FASA Leader-Fall 2019

THE OFFICIAL PUB LICATION OF THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTR ATORS

Fall 2019

FASALeader Back to School The Power of an Effective SRO Mental, Financial Devastation of Hurricane Michael Leadership Perspectives From the Superintendent’s Desk

INAUGUR AL EDITION

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contents Back to School Issue!

14

8

features

departments

8

4

aximize the role of your M school resource officer

By Brent Brummet Warrington Middle School, Escambia County

Holding your SRO accountable gives him or her ownership in the process, bolsters teamwork and communication, and ultimately, keeps your school incredibly safe.

5

By Deputy Andrew Davis Alachua County Sheriff’s Office

xecutive Director’s Message: E Advocacy: An essential element of FASA

By Juhan Mixon, Ed.D.

14 Hurricane Michael leaves staff, students

11 Leadership Perspectives

displaced, but still #850Strong

Learn how a school district managed the aftermath of Category 5 Hurricane Michael in this Q&A with Bill Husfelt, Superintendent of Schools for Bay District Schools.

support our advertisers 21 Advertiser Index

FASA President Brent Brummet provides his take on school safety, student council participation, and the Value-Added Model for teachers.

12 Discover ’19 brings education and tons of fun

Culture and climate within schools was a defining educational theme, but attendees also took time to meet new colleagues and have a blast.

By Ashley Odham

18 Legal protection:

An invaluable FASA member benefit

FASA’S MISSION: To support administrators in providing high-quality education to the students of Florida.

FASA’S BELIEF STATEMENTS: We protect public education and its fundamental role in our society.

We provide transformational opportunities to foster highly effective leaders.

We prepare Florida students for global success.

Florida Association of School Administrators 206B S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32301 (850) 224-3626 www.fasa.net

President’s Message: The joy of new beginnings

FASA Staff Executive Director Juhan Mixon, Ed.D jmixon@fasa.net Associate Executive Director Michele White, CAE mwhite@fasa.net

Did you know FASA provides members legal fee protection? Learn more about several real cases where legal advice was essential to a successful outcome.

22 From the Superintendent’s Desk

Fun insight from Debra P. Pace, Ed.D., superintendent, the School District of Osceola County.

FASA Executive Officers President Brent Brummet Warrington Middle School Escambia County President-Elect Seth Daub Catalina Elementary Orange County

Past President Bill Lee, Retired Washington County Schools Publication Team

Advertising Inquiries Beth Sheahan bsheahan@ TheWymanCompany.com (352) 900-3835 FASA Leader is the official publication of the Florida Association of School Administrators. All rights reserved. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced without permission from FASA.

F A L L 2019

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pr e s id e nt ’s m e s s a g e

The joy of new beginnings

I

like to get up early in the morning just as the sun is rising and take a brisk walk to start my day. I can see the yellowish glow of lights coming on as people begin their morning routines. Sprinklers are running, and newspapers are sitting in lawns waiting to be read.

As I walk, my mind turns to that first cup of coffee waiting for me back at the house. The day is new, and I contemplate the possibilities that lie ahead.

There is a special kind of magic in beginnings – the beginning of a day, of a new love, a new school year. Optimism springs to the forefront of our thoughts. We can see the possibilities. We believe our goals are attainable. We embrace a new plan, a different strategy and we move forward with energy and excitement. With that in mind, I am looking forward to the start of the 2019-2020 school year. As educators, we know that each new school year affords us another chance to change a student’s life for the better.

As the president of FASA, I would like to extend to you a welcome to our new magazine.

I am personally excited about this new beginning. The magazine will support the excellent work administrators do. It will be filled with stories, ideas and relevant news. Thank you for your continued membership and support of FASA.

Math. Trust. Results.

BRENT BRUMMET Warrington Middle School Escambia County

As educators, we know that each new school year affords us another chance to change a student’s life for the better.

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FASA LEADER

e x e c ut i v e d i r e c t or ’s m e s s a g e

Advocacy: An essential element of FASA

A

mid all the great successes FASA has had, one that is integral but seldom publicized is that of advocacy. It is not “in addition to” the large membership, growth in professional development, conferences, seminars and summits, multiple publications, etc. Advocacy is “essential” to the purpose for which the organization exists.

Advocacy usually conjures up ideas related to politics, elections, lobbying and political action. Indeed, these elements set FASA apart from other professional associations that do not undertake direct political efforts.

FASA’s political advocacy has had many wins. For example, FASA initiated legislation that restored terminal sick leave payouts to school administrators. We proposed legislation to allow each school board to set their own per diem rates and permit them to purchase property insurance from local millage. The organization was successful in providing bonuses to principals in high-performing schools and to include principals and APs in the state recognition program. We joined the FDOE in getting millions appropriated annually in ILFD funds for administrator professional development.

Major priorities in the last few years include technology integration, safe schools, removal of caps on school construction, and extending the time for teachers to pass the state certification exam. These issues were successfully addressed by the legislature as a result of FASA’s political advocacy.

But, our advocacy efforts go beyond politics. We build relationships with agencies, form coalitions and work with other associations.

When districts couldn’t hire qualified finance officers, we joined with the Florida School Finance Officers Association to develop the Institute of Florida School Finance to train staff to meet the demand. As school safety became a state and national imperative, we cooperated with the Florida Association of School Resource Officers to provide training, gather data and prepare proposed budgets to address the issues.

Following the Legislature’s determination to phase out the Florida Retirement System, the Association joined with superintendents, school boards and the teachers’ union to create the Independent Benefits Council (IBC). The IBC developed alternatives with private industry and districts to ensure educators can have a secure retirement system to replace the FRS. FASA has been a major supporter of the arts for schools. A few years back, we co-hosted our state conference to help defray costs to their association and ours. Now, we meet regularly to address state priorities for all forms of arts in education. With a large grant from the FDOE, FASA and Apple co-developed an amazing technology resource for every subject to align to Florida standards for use by teachers and students throughout the state.

In pursuit of addressing a FASA priority for early childhood achievement, we are cooperating with the Early Learning Coalitions to strengthen Pre-K programs and cooperation between the private sector and school districts. Simultaneously, your organization advocates to have every child covered by health insurance, and we promote the Florida Department of Agriculture and others in ensuring every child has regular healthy meals.

Currently, FASA is engaged with the Florida School Boards Association Superintendent Search Team to provide a webinar for aspiring superintendents. The webinar will allow interested administrators to hear from those who have recruited and recommended many who are current superintendents.

We are rolling out a new training program in conjunction with the Florida Education Negotiators. The focus will be to help school-based administrators successfully fulfill contact terms in their schools. And, as of July 2019, the Association hired a half-time executive director for the Florida Association of Student Councils. Student leadership

JUHAN MIXON, ED.D.

Our advocacy efforts go beyond politics. We build relationships with agencies, form coalitions and work with other associations.

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is a FASA priority. This will be the first time in 38 years that the association has had a fully paid executive to work with districts, schools and students.

The combination of advocacy initiatives, political and educational, are what defines the “why” of FASA. This association is

committed to supporting administrators as they provide Florida’s children with an amazing quality education, health and a supportive environment. You can be proud to be a member of THE Association advocating for all those who work daily to provide every child with unparalleled opportunities.

FASA’s political advocacy wins include: • Restored terminal sick leave payouts • Purchasing property insurance from local millage • Millions annually in ILFD funds for administrators • Technology integration • Safe schools • Removal of caps on school construction • More time to pass certification exams • Joining forces with other agencies to advocate for schools and those who serve children

#WHYFASA "I wanted to be a part of an organization that works to ensure our focus is always every child, every classroom, every day."

Seth Daub, FASA President- Elect

FASA puts students first.

Be a part of an organization that prioritizes helping you make the biggest impact.

Renew your membership or review your membership benefits at fasa.net.

6

FASA LEADER

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F A L L 2019

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Maximize the Role of Your

School Resource Officer Keep your school safe in an environment where teamwork and communication thrive.

BY DEPUTY ANDREW DAVIS ALACHUA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

T

he concept of school policing and resource officers has been around since the 1960s.

However, in Florida, not every school has been afforded the luxury of having an armed security presence on campus. After the Parkland School shooting tragedy, the implementation of the Stoneman Douglas Act and Senate Bill 7026 drove a magnitude of changes, and a variety of school safety efforts are currently in place or underway. The Office of Safe Schools, formed and based in Tallahassee, holds the responsibility for maintaining oversight of safety training events, school safety assessments, and active threat drills for all public schools in Florida.

Assuming your school’s security solution includes a school resource officer, let’s discuss the different ways you can maximize the skills and knowledge of your safety professional. Most likely, you will have a resource officer who truly cares about children and is excited about his/her new assignment at your school.

Law enforcement officers are protectors by nature, and they are taught a “priority of life” – to put others before themselves – throughout their initial and continued training. The lives 8

FASA LEADER

of innocent victims and bystanders come before that of any law enforcement officer. The life of a suspect who comes to deal violence and harm comes in last. This means those officers and deputies should and will place their lives in danger in order to protect you, your staff, and all of the students.

Your resource officer provides a wealth of knowledge for you to utilize to make your school safer and more secure. The officer will be able to provide you with tips on best placement for cameras, adjust your public address system, and advise you on any security deficiencies located on your campus.

One way to capitalize on the vast knowledge your resource officer brings to the campus is to make him or her an essential part of the school. Build a strong working relationship with your resource officer in the same manner you would anyone else on your leadership and/or administrative team. Some best practices for your SRO include: • Being part of the school’s leadership team; • Being the school safety and security expert; • Speaking to faculty and staff at monthly meetings; • Collaborating and involving him or her in your school safety assessments; and • Helping you create a schedule and set

dates for drills, with a debrief opportunity with leadership after each practice drill.

This provides a great opportunity to discuss the positive aspects and immediately correct any negative outcomes that may or may not have occurred during the drill.

LOCATION IS KEY I understand that extra space in a schools today is almost unheard of, and every single usable space is occupied. Therefore, the likelihood of your school having a turnkey spare office for your resource officer is remote.

However, you should try to strategically position your school resource officer’s office as close to the front of the school as possible.

In addition to having eyes and ears on the school’s entrance, this allows your resource officer to help mediate the occasional dispute in the front office such as calming an angry parent who is creating a disruption.

Having your resource officer positioned in the front office area or as close as possible to the front of the school also creates more of a team approach and promotes a sense of belonging for your resource officer. Placing your resource officer in a cleaned-out storage closet in the back of the school with a sign on the door that reads, “Break glass in case of emergency” sends a clear message to students and

Holding your SRO accountable The days of an SRO being a “retirement” role are long gone. Today, SROs should be prepared with the following: ✩ Warrior mindset

✩ Physical fitness ✩ Shooting skills and tactics ✩ Annual active shooter response ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

training Critical incident management Advanced CPTED training Advanced social media training It’s not personal; create guidelines and don’t settle for less.

Lives depend on it!

Having fun with safety patrols in the University of Florida Homecoming parade. parents about the relevance of that officer on campus, and could leave the officer feeling like he or she isn’t needed at your school.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SRO What should your school resource officer be doing during the day? Your resource officer should be an asset to you as an admin-

istrator and maintain a highly visible presence on your campus.

Your resource officer can provide you with assistance related to child custody issues and help with disputes in a law enforcement capacity. The SRO understands civil injunctions and paperwork associated with child custody and restraining orders.

A school resource officer serves as: ✩ A visible, active law enforcement figure on campus dealing with any law✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

related issues.

A classroom resource for instruction in the following areas: law-related education, violence diffusion, safety programs, alcohol and drug prevention, crime prevention and other areas.

A member of the faculty and administrative team working hand in hand to solve problems in the school community.

A resource for the students that will enable students to be associated with a law enforcement figure in the student’s environment.

A resource to teachers, parents and students for conferences on an individual basis, dealing with individual problems or questions.

A counseling resource in areas that may impact the educational environment but may be of a law-related nature.

Deputy P.M. Mauldin and I regularly present on the subject of school safety, and did at this year’s FASA Discover ’19 Conference.

Your resource officer should constantly be working on ways to improve the school’s overall security through physical changes, staff trainings and recommendations. They can ensure that classroom doors are secure on a daily basis and that all gates and corridors are secured. They can provide training to your faculty and staff not only during preplanning days but also throughout the year.

The school resource officer also should be an active counselor, mentor and protector to your students in continuation of the TRIAD concept established by some of the first resource officers. Even in current times of turmoil and active threats to our schools, your resource officers should not lose sight of being mentors and counselors who make themselves available to the students and staff.

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Early crisis recognition ✩ Pay attention to the kids. ✩ Communicate with your kids. ✩ The best solution is prevention. ✩ Do you have a threat assessment ✩ ✩

team?

Who is a part of it?

Is information being passed along?

The resource officer should be involved in community events and be a familiar face both in and outside of the school. He or she should be able to identify children who are in need of services and help provide or coordinate those services for them.

Your school resource officer also should also be attending law enforcement training events and strive to ensure your school complies with current school safety and security best practices.

WHAT AN SRO IS NOT Most importantly, your resource officer is not a disciplinarian. Their authority should not be confused with that of the school dean, behavioral resource teacher or administration.

The resource officer should only be utilized in a law enforcement capacity for events or situations that are criminal in nature, such as the possession of illegal substances/ paraphernalia, weapons violations, battery, assault, etc.

School resource officers should not be asked to remove students from classrooms for refusal to comply with school policies such as cell phone use or other common behavior issues. Your resource officer should not be utilized for staff duties, or to serve in the capacity of a staff member. Serving lunchroom duty, issuing parking citations, or filling in for an absent teacher is not the intent of your resource officer. He or she should not be placed in the compromising position of having to abandon one duty for another during a critical incident.

Keep in mind that your resource officer should maintain his or her responsibility as a mentor and counselor. Many children have been raised to fear law enforcement, and school resource officers have a unique opportunity to correct that fear and reshape relationships.

In closing, not all of this information may apply to every administrator. Many of you

have had resource officers for years and feel very comfortable working alongside them, however, this is new territory for some. Unfortunately, some administrators have had multiple resource officers or temporary resource officers that float from school to school, making it difficult to truly develop a shared responsibility and bond with their officer.

The greatest thing I would like to highlight is the importance of building a relationship with your school resource officer. In the long run, you will benefit tremendously by involving your school resource officer in the daily innerworkings of your school. Collaboratively making decisions as a team will give your officer ownership and buy-in.

Best wishes for a safe and successful 20192020 school year. Providing a safe learning environment for our students remains to our No. 1 priority.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrew Davis of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office is a school resource deputy at Archer Elementary School. Deputy Davis and Deputy P.M. Mauldin of Kimball Wiles Elementary School presented “Understanding School Safety for All Stakeholders” at the FASA Discover ’19 Conference.

It’s Dog Eat Dog Out There If you’re not at the table, you’re probably on the menu!

Donate to the FASA PAC today to help us build our war chest for the upcoming election cycle.

Visit www.fasa.net for more information.

10

FASA LEADER

Leadership Perspectives: Six Questions for Brent Brummet tion. What is important is providing an opportunity for students to impact their school and community through a leadership organization.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS FOR YOUR SCHOOL THIS YEAR?

F

ASA’s President and Principal of Warrington Middle School provides his take on school safety, student council participation and the Value Added Model for teachers.

HOW DOES YOUR SCHOOL MANAGE SAFETY AND SECURITY? As you may have recently read in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Escambia County School District has been praised for its proactive approach to school safety. Our Superintendent, Malcolm Thomas, has made school safety a priority. As a result, there are a number of very clear steps we have taken to manage safety and security on our school sites.

Locked fences have been put up to direct all visitors to a single point of entry. Visitors remain in a secure lobby and cannot enter the school without being granted access. All visitors and vendors must be badged. We practice our lock down procedures monthly. We also have monthly meetings of our safety committee. Throughout the year, students are reminded that if they see something, they are to say something, and teachers are made aware that safety and security is everyone’s job.

One of the best actions I have taken as the principal is to know my students. I have

learned that it is important for school administrators to greet your students in the morning and interact with them as they are dismissed. Administrators should regularly visit the lunchroom. I plan my schedule to be at as many of our school events as I can in an effort to connect with students and families.

I also believe that we should talk with our students, celebrate with them, listen to them, and hurt with them. When students truly feel connected and cared for, they will come and tell us when something or someone is not safe.

DO YOU CONSIDER STUDENT COUNCIL PARTICIPATION TO BE CURRICULAR OR EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY, AND WHY? The leadership development that comes from student’s participation in Student Council, and the impact it has on a school, makes Student Council an integral part of any school. For middle and high school, I think the best option is to offer Student Council as part of the curriculum. However, when the constraints of a school schedule limit this as a possibility, having student council before or after school is another op-

Our No. 1 goal is to be a “C” school. This designation alone would be a great encouragement to our students, staff and community. We are very close, encouraged and ready for this year’s challenge. We know that as students experience success in school, we have an impact on increasing their life chances. As we say at Warrington Middle School, “We’re up for it!”

Our second goal is to continue to build into our schedule opportunities for students to enjoy being at school. We have added visual arts to our curriculum. Our band, orchestra and chorus programs continue to grow.

Our third goal is to improve our response to student behavior. We are adding a social worker and an extra behavior coach. We want to start interventions early and reduce out-of-school suspensions and expulsions.

WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FASA ACHIEVE IN YOUR LEADERSHIP YEAR? First, I am excited to see our membership continue to grow. I would like to see our full benefit membership increase. I believe that as members become aware of what full membership benefits offer – specifically, Legal Defense Assistance – that the choice to be a full member is easy and clear. As the pressure, responsibilities, and accountabilities increase, it only makes sense to be a full member.

Second, there is a lot of work to be done.

I want to work with the FASA staff this year to make sure our boards and committees are organized and streamlined to meet our growing needs. In fact, if you’re reading this continued on page 20 F A L L 2019

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Discover ’19

brings education and tons of fun

BY ASHLEY ODHAM, FASA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

O

ver the summer, FASA staff and members traveled to the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor for our annual three-day conference, Discover ’19.

The thought-provoking speakers (Baruti Kafele, Bill Latham, Karen Clarke, Bill Husfelt, Jackie Byrd, Monica Wofford and Hamish Brewer) all challenged the status quo, especially regarding culture and climate within our schools. Breakout sessions delved deeper into topics related to school safety, LGBTQ support, leadership pipelines, building relationships with students, positive leadership, etc. and had fantastic participation. The Chip in for Children Golf Tournament raised almost $15,000 for the FASA Foundation.

The conference, while informative, stimulating and inspirational, wasn’t all work, however. Button collecting contests, egg prizes, social media competitions and more ended with fantastic prizes.

We look forward to another great conference next year.

Discover 2020 will take place from June 9-11 at the Omni ChampionsGate Resort in Orlando.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MICHAEL MCCRYSTAL, STRAWBRIDGE STUDIOS INC. 12

FASA LEADER

F A L L 2019

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Hurricane Michael leaves staff, students displaced, but still #850Strong

The gymnasium at Jinks Middle School in Panama City.

B

ay District Schools is a medium-sized district located in the Florida Panhandle, an area comprised of small cities and rural communities. Sixty percent of the district’s students qualified for federally subsidized meals before Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm, devastated the area.

Bill Husfelt, Superintendent of Schools for Bay District Schools, shared with FASA Leader some of the challenges the storm presented and continues to present today. From lack of communication to FEMA hurdles to the mental impact on students and staff, Husfelt has been part of a logistical nightmare and hopes sharing some of his experiences can be helpful to FASA members who, unfortunately, may someday face a similar crisis.

14

FASA LEADER

Q A

Q: On October 10, 2018, your district took a direct hit from Category 5 Hurricane Michael, the third-most-powerful storm to make landfall in the United States. Can you please explain how your district initially prepared for the storm and its aftermath?

A: Before the storm, I would have told anyone that we were as prepared as we could possibly be. However, no one in our community could have been prepared for the complete destruction caused by the storm and the challenges we faced from the total lack of communication and power for such an extended period of time. Losing the cell towers, and therefore the ability to have simple conversations, was truly one of the biggest challenges we’ve ever faced. The lack of communication hampered every aspect of our recovery because we had to be able to talk to each other in order to strategize and plan.

Unfortunately, the amount of debris on the roads also made traveling challenging, so just driving around to see people wasn’t an option either. Very quickly, I set up daily 11 a.m. planning meetings at one of our high schools, and we used Facebook, word of mouth, the mainstream media and email for those who could spread the word.

Learning to live without power, while the linemen and other power crews worked so diligently on restoring our infrastructure, presented a whole other series of challenges and prompted much resourcefulness by our employees and their families. In the middle of all of that, we began leveraging every resource possible to initiate the arduous process of reopening our schools within days of the landfall. I am so proud that we were able to begin welcoming many of our students within 17 school days after landfall of the most devastating hurricane our area has ever seen.

Q A

Q: What did you communicate to staff, families and students, knowing that, in many cases, returning to school was not their first priority?

A: Using the phrase “Faith, Family and Future,” I think we communicated to our families that we were going to reopen, that we were going to rebuild, and that we wanted to support them as much as we could. While it was difficult to even think about opening school in the middle of all the chaos, we knew it was an important first step toward “normalcy” for our community, and we were determined to do our part to restore the structures and routines our children and families needed.

Fortunately, WKGC, our public radio station, was able to broadcast from the Emergency Operations Center, and I was able to use radio interviews to let our families and our employees know what we were doing. Radio was key early on, since so many people lost cable and internet, and I was lucky to be able to record two or three radio interviews a week that were continually broadcast to our community.

Q A

Q: The storm caused $350 million in damages to your district facilities. What steps have been taken to get support from federal and state governments to begin the rebuilding process?

A: We are educators, not FEMA reimbursement experts. Early on, my peers and colleagues from throughout the state advised me to quickly find a reliable consulting firm who could help us navigate the extremely challenging – and long-term process – of FEMA reimbursement. Almost since the storm landed, we’ve been working on the massive rebuilding effort and writing (and rewriting) proposals, grants and other funding requests from any agency suggested to us.

The level of destruction is very challenging for a district our size because we simply don’t have the rainy day funds needed to float these rebuilding projects. So, we’re working as hard as we can to leverage every resource available, but I have to be honest, it’s exhausting and complicated. Reliable experts in this field have already proven invaluable in the recovery process, and I cannot recommend their services enough.

Q A

Q: Prior to the storm, your county identified 748 homeless students. By the end of the 2018-2019 school year, that number jumped to 4,717 actively enrolled homeless students, 174 unaccounted-for students, and a reduction of approximately 400 employees. Many students and families are still living in tents. What kind of long-term impact do you think this storm will have on your district population?

A: We’ve really added another “R” to the old “reading, writing and ‘rithmetic,” and that’s the word “resilience.” We see resilience as the difference maker in a situation of this kind, and we’re working hard to support those who are resilient and to help those who are struggling with every resource we can get our hands on.

The bottom line is that our families are struggling, our children are traumatized, and our employees are overwhelmed both by the personal challenges they face and by the needs of their students.

The proverbial helpers need help, and that’s hard for many of them to acknowledge because our educators are used to being the ones who lift up others in tough times.

We need more funding for mental health support for everyone in our community, not just our students. Alongside the need for mental health support is the deep-seated need for more affordable housing. We believe that the families will come back, and that our community will be stronger than before, but they must have affordable, safe housing in order for that process to begin.

Q A

Q: Following up on the mental health issues, the storm really took its toll, with 125 students Baker Acted after the hurricane due to being a danger to themselves or others. You also conducted an assessment and found that 38 percent of employees reported symptoms consistent with at least one psychological disorder. What type of mental health programs are currently in place to support district students and staff?

A: We’ve developed such a network of caring community providers since the storm, and there’s not an agency in town that hasn’t stepped up to do whatever they can to help our students and our employees. We have some resources at every school for the children and after-school support for employees, but it isn’t enough – it isn’t even close to what we need.

While money doesn’t solve everything, in this case an influx of funding for mental health support could be the difference between Hurricane Michael becoming something our community survived and something that devastated our families in the long term. We are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to support our families and are accessing services from every possible licensed and certified provider.

Q

Q: Your district had to close, rezone and repurpose quite a few schools because of destruction and decreased enrollment (25% of the county’s Title 1 enrollment left the county due to housing issues). Those losses resulted in an $8.8 million loss for the 2018-2019 operational year, with an expected $16 milF A L L 2019

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A

Springfield Elementary School in Panama City was flattened by the storm. lion loss in 2019-2020. Inevitable teacher layoffs could be part of this financial nightmare. Please tell us if you have had to employ that course of action and its impact.

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FASA LEADER

A: Fortunately, we were able to brainstorm solutions as a team and generate a new emergency funding plan that combined a spending and hiring freeze with some disaster funding from the

state, so we’ve been able to stave off any massive layoffs. The fact that many of our employees had to leave after the storm for personal reasons, coupled with our determination to manage without them, meant that we did not have to face a huge reduction in force at the end of the year.

That’s not to say, however, that things haven’t changed drastically for us and for our employees. The loss of enrollment, and migration to the beach where there is housing, has forced us to transfer many employees who have worked in the same school for years. That sort of upheaval, at a time of so much upheaval, takes a toll and, again, prompts us to continue to seek long-term mental health support.

Q A

Q: You shared a report with us that noted estimated capital expenditures to rebuild and repair school facilities exceeds $350 million, and your insurance will only cover $100 million. FEMA reimbursement has provided $23 million. How do you plan to make up the shortage, or will many schools remain closed indefinitely?

A: FEMA is a reimbursement process, and so we’re required to have the money before we can spend it. As I said earlier, no district is sitting on a $250 million rainy day fund so therein lies the conundrum – help is available for some reimbursement after the expenses have been funded.

Currently we’re working on a variety of plans, including hoping the state will fund some no-interest loans, in order to get all of the work done in a timely manner. That’s what bothers me a lot

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right now. I think our families are going to expect the damage to be cleaned up and the buildings to be restored when we return to school, but the simple fact is, we don’t have the money. And to be candid, if we did have the money, I am not sure where we would find the qualified contractors, but I would certainly like to have that problem and not the one I currently have, which is not enough money.

Q A

Q: This all seems incredibly overwhelming. Are there any positives to report?

A: I cannot begin to describe all of the amazing ways in which our community has come together as a result of this storm. We really do see that Bay County is #850Strong, and there’s no problem we encounter that doesn’t result in a community-wide brainstorming session and solutions. Every time we have a need, and there are so very many, someone steps up to offer support, assistance, a recommendation or a network of people who can come to our aid.

That commitment, on the part of everyone in our community, to do whatever it takes to get us back on our feet collectively, has been truly heartwarming and humbling. I have to mention that the support we have received from people across the state, and the entire country, has been incredible. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear from someone, in many cases a complete stranger, who wants to help us. We are also fortunate to have had wonderful advocates in our state legislators, and they have fought hard to get us some of what we need from Tallahassee and Washington.

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17

Legal protection: An invaluable FASA member benefit

S

chool administrators make hundreds of decisions every day that may result in legal consequences. For example, at the end of a day last year, a teacher stopped by the principal’s office and left a message that she suspected a student in her class was being abused. The teacher left saying she would talk to the principal the next day.

The teacher’s planning period was after lunch, but the principal had lunch duty, and the teacher did not see the principal until after school and no one had told him that the teacher had come by the previous afternoon. Because it was almost 5 p.m., the principal did not report the suspected abuse to the Department of Children and Families until the next morning. The child was abused that night.

This is a real case where events, responsibilities and poor communication kept a report from being made. The principal was embroiled in a lengthy legal battle as well as termination.

Could busy schedules, classes, responsibilities or time cause you to make a wrong decision? There are a lot of questions in this scenario, such as what message did the teacher leave? Did she tell any other administrator, teacher or school employee? What made her suspect abuse? Did she talk with the student? What if the principal had reported the suspected abuse on the first afternoon or even the next morning?

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FASA LEADER

Everyone is busy. Everyone has extenuating circumstances. Everyone has to make a judgment. Sometimes the consequences are severe and others are painful but light.

We know everyone deserves legal advice, and the accused need to have their side of the story heard. Answers to the above questions could change the outcome for the teacher and the principal.

FASA provides members up to $6,000 in legal fee protection in such instances even if a wrong decision was made. Join today, and some benefits become effective at 180 days and with full protection after two years.

Here are a few examples of what FASA has provided to Florida school leaders:

CASE I – INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT The mother of a high school student made a complaint to the superintendent’s office that her daughter’s principal had made inappropriate sexual comments to her daughter about her appearance.

The principal admitted that he had talked to her privately about the school dress code and that her clothes were too revealing. The superintendent opened an investigation.

The principal asked for FASA legal assistance, which was provided. The principal resigned.

CASE II – ATHLETE INJURY An assistant principal received a doctor’s note asking that a gifted soccer player be sidelined from practice and competition following a knee injury. Subsequently, the parent called the assistant principal and asked if the athlete could practice with the team. The parent explained that the athlete’s condition had improved and she needed the exercise to stay in shape. The AP agreed. The student reinjured the knee, and the parents threatened to sue and have the school board fire the AP. The AP asked for legal assistance. After meeting between the attorneys from both sides, the parents dropped the case. The AP went on to have a 30-year career.

CASE III – CHEATING ALLEGATIONS An experienced principal and his AP were contacted by the district human resources department and told that an investigation had been opened. The principal was told that FDOE Professional Practices had reason to believe that one or more teachers had helped students or changed answers on the FSA. The principal was panicked. He had never faced such an allegation. He wanted legal counsel to tell him about the district and

state process. He asked if he needed or should have a representative present when HR staff interviewed him. Finally, he wanted to know how and when he would learn of specific allegations.

FASA provided legal counsel. The principal and AP were exonerated.

CASE IV – MISSING RECORDS In a very large district, a principal was to retire mid-year. While the retiring principal was on a summer vacation the district reassigned him to the county office and appointed a new principal to begin immediately. The former principal’s personal files, etc. were boxed up and sent downtown.

Several months later, district staff asked for a meeting because the new principal was unable to locate minutes of the school advisory committee. These were maintained in the principal’s office. The district indicated that legal action against the former principal could be the next step. FASA helped resolve the matter without the need to hire an attorney.

Make sure you are protected. If legal issues arise as part of your employment, take advantage of the legal benefits afforded you as part of your FASA membership.

F A L L 2019

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continued from page 11

and you want to be involved, we would love to hear from you.

Third, I would like to see our PAC support increase and our voice in the Legislature continue to grow. We look forward to our best “Advocate” conference in January and our best “Discover” conference yet next summer.

WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT? The teacher shortage and teacher retention keeps me up at night because I know that this single issue impacts students and schools the most. I have learned that a school is only as good as its teachers. Being a teacher is one of the most noble and taxing jobs a person can

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choose to do. I could fill this column with everything that is asked of a teacher.

I am always asking myself, “How do we build a school culture that offers teachers genuine support and provides the tools, resources and encouragement needed to do their jobs?” I know that FASA is working on offering some professional development on building a strong school culture. This professional development is timely. We all have received the e-mail or phone call that informs us that a teacher is leaving the school and choosing a different path. There is a sense of urgency that we find every way we can to recruit, support and retain teachers.

CAN YOU PLEASE DISCUSS YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT VAM FOR TEACHERS?

June 7-11, 2020 | Orlando

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20

FASA LEADER

VAM (Value-Added Model) is the great mystery in the room. Most of us can hear the explanation of how a VAM score is determined a number of times, and then walk away with a sense of how it works but not fully understand it.

The Value-Added Model is what the Florida Department of Education uses to determine if a certain group of teachers – those who teach English, language arts and math – are highly effective, effective, needs improvement or unsatisfactory. The teacher VAM calculation is accumulated over a three-year period. On the Florida Department of Education web page the answer to the question, “Is VAM required to be used as a part of a teacher’s evaluation?” is a simple, “No.” At this point, every teacher can breathe a sigh of relief.

However, although a district may not select to use VAM scores in its teacher evaluations, the Florida Department of Education requires that a teacher with a needs improvement or unsatisfactory VAM scores must be moved from a D or F school that has fallen into turnaround status. Not only does the teacher have to be moved, but the move occurs after the start of the school when the scores are released.

You can see the problem already. We are talking about ELA and math teachers, both of which, but especially math, are difficult to hire. We also are talking about students, especially in elementary schools, who have spent the first part of their year building a connection to their teacher, having to change to a new teacher after the school year has started. I believe VAM and its application require further discussion and action.

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From the Superintendent’s Desk DEBRA P. PACE, ED.D.

Superintendent The School District of Osceola County

Each issue of FASA Leader will feature a superintendent answering questions about his or her career and life.

In this inaugural issue, we feature Dr. Debra P. Pace, a lifelong resident and educator within the Osceola County School District. Dr. Pace graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Language-International Trade, then earned both a master’s degree in English Education and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Central Florida.

GOALS FOR 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR

WHAT I DO WHEN I’M NOT AT WORK

1. Jumpstart improvement in academic achievement through a focused approach on consistent implementation of high-quality standards aligned curriculum and formative assessments, and consistent implementation of high-leverage instructional practices (Read, Write, Talk, and Solve) for every child, every chance, every day.

2. Finalize the district’s 2019-2022 strategic plan and budget for school board approval in September.

3. Improve communication with internal stakeholders to strengthen a district and school culture built on high expectations and positive relationships.

When I’m not at work, I spend time with my husband and family, run, cook and read. An appropriate work/life balance seems unattainable right now, but I never stop trying to be healthy – mind, spirit and body.

MY FAVORITE DESK ITEM A picture of my 5-year-old grandson, who started kindergarten in August. He reminds me daily of the “why” behind our work – ensuring all students have access to a high-quality education that will prepare them for success in college and/or career and life.

WHAT WOULD I DO IF I WASN’T A SUPERINTENDENT? I would be alternating between walking and reading on the beach with my husband and visiting with my adult children and grandchildren in Florida, Alabama and Pittsburgh.

THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING EDUCATION TODAY IS… The biggest issue facing education today is the shortage of highquality, well-trained teachers and the shortage of young people interested in pursuing the profession. We know the teacher has the greatest impact on the success of a student in the classroom.

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FASA LEADER

Superintendent Pace enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.

Improve Teacher Retention Culture Matters

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FASA views ClassWallet as a low cost, high return technology that helps districts cultivate a culture in which teachers feel trusted and empowered which improves teacher retention and meets the expectations of millennial educators.

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Lead Proactively Put more power in the hands of teachers to make classroom purchasing decisions.

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