Principal Jacqueline Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Mara, Avon Lake City Schools

fall 2018

Hall of Fame School, Woodlawn Elementary Principal Sherry Thompson, Princeton City Schools

Hall of Fame School, Lexington Elementary Principal David Rogers, Marlington Local Schools

C o n g r a t Hall of Fame School, Maddux Elementary Principal Stephen Troehler, Forest Hills Schools

Hall of Fame School, Marion Local ES & MS Principal Nick Wilker, Marion Local Schools Accepted by Assistant Principal Amanda DeMange principal navigator

44 44

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Hall of Fame School, South Elementary Principal Jacklyn Triplett, New Philadelphia City Schools

Hall of Fame School, Brimfield Elementary Principal Barbara Werstler, Field Local Schools

u l a t i o n s 2018 OAESA Awards

Hall of Fame School, South Elementary South staff watch with pride during the ceremony.

Hall of Fame School, Mercer Elementary Principal Jodi Davidson, Forest Hills Schools

Hall of Fame School, Wilcox Primary Principal Lynn Villa, Twinsburg City Schools fall 2018

H E A LT H

matters

Is your school wellness policy effective?

BY HEIDI BRISCOE SCARPITTI, RD/LD s you kick off the new school year, consider your school wellness policy. When was the last time you reviewed your schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wellness policy? Does it have all the required components??

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICY REQUIREMENTS

SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICY REQUIREMENTS What are some of the requirements of a local school wellness policy? Your school wellness policy must include: 1. Specific goals for nutrition promotion, nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness. LEAs are required to review and consider evidence-based strategies in determining these goals.

As of the 2006-07 school year, all local educational agencies (LEAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program or other federal child nutrition programs were required to have a local school wellness policy. In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and added new provisions for local school wellness policies related to implementation, evaluation, and public reporting on the progress of local school wellness policies. On July 21, 2016, the final rule was published, requiring LEAs to begin developing a revised local school wellness policy. LEAs were required to fully comply with the requirements of the final rule by June 30, 2017.

2. Nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages available or for sale on the school campus during the school day. These guidelines must be consistent with federal regulations for school meal nutrition standards and Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.

BENEFITS OF A SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICY

4. Policies for food and beverage marketing that limit marketing and advertising to only those foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.

School wellness policies are an important tool for school districts in promoting student wellness, preventing and reducing childhood obesity, and combating problems associated with poor nutrition and physical inactivity. Undernourished, inactive children tend to have low energy, are often irritable, have difficulty concentrating, and score lower on vocabulary, reading comprehension, and math tests. The responsibility of developing a wellness policy is placed at the local level so the individual needs of each LEA can be addressed. This also provides an opportunity for your school wellness policy to include local resources or other information specific to your school community.

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3. Policies for other foods and beverages available on the school campus during the school day. This would include things like classroom parties, classroom snacks brought by parents, or foods given as incentives.

5. Descriptions of public involvement, public updates, policy leadership, and evaluation plans. The requirements for descriptions of public involvement and the evaluation plan in number five (above) are new. The general public and school community must be permitted to participate in the development of wellness policies. Any updates to the school wellness policy must be shared with the public every year. In addition, a review and report of each schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compliance must be completed and shared with the public every three years. Each LEA is required to designate one or more official(s) to ensure that each school complies with the policy. The Ohio Department of Education

(ODE) reviews the policy during the district’s administrative review. ODE will provide technical assistance and work with you to help you achieve compliance. OHIO ACTION FOR HEALTHY KIDS PROJECT Over the last four years, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) funded Ohio Action for Healthy Kids (through a grant provided by CDC) to work closely with 14 LEAs. ODH provided technical assistance to the LEAs to improve their school nutrition and physical activity environment. To do this, the LEAs used an assessment and improvement process including the use of WellSAT 2.0 to measure the quality of the written policies. During this project, each LEA submitted their school wellness policy at the beginning of the program for review. They received guidance and resources to make improvements based on the results of the WellSAT 2.0 assessment. At the end of the four-year project, each LEA submitted an updated wellness policy for review. In many of the districts, WellSAT 2.0 scores improved significantly. Throughout the project, different areas of the school nutrition/ physical activity environment were highlighted. These included water availability, smarter lunchroom strategies, nutrition education, food/beverage marketing, and physical activity opportunities like: 1. The installation of water refill stations on campus. This increased the consumption of water by students, staff, and community members. The funding for these stations came from healthy fundraisers and multiple grants available to schools. 2. Thirty-minute recess each day for all elementary students. 3. A student-led food and beverage marketing campaign. The student graphic design class created posters to display in the schools. 4. Creation of an herb station for students to flavor their foods without the use of salt. The students worked with the food service director in the development of the herb station. It was

a big success for the school! 5. Changing the content of campus vending machines to include healthier options for food and beverages. Many of the LEA representatives working on this project attributed their success to support from the school administrators, parents, and board members. They also commented that involving the students in the change process was very valuable. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? As the school year begins, review your school’s wellness policy. Determine if it has been updated and if processes are in place to meet the new requirements. Consider taking time to highlight your school wellness policy to families and students on your school website, through email blasts, at PTO/PTA meetings, or in other school communication tools. Involve families and students in the development of activities such as those described above and think about what would work best in your school. Developing and implementing an effective school wellness policy can improve student attendance, behavior, and academic success. After all, HEALTHY STUDENTS MAKE BETTER LEARNERS! For more information on school wellness policy requirements and how to improve your school’s nutrition and physical activity environment, please visit the following websites: https://www.cdc.gov http://www.wellsat.org http://www.odh.ohio.gov https://education.ohio.gov http://www.actionforhealthykids.org Heidi B. Scarpitti is a registered, licensed dietitian. She graduated from the Ohio State University in 1986 with a B.S. in Medical Dietetics. She has worked in the field of public health nutrition for the past 32 years and has worked at the Ohio Department of Health in School and Adolescent Health for the last 18 years. At ODH, her primary focus is childhood obesity prevention. The author can be reached via email at Heidi.Scarpitti@odh.ohio.gov.

“Developing and implementing an effective school wellness policy can improve student attendance, behavior, and academic success.”

fall 2018

LEGAL

report

Important dates for principals

BY DENNIS PERGRAM

here are many important dates for administrators to consider during the school year. Mark your calendar, and make sure you are aware of these important deadlines.

JUNE 1 If a board of education intends to nonrenew the contract of a principal, June 1 is an important date. Under R.C. 3319.02 a principal, at the expiration of his/her current term of employment, is deemed reemployed at the same salary plus any increments that may be authorized by the board of education unless the board of education “on or before the first day of June of the year in which the contract of employment expires, either reemploys such employee for a succeeding term or gives written notice of its intention not to reemploy the employee.”

you give yourself ample time in the event the materials you have submitted are not complete or if there is something else that needs to be submitted. It is also extremely important to timely apply for a renewal of your license, even if you are under investigation by ODE or involved in licensure proceedings with ODE. The last paragraph of R.C. 119.06 addresses this specific issue as follows: When periodic registration of licenses or renewal of licenses is required by law, a licensee who has filed an application for registration or renewal within the time and in the manner provided by statute or rule of the agency shall not be required to discontinue a licensed business or profession merely because of the failure of the agency to act on the licensee’s application. Action of an agency rejecting any such application shall not be effective prior to fifteen days after notice of the rejection is mailed to the licensee.

“Mark your calendar and make sure you are aware of these important deadlines.”

The term of reemployment of a person reemployed by operation of law shall be one year except if the person has been employed by the school district or service center for three or more years, the term of the automatic reemployment shall be two years. It is important to note that the automatic reemployment occurs whether you are issued a written contract or not. I am aware of instances in which a principal was automatically reemployed for two years by operation of law but was presented a one year written contract by his employer. If you find yourself in this situation or if you have any questions, you should contact legal counsel as soon as possible to make certain that your rights are preserved. JUNE 30 June 30 is the expiration date on most educator licenses, and it is important to have all of your materials and submit your application to renew your license well in advance of June 30. By doing so,

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The particular statute has been interpreted to mean that if you are under investigation by ODE or involved in ODE licensure proceedings, your application to renew your license will not be approved while the investigation and/or proceedings are in progress; however, as long as you timely submit an application for renewal with all of the requisite documentation and information, you may continue to be employed by your board of education notwithstanding the fact that your renewal application is on hold. It has further been interpreted that you may not avail yourself of the protection and rights under this statute if you do not timely file your application for renewal of your license(s). If you find yourself in the circumstance of being under investigation

by ODE or involved in ODE licensure proceedings but have submitted a timely application to renew your license(s) but your treasurer, superintendent or board of education does not believe that they can continue your employment and pay you, please refer them to the last paragraph of R.C. 119.06 and secure legal counsel as soon as possible. JULY 10 R.C. 3319.15 prohibits a principal from resigning from his/her contract after the tenth day of July without the consent of his/her board of education. This date and circumstance must not be taken lightly. If you plan on resigning, have another position secured (in writing), and can meet the July 10 deadline, there is no reason not to. If, on the other hand, you have found a position in another district after July 10 and wish to accept the other position, you must obtain the consent of your current board of education to resign after July 10. That consent must be in the form of a board “resolution” passed by the board. A superintendent’s statement, verbal or written, that you may go ahead and resign is not binding on your current board of education and has no legal effect. Now, you may find yourself in the position that after July 10, a new district has offered you a contract. You are then faced with a dilemma. If you sign the contract with the new district and your current district does not consent to you resigning, you have to secure the consent of the new district in order to be resolved of responsibility under that contract. On the other hand, you do not want to obtain the consent of your current district and resign only to have the new district change its mind before you sign the contract. One advisable approach would be to sign the contract with the new district but make it contingent upon your current district consenting to your resignation after July 10. You may be told by someone that there really is no problem with resigning after July 10, that school boards never report the matter to ODE, and if ODE gets the report, it will not do anything about it. That is absolutely bad advice. R.C. 3319.15 specifically states: “Upon complaint by the employing board to the state board of education and after investigation by it, the license of a teacher terminating the teacher’s contract in any other manner than provided in this section [after July 10] may be suspended for not more than one year.” Although the statute refers to teachers, it also applies to principal and others. I know from having provided representation on this matter at ODE that ODE takes this issue seriously. Dennis Pergram, legal counsel to OAESA, is a partner in the law firm of Manos, Martin & Pergram Co., LPA. He is a former chairperson of the Ohio State Bar Association School Law Committee and has practiced school law for over 30 years.

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To see what else AXA can offer your educators, contact us at (855) 205-2494. * LIMRA, Not-for-Profit Survey, Q4, 2017, based on 403(b) plan assets, participants and contributions. 403(b) Retirement Plans are funded with an annuity issued by AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY) and co-distributed by affiliates, AXA Advisors, LLC and AXA Distributors, LLC (members FINRA, SIPC). “AXA” is the brand name of AXA Equitable Financial fallServices, 2018 LLC and its family of companies, including AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY); AXA Advisors, LLC; and AXA Distributors, LLC. GE-134295a (3/18) (Exp. 3/20) | G258331

LEGISLATIVE

update

The principal’s role in advocacy

BY BARBARA SHANER

hen I heard about the theme for this issue of the Principal Navigator, “Tell Us Your Story,” I thought it was perfect – perfect for discussing the principal’s role in advocacy.

Oh the stories you could tell! Unfortunately, duty calls and there isn’t much time to step away from the challenges you and your staff face every day to share those stories with policy makers. But often, legislators pass laws without truly knowing how they will play out in the hundreds of school buildings across the state. After years of advocating for a strong public education system, my story hasn’t really changed. There are many perceptions about lobbyists and what we do to influence decisions at the statehouse. Of course, there are the bigmoney campaign contributors seeking to influence, but for the most part, it’s the stories we tell that make the difference. We are educators of sorts, seeking to inform/educate policy makers about the effects their decisions will have on real people (students, school staff, and school leaders).

As an association, OAESA can’t tell that one unique story that might make a difference to a local legislator. So who will do it? School board members and central office administrators may be involved in advocacy efforts on behalf of school districts. Yet, do they actually know the real story? Do they understand the day-to-day experiences of the building principal? It’s not likely that they can effectively represent the different challenges children bring to school every day and the positive influence a principal can have. Nor can they likely visualize how a new regulation or requirement might have on the staff and students in your building. I was fortunate to facilitate a panel of experts on the topic of students’ social emotional well-being during OAESA’s Annual Professional Conference in June. During the course of the discussion, a few audience members shared their own stories and commented about the need for professional support for students. Teachers and principals might be able to identify students who are at risk, but participants in the session said they need help from trained mental health professionals to help students with their issues.

“It’s not likely that

others can effectively

represent the different challenges children bring to school

Lawmakers usually come to Columbus with a certain mindset about public education and whether they think it’s failing or thriving. Their mindset is hard to change. When I’ve been successful in getting a bill passed in the legislature, it was because there were enough supporters of public education to listen to the “story” for why the bill was needed. But sometimes, even with a good story, it’s too hard for those supporters to get past the objections of the naysayers.

There has been a lot of talk in the media about school safety recently, and lawmakers seem anxious to pass laws that might help. But their idea of help may not get at the underlying problems students are experiencing. We’ve seen proposals to incentivize teachers to be armed in the classroom, and proposals for more security guards and even metal detectors in school buildings. But what do principals think is needed?

every day and

the positive influence

a principal can have.”

It’s been my experience that the only way to get past the objections of those legislators who generally have a negative view of public education, is to take the story to where they live – where they have constituents and where they have to answer to those who support their local schools. Sometimes, community members and lawmakers are happy with their own schools, even if they don’t think the public education system as a whole is working. So, a legislative proposal or the need for a legislation change often needs a local “face.”

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The participants in the social emotional well-being session at the conference each brought their own stories to our discussion, and several had ideas for what’s needed. There was one lawmaker on the panel, State Senator Peggy Lehner, Chair of the Senate Education Committee. She has always been a great advocate for public education, but she left the panel discussion with new information and a better perception of what’s really happening on the front lines. She expressed her thanks for the opportunity to hear the principals’ perspective.

If someone like Senator Lehner can learn more by speaking with a group of school principals, how much more could a lawmaker who hasn’t focused on public education learn from you? One bill that was passed before the summer break (HB 318) addresses the definition of the term “School Resource Officer” and provides a small amount of funding for training and other school safety issues. Before voting to adopt the legislation, the legislature folded the provisions from another bill (SB 246, featured in the spring 2018 issue of Principal Navigator) into HB 318. This means new restrictions on suspensions and expulsions for K-3 students will become effective 90 days after the governor signs the bill. The changes include specific requirements for inschool suspensions. HB 318 also requires training for all school staff on Positive Behavior Intervention Systems (PBIS). These new requirements will be phased in over a couple of years to give districts time to ramp up. You can find more information about the provisions in the bill on the Ohio General Assembly’s website. A good document to reference is the HB 318 analysis, which describes every new requirement in the bill. The changes in HB 318 may be good for kids and it could be that many schools and districts are already practicing the requirements in the bill. However, there is also a very good chance that lawmakers made these changes because it sounded good to them. The question is, did they really know what was already going on in your school? Did they truly understand what the changes will mean for students and staff ?

What we know is that lawmakers often rely on the opinion and/ or advice from someone else before deciding how to vote on a bill. Many times, the lawmaker has no first-hand knowledge of a topic he/she is voting on. And just as often, the decision about whether a bill will even be considered for a vote relies on legislator discussions and feedback behind closed doors. If legislators are getting feedback from constituents on a given legislative proposal, they will talk about it in those closed-door sessions. While your time is limited and precious, we hope you’ll give some thought to spending some of it telling your story to your own legislators from time to time. Or bring them to your building to see the story first-hand. You can do both of these things before a particular bill comes up that affects you, your staff, and your students. The telling gets easier that way. The alternative is that your legislator hears your story from someone else – someone who only has opinions without facts. In the course of writing this article, I reflected on how my message might sound to the reader. I understand that principals, teachers, and school staff have a higher calling. You didn’t come into your role thinking about being an advocate, but I hope it helps to think of the legislative process as an education process with you as the educator. Most of the time, lawmakers are happy to learn more. Barbara Shaner is OAESA’s Advocacy Specialist. If you need more information, contact the author at barbaracshaner@gmail.com.

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fall 2018

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halkboard

E X PA N D YOUR PLN

On Twitter, your followers create a chance for you to talk about relevant topics, in real time, with professionals who are in the same boat as you. These people make up your Personal Learning Network. PLNs create an opportunity to: 1. Build community and collaboration 2. Share and exchange ideas 3. Serve as a source of encouragement, inspiration, and motivation 4. Take the lead on your own professional development 5. Share your story

didyouknow?

news from the association

BOOT CAMP

REP. ASSEMBLY

25 Sail for Education students spentJune 23 at a boot camp... for their doctoral dissertations. Students made progress on their dissertations (and consumed lots of candy)!

General membership, district liaisons, and county representatives were invited to witness the governance of the association in action and enjoy a gourmet lunch April 28 at Smith and Wollensky.

BAMA BEGINS

BE SOCIAL

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve paired up with OASSA on the Beginning Administrators Mentorship Academy (BAMA). They meet Sept. 10 to kick off a great year of leadership and growth.

Connect with OAESA online. ig: @oaesa twitter: @oaesa fb: /oaesa web: oaesa.org

Tweet by Latoya Dixon, Ph.D. Follow her @latoyadixon5

CONSIDER FOLLOWING Jennifer Gonzalez @cultofpedagogy Simon Sinek @simonsinek Sir Ken Robinson @SirKenRobinson

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STUCK ON YOUR STAFF NEWSLETTER? Visit Member Forum or log in to your account at oaesa.org for easy-to-share stories from this issue of the Principal Navigator!

NEW IN TOWN The Principal Navigator has a new editor. If you have feedback or ideas on how the Principal Navigator can better meet your needs, email navigator@oaesa.org.

congrats, grads!

T W E E T Y O U R HEART OUT Log in to Twitter and follow our hashtag, #ohprinchat during our fall Twitter chats. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great way to get new ideas and inspiration on the fly from the comfort of your own office.

September Date: Tuesday, September 4 Time: 9:30am-10:30am Topic: Sharing Your School Story

October

Date: Tuesday, October 2 Time: 9:30am-10:30am Topic: Your School as a Community

November Date: Tuesday, November 6 Time: 9:30am-10:30am Topic: Supporting Gifted Learners

CLASS OF 2018: (top) Congratulations to our June SAIL/CUC graduates. PD IN THE USA: (bottom left) The OAESA contingency traveled to the NAESP Conference in Orlando, July 8-11. REJUVENATING RETREAT: (bottom right) SAIL professors and instructors met July 23-24 in Columbus for their annual retreat, where they focused on improving instruction and student experience in courses offered by SAIL/CUC.

join the conversation

#ohprinchat fall 2018

e’re booked FOR THE PRINCIPAL LIBRARY

THE BOY CRISIS: WHY OUR BOYS ARE STRUGGLING AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT

You’ll want to read this book wearing two hats: your principal hat and your parent hat! The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It, is a collaborative effort from Warren Farrell, author of The Myth of Male Power, and John Gray, author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, that combines widereaching research, analysis, and self-help advice. The book is constructed in six parts. The first, and perhaps the most compelling, includes what most readers should find to be startling conclusions about how boys are declining in almost every conceivable metric. The remaining parts elaborate on the crisis narrative and explain origins of the most pressing concerns facing boys: the “purpose” void, the impact of dad-deprivation, and the rise of ADHD. The Boy Crisis addresses a health and a societal crisis which impacts everyone, regardless of gender or politics. Wise principals will extrapolate insights and ways to address issues that they routinely experience in practice. They should share it with counselors, social workers, nurses, and other support personnel, and I recommend this book for full staff study groups. The Boy Crisis avoids any opposition to feminism, and it does not place blame on any individual or group. The writing is provocative while at the same time conciliatory. Of particular interest is the authors’ discussion of the problems associated with the father absence. Principals witness these concerns daily, as boys are increasingly experiencing a “failure to launch” and accompanying feelings of shame and self-disgust. Dad-deprived children – boys and girls – are more likely to experience learning problems and lack of empathy. The authors cite the “family dinner” as a model and method for discussing these issues with friends and family. At the end of each theme is a “family dinner” segment that frames a problem and poses questions. These sections can easily be adapted and utilized for discussion topics within staff book study groups. This book will contribute to much-needed thought, discussion, and revisions to school and societal practice, that if actionable, will become beneficial for boys everywhere.

BOOK BY Warren Farrell, Ph.D. and John Gray, Ph.D. REVIEW BY Paul G. Young, Ph.D., OAESA and NAESP Past President

TEACHING TO STRENGTHS: SUPPORTING STUDENTS LIVING WITH TRAUMA, VIOLENCE, AND CHRONIC STRESS

What are we doing for those students who sit in our classrooms and are affected by chronic stress, trauma, or violence? Do we even know who those students are? Many schools have programs/resources available for the students, but most of these are not integrated into the classroom. After reading Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress, I realized that we are not doing enough for these students in our schools. This is why I believe that this book is a must-read for all educators. The power of this book is in the sense of urgency that it creates for educators to recognize the strengths that students have. The authors are not just talking about academic strengths; they are looking at the whole child and what strengths each brings to the classroom. The authors challenge us to move away from our typical deficit-based lens and shift to a strength-based lens that focuses on the assets that each student brings to school each day. It is from these assets that we will be able to engage each learner in our classrooms. Zacarian, Alvarez-Ortiz, and Haynes have created a go-to manual for those educators looking to strengthen their ability to not only work with those students who are living with trauma, violence, and stress but for all educators that want to know and understand all students on a deeper level. After the authors give us a sense of urgency to make the shift to the strengths-based approach, they guide us on how to prepare ourselves to work with these diverse learners. In the end, Teaching to Strengths focuses on knowing and understanding the whole child when it comes to education. Tackling learning environments, relationships, family engagement, community, and a whole-school approach, the authors will challenge you to be reflective in your practice and give you guidance and direction to make the positive connection with these students that they deserve.

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BOOK BY Debbie Zacarian, Lourdes Alvarez-Ortiz, & Judie Haynes REVIEW BY Mike Janatovich, principal, Aurora City Schools

FOR THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MIDDLE GRADE RECOMMENDATIONS

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: JOHN DAVID ANDERSON MS. BIXBY’S LAST DAY

The first book by the author John David Anderson is called Ms. Bixby’s Last Day. In this book, three boys have an excellent teacher named Ms. Bixby. When Ms. Bixby leaves school for a sudden illness, Topher, Brand, and Steve go to find her. They end up going on an adventure of a lifetime just to see Ms. Bixby. They try to get her gifts that she will like, but they don’t succeed. In the process they learn two important lessons: Sticking together is very important, and an act of love doesn’t have to be perfect.

POSTED

The second book by the author John David Anderson is called Posted. Cell phones have been banned at Branton Middle School, and the kids need a new method of communication. Frost, Dee-Dee, Wolf, and Bench start leaving each other sticky notes on their lockers. This catches on, and soon a war begins. The foursome is interrupted by a girl named Rose, and Rose begins to shake everything up. As the battle rages on, the group of five encounters an issue: a mean note appears on a locker, and everyone is a suspect. The five learn an important lesson of friendship, and also that words can be powerful.

STUDENT READER REVIEW BOOKS BY John David Anderson REVIEW BY Julia Crandall, avid reader and 6th grade student, GahannaJefferson Public Schools

In both books the main characters learn an important lesson on friendship. They all learn how actions speak louder than words. For example, in Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, they don’t do everything perfectly, but gratitude is still shown. In Posted, they learn that writing those notes could be very helpful or harmful. Both books are trying to teach middle grade readers important life skills. I think these books are great reads for 6th-8th graders. Not only were they a good fit, but they taught lessons that kids my age should learn.

WORDS BY Matt de la Peña ILLUSTRATIONS BY Christian Robinson REVIEW BY Rhonda Peeples, 2017 OAESA National Distinguished Principal, Columbus City Schools

LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET

Last Stop On Market Street tells the story of a young boy named CJ who takes a bus ride through the city with his nana every Sunday after church. Though CJ doesn’t understand why his friends have a car and he has to ride the bus, CJ’s nana helps him to enjoy the bus ride by appreciating the authentic beauty that surrounds him. By using his senses, CJ gathers information about the world around him and realizes he can find beauty where he never thought to look. With its message of diversity and tolerance, this children’s book sends a powerful and poignant message about how diversity makes life richer, and how appreciating one another’s differences can make the world a happier place to live. This book would be a valuable addition to a school library or classroom to teach students the importance of tolerance and respect for one’s community. fall 2018

READING S UM M I T Sponsored by

OCTOBER 9, 2018 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM at Nationwide Conference Center 100 Green Meadows Dr. S., Lewis Center, OH 43035 Join us for an exploration of creating strong reading communities with an emphasis on equity, access, and parental engagement. Enjoy breakout sessions geared toward principals, teachers, reading specialists, intervention specialists, and literacy coaches. The day will be topped off with a Scholastic book fair and exciting keynotes by Donalyn Miller and Byron V. Garrett. Get ready for a full day of inspirational, literacy-based learning!

OAESA MEMBER RATE: $175 Staff of members enjoy the member rate! NONMEMBER RATE: $275 REGISTER ONLINE: www.OAESA.org OR BY PHONE: 614-547-8087 featuring keynote speakers

DONALYN & BYRON V. MILLER GARRETT Donalyn Miller is an award-winning Texas teacher and the author of The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild. She serves as the Manager of Independent Reading and Outreach at Scholastic Book Fairs.

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Byron V. Garrett is a national advocate for education. He serves as Chairman of the National Family Engagement Alliance and is the former CEO of the National PTA. He is also a consulting author for Scholastic and released the Byron V. Garrett Social Emotional Learning Collection in 2017.

Call for articles for OAESA’s Winter 2019 Principal Navigator In the middle of the year, it can be cold outside and tough in schools. Our next issue will focus on Fueling the Fire. Here’s your chance to share your story with your colleagues in OAESA’s Principal Navigator magazine. We’re looking for articles on the following topics:

-How do you keep going when times are tough? -How do you nurture your staff, your students, and yourself? -How do you maintain work/life balance?

The submission deadline is November 1, 2018. Email submissions to navigator@oaesa.org.

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“Since implementing Star Reading and Star Math this fall as screening tools for RTI, we’re better able to target and work with kids on their levels, and this is increasing their confidence and desire to be here.” Donna Ginn, Teacher & RTI Coordinator Batavia Middle School

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fall 2018

elcome

ZONE 1

Robin Crabtree Jennifer Graham Elizabeth Graham Bradley Harris Wendy McNeal Erin Morgan Alicia Spears Marissa Wilson

ZONE 2

Cobey Armacost Jennifer Barthelemy Kimberly Beard Rodney Bedinghaus Kayla Brunswick Rachael Cherko Nicole Clark Christa Connors Taylor Cox Karli Dwyer Lauren Eigher Dori-Ann Friend Samantha Hagen Ariel Hemphill Jeff Hicks Caycee Huber Kelsey Kolish Allie Leding Kathleen McGuire Darci Miles Erin Owens Rebecka Oyster Antoinette Perkins Lisa Samuel-Hill Julia Scarlato Marissa Sexton Elizabeth Shields Victoria Spector Samantha Tollison Anna White

ZONE 3

Holly Barr Alissa Eshbaugh Fonda Fichthorn Kimberly Flanagan James Freeman Joseph Harrmann Liza Holliday Stephanie Johnson Nicole McCaskey Marisa Morrison

principal navigator

OAESAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Members Nathan Opicka Rebecca Pottorf Janelle Rinderle Brooke Seger Chinequa Taylor-Head Brandi Thurman Susanne Trainer Jennifer Ulery-Smith

ZONE 4

Katie Bacon Susan Blackburn Emily Clark Loretta Coil Matthew Evans Kelly Huffman Shawn Hurd Renee Kissling Dave Malolepszy Natalie Schoonover Corey Sexton Tracey Stokes Nicholas Tonegato Kelly West Diane Wolf

ZONE 5

Russell Collins Kaitlin Endsley Kerry Esterburg Julie Hammond Sarah Kirby Matthew Miles Christine Miller Katelyn Owens

ZONE 6

Sarah Belkofer Erin Black Erin Bluey Crystal Brooks Chrysayne Calabrese Araya Cantrell Tracey Cobb Susan Cunningham Shannon Davis Helena Glass Abbey Gleason Scott Hawkins Ellen Hunter Dawn Imler Julie Jacob Emily Johnson

Scott Jones John Kane Krista Kolich Thomas Krebs Donna Littlejohn Jennifer Lloyd Ryan Looman Krista McCourtie Jennifer McDade Amy Moore Jennifer Neumeyer Evan Palo Sarah Rivera Stacy Rocco Monica Rogers Christina Rueger Shelby Schutt Joe Shelton Jennifer Skala Jaclyn VillaseĂąor Allison Wallace Chauncey Widder William Wingler

ZONE 7

Courtney Angelo Donald Bittala Sallie Brenner Ashley Bussard Courtney Christy Amber Collins Lauren DeLaurentis Kendra Fashing Christine Flynt Renee Houser Natalie Huda Mary Jefferson-Gough Kara Mrosko Jody Oesch Emily Pizzino Amanda Signor Jenifer Studer Emily Swartzlander Loretta Totaro Jeffrey Turner Brian Umstead Jack Whaley Lydia Wilmoth

ZONE 8

Joey Brightbill Christa Frantz Steve Furlong

Michelle Krieg Tony Meiser Nathan Purcell Alyssa Rahe Gabrielle Shannon Matthew Shreve Lisa Speicher Kyle Sundheimer Robert Winebrenner Zach Zesiger

ZONE 9

Kelli Buchanan Cody Maynard Lori McNabb Cody Meadows Jennifer Miller Shawn Ramsay Cheryl Sugerman Amber West

ZONE 10

Meghan Allen Craig Belair Taylor Bojc William Bramblette Mathew Buckalew Gordana Dimacchia Michelle Gase Ashton Guy Jeffery Hager Sara Hager Gary Hankins Allen Kiger Katie Kittle Rachel Lantin Lori Lofton Blair Mallott Karen May Kate Miller Valerie Paskert Corey Poe Anne-Marie Rhodes Nikki Saunders Kaitlin Shivley Theresa Snyder Steve Spangler Brett Stewart Kayla Vandervlucht Mary Varner Jill Wade Tonya Whittredge Jessica Wolf

ohio association of elementary school administrators serving all administrators pre-k through 8

membership form Tell Us About Yourself! Name

Position Title

Preferred E-mail Address

(used for website login)

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Professional Plus Professional Aspiring Plus Aspiring Associate Plus Associate Retired Institutional

$375.00 $275.00 $160.00 $60.00 $160.00 $60.00 $60.00 $60.00

For membership definitions, please view back side. For $100, your professional, aspiring, or associate membership can be upgraded to a PLUS membership allowing 12-month access to the OAESA 360 Feedback Tool.

Alternate E-mail

School

(optional National Membership) School Address

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School Phone

Active Institutional Active Assistant Principal Emeritus Associate Aspiring Principal

$235.00 $280.00 $195.00 $80.00 $135.00 $80.00

Method of Payment School District

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Home Address

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Home City, State, Zip Code

Home County

Full Payment (Check or credit card) Purchase Order #________________

(Payment due within 30 days – See expiration policy) Payroll Deduction: Includes $25 processing fee. Maximum of 10 equal installments.

Total:__________ Card Type: _MasterCard _Visa _Discover _AmEx Card Number

Cell Phone

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Membership renewal date________ Memberships not renewed within 30 days of the renewal date (above) will be considered expired.

Dues paid to OAESA are NOT deductible as charitable contributions. Make check payable to OAESA for both OAESA and NAESP membership dues. Annual membership dues are nonrefundable. How did you hear about us? ___Email __ Website ___Brochure ___Monthly e-newsletter ___Colleague __ Social media ___Mailing/Flyer ___Magazine

Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators ● 445 Hutchinson Avenue, Suite 700 ● Columbus, OH 43235 ● oaesa.org

SAVE THE DATE!

445 Hutchinson Ave. Suite 700 Columbus, OH 43235

June 12-14, 2019 at Hilton Columbus at Easton

Educators are driven by a mystical force—the WHY—the reason you’ve chosen this career. Learn how to harness your own WHY with keynotes by Todd Nesloney (Kids Deserve It) and “Outspoken Literacy Consultants” Sara Holbrook and Michael Salinger, then join colleagues from across the state to explore purpose-driven practices that will transform your WHY into HOW.