INSIGHT—Fall 2006

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL

FALL 2006

INSIGHT

Fall 2006

p. 12 p. 22

Volume 21

No. 2 FEATURED ARTICLES

p. 27 Courageous Leaders: Engaging All Students and Sustaining Their Success

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by Alan M. Blankstein; compiled by Jessica Baume Focuses on the importance and process of creating school and district cultures that engage all students and sustain their success

Time and the School Leader

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by Virginia Collier Encourages a fresh approach to effective time management by rethinking time and priorities

Rural Texas Supt Takes Hands-on Approach to Tech Integration

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by Cara Erenben, Contributing Editor, eSchool News Shares one superintendent’s resourcefulness in integrating technology in his rural district

Leadership for Effective and Productive Schools: A Reasoned Approach

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by Louis R. Centolanza, Ed.D. Provides a research-based exploration of the characteristics and practices that create a successful school

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Officers DEPARTMENTS Upcoming Events at TASA

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President’s Message

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Executive Director’s View

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TASA Headquarters Staff Executive Director Associate Executive Director, Administrative Services Assistant Executive Director, Communications & Information Systems

Johnny L. Veselka Paul L. Whitton, Jr. Ann M. Halstead

Design/Production

Emmy Starr

Editorial Coordinator

Karen Limb

Kay E. Waggoner, President, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Thomas E. Randle, President-Elect, Lamar CISD Rick Howard, Vice-President, Comanche ISD Alton J. Fields, Past President

Executive Committee Arturo Guajardo, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, 1 Henry D. Herrera, Alice ISD, 2 Larry W. Nichols, Calhoun County ISD, 3 Leland Williams, Dickinson ISD, 4 Gail Krohn, Nederland ISD, 5 Mike Cargill, Bryan ISD, 6 Mary Ann Whiteker, Hudson ISD, 7 Eddie Johnson, Harts Bluff ISD, 8 John Baker, Seymour ISD, 9 H. John Fuller,Wylie ISD, 10 Jerry W. Roy, Lewisville ISD, 11 Rod Townsend, Hico ISD, 12 Ryder F. Warren, Marble Falls ISD, 13 Kent LeFevre, Jim Ned CISD, 14 Alan Richey, Bronte ISD, 15 David G. Foote, Dalhart ISD, 16 Mike Motheral, Sundown ISD, 17 Michael Downes, Big Spring ISD, 18 Paul L. Vranish, Tornillo ISD, 19 John Folks, Northside ISD, 20

At-Large Members Rose Cameron, Copperas Cove ISD Patricia A. Linares, Fort Worth ISD Alicia H. Thomas, North East ISD

INSIGHT is published quarterly by the Texas Association of School Administrators, 406 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701-2617. Subscription is included in TASA membership dues. © 2006 by TASA. All rights reserved.

TASA members may reprint articles in limited quantities for in-house educational use. Articles in INSIGHT are expressions of the author or interviewee and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of TASA. Advertisements do not necessarily carry the endorsement of the Texas Association of School Administrators. INSIGHT is printed by Thomas Graphics, Austin, Texas.

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Editorial Advisory Committee Kay E. Waggoner, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, chair Thomas E. Randle, Lamar CISD Virginia L. Collier, Texas A & M University H. John Fuller, Wylie ISD Rick Howard, Comanche ISD Patricia A. Linares, Fort Worth ISD Mike Motheral, Sundown ISD Ron Peace, Dallas ISD Alicia H. Thomas, North East ISD

Upcoming Events at TASA Starting in

Excerpts from TASA’s Professional Development Calendar For more information about any of these workshops/trainings, please call TASA, 800-725-8272, or go online at www.TASAnet.org

October Joel Barker’s Implications Wheel® Certification Training at Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD Master Wheel Trainers October 18–20

g Who Should Attend • Training Professionals • Strategic Planning Professionals • Association Membership Directors • Directors of Communications • College/University Staff and Administration g What You Learn • Gain confidence in decision making and planning.

Mentoring the Reflective Principal Collaborative Approaches to Impact Student Achievement A Four-Part Carolyn Downey Seminar Series with Jan Jacob Session 1: October 19–20, 2006 Session 2: November 16–17, 2006 Session 3: January 18–19, 2007 Session 4: February 15–16, 2007

Just for the Kids School Improvement Institute Based on Student Achievement Data and Evidence-Based PracticesOther Practitioners Session 1: October 26, 2006 Session 2: December 5–6, 2006

g Who Should Attend • Superintendents • District-Level Curriculum and Instruction Administrators • Principals • Team–Principal Supervisor and two or more Principals g What You Learn • Session 1: Role of the Supervisors and Other District-Level Staff in Mentoring Principals and Monthly Supervisors’ School Visitation • Session 2: Critical Success Factors and

g Who Should Attend • District or School Leadership Teams (recommended four to five people): • One District Administrator • School Principal • Two or Three Lead Teachers g What You Learn • Use JFTK School Reports to develop an understanding of your school’s current reality through a review of your school’s student achievement levels compared to schools with similar student populations that are reaching higher levels g What You Learn: Part Two • Day One—Study the Practice of Higher Performing School Systems

• Higher stakeholder engagement and satisfaction.

• Improved organizational communication.

• Enhanced involvement of employees at all levels in organizational direction setting.

• Increased support for organizational change

Team Planning for Achieving Schools Schoolwide Classroom Observation Protocol for Curriculum Alignment and Powerful Instructional Practices • Session 3: Creating a Learning Community Feeder School Principals’ Joint Academic Goals Interventions Protocol Annual Performance Review • Session 4: Team Approach for Working with Low-Performing Schools and Listening to the Voice of Your Principals Protocol

• Examine the practices of higher performing school systems using the JFTK Best Practice Framework and the lessons learned from visiting more than 300 consistently higher performing schools • Benchmark your practices against the practices of consistently higher performing schools using the JFTK Self- Audits • Day Two – Learn Lessons from Consistently Higher Performing Schools • Participate in small group panel discussions with school leaders from consistently higher performing school systems about JFTK Best Practice Framework themes that emerge as areas of interest in your JFTK Self-Audit

Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the THINKING Classroom Two-Day Seminar with H. Lynn Erickson October 30–31, 2006

Goal-Driven Assessment FOR Learning Two-Day Seminar with Jan O’Neill November 8–9, 2006

g Who Should Attend • Curriculum and Instruction Administrators • Curriculum and Instruction Specialists • Teacher Leaders

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• g What You Learn • The Structure of Knowledge and how it can help us raise the bar for curriculum and instruction.

• The difference between two-dimensional and three-dimensional curriculum and instruction and why we must shift our g Who Should Attend • Principals • Teacher-Leaders • Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction Directors • Teams are encouraged to attend!

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emphasis in design if we want thinking classrooms.

How to write powerful Enduring Understandings that reflect the deeper intent of TEKS/TAKS. How we can work with different kinds of learners to help them reach their potential.

How we can create an “intellectual synergy” to engage the minds and hearts of our students.

Why the conceptual mind is the key to increasing motivation for learning at all levels.

focused by the SMART Goals process.

• The purposes of assessment OF and FOR learning.

• The role of assessment in building student motivation for learning.

• The power of SMART goals for accelerating student and teacher learning.

g What You Learn • How assessment FOR and OF learning practices can be balanced, directed, and

Raising Student Test Scores: A Baker’s Dozen Ways Two-Day Training-of-Trainers Seminar with Carolyn Downey November 13–14, 2006 g Who Should Attend • District-Level Administrators • Curriculum Directors and Content Specialists • Supervisors/Coaches of Principals • Principals • Assistant Principals • Teacher Leaders g What You Learn • To identify 13 powerful strategies that staff can use to increase student achievement scores—the very basic first steps to move staff towards focusing on higher student achievement and low performing students.

• The Baker’s Dozen focuses participants on working with low-performing students with effective approaches that are equally successful with all students.

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The Nature of Leadership PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE “… as school leaders in complex and troubled times, we need clarity of purpose, a relentless drive toward achieving that purpose, and discipline to keep unrelated issues at bay …”

Can reflections on biomedics, economics, and philosophy lead to improved district leadership?

Do firefighters and hedgehogs have anything to do with public education? Not readily apparent at first glance, but during the association’s annual planning meeting this summer in Bastrop more than 60 TASA committee members and I discovered new ways to look at organizations and leadership.

Dr. John Horn, former superintendent at Mesquite ISD and now consultant with the Schlechty Center, led us through a series of discussions based on the Jim Collins’ monograph Good to Great and the Social Sectors. We began by identifying social sectors affecting our schools, staff, students, and communities. Factors affecting the context in which we live include technology, biomedics, social issues, politics, education, economics, philosophy, and global issues. We quickly created an extensive list of seemingly unrelated issues impacting situations we face and decisions we make every day—everything from the digital divide and the voucher movement to student diversity and fuel costs. As the discussion continued, implications regarding leadership quickly emerged. Effective decision making requires that we look beyond the boundaries of our districts and consider global changes and challenges influencing our students, parents, staff, and community.

The group then looked at a stark example of leadership in crisis. If you are not familiar with the story of the Mann Gulch fire, I urge you to read about it. This dramatic, real-life story of a team of firefighters caught in a life-threatening situation starkly illustrates the role leadership plays in any organization. It is a story of failure but, as so often happens in life, tragedy underscores truth. The requirements of successful leadership—understanding the values, beliefs, and norms that drive the organization; building a foundation of trust; creating and maintaining clear communication; and adapting quickly and forcefully to change—apply to any leader in any organization.

For those of you familiar with Good to Great, you’re probably one jump ahead of me in making the transition to Collins’ Hedgehog Concept. Collins’ abbreviated definition is: “A Hedgehog Concept is not a goal to be the best, a strategy to be the best . . . a plan to be the best. It is an understanding of what you can be the best at!” I wouldn’t presume to summarize Collins’ monograph in a few sentences, but its correlation to our discussion was obvious: as school leaders in complex and troubled times, we need clarity of purpose, a relentless drive toward achieving that purpose, and discipline to keep unrelated issues at bay in order to address day-to-day issues and meet our long-term goals.

Ours can be a lonely profession. Challenges, crises, and negativity come from all angles, and can overwhelm even the most seasoned administrator. The tendency toward ambiguity is a constant threat, but if we are clear on our passion and purpose we can and will be better leaders. I can assure you that TASA is clearly passionate about you and your success—look to your association for information, guidance, and solutions!

*Learn more by visiting jimcollins.com and/or reading Good to Great and Good to Great and the Social Sectors. The story of Mann Gulch can be found in Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean.

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Enriching Tech Tools EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S VIEW

Over the past two months, planning meetings with TASA’s elected leadership and advisory committees have centered on Jim Collins’ monograph Good to Great and the Social Sectors. Through our discussions, we have collected valuable input in identifying the issues that are of greatest importance to our members and those things at which we can be “the best in the world.” One recurring theme dominated the conversations: the association’s use of technology to communicate with, educate, and empower our members in their roles as public education leaders.

This need for instantly accessible and reliable information and communication tools has been the impetus of a variety of projects begun earlier this year and coming to fruition as we begin the 2006–07 school year. Our work is centered on these goals: Personalize the TASAnet Experience. TASA Daily, Capitol Watch, XPress News, the Superintendent’s Calendar, and legislative resources have become vital communication tools that most members use regularly. Our goal in 2006–07 is to enhance these features but also personalize the TASAnet experience for each member, allowing you to identify the online tools and resources that best fit your individual needs.

Enhance Access to Resources. Subscribers to our Administrator’s Resource Center and other TASA members gain a huge advantage this fall when the Educational Research Service unveils its e-Knowledge Portal. TASA members will have direct access to ERS’s vast online resource collection, while ARC subscribers will receive discounts on available resources and complimentary access to a special resource collection. The portal’s features are geared toward busy administrators, making access to critical research both easy and thorough.

Provide Information on Grant Opportunities. TASA is working with e-Civis to optimize their popular, Web-based Grants Locator for Texas public schools. Grants Locator consolidates grant information into one central, convenient location, streamlining every step in the process, including research, application writing, staff coordination, and tracking. The service provides a grant summary, a snapshot of the financial offering, eligibility requirements, and other information. The product is currently being pilot tested in several Texas school districts.

Assist Districts in Locating Product and Services. Texas school districts will have an exciting new way to “cut through the clutter” of education companies and Web sites when TASA unveils Education Plaza at the TASB/TASA Convention. This one-stop-shopping site combines sophisticated search capabilities with detailed product descriptions and contact information, best practices, and related links into a user-friendly site geared to public schools. Best of all, it is Texas specific!

These are just some of the ways TASA is enhancing our services to fit your needs. If you have ideas on how we can better assist you in meeting your goals, please don’t hesitate to call me.

I look forward to seeing you in Houston October 6–8!

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Courageous Leaders: Engaging All Students and Sustaining Their Success

by Alan M. Blankstein; compiled by Jessica Baumer

L

eaders who find “moral purpose” in themselves and in others are on the road to becoming

Sustaining Student Success 1. The Challenge in Creating Clarity of Purpose When it comes to student success, educators face many internal and external distractions in identifying and acting on a core philosophy of “failure is not an option.”

courageous leaders. For these leaders, failure is not an option for any child, and they engage others in building this common philosophy—along with a supportive culture, structures, and pedagogy to make it come alive.

Courageous leaders should engage all stakeholders—even the most challenging ones—to ensure school cultures in which failure is not an option for any student. It is not easy or simple work, yet it can be done. This article aims to provide many specific steps and strategies that high-performing schools and districts have used to get there by drawing from the opening chapter of The Soul of Educational Leadership.

Much has been written about the technical, structural, and, more recently, cultural side of school change. But little data is available about creating school and district cultures that engage all students and sustain their success.

This is at the heart of our success, however, and it is the focus of this article.

First, what is success? In 1949, Ralph Tyler challenged educators to clearly define what students should learn as a first step in assuring that they learn it (Tyler, 1949).

Increasingly, this answer is being narrowly and externally defined by ministries of education, provincial departments of education, and their equivalents at state and federal levels in the United States. Merely adhering to these standards, however, can create a brain-deadening “drill and kill” school environment that, in itself, becomes part of the problem (Hargreaves, 2003).

By contrast, many high-performing schools are using standards as minimums and defining success in more holistic ways (American Cities Foundation, 2004). These schools use “enrichment” classes as the norm and provide both high expectations and support for students across the board. They have taken the external challenges of student performance demands and turned them into internal catalysts for excellence.

Second, which students can learn? No two children are the same, obviously: some are poor, some rich; some come to school speaking fairly good English, others speak no English at all. These are real issues, yet they are also distractions from the job at hand. Too often we have heard teachers indicate that they could teach a particular child “if only the parents cared” or “if only the child wanted to learn.” Obviously, students come to school unequally prepared, but high-performing schools—even in the toughest situations— somehow find ways to succeed with virtually all students.

Third, who is responsible for all students’ success? This question is at the core of determining whether or not schools will succeed with all students. In high-performing schools, we have found that everyone is responsible; in low-performing schools, on the other hand, no one feels responsible.

In one of the most exhaustive longitudinal studies of school success, Newmann and Wehlage (1995) spent a decade researching 1,200 schools for common characteristics of successful “learning communities.” They concluded that successful schools share three characteristics: continued on page 15

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continued from page 12

1. Teachers pursue a clear, shared purpose for all students’ learning.

2. Teachers engage in collaborative activity to achieve that stated purpose.

3. Teachers take collective responsibility for student learning.

While these three factors are interrelated (and may all represent a continual challenge for schools), the third seems to be the most difficult to attain. The idea that “all means all” when it comes to student success is often held by only a few heroic “superteachers” in any given school or district.

There are also many examples of schooland district-wide successes in creating cultures in which failure is not an option for any student. One teacher explained: “How can I give up on them when everyone else already has? We are their last hope.”

There are many challenges in engendering collective commitment to all students’ success, as the following “case story” demonstrates:

Case Story: Sidiki Due to Sidiki’s difficulties in school, his mother was called to meet with two of his teachers on Friday afternoon when they had planning time available. Fanta was not able to speak fluent English, and she was anxietyridden about the nature of the meeting. She asked a friend who was heavily involved in education to join her. After brief introductions, Sidiki’s teachers, who cotaught language arts and history, began to speak:

“One teacher explained:

Ms. Brown: My concern is that Sidiki isn’t very involved in class. He seems distracted, or bored.

else already has?

Ms. Lindsey: Yes, I’m not sure he really even cares about what we’re discussing. Maybe he doesn’t fully understand?

‘How can I give up on them when everyone

We are their last hope.’”

Ms. Brown: Yes, that’s it! He clearly has comprehension problems in my class. I really think he may be Learning Disabled and needs to be in another setting!

At this point, Fanta, whose English was good enough to understand the gist of this conversation, almost jumped across the table to demonstrate her feelings. She was, instead, calmed by her friend who spoke next:

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“Let me explain the situation,” he said to the two teachers. “I have known Sidiki since he came to the United States from Mali, West Africa, five years ago. His father, who is a world-class scholar, was recruited by the university to teach several languages native to that region of Africa. Sidiki has bounced around quite a bit over the years, and is now experiencing abuses at home as well.

Nonetheless, he is quite brilliant, and he speaks four languages, English being the last one he has learned.” Fanta’s friend turned to the language arts teacher to further drive his point home: “Since you are his language arts teacher, it may be that you now speak more than four languages, but remember, Sidiki is only 10 years old!”

The teachers were surprised by this perspective provided by Fanta’s friend. They had not seen Sidiki in this light. Perhaps they had only seen the color of his skin, his poor language skills, or his apparent poverty. Although they may not have done anything differently following the meeting, they at least stated their intentions to redouble their efforts and find an approach that might work.

Figure 1: From Common Philosophy to Teaching Strategies

2. Aligning Teaching Strategies, Structures, Culture, and Philosophy A. Teaching Strategies The fact that the teachers in the Case Story were teaming within a double-blocked schedule is among the better practices advocated in education. Yet this is only a structural approach to school improvement; it does not address what happens within that structure (see Figure 1). In this particular case, the structure was not used to advance best practices in teaching. The power and importance of the classroom teacher cannot be overstated. In just one academic year in Boston, the top third of teachers produced as much as six times the learning growth as the bottom third of the teachers (Boston Public Schools, 1998).

Successful teaching includes: * Engaging Curriculum. Some 30 experts convened by the U.S. Department of Education concluded that top-quality teachers use pedagogy and curriculum that incorporates native language and culture, and they regard students’ native cultures and languages as assets, rather than deficits (Housman and Martinez, 2002). * Connecting with Students. Good teachers make good connections, personally and intellectually. Greeting students at the classroom door, commenting positively on their non-academic activities, and showing concern when they enter with a “carry in” problem are all helpful in making connections. * Empowering students. Allowing students to make decisions about classroom rules (and even curriculum) is an excellent way to ensure their engagement.

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B. Supportive Structures and Systems Schools often develop policies and structures that are inconsistent with the needs of those they serve.

Highly engaging schools develop their core philosophy and culture around data regarding their students’ success, and then build structures to support that success. Ideally, structures align with the school’s philosophy, reflect the culture, and support teaching and learning.

The most important aspect of good collaboration has more to do with what people discuss and how they do it within these structures. Structures are important, of course, but it is the school’s culture, based on collective commitments and values, that drives behavior.

C. School Culture The culture of a school is demonstrated by people’s behaviors. In the Case Story above, the school culture is one in which teachers met parents only at the school site and only at times that were convenient for the teachers. Moreover, the teachers had created the clear and simple option of placing struggling students in special education—an option that was apparently used frequently. In short, these behav-

iors reflected a culture of “do what is most convenient” versus “do whatever it takes.”

The culture of a school is based on an overarching philosophy that is eventually articulated in the mission, vision, values, and goals (MVVG) of the school (Blankstein, 2004). Following the development of a consensus around the schools mission, vision, and values, high-performing schools often use: * SMART goals (Specific and Strategic, Measurable, Achievable, Results-oriented, and Time-bound) and clear expectations; appropriate behaviors, quantifiable indicators of success, and timelines are set that align with the school’s mission and vision * Non-negotiables * Celebrations that are institutionalized to recognize performance that aligns with the school’s goals * Confrontations when necessary to assure behaviors are consistent with school values and consensus positions continued on page 19

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D. Guiding Philosophy The underlying philosophy of the school in the Case Story was apparently one that allowed teachers to give up on students relatively quickly. Teachers who succeed do not give up on their students; instead, they take responsibility for learning outcomes (Lyman and Villani, 2004). As one teacher in a high-performing school culture noted: “It’s my fault, not theirs, when they are not successful. I need to be more in tune with what motivates them” (Corbett, Wilson, Williams, 2002, p. 17). Likewise, high-performing schools—even in the toughest school settings—embrace at the core of their philosophy the notion that failure is not an option for any child or any subgroup (Blankstein, 2004).

Methods of creating a common philosophy vary depending on circumstances, but generally include these components: 1. Development of a core team that is predisposed to the philosophy (though they can and should be discriminating about ways of implementing it). Among other things, this team would learn together and create plans for buy-in by the whole school or district.

2. Exposure/orientation of the larger school community to the research supporting the philosophy. This can be done through studying the data, book studies, or field trips to other highperforming schools with similar demographics.

3. Proving it works at home. Pilot projects are ideal for this. For example, at Warwick High School, in Newport News, Virginia (currently ranked #62 on Newsweek’s top 1,000 U.S. schools), the idea of opening honors classes to all students initially met with resistance. After a few teachers volunteered to participate, and the successes were celebrated school-wide, more teachers joined in. Now all incoming freshmen take honors classes.

ment to, and responsibility for, success for all students.

On the other hand, if stakeholders vary widely in their beliefs, the best one can hope for in a new initiative is short-term gains and random acts of improvement that lack coherence, commitment, and consistent followthrough.

Engaging Students Unfortunately, too often students and others in the school community are not fully engaged in the heart of the enterprise: teaching and learning.

“… one teacher in a high-performing school culture noted: ‘It’s my fault, not theirs, when they are not successful.’”

When students are asked their number-one complaint about school, for example, they generally respond that school is “boring.” Knowing these students and their interests, and why they feel bored, is a critical first step to engaging them. Generally speaking, here’s what students regularly ask of their teachers: 1. Be prepared and organized. Contrary to some beliefs, even low-performing students don’t like to lose instructional time (Haycock, 2001; Ferguson, 2002). They like and need organization, as well as a high-demand/high-support environment.

2. Make teaching relevant. This is particularly true of students who don’t see college as their future. For them, the relevance of the academics and their relationship with their teacher are even more critical than for those students who are confident that they will go on to higher education despite what the teacher does. It is, therefore, these students who need the highest-caliber relationships with and level of instruction from teachers. These are the students who challenge us to the highest level of professionalism.

4. Building consensus around mission, vision, and values based on the preceding steps. It is essential to include all stakeholders in this process, which then becomes an excellent opportunity to engage parents, students, and the larger community (Blankstein, 2004).

3. Show them how to do it. Students who need us the most often get us the least. Students with greater needs require engaging curriculum, structures of support, and pedagogies that meet those needs.

Moreover, assigning homework to students who have not already mastered the knowledge on which the homework is based is unfair. Those students whose parents can crack the “homework mystery” will do fine; those students without such support will not.

When there is consensus around this guiding philosophy, a school can build culture, structure, and teaching strategies in accordance with the collective commit-

4. Don’t give up! Too often, in the rush to cover material, teachers feel compelled to move on before all students understand it.

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The Need to Re-engage Clearly, if students are bored they are also disengaged; for them, success in school is an uphill struggle. Likewise, teachers and administrators who feel overwhelmed, burdened with educational mandates, or whipsawed by a string of change initiatives that lacked the buy-in to succeed will also be prone to disengage.

By contrast, schools that have fully engaged their stakeholders create collective energy toward continuous improvement. As one teacher from a high-performing school noted, “When they [administrators] listen to you, you have some ownership of the school, instead of just following orders. So that is going to motivate you and keep you working hard to try new things” (Hipp, 1997).

What Is Engagement?

Consider these quick definitions of the principles that lead to engagement:

“People who feel cared for perform better at all levels”

courageous leadership that engages a broad base of stakeholders, including even those whom the leader does not like.

Alan M. Blankstein is founder and president of the HOPE Foundation, a not-for-profit organization whose honorary chair is Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The HOPE Foundation (Harnessing Optimism and Potential through Education) is dedicated to supporting educational leaders over time in creating school cultures where failure is not an option for any student. HOPE sustains student success.

* Connection: People who feel cared for perform better at all levels (Bryk and Schneider, 2002; Ferguson, 2002). * Relevance: As noted above, when the learning or activity is relevant to my situation, I will be more engaged. * Empowerment: Some of the most effective instructional reading programs begin with the reader’s interests, and build from there. Having the ability to choose what one learns, develop the classroom rules, and so forth, is engaging for both students and adults. * Opportunities for success: People need to feel that their chances for success are fairly great, especially when they are trying something new. Increasing the likelihood for success increases the level of participation of all involved. * Quick and accurate feedback: Some students who are supposedly “unmotivated” will spend hours on their skateboards or playing challenging computer games. Much of the allure is the constant feedback, as well as the opportunity for success. * Recognition and celebration: Having multiple means of being acknowledged (most improved attendance, most improved behavior, etc.) is also motivating, and more engaging than it is when the likelihood of recognition is similar to the chances of winning the lottery!

Setting up policies and structures is relatively easy, as is achieving short-term results in student achievement.

Gaining sustainable student success throughout a school and district is much tougher. It requires building a strong foundation at the base of the pyramid. That in turn requires 20

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The HOPE Foundation launched the professional learning communities movement in education first by bringing W. Edwards Deming and his work to light in educational circles beginning with Shaping Chicago’s Future in 1988. From 1988 to 1992, in a series of Shaping America’s Future forums and PBS videoconferences, Alan Blankstein brought together scores of national and world leaders, including Al Shanker; Peter Senge; Mary Futrell; Linda DarlingHammond; Ed Zigler; and CEOs of GM, Ford, and other corporations to determine how best to bring quality concepts and those of “learning organizations” to bear in educational systems.

The HOPE Foundation provides professional development for thousands of educational leaders annually throughout North America and other parts of the world, including South Africa. HOPE also provides long-term support for school improvement through leadership academies and intensive on-site school change efforts, leading to dramatic increases in student achievement in diverse settings.

Address: 1252 N. Loesch Road, P.O. Box 906, Bloomington, IN 47402-6002 Telephone Number: (812)355-6000 Email Address: Manie Grewal, Partner Relations Coordinator, mgrewal@hopefoundation.org

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“Everyone does those things that they really want to do. They find a way.

Time and the School Leader

You can say that you didn’t have time, but what you mean is you didn’t choose to make time.”

by Virginia Collier

T

he purpose of this article is to give you some useful thoughts, support and encouragement

for using your time effectively. This will not be a discussion of tickler files or Palm Pilots or any of the other systems commonly

used to manage time. This article is focused on how we think about time and how we juggle our priorities. In other words, it’s about deciding what you put on your calendar and not about keeping a calendar.

Let’s begin by thinking about time itself.

Since the 13th century, two kinds of time have been recognized. There is physical time that clocks are designed to measure, and psychological time that is private time.

Einstein said “two minutes on a hot stove feels like two hours, and two hours with a beautiful woman feels like two minutes.”

For a school leader, this could be translated into “two minutes with an irate parent feels like two hours, and two hours discussing student success with an excited teacher feels like two minutes.” Psychological time passes slowly for someone who is waiting anxiously for the water to boil on the stove, and it passes swiftly for someone enjoying a book and paying no attention to the water on the stove. This phenomenon can lure us into an inefficient use of time. The time with the excited teacher is not wasted, but two hours may have been too much time for that activity and may result in problems because other tasks were not handled.

Pickle Jar Theory Using time efficiently is doing a job right in as little time and with as little effort as possible. Using time effectively is doing the “right” job right. Consider the Pickle Jar Theory of Time Management. Imagine you have a big empty pickle jar. Put in 22

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large rocks until it’s full. These are the large priorities of your life. Is the jar full? No, you can still put in some pebbles. These pebbles represent the things that you enjoy.

Is the jar full? No, you can still put in some sand. The sand represents things you have to do. Is the jar full? No, you can still pour in some water. The water represents things that simply clutter up your life. None of these things are bad. It’s all about your priorities and balance. Consider what would happen if you filled the jar with sand first?

Or water? Would anything else fit?

Deciding what to put in the pickle jar first is a matter of balancing your priorities.

There is an old saying that “What we love to do we find time to do.” Everyone does those things that they really want to do.

They find a way. You can say that you didn’t have time, but what you mean is you didn’t choose to make time. Balancing your priorities means that you must identify the rocks and put them in the pickle jar before the sand.

Bad News, Good News “The bad news is that time flies. The good news is that you’re the pilot.” Only you can decide what you really want from life and work and use your time to target those pri-

orities. At last year’s AASA National Conference on Education, I attended a session on Aligned Thinking conducted by Jim Steffen. Steffen recommends that you ask yourself these questions: 1. What do I really want from life and work?

2. With the many options I have, how do I stay focused on what I really want?

3. How do I get the most from the only thing I control—my actions now?

4. What’s my “Most Important Now” related to what I really want?

In addition to the work of Steffen, there are many excellent online resources for prioritizing your values and effective time usage.

Four of those are listed at the end of this article. On the American Psychological Association Web site, there is an article by Carole G. Bozworth that I considered particularly helpful in thinking about time management. The suggestions that follow are based on Bosworth’s work.

1. Assume ownership of your time. You wouldn’t let others reach in your wallet without asking and help themselves to your money. Don’t let them do the equivalent with your time. Second, prioritize, prioritize, prioritize! This means continually checking yourself to see that you’re working on your “Most Important Now.” 2. Learn to say “no.” I’m sure you can think back over the past week and identify several things you should have said “no” to. By saying “no,” you will be “protecting your blocks.” What does that mean? Think of your day as several large blocks separated by natural interruptions. For example, your morning may be one block. Don’t schedule an appointment right in the middle of your morning block that keeps you from focusing for a needed period of time.

3. Use the “D” word: delegate. Delegating means assigning the responsibility for a task to someone else. That means you no longer have to do the job nor do you have to remind someone else to do it.

Be aware, however, that delegating may require some standard shifting. If your standards for the job’s performance cannot shift, you’re not ready to delegate the job.

4. Think in terms of buying time. Time and money are closely linked.

Sometimes, you can substitute one for the other. The more hectic your schedule, the more reasonable it is to buy time. As you consider buying time, consider also working with your biological clock. Everyone has a peak time of day when their energy is at its highest and concentration at its best. Use what you know about yourself to increase your efficient use of time.

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“Make your nows wow, your minutes miracles, and your days pay”.

At the beginning of this article, I mentioned systems for managing time. While how to keep a calendar has not been the focus of this article, it is important to have a system. Remember, this means at home and at work. Your objective is to have simple ways of managing and accessing information. If it’s not simple, you won’t use it. Work with your spouse, secretary, or whoever is appropriate to set up simple filing and communication systems at home and the office.

Procrastination Finally, tackle the time-wasting habit of procrastination. Procrastination is a habitual way of dealing with a task you find distasteful or that makes you fearful of failure.

It is not procrastination when you choose to “delay a decision” as a strategy for assuring that the person who should do the job does it, or because you have reason to believe the problem can and will be solved without your intervention if you will just wait a little while. Procrastination is putting off what you must do. Set specific deadlines for getting a task done, and 24

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remember to protect your blocks as a means of having the time to focus.

Lastly, remember to celebrate when a major task is completed or a major challenge is met. One of the problems with a hectic life is that you can be so busy that you fail to notice the completion of a major piece of work.

Mark Victor Hansen wrote: “Now is the only time there is. Make your nows wow, your minutes miracles, and your days pay.

Your life will have been magnificently lived and invested, and when you die you will have made a difference.” Thomas Paine said, “If there must be trouble let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”

You have chosen a profession that gives you the ability to make a difference in today and tomorrow. Think through your priorities and use your time to reach your goals.

The young will benefit both now and in the future.

Virginia Collier is a clinical associate professor at Texas A&M University and a TASA past president (1999–00).

SOURCES & OTHER HELPFUL SITES Jim Steffen’s book Aligned Thinking: Making Every Moment Count: http://ssainternational.com/Bookbests eller.htm#Bookbestseller Prioritizing Life Values: http://www.careertest.biz/values_assessment.htm American Psychological Association writings on time management: http://www.theaps.org/careers/careers1/GradProf/gti me.htm The Pickle Jar Theory: http://alistapart.com/articles/pickle/

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Rural Texas Supt Takes Hands-on Approach to Tech Integration

by Cara Erenben, Contributing Editor, eSchool News

W

hen a school district is so small that it only has 350 students,

it takes a resourceful superintendent to get things done. With so few students, per-pupil funding isn’t much, and the operating budget is small.

Despite limited capital, the superintendent of a small rural school district in Texas put a high-speed Internet drop in every classroom and made its administrative processes paperless. His trick? He did it himself.

“I don’t mind getting my hands dirty; I know most superintendents don’t have time to pull cable,” said Randy Moczygemba, superintendent of the Medina Independent School District.

When Moczygemba became superintendent in Medina six years ago, the district had one networked computer lab, dial-up access to the Internet in the school library, and most teachers didn’t have computers.

Armed with a limited budget but lots of know-how, Moczygemba recruited the district’s two principals, the custodian, and the technology director for help. Together, they pulled Category 5, fiber optic, and Ethernet cables through the ceiling tiles and walls, terminated the fiber and cables, and configured the network.

Installing infrastructure is a one-time challenge, and if it’s done right the benefits will last for years, Moczygemba said. Plus, he and his staff know the network intimately in case something goes wrong.

They even have a fiber-optic scope for maintenance. “Most school districts don’t mess with their own fiber, especially a small district like us,” he said.

Moczygemba learned how to wire a school building while working as an assistant superintendent at Lamesa Independent School District in Texas.

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To wire the rest of the school district, Moczygemba hired and trained students to do the work over the summer and after school until the district had T-1 internet drops in every classroom.

Lamesa, which had 3,500 students, had gotten a quote for $7.5 million to wire every building and provide 75 laptops for the district’s teachers. Instead, Moczygemba agreed to hire a local computer contractor to wire one high school in exchange for teaching him how to pull and terminate cable and configure a network.

To wire the rest of the school district, Moczygemba hired and trained students to do the work over the summer and after school until the district had T-1 internet drops in every classroom.

Through sheer determination and by working overtime, Moczygemba and his staff were able to wire Lamesa’s schools for approximately $150,000 by doing the majority of the work themselves.

Going paperless With Medina’s network in place, Moczygemba introduced a paperless environment among the district’s staff.

Using Adobe Acrobat, a relatively inexpensive solution, he programmed and converted the district’s administrative forms to Adobe’s form document format (FDF)—which is different from the popular portable document format (PDF).

With FDF, users can fill out a form using their computer, then transmit the form to its destination. The receiver cannot change the answers but can export the entries into a database that has the same fields as the form. Once the data are in a database, they can be exported to a variety of applications, such as populating a student information system or a web site.

Using FDF forms has saved Medina printing costs as well as staff time in filling out and processing forms.

Before, for example, the district’s Field Trip Transportation Report was printed on five-layer carbon copy paper. A teacher would fill out the form, tear off his or her copy, and then drop the form into the principal’s mail slot. From there, the form was passed on to the school superintendent and then the transportation department. Along the way, each per28

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son signed the form and kept a copy. The whole process could take a few days, and the forms were costly.

Now, in the same situation, a teacher uses a computer to open the Field Trip Transportation Report form. He or she fills it out, saves it, and e-mails it to the principal. The principal receives it by e-mail, adds his or her digital signature, and e-mails it to the superintendent. Moczygemba assigns a bus to the trip and uploads the information to a database, which automatically populates a web site that both the teacher and transportation department can check. School employees are asked to check their email at the beginning and end of each day, so the forms get processed in a timely manner. Other forms that have been automated include maintenance requests, tech-support requests, staff development requests, purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and teacher and staff evaluations.

If the fields are consistent, data from one form can populate another form automatically. Moczygemba said this is particularly useful for purchase requisitions and purchase orders. The only difference between the two forms is that a purchase order has an order number and signature. The time saved is invaluable, because in this small school district the business office consists of three people: the superintendent, a business manager, and a secretary.

Moczygemba also created a form for teachers’ lesson plans. Before, teachers had to fill out a two-layer carbon copy form for each lesson. Instead of rewriting lesson plans from year to year, teachers now can open an FDF file, tweak it for the new year, and resubmit it.

Just the expense of buying each teacher a copy of Adobe Acrobat was quickly recovered, because lesson-plan books cost $18 or $19 each. Each teacher and staff member got a full version of Adobe Acrobat 5.0 for their computer for $28 per copy. The district since has upgraded to Acrobat 7.0, which cost $36 a copy.

Initially, it requires someone on staff to create the forms and align the fields in the forms to the district’s databases. Again, drawing on previous experience, Moczygemba was able to do this programming himself.

Moczygemba got his start with technology in 1981 by taking computer science as an elective in college.

“I took the class and absolutely loved it,” he said. “For the first time in my life, I found an application for algebra.”

From 1980 to 1982 he attended West Texas State University, and from 1982 to 1987 he attended Texas Tech University.

He graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in agriculture education and a master’s degree in education.

To augment his scholarship, Moczygemba worked part-time at various jobs, such as writing inventory control software for the motorcycle industry.

He also bought used PC systems, cleaned them up, and resold them.

In addition, he wrote a computer program for agriculture students called the Future Farmers of America Record Book. It was bookkeeping software that students used to keep records of livestock, seed, or materials purchased for projects and to record income. “It spurred my love of computers, and I could see the benefit of students using computers in the classroom,” Moczygemba said.

Classroom technologies Before Moczygemba came to Medina, the district had two computer labs, and most teachers didn’t have computers.

Now, the district has two wireless mobile carts, one hard-wired lab, and computers in each classroom and the libraries. There are nearly 300 computers for 350 kids.

With its technology infrastructure now in place, the district has been focusing on adding classroom technologies.

Each classroom has a digital projector, a DVD/VCR combo unit, and a 92-inch screen, so teachers can project content from their computer or from the video player. Moczygemba said he has given teachers two years to convert all of their overhead projector transparencies to Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. The teachers each received PowerPoint training, and he hopes the challenge will encourage teachers to use the projectors.

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Elementary-level teachers have Intel microscopes that connect to computers. The classrooms for grades five through 12 have pistolgrip microscopes, called Scopes on a Rope, that plug into a computer or projector.

Next, teachers will be getting wireless graphics tablets, so they can control their computer and what is projected on the screen from anywhere in the classroom. Teachers also will be able to make lessons more interactive by giving the tablets to students and asking them to solve a math problem, or draw the Oregon Trail on a map of the United States, for the whole class to see.

Instead of buying a “canned curriculum,” Medina focuses on locally developed curriculum. There are tremendous curriculum tools on the market, but their cost is beyond Medina’s budget, Moczygemba said.

“We have to take our own employees and teachers and empower them,” he said. “If we can do it in a small district, you can do it in any size district.”

Reprinted with permission from eSchool News. Copyright 2006, eSchool News. All rights reserved. For more information, please visit: http://www.eschoolnews.com.

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“We should not accept teaching as skill or drill, teach-and-test activity…”

Leadership for Effective and Productive Schools: A Reasoned Approach

By Louis R. Centolanza, Ed.D.

A

dministrators

should

have command of sound curriculum

practices,

effective teaching methods, and the ability to determine whether students are actually learning.

As a

result of evaluating/documenting practice in the field, educational leaders will be in a better position to influence and change teaching practices. The goal of this research was to explore a school’s effectiveness, and the study enabled educational leaders to identify elements of successful schools. Administrators were required to cite concrete examples of effective school practices, as well as document which characteristics were present in their schools.

Practicing administrators, supervisors, and school leaders should participate in ongoing staff development programs that reinforce cutting-edge theory and best practices in the fields of educational leadership and curriculum. All educators should be learners and emulate that belief.

School leaders should be able to work with faculty on curriculum theory and practice so that one dominant force does not overtake the teaching and learning environment. Faculty should be able to demonstrate that the prescribed curriculum is the practiced curriculum (Sergiovanni and Starratt 2002). Leaders should reinforce this approach by visiting classrooms, talking with faculty, and basing observations and evaluations on sound practices.

With the implementation of No Child Left Behind and state department of education direction on closing the achievement gap between and among student groups, school districts are faced with external mandates on student performance. Highly effective schools acknowledge receipt of information from Washington, D.C., and their state capital, while other districts scramble to comply with mandates, testing requirements, test results, and prescriptive regulations. In the end, the test frameworks and state/federal regulations become the curriculum (Kohn 2002).

When a principal accepts a leadership role in a school and discovers faculty members are not providing learning experiences that are considered effective and educationally sound, it is incumbent upon the principal to meet with each faculty member to ascertain

why and develop a detailed plan of action.

It is important for principals to be able to recognize and diagnose teaching difficulties so that a sound learning environment will be present for all students.

As we address the achievement gap in our schools, students are subjected to the pressure of performing on standardized tests so as to overcome the gap.

Statewide testing programs can often obscure the importance of effective instruction and meaningful student learning. We should not accept teaching as skill or drill, teach-and-test activity; rather we should view teaching as a thought-provoking and student-engaged process. As a result of evaluating/documenting practice in the field, educational leaders will be in a better position to influence and change teaching practices.

The Plan of Action Administrators should have command of sound curriculum practices, effective teaching methods, and the ability to determine whether students are actually learning. Legislative decrees, judicial pronouncements, and administrative mandates alone do not result in the provision of a quality system of schooling. Students should be provided the opportunity to experiment, explore, use technology, do research, write, study languages and cultures, and attend schools that are clean, safe, and well-maintained. Public schools should be the marketplace where ideas are exchanged and concepts are tested and weighed against independent evidence to discover the truth.

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Thomas J. Sergiovanni (2001), a prominent observer of school leadership, provides powerful insights into research on teaching and learning as it relates to classroom practices and curriculum design. Specifically, he points out that we must change from a coverage mentality to a mastery mentality.

Questions are often raised regarding how far along we are in the textbook, are the other classes ahead of us and, ultimately, do we ever finish the textbook? The question that remains is: if we did not finish the textbook, did we successfully cover the curriculum? Students will not understand if we merely cover knowledge without a deeper awareness of the topic at hand.

It is Sergiovanni’s belief that we will not bring about meaningful changes in teaching and learning until the emphasis is less on changing behavior and more on changing theories, beliefs, and assumptions (2001). We should instruct faculty members to concentrate less on the textbook and more on multiple resources in instructional strategies, but this will not occur until faculty members realize the merits of such an approach. A list of what a teacher should do in his or her classroom will not help a teacher to teach for understanding, develop student thinking, and promote genuine knowledge unless the faculty member actually believes in what is being proposed (Sergiovanni 2001). Therefore, until faculty members feel comfortable in expanding their teaching approaches beyond the textbook, not much will occur in diversified learning and understanding of pupils under their tutelage.

When high-stakes tests are utilized to determine whether the curriculum has been taught and students have mastered it, faculty members make decisions on how they are going to approach teaching and learning. Because the curriculum and teaching are in most cases aligned with the test objectives, the test becomes the curriculum. It is difficult to enrich the curriculum in ways that generate student interest when test specifications and accountability mandates control the 34

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curriculum, teaching, and learning (Sergiovanni and Starratt 2002).

It is interesting to note that faculty members may utilize ineffective teaching methods and approaches and still hold students accountable if they do not understand the topic. Faculty members in most cases may just “cover material” and indicate they have taught the subject.

The burden of proof then remains with the student. Further, the effectiveness of the assessment method is rarely called into question. In most cases, teachers design their own tests and determine their own independent grades (Kruboltz and Yeh 1996).

Effective District/School Leadership The fact that an administrator possesses state certification to lead a district or school does not necessarily guarantee the individual is capable of bringing about meaningful learning and instruction.

While school leaders have basic courses in curriculum and supervision, there are no assurances the philosophy and content of the courses address effective supervision, teaching, and learning. It is important when selecting a school leader to ascertain the candidate’s philosophy of instruction and determine whether the individual is able to describe and implement a plan for curriculum development, staff development, supervision, and student learning.

Leaders are really “teachers of teachers” and should have a full understanding of successful practices.

If school leaders do not possess a working knowledge of effective teaching practices, the quality of instruction students receive will be diminished. Principals must be well-versed in teaching, learning, and assessment if they are to bring about meaningful change in America’s schools. Educational leaders should research best practices in the field to be able to articulate and demonstrate these practices to faculty, students, and parents alike.

A Comprehensive Study The goal of this research was to explore a school’s effectiveness, and the study enabled educational leaders to identify elements of successful schools. Utilizing the “Characteristics of Successful Schools” as outlined by Sergiovanni (2001), leaders in selected public school systems were asked to assess their schools. Specifically, leaders rated their buildings based on a model of successful characteristics and practices, including extensive staff development, shared leadership, creative problem solving, parent and community involvement, student-centered schools, academically rich programs, instruction that promotes student learning, positive school climate, and collegial interaction (Sergiovanni 2001).

Data from the study were collected during the 2004–05 and 2005–06 school years.

Surveys were distributed to 255 school leaders in a northeastern state. Of the 255 surveys distributed, 39 responses were returned, resulting in a 15 percent participation rate. Data were reviewed qualitatively against theories and best practices in leadership, teaching, and learning.

Administrators were required to cite concrete examples of effective school practices and document which characteristics were present in their schools.

They cited the following as characteristics that were present in their schools: positive school climate, varied staff development activities, active recruitment of quality educators, and ongoing observation and evaluation of teaching staff. Data collected were analyzed to determine patterns highlighting successful characteristics and practices, as well as those areas needing improvement.

Conclusions drawn from the study should serve as an impetus for discussion and action at the school and district levels. Ultimately, educators can reinforce what is working in their schools and ensure those practices continue. continued on page 36

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continued from page 34

Findings One of the study’s major findings was the inability of administrators to articulate a clear understanding of the definition of curriculum and how it directly affects teaching, learning, and assessment. Less than 10 percent of the respondents were able to clearly define curriculum and give concrete examples of effective teaching, learning, and assessment practices. As shown by the responses, when a wide range of leaders were surveyed, they demonstrated a varied understanding of the terms outlined herein and their actual application at the classroom level. It is important that we codify our terminology in the field of education and ensure when using terms that we all have the same understanding of their meaning.

The majority of the respondents described the curriculum offered by their school as rigorous and demanding. It should be noted, however, that educators had their own definition of rigorous, reinforcing the need to illustrate, in concrete terms, the meaning of the terms used herein.

The study also focused on faculty observations and evaluation policies and practices.

More than 90 percent of the respondents believed their school’s model for observation/evaluation lacked a mission/philosophical statement. Without question, the quality and scope of instructional supervision and staff development affect the overall educational experiences of pupils as well as the quality of instruction provided by the professional staff. In more than 90 percent of the responses, principals conducted observations to comply with provisions of a contract—following a checklist or guided format—rather than seek out best practices in the field.

A key survey question inquired about the external forces influencing the daily operation of the district/school. Examples of responses included budget limitations, state and federal mandates, family dynamics and pressures, politics, and board members.

Strong school leaders overcame external forces that had a negative impact on the school environment. For example, effective principals in the study did not permit external factors from interfering with the 36

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day-to-day operation of their schools; they sheltered staff, students, and programs from individuals and groups such as sports boosters, board members, parent associations, and elected officials who would limit or deny faculty the opportunity to provide an efficient learning environment.

Principals identified these schools as models for others to emulate.

Conclusions and Implications In comparing the results of the study against the standards of Sergiovanni’s research on effective schools, curriculum and instruction emerged as key responsibilities of school leaders and faculty. Professionals must be consumers of educational research and practice if instruction is to be meaningful and effective. Survey results showed administrators have a limited understanding of curriculum as it relates to definition, teaching, learning, and assessment. The education profession must strive to define terms clearly and ensure faculty members understand how these terms affect professional practice. Specifically, terms such as philosophy, teaching, learning, assessment, and curriculum should have universal meaning and application. Teaching is a deep, complex, and insightful process, and school administrators must endorse sound supervisory practices of instruction to advance teaching and learning.

If schools are to have a meaningful impact on their students, staff development activities must be based upon best practices in the field and the needs of individual teaching staff members. School leaders must work cooperatively with staff in proposing and offering activities that result in effective school practices. Survey respondents listed activities such as inquiry learning, problem-based activities, technology applications, writing and reading across the curriculum, and teaching for understanding as examples of effective and meaningful staff development.

School leaders who possess a working knowledge of the characteristics of effective schools will provide their faculty members and students with a quality learning environment. Leaders must continue to research

best practices in the field and be able to articulate and demonstrate these practices to faculty members, students, and parents. Principals who are well versed in school climate, evaluation, learning, curriculum, and assessment will bring about meaningful change in our schools.

Louis R. Centolanza, Ed.D., is an associate professor of Counseling, Human Development, and Educational Leadership at Montclair State University, in Montclair, N.J. REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE. COPYRIGHT 2006, ERS SPECTRUM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

REFERENCES Kohn, A. (2002, January). Fighting the tests—A practical guide to rescuing our schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 349-357.

Kruboltz, J.D., & Yeh, C.J. (1996, December). Competitive grading sabotages good teaching. Phi Delta Kappan, 324-326.

Sergiovanni, T.J. (2001). The principalship: A reflective practice perspective (fourth edition).

Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Sergiovanni, T.J., & Starratt, R.J. (2002).

Supervision: A redefinition (seventh edition).

Boston: McGraw-Hill.

RELATED RESOURCES Haycock, K. (March 2001). Closing the achievement gap. Educational Leadership, 6-11.

Wiggans, G., & McTighe, J. (1998).

Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Administrator’s Resource Center, 2006–07 The right knowledge at the right time in the right format

TASA’s Administrator’s Resource Center (ARC), created in partnership with Educational Research Service (ERS), puts timely, practical, and quality research—such as the article on the previous pages—right on your desktop!

Brand-new this year: the e-Knowledge Portal—a vast online collection of journals, magazines, newspapers, books, video/audio presentations, best practices, and more—offering an array of features designed to keep superintendents and their staff knowledgeable and prepared. The e-Knowledge Portal, scheduled to go live this fall, allows you to: ❍ Search, preview, and download only materials that will be of immediate assistance

Our unique partnership opens up a world of knowledge to discerning education leaders like you. Popular resources—including the Planning Calendar for Texas Schools, Spectrum, Informed Educator, Focus On, and the Superintendent’s Briefing Book—combine with online access to ERS publications to offer subscribers a dynamic package of reliable, research-based resources

Subscribe to ARC today and we guarantee you and your staff will find yourselves tapping these resources again and again to plan and make decisions throughout the school year. Full details on the two levels of ARC subscription are posted on TASAnet.

❍ Create customized collections of materials from the portal and your own district-based documents ❍ Contribute descriptions of your successful practices to the portal for use by other school leaders in Texas and across the country ❍ Collaborate with colleagues through discussion forums and communities of practice designed to bring education leaders together

If you have questions about ARC, call Paul Whitton, Jr., Associate Executive Director, Administrative Services, 512-477-6361 or 800-725-8272.

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TASB/TASA Convention

President’s Circle Platinum Gold Silver Bronze

TASA CORPORATE PARTNERS 2006–07 TASA is grateful to our corporate partners for their support: PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE Apple ETS LeapFrog SchoolHouse Pearson Education QLD Scholastic Inc. SHW Group, LLP

PLATINUM CompassLearning Princeton Review Scientific Learning

GOLD Horace Mann LifeTrack Services, Inc. PBK Renaissance Learning

SILVER KAPLAN K12 Learning Services Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP MIND Institute Schoolware, Inc Summit Interactive Taylor/Balfour

BRONZE Alton Lynch Associates AT&T Bank of America First Southwest Company Huckabee & Associates Parsons-3D/I Questia Media, Inc Saxon Publishers Sodexho TCG Consulting, LP The Staubach Company Vantage Learning

Each level of the Corporate Partner Program is designed to offer our partners quality exposure to association members.

Partners at the President’s Circle, Platinum, and Gold levels may customize special events and opportunities.

List current as of 9/18/2006

TASB/TASA

Take a picture—it’ll last longer!

Bring your entire board to the TASB/TASA Convention and join the elite list of 100% attendance districts.

Then gather your team together on Saturday, October 7, and have your photo taken in the Member Services Aisle immediately following the General Session.

DON’T FORGET—One lucky 100% District will be selected to win complimentary registration for its superintendent and board members to attend the 2007 TASB/TASA Convention!

TASB/TASA Convention October 6–8, 2006 George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, TX

406 East 11th Street Austin, TX 78701-2617

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Austin, TX Permit No. 1941