Principal Navigator Winter 2019

principal

Vol. 14 No. 2 Winter 2019 $9.95

Navigator the magazine of the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators

FIRE FUELING THE

NURTURING YOUR STAFF, YOUR STUDENTS, & YOUR SELF

IN THIS ISSUE: LEGISLATOR VISITS / SUSPENSION/EXPULSION UPDATES / SELF-CARE SOLUTIONS

Encumber the funds now for OAESA’s 62nd Annual Conference and Trade Show June 12-14, 2019 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton

FEATURING KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Educators are driven by a mystical force--the WHY--the reason you’ve chosen this career! Learn how to harness your own WHY, then join colleagues from across the state to explore purpose-driven practices that will transform your WHY into HOW.

TODD NESLONEY aka TechNinjaTodd

SARA HOLBROOK & MICHAEL SALINGER

DR. JOE SANFELIPPO

Principal and award-winning co-author of Kids Deserve It! and Flipping 2.0: Practical Strategies for Flipping Your Class

Educators, poets, authors and “Outspoken Literacy Consultants”

Superintendent, host of the Hacking Leadership podcast, and co-author of The Power of Branding-—Telling Your School’s Story, and more

- PLUS PROFESSIONAL CLINICS by colleagues and community partners

NETWORKING Make intentional connections and grow together

TRADE SHOW Find the latest products and services for your school

Register before April 30, 2019 for your chance to win one of two $500 prizes to fund a school project from Horace Mann and DonorsChoose.org!

MEMBERS/STAFF of MEMBERS: $329 NONMEMBERS: $604 (includes membership) ONE-DAY RATE: $199 RETIREE RATE: $249

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principal navigator

REGISTER NOW!

Use Scholastic Dollars™ earned from your Scholastic Book Fairs toward the cost of registration!

See site for details.

Online at OAESA.org or by phone 614-547-8087

Executive Director’s Exchange: Getting Hygge With It

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM OAESA!

I

n the December e-News, I shared the Swedish tradition of “fika” which refers to coffee, sweets, traditions, family, friends, and more coffee enjoyed throughout the day.

Functioning as both a verb and a noun, the concept of fika is simple. It is the moment that you take a break, often with a cup of coffee or tea, and find a baked good to pair with it. You can do it alone or you can do it with friends.

You can do it at home, in a park, or at work, but the essential thing is that you do it! You make time to take a break, intentionally connect with yourself, others, and your purpose. That’s what fika is all about, and I challenged each of you to carve some time out of the busy holiday season to fika and experience that rekindled joy!

In closing, I’d like to introduce you to another Scandinavian way of life, “hygge” (pronounced Hoo-ga). Loosely translated, it means a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. Think of coziness, candles, coffee, friends, and nurturing—yourself and others. Did I mention candles? Research shows that 28% of Danes light more than 5 candles each and every day! When Danes are asked what they most associate with hygge, an overwhelming 85% will mention candles. Hygge also involves textures such as chunky throws, flannel shirts, and fluffy pillows. Simplicity is stressed; you can enjoy a favorite card game, book, a mug of hot cocoa, or photo albums. And, comfortable, warm clothing is a must. An update on your loungewear may be in order!

Well, if December is my most joyous time of the year, January with its dreary, cold days and limited daylight, is my least!

January often brings bad weather, holiday bills, and an alarming number on the scale (too much fika!). The winter months also bring indoor recess, snow day disruptions, lots of OTES evaluations, and an eye towards testing. How do you keep going when times are tough? How do you nurture your staff, your students, and yourself ? And, is there such a thing as work/life balance, validating self-care?

The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking is a great read about everything hygge. Wiking is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, and he spends his time studying the magic of the Danish life and what makes them happy (WOW! What a great job!). His book references a “hyggekrog space,” the place where you love to get comfy with a beverage and something to read. So, get a beverage, a cozy throw, a sweet treat, light a fire and some candles, and read this amazing issue!

We asked you to respond to those questions and share your experiences and strategies for this issue, Fueling the Fire, and you did not disappoint! We had a record number of articles submitted, and I know you will enjoy reading what your colleagues have to share! This issue is packed with honest, practical, and inspiring stories from the field.

Have a hyggelig winter!

Sincerely, Julie Davis, Ed.D. OAESA Executive Director

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FUELING THE

NURTURING YOUR STAFF, YOUR STUDENTS, & YOUR SELF

FIRE

In this issue

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NURTURING YOUR SELF

15

All In! (Within Reason)

Forest Hills APs

15

It All Matters

Ken Pease

20

Finding the Balance

Jen Schwanke

22

Everybody’s Counting On You!

Steve Zinser

24

Balance Can Make All the Difference

Chad Warnimont

25

Finding Your Joy

Julie Kenney

26

Principal Priorities

TJ Ebert

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Embrace the Suck

Paul Hohlbein

29

Don’t Let “What-If” Derail Your Why

Dr. Paul Young

30

NURTURING YOUR STAFF

32

Nurturing Your Staff

Jane Myers

32

Staying the Course

Dr. DeborahTelfer

34

Conversations That Could Change Schools

Meghan Lawson

36

Do it for the Culture

Jeff Williams

40

NURTURING YOUR STUDENTS

42

Senator Obhof Goes to Overlook

Erin Simpson

42

Finding Your Fuel

Michael Kauffeld

44

5, 4, 3, 2, 1: Five Deep Breaths

Lynn Villa

47

Tears of Hope

Dr. Nick Neiderhouse

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Changing the Mood

Dr. Mary Crabtree

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In every issue

ABOUT THE PRINCIPAL NAVIGATOR

table of contents

EDITORIAL SERVICE TEAM

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Executive Director’s Exchange

6

OAESA Board of Directors

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Highlighting an OAESA Hero

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SAIL for Education

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From the Desk of our Associate Executive Director

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OAESA Reading Summit

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Health Matters

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

Getting Hygge with it Dr. Julie Davis

Our 2018-2019 Board

Danielle Wallace, 2018-2019 Zone 2 Director

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

Tending to your professional development and growth Dr. Becky Hornberger Finding the sweet spot in the middle of the year Mark Jones

A photo review of our first ever OAESA Reading Summit

EDITORIAL POLICY

How to nurture oral health and prevent tooth decay in schools Shannon Cole

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Legal Report

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Legislative Update

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.

Changes to laws regarding student removals, suspensions, and expulsions Dennis Pergram New year, new legislature, new opportunities Barbara Shaner

Advertising inquiries should be directed to OAESA by phone at 614.547.8087 or by emailing info@oaesa.org.

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The Chalkboard

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We’re Booked

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Welcome OAESA’s New Members!

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.

News from the Association

Members’ reviews of the latest, greatest books for principals and students

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

POSTMASTER INTENTIONALLY C

NNECT

EFFECTIVELY DEVEL PASSIONATELY

P

DVOCATE

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

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 PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT-ELECT

Erin Simpson

Gretchen Liggens

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

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

gretchen.liggens@clevelandmetroschools.org

ZONE 1 DIRECTOR

ZONE 2 DIRECTOR

Ryan McGraw

Danielle Wallace

Executive Board PAST PRESIDENT

Melanie Pearn

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

Zone Directors ZONE 3 DIRECTOR

Cathryn Rice

NAESP REP

Timothy Barton

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 Elchert, Ed.D.

ZONE 10 DIRECTOR

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

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

ZONE 6 DIRECTOR

ZONE 7 DIRECTOR

ZONE 8 DIRECTOR

ZONE 9 DIRECTOR

Kesh Boodheshwar

Abbey Bolton

Susanne Waltman

Steve Foreman

kboodheshwar@bcsoh.org

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

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 timothy.barton@swcsd.us

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

Huntington Elementary 1931 Huntington Circle Brunswick, OH 44212 330.273.0484

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 2016 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 Girls’ Leadership Academy 8315 Jeffries Avenue Cleveland OH 44105 216.838.8950 audrey.staton-thompson@ clevelandmetroschools.org

Worthington Schools 200 E. Wilson Bridge Rd. Worthington, OH 43085 614.450.6000 aarmstrong@wscloud.org

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

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She’s in charge of this circus and loving every minute. a conversation with

OAESA Zone 2 Director Danielle Wallace

by Mary Mitton-Sanchez

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W

hen Danielle Wallace began her graduate coursework to earn her administrator license, she told her professor on the first day that she did not want to be a principal. Her professor smiled, and assured Wallace she would change her mind.

district. I got excited about it. I felt I could be involved there.”

And sure enough, she did.

“It was divine intervention,” Wallace said.

“A principal wanted to transition into central office, and I wanted to transition back into schools! It’s my fourth year in this building, but year 23 in education.”

OAESA Zone 2 Director and Winton Woods Primary South Principal Danielle Wallace was always going to be a teacher.

She loved school as a kid and made her siblings play with her, even though they hated it. Although Wallace was a shy kid, school was a safe place for her. She found her way in the classroom.

She eventually found herself earning an administrator license in order to work in curriculum for Cincinnati Public Schools, where she had the aforementioned encounter with her graduate professor.

“It took me by surprise in a good way!”

Wallace said. “I had a friend in Winton Woods who invited me to shadow her.

Winton Woods is a small urban school

She got a job as an assistant principal, but then was moved to fill an opening in curriculum. After one year, Wallace realized that she missed working with kids!

Wallace’s current building is diverse in a myriad of ways.

“We are a school of 420 kindergarten to second grade students. A quarter of my students are English Language Learners (They hail from Nepal, Mexico, and Africa, to name a few). We have two self-contained multi-handicapped units in our building,” Wallace said. “Everyone that walks in the building is here to be loved, nurtured, and stretched academically.”

As the building leader, Wallace works to model positive relationship building with

students and families.

“I never want my team to forget that this little person is connected to people who love them just as much as we do,” Wallace said. “I challenge them to be diligent in their connections that we’re making with students. They’re loving them the best way that they can, and compensate where we need to. The kids deserve it.”

Wallace also works to build positive culture and empathy for students who may come from challenging backgrounds. After all, she understands that struggle herself.

“I try to do a lot with creating moments for staff/students and also with forgiveness.

Having come from a family in poverty, I push my staff to understand what it’s like.

Not everyone on my staff looks like my students, but they work to understand them. They believe in them, despite what kids are going through beyond these four walls.”

Wallace not only gives back to her students and staff, but she works to give back to her profession as well. She has spent the last two years mentoring one of her teachers who wants to go into administration.

Wallace did a lot of coaching and helped the teacher fill her “toolbox.”

For Wallace, that toolbox is all about the support network: “Connect yourself with others who are doing the work well, because you’re going to need those people when you’re not doing the work as well.

Know that it’s going to be hard, and know that you’re going to be challenged by worklife balance. You have to give yourself permission to ask for help, especially on those challenging days. Get your village, crew, or squad to help you!”

Wallace knows work-life balance can be easier said than done. It’s something she’s focused on this year.

“I’m working to be intentional,” Wallace said. “I’m not checking every email on the weekend, because a bad email could ruin my weekend. It has been so liberating for me to spend time with family/friends and not feel guilty about it. I’m trying to schedule that time and put myself on my calendar.”

It’s essential for Wallace to do this as she works in her building and as OAESA’s Zone 2 Director. Her desire to give back extends to others in her area who are dealing with the same issues.

“What propelled me to want to lead in OAESA was the professional conference 4 years ago,” she said. “I had never experienced PD in that manner, but the sessions, the networking, and the level of collegiality was next level. I needed a support group, and my superintendent at the time encouraged me.”

That encouragement was mirrored by her colleagues in OAESA. Wallace said, “The sharing of contact information, resources, challenges and victories – the group draws you in and keeps you pumped up! I’ve learned a lot about how people do things around the state and how people are running their individual machines.”

Her goals for this year are to increase membership in Zone 2, something that will push Wallace outside of her comfort zone.

Regardless, that intentional connecting with others helps Wallace refocus her energy on her “why,” that motivating factor that keeps her coming back day after day.

“My ‘why’ is the child who needs a hero or an advocate,” Wallace said. “Until I’m sure I’ve met the needs of all of those kids. We just don’t know the potential of all of the kids that walk in our building, but we can all promote greatness – even if we don’t know the end of the story. They are the reason we do what we do.”

And if you’re considering the principalship or think it isn’t for you (like Wallace once did), she has some words of advice to help you make that decision.

“Make this leap if you want to have an impact on the big picture and the system,” Wallace said. “If you’re ready to tackle the political issues that education is faced with, you should be a principal. If you’re ready to leverage your talents as a teacher to the entire school community, be a principal. If you’re ready to lean in and have a seat at the table, be a principal. If you’re ready to love all kids, be a principal. Just do it! The job is so worth it.”

Highlighting an OAESA Hero!

THE BASICS FAMILY MEMBERS? Daughter Daija Wallace, 15, attends Winton Woods HS PETS? One dog, Angel YEARS IN THE CLASSROOM? YEARS IN ADMINISTRATION? 18 in the classroom, 4 as a principal EMERGENCY DESK FOOD? Gummi bears, chocolate, and Starbucks Caramel Macchiato PERSONAL MANTRA? “Go off and be great!”

I end every staff meeting or team gathering with this message.

BIGGEST PET PEEVE? Disrespect on any level FAVORITE DOWNTIME ACTIVITIES? Wine tasting & reality TV UP NEXT ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? Before she goes to college, my daughter and I are going to revisit all the places we traveled during her childhood.

WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A STUDENT? Shy and reserved, but I loved school!

FAVORITE OAESA EVENT? Professional Conference

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Tending your professional learning and growth

BY DR. REBECCA HORNBERGER

A

s educational leaders, one essential aspect of “fueling your fire” is tending to your own professional growth and development. Through the SAIL partnership with Concordia University Chicago, we offer numerous master’s and doctoral programs, as well as licensure options, to effectively meet the professional learning needs of educators throughout the state of Ohio.

For this issue of the Principal Navigator, we wanted to share with you some inspirational words of wisdom from several of our doctoral students who have great insight as to how they balance it all and stay motivated throughout their coursework: WHAT DO YOU FIND TO BE THE VALUE IN CONTINUING YOUR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH YOUR DOCTORAL COURSEWORK? Emily Collett (EC): The value that I have found in continuing my professional growth through doctoral coursework has been highly intrinsic in nature. The coursework, collaboration with peers, and interactions with professors outside of my geographic and cultural range has presented such diverse experiences, that I have desired to continue the learning process. I also know that as I continue conducting research and writing the dissertation, my findings have the potential to impact children in a positive way. Simply put, the value is found in dedicating myself to work that has the potential to, even if in a minuscule way, do good in the world, for the children of our world.

Terry Logan Mottinger (TLM): The increasing development of self gives a great sense of accomplishment and creates a personal experience of success.

Vicki Turner (VT): Every class I take – though I might complain about the work and time factor – is a learning adventure and deepens my commitment to the field of education.

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Jennifer Russell (JR): I always find value in continued learning, and this process has really stretched me as a researcher and writer.

Ira Wentworth (IW): I enjoy learning and growing. The structured coursework keeps me disciplined to do that, plus the knowledge and skills are very applicable to my work.

WITH ALL OF YOUR OTHER COMMITMENTS AS AN EDUCATOR, HOW DO YOU INTENTIONALLY MAKE TIME FOR YOUR COURSEWORK AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING? EC: As a single mother of five, an active community member, and a building level administrator, devoting time for coursework and professional learning can be a difficult task. My advice is to intentionally plan time to devote to this part of your week. Treat course requirements and professional learning as you would a committee meeting or doctor appointment - schedule it, and it will be a priority.

TLM: I have created a life schedule to follow that involves my daily routines and, realistically, makes time for doctoral work at least four times per week.

JR: First, it is necessary to understand what makes you most effective.

I know that I need to have at least a 3 hour block of time dedicated to my coursework or dissertation in order to make progress. I also learned that I need a quiet space with limited distractions...and snacks!

So, each Sunday I look at my calendar, schedule work sessions for the week, and make them a priority. I try to get one session in during the week and a double session in each weekend. Writing them down on the calendar helps me stick to my plan.

VT: I set aside one day each weekend and a couple hours each weeknight for course work. Everyone knows I’m “unavailable” when I’m doing schoolwork. I also say “no” more often to the many little

Emily Collett

Terry Logan Mottinger

Jennifer Russell

requests that come my way. I also find time for creative endeavors that help me relax and process information. I like to crochet, draw, sew, etc.

IW: Early mornings, late nights, and locking myself away on weekends. Go into it with the mindset that there will be sacrifice involved.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FINISHED OR WHO ARE CURRENTLY WRITING A DISSERTATION, HOW DO YOU/DID YOU PERSEVERE TO PROGRESS THROUGH THIS TIME OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING? EC: How do we maintain the fire? What is the motivation? Kids!

Is there a better motivation out there to spur on task completion in our profession? I hope the answer is a resounding no. As I continue to persevere through this process, I am committed to impacting the students that I work with in a meaningful way on a daily basis.

Interacting with students on a daily basis continually reminds me of the demographic that I am striving to aide through the dissertation completion process. Is it difficult? Time consuming? Stressful – yes.

Is it worth it? Yes, one thousand times, yes!

TLM: I set goals and persevere, because I am sincerely interested in adding to the research and development of my dissertation topic without regard for a title. I believe in educating oneself and influencing others to achieve their dreams. I have developed a habit of lifelong learning and want to help others.

JR: I have broken my dissertation down into bite-sized pieces and created goals for when I want to complete each chapter. I have also challenged myself to complete revisions within two weeks of feedback from a committee member. Another tactic I’ve used is to turn in a revision right before I know that I will be away from writing for a while, such as before a vacation or a busy period at work. This way I don’t feel like I am wasting time waiting for feedback. I also feel more relaxed while I’m away from writing, because I recently turned in a new draft.

IW: Keep chipping away. Even if you only have 30 minutes to work on your current step, do it. Just keep moving. *** As you can see, our doctoral students are busy educators who have

Vicki Turner

Ira Wentworth

prioritized their professional growth. If you, too, would like to pursue that next degree or license, please reach out and contact me at rebecca.hornberger@cuchicago.edu. I am here to provide support as you traverse this exciting journey to reach new professional goals throughout the duration of your career!

Rebecca Hornberger, Ph.D. is the department chair for the SAIL/Concordia University Chicago (CUC) partnership with OAESA. She oversees all graduate programs for CUC throughout the state of Ohio. Please contact her at rebecca.hornberger@cuchicago.edu.

Emily Collett spent the first 8 years of her career teaching 4th grade Social Studies and English Language Arts. She has an MS in Reading and Literacy from Walden University’s online program and Ohio Principal Licensure which was embedded as part of the MA in Educational Leadership program in cooperation with SAIL CUC. Emily has served as the Assistant Principal at West Union Elementary in the Adams County Ohio Valley School district for the past 4 years. She is currently working through the coursework for CUC’s Ed.D. in School Leadership with an embedded Ohio Superintendent Licensure.

She will begin the dissertation process in January with the goal to complete the program in December 2019.

Terry Logan Mottinger is a middle school art teacher in Columbus City Schools. She also serves as a curriculum specialist with the Ohio Department of Education. She is enrolled in the Teacher Leadership Ed Doctoral program.

As a coach and consultant for FranklinCovey, Jennifer Russell is passionate about empowering children to find their voice and take ownership of their learning, She utilizes the practices of The Leader in Me to help students understand their worth and potential and is committed to forming strong partnerships with schools to help them unlock that potential in their students. She is in the Educational Leadership Ph.D. program Vicki Turner is the Director of Instructional Technology for Strongsville City Schools, which includes overseeing the technology department and working with 14 instructional tech coaches. She is currently enrolled in the School Leadership Ph.D. program and will begin working on her dissertation in January 2019.

Ira Wentworth is serving his seventh year as the superintendent of Indian Valley Local Schools in Gnadenhutten, Ohio. He previously served as elementary principal in the same district for five years prior to his current role. The knowledge and skills he gained through the doctoral program in education leadership have been very applicable in benefiting both school culture and student learning in his district. winter 2019

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FROM THE DESK OF OAESA’S

Associate Executive Director Finding the sweet spot in the middle of the year

BY MARK JONES

C

aution! You are about to enter the dead zone! You know, that portion of the school year when everyone’s patience and enthusiasm seems like a distant memory.

Recall the excitement and good intentions that students and teachers bubbled with at the start of your school year? Remember back in August when you had a staff lounge full of eager teachers who just couldn’t wait to try out a new unit, instructional technique, or classroom management approach? Yeah, and now we’re entering the winter doldrums.

That time of year when the snow lays in heaping piles on the blacktop, and the playground turns into a muddy morass that strikes fear in the hearts of your custodians!

log on someone else’s embers. Really! Just look around your school for a person or group who could use a pick-me-up (there won’t be any shortage here!), and say to yourself, “What could I do right now to refuel their passion?” Got a cranky staff ? Bake a few dozen warm cookies, toss a large urn of coffee or hot chocolate on a cart, and wheel it around the school in the middle of a cold, snowy February morning. For twenty or thirty bucks in sweet treats, you’ll buy yourself a few weeks of priceless goodwill from your teachers!

Or consider taking fifteen minutes each day to cover a different staff member’s assigned duty, giving them a chance to take a deep, relaxing breath.

When it comes to lifting the spirits of those around your school, there are countless ways to accomplish the goal, and you will find that you are limited only by your own creativity.

You can pretty much set your clock to it. From mid-January through most of March, you are likely going to feel as though everyone around you at school is in weather-induced funk. Day after day of inside recess will take its toll on morale, and you might even question your own passion and commitment.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, so if your own zeal has lost its zip in this bleak midwinter, read on for what I promise is the single most effective cure for this condition. Trust me, if you do this one simple trick, the positive results are virtually guaranteed!

The very best way to “fuel the fire” within you is to throw a giant

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Suffering from short-tempered, impatient bus drivers? Stand outside in the morning as the buses roll in and jump on each one, handing the drivers a thank-you note and a mug of hot coffee or tea! Are your custodians looking like Grumpy the Dwarf ? Send them a handwritten thank you note that praises them for keeping the hallways clean and the icy sidewalks salted. And consider bringing a nice, colorful bouquet of cheery flowers for your secretary to enjoy in the office.

When it comes to lifting the spirits of those around your school, there are countless ways to accomplish the goal, and you will find that you are limited only by your own creativity. Clearly, the best way to fuel your own fire is to intentionally stoke someone else’s first!

Auto | Home | Life | Retirement

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

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.

Remove

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Forgiveness programs may remove some or all student loan debt.

Repayment and refinance options may reduce monthly payments.

Redirect any savings to help you achieve financial goals.

For more information contact your local representative or visit horacemann.com/workshops

Matt Kliewer Territory Leader Matt.Kliewer@horacemann.com 614­202­3597

Student loan refinancing is provided through an unaffiliated third-party financial services firm.

Refinancing a federal student loan will make the borrower ineligible for loan forgiveness programs and could lengthen the repayment period of the loan. Borrowers’ overall repayment amount may be higher than the loans they are refinancing even if their monthly payments are lower.

AM-C04272-1 (Dec. 17)

horacemann.com winter 2019

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editor’s note In the middle of the year, it can be cold outside and tough in schools.

Administrators must focus on

FIRE FUELING THE

NURTURING YOUR STAFF YOUR STUDENTS, & YOUR SELF

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lease put on your oxygen mask before assisting others. We’ve all heard it before takeoff, but how often do we consider and heed that advice outside of an airplane? Working in education can be extremely challenging; but, as we all know, with great challenges come great rewards. There isn’t anything better than seeing our students, teachers, families, and communities succeed. Regardless of this important work, it is critical to practice self care. It may seem difficult or out of character from what we’ve seen before: missing meals, skipping exercise, staying in the building from sunrise to sunset daily - in general, burning the candle at both ends. However, if your tank is on empty, you can’t be your best for the people who need you the most. The articles that follow include tips, tricks, and ideas to help you do better for your students, staffs, schools, and selves.

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ALL IN! (WITHIN REASON)

BY THE ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS OF FOREST HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT, HEATHER HOELLE BRIAN LYONS HEATHER MILLIGAN JOY O’BRIEN TIFFANY SELM NICOLE WARD AND INTRODUCTION BY MELISSA BUCKALEW

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assion is a commanding emotion that moves people to action. Passion is the fuel that ignites a fire in the hearts of educators. This fire must be nurtured and fed to thrive.

Through the course of a day, month, year, and career, administrators intentionally tend this fire by nurturing students, staff, and themselves. Tending to this flame shines a light on the joys of our work, illuminates a path for reflection and growth, and creates an eternal space for passion to thrive. The elementary assistant principals in Forest Hills School District leverage their conviction for learning and leading to fully serve our students, teachers, and parents, pushing everyone to the next level of great. Below each assistant principal will illustrate how they fuel the fire by nurturing their students, their staff, and themselves.

A nurturing culture does not happen by accident. It requires intentional, meaningful connections with the adults and students in the building. Every single one of these connections has to be a model of the verbiage we use, the actions we take, and the behavior we want to see out of our Forest Hills family. Time and consistency are the keys to a culture in which everyone wants to be a part. Continued on next page. winter 2019

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Heather Hoelle Assistant Principal Ayer Elementary 2018 OAESA Hall of Fame School NURTURING STAFF: We have the best staff around, and I love showing them how much I value and appreciate all their hard work. I try to nurture our staff in many different ways because they deserve it. This has included special treats, duty coverage, providing additional planning time for teachers, supporting them in difficult meetings or conferences with parents, and creating plans for individual students to help support the teachers and protect their precious time. Our staff members thrive on their own, and I am their cheerleader in the background - cheering them on throughout their professional journeys!

NURTURING STUDENTS: I love connecting with our students in a positive way. My favorite thing to do with students is celebrate their individual accomplishments. This typically is connected to their behavioral goals and individual plans, but sometimes it is just a student showing me a spelling test because they feel proud of their work. It fills me up to encourage and motivate the students to always do their best!

NURTURING YOURSELF: I personally find so much joy in helping others. This extends to all staff members, students, and families of our students. It takes a village to support a school, and I love being a helpful part of that support team. I am a lifelong learner and will continue to enjoy pushing myself to learn and grow to be the best that I can be for our staff and students.

Brian Lyons Assistant Principal Wilson Elementary 2018 OAESA AP of the Year 2016 OAESA Hall of Fame School NURTURING STUDENTS: Nurturing students is unquestionably the highlight of any day and the ultimate reason why we are called to this profession. We work each and every day to support the academic and emotional growth of our students. For this work to be effective, our students must know that we care for them. It might be a “get well” card sent home when they’re sick, playing with them at recess, or maybe just a high five in the hallway, but each interaction builds upon itself to grow trust with our students. Celebrating student successes is the best part of being an administrator!

Beyond celebrating students, the best way to nurture students is to consistently put them at the center of the decision-making process. We want students to enjoy coming to school and having incredible learning experiences. Therefore, we must look for engaging opportunities and innovative lessons that they would want to experience. Honoring student voice within the daily functioning of the school is the ultimate way to nurture student growth.

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NURTURING STAFF: I am extremely fortunate to work for an incredible staff who willingly give of themselves, every day, for the betterment of their students. Our staff are the ones who do the heavy lifting, which means it’s incumbent upon me to do all I can do for them. A small authentic gesture or comment can go a long way in telling staff members how much you value them.

Walking through a classroom and leaving a “Positive Post-It” about something you saw, bringing in their favorite treat, or thanking them for their work goes a long way. Additionally, it can be incredibly powerful for an administrator to fan the flames of an inspired teacher to keep that fire burning. We can support our teachers simply by giving them permission to try something new without fear of failure. Sometimes you have to let your horses run!

By believing in the talents of our staff and recognizing their work we can continue to nurture the growth and development of our staff.

NURTURING YOURSELF: As people who are typically the ones giving of our time and energy to help others, it can feel selfish to take time for ourselves. As uncomfortable as it may be, selfcare is a critical component to any successful administrator. We must take time to recharge our batteries. Taking care of myself and my family means that I have established clear boundaries between work and home. It’s sometimes difficult, but I honor these boundaries as much as possible. I also make sure that I have enough “me time” to pursue my hobbies and interests outside of my professional life. Perspective is key. I am not defined by my job or role within the community. I am a complex person with many interests that require attention.

Heather Milligan Assistant Principal Maddux Elementary 2018 OAESA Hall of Fame School NURTURING STUDENTS: In order for students to grow and develop academically, socially, and emotionally, we must have strategic methods to nurture the whole child. Being present with a smile can be powerful. As an administrator, it is tempting to get stuck in the office. Fight this temptation. Greet students each morning and afternoon. Join in morning meetings, lessons, and lunch/recess times. Ask students to come to your office at least once per year to share something they have accomplished. This could be a project, essay, a problem they solved with perseverance, or new friendships they have developed. Help students to recognize what makes them proud and to share that with others.

NURTURING STAFF: Nurturing is the process of caring for and encouraging the growth and development of someone or something. So as an educational leader, how do we nurture staff, students, and ourselves? Well, that is done in thoughtful layers, dimensions, and approaches. First and foremost, we must connect with our staff. Listen, learn, and lead with praise. Listen to what staff share professionally and personally. Use their own thoughts and ideas to make connections, support their strengths and struggles, and motivate them to continue to grow. Learn with your staff. All educators, in all capacities, must be lifelong learners. Be

obvious in your need and desire to learn beside them. Finally, use praise. The statistic of five positives for every negative stands true in all relationships. Yet, in the ever-changing, and sometimes overwhelming, world of education, teachers and staff need explicit praise. This can be a note in their mailbox, relaying a positive statement made by a former student regarding the impact they made, or a gentle shout-out at the weekly staff meeting.

NURTURING YOURSELF: Take care of yourself, take care of others, take care of Maddux. These are the guiding principles within our school. Taking care of yourself not only refers to responsibility of self, but self-care as well. As educational leaders, we must work to achieve balance in our lives. Set limits for professional work and requirements for personal activities and relationships. Is it ok to schedule a time to walk the dog at the park? Yes it is! You cannot support others if you, yourself, are not supported. And most importantly, just as you’re working to praise and lift staff and students, do the same for yourself. Positive selftalk and internal recognition are difficult yet critically important.

Joy O’Brien Assistant Principal Mercer Elementary 2018 OAESA Hall of Fame School NURTURING STUDENTS: Nurturing students starts with a love of kids and a passion for their learning. At Mercer, I nurture our Eagles in every way possible. I stand in the hallway and greet all students as they enter the building in the morning. I rarely miss this moment, because it’s blocked off on my calendar. To me, the most important thing students need to see is a caring adult who is smiling and wishing them a great day. I get numerous bear hugs during this time too. I also spend time reading to students. I ask teachers to invite me to be the “mystery reader” in each classroom before Thanksgiving. I eat lunch with students sometimes, and I invite them to turn in “Eagle Tickets” to invite a friend. We take “Eagle Selfies” together, and I print the pictures to send home. I also send positive emails and notes to families, celebrating successful moments in the day. Dismissal provides opportunities to wish students a good evening and share my excitement of getting to see them again tomorrow.

NURTURING STAFF: Getting to nurture the Mercer staff is one of the best parts of my job. I realized quickly that my bucket fills too each time I share a genuine compliment with a colleague. A few ways I intentionally recognize the hard work around me include writing weekly notes to staff members, specifically thanking them for something I noticed lately that impacted students in a positive way. I participate in our weekly “Props to Peeps” emails which highlight the specific greatness that oozes from this place. A couple of times a year, the principal and I load the snack cart and visit every adult, offering a cold drink and snack...just because. We celebrate staff birthdays once a month with a birthday breakfast.

At the start of this school year, I contacted First Watch to see if we could partner with them to celebrate our staff. Two weeks later, they were here on a staff-only work day, catering breakfast. On the same day, Crazy Bowls and Wraps brought chips and salsa for a snack mid-day, since all staff planned to stay late for our

Back-to-School Bash. Food is always a great way to show love.

Finally, the best way to nurture a positive, healthy school culture is through honesty and integrity. This past summer, I asked each staff member, even the custodians and kitchen staff, to send me a picture of each with their families. I spent several weeks making a scrapbook titled, “Our Why.” It stays in our lounge to remind us that even during our rough days, there are those at home who can’t wait to see us. Most importantly, I do what I say I’m going to do and follow through when an action is expected of me. I open my door to tough conversations and am willing to laugh and cry with my colleagues. I truly care about each of them – both professionally and personally.

NURTURING YOURSELF: Nurturing myself is the most challenging. I am sure I am not the only assistant principal that feels this way! Taking care of staff and student needs leaves little time left. This academic year, I have made intentional changes that have resulted in a more centered and balanced Joy. I arrive at school at least one hour before staff arrive each day.

This hour consists of classical music, coffee, low-lighting from lamps, an apple-pumpkin plug-in, and my work. I have also been consistently visiting the lounge for lunch for the first time in three years. Connecting with teachers and staff keeps me grounded and helps me put the business of my to-do list in perspective. I am also able to support, encourage, and empathize when I am present. Strangely, these moments are nurturing for me. Outside of the work day, I get at least one intense workout in a week and an hour of yoga on Saturdays. I put my phone on silent at 9:00pm and do not look at it again until morning. I read and reflect on inspirational messages daily. I have learned that without scheduled time on the calendar to take care of myself, it does not happen. I am happier and a more effective leader when I have taken care of my heart, mind, and spirit.

Tiffany Selm Assistant Principal Sherwood Elementary NURTURING STUDENTS: As a mother of two, I have another perspective for the children that walk into my school daily. Someone recently told me, “They just want to be near you.”

This is so true; our children just want to be near us, learning and growing from our influence. The best way I’ve learned how to produce further growth for our children is to encourage their hearts. Say good morning at arrival. Eat lunch with them in the cafeteria. Smile and say you will see them tomorrow at dismissal. These little actions will let them know you care about their hearts.

NURTURING STAFF: Every staff member in your building needs something from their administration, whether that is your time, talent, or treasure. The best way to know what your staff needs is to listen. My grandma always said, “You have two ears and one mouth for a reason.” Some of my staff members need my time to simply be near them, some need my talent of organizing, while others need my treasure of simplifying difficult tasks. Nurture your staff by listening and giving them your time, talent, or treasure.

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NURTURING YOURSELF: Recently, I was able to truly reflect on myself and how I can improve my ability to nurture myself. The first step in my reflection was to develop a list of my core values, which are: family first, inspire others to act, and be mindful of the whole child. I have found that a manageable list is a minimum of three values, but no more than five. When I am confronted with commitments that don’t align with my three core values, I confidently and politely say no without apology. By doing so, I nurture myself and set a positive example for my staff.

NICOLE WARD ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL SUMMIT ELEMENTARY NURTURING STUDENTS: Today I walked by the gym and heard awesome 90s jams blaring through the double doors. Obviously, I had to investigate.

I peeked in and found a group of third graders engaged in a pacing activity: walk, run, and jog. I felt the urge to break into dance - so I did. In that moment, the students saw a real piece of me, a side that many of them didn’t know existed. When students get a sense of my true self, it lets them know that I am approachable. I am a trusted adult who wants the best for them. This trust grows a rapport that acts as a solid foundation for a positive relationship. My day is made up of so many snippets of student interactions. When I am with students, I am mindful of my language - both spoken and not - so that they are aware that I am present, in the moment, and focused on them. I want them to feel safe, heard, and respected. Being real and being present are two ways that I nurture the students at Summit.

NURTURING STAFF: Before I can nurture the staff that I work with, I need to get to know them. Relationship building has been a number one priority since taking on the role of assistant principal.

Getting to know them, taking a genuine interest in their lives, and letting them know who I am and what I am about builds a level of trust that is imperative to the work we do. I have seen firsthand that trust is what gets us through tough conversations about things that might be hard to say and even harder to hear.

I continue to nurture by being visible. The teachers I work with do AMAZING things, and I want them to know that their work with our students doesn’t go unrecognized. I want them to feel supported and empowered to take risks.

NURTURING YOURSELF: Very type-A by nature, I have always found myself to be my own worst critic. This year has been especially difficult for me because everything - EVERYTHING - is new...or so I thought. The district is new, the job is new, and the tasks that come along with it are new. The faces are more familiar than a couple of months ago, and I’m learning DOs and DON’Ts along the way. What is not new is my drive to inspire change and risk-taking for the sake of great opportunities for kids and my love for learning. That being said, this year I have been learning to nurture myself by allowing myself some forgiveness. I leave some things at school so that I can recharge with my family at night -

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and that’s ok. I have some unread emails that will have to wait until the morning - and that’s ok. I have had some missteps along this path - and that’s expected. Am I overwhelmed? Yes. Do I stress?

Yes. However, I am learning that the best way to keep myself sane and my outlook positive is to forgive myself a little. So far, so good. *** The authors of the article can be contacted via Twitter. Their Twitter handles are listed below: Heather Hoelle, @HHoelle Assistant Principal, Ayer Elementary Heather Milligan, @milliga2 Assistant Principal, Maddux Elementary Joy O’Brien, @itsajoy5 Assistant Principal, Mercer Elementary Tiffany Selm, @mrsselm Assistant Principal, Sherwood Elementary Nicole Ward, @msnicoleward Assistant Principal, Summit Elementary Brian Lyons, @mrlyonsWE Assistant Principal, Wilson Elementary Melissa Buckalew, @MelissaBuckalew Coordinator of Elementary Teaching & Learning, Forest Hills Schools

RIGOROUS READING Access Points for Comprehending Complex Informational Text March 14, 2019 • 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

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~ Special engagement! Limited to 85 participants ~ Close reading, deep reading, evidence-based reading, critical reading, analytical reading—whatever you want to call it, it is the foundation for the practices in mathematics, English, and every other subject.

Come with your staff and spend the day with Nancy Frey as she presents best practices in developing student literacy skills.

AGENDA 8:00 - 9:00

Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 12:00 Nancy Frey Presents • • • • •

The importance of text-dependent questions Scaffolding reading instruction techniques for students Peer collaboration as an assist for literacy development How to use independent reading for students Planning instruction based on assessments

12:00 - 1:00

Lunch

1:00 - 2:00

Panel and Q & A

Leverage the knowledge and expertise of the practitioners in the room with this collaborative, interactive session.

2:00 - 2:45

Recap and Takeaways

2:45 - 3:00

Evaluation and Closure

COST

Cost of registration includes breakfast, lunch, and a bag of hand-picked titles and resources from Nancy Frey!

OAESA Members and Staff Bring your BLT at the member rate!

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Nonmembers

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FEATURING NANCY FREY Nancy Frey, Ph.D., is a Professor in Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and the recipient of the 2008 Early Career Achievement Award from the Literacy Research Association.

Nancy has published in The Reading Teacher, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Principal Leadership, Middle School Journal, and Educational Leadership. She and colleague Doug Fisher coauthored Visible Learning in Literacy and Visible Learning in Mathematics with John Hattie, as well as The Teacher Clarity Playbook, Rigorous Reading, and Text Complexity. Their leadership titles for ASCD include Better Learning for Structured Teaching, Checking for Understanding, and All Learning is Social and Emotional. Nancy is a National Geographic/Cengage author on Reach, Reach for Reading, and the new Panorama series, which emphasizes literacy through the lens of science and social studies. Nancy is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California, and is a co-founder and administrator at Health Sciences High and Middle College.

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IT ALL MATTERS Sometimes you have to take a step back to assess and evaluate what you’re doing and what’s really important.

BY KEN PEASE

I believe I can impact a life, change a life, save a life.

Two years ago I did something that completely changed my “story.” I took a sabbatical from the public principalship.

It wasn’t a sabbatical in the purest sense. It was longer than a year, and I did continue to work. However, it changed me and my story as an elementary school principal. With renewed energy and focus, I returned to the public school principalship this fall.

I had been a principal for ten years and could feel the strain of the job pulling at me without end. My mind was constantly moving, the daily stresses of the job continued to layer upon me, and going home to my wife and four kids felt like more of the same. Simply put, it was turning me into a person that I wasn’t enjoying being around.

I began to think of retirement and how I would get there one day. I began to say things like, “when I’m retired, I’ll work in a small private school where I can serve the kids and families and be free of so many requirements that are making me feel burnt out.” This was a daily thought for me and when time permitted, I thought quietly about it.

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Finally, I had a realization that if I continue to drive at the pace I am going, I may not ever make it to that next phase.

I began to think, why can’t I do that right now?

And so I resigned as principal after six years in a terrific building in a great district. I didn’t know where I was going, but that quickly changed when a small, private school of 97 elementary students asked me to be the principal. I said, “yes” and agreed to half my pay and no benefits. It was a decision to do ministry work and let things play out as they may.

I became the principal, the HR director, the communications department, the bus driver for field trips, the substitute teacher, the marketing director, the admissions director, and even the daytime custodian when needed. My days were filled with serving others, bringing energy and order to a tiny place, and to connecting with kids and families again. It was a happy place. The parents were happy, the kids were happy, and the church that oversaw the school was happy. I was happy too, as I realized that margins were coming back into my life. There was time to go home early, time to read professionally, time to eat lunch with the kids,

and time to take a field trip with fourth-graders for the entire day. Most importantly, there was time to figure out why I really do the work I do.

I came to the realization that our work matters. It is really important. When I left the principalship I was hyper-focused on everything from scores to evaluations to discipline numbers. This left no room for margins and caused frustration and exhaustion. My focus, if I ever truly had one, for why I was working completely faded into the background. I had fallen into the proverbial rat race, constantly comparing my work and my building to others.

to that child matters. When we call Children’s Services on behalf of a child we may very well change the trajectory of a family. OTES and data matter. When we ensure great instruction occurs in the classroom, we empower a child to hit that higher ACT score and get to be the first person in their family to get to college. PBIS matters. When we create a safe environment for our students, we keep them from harm so they can come to school excited and arrive back home safely. Administration meetings matter. When we engage in the vision and direction of the district, we become champions for those who may not know how to advocate for themselves.

Relationships matter. When we take time to listen to a grieving colleague, parent, or staff member, we may steer them to dignity and help.

Where you are and who you are with matters.

I’ve learned to stay in the moment and do the best I can.

During my public school break I began to see again why we all do this work. I began to realize that our work is important because we matter. I used to get caught up in saying scores aren’t as important as relationships. I was always trying to rate the importance of what I did at work. Should I spend time talking to this student or should I get to that data team meeting? Should I attend the board meeting or go see the middle school concert? Maybe I can do both. My focus was simply paying attention to my calendar. I was flying from one event, meeting, or observation to another. I inevitably began to feel like some of it was meaningless and it caused bitterness. I began to think that no matter what I did that it didn’t really matter.

So what changed? I began to realize that it all matters.

The board meeting matters, the data team matters, the conversation with the student and the words of consolation to a grieving staff member all matter. However, the big change for me was WHY it all matters.

It matters because, as principals, we impact lives, change lives and save lives. The funny thing is, we just don’t know which ones we are going to impact, change or save. Talking

So how in the world does thinking it all matters make the job more manageable and more meaningful? It helps you to reduce the stress that you have to be somewhere else doing something else. Where you are and who you are with matters. I’ve learned to stay in the moment and do the best I can. I’ve learned that I’m not a superhero. And that reality is a big weight off my back! I’ve come to realize I’m just a person, but I’ve also realized I’m not a placeholder.

My presence, my attitude, my attention, and my intentions matter. It all matters because every day we are impacting lives, changing lives, and saving lives. Every day we are a hero to somebody, but we just don’t know who or how.

And that’s a great story to tell!

Ken Pease is the new principal at Sedalia Elementary School in Groveport Madison. He has also served as principal in Worthington Schools and South-Western City Schools. He and his wife Kristin have four children and live in Hilliard, OH. You can contact Ken via email at ken.pease@gocruisers.org.

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FINDING THE

BALANCE Accepting and embracing the highs and lows of the principalship is the first step to finding peace.

BY JEN SCHWANKE

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attended Shreve Elementary School in the Triway Local School district, in the heart of rural Ohio. It was a long time ago, back when playgrounds looked entirely different than they do now.

Our playground had fabulous seesaws. There were two full sets—a very old set and a shiny new one—placed among the other oldschool playground items: a few sandboxes, two merry-go-rounds, simple metal slides, and a long line of half-buried gigantic tractor tires. It was an old-school playground, for sure, centered by an aging wooden apparatus that promised a splinter or two every single day.

gone and the building is quiet, I’m a super-focused worker bee: wrapping up one school year, planning for another, supporting facility updates and maintenance, and preparing all the things I’ll need when August comes around. In the summer, I only work until about four o’clock. Then I’m headed home to grab the pool bag and do some reading with my toes in the water. I don’t check my emails in the evenings in summer, because I know there is catch-up time waiting for me in the morning. There I am, high on the seesaw, patting myself on the back for having such a perfect job that makes me feel productive, prepared, and impactful.

When principals ask, “How do you achieve work/life balance?” that’s what I think of: those seesaws.

But then there is the evening in mid-autumn, when I have been on my feet all day long, making decisions and mistakes and missteps at every turn, forging through an evening music concert or parentteacher conferences, and feeling ridiculously ineffective. I come home after dark with bruised feet and a battered ego, so tired I can barely speak to my family.

Honestly? I don’t think true balance is possible for school principals. Balance implies a calm, deliberate equilibrium. It implies steadiness, stability, and poise. Of all the words I’d use to describe a principal’s work, those are not the ones that pop up.

A seesaw, though: That’s much better. There is a principal’s work on one end, and “life” on the other—family, friends, wellness, hobbies, and sleep. Sometimes it teeters high, but then the weight shifts and it totters low. It’s high, then low, and then high again.

Rarely does it hover right in the middle, even when at rest.

The key is to make peace with the lack of equilibrium.

First, consider summertime. When teachers and students are

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Low. Low, low, low on the seesaw.

Being a principal requires a constant emotional self-check, too, with huge fluctuations high and low. One of my weaknesses as a leader is my tendency to have an emotional reaction to situations that don’t need—nor should they have—such a reaction. I’ll feel myself getting anxious and upset, going lower into a place where I am at my worst self as a leader. I am low, and I know it—so I have to actively, deliberately push back on the seesaw to get myself back up where I belong.

“The key is to make peace with the lack of equilibrium.”

Where is the balance in a job like the principalship? Here are a few things we can keep in mind: Recognize that balance will always be elusive. We can all identify those periods in a school year when we’re at our desk before the sun rises, and we leave after the sun sets. We can’t turn away from our computers before the inbox fills up again.

Discipline, testing, staff issues, and parent displeasure happen simultaneously. There are other times, too, periods that are pleasant, peaceful, and productive. There are times of tears and times of can’t-stop-smiling joy. It’s okay to have both, and it’s even better to accept both. There is no way to avoid the lows, but it helps to be certain that highs will come along soon enough.

Budget energy and time. Anxiety can’t thrive if we consent to the inevitability of our time-and-energy inequity. After accepting the ebb of high times and the flow of low times, the next step is consciously planning for the next shift in the seesaw. I like to think of my year as a tank holding my energy, and I deliberately fill my emotional and physical energy reserves during quiet times. Then, when I need to muscle through the difficult times, it isn’t so alarming to see my energy drain. It helps me avoid resentment, negativity, and burnout to have something in the tank when it’s time to dig deep. I find peace knowing I can control my own energy reserves.

Enjoy the ride. When I was little, some kids hated the seesaws.

I’d imagine those kids didn’t grow up to be principals. Me, though? I loved them. I enjoyed that the give-and-take always balanced out in the end. There were bursts of speed and floatlike calm. I didn’t have to be the biggest, strongest, fastest, or most aggressive child to have a good experience on the seesaw.

It was interesting, entertaining, and unpredictable. It was, well, super-fun. It would not have been such fun if, say, the seesaw found a place in the middle and hovered there for the entire recess period.

People who find themselves drawn to the principalship generally thrive on ebbs and flows of energy; they are drawn to work fueled by adrenaline. That’s why we tend to do well when we’re off-balance. It’s human nature to seek balance, but we principals would be doing ourselves a favor if we knew how to find it: by first accepting and then actively controlling our reaction to imbalance.

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. A 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.

She can be contacted at jenschwanke@gmail.com.

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EVERYONE IS COUNTING ON (AND WATCHING) YOU

BY STEVE J. ZINSER

L

ately, I have seen many reports about the demands of the principalship, and I remember many more from the last fifty years that also sounded alarms! Countless reports talk about the principalship being the most demanding position in education.

That’s likely true, and it’s not a simple task to work with the different groups that we deal with daily (student, staff, parents, central office, community, etc.) and be able to keep everyone satisfied all of the time.

Unfortunately, some of our colleagues leave the profession after a few years because they see the magnitude of the position and become overwhelmed. Yes, people are counting on you, and they are watching your every move. Don’t you want them to see you at your best?

Times can be tough. They always have been. As we enter the long months of winter it sometimes feels like the sun will never appear again! This is when principals must rise above the demands and be the positive leader that everyone is watching and will follow. This is not easy, but it must be done to carry the rest of the team through.

As the leader, you never get a break. Though the rest of the group may lighten up, if you lighten up, the team goes down. So, what do we do to “stay on top” of this ship?

The principal has to take care of himself/herself, BEFORE he/she can take care of everybody else. This is where we must balance work, life, family, and other special interests in positive ways that make you more successful at school.

One self-care strategy is to stay focused on and involved with kids!

When things seem to be going wrong or tough, just cruise on down to your kindergarten class and spend some time with your babies!

These little “knee-huggers” bring us back to reality and remind us why we became educators in the first place. It’s a great way to turn around a bad day. Just getting into a classroom and seeing the kids’ eyes light up when you visit them is great relief and affirmation of why you chose to become a principal.

Also, family time is essential to keep a principal focused at school!

Making time for your loved ones will happen if you allow it. There are times that you have to spend an evening with your kids and family instead of another night at school. Don’t be afraid to say

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no, and enjoy your night at home! You will be more effective the next day at school after a good night with your loved ones. I tried to reserve Sunday night as our family night. This would be the one night that I expected everyone in my family to be home to enjoy a great family meal together. Fortunately, we were able to accomplish this, on most Sundays, while my kids were growing up.

Principals must have something to do outside of the school environment that they treasure and enjoy that keeps them focused on other things besides work! Physical activities such as running, walking, swimming, yoga, etc. are great exercises and create needed opportunities to take care of our bodies. Physical exercise enhances the ability to cope with the rigors and stress of work. You’ll feel better about life, and this will be apparent to everyone around you.

Make sure you keep your exercise routine active when things get tough. It’s easy to put it aside, especially outdoor activities when it’s 20 degrees outside or snowing! When you feel better, it helps everybody feel better.

I started running about 45 years ago. I was blessed to learn the importance of physical exercise and how it enhanced my profession. Paul Young, another one of your past-presidents, and I would run daily while involved as officers of OAESA. I remember during many of our state conferences, we would run from the downtown convention center to Ohio State, around the stadium, and then back to the conference site. We would discuss the day’s agenda, speakers we listened to, and strategies that made us better principals (and people)!

Hobbies, such as music, reading, and many others help balance the work/life demands more appropriately. Principals have to help all of the groups you work with see and know the importance of balancing their own lives. The principal that balances his/her life, shows this every day at school.

My family bought me a guitar about 15 years ago. Here I was, a principal in his early fifties, and I was going to learn how to play guitar? I am a musician, but this was a new instrument that was going to require work and time. I enrolled in guitar classes and have been taking them ever since. I scheduled my lessons on days/ nights that I thought would not cause major conflicts with PTA, sports, curriculum meetings, etc. The BEST part was I would take my guitar to school on special occasions and go into the classrooms

to sing and play for the kids. I was finally a rock star!

Yes, principals have a difficult job, but I believe it is one of the world’s MOST IMPORTANT jobs that shape the future. I was blessed to have served as a principal for over thirty years, and I thank my family, colleagues, OAESA, and everyone else that helped me learn the valuable lesson of taking care of myself as well as others.

Even though I retired a few years ago, I volunteer at two schools and see our future with great kids and great staff.

This is because these schools have great principals. It is our responsibility as principals to be our best to help our fellow principals and all the people we work with be their best. As stated earlier, this is never an easy task, but you can do it!

Show everyone what you are made of. We are watching and counting on you!

Stephen J. Zinser, Retired from Public/Private education, Past-President of OAESA.

BALANCE CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

BY CHAD WARNIMONT

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chieving work/life balance is one of the most fundamental quandaries for principals. Principals work hard to meet the needs of students, families, and staff. Principals give of themselves, while thinking of others, and before thinking of themselves. However, the most successful principals are those who take the time to care for themselves so that they have the time, energy, and devotion to care for others.

Striking a work/life balance is definitely not achieved overnight. In fact, this takes a great amount of planning and thought. It is crucial to prioritize what is most important in life. Work, especially in a school setting, is always important and should always be of high priority. However, if you are not taking care of yourself, you will not be of value to others. If you are not of value to others, you certainly will not be of value to yourself. It is essential to listen to your body. If your body says that it is time for a break, then you should take a break. If your body says that you can keep going, then you should push yourself for continued success.

Achieving a work/life balance is unique for each person. Individuals have different ways to relax and ways they find joy in life. During the most stressful moments in a day, it is important to take time to reflect so that you can accurately decide on the best steps to take to achieve a work/life balance. For me, it is important to pray or meditate each day. I believe strongly in having a growth mindset and identifying ways that I can positively approach each day. Moreover, I believe taking time to exercise is of the utmost value. Without even thinking about it, exercise allows you to relax and find time to clear your head from stress that has accumulated throughout the workday. Finally, it is crucial to lean on a support system, close friends, or family, who will ultimately provide feedback on how to respond to a challenge and/or what steps would be appropriate to take next.

Although, work/life balance is individualized, there are several techniques that have worked for others that could work for you.

It is important to realize that you are an individual, but more importantly, realize that whatever you choose to do to achieve a work/life balance will ultimately benefit students, families, and staff.

Work/life balance is something Chad Warnimont has always struggled with as a principal. He has recently learned that he must take care of himself, so he has the energy to care for others. Chad is a former fifth grade teacher, and he has been a K-4 principal for the last 8 years. This article has helped him acknowledge that taking care of others begins with taking care of yourself.

You can contact Chad via email at cwarnimont@perrysburgschools.net. winter 2019

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FINDING YOUR

JOY

BY JULIE KENNEY

I

have found myself to be in the ditch of February, where the days are long and the nights are short. It is so hard to get out of bed and make myself trudge into school each day when it’s dark and cold outside. Have any of you ever felt this way? When I first started out, I never realized being a principal could be such hard work!

Every day, the needs of my staff, the teachers, the parents, district office, and the students seem to pile up. Testing concerns, IEP regulations, professional development improvements, and brainstorming sessions about how to make things better are never ending. Sometimes, I just want to get back to the basics of education! Can I even remember what they are? As a systemic unit of professionals, a building working towards unitive climate, or even just me striving towards peace, how can we find our joy in the midst of all these stressors?

Speaking solely for myself, I first have to force myself to stop. Stop what I’m doing and just breathe. I close my eyes and picture my happy place: My tan toes digging into the sun-warmed, white sands of Fort Walton Beach, Florida while the crystal-clear, aqua waters of the Gulf of Mexico lap at the shore lines. That image sends a feeling of peaceful zen through my core to my very soul.

You have to find your joy. This is the message that I share with my staff when the ditch of February falls upon us, and their long, sad faces line up at my office door for miles at a time, each asking the unending question, “Do you have a minute?” And I answer, “Yes, of course.” I answer this way because mathematically, in an eighthour day one-minute (which is actually 5-10 minutes each) times 55 teachers plus another 20 support staff plus various parents, OTES observations, IEP meetings, emails, lunch duties, etc. all equals more than the 480 minutes that a regular work day can hold. “Of course I have time for you!” I reply with a smile.

I quickly stifle those thoughts and be in the moment for whomever is at my desk. This is because they need me, and that is the why behind

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my reason for doing what I do. Which reminds me of the real joy in my work.

His name was Jordan and his little five-year-old body was so full of energy that he couldn’t help but bounce down the hallway even when he was instructed to walk 100 times. His tiny hands would graze the rough block walls seeking that sensory stimulation any way he could get it. During his first year in kindergarten, little Jordan spent more time in my office trying to calm down than he did in his classroom learning his ABCs. One day must’ve been especially rough for Jordan. I was walking down the hall, and he came running up to me. “Ms. Kenney,” he said, his little voice loud yet quivering at the same time. I kneeled down on one knee to better comfort him. He put his dirty little kindergarten hands on either side of my face and said, “Ms. Kenney, I need you!”

Friends, that is my joy! When that little boy walked across the kindergarten graduation stage, we hugged and had our celebration picture taken. Five years later when he successfully completed fifth grade, I was there to applaud his personal victory again. His picture still hangs in my office today, because he is a shining example of WHY I do what I do and how I manage to get up day after day – even when it’s hard, even when I don’t want to, even in the ditch of February.

That is my suggestion to each of you and to all educators out there.

Find your joy. Hold it safe. Don’t lose it. In the end, it is our joy that will keep us going. Our joy will be the fuel for our fire. And that fire will sustain us for the long haul ahead.

Julie Kenney is the principal at Prarie Lincoln Elementary School in South-Western City Schools. She also serves on the OAESA Communications Service Team. You can contact Julie via email at Julie.Kenney@ swcsd.us.

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PRINCIPAL PRIORITIES Practical tips to balance family and work

BY TJ EBERT

B

alancing work and family can be a daunting task, and something that I have learned to do over my time as an administrator for the last 13 years. I began my career as a high school assistant principal in Avon Lake in 2006 at the age of 27. At that time my wife Karen and I had one child, Michael, who is now 12 years old. We then had our second son, Tyler, in 2007, while I was at Avon Lake High School. Our youngest daughter, Juliana, was born in 2011. Shortly after her birth, I was hired as the Principal of Redwood Elementary in Avon Lake.

As a dad, I coach my son Tyler’s tackle football team and serve as the vice president of the Nordonia Youth Tackle Football program. I am the assistant coach for my son Michael’s baseball team in the summer.

I also coordinate the first-grade girls’ basketball instructional youth program in my community. Besides the coaching responsibilities, I try to attend all of my children’s academic and school functions, and I help with homework whenever I can. As a husband, I try to make time with my wife each night to watch a show together or have a date night with just the two of us.

During my time at Redwood Elementary, we were selected as an OAESA Hall of Fame School in 2016. This past year I was honored as the National Distinguished Elementary Principal of the Year for the State of Ohio. I am currently a leader on various district committees for mentoring, negotiations, evaluations, levy, and other instructional duties.

As a young administrator you want to make a good impression, and at times I sacrificed missing family events because I put my job before my family. I am blessed to work for a superintendent who has helped teach me the importance of balancing life and my job as a principal. I will always remember when Mr. Scott, Avon Lake City Schools Superintendent, called me into his office when I was thinking about making the move to the elementary principal position.

He stressed the importance of having a balance between being a building principal, a dad, and a husband. Over the years, I have reflected on this conversation and tried to put into practice his words of advice on the importance of balancing work and family.

During the application process for the OAESA National Distinguished Principal, I was asked to provide a list of my proudest accomplishments. One of the three accomplishments I wrote about is how I balance family and being a principal.

I am proud to say that I wear many hats each day. I wear many hats not only as principal, but as a father who is involved in his kids’ lives.

When I leave my elementary school each day, the second half of my day is just beginning. I go home and have dinner with my family, talk about their day, help with homework, head to a practice, and help put my kids to bed. On any given night, I can be found on the sidelines of a football field, basketball court, or baseball diamond coaching my children. As you can see, my time with kids does not stop when I leave work each day. My children see how hard I work each day as a building principal and as a father/husband. I hope that I am a role model for them and that they see the importance of balancing work and family. Balancing my family and my role as a principal is one of my proudest accomplishments.

TIPS TO BALANCE FAMILY AND WORK: CREATE A SHARED CALENDAR The best thing I ever did was create a Google calendar. The calendar has my school, district, and family. I share my professional calendar with my staff so they can see when I am in or out of the building.

They know when I have a parent meeting, teacher evaluation, or classroom visit. This helps them determine when I am available to them. I share all the calendars with my wife so she can see when I have late nights at school. She can plan things around my school schedule, and we can share the kids’ schedules with each other.

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CREATE A SUPPORT SYSTEM AT SCHOOL AND HOME Have a plan in place at school when you are out of the building.

Determine who will take the lead should a situation occur. Make sure you contact another administrator in the district and let them know you will be out of the building. Make sure that they can help if something occurs that your staff cannot handle.

Create the same plan at home. Be trusting of family and friends to help take the kids to places they need to be on time. Make sure your kids know who to contact if a practice ends early or there is a change.

Have one or two other administrators on speed dial. Utilize them before reacting to a difficult situation.

SCHEDULE TIME DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND AT HOME, AND COMBINE THE TWO WHEN POSSIBLE! During the school day, I will schedule time to go into a classroom. I will also reach out to staff to invite me in to spend time with students.

At home I do my best to schedule time with my kids. Even if it is in the car on the way to an event, I talk to them about their day and lives. That five minute drive can go a long way!

Combine family and school! Whenever I get the opportunity, I have my family at school events. It is important for them to meet the staff, students, and families you work with each day. It is also important for the school’s stakeholders to see the family side of you and know that you are more than the principal role alone.

HAVE AN OUTLET Have a place you can go at school that can break your mood. My place is a preschool or kindergarten classroom.

At home, find something as to do an outlet: taking a walk, playing catch, or watching a show just to help unwind and relax.

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BE FLEXIBLE Sometimes you just need to realize that there is not enough time in the day to be at everything. Choices need to be made. Talk to your family or school staff and let them know why you cannot attend an event. We are all human, and people appreciate honesty and flexibility.

TRUST We are all a little bit of control freaks, or we would not be in the position as principals. Even so, trust that your staff can deal with any situation that occurs. Trust that you have plans in place to deal with any school issues. You will not be able to get back the time with your family.

COMMUNICATE Take the time to communicate with your staff and family. I let my staff know when I am out of the building for both personal and professional things. My wife and I communicate each day on who will be taking what child to their event. Take the time to communicate with your families and school stakeholders.

The last eight years at Redwood Elementary have been some of the happiest in my life. I have balance in my roles as a husband, a father, and an elementary school principal. It has taken some time to get that balance, but once you can establish it – you cannot put a price on the happiness, sense of accomplishment, and peace you will have in your life.

TJ Ebert is the principal of Redwood Elementary in Avon Lake City Schools, a role he has served in for 8 years. He works very hard to create balance between his school and home responsibilities. He even finds time for professional development and service activities, like being on OAESA’s Communications service team. He is the 2018 Ohio NAESP National Distinguished Principal.

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Embrace the Suck In administration, you must accept the positives—and the negatives— in order to truly serve others.

BY PAUL A. HOHLBEIN

N

ot only in education, but I believe in every line of work, there are times when work just gets you down a bit. Times when it is harder to answer the alarm first thing, open the office door with a smile, embrace the day with hope, and leave for home fulfilled. What is one to do when the fire flickers and the energy tank seems to be not only low, but leaking?

For me, I “embrace the suck.” While I was never a fan of the word “suck” and was never in the military, I love reading and learning about military leadership and motivation. Soldiers and officers often use the phrase, “Embrace the suck,” because they know many parts of their service, like boot camp and combat, are not going to be fun.

However, by embracing these times rather than despising them, they stay focused on the why of their service and not the mundane. I work to “Embrace the suck,” because it is part of the end I desire.

For me, I try to do three things: One, I remember my why. Two, I focus on the fact that I am in education to serve, and three, I “embrace the suck.” I try to do these things personally, and I try to instill this thinking throughout our building as well (in age-appropriate language obviously).

Simon Sinek in his book, Start With Why, proposes that one who knows their why will find happiness and success pursuing and living out their why. Often, I lose my focus and then waste energy on what is really not my purpose at all. The mundane becomes the focus and my why becomes lost in the rubble of the day, week, or even month.

I am no longer intentionally pursuing my passion, my why, but rather simply following the trail of whatevers that end up on my desk. My why is my high. I return to why, and I return to my reason I wanted to be an educator.

I find that when times are tough and when life is busy, I tend to focus inward. As an educator generally and an administrator specifically, I want to serve others. Obviously, this does not go well if I focus inward on self. When my energy wanes, when times are tough, I purposely try to serve even more. I try to be more focused on others and their needs. Consequently, my needs leave my focus. Why? Because when I serve others, I am serving my why! I am feeding my passion; I am me.

Therefore, “Why Serve the Suck?” You must embrace your why during the less desirable times, because they must be lived out to fully engage the purpose of your why. They are necessary to achieve why you chose this profession in the first place. When times get tough, “Embrace the suck,” remember your why, and serve. Your energy will return, and your example will be contagious.

Paul A. Holhlbein believes that educating children is an honor and one of the most difficult yet rewarding professions that exists. This year marks his 30th in education, 24 of those spent as a teacher and six as an administrator. He has a BS from The Ohio State University and MSE from University of Dayton.

He is an avid reader and student of motivational leadership materials and ideas.

Paul can be contacted via email at hohlbein-p@troy.k12.oh.us. winter 2019

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DON’T LET “WHAT-IF” DERAIL YOUR WHY

BY DR. PAUL G. YOUNG

P

rincipals are passionate, purpose-driven leaders who make hundreds, if not thousands, of important decisions every day that impact themselves and others. Assessing events of the moment while staying focused on the future requires the skill to sort through the what-ifs without succumbing to anxieties that can paralyze thinking. Making sense out of nonsense requires deliberate practice to develop and common sense to sustain in extraordinary times.

Conscientious principals worry about what will happen as an outcome of their decisions. They fear falling off the tracks and not being able to get back on. Some wake up in the morning, or worse, don’t sleep at night, consumed by the what-ifs that will impact the day and weeks ahead.

Has your mind ever played the what-if game?

• What if Skippy hits his teacher and runs from the classroom when you are out of the building?

• What if you don’t have enough subs for an important professional development training?

• What if your honest teacher evaluation leads to that person’s mental breakdown?

• What if a high-profile community member, whose child attends your school, posts negative, unfounded comments about you on social media?

• What if you don’t succeed leading effective change in your school?

• What if you are demoted or lose your job?

Certainly, these are important considerations that conversation with a mentor, reflection, and good planning can address. But it is when an individual is consumed by them that the job becomes tedious, less fun, and even dangerous.

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“WHAT-IF” THINKING INCREASES ANXIETY When considering all the “what-ifs” that can burrow into the brain, it’s a wonder that principals aren’t walking mannequins of anxiety. Feeling overwhelmed? Anxiety is real, and it can paralyze.

It steals the joy from life, prevents you from moving forward, and left unaddressed, casts foreboding shadows on your why – the reason you chose to become a principal. Anxiety left to its devices can bind and drag principals into the pit of despair. On the other hand, a little anxiety can ratchet up performance which can help avoid failure. But the reality is that anxiety and stress can lead some people into very dark places, hurt relationships, and limit ability to achieve optimal performance. Seek medical advice if your anxiety and stress levels become unmanageable. It’s okay not to be okay and seek help.

Again, principals need to possess commonsense for extraordinary times. You probably know people in your school community who lack it. You are the leader who must be steady, focused, courageous, and willing to take risks to create change. You need to stay true to the convictions that fuel your fire, make timely decisions based on the best information available, and if needed later, make a better decision that improves on the first.

Don’t let a state of worry consume you in ways that blind you to the good things happening right now. Consider this statement: Why are you doing what you are doing if you don’t know why you are doing it? Why do you take on work or make decisions without good rationale, reason, or purpose? Staying focused on why you are a principal and what you must do helps you sort out the clutter and clear your busy plate of unnecessary responsibilities.

Worrier principals spin in circles. They are described as wishywashy. They spend time fretting about things that likely will never happen. Instead, you must intentionally choose to be concerned

about something only when there is truly something to worry about. This is one of the most important choices principals make.

Tuning out the “what-ifs,” the clutter, and the self-doubt becomes easier with time and is part of the growth process toward selfconfidence that every principal must experience. The reality is that the untidiness and noise of daily life never completely goes away.

But what you will discover – which is the key difference between your why and the distracting “what-ifs” – is that when you focus more on your why, you can better envision the future of your school and community. Reducing concerns about the “what-ifs” comes with practice.

corn. Both the preparatory work and the career/growth cycle demand require stamina to keep going during tough times. When a seed is planted, it requires nourishment to grow, and when the growth cycle is complete, it yields a wonderful, abundant product.

Then the process starts again with new seedlings. Sometimes, one seed or more might find themselves in isolation from the field, and even as outliers they can grow and be productive. Yet, the collective yield that farmers attain from all the stalks in the rows of a cornfield, despite the “what-ifs” of drought, disease, and attacks from herbivorous animals, is so valuable that it can sustain our nation and the world.

AFFIRMING YOUR WHY WILL FUEL YOUR FIRE Simon Sinek, author of the books Start with Why and Find Your Why, is a thought-leader who has led the national discourse about effective leaders and their understanding of what drives and fulfills them. He writes about how they make intentional choices and inspire those around them. They know why they do what they do, and their rational level of confidence keeps the inevitable “what-ifs” at bay. Todd Nesloney, principal of Webb Elementary in Navosta, Texas and keynote speaker for the 2019 OAESA Professional Conference, is the co-author of Kids Deserve It and author of Stories from Webb! His latter book captures the essence of why principals do what they do. It features stories from different staff members of his school which will inspire you to tell your own and ascertain your why. These books should be part of your professional library.

Principals who know their why understand the importance of planting seeds – in others as well as themselves. Once a seed takes root, they focus on nurturing, dealing with the routine as well as unexpected disturbances, persevering through challenges, while keeping their eye on the prize – the final product.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER WAYS TO REINVIGORATE YOUR PASSION FOR THE PRINCIPALSHIP? TRY THESE: • Get involved in your local, state (OAESA), and national (NAESP) professional associations. You will learn and be inspired by others who do the same work you do.

• Attend regional OAESA zone meetings. Intentionally make connections and share ideas with those within your geographic location.

• Join and contribute your viewpoint to an OAESA service team. Your volunteer efforts will help pay-it-forward.

• Expand your professional development by utilizing Twitter and other forms of social media.

• Read inspiring professional books or articles.

• Write for the Principal Navigator.

• Attend and present at your local, state, and national professional conferences.

• Intentionally connect with your colleagues in Ohio and around the nation.

• Have coffee with your mentor and unburden your soul.

• Spend time in classrooms, have lunch with students, and engage with them during recess.

No doubt, principals who see themselves as outliers can do commendable work and achieve good results. But it is the collective good that comes from the work of all connected school leaders that supports us during tough times, identifies and demonstrates what is right, and sustains and focuses us on our why – our purpose – in the principalship.

Farmers know why they grow corn. You know why you lead, teach, and grow people, especially kids. Discovering the right balance between the why and the “what-ifs” is what makes the work so challenging, yet important and rewarding.

Recommended Reading Mask, C. & Martineau, S. (2010). Conquering the Chaos: How to Grow a Successful Small Business without Going Crazy. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Nesloney, T. & Welcome, A. (2016). Kids Deserve It!: Pushing Boundaries and Challenging Conventional Thinking. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Publishing.

Nesloney, T. (2018). Stories from Webb: The Ideas, Passions, and Convictions of a Principal and His School Family. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Publishing.

Sinek, S. (2009) Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. New York: Portfolio/Penguin Sinek, S., Mead, D. & Docker, P. (2017). Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team. New York: Portfolio/Penguin.

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.

Paul G. Young, Ph.D., 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 most recently retired as an adjunct professor of music and education classes at Ohio University-Lancaster. He has written extensively on topics of school leadership, school and afterschool alignment, teacher preparation, and more. He has led training workshops throughout the country for school and afterschool leaders.

He can be contacted via email at paulyoungohio@gmail.com.

CONSIDER THIS ANALOGY Principals’ work has a lot in common with farmers’ growing of winter 2019

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NURTURING YOUR

STAFF Easy, inexpensive ways to let your team know you care.

BY JANE P. MYERS

D

uring the course of my 11 years as a building principal, I have worked with a diverse group of teachers and staff members. Their personalities, quirks, likes, and dislikes are as varied as can be. However, what I discovered is that at the very basic level, all staff members want to be shown appreciation for what they do on a regular basis as well as given validation as a living, breathing human. There are a lot of ways that I strive to do this. To help, I have all staff complete an “All About YOU” information sheet. Some of the content varies from year to year: information about their family, education, and goal for the year is always included. At times, I’ve also asked for their parent’s address, where they went to college, their under $5.00 indulgence treat, and what they hope to get from me that year. This sheet gives me ideas on how to practically nurture my staff, and the list below contains ideas I’ve used throughout my career. Here are some practical ways to execute a select few.

POSITIVE NOTES/UNDER $5.00 INDULGENCE: Once a week (it’s on my To Do list each Tuesday), I write a positive note to a staff member. I’ve asked them at the beginning of the year to tell me their under $5.00 treat and include that with their note.

These have been anything from a McDonald’s Diet Coke to lip gloss to Flair pens. I keep a notebook with a page for each staff member where I track who has received a note.

NOTES TO A PARENT: We all know the value of sending a

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positive note to a student’s parent, but what about the value of sending a note to the parents of your staff members? This is by FAR one of the best things I have ever done. Staff members told me that their parents cried when they received a note detailing what their “little” Johnny or Susie was doing at school. Parents took their notes to the Senior Citizen luncheon to share and hung them on the refrigerator. One staff member found this note in her mom’s purse while looking for something when her mom was hospitalized a year later!

STAFF MEMBER OF THE MONTH/RESERVED PARKING SPOT: Information about the staff member of the month is highlighted on a visible bulletin board. Information such as education, family members, favorites, and other “Did You Know?” facts are posted. Additionally, this staff member has the privilege of parking in a reserved spot – obviously the one closest to the building.

THOUGHTFUL THURSDAY: A new tradition started last year in place of a monthly potluck. Staff members team up with others and provide a treat table based on a theme. Cinco de Mayo, winter holidays, Christmas Vacation (the movie), spring has sprung, etc. There’s also a small door prize that all staff are eligible to win.

The event itself has become somewhat of a competition, as each group tries to outdo the previous month’s table. Intentionally, this is set up in our office suite instead of the staff lunch room, which

has provided opportunities for the office staff to interact with each staff member on those days. Who doesn’t want to come to office if there is free food?

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM ME?: Last year on the All About Me handout, I asked staff to tell me what they expected from me. I made a list of those things and posted it above my desk. I look at this frequently and use it as a checkpoint to see if I am meeting my staff ’s needs. They range from the practical (communicate, support, give feedback, and advice), to the silly (buy more LuLaRoe, come to a Green Bay Packer party - not this Browns girl!), to the things that make me be better. This list would be eye opening for a first-year administrator but also for someone who has been in the same place for several years.

When I am having doubts about whether or not I am making a difference, sometimes looking at that list and focusing on one of the items helps clarify my purpose.

BUS TRIP: This year our opening day meeting was a little unconventional. With an idea from Port Clinton Middle School Principal Carrie Sanchez, help from a bus driver and the superintendent, I took the staff on a bus ride through our district. I gave them a copy of their class list with addresses so they could note streets and neighborhoods while riding through the district. Defiance is a diverse community. Many of our students come from homes where generational poverty is a way of life, where parents are incarcerated, where relatives or siblings are raising them. While my staff has always embraced each and every child who walks through the doors of our school, I wasn’t sure they sincerely appreciated where our children may live.

The bus trip started out as a way to familiarize staff with neighborhoods in the district. Getting a much needed massage the week before school started, I thought about how to make this both informative and fun. I decided I’d give out a couple of prizes as we rode around town. I asked my massage therapist if she would donate a 30 minute massage, and she did so without hesitation. Three days later, I had over 60 things to give away.

Local businesses, parents, and even some personal friends of mine were more than happy to show their appreciation for what my staff does each and every day. They donated many items: mugs, restaurant gift cards, t-shirts, and jewelry from the local jeweler. Staff loved this trip around town not only because they

could connect students to streets and neighborhoods but because of the goodwill the prizes gave them. They felt appreciated.

BOOK STUDIES: Each summer I have led a book study, typically on a topic we might be focusing on the next school year. Universal Design for Learning (UDL), readers’ workshop, and co-teaching have been the focus of this blog study.

Participation is strictly voluntary, but those who commit are expected to read the book, respond to a weekly question, and comment on others’ responses. In addition, we meet in person at the beginning of the school year and participants are asked to develop an action plan to use their newfound knowledge during the next nine months. We meet again in the spring to talk results.

While this may not seem like a way to nurture staff, it does by allowing like-minded people, who are interested in the topic, to share questions, concerns, and ideas with one another in an informal way.

STAFF SHOUT OUTS: In the teacher’s lunch room is a Staff Shout Out board. Staff members can write positive notes expressing thanks toward each other. This serves as an easy way to thank people for the everyday things they do, as well as the “extras” staff members do every day.

IN CONCLUSION: There are many more things that make a difference in staff morale. Showing empathy and compassion during difficult personal times, knowing and asking about family members, and taking an interest in what staff does outside of school goes a long way in building positive relationships. A text, a warm intentional greeting, and even a smile can go a long way in creating a positive environment. Sharing inspirational quotes, articles of interest, and teaching tips shows an interest in what staff member might be struggling with. Overall, even the most reserved, quiet staff member just wants to be appreciated for the things they do each and every day. With a little intentional planning on an administrator’s part, this can become the best thing you can do for your staff.

Jane P. Myers is principal to 550 students and 60 staff members at Defiance Elementary, wife to Ralph, mom to Abby and Mamaw to Hans and Hayden. Her under $5.00 treat is an English Toffee Frozen Latte, no fat, no whip! winter 2019

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STAYING THE

COURSE STRUCTURES THAT SUPPORT PRINCIPALS IN KEEPING THE FIRE FOR LEARNING ALIVE

BY DR. DEBORAH TELFER

T

he mission of the Lancaster City Schools (Fairfield County) is: the Place to Be for Learning, Caring, and Succeeding.

At Tallmadge Elementary School – one of five elementary schools in the district – teachers, administrators, and related services personnel work together in collaborative teams to engage all educators in building the collective instructional capacity of the school. Why? Because working as members of teacher-based teams (TBTs) provides a forum for teachers to inform each other’s practice and, as a result, support deeper levels of learning for each child. “Our goal is to make sure every child is growing and our solutions come from our teachers and being able to work together,” said Jake Campbell, principal of Tallmadge Elementary School.

Tallmadge serves approximately 600 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. About 17% of Tallmadge’s students are identified as students with a disability, and over 75% are identified as economically disadvantaged. Lancaster City Schools serves students across five elementary schools, two junior high schools, and one comprehensive high school. Lancaster’s Tallmadge Elementary School is located in OAESA’s Zone 10.

MEANINGFUL MINUTES At Tallmadge, TBTs meet weekly and all staff know that teaching and learning is the number one priority. “We talk about meaningful minutes where staff work with other staff and with students to support

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learning,” Campbell said. “The staff know I value collaboration as the most important operating principle; teachers looking at data together, exploring root causes, identifying strategies based on what the data are telling them, implementing and monitoring implementation, and making refinements based on feedback about student performance is what we’re about. The last thing we want to do is turn the work of TBTs into a compliance process.”

Campbell and Jennifer Woods, Principal of Lancaster’s Medill Elementary School, participated as entry-level principals in the Ohio Leadership for Inclusion, Implementation, & Instructional Improvement (OLi4) project at a time when the district was rezoning and building new schools.

“Participating in OLi4 was a game-changer! It was perfect and the perfect time. As an administrator, there’s a lot to learn when you’re going into a building. OLi4 provided us with PD and growth on how important TBTs are as a structure for supporting adult learning, and as a platform for supporting teams in learning about and using high-yield instructional strategies.”

Created by and operated through the Columbus-based University of Cincinnati Systems Development & Improvement Center (UC SDI is a Center under UC’s College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology.), OLi4 provides cohorts of principals with centralized professional learning sessions,

regional discussion groups, and in-school coaching using a leadership performance coaching model (Allison, 2011).

OLi4 aligns with the Ohio Improvement Process (OIP) and supports principals in serving as lead learners and in facilitating effective building leadership team (BLT) and TBT meetings. The effective use of these aligned collaborative learning team structures on a systemwide basis is possible only through strong district leadership.

“I can’t say enough about the district. Every PD I participated in was supported by the district and our district leadership team (DLT) has supported our BLTs in how to use team structures to improve outcomes for every child. There is a constant reminder from the district to address each child’s needs, regardless of the label,” Campbell said. “Our DLT meets monthly, and we also have principal meetings monthly – two opportunities for working with central office personnel. We’re problem-solving together,” he added.

OIP STRUCTURES SUPPORT EFFECTIVE EARLY LITERACY INSTRUCTION Tallmadge and Medill elementary schools are participating in the state’s early language and literacy pilot, which provides their kindergarten through grade 3 teachers with high-quality professional learning through the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional development program. Additional resources being developed to support TBTs in identifying highquality instructional materials and strategies based on a review of student data are helping TBT members make better decisions about instruction based on student needs.

“Using the OIP five-step process, having the OIP team structures, and understanding what high-quality literacy instruction looks like is making the difference,” Campbell said. “We’re seeing more precise analysis of the data that will result in teachers keying in on using high-yield strategies that will move the needle for all of our students.

We want cohesion in the process so we need to ask, ‘how do we extend this work to the upper grades?’” Campbell said.

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EACH CHILD “Ensuring that each child has opportunities to learn is a driving factor that allows us to keep plugging along knowing that we’re using data, we’re collaborating, we’re changing teaching practice, and we’re using feedback to constantly adapt and adjust,” Campbell observed.

“We’re all in it together and the OIP structures, OLi4, and OLAC resources allow us to do it as a collective. It all comes back to student achievement and student growth. When you look at our building, you don’t see poverty. You see a culture and feel it as a presence; it’s a place where kids want to learn and where they feel safe,” he said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about Tallmadge Elementary School and its work to improve learning outcomes for all children, contact Jake Campbell, Principal, at 740.687.7336, or via email at j_campbell@lcsschools.net.

For more information about OLi4, 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/.

For more information about Ohio’s Leadership Development Framework, contact Jim Gay, Ph.D., Co-director, Ohio Leadership Advisory Council, at 614.897.0020 or jimgay@basa-ohio.org, or visit the OLAC website at https://ohioleadership.org/.

References Allison, E. (2011). Leadership performance coaching. Englewood, CO: Lead+Learn Press.

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 25-year tenure at the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), including serving as executive director of the Ohio Department of Education’s Center for School Improvement, and associate and interim director of ODE’s Office for Exceptional Children. winter 2019

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WHAT IF CONVERSATIONS COULD CHANGE OUR SCHOOLS?

BY MEGHAN LAWSON

I

n her book, Learner-Centered Innovation, Katie Martin talks about the power of two simple words: “What If.”

What if, WHAT IF, we could change our schools by simply changing our conversations? As educators, many of us have become obsessed with what we can measure, and we spend a lot of time talking about the things we’re measuring. Some of us have become so busy measuring learning, that we have forgotten to question whether we are measuring the right stuff.

In fact, do we know whether some of the most important and complex skills, competencies, or dispositions can truly be measured accurately? While well-intentioned, we often make assumptions about student results. We use language like “achievement gap,” yet we spend little time talking about significant gaps in education that should be taking a front seat.

Gaps connected to relevancy, “Does what we are teaching actually matter in the world or to each student?” Gaps related to hope, “Do students believe they are capable of great things?

Do they believe they can contribute to the world in meaningful ways?”

Thinking about these kinds of gaps (and many more) can be overwhelming and disheartening. This is why we need to brave this wilderness together. We need to spend time talking about the really, really hard stuff, so we don’t feel alone and give up. You can tell a lot about an organization by how they spend their time and their money. If we are spending more time talking about a test score than about what we are seeing every day in our school communities, what message are we sending? I use this as merely an example to illustrate the power of language and time spent together. Words matter. What we choose to say, when we choose to say it, how we choose to say

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it, and how much time we spend talking about it, matters. That feels a bit heavy, yes, and you may be thinking, “I’m too busy to think about all of that.” But the truth is, that is the real work.

Just because we say or hear something doesn’t mean it’s been understood. When I reflect upon many of the struggles in our schools, much of it can be boiled down to misunderstandings.

Not just miscommunication but misunderstandings about our students’ capabilities.

Misunderstandings and distrust happen more frequently when people don’t spend time connecting with one another. When I left a position as an assistant principal in a middle school and transitioned into the central office, I wanted to be the person who spent all of her time in the buildings. I didn’t want to be viewed a person who made decisions from the ivory tower, but here is the thing: I was brand new to the district and a “central office person.” Getting into classrooms was hard! People didn’t know me. Besides, like most high school environments, having a perceived outsider drop by to nerd out on learning wasn’t exactly the norm. I would love to finish this story with, “Four years later, I could comfortably walk into any high school teachers’ classroom and feel comfortable,” but no. That is not what happened. Here is the real story: I started using Twitter to connect with other educators because I desperately needed community. Central office doesn’t have the same heartbeat that you find in a building, and I needed that heartbeat! Then, something unexpected happened. I started to interact with teachers from our district’s schools on Twitter. They would share things, I would share things, I would “like” various posts of theirs, and I would retweet them and vice versa. Continued on next page.

“What if we created experiences that made people feel connected to each other and connected to a mission that’s bigger than themselves?”

5 REASONS TO BE PART OF THE MAGIC OF WHY: STORIES OF PURPOSE

Before you knew it, we felt like we knew each other, and I started getting invitations to visit classrooms. I got invited to see engaging lessons. I was asked to perform read alouds or see a teacher try a new tool or strategy. I got invited to dream about the future of education over ice cream sundaes. I was invited to connect with students about their experience in our schools and how we could do better. And we did do better!

These passionate students and teachers inspired many BIG changes in just one school year, like later school start times.

Something tells me we are just getting started.

All of this to say, proximity matters. Collision and crosspollination matter. It’s why creative companies like Pixar purposefully design buildings with atriums for people to run into each other. Encounters make people better. Serendipitous interaction pumps life, creative spirit, and a sense of “us-ness” into our work. The beauty of it all is that you don’t have to undergo building construction to create collision. In Hacking Leadership, Joe Sanfelippo (keynote speaker for the 2019 OAESA Professional Conference) and Tony Sinanis talk about how they strategically kept track of the one-on-one interactions they had with teachers every week to ensure they got to talk to every teacher, every week. Without that kind of purposeful collision, it’s easy to believe false narratives about each other.

Brené Brown writes in her book, Braving the Wilderness, “People are hard to hate close-up. Move in.” Empathy leads to true understanding, a sense of being known. We all need to feel known, understood, and loved. When administrators don’t spend time in teachers’ classrooms, it’s easy for them to make assumptions about what is happening in each teacher’s classroom, and it’s easy for teachers to make assumptions about how administrators are spending their days as well. If you’re interested in this concept of proximity and collision, I highly recommend The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle.

We must plan for purposeful interaction in both informal and more formal ways. You’ve probably seen the meme that says, “If I die, I hope it’s during a faculty meeting because the transition to death would be so subtle.” Funny, because it’s a sad truth in many schools. If we truly believe that it takes a village and that change requires all of us, then we need to hear more than one voice in the room during those special moments when we all get to be together.

In fact, teacher voice should outweigh administrator voice. If we believe that student voice holds power, then the kids, who walk in the experiences that we provide every day, should be in on the conversation to radically reimagine learning. You can host student panels or have students lead staff at faculty and department meetings. There is no way that empathizing with the student experience is going to make your school a worse place to learn. Our conversations should include parents, businesses, graduates, and the community as well.

REGISTER AT OAESA.ORG

Finally, it’s not merely letting people talk that matters; how you frame the experience is equally important. Giving people something thought-provoking to read or a clip to watch and then giving them a little quiet time to write before talking can take a conversation deeper more quickly. We can go further when someone with positional authority doesn’t show up “with all of the answers” to give to everyone.

As George Couros says, “The smartest person in the room is the room.” That room should be filled with diverse voices and perspectives, because science shows this makes us better. In her book, Rebel Talent, Francesca Gino states, “…homogenous groups are more vulnerable to narrow-mindedness and groupthink. Diversity, by contrast, has been found to produce more innovation and better decisions in both cooperative and competitive contexts and to strengthen teamwork.” Look around the room. Does everyone look like you, sound like you, come from the same background as you, live the same lifestyle as you? And let’s say you have a pretty diverse team. Are you hearing from everyone? The people you hear from the most, are they the ones who are the most like you? The next time you’re in a meeting, pay attention to how often you hear from various teammates and be the one who creates an opening in the conversation to get their perspectives.

human brain is constantly trying to assess whether we are safe. Feeling safe isn’t accomplished in just one interaction or meeting, it’s a message we must continue to cultivate, always.

People must feel safe and feel that they have a voice to engage in conversations that matter – conversations where we share our stories and talk about the hard stuff. In her book, Onward, Elena Aguilar states, “The healing of the world may lie in how we make space for stories to be told, how we listen to stories, and that we tell our stories.” This requires a lot of time spent together, trust, vulnerability, and a belief that we don’t know it all and need each other.

What if we could change our schools, our communities, and our world by cultivating conversations that matter? What if we spent a little less time on our measurable objectives and a little more time creating experiences that made people want to run into school every day? What if we created experiences that made people feel connected to each other and connected to a mission that’s bigger than themselves? What if ?

Misunderstandings and distrust happen more frequently when the truth is, we all want to people don’t spend Because do a good job. We all want to make difference and to have a higher time connecting apurpose.

Manuel Scott put it best: “You didn’t become a teacher to with one another. be average. You didn’t become an

The structure and ambiance of meetings matter too. In his book, Community: The Structure of Belonging, Peter Block talks about the power of sitting in circles. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. With circles, there is no head of the table. Circle seating says, “We all hold equal significance in this conversation.”

When you invite people to the table, are you finding little ways to thrill and delight them? Chip and Dan Heath talk about creating moments of elevation by engaging people’s senses in their book, The Power of Moments. You could play music as people enter the door, put out little treats, or make name tents.

When new guests arrive for a meeting, have someone (perhaps even a student) waiting to greet them in the office and escort them to the room. At a minimum, make sure the room is clean and tidy where people will be meeting. According to Elena Aguilar in her book, The Art of Coaching Teams, when she is planning a meeting, she likes to think of it as if she’s planning a dinner party for close friends. Those little details say, “I care about you, and this time together really matters to me.” The

admin to maintain the status quo.

You aren’t in education to be ‘good enough.’ No! You’re here because you are committed to being the best - the best you can be for kids, families, and communities.

So be great.”

What if being the best for kids is on the other side of a series of strategic conversations? What if.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Hamilton County ESC. Meghan Lawson is the Coordinator of Instructional Services at Hamilton County ESC in the Cincinnati area. She is also an educational consultant who is passionate about re-imagining the school experience. This is Meghan’s 15th year in public education. She taught middle school and high school English for 8 years and has served as a middle school assistant principal and associate director of secondary teaching and learning.

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DO IT FOR THE

CULTURE A

BY JEFF WILLIAMS

t Garaway Local Schools, we work collectively as a community of educators, administrators, students, parents, paraprofessionals, cooks, bus drivers, secretaries, and custodians to fuel our fire through teamwork and positivity.

Just as a campfire can begin to lose its heat, it is easy to lose that fire as an individual or a group of teachers. However, if there are any embers present, there is always an opportunity to stoke the fire and make it rise again. At Garaway, we work together to bring each other up. We emphasize teamwork and understand that our job in education is to work together to create an environment of positivity. We want to provide students with a place where they feel safe and loved. We understand that to accomplish that we have to keep our fires burning and our passion for education intensified.

“We understand the importance of culture at Garaway Schools,” Superintendent Dr. Jim Millet said. “As we work on collectively fueling our fire, we are building a cultural foundation that will effectively support dynamic instruction, strategic programs, and uncommon learning.

“Our culture will always be our first priority.”

Our themes the past three years have worked together to provide the spark to our district fire. We started with “Love Your People” and moved into “Smile and Move.” Last year, we looked towards Brian and Tim Kight and are emphasizing “E+R=O,” where we look to control our response (R) even in the face of ever-changing events (E) and outcomes (O).

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This school year we continue with all of these themes but have added The Power of a Positive Team by Jon Gordon. Our four elementaries, Ragersville, Baltic, Dundee, and Miller Avenue are doing teacher book studies to stoke the positive fires within all of our staffs.

First-year Principal Mollie Parisi is at Ragersville and Baltic. She joined with Dundee and Miller Avenue Principal Curtis Fisher to develop the Jon Gordon book study.

“I chose the book, The Power of a Positive Team

by Jon Gordon in hopes that we would become a united force and learn to serve one another before ourselves,” Parisi said. “I know that I have been given a huge platform to have a major influence on the cultures of my two buildings. It is my goal for my staff to see me as a true servant leader.”

Ryan Taggart, principal of our 7-12 building, incorporated a piece of Jon Gordon’s books by turning a simple stroll around the school into an impactful journey.

“I read a lot of Jon Gordon’s material, and I often come across items I like to try to incorporate into our school. One of them was ‘take a daily thank you walk,’” Taggart said. “These walks have allowed me to make very positive interactions with each staff member and student. Our school culture is very positive, and I see examples of such every day.

“I had a student stop me, shake my hand, and say ‘Thank you for

being the best principal ever,’” Taggart said. “It is crazy to think that just two short years ago that student was failing four classes after the first semester and was well on his way to missing the graduation requirements. To date, he is on track to graduate and has completely turned his academics around. He is an A-B student who adds tremendous value to our music and drama programs.

I can definitely hold firm to our positive culture has changed his perspectives on school and life in general.”

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Taggart has emphasized love and thankfulness. “We love each other for the people we are, not for the job we do,” Taggart said.

“And we use inspiration to empower others. We are striving and challenging each other to live out the best version of ourselves every day.”

Parisi, who served as the multi-handicapped teacher on Taggart’s staff last year, said she learned a lot from working with her principal regarding that one, huge word.

“Ryan urged us to pick a word to focus on last year,” Parisi said. “It took me a good three months to come up with it. I was on spring break and on the way back from a sunny day at the beach, when my word hit me like a ton of bricks: LOVE. If all my thoughts, words, and actions come from a place of love then I know that I am on the right track. I had a plaque made up that sits on my desk and serves as a daily reminder to LOVE it all.”

Other concepts were also used in the elementary buildings. Over the last two years, Fisher implemented the concept of “bucket filling” with staff and students. They incorporated Have You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids, by Carol McCloud, into the character education program for students. He promotes bucket filling throughout his schools and encourages his staff to nominate each other. The concept is that everyone has a metaphorical bucket, and we can fill it with our own good thoughts and experiences. We should work to fill others’ buckets with positivity, as well as our own.

Be a hero to your educators

“Staff members are encouraged to nominate a bucket filler weekly.

At the end of the week, I pick three for my newsletter,” Fisher said.

Dr. Millet perfectly summed up the effort put forth by the collective staffs at our five buildings.

“We know from the research of Senge and Drucker that our strategies will fail without a supportive culture and fire,” he said.

“There is no doubt that our culture is unique and drives our district’s ability to attain our desired strategic results. It’s how we achieve our core purpose and carry out our established values.”

Jeff Williams is the Director of Student Services at Garaway Local Schools. He was previously the Principal at Baltic and Ragersville Elementaries at Garaway. Prior to teaching he was a 10-year journalism veteran with several local newspapers and online publications.

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SENATOR OBHOF GOES TO OVERLOOK The process and payoff of inviting your local representatives into your building.

BY ERIN SIMPSON

I

have always been a cheerleader of the things happening in our schools across the state. Our students, staffs, and colleagues accomplish great things each day. As leaders, we can be the voice of our schools, and we must become the narrators of our stories to shine a light on what is right!

the connection. With this visit set up, our local Representative Steve Hambley also wanted to attend. Although their time in the building would be brief, I knew it was an opportunity to showcase our students, school, and community. It was a chance to tell our story and advocate for our OAESA members.

Sharing our stories with our immediate stakeholders in our communities is an area many school leaders excel in. School websites, Facebook pages, Instagram posts, Twitter feeds, and many other avenues are filled with the positives! If you search any of these, you can quickly get a feel for that school community and, of course, pictures of our awesome students. Families near and far enjoy seeing these pictures and keeping track of district events. That kind of messaging is great, but what if we need our voices to be heard on a larger scale? How can we make our voices heard to those outside of our district? How can we begin to tell that story?

When the day arrived, I was ready. Armed with stories about our students, school, and association, I was ready to share. Senator Obhof and Representative Hambley were wonderful with our students, asked great questions, and answered questions from our fourth graders. I believe their time was well spent, and now we have two more storytellers. After all, great news is fun to share – especially when it is from your district!

For several years, OAESA has encouraged me to use my voice and be heard! I have seen examples of schools inviting others in to see what is happening, and I have even traveled to other schools in my zone to tour their buildings. Many times I have said I was going to invite a legislator or senator to school for the day. I even added it to my to-do list, but sadly, that was where it stayed. Until this year. At our September Board Meeting, I made a decision that this was the year.

I reached out to Senate President Larry Obhof ’s office in early October, inviting him to visit Overlook Elementary during National Principal’s Month. His scheduler replied immediately, and we soon had the date scheduled. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make

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Contact your local and state officials and invite them to join you in our world to see all the good that is happening in your building.

Give elected officials a chance to know what’s happening in your building and think about your school when they’re making important decisions in the legislature. The more experience with schools they have, the better informed they will be when voting. So, use your voice and tell your story – you will be glad you did!

Erin Simpson has been a principal in the Wadsworth City Schools for the past 14 years, serving at Overlook Elementary for 11 of those years. Prior to becoming an administrator Erin taught 6th grade and 4th grade in the Medina City Schools. Erin has been a member of the OAESA Board of Directors since 2013 and is serving as President this year. Erin believes that all students matter and someday will change the world! You can contact Erin via email at esimpson@wadsworthschools.org or via Twitter at @ehuthsimpson.

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FINDING YOUR

FUEL

BY MICHAEL KAUFFELD

I

“

am elated to see someone your age be so reflective about the impact decisions can have on history.”

My social studies teacher wrote this statement on my paper when I was in high school, and it changed my life. It taught me I had something to say that matters. She was an experienced teacher with passion and energy she shared with her students. It was that moment that I made the decision to go to college and become a teacher. Ten years later I had the opportunity to say thank you for her gift to me, and you know what? She did not remember her comment. Her fire was burning all day, every day. My teacher, doing what she always did, forever changed my life. Do not get caught up in the fact she did not recall the comment. Instead, appreciate the spark that ignited when her fire happened upon an opportunity. It created a lollipop moment for me. (See Drew Dudley’s Ted Talk, “Leading with Lollipops,” for more information) Each day we have the unique opportunity to change lives, but here’s the kicker: We have the power to make positive changes, the power to make no change, and the power to negatively affect students. Why is it important to fuel your fire? Manny Scott, Freedom Writer, put it this way: “Even on your worst day, you can be a student’s best hope.”

So how do you maintain your energy? How do you remain positive?

How do you find your fuel for your fire?

I want to share some strategies I have used to try to be the positive, caring adult our students need. But understand, to be positive I must feel positive. Obviously, combating stress and maintaining physical and mental health are enormous outside factors for success, so I will leave that for someone much more qualified to address. My wife, Jenniffer, an elementary principal; my children, who have all attended my buildings; and some form of exercise, every other day, are my key factors to maintaining my health. They are my rock, my inspiration, and my strength.

Marianne Williamson said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

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It is our light not our darkness that frightens us.” What you do as a school leader impacts students, period! We cannot allow negative forces to extinguish our fire, deter our resolve, or diminish our belief in our staff and students. For the sake of our students, let’s find our fuel!

BE A KID! One of the best parts about working at a school is the fact you can act like a kid, and no one is going to call your parents. In our lobby, we have pictures posted of our teachers from when they were in middle school. Middle school and intermediate school can be embarrassing, awkward, and challenging. These pictures are there to remind our teachers of that time and to show our students that we also experienced those tricky, uncomfortable times. Now that some of us are past that stage, be a kid. Embarrass yourself. In elementary, intermediate, and middle school, you can dance like no one else is watching, you can sing like no one else is listening. When you do, some students will laugh, some students will smile, and some students will feel a little bit better about their day.

Dress like a chicken and walk the halls. Dress like Elvis Presley to deliver a teacher a birthday card. Do the splits at a pep rally. Organize a lip-sync video with your teachers for the whole school to watch.

Greet students at your door. Play music as students walk in the building. Some teachers, staff, or peers may push back on these ideas, but I can almost guarantee, those who participate will never regret they took the leap and acted like a kid. It becomes fuel for your fire.

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE I live by this one every day, and it goes beyond the office banter, teacher’s lounge, or the water cooler. Don, a student in our low incidence classroom, and I were talking in the hallway about when the mail would arrive. Every day I set aside time for us to get the mail together. Don sorts the mail for teachers as one of his daily assignments. On this day, Don was having a rough time. The mail could not come fast enough, his classwork could not be easy enough, and his mom’s car was in the shop (Don and I talked often about

cars). Quizzing myself on how to turn his day around, I saw that the six graders were headed back to class from their lunch. Then it hit me: “Don, I bet if we sit here and wave at every student, we can make them all smile.”

So Don and I sat on the steps and waved at every student, and sure enough we made every student smile. Watching students light up when we waved at them not only changed Don’s day, but it changed my day along with many of the sixth graders’ days, too. Sometimes, when you fuel the fire, people pay you back with more fuel.

GET OUTSIDE YOUR BOX When I began my career in administration, I attended my first professional conference. It was the Ohio Middle Level Association Conference in Columbus, Ohio. I don’t live in the city, I didn’t grow up in the city, and I don’t work in the city, so attending a conference in Columbus was quite the challenge for me as a new administrator who was just trying to navigate middle school.

For me to get outside my box, I became a member of the executive board at OMLA. It is energizing, humbling, and rewarding, all at the same time. Surrounding myself with passionate, driven, and caring people who continue to push the envelope for kids helps to fuel my fire.

GET CONNECTED I already mentioned that I don’t navigate the city very well, and the same goes for social media. Even so, I don’t make excuses. There is so much out there if you explore Twitter. Follow people who share your passion and purpose. Use ideas from other professionals and stay connected. I take five minutes to scroll through Twitter and see what great things are going on in the classrooms and schools around the world. Some of my favorite inspirations on Twitter are @ JBerckemeyer, @imhoffpaul, @dsayre32, @KellyGToGo, and @colbysharp – just to name a few.

Needless to say, I was late for the keynote speaker. The speaker that day was Rachel Scott’s father, Darrell Scott, and the message was about Rachel’s Challenge. It was one of the most impactful sessions of my career and helped me find me why. More about that later, but I will say this: I send my teachers, my secretary, and my assistant principal to professional conferences almost every year.

Being connected is not all about social media; it’s also about books and professional journals. Read! One of our building goals is to create a culture of readers. Jennifer Seebauer, our librarian, is our book whisperer, and our students carry books they have chosen to read. Jennifer helps our students find books with a library collection that is built based on student interest, all of our teachers provide students time to read their books, and all of our teachers and staff model reading for students.

Each of the following professional organizations provides passionate keynote speakers, insightful breakout sessions, and a culture where the adults put students first. Every time someone returns from one of these professional conferences or workshops, they are energized, re-committed, and armed with strategies and ideas that they can use in their classroom or building the very next day.

Some of the books that have inspired me most are by Donalyn Miller, Ron Clark, John O’Leary, Todd Nesloney, Adam Welcome, and Rick Wormeli. I am not special, nor am I smarter than others; but, being connected through books and technology has allowed me to develop a repertoire of strategies I can exercise to positively impact every student.

• • • •

The Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators The Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators The Association for Middle Level Education The Ohio Middle Level Association

OUR WHY I mentioned earlier about Rachel’s Challenge and how it helped me discover my why. During that session, Rachel’s father painted a picture for me I could not ignore. Continued on next page. winter 2019

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Students need adults who are positive, emulate positive energy, and look for the positives in each and every student. In a building leadership team meeting two years ago, our staff found our why with the help of the Simon Sinek’s Ted Talk, “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.” We are going to positively impact every student. Every student.

I am not going to lie, this is challenging. It takes fuel, and sometimes we fail. So, I challenged my staff not only to attend conferences but to present at conferences. Don’t just follow people on Twitter, but tweet about the things going on in your school or classroom. If you are working to positively impact every student, then share what you are doing! Do not hide, because we cannot afford for you to hide.

Not only does putting yourself out there fuel your fire, it narrows your focus and reaffirms your commitment. Everything we do in our building should center around our why: to positively impact every student. Fueling your own fire can help ignite someone else’s and make yours burn brightly.

My hope is that you have found a way to find your fuel. Be a kid, make someone smile, get outside your box, get connected, and discover

your why. Thank you to Ms. Kay Hay, my teacher, for teaching me that I have something important to say and helping me find the fuel to start my fire.

Understand other leaders need you, your staff needs you, and, most important, the students need you. I’ll leave you with one last thought.

I wear a gel bracelet on my wrist that I gave to each student and staff member in our school. It was inspired by Mike Rayburn in his talk, “The What If Experience.” The bracelet simply says, “What if I could?” Many people are going to tell you that you can’t. You can’t change a building culture. You can’t inspire a staff. You can’t remain positive. You can’t positively impact every student. So, when all else fails, I simply look down at my wrist and read: What if I could? Yeah, yeah, I know, I can’t…but what if I could? What would it look like?

Maybe that is how the next strategy to fuel the fire begins.

Michael Kauffeld graduated from Capital University in 1988 with a BA in History and Comprehensive Social Studies. He served as a high school social studies teacher, football coach, and middle school assistant principal. He currently serves as the principal at Teays Valley West Middle School, an Ohio School to Watch. Michael can be contacted via email at mkauffeld@tvsd.us.

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feature story

5 , 4 , 3, 2, 1 Taking five breaths changes everything.

BY LYNN VILLA

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y mind is always racing, and I’m on the go until I collapse in bed at night. That is the life of a principal. Even before stepping into this role eight years ago, I was never one of those calm, centered individuals who seem to glide through their days with very little stress. Instead, I am the person who tries - and fails - at yoga because I struggle to take the time to relax, breathe, and find inner peace. I am the one in the “Warrior” pose looking around the room wondering what everyone else is thinking. Because of this, I understand the stress other people feel. I can relate to children arriving at school after rushing to eat breakfast, get dressed, and catch the bus. The difference is, I thrive under pressure. I like the fast-paced, problem-solving nature of the role of a building principal with over 700 children under the age of seven, but part of my role as building leader is to reduce the stressors for others. I am intentionally calm and patient. I make a strategic, deliberate effort each day to truly listen to concerns and enact solutions so staff, students, and parents can breathe and move on to a productive day.

In August 2017, after hearing a lot about mindfulness and the research related to childhood trauma and its effects on brain development, we made the decision to bring a daily mindfulness practice to our school community. Each morning, our entire school stops for a few minutes to listen to classical music from the Cleveland Orchestra.

Each piece is presented with a bit of history about the music or composer and a prompt to take deep breaths, pretend you are the conductor, or close your eyes and create a scene in your mind.

Students and staff take the time to be fully engaged in a common calming moment after the morning rush and before we get deep into the hectic atmosphere of our learning environment.

At first, four minutes of being still felt like an eternity. Students who are accustomed to the immediate gratification of video games and their parents’ attention needed intentional instruction about how to sit, do nothing, listen, and breathe. Over time, our school has embraced the mindfulness culture. It is not uncommon for teachers to offer a few minutes of quiet time before a test or to hear lunch/playground assistants remind students to practice “Figure 8” breathing when they are upset. By the end of the school year our office discipline referrals had declined by 30%. There was a noticeable improvement in engagement, which ultimately had an impact on academic performance. We attribute much of that to empowering students to find inner strength during times of stress.

We offered a common experience which helped us enhance the culture and community of our school.

It’s our second year, and we are training a new group of students about how to utilize mindfulness techniques in their lives. I have to remember to take a lesson from our students. Slow down. Stop for a minute. Taking five breaths changes everything.

Lynn Villa is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Kent State University where she received a Master degree in Elementary Education and an Ed.S. in Educational Administration. She has worked with students from preschool through post-secondary in urban, suburban, and international schools.

Lynn is grateful for the opportunity to support staff and students as the principal of Wilcox Primary School in Twinsburg. She is the mother of one daughter who reminds her to take five breaths when things get stressful.

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feature story

TEARS OF

HOPE

BY DR. NICK NEIDERHOUSE

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his story may be a short one, but it has been two years in the making. In fact, this story still does not have an ending, so maybe I should just call it a chapter instead. Regardless, this is my plea to all educators to never give up on a student.

Have you ever had a student who is consistently attention-seeking with negative behaviors? Or how about a student who shows no remorse after verbally or physically attacking another student?

Students exhibiting these behaviors can be the most challenging, to say the least.

Teachers and administrators can get frustrated, lose their patience, or exhaust their toolbox of motivational tactics to keep these students engaged. There are also times when the student is either down in the office, out in the hallway for a break, or not permitted to come to school, yet the teacher is still expected to teach this child and the student is still being asked to learn. Whatever the case may be, educators, remember that you are not alone in this endeavor. If there are tears shed in the process, don’t despair. Tears can be ones that are heavily filled with hope, promise, and reassurance that you did make a difference.

Let’s face it, some students, and parents for that matter, are difficult to reach. I would even make an experienced assumption that each school has a student or two that have shrugged off any negative consequences and demonstrated minimal interest in a positive behavior approach. Our school is no different.

We had a student, over the last two years, who had a personal behavior plan rewarding him for following our protocols with his input. It was adjusted occasionally to assess results and to achieve the desired outcome for the student. This plan was also shared with the parent. With a more punitive approach, the student earned writeups to go home and get signed by a parent, the parent was called and informed of his behavior, and he experienced both in-school and out-of-school suspension multiple times over two years. This student

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encountered multiple teachers throughout his school day, and they shared similar concerns.

We also tried a variety of methods to reach the student. The student was involved in service projects to help the school as an alternative consequence. He was in a character class, where students spend time with the school counselor during recess to improve one or more character traits. One may ask, did any of this “stick”? Did the student turn his behaviors and comments around? The honest answer is not as much as we would have liked with all the time and energy we poured into this student, but we did not give up!

Wayne Trail Elementary is a school made up of fourth and fifth grade students. We strive to ensure that after two years, every student is prepared academically, socially, and emotionally to transition to the middle school. Admittedly, we struggled to reach this student; but in the end, we learned something about him and ourselves. At-risk children typically experience multiple risk factors that accumulate over time, and the differences in outcomes are usually due to this accumulation of risks (Moore, 2013). As we dug deeper to find a pattern and get a glimpse into his behaviors, we narrowed it down to one word: empathy. When asked, “What traits do kids really need to be happy and successful?” Borba (2016) writes that one answer she gives is: empathy.

As previously stated, this student would do something hurtful to another student and not consider the other student’s perspective or feelings. He did not see the need to apologize after inappropriate behavior caused his removal from the classroom.

According to Mendes (2003), self-awareness includes being able to distinguish between your own feelings and those of others. This element of emotional intelligence is extremely difficult to teach a child. However, choosing empathy towards a student can serve multiple purposes. It can allow a teacher to approach each situation with an at-risk student with a calmer internal state, which can

“Those shared tears were ones full of hope for the future.”

influence the response of the teacher (Mendes, 2003). Many times, our responses to a situation make all the difference.

Even as the months rolled on and behaviors continued, we knew that we had to continue to provide positive, empathetic responses to create an emotional bank for this student to increase his empathy and self-awareness. We also learned that once we identified what we believed to be the root cause and deficiency in this student, we could work directly on this character trait with him. The more we modeled empathy and added to his bank of emotional experiences, the more of a connection we made.

While we did not know the factors this student was dealing with that caused his life to be out of balance, persistent care and intervention did pay off in incremental amounts. As stated by Mendes (2003), “students need both structure and nurture, and the ways in which the teacher responds to these needs in the classroom are crucial.”

We aimed to provide both structure and nurture for this student, and by the end of the year he was (on his own) reporting to me, the principal, with how many days had passed since his last “write up” or infraction.

The most impactful thing happened on the last day of school. The student, who previously portrayed a lack of empathy and care, walked out of school crying and hugging his teachers and me.

Some might assume that these were tears of joy because school was out and he was moving onto middle school. However, I could tell that these tears came from a place of appreciation and comfort. As I hugged him and sat down next to him on the bench in front of the school, I was emotional, too. I told him that he could come back to our school if he needed anything, and that we have always believed in him and would continue to do so. I told him that when he considered his own feelings and others in matters, he was able to make the right choices. He smiled, and I knew that we made a difference. Those shared tears were ones that had hope for the future. Educators, don’t give up on those challenging students. You never know when they may show you something that you didn’t think they had in them, even if it takes until the last day of school.

References: Borba, M. (2016). Why kids need more empathy. Time.

Mendes, E. J. (2003). What empathy can do. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 56-59.

Moore, J. (2013). The research on resilience. Educational Leadership, 8.

Nick Neiderhouse, Ed.D., has been an administrator for the past seven years and is currently the principal at Wayne Trail Elementary in Maumee City Schools.

He earned his doctorate from Bowling Green State University in Leadership and Policy Studies in 2013. Dr. Neiderhouse is also the founder of the WeTeach® app, which aims to promote collaboration among educators.

I did not see this coming. winter 2019

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feature story

CHANGING THE MOOD, ONE RELATIONSHIP AT A TIME

BY DR. MARY CRABTREE

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ou have probably heard the saying, “One day at a time,” more than once in your life, but I wonder if you have ever applied that to your teaching or administrative career? This year, as I began my second decade in the classroom, I assumed a new role as an RTI coach, took on some additional duties with my teaching team, and saw changes in my teaching assignment. At the same time, a new group of very challenging students arrived in my classroom. These students were not individually different than any other year, but collectively they created many more behavior challenges to understand, higher learning needs for differentiation, and greater social emotional needs for the creation of a successful experience as they transitioned to junior high.

Early days brought about a great deal of frustration, as it seemed the students were not responding to “the big picture” that I had hoped to prepare them for this year. My classroom had undergone a transformation to fully flexible seating, which was designed to meet the needs of these students; yet, they were not responding well to the opportunities presented. Every day seemed like an uphill battle. The majority of instructional time was spent on mundane things such as organization of materials, understanding the basics of technology, following directions, and behavior intervention.

I was stymied as to whether or not I would ever feel successful as a teacher of content, or if I would only move these students to become successful organized “drones” who could follow a schedule, open their lockers, and successfully navigate their way from one class to another. Needless to say, it was disappointing! I came home every evening exhausted, loving the students and their individual personalities, but disappointed that I wasn’t making any headway on “the things that mattered.”

Enter a reminder! It happened while dusting the end table one

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weekend, and picking up that hard copy of my dissertation, fondly stroking it, and thinking back to all that work. In that moment, I remembered how every teacher, during the research, discussed the importance of relationships, how these relationships are the key to successful learning, and that building relationships MUST take precedence if a teacher is to truly create teachable moments.

If one needed a smack in the forehead, this was my moment!

Instantly I began to think about the past few weeks, how every encounter had led to a bit more knowledge about a student. How I had met so many scared pairs of eyes, and had seen the fear melt away; how the questions kept coming, because they felt comfortable asking; how laughter when they didn’t know became the norm, rather than the exception; and how comfortable they were becoming in the classroom with me, asking me to come eat lunch with them, so they could get extra help. While I still felt as if the content was not being effectively taught, the students and I were finding our way to learning, and we were doing it together!

At that moment, my mantra became, “One moment at a time.” I followed that up with, “Celebrate every small step.” I focused on relationships more than content!

It is now a semester later. There are students who were sullen and withdrawn, who would NOT do work or ask questions in weeks one, two or three, but now easily raise their hand, ask for passes to come to my room for help, and even laugh at my lame jokes! We are more likely to get to content quickly, as most of the students have mastered the basics of the technology and understand how to “get where we are going” in our Google Classroom much more seamlessly. The students work during work time, and when they talk, rather than talking about the latest video game or junior high drama, they talk about the work, collaborating effectively to make things better. Discussions net great ideas and sharing, and the classroom has become a robust place of learning.

Make a New Year’s Resolution to read more books this year!

NORTHERN OHIO Stacy Hughes Learning Consultant Grades K–8 stacy.hughes@cengage.com 330-701-0854 SOUTHERN OHIO Ashley Grove Learning Consultant Grades K–8 ashley.grove@cengage.com 513-306-6967

NGL.Cengage.com/School 888-915-3276 “National Geographic”, “National Geographic Society” and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of the National Geographic Society ®Marcas Registradas.

So what has created the transformation? The idea that we can slow down, take time to get to know the students, understand them where they are, help them learn the skills they need to be successful, and make sure they know they are appreciated for the effort they put forth. Helping them learn to be accountable for their actions and holding firm expectations has been a great help as well, because they know I will be firm, but fair, and treat everyone equally.

Laughing at myself when I make mistakes, being silly sometimes, offering to help, sitting on the floor while they take the “big chair,” and just being a person who is open to their approaches has created a space where they feel valued and will work hard. I don’t know if they are working hard because they love the content, although I do see them learning to like pieces of writing and reading that were a struggle before. I also see an increased focus and beautiful collaborations. What I do know is that what got us all through that rough time was the focus on each other. The idea that if we try hard to get to know each other, to celebrate what we bring to the table, and to build on those things, we will find a way to become what we need to be. Soon the classroom (and perhaps the school) will begin to see how “one moment” can change an entire year!

Mary Crabtree, Ph.D. teaches 7th grade Language Arts. She has a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Concordia University of Chicago, where she also is an adjunct professor in the Teacher Leadership Program. Dr. Crabtree lives in Wooster, Ohio with her husband, son and granddaughter. winter 2019

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Equity, access, & family engagement at

OAESA’S FIRST-EVER READING SUMMIT

M

ore than 150 educators gathered October 9 at the Nationwide Conference and Events Center for OAESA’s first Reading Summit. The day started with an informative, motivational keynote by literacy guru and “Book Whisperer,” Donalyn Miller.

The morning continued with eight breakout clinics over three sessions, all of which were designed to connect attendees with tips and resources that they could take back to their classrooms the next day. We took a brain break after our clinics

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with a new session called “Booktalks, Cookies, & Milk.” Everyone was treated to an afternoon snack and a free book, courtesy of Scholastic!

The conference was closed with a keynote address by motivational speaker, Byron V. Garrett. Our first Reading Summit was a great opportunity for practical, relevant professional learning. Join us March 14 for our next literacy event, Rigorous Reading: Access Points for Comprehending Complex Informational Texts with Nancy Frey.

For more information, see page 19.

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H E A LT H

matters

How to nurture oral health and prevent tooth decay in schools

T

BY SHANNON COLE

ooth decay continues to be the most common chronic disease of childhood. We know that many of the children and adolescents at highest risk for decay aren’t getting dental sealants.1 A national survey from 2011-12 found only 43 percent of adolescents had at least one permanent tooth with a dental sealant.2 Dental sealant is a thin, plastic coating painted on the chewing surfaces of back teeth -- usually the molars -- to prevent tooth decay. The sealant is bonded to the grooves of the teeth, forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth. Sealant is applied to permanent molars at ages six and twelve. Along with dental sealants, schools can nurture oral health with children and adolescents by promoting: • Daily oral hygiene care (toothbrushing and flossing) • Healthy foods and drinks • Regular dental check-ups Families who practice these healthy habits have children that are more engaged in learning, have healthy teeth, are better able to eat, speak, and have the fuel necessary to focus on learning.3 But, what about your students who don’t have access to a family dentist or a dental home, can’t eat because of tooth pain, and are too tired to learn because they were up all night with a throbbing toothache?

What can schools do to give children and adolescents every advantage to focus on learning?

WHAT IS A SCHOOL SEALANT PROGRAM? A school sealant program (SSP) is a good opportunity for schools to develop a community partnership, nurture good oral health and prevent tooth decay. SSPs provide dental sealants to children in grades 2 and 6 with follow-up in grades 3 and 7, using portable dental equipment in a school setting. A typical SSP consists of a licensed registered dental hygienist and dental assistant assessing students with signed consent and selecting teeth for sealant placement. They usually visit a school over the course of 1 to 5 days, depending on

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the school size. After the student is assessed for dental sealants, the registered dental hygienist will place them right away, so the student is only out of the classroom once.

In Ohio, SSPs place dental sealants on 6 and 12-year permanent molars. They also check to see if the children already have sealants, and if so, how well those sealants are being retained. With parent/ guardian permission, children and adolescents who do not have dental sealants can get them applied at no cost. Any student found to need additional follow-up will receive a referral to a local dentist or safety-net dental clinic, if needed.

Participating in a SSP sends the message to staff, students, and parents that daily oral hygiene care, preventing tooth decay, and access to dental care is important. SSPs help by educating students individually and in the classroom groups. They emphasize the importance of daily oral hygiene care and consumption of healthy food and drinks, so students can grow up healthy.

SSPs are especially important for reaching children and adolescents who are at greater risk for developing tooth decay and less likely to receive regular dental check-ups. The SSPs in Ohio operate in schools with 40 percent or more of children in second and sixth grade participating in the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Free Reduced-Price Meal (FRPM) program.4 Children and adolescents in these schools are significantly more likely and at highrisk to have tooth decay than children at schools with lower FRPM enrollment (under 40%). In addition, if a child is determined to need a referral for diagnosis and treatment, the SSP will work with the school to help the family find a family dentist or dental home.

A 2015 published paper from the National Governors Association identified SSPs as one of three “health investments that pay off ” by reducing states’ oral health treatment costs. Also, it’s important to note that a 2016 study revealed that over the course of a year, an SSP serving 1,000 students prevents toothaches in 133 children and the need for 485 fillings.5 In 2017, of the 1,390 high-risk schools in

Ohio, 829 of them participated in a SSP funded either by the state or a locally funded non-profit agency; and, over 26,000 students received dental sealants. The State of Ohio continues to work to expand SSP operations to eligible high-risk schools and seal as many permanent molars as possible.

DOES YOUR SCHOOL PARTICIPATE IN A SCHOOL SEALANT PROGRAM? If your answer is yes—keep it up! If your student body qualifies for a SSP and the answer is no, contact Shannon Cole via email at shannon.cole@odh.ohio.gov or 614.728.2302 to discuss how to get a SSP in your school.

As we said at the beginning, tooth decay is the most common childhood chronic illness. Show your staff, students and families that you value their health and give them every advantage to focus on learning.

RESOURCES: The American Dental Association - 800.947.4746 http://www.ada.org Ohio Dental Association - 614.486.2700 http://www.oda.org School Health Corporation - 866.323.5465 https://www.schoolhealth.com Ohio Department of Health, Oral Health Program https://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/ohs/oralhealth.aspx Ohio Department of Health, School Nursing Program https://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/chss/schnurs/schnurs1

1 Children’s Dental Health Project. Report of the Sealant Work Group: Recommendations & Products April 2017. Retrieved from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdhp/ sealants/SWG+Report.pdf 2 National Center for Health Statistics. NCHS Data Brief No. 191, March 2015. Dental Caries and Sealant Prevalence in Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2011-2012. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db191.pdf 3 United States Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families (2018). School Readiness: Healthy Children are Ready to Learn.

Retrieved from: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/school-readiness/article/healthy-children-are-ready-learn 4 The Ohio Department of Health, Oral Health Program, 2018. At-a-Glance: School-Based Dental Sealant Programs. Retrieved from: https://www.odh.ohio.gov/-/ media/ODH/ASSETS/Files/ohs/oral-health/2018/SBSP-2018-FINAL-rev.pdf?la=en 5 Health Affairs, 2016 (35:12). School-Based Dental Sealant Programs Prevent Cavities and Are Cost-Effective. S. Griffin, S. Naavaal, S. Scherrer et al. Retrieved from: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/35/12/2233.short.

Achieving results in Academics, Leadership and Culture

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

�, FranklinCovey.

'-J

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winter 2019 57 EDUCATION

LEGAL

report

Changes to laws regarding student removals, suspensions, and expulsions

BY DENNIS PERGRAM

T

he Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that state Senator Peggy Lehner, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, stated that she was astounded by the number of young students being suspended from school. She indicated that there were 36,000 such suspensions – removals from school for up to 10 days – of Ohio’s 540,000 pre-K through third grade students in 2015-2016 and 34,000 in 2016-2017. Many were for serious offenses like vandalism, hurting other students, bringing a gun to school, and even “unwelcome sexual conduct” by kindergartners, but others, she said, come from over-zealous use of “zero-tolerance” policies and schools’ inability to manage students. She further indicated that under half - 48% are mainly for the lesser offenses of disobedience and disruptive behavior. That concern has prompted changes in Ohio’s removal, suspension, and expulsion laws, especially for pre-K through third grade students. The changes became effective November 2, 2018.

grades pre-kindergarten through 3 who has engaged in any of the behaviors described in divisions (B)(2) to (5) of section 3313.66 of the Revised Code.”

One substantial amendment was to Ohio Rev. Code § 3313.668, which, until November 2, 2018, merely provided that: “On or after July 1, 2017, no school district or school shall suspend, expel or remove a student from school under section 3313.66 of the Revised Code solely on the basis of the student’s absences from school without legitimate excuse.” That part of Ohio Rev. Code § 3313.668 remains; however, it has been substantially enlarged to address suspensions and expulsions of students in grades pre-K–3.

(3) bringing a knife capable of causing serious bodily injury to a school operated by the board, onto any other property owned or controlled by the board, or to an interscholastic competition, an extracurricular event, or any other program or activity sponsored by the school district or in which the district is a participant, or for possessing a firearm or knife capable of serious bodily injury, at a school, on any other property owned or controlled by the board, or at an interscholastic competition, an extracurricular event, or any other school program or activity, which firearm or knife was initially brought onto school board property by another person.

Section 3313.668(B)(a) now provides: “A school district or school may issue an out-of-school suspension or expulsion, in accordance with section 3313.66 of the Revised Code, to a student in any of

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The behaviors described in divisions (B)(2) to (5) of section 3313.66 are: (2)(a) bringing a firearm to a school operated by the board of education of the district or onto any other property owned or controlled by the board.

(2)(b) bringing a firearm to an interscholastic competition, an extracurricular event, or any other school program or activity that is not located in a school or on property that is owned or controlled by the district.

(4) committing an act that is a criminal offense when committed by an adult and that results in serious physical harm to persons as defined in division (A)(5) of section 2901.01 of the Revised Code or serious physical harm to property as defined in division (A)(6) of section 2901.01 of the Revised Code while the pupil is at school, on any other property owned or controlled by the board, or at any interscholastic competition, an extracurricular event, or any other school program or activity.

district’s mental health professional shall, in any manner that does not result in a financial burden to the school district or school, assist the student’s parent or guardian with locating providers or obtaining those services, including referral to an independent mental health professional. Nothing in this division shall be construed to limit the responsibilities of a school district or school with respect to the provision of special education and related services under Chapter 3323. of the Revised Code.

(5) for making a bomb threat to a school building or to any premises at which a school activity is occurring at the time of the threat.

Section 3313.66 of the Revised Code also was amended effective November 2, 2018 and should be reviewed for changes, but one of the important changes to be recognized is that the prior version provided that a board may, in its discretion, permit the pupil to complete any classroom assignments missed because of the suspension, whereas the amended version of the statute provides that the board shall permit the pupil to complete any classroom assignments missed because of the suspension.

In other words, and with the exception of a mental health provision to be described below, the discipline for students pre-K–3 does not have to be any different if the behavior is, as described above, bringing a firearm to school, possessing a firearm, bringing a knife capable of causing serious bodily injury to school, committing an act that is a criminal offense when committed by an adult that results in serious physical harm, or making a bomb threat [(B)(2) to (5) behaviors].

The biggest change in the law for students pre-K–3 is found in Ohio Rev. Code § 3313.668(B)(1)(b), wherein it states (somewhat awkwardly): “A school district or school may issue an out-ofschool suspension not to exceed ten days or an expulsion to a student in any of grades pre-kindergarten through three who has not engaged in any of the behaviors described in divisions (B)(2) to (5) of section 3313.66 of the Revised Code only as necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of the student, the student’s fellow classmates, the classroom staff and teachers, or other school employees.” (Emphasis added.)

There is not much, if any, subjectivity involved in determining when a student brings a firearm, possesses a firearm, brings a dangerous knife, causes serious physical harm, or makes a bomb threat [(B)(2) to (5) behaviors], but there is some subjectivity involved in making the determination that an out-of-school suspension or expulsion is necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of the student, the student’s fellow classmates, the classroom staff and teachers, or other school employees.

Undoubtedly, you will also want to review the forms that you have been using for emergency removals, suspensions, and expulsions to make certain that they are compliant with the changes in the laws.

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.

LEADING LEADING INNOVATION INNOVATION FOR FOR TODAY’S TODAY’S LEARNERS LEARNERS

JUNE 5-6, 2019

Section 3313.668(B)(3) makes it clear that the pre-K–3 students who are suspended or expelled are entitled to the same notice and hearing, procedural and educational opportunities prescribed for a suspension or expulsion pursuant to section 3313.66 of the Revised Code. In other words, they are to be treated no differently for purposes of due process.

One additional important wrinkle is found in section 3313.668(B)(2) requiring the principal, whenever possible, to consult with a mental health professional under contract with the district or school prior to suspending or expelling a student in any grades pre-K–3 and further provides: If the events leading up to suspension or expulsion indicate a need for additional mental health services, the student’s principal or the

CENTRE CENTRE PARK PARK OF OF WEST WEST CHESTER CHESTER 5800 MULHAUSER 5800 MULHAUSER RD RD WEST CHESTER, OH 45069 WEST CHESTER, OH 45069 L EARN MORE & REGI STER AT W W W.HCESC.O R G / NAV I GATO R

LEGISLATIVE

update

New year, new legislature, new opportunities

BY BARBARA SHANER

J

anuary 2019 promises to be the beginning of a new era. The new year may not bring a lot of change to the day-to-day world of elementary school principals, at least not right away. But 2019 happens to be a year when Ohio’s government will undergo a transformation of sorts, the effects of which may in turn eventually trickle down to school leaders and school children. This phenomenon of change is not so much a result of a “movement” led by citizens or a change in their point of view; rather, the Ohio Constitution is the instigator.

Timing is everything. Beginning in January 1963, the Ohio Constitution set terms of office for the governor and the other statewide offices (attorney general, auditor, treasurer of state, and secretary of state) at four years. The Constitution further restricts the number of terms for these offices at two. It just so happens that the beginning of 2019 marks the end of the allowable terms for the previous governor and the other four previous statewide office holders.

The Constitution also governs the terms of office for the Ohio General Assembly which has term limits, too. The members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms (a maximum of eight years). Senate members serve four-year terms (also a maximum of eight years).

By now, your eyes are crossing with all the dates and numbers, and you’re wondering where this is going. The bottom line is this: 2019 brings with it new leaders in the governor’s office and all four statewide offices as the previous office-holders were term-limited.

All of the members of the Ohio House and half the Senate members had to run for office in November. Term limits and other factors have brought a number of new faces to the Ohio General Assembly.

What does all this mean for OAESA members?

First, it means there will be new opportunities for the association and for individual members to have an influence on future state education policy decisions. New faces in these leadership positions represent a blank slate for us as we work to provide information about the challenges and successes experienced every day in classrooms and school buildings across the state. New leaders such as the governor and the freshmen legislators are sure to bring with them certain preconceived ideas about public education. Yet the realities of their new responsibilities to govern and legislate will require more than

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just an opinion; they’ll need some facts. Who better to enlighten them than a group of school leaders?

Second, all these new faces in government will also mean new sets of eyes that will look at the policies put in place by previous leaders.

Without a vested interest in the decisions of the past, new leaders may be more willing to correct those things that haven’t worked out so well. Again, school leaders can best educate legislators and the new administration about what’s not working and even those policies that actually hamper student success.

Both possibilities call for OAESA and its members to be proactive.

Depending on how you view it, this may seem simple or maybe it’s daunting. This issue of the Principal Navigator is focused on “Fueling the Fire,” a theme that aims to encourage and energize members during that time of year when the newness of the school year has worn off and the cold weather of winter can drag us down.

However, “Fueling the Fire” has a different application when it comes to advocacy. Every one of us – including you – can play a part.

If advocacy seems daunting to you, then start small. Join with others and/or reach out to OAESA for help. In any case, this beginning of a new era is a good time to act.

A colleague recently opined that he is sensing a positive shift in attitude about public education with the new crop of state leaders.

Without trying to pinpoint the reasons why this might be the case, I have to agree that generally, lawmakers’ respect for public school districts appears to be building. When they hear from school leaders, it seems to make a difference in the decisions they make. There is still plenty of speculation that we’re still trying to educate kids “the same old way we did fifty years ago,” but when legislators hear specific success stories and examples of innovation, it makes an impression.

So, our challenge to members (as is our challenge at the state organizational level) is to “Fuel the Fire” for public education with these new faces in Ohio’s government. Making sure that new legislators come to Columbus with an understanding of the current realities for schools and kids has to start with you at the grass roots component of our democracy. It’s a new era!

Barbara Shaner is OAESA’s Advocacy Specialist. If you need more information, contact the author at barbaracshaner@gmail.com.

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MAKE IT R A I N

“Kids need to live in a book flood, but many live in a book desert.”

-Donalyn Miller Book deserts are a problem that many students experience in their lives. Research shows that access to books increases their chances for a better life in regard to education, productivity, wealth, health, and quality of life.

Here are some ideas to help improve access to books and opportunities that will improve literacy for all students.

Spend more money on classroom libraries and putting books in students’ hands instead of test prep.

Staff school libraries with a certified librarian.

Work with teachers, families, and public libraries to ensure all kids have book access during summer.

RESOURCES GAME CHANGER: Book Access for All Kids

by Donalyn Miller & Colby Sharp American Library Association ala.org Ohio Educational Library Media Association oelma.org

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know? didyou news from the association OLAC

REP. ASSEMBLY

New modules, courses, and podcasts on coaching, gifted ed, and more have been added to the Ohio Leadership Advisory Council’s website, ohioleadership.org.

Please consider joining OAESA to witness the governance of the association in action and enjoy a gourmet lunch April 27 from 11am-3pm at Smith and Wollensky at Easton Town Center.

ADVOCACY IN ACTION

BE SOCIAL Connect with OAESA online.

An OAESA contingency will travel to Washington DC March 17-20 and advocate to Ohio legislators on behalf of Ohio administrators, schools, and students.

ig: @oaesa twitter: @oaesa fb: /oaesa web: oaesa.org

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

OHIO PURPLE STARS

Ironton Elementary Assistant Principal David Ashworth went viral on social media after being featured in a news story about knowing the names of his nearly 700 students.

Great work, Mr. Ashworth!

Ohio Superintendent Paolo DeMaria announced 57 schools received the #OhioPurpleStar designation for their commitment to serving military-connected students and families!

out&about with

OAESA

T W E E T Y O U R HEART OUT Log in to Twitter and follow our hashtag, #ohprinchat during our spring Twitter chats. It’s a great way to get new ideas and inspiration.

February

Date: Tuesday, February 5 Time: 8pm-9pm Topic: Managing Behaviors (PBIS)

March

Date: Tuesday, March 5 Time: 8pm-9pm Topic: Keep the Magic Going

April

Date: Tuesday, April 2 Time: 8pm-9pm Topic: The Magic of Why Conference Chat

BAMA BEGINS (top) OAESA and OASSA were excited to kickoff the Beginning Administrator Mentorship Academy (BAMA) September 10-11 in Columbus with the first class of over 150 incoming mentees (pictured here). Mentees got to meet their mentors who will guide them during their first two years in administration. MADAM PRESIDENT: (bottom left) 2018-2019 OAESA President Erin Simpson was honored September 29 with a reception to honor her tenure as the leader of OAESA. IF THE SHOE FITS (bottom right) OAESA Executive Director Dr. Julie Davis returns a shoe to second grader Yohannes Degu, 8, as part of an exercise at Etna Road Elementary School in Whitehall.

This was one of many stops on a Ohio Department of Education bus tour to rollout their new framework, Each Child Our Future.

May

Date: Tuesday, May 7 Time: 8pm-9pm Topic: Avoid Summer Slide for Kids & Adults!

join the conversation

#ohprinchat winter 2019

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e’re booked

THE POWER OF MOMENTS Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact BOOK BY Chip Heath and Dan Heath REVIEW BY Traci Kosmach, Principal, Riverview Elementary

The Power of Moments is not what one might think. I had seen significant social media hype about this book during peak reading season, summer. There are always more books to consider than time will ever allow, but OAESA gave me the perfect opportunity to realize and correct my initial choice to pass on this heartening and practical book. As educators, we likely realize the significance of moments and do our best to be mindful of, and in, our moments. Equally likely, we have not considered that there might be a clear path to creating moments that matter. The Heath brothers, Chip and Dan, have provided just that. All of one’s most beloved memories are made of moments that matter, and they all include at least one of the following: elevation, insight, pride, or connection. The most memorable and defining moments that rise above the others share all four of those elements.

The Power of Moments is full of familiar and authentic examples of moments that matter. The authors provide a “Whirlwind Review” for each of the four elements, as well as a “clinic” to guide one’s ability to participate in powerful moments. This is achieved by intentionally creating moments or recognizing the ability to enhance already defining moments by adding one or more of the four elements. An additional advantage found in this book is learning where one might find a “Popsicle Hotline.” It exists. Promise.

Immediate demands often chisel away at our days as school administrators: “In the short term, we prioritize fixing problems over making moments, and that choice usually feels like a smart trade-off ” (Heath and Heath 256). The Heaths have some clear insight into our world and urge us to do otherwise. They share the myriad of positive and consequential outcomes that are likely to happen when extra energy and attention are added to our daily moments. Constructing greater impact in moments is both a means and an end.

Our lives may be enriched as we seek to provide meaningful memories for those in our care. The mutual benefit of pursuing powerful moments holds promise for all in schools and in our greater society.

PATINA

BOOK BY Jason Reynolds REVIEW BY Lori Stovall, Assistant Principal, Columbia Intermediate

If you haven’t experienced the writing of Jason Reynolds, Patina is a wonderful place to start! Patina is the second book in the four book Track series. It’s the inspiring and powerful story of Patty, a middle school student navigating her way through the highs and lows of her young life. Family trauma that leads to a new school for Patty sets the stage for the book. She finds that her love of running is more than just fun on the track team; it’s a way to quiet her stress and discover what she’s made of, because as her Ma says, “Patty ain’t no junk!” Running is her escape from it all.

When Patty is assigned a group project in class, she knows she’ll be the only one doing the work – she’s stuck with a bunch of “hair flippers.” But as the group begins their work, Patty learns that there is more to these girls than she thought. In fact, she might even be making new friends. Then, at track practice, Patty’s coach invites her be part of a new relay. She and her relay team must learn to be in sync. They work through their discomfort and their egos to discover how to move together as one. Patty learns to open herself to her teammates, and in doing so makes connections she never knew were possible.

Patina is a great choice for a school library. In fact, I’ll be adding the entire Track series to mine! The characters and their life stories are relatable to middle school students. Patty, her friends, and her team work through their challenges in ways that present positive examples for students. It also represents the power of supportive adults in a student’s life. This book would be inspiring for students to express themselves in ways that allow others to truly see who they are, and, in turn, build their own confidence.

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BOOK REVIEWS FOR THE PRINCIPAL LIBRARY & THE SCHOOL LIBRARY

IT’S THE MISSION, NOT THE MANDATES Defining the Purpose of Public Education

BOOK BY AMY FAST, Ed.D. REVIEW BY Aaron Conn, Assistant Principal, Circleville Elementary Dr. Amy Fast has emerged as a strong voice in the current shift towards a more proactive response to soft skills, career readiness, and whole child instruction within our schools. Her book, It’s the Mission, Not the Mandates is a fantastic read for anyone looking to not only grow professionally, but to also expand their understanding of what it means to reach every child, every day.

The book begins with a quick tour through the history of education, examining legislation and the different eras of educational thought. This allows the reader to see where we have been in order to gain better insight as to where we are going. She does this by looking first at schooling during the colonial period and eventually landing on our current priorities, including career readiness and teacher effectiveness. This journey is brief but indeed descriptive and informative.

Throughout the book, Dr. Fast does a fantastic job of citing the importance of rigor and academic accountability, while also noting that of equal (if not more) importance is that students leave our schools knowing their worth, feeling valued, and, above all else, feeling known.

We all understand that now more than ever it is imperative that we spend time building and maintaining relationships with our students. Dr. Fast speaks of this often throughout the book. She also recognizes that many of our students come to us from poverty, broken homes, and unstable situations. It is for this reason that we must make an attempt to build positive rapport and represent ourselves in a way that models appropriate societal behavior. In the text we are also given strategies to engage and motivate students, as well as practices to provide strong academic instruction. The book also spends time looking at teaching practices from around the world, including Switzerland, and begs the question as to why we in America are not making some of those same, radical changes.

Dr. Fast understands that our purpose should be one of nobility and honor and should be the driving force for every teacher in every district across the country. She understands that it’s about people more than process, and that we must maintain a clear, laser-like focus on our purpose. The book does a fantastic job of examining the implications such a shift in focus could have on our curriculum, our instruction, and our society. Anyone who is looking for thorough and extensive research that supports the need for a change in mindset when it comes to our role and purpose will most certainly find it here.

I AM PEACE A Book of Mindfulness

WORDS BY Susan Verde, ART BY Peter H. Reynolds REVIEW BY Brynn Hoffman, Special Education Director, Westfall Local Schools How are we teaching students to self-regulate in our classrooms when something – whether it’s school or events they can’t control – become too much? Many teachers take a listening approach, but I Am Peace, written by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, walks children or adults through how to practice mindfulness.

The story begins with a character feeling overwhelmed by not knowing what will happen next, like many of our students. The character then takes a breath and tells himself it will be alright. The following pages go through different strategies to practice peace. Then, the book shares the idea that if we know how we feel, we can enjoy every moment and share that joy with others. As I read the book, it made me feel peaceful and grounded. The book includes a guided meditation to put into practice in classrooms, and many other strategies for students.

winter 2019

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INTENTIONALLY

CONNECT

2019 SPRING

REGIONAL MEETINGS Meet other administrators in your area for food, networking, and discussions about the issues you face on the job. It’s a great way to recharge and learn about the successes and ini�a�ves at other schools, and best of all, it’s completely free!

You are welcome at any zone mee�ng, regardless of where you live or work, and nonmembers are welcome, so bring a friend.

MARK YOUR

CALENDAR! ZONE ONE

Mar. 6, 9:00 am–Noon OSU Endeavor Center 1862 Shyville Rd. Piketon, OH 45661

ZONE THREE

ZONE FOUR

Apr. 10, 4:30–6:30 pm Brio at The Greene 4459 Cedar Park Dr. Beavercreek, OH 45440

Apr. 4, 12:00-2:00 pm Wood County ESC 1867 Research Dr. Bowling Green, OH 43402

ZONE SEVEN

ZONE SIX/EIGHT

May 2, 5:00–7:00 pm Quaker Steak & Lube 2191 Millennium Blvd Cortland, OH 44410

Mar. 6, 4:30–6:30 pm 35 Brix 3875 Massillon Road Green, Ohio 44685

ZONE FIVE

Mar. 5, 4:30–6:30 pm The Steer Barn 1144 E, Wyandot Ave. Upper Sandusky, OH 43351

ZONE NINE

Apr. 25, 1:00-2:00 pm VIRTUAL MEETING for those from any zone who can’t a�end in person!

Visit OAESA.org for log-in details.

ZONE TWO

Apr. 16, 4:30-6:30 pm Scholas�c Book Fairs Warehouse 5459 West Chester Rd. West Chester, OH 45069

ZONE SIX

Mar. 13, 4:30–6:30 pm Market Garden Brewery 1947 West 25th St. Cleveland, OH 44113

ZONE TEN

Mar. 13, 4:30–6:30 pm Rusty Bucket 6726 Perimeter Loop Rd Dublin, OH 43017 -ANDApr. 3, 4:30–6:30 pm Roosters 1500 Stonecreek Dr. Pickerington, OH 43147

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

Call for articles for OAESA’s Spring 2019 Principal Navigator As we gear up for the OAESA Professional Conference, we want to give you a sampling of what you can expect at our annual event. Our next issue is dedicated to our conference theme, The Magic of Why: Stories of Purpose.

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 work your magic?

-What gives you purpose in your work?

-Who has worked magic in your career path?

The submission deadline is March 1, 2019. Email submissions to navigator@oaesa.org.

Greater gains. Gigantic grins. i-Ready Instruction leads to remarkable gains for diverse populations of students.

For more information, please contact your local sales representative: Northern Ohio • Melissa Martinsen • MMartinsen@cainc.com • (440) 715-5866 Southern Ohio • Morgan Bennett King • MBennett@cainc.com • (614) 296-2356

winter 2019

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elcome

ZONE 1

Kimberly Arthur Tami Clark Heidi Gray Melissa Guffey Katie Iman Christina Kidd Rachel Ramey Grant Stephan Heather Thompson Kevin Waddell Brandon Walker Bethany Whitt

ZONE 2

Dawn Bailey Justin Beck Sarah Benhase Andrea Blevins Bryan Cannon Shaunna Carter Gregory Chandler Donell Cox Robert Dunn Michelle Ellis Minna Epsy Mark Hiegl Quatrice James Tracy Jennings Kerry Kelley Julia Kohler Jesse Kohls Nancy Kroeger Vincent LaPorte Sarah Laschinger Kianna Marks Amanda McCullough Eric Meyer Heather Milligan Tracy Neeley Richard Reynolds Amber Rossero Karri Ross-Marotta Kyle Sigmon Brandy Smith Erin Storer Marlo Thigpen

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Kelsa Van Frank Todd Wells Emma Stacie Wendt

ZONE 3

Benjamin Ayers Jill Bennett Jordan Drake Shaun Dunlap Drew Golden Nicole Hackett Darren Kaiser Stephanie Kemp Kristen Kettlehake Max Lallathin Megan Linder Thomas Maxwell Jonathan McEldowney Joe Mergler Scott Poole John Riley Abby Scheidt Lindsey Schmidt Rhona Sheeter Nicole Strah Candace Weaver Erin Webb

ZONE 4

Michelle Allison Katie Beard Robb Brown Colleen Ellis Samantha Heckler Joshua Inglis Brittany Kahle Alyssa Karaffa Kelly Lepley Ashley Maxwell Cody McPherson Eric Radabaugh Jessica Schuette Ben Thiel

ZONE 5

Meisha Baker Daniel Bauman

OAESA’s New Members Adam Baumgartner Celina Bigio Cassiopia Brunow Nicole Cox Jessica Dugan Cornelia Engle Stacey Gatten Dorinda Hall David Henry Kyle Hintze Jodie Johnson Rachel Kelly Joel Melvin William O’Neil Stacey Swank Keith Taylor Amy Taylor-Sheldon Anitra Van Horn Ronald Williams

ZONE 6

MacKenzie Adelman Brian Callahan Rah’Sheen Clay Sabrina Crawford Roshelle Dewey Linda Dillon Charles Dorsey Theresa Harrison Brittany Kornokovich Nicole Marconi Michael McGinnis Tina McIntyre Erin Murphy Cynthia Rochford Josh Rogers Michael Salwiesz Josie Sanfilippo Jason Shaw Jocelyn Smith Valencia Thomas Sherie Turner Lisa Williams-Locklear Jaime Zollinger

ZONE 7

Bryan Bedford

William Bogan Adam Dugas Maria Goodman Allison Jones Sandra Kernen Christy Liber Tricia Lockso Jill Makee Timothy Pappagallo Betty Ann Phillips Richard Prescott Kelly Rinehart Shannon Sanzo Sandra Thorndike Cynthia Wilson

ZONE 8

Ben Doyle Sheri Fortune Kathryn Henry Cory Muller Mollie Parisi Jarred Renner Jamie Wenger Jenna Wilson

ZONE 9

Jordan Bouterse Jeremy Cameron Bill Creighton Theresa Gause Danielle King Casandra McLendon Amanda Spiker

ZONE 10

Vera Babbs Megan Ballinger Lacie Batovsky Amy Blankenship Lindsey Bledsoe Brandy Bobek Bryan Byrer Monica Campana Rhonda Childs Aaron Conn Alexandria Davis

Joshua Doudt Angela Evans Tricia Faulkner John Graffis Sheryl Hernandez Katherine Hueter Lynne Kluding Natalie Lewellen Andrew Ling Alissa Lopez Krissy Machamer Kerry Martinez Holly Meister Christopher Menhorn Aaron Myers Megan Noble Jaquelyn Nutt Caleb Oppong Joseph Patete Andrea Patridge Andrew Peterson Tyree Pollard Jaclyn Prati Kevin Pulfer Andy Roeth Chad Schulte Madison Shook Jaime Slane Peter Stern Andy Stotz Kerri Templeton Malissa Thomas-St.Clair Amy Urban Katie Van Schoyck Barry Ward Guy Williams Katie Windham Tyler Winner Brandy Worth

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NNECT

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