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G.R.O.W. Into Leadership

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Guest post by Omékongo Dibinga

“Leadership ain’t for the lame, don’t take it in vain
Time to rethink your position, understand why you came.”

I often recite these two lines from a poem I wrote on leadership when I speak to student leaders around the world. I share this quote to underscore two points: First, leadership is not for everyone. Though everyone can be a leader, leadership is a calling that few people answer and, therefore, it must be carefully considered. Second, leaders must always be thinking about why they chose to be a leader, and whether they still have the capacity or even the desire to lead.

I challenge student leaders to jump headfirst into whatever challenges their schools are facing. Regardless of the issues, I advocate four simple steps that student leaders can implement to help them better navigate these issues. These four principles—Give, Release, Overcome, and Win—come from my book G.R.O.W. Towards Your Greatness!: 10 Steps to Living Your Best Life.

Give

First, students must review the quality and quantity of their giving. Their, in many cases, elected position means they must remember that they represent their constituents, even those who did not vote for them. To that end, encourage your student leaders to be giving of their attention to all students in their school. Emphasize that student leaders need to be able to do more listening than talking to really understand what is transpiring in their school, and they must be willing to give of their time to lead the effort toward effective change. As the old adage goes, we have two ears and one mouth, and we should use them in proportion.

Release

Student leaders need to let go of any hatred (or even a simple bias) they may have toward certain groups. I study leadership across the globe, and I’ve examined the practices of leaders including CEOs and national leaders. I have seen situations where someone becomes a CEO and actively works to undermine particular departments they simply do not like. I have seen someone become president of a country and exact revenge on the ethnic group they view as their oppressor. I encourage student leaders to practice forgiveness and inclusivity.

Once students release negative biases, they can work toward a second step of “release”—releasing people around them who no longer represent where they want to go as a leader. Student leaders must associate themselves with people who represent not where they are, but where they want to go.

Overcome

Student leaders must overcome their fears, as this feeling keeps people from thinking clearly. Students must be guided by their goals and their vision—not their anxieties. One cannot serve effectively if they are governed by worry or distress. Fear can keep students from even attempting to start a program because they’re concerned about what people will think.

Student leaders must acknowledge the fear they may feel, but focus more on what is right. Leadership can be a daunting task, but it is a task worth pursuing if student leaders are truly interested in serving their communities.

Win

Student leaders must believe they will win. While this is easy to say and embrace in theory, students will likely need to be reminded that some of the changes they seek in their school may not occur during their tenure as a student leader. In this age of instant gratification, student leaders must practice patience; change does not happen overnight. Some Native American communities believe that they should consider how their actions will affect people in seven generations, and that’s the kind of mindset strong leaders should adopt.

G.R.O.W.!

At the end of the day, if students look at how they give, release, overcome, and win, they can become effective leaders for their school community. Encourage your students to use these four steps to evaluate their position in leadership; they will better understand the serious job they have as leaders in their school. Whether it is the National Honor Society or student council or any other form of leadership, it comes with the unwritten understanding that students realize the great responsibility of the leadership roles they have undertaken.

As advisers, you can be the ones who help them along with this process. Your experiences as educators and leaders in your own environments can greatly aid students in their development. Consider taking your group to a conference (like a LEAD Conference) to get student leaders immersed in national discussions and to help empower them to be strong leaders. I fully believe that with your guidance, our student leaders of today can continue on their path to the greatness that we know is inside of them.

 

Omékongo Dibinga, PhD, is a motivational speaker, author, rapper, and professor of cross-cultural communication at American University in Washington, D.C. He conducts training for teachers as well as students on issues related to cultural competency, diversity, and leadership.


Colony Time: Building Strong Student Advocate Groups

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Guest post by Chris Fleming, Spence Rodman, and Regina Ross

In January of 2014, tragedy struck Lewisburg High School (LHS) when one of our students committed suicide. This event caused our school to take a deep look at how we, as students and staff, were connected to each other, and how we could build stronger relationships to guard against this ever occurring again. What our administrative team and staff developed is Colony Time, a school-wide initiative that helps individual students find their place in school and provides at least one adult advocate on whom they could lean in times of crisis and concern.

From our opening in 2006, LHS has grown from a school of fewer than 500 students in grades 6–10 to a school that has more than 1,000 students in grades 9–12. What was once a small, close-knit community is now a growing urban environment where we must intentionally provide opportunities for students to connect to one another and the school. Colony Time—a name inspired by our school mascot, the Patriot—was born out of this effort to ensure that all students had a connection to at least one group and one caring adult.

Purpose and Organization

The purpose of Colony Time is twofold: 1) to foster opportunities for students to build relationships across grade and interest levels, and 2) to build stronger relationships between students and teachers across our school building while helping students establish another advocate for themselves outside of their assigned counselor.

Each student is part of a “colony,” and each colony consists of 16 to 18 students with four to five students per grade level. Every staff member in our building, from administration to support staff, leads a colony. Colonies meet twice monthly on Tuesdays for thirty minutes.

Colony Time Activities

We kick off the school year with a school-wide Colony Time competition, built around a “Minute to Win It” concept. The entire school participates and the event concludes with a showdown in our gym between the four colony group winners, in front of the student body and our faculty. To see this competition in action, click here. This activity serves as a great way to introduce our upperclassman to their new teammates from the freshman class. The relaxed environment takes the pressure off of the new students to meet their classmates and get to know their colony teams.

After the opening competition, the first meeting each month focuses on team building with activities that help students develop a stronger rapport. For example, Colony Game Day allows students time to play board and card games together; though it seems simple, just giving students a fun activity helps promote friendships among the group and encourages empathy and greater understanding of one another.

The second meeting each month addresses concepts or issues that students want to discuss. We determine the topics based on the results of a student survey created by our counseling department. One of the issues that we have addressed is bullying. The adult leader facilitates a discussion about the topic using guided questions. Next, students participate in an activity that provides different scenarios that encourage them to think more about the issue. For instance, an activity called “Above the Line, Below the Line” asked students to identify whether an action was considered bullying, such as sitting with a new student during lunchtime or making fun of a new student’s outfit.

Positive Growth

Colony Time has already made a strong impact on Lewisburg High School. The overall response from both students and staff has been overwhelmingly positive. We are pleased with the progress we have made and continue to improve to the program.

Our 2017 valedictorian Taylor Bond summed it up best. When asked what she hoped to see still happening at LHS when she returned for her ten-year reunion, her response was, “Colony Time.” She went on to say that she was nervous about moving to Tulane University, which is more than five hours from home, however, Colony Time has helped calm her fears of meeting new people by allowing her to get to know others at LHS and interact with them. Thanks to the opportunities Colony Time provided, she feels more confident about campus life.

Could a program like Colony Time help your students be more connected at school? How does your school help foster stronger relationships among students and staff?

Chris Fleming, Spence Rodman, and Regina Ross serve as the administrative team of Lewisburg High School in Olive Branch, MS. Follow them on Twitter @thegeneralcd, @coachrodman, and @ReginaRRoss. Fleming is the 2017 Mississippi High School Principal of the Year.

Redefining the High School Experience: A Trauma-Informed Approach

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Guest post by Deborah Moya

What makes ABQ Charter Academy (ABQCA) different from any traditional high school or charter school? I believe our mission statement says it all: “The mission of ABQ Charter Academy is to redefine the high school experience.” Many of our scholars have had very negative experiences in traditional high schools. They seek to find a place where they belong, and we offer an environment that is centered on each individual scholar and their unique differences. 

Our school has taken on the challenge of becoming a Trauma-Informed Poverty Aware (TIPA) school. This journey began with our work in understanding how poverty negatively affects students’ learning. A trauma-informed school provides a safe and respectful environment that allows students to build caring relationships with adults and peers as well as self-regulate their emotions and behaviors so they can experience success in the school setting.

At ABQCA, we created a TIPA council made up of teachers, support staff, and administrators that continues to do research and plan staff development to enhance our practice. Through our work, we discovered that many of our scholars have experienced traumatic experiences in their lives. In reviewing scholarly research, we have learned that students who experience trauma in their lives have a difficult time learning. We are now trying to better understand our students and where they come from, while also looking at ourselves and where we come from. We are learning to address our own stress levels—through strategies like mindfulness training—so we may control our reactions to student behavior. The staff at ABQCA have made a commitment to use trauma-sensitive strategies in each classroom as well as in every aspect of our school.

Another step that our administrative team has taken to create a TIPA school is by adopting nonpunitive discipline policies and practices. When a student makes a mistake or misbehaves, we ask, “What do you need?” instead of focusing on and punishing the actual behavior. By asking this question, we can get to the root of the problem and work with each student to solve the problem in a positive way. We do everything we can to keep our scholars in school. Several students have had negative experiences with the administrators at their previous schools and we work hard to establish positive relationships with our scholars before we meet with them for any discipline issues.

As we continue our work to becoming a trauma-informed school, we have identified six essential components:

  1. Leadership by administrators to create the infrastructure and culture needed for a trauma-sensitive school environment
  2. Professional development and skill building for all school staff, including leaders, in areas that enhance the school’s capacity to create supportive school environments
  3. Access to resources and services, such as mental health counseling, to help students participate fully in the school community and help adults create a whole-school environment that engages all students
  4. Academic and nonacademic strategies that enable all students to learn
  5. Policies, procedures, and protocols that sustain the critical elements of a trauma-informed school
  6. Collaboration with families that actively engages them in all aspects of their children’s education, helps them feel welcome at school, and understands the important roles they play

Addressing the social and emotional learning needs of our students has been the key to unlocking each scholar’s academic potential. How has your school become more trauma-sensitive?

Deborah Moya is the assistant principal and special services director at ABQ Charter Academy in Albuquerque, NM. She is the 2017 New Mexico Assistant Principal of the Year and was recently selected to fill the Assistant Principal-at-Large seat on the NASSP Board of Directors.

Transforming Business Engagement at School, Part One

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Guest post by Tommy T. Welch

One of the main functions we perform in education is preparing our students for entering the workforce. But how do we know if we are succeeding? Traditional assessments tend to focus on achievement up to high school graduation but not after. There are numerous articles and studies out there that explore how curricula need to change to equip students with the skills necessary for 21st-century jobs. At Meadowcreek High School, we have taken a slightly different approach by partnering directly with local and national businesses to give students hands-on experience through paid internships. By approaching businesses as authentic knowledge partners rather than just taxpayers, donors, or sponsors, we have enlisted their expertise and experience in the process of preparing our students for productive careers and lifelong learning.

Creating Paid Internships and a Workforce Pipeline

Through our partnerships with businesses we have developed a variety of paid internships for our students. All of our internships are aligned with college and career pathways. When we redesigned our business partner engagement opportunities, we had intentional conversations with business partners to build a document specifically outlining the school’s goals which the business agrees to accomplish. This memorandum of understanding becomes the blueprint for the school and business partner relationship. Some of the paid opportunities include Brand Bank, which provides internships to our business pathways students or to those who have taken economics courses and have an interest in finance or entrepreneurship; Georgia Tech offers an opportunity for students to work with a professor and teacher over the summer to complete action research; and for some of our students who intern at Travelers Insurance, they are able to continue working full time at the company while they attend college.

These opportunities are mutually beneficial for the businesses as they feed their workforce pipeline. If our students are working in a position after school that is aligned with their learning experience, then we have enriched their learning and potentially created a valuable resource for the employer. This has created an environment in which our students no longer expect the typical part-time employment of a teenager. If a business partner does not have paid internships to offer, we work with nonprofits to provide resources to create additional paid internship opportunities for our students.

Creating Business Internship Opportunities on Campus

In addition to the paid internships off campus, many businesses work with students on campus as well. In collaboration with our area partners, we have created a variety of school-based enterprises that serve our 3,127 students and 247 staff members. These satellite branches are fully functioning businesses that require the full HR treatment and employee expectations that you would find in the off-campus branch. For example, Brand Bank has a location in the front of the school with a Brand Bank employee teller and a virtual teller machine. Our students, employees, families, and booster clubs have opened accounts and make transactions here. The bank even has a mortgage center that allows employees to close on their new homes during their planning period. Our students work with the bank, both on campus and off. Several of our partners have set up micro-branch offices located on our campus, including Branch Bank, Brand Mortgage, Shuma Sporting Goods, Georgia Department of Public Health, University of Georgia, Georgia Technical Institute of Technology, and the Compass Group.

These are just some examples of how we have reframed our school’s relationship with local businesses in the community. Since 2010, we have grown from one business partner with limited access to the school to 100+ partners who have donated more than $100,000 per year in services and resources to our students and community.

In next week’s post, I will offer some tips on how we built up the program and how you can get started in your community as well.

How does your school provide students real-world learning opportunities and prepare them for their 21st-century careers?

Tommy T. Welch, PhD, is the principal of Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, GA. Dr. Welch is a finalist for the 2018 National Principal of the Year award. He is also the 2017 Georgia Principal of Year and he was named the Outstanding High Schools That Work Administrator by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). Follow him on Twitter @PrincipalWelch.

The Brownsburg Way, Part One: A Narrow Teaching and Learning Focus

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Guest post by Amber Schroering and Jim Snapp

The Brownsburg Community School Corporation (BCSC) in Central Indiana has a long history of academic excellence. For many years, BCSC has topped the state rankings for academic excellence in all of the areas of the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP). Dozens of schools and school corporations visit our district each year to learn how “The Brownsburg Way” results in exemplary student achievement. They always ask what we do to get consistently high results.

One of the reasons we are successful is because our teaching and learning focus is narrow … very narrow. We do not throw a program at a problem, but rely on professionals in the classroom to respond to student learning needs and then make adjustments to the well-written and clearly articulated, guaranteed, and viable curriculum—an engaging curriculum each student learns—to specifically address the learning needs of the student.

Our successful academic approach centers on two key concepts:

Tight-Loose-Tight Curriculum Structure

The Brownsburg curriculum model is focused on a tight-loose-tight structure. The curriculum is tight, based on Indiana Academic Standards. Planning and professional development revolve around this important content. We work diligently to maintain the fidelity of the curriculum. Experienced educators are allowed tremendous flexibility in selecting various teaching strategies to deliver the curriculum to students. This loose approach allows teachers to differentiate the curricular delivery model to optimize student learning. Student performance expectations for demonstrating the understanding and application of what has been learned are tight. Clearly defined student performance outcomes provide a well-articulated teaching target for the teacher and relevant performance expectations for the student.

Consistency of Instructional Programing

There are key components of the BCSC instructional program that frequently distinguish it from many other schools. Brownsburg schools are similar to identical in their approaches. For example, all six elementary schools follow the same academic schedule, teach students the same content focused on clear performance outcomes, learn from the same professional development experiences, all aligned to school corporation goals. This method allows ongoing professional dialogue about what is taught and how students are to demonstrate learning.

Schools or teachers do not have the flexibility to adopt a program or instructional material that varies from what has already been identified by BCSC’s lead teachers, unless there is consensus that such adjustment would better support the learning experiences of students. This collaborative approach allows professionals to place educational components on the similar to identical continuum that has served us well over the years. It allows those closest to implementing the decision to have the greatest impact on the decision.

Our narrow teaching and learning focus with a tight-loose-tight curriculum structure and consistency of instructional programing have served our schools and students well. At BCSC, we are proud of our achievements and hope other schools can learn from our success. In next week’s post, we will share how our excellent teachers and professional learning communities contribute to The Brownsburg Way.

What are the key components to your school’s academic success?

Amber Schroering is an assistant principal at Brownsburg East Middle School and is the 2016 Indiana Assistant Principal of the Year. She presents regularly at state conferences and hosts site visits to teach others about The Brownsburg Way. Follow her on Twitter @AmberSchroering.

Jim Snapp, EdD, is superintendent of Brownsburg Community School Corporation which serves nearly 9,000 students in the growing Indianapolis suburb. He served as a teacher, assistant principal, middle school principal, K–12 curriculum director, and assistant superintendent before assuming his current position in July 2010. In 2000, he was one of 120 principals selected from across the country by former United States Secretary of Education Richard Riley to participate in the first National Principals’ Leadership Summit. Snapp currently teaches graduate courses in curriculum and principal leadership at the University of Indianapolis. Follow him on Twitter @BCSC_SnappChat.

Whom to Follow: A Training Plan for Twitter Success, Part Two

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Guest post by Nicholas Indeglio

In my previous post, I shared tips on getting started with Twitter through hashtags and chats. The focus of this post is to help you build your personal network by learning which education rock stars you should follow on the platform.

If you are new to Twitter, the first step is to begin building your network by following people you feel drawn to or can learn from. Once you follow someone, Twitter will recommend similar accounts to follow. Soon, you will have a robust “timeline” that shows the latest posts from everyone you follow. As your community grows, you’ll find that many educational “celebrities” are quite active and interact frequently with others. Here’s a short list of educational juggernauts that every educator/principal should follow:

  • @billsterrett ­– former teacher and principal, and current ed leadership faculty member at the University of North Carolina Wilmington
  • @BluntEducator – humorous account that sarcastically (and accurately) critiques the education system
  • @casas_jimmy – inspirational, educational change agent and a robust web presence
  • @DaisyDyerDuerr – successful teacher, coach, principal, and educational speaker
  • @DrTonyWagner – fellow at the Learning Policy Institute, consultant on the educational documentary, “Most Likely to Succeed,” and an Expert in Residence at the Harvard Innovation Lab
  • @ericjensenbrain – one of the leading authors on brain research and the connection to learning
  • @E_sheninger – one of the nation’s foremost leaders in engaging educational technology meaningfully
  • @gcouros – former educator and leader, and author of “The Innovator’s Mindset”
  • @HeidiHayesJacobs – curriculum expert and nationally recognized author
  • @iamkesler – co-founder of the EduAllStars podcast and Genius Hour contributor
  • @jaymctighe – expert on assessment, school improvement, and one of the originators of the Understanding by Design system
  • @LollyDaskal – leadership- and executive-coaching expert and founder of Lead from Within
  • @lynch39083 – blogger for Huff Post and Education Week, and editor of The Edvocate and The Tech Edvocate
  • @rckstrprincipal – two middle school principals (yours truly and “The Boss” Jon Ross) discussing everything and anything related to principalship and ed leadership
  • @TechNinjaTodd – co-founder of the EduAllStars podcast and author of “Kids Deserve It”
  • @toddwhitaker – nationally recognized author of more than 40 books on leadership and teaching, and professor at the University of Missouri and Indiana State University
  • @web20classroom – educational consultant with a focus on technology and social media, and co-creator of #Edchat

Additionally, many news outlets, educational leadership organizations, education foundations, and other related groups share their own research and provide links to quality articles through their Twitter accounts. They boast hard-working staff and faculty that keep the accounts current with relevant and timely posts. Here are some of the best organizations to follow:

  • @ASCD – an association for educators that provides professional development in many forms
  • @MarzanoResearch – Dr. Marzano’s organization is aimed at maximizing his research to boost student achievement
  • @MindShiftKQED – the educational branch of California news outlet KQED covers trends across the country
  • @NAESP – the National Association of Elementary School Principals supports elementary and middle school principals and other education leaders
  • @NASSP – the National Association for Secondary School Principals supports school leaders from across the United States and in over 35 countries around the world

By following the above accounts, you’ll find many others connected to their networks. Follow them and continue to grow your new professional learning community. Before long, you’ll have a well-developed and laser-focused network that can provide guidance, support, ideas, and fresh perspectives to help pull you through even the most difficult professional times. Best of all, your Twitter network is always accessible to you with the mere touch of a button.

What’s stopping you from connecting and learning on Twitter? 

Nicholas Indeglio, EdD, is the principal of Downingtown Middle School in Downingtown, PA. He is a 2017 Digital Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @DrIndeglio

Transforming Business Engagement at School, Part Two

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Guest post by Tommy T. Welch

In last week’s post, I described how Meadowcreek High School (MHS) has partnered with local and national businesses to develop a robust program of paid internships that are enhancing student learning and long-term curriculum development. Of course, this did not happen overnight. It took years of effort from hundreds of people all working toward a common goal. But I am absolutely confident that other communities can replicate our success. Below are a few tips on how to get started—please feel free to contact me for additional details and assistance (my email and Twitter handle can be found in my bio below).

  1. DO NOT ASK FOR MONEY! Instead, seek the industry- and job-specific knowledge and skills of the business partners.
  2. Establish common goals:
    • Create a memorandum of understanding with business and school goals
    • Know what your school needs and communicate it (e.g. increase funding to pay for AP exams)
    • Know what your partners need (e.g. increase applicants for infotech positions)
    • Understand your core values and each company’s core values—if those align, you will be in business for years
    • Determine length of partnership and evaluation metrics
  1. Monitor and implement:
    • Designate or establish a formal method of communicating and managing the business partners
    • Ensure companies have a voice in the curriculum development and instruction
    • Create an advisory committee if one does not exist
    • Opportunities should directly affect the students and teachers
  1. Celebrate and sustain relationships:
    • Set time twice a year to publicly celebrate your partners with performance awards; take the time to recognize them in their space—nominate them for a chamber or local community award
    • Ensure each business’s top management is aware of the partnership and the progress
    • Create a press release to disseminate information on progress
    • Invite the business partner’s network to join the school’s effort

When schools and businesses partner and invest in paid internships, businesses benefit from the completion of meaningful work while developing a highly skilled and diverse talent pipeline. Teachers benefit by seeing real-world application of knowledge and skills, which transfers to their instructional strategies.

At MHS, we have realized tremendous benefits from these win-win partnerships. I encourage everyone to consider developing similar programs to tap the full potential of your students and tighten the alignment between our educational mission and the economic future of our communities.

Think about how you can apply some of the best practices described above to develop paid internship programs and other forms of partnership with businesses in your community.

Tommy T. Welch, PhD, is the principal of Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, GA. Dr. Welch is a finalist for the 2018 National Principal of the Year award. He is also the 2017 Georgia Principal of Year and he was named the Outstanding High Schools That Work Administrator by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). Contact him at tommy_welch@gwinnett.k12.ga.us or follow him on Twitter @PrincipalWelch.

The Brownsburg Way, Part Two: Supporting Teachers to Succeed

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Guest post by Amber Schroering and Jim Snapp

In our post last week, we introduced you to The Brownsburg Way, the approach our district—the Brownsburg Community School Corporation (BCSC) in Central Indiana—uses to deliver consistent and high academic results year after year. We discussed how our narrow teaching and learning focus contributes to our achievement. Of course, curriculum and instructional programing aren’t the only factors. Without our stellar educators, none of our success would be possible. So how do we support our teachers so that they do their very best?

The answer to this question is twofold. First, we hire great teachers. When there is a teaching opening due to a retirement or a new position being added to support growing enrollment, we seek the very best candidate for the position whether it is a graduating college student or someone with previous experience in education. Only candidates who are committed to teaching in schools with very high performance expectations are successful in BCSC.

The second way we get the best out of our faculty is through focused professional development. Teachers new and old receive job-embedded professional development, including faculty meetings focused on instruction; professional learning communities dedicated to ensuring each student reaches his or her fullest potential; and subject-centered professional growth sessions that are linked directly to the classroom.

Most BCSC educators will share that our enduring success is due in large part to the successful utilization of professional learning communities (PLC). This time, set aside each Wednesday, allows teachers to meet in grade-level or subject-level groups to review the curriculum, discuss performance expectations, share effective instructional strategies, and most importantly, use relevant data sources to determine what needs to be done for students struggling to master the content or to enrich those who have already demonstrated mastery.

The most impressive feature of Brownsburg’s PLC process is the open dialogue between colleagues that often highlights a less effective instructional delivery method or student performance that falls short of expectations. In some schools, professionals would not open themselves up for such constructive feedback nor readily admit their failings, but that is not the case in Brownsburg.

All teachers value the feedback of their colleagues, and as a teacher new to Brownsburg, there are two important expectations. First, our new teachers are prepared to receive feedback—both positive and constructive. Many teachers initially struggle with such direct, developmental feedback, but over time, they come to highly value it as a source of improvement and support. Secondly, new teachers are equipped to provide feedback and share with colleagues. Too often, those relatively new to the profession hold back ideas and are concerned about sharing, especially at the beginning of the year. All teachers are expected to provide feedback to colleagues while asking questions in a genuine effort to improve as a professional.

We often say that our goal is to get better while helping others get better. To develop capacity, all educators in the system must focus on a few, very clear goals through a sustained effort over multiple years. Our system is specifically developed with this process in mind.

If you talk with a teacher in Brownsburg, it is likely that he or she will share that teaching in BCSC is hard work and expectations are very high for teacher performance and student learning. But our teachers will also hopefully share that the demonstrable impact they have on student learning is both professionally rewarding and a source of great pride.

The Brownsburg Way is certainly not a panacea for other districts. It takes consistent and repeated effort from many outstanding professionals to deliver our high results year after year. Our approach to hiring the best teachers and supporting them with embedded professional development contributes to our success. If you want to learn more about BCSC and The Brownsburg Way, feel free to contact us via Twitter (find our handles below) for details and assistance.

What does your school or district do to support teachers and help them do their very best?

Amber Schroering is an assistant principal at Brownsburg East Middle School and is the 2016 Indiana Assistant Principal of the Year. She presents regularly at state conferences and hosts site visits to teach others about The Brownsburg Way. Follow her on Twitter @AmberSchroering.

 Jim Snapp, EdD, is superintendent of Brownsburg Community School Corporation which serves nearly 9,000 students in the growing Indianapolis suburb. He served as a teacher, assistant principal, middle school principal, K–12 curriculum director, and assistant superintendent before assuming his current position in July 2010. In 2000, he was one of 120 principals selected from across the country by former United States Secretary of Education Richard Riley to participate in the first National Principals’ Leadership Summit. Snapp currently teaches graduate courses in curriculum and principal leadership at the University of Indianapolis. Follow him on Twitter @BCSC_SnappChat.


Creativity and Innovation in Secondary Education

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Guest post by Brian Pickering

What can secondary schools do to build a learning environment that fosters creativity and innovation?

Seven years ago, the leadership team at Contoocook Valley Regional High School, or ConVal, set off on a mission to answer this question. The goal was to guarantee all students the opportunity for academic and social support, as well as learning extensions and enrichment. The team at ConVal was able to accomplish this and so much more as they built a learner-centric environment that tapped into students’ passions, personalized educational pathways, and recognized students as important co-creators of their futures. The other unexpected benefit of building this creative secondary school culture was the success of dozens and now hundreds of schools throughout the country that have adopted the model.

During this journey, I have learned that there are two factors essential to developing this type of engaging, innovative learning environment: 1) a culture that empowers teachers, and 2) a flexible structure for all students. I call this approach, “Culture + Structure.”

Culture of Teacher Empowerment

The goal is to allow teachers the freedom to explore by creating a culture that empowers them to put new ideas into practice. So what does an empowered teacher look like? An empowered teacher seeks out new ideas through research, professional development, and collaboration, and continually reviews curriculum to meet the ever-changing needs of students. An empowered teacher adjusts instructional methods for varied learning styles and tries out new assessments which offer students creative ways to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. An empowered teacher takes risks and is not afraid to let students choose their learning path while staying focused on the key learning competencies.

Flexible Structure

A learning environment that fosters creativity and innovation requires a flexible structure. ConVal runs a block schedule and has a 43-minute flexible period in the middle of each day called TASC (Teachers in Academic Support Centers). TASC allows opportunities for relearning, extensions, and enrichments, as well as mentoring and advising. TASC gives students timely help and intervention and a mentor to guide them through the academic, social, and emotional stressors of high school. What teachers gain through TASC is the opportunity to address students’ academic and personal needs before they become bigger problems. This flexible structure provides the support and interventions necessary for students and teachers to turn their attention to more creative and innovative ventures.

Creative Renaissance

This Culture + Structure led to a variety of new and engaging learning opportunities at ConVal and started a renaissance at dozens of schools. Students at ConVal were able to engage in exciting learning opportunities, such as “Screenwriting in the Schools” and the Cornucopia, “Farm to Fork Fellowship.” In the classroom, there are more opportunities to create, like a student who designed a 1920s-period dress for her final project on The Great Gatsby or a teacher who offered her students a cartoon alternative to an argumentative essay.

Perhaps one of the best illustrations of the creative renaissance at ConVal was the “Making a Living Making Art: S.T.E.A.M. at Work” program, which began with the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts grant. This program brought five artists into the school for two full days to meet with teachers, work with students directly on creative projects, and share their experiences working in a creative field. Students learned from Tania León, the award-winning American Latino composer and conductor; MacDowell Fellow Gabriel Jesiolowski, an award-winning designer, poet, and artist; and ConVal graduate Jason Warnesky, a successful animation artist for The Simpsons.

Creativity and innovation flourish when schools empower teachers to take risks and when they provide a flexible structure that gives students the right support and opportunities for enrichment. What does your school do to bring creativity and innovation into the learning environment?

Brian Pickering has been involved in New Hampshire education for 30 years as a teacher, coach, administrator, and now, consultant. During his tenure as principal of Contoocook Valley Regional High School, from 2010–17, the school was twice considered as a candidate for the New Hampshire Excellence in Education Award. In 2016, Pickering was recognized as the New Hampshire Secondary School Principal of the Year. He now helps train secondary school leaders to develop their curriculum and culture into a more personalized, creative, and innovative model for teacher and student success. Follow him on Twitter @bsppickering and learn about his consulting practice, Pickering Educational Services.

Leadership Lessons From the NASSP Digital Principals

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Guest post by Winston Sakurai

Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure to get to know, learn from, and study some of the most innovative educators in the nation: the NASSP Digital Principals. This cohort of school leaders has a passion to improve the educational experiences of students and use sound leadership strategies mixed with a bit of technology in order to deliver on that goal. They share common practices—most notably, harnessing the power of the members of the school community—to drive student success.

What can school leaders learn from our digital leaders? How do our Digital Principals lead the way in creating innovative learning experiences and supportive school environments? Here are just a few key themes of their practice.

Empathy, Empathy, Empathy

One of the first things I learned from the Digital Principals is that leadership starts with empathy. There is a heavy-duty desire among these leaders to understand the needs and the lives of their staff, students, and parents. It’s not a coincidence that many of them live and work in the communities where they grew up. Digital Principals Bill Ziegler and Glenn Robbins returned to the same area, or in Ziegler’s case, to the same high school he attended. There is a deep connection to wanting to make their schools the best, and they have made a personal investment to work toward that goal.

Empathetic educators ensure the growth and success of each person they encounter. When a teacher has a need, reflect upon what it was like being a teacher, then make decisions that benefit both the school and the faculty member. This process works likewise for students.

Empowerment and Risk-Taking

Another important lesson I’ve learned from our Digital Principals is that innovation happens when leaders empower those around them and create a culture for risk-taking. It is essential to adjust to the needs of students to transform schools because the world is constantly changing. But school leaders cannot be the experts on everything, so you must trust the people around you to help improve your school.

Innovation cannot be forced on teachers from a top-down approach. Rather, effective leaders must first foster the growth of teachers in order to promote innovation and improve student learning. Students can also help and lead the way in creating and implementing innovative ideas.

In addition to empowering others, our digital leaders create environments that allow others to challenge the status quo and break down barriers to learning. I’ve learned to take risks and allow others to take risks. An important part of a risk-taking environment is not to penalize failures but see them as opportunities to learn and grow together. Innovation is not something that just happens the first time; it takes many iterations to get it exactly right. Unless there is opportunity to prototype and refine, the greatest ideas are never born.

Collaborative Leadership

The nature of being an innovator means always being on the forefront of change to improve student learning. This forward-thinking mentality can cause unsettled feelings among faculty and staff who are wary of the unknown and see change as a threat to their current practices. How our Digital Principals combat this challenge is through collaboration. In order for innovative ideas to get off the ground, leaders need to bring the team together. Without this collaborative process, they will not be successful.

The innovation that results from the team is unique, outside the box, and what some might call “a little crazy.” It means trying to make schools exciting places for students to learn by understanding what they want to learn. It means not tolerating toxic educational practices that don’t engage or empower others. It means taking the time to learn and figure out what the real problems are together. Innovation and creativity within schools requires a growth mindset culture where people are free and supported to implement innovative ideas. It takes courage, risk-taking, and the ability to reach out to stakeholders to ensure collaborative work.

Find out more about this innovative group of school leaders and connect with our Digital Principals by visiting www.nassp.org/recognition/digital-principals-of-the-year.

Winston Sakurai is the upper school principal at Hanalani Schools in Mililani, HI. He was a 2016 Digital Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @WinstonSakurai and join him every Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. (ET) for a Twitter conversation using the hashtag #prinleaderchat.

Empowering Students to Aspire Higher

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Guest post by Kasey L. Teske

All students have dreams of success after high school, but for some students, their dreams are merely wishes that never come to fruition. How can schools empower more students to aspire higher and reach for their dreams? At Canyon Ridge High School (CRHS) in Idaho, we have made it our mission to help students dream and find success both during and after high school. Our three-part approach focuses on personal goal-setting and preparation for college, career, and life; accountability and support for academic success; and relationship building that cultivates and maintains student interest in school.

Mission GEAR UP

Because of our reenergized mission to gear up all students for college, career, and life, we designed an advisory program and career center at CRHS. Through our advisory program every student has to write down big dreams for their future and create a go-on plan for college and career. Our career center has become a real hub in our school with students constantly seeking guidance to apply to college and for financial aid. Last year, 80 percent of our graduates left our high school with the door open to college—they were accepted to college and completed their FAFSA application for financial aid.

Redesigning Accountability and Support

Most high school students are pushed out by lack of attendance and academic success (see Why Students Drop Out). Thus, our most wildly important goal is for all students to earn a high GPA and pass every class. Our administrative team shares weekly updates about the progress of this goal to staff, students, and parents. Our lead targets for first quarter were a 95 percent attendance rate, a 95 percent passing rate, and a 3.0 average GPA. As an incentive, I told the student body that I would shave my head if they achieved all three. This did get students talking, but in the end, we didn’t hit our lead targets first quarter. We did, however, do better than ever before—93% attendance rate, 93% passing rate, and 2.91 average GPA.

What did we do differently besides setting a clear and compelling goal with specific measures that would relate to all stakeholders, especially students? We designed accountability and support checkpoints along the way. Every three weeks we have planned Accountability Days that provide students the chance to earn a half day off if they have no D’s or F’s and have three or fewer absences. If students don’t meet this standard, they have the mandated opportunity to choose three extra-help sessions for their three lowest classes. These students then must attend the three extra-help sessions after lunch while the students who did meet the standard get the half day off. This gives the students who need it, a chance to make up work for better grades and make up attendance. It is the students’ last chance to fix grades before the teachers move on. The effectiveness of Accountability Days is evident—the result is always an increased passing rate for the school over the prior week.       

Closing the Activity Gap

When big dreams are not enough to keep students in school, caring relationships can help. High school students benefit in many ways from participating in school-related, extracurricular activities (see The Activity Gap). But many of our students who are living in poverty often don’t participate in extracurricular activities because they work or watch younger siblings after school. What if all students had the chance to belong to a school-related club of their choice during school? What if all students had the chance to form relationships with other students and a caring adult of like interests through a club during their day? These what-ifs were compelling enough for our students to organize Club Day—a day with a long advisory period that gives all students the opportunity to attend the club of their choice with an adult advisor and reap the benefits of participation.

Positive Growth

Our data for this three-part approach indicates positive growth. Our graduation rate is on the rise at 89 percent. We are leading the Magic Valley region of Idaho in dual-credit enrollments for the second year in a row. And our go-on rate to college jumped to 53 percent—our highest percentage ever. While we continue to make improvements, these strategies empower our students and help them turn their dreams into reality during high school and beyond.

What strategies empower your students to aspire higher? What practices have been effective to raise your graduation rate and go-on rate to college?

Kasey L. Teske, PhD, is the principal of Canyon Ridge High School in Twin Falls, ID, and also serves on the NASSP Board of Directors. He is the Idaho 2017 Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @principalteske.

Building Community and Literacy: One Book, One School Program

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Guest post by Maureen Doyle Kemmett

Compelled to increase literacy skills in students and build a stronger school culture, our leadership team at Furnace Brook Middle School (FBMS) in Marshfield, MA, initiated a One Book, One School (OBOS) program in 2013. After spending the better part of a school year forming a literacy committee, researching OBOS programs, and planning for the kickoff, we were off and running with our inaugural OBOS summer reading program. Now five years later, it has become an integral part of our school, improving student literacy and building a strong and positive community.

Here are some key lessons we’ve learned along this journey:

Set the purpose. The literacy committee consists of a volunteer group of staff members who represent diverse content areas and work collaboratively throughout the school year creating ways to improve literacy. In choosing and providing one book to all 1100 students, they find meaningful ways to promote our school’s academic and social curriculum through whole-school and individual class lessons related to the themes of one carefully selected, outstanding young adult book.

Select the right book. Members of the literacy committee spend a great deal of time reading and discussing books during the year before the June announcement of the selection, which the students read over the summer. Choosing a book that catches the interest of adolescents, captures the desired theme of the coming year, and has an appropriate reading level is key to the success of the OBOS program.

Adopt a year-long theme. One of the most important components of our OBOS program has been the selection of a book the committee finds meaningful in order to enhance the school’s goals and unite the school community and all stakeholders around a specific theme. The first book we selected was Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, and our theme for the school year was “Choose Kind.”

Plan. Plan. Plan. The administrative team and literacy committee spend the school year selecting a book, securing the funding to purchase the books, planning the rollout for the upcoming year, organizing a full-day curriculum event in September (which we called “Wonder Day” for our first book), booking guest speakers, and scheduling and advertising summer student and parent discussion groups related to the book.

Our second year, we selected A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park, with a year-long theme of “One Step at a Time, One Problem at a Time.” After reading this engaging book about the flight of the Lost Boys of Sudan, we had two of the Lost Boys come and present to our students. They spoke of overcoming hardship in the face of adversity and demonstrating grit—two more of our themes that year. Working with Water for South Sudan, we raised $15,000, the amount required to build a community well in South Sudan. Incorporating a fundraising event related to the book further develops community and builds empathy.

Bring your enthusiasm. The selection of the summer OBOS is kept confidential by the literacy committee and administration team until the spring kickoff. We communicate the theme, our year-long plans, and promote the book with great enthusiasm. We visit our district’s five elementary schools to deliver the books and present to our incoming 6th graders, giving each student a copy of the book and a bookmark we create with pertinent information about the book. The bookmark typically has our objective for summer reading and a brief plot summary, as well as any important background information for understanding the book. For example, the bookmark was important with our selection three years ago, The Finest Hours, a nonfiction book by Michael Tougias and Casey Sherman, as the book had a significant amount of nautical terms our students would not necessarily know.

Unite the people. A highlight of our OBOS program is the full-day event in September when the entire school day focuses on the themes of the book. Every member of the school community receives a t-shirt designed by the committee and we come together as an entire school to celebrate literacy and the themes.

The OBOS program has become a vital practice and has built a positive culture not only in our school but also in the entire community.

How do you build positive culture and a sense of community in your school?

Maureen Doyle Kemmett is the new principal of Furnace Brook Middle School in Marshfield, MA, and she served as an assistant principal there for 12 years. Kemmett is the 2017 Massachusetts Assistant Principal of the Year. Follow her on Twitter @KemmettM

Trading Achievement for Inspiration: Reimagining Success in Schools

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Guest post by John Clements

I am an optimist about the future of schools and learning. My unwavering hope as an educational leader springs from the expanding definition of what it means to be a successful school. For decades, perhaps since the foreboding message of “A Nation at Risk,” educators have equated success with one word: achievement. While the lens of student achievement may provide a well-intentioned view of school, it clouds the vision of schools as places that engage, empower, and inspire students. Achievement ignores the inherently aspirational aspects of learning.

Ask any mom or dad what type of schooling they want for their child and you’re likely to hear about curiosity, excitement, and joy in learning. Ask educators what they believe about learning, and they’ll tell you about experiences that ignite students’ interests, promote creativity, and provide a link between the classrooms and the community. Ask students what they love about school and they’ll share stories of collaboration, exploration, and times when learning was just plain fun.

No one—not parents, teachers, or students—will tell you about final exams, or test data, or number 2 pencils.

I find hope in the increasing awareness of the incongruity between what we believe about learning and what we practice in our classrooms. In schools across our nation, educators are moving beyond simple achievement to design curriculum, instruction, and assessment that align with the aspirational parts of learning. In my role as principal of Nipmuc Regional High School, I see that this work takes many forms.

While the subjects, the instruction, and the teachers vary, three elements remain consistent as we make school less about achievement and more about learning. First, these learning experiences provide students with agency, giving them opportunities to pursue their passions. Next, in acting as leaders of their own learning, students have the chance to engage in deep inquiry which activates their curiosity and creativity. Finally, students participate in real work that matters, taking learning beyond the classroom to make a community impact. Here are several examples of how educators at Nipmuc have taken actionable steps toward aspirational learning.

21st-Century Learning Conferences

These conferences are full-day events that answer the question, “If you had a day to learn something new, what would you want to learn?” Modeled after professional conferences but offered to students, these events are designed through school-wide brainstorming sessions that collect hundreds of ideas about the students’ interests. Teachers and community members then design workshops that allow students to explore these ideas. Through these conferences Nipmuc has welcomed more than 200 community partners to campus to guide students in deep inquiry on a range of explorations.

Lead Learner Meetings

Looking to provide students with a voice and encourage shared leadership? Consider trading traditional, hierarchical meetings of your leadership team for open meetings with students and teachers. At Nipmuc, we have replaced traditional department chair meetings with Lead Learner meetings—monthly workshops in which students and teachers explore concepts such as agency, inquiry, and community-based problem-solving. Meetings are open to all students and teachers, encouraging a culture of learning for all.

Food for Thought Lunches

Held monthly, these lunchtime events give teachers the chance to ask students about what’s working, what’s not, and how schools need to evolve in order to value inspiration over achievement. Simply gather 12–15 students with a small group of teachers, post key questions on chart paper, ask students to answer the questions, and discuss.

Community Advisory Board

Get your community members involved in the conversation about reimagining our schools. Use your mass email system to invite parents from grades K–12 to participate in a conversation about what our schools look like at their best. Build consensus, excitement, and momentum around the future of learning.

Tell Stories of Learning

Look for the moments of awesomeness in your school where teachers are providing opportunities for agency, inquiry, and authenticity. Be sure that these stories of learning—rather than stories of achievement—are the ones you promote through blogs, face-to-face meetings, and newsletters.

My excitement about moving beyond the limits of achievement to redefine successful schools grows each time I speak to a student, parent, or educator who has seen learning lead to inspiration. To build a network of support for this movement toward aspirational learning, my colleagues and I launched the Inspired Learning Project, a free network of like-minded educators who are interested in evolving education. It provides a way to connect with amazing educators, access scalable practices that inspire student learning, find actionable resources, and participate in monthly face-to-face digital conversations about the future of learning. Join us on the journey to reimagine school at www.theinspiredlearningproject.weebly.com.

John Clements is principal of Nipmuc Regional High School in Upton, MA, a 1:1 learning school that is dedicated to its core values and driven by its beliefs about learning. He is a believer in the power of professional collaboration and sharing as a way to make schools places of inspired learning. He is the 2017 Massachusetts Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @JohnKClements.

 

Walk a Mile in Their Shoes: Crafting Meaningful Conversations With Our Stakeholders

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Guest post by Chris Koch

A colleague with whom I’d shared a classroom once asked me what the toughest part was about being an administrator. The look on his face revealed his surprise at how quickly I answered, “Having meaningful conversations with staff, students, and parents.”

Several years ago, I was in a unique position. I was finishing my 18th year as a classroom teacher when my school hired me to take over as assistant principal. Despite widespread support, I now found myself having many conversations, some difficult, with the staff, students, and parents whom I had worked alongside or taught just months before. Over time, I began to recognize the importance of making sure that each conversation was mutually beneficial and acknowledging that these conversations were a critical component in building lasting relationships.

Here are some lessons I’ve learned about talking with our stakeholders:

Conversations With Staff

  • Staff members want to be heard. It is important to have an open-door policy and take the time to listen to what your staff has to say. They will appreciate the opportunity to be heard.
  • Honesty is always the best policy. Being open, transparent, and honest with your staff quickly leads to trust upon which a positive climate can be built.
  • You are all on the same team. Regardless of the issue, the staff member and the school leader must work together through open dialogue to bring it to a successful resolution.
  • In the end, we are working toward a common goal. As you work through the conversation, thoughts shared should always remain focused on what is best for students. This will often remove personal feelings and emotion from the situation.
  • Remember, you’ve been on the other side of the desk. The vast majority of school leaders spent many years in the classroom or working in education. It is important to always remember where you came from.

Conversations With Students

  • Students are the reasons we do what we do. We have been called to work with young people; they are our largest and most important group of stakeholders. We want to be there, and they need us.
  • Model appropriate behavior and respect. We will have thousands of conversations with students. They are always watching to see how we respond, react, and treat them and they will more often respond in kind.
  • Keep it positive. As leaders, we will have a wide range of conversations with our students, some easy, some difficult. Regardless of the situation, shining a positive light on even the most difficult conversation will likely lead to a favorable outcome.
  • Students are in the process of learning and growing. In the moments before I talk to students, I remind myself that they are students and that each of these conversations is a learning experience like any other. A well-crafted conversation should lead to new learning.
  • Talk WITH them, not TO them. It is important to allow them to be an active participant in a respectful, appropriate conversation. Talking with them not only affirms a mutual respect but often leads to a more fruitful discussion.

Conversations With Parents

  • Parents are working to protect and support their child. I used to think that my perspective was the most important. As I grew into my role, I shifted my thinking and realized that each conversation was a piece in creating a partnership between the school and home, and as a result, my conversations became much richer.
  • Don’t just listen … HEAR. The majority of parents we will speak with are not educators. We have to allow the people on the other end of the line or across the table to find their way through a situation while we guide them along the way.
  • When appropriate, share your story. I have often had a good deal of success in sharing the fact that I am a parent too. Parenthood comes in different shapes and sizes, but it is a common bond among adults with children. Find a way to relate whenever you can.
  • Parents are active participants in the process. Allow parents to participate in the process from the beginning and to work with you in support of an eventual resolution.
  • Have an exit strategy. Conversations can get bogged down. When speaking with parents, have a reasonable exit strategy. There has to be an appropriate way to end a conversation, and whether it’s apparent or not, parents are looking for a resolution to build upon as the work between the school and home continues.

What are your most effective practices for having meaningful conversations with staff, students, and parents?

Chris Koch is the assistant principal of Frank Scott Bunnell High School in Stratford, CT. He was the 2017 Connecticut High School Assistant Principal of the Year.

Celebrate National School Breakfast Week, March 5–9!

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Guest post by Alison Maurice

Why celebrate school breakfast? Because it not only fights hunger and improves children’s nutrition, but it is a vital tool for improving the academic achievement of your students.

Tight family budgets and hectic morning schedules make eating breakfast before the school day difficult for too many families. The School Breakfast Program plays a critical role in ensuring your students receive the basic nutrition they need to start the school day ready to learn.

Studies show that students who eat breakfast at school, closer to class and test-taking time, perform better on standardized tests when compared to students that skip breakfast or eat breakfast at home. Additionally, children and adolescents who are experiencing hunger have poorer grades and slower memory recall. Participating in school breakfast allows students to focus on the tasks ahead of them, rather than their empty stomachs.

Hunger also can contribute to student behavioral problems. Research suggests that students who eat school breakfast are less likely to exhibit behavioral and psychological distress and have lower rates of absence and tardiness. Furthermore, schools that are providing school breakfast through after the bell programs, such as breakfast in the classroom, “grab and go,” and second chance breakfast, have observed fewer behavioral problems requiring disciplinary office referrals, allowing educators to spend more class time on the curriculum.

The School Breakfast Program is an essential tool for ensuring that students have the nutrition needed to thrive academically, but it helps support health, too! Studies have found that children and adolescents who participate in school breakfast are less likely to be overweight and have more favorable weight outcomes such as a lower body max index (BMI), an indicator of excess body fat, while skipping breakfast has been associated with a higher risk of obesity in the short and long terms. School breakfast also reduces visits to the school nurse, especially in the morning.

The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) recently released its annual School Breakfast Scorecard: School Year 2016–2017, which further details the benefits of school breakfast, strategies for successfully increasing participation, and state and national participation rates in the program.

Here are a few highlights from the report:

  • 2 million low-income children participated in the School Breakfast Program on a typical day in the 2016–17 school year.
  • 6 low-income children participated in school breakfast for every 100 that participated in school lunch.
  • Breakfast after the bell programs, and those that offer free breakfast to all students, increase low-income students’ participation in school breakfast.
  • Community eligibility, the most recent federal option for high-poverty schools to offer breakfast (and lunch) to all students for free with less administrative work, helped drive school breakfast participation.

While school breakfast participation continues to grow and reach more students than ever before, there are still millions of low-income children missing out on school breakfast. The 2018 National School Breakfast Week offers an important opportunity to celebrate the amazing benefits of school breakfast and to spread the word about successful strategies to increase participation.

For ideas to celebrate National School Breakfast Week in your school, please visit the FRAC/NASSP co-branded  Secondary School Principals’ Breakfast After the Bell Toolkit.  In this toolkit, you will find tips for a successful breakfast after the bell program, sample outreach materials, and event planning materials.

Visit FRAC’s school breakfast page for more information and countless resources on the National School Breakfast Program.

Alison Maurice is a child nutrition policy analyst at the Food Research & Action Center. Contact her at amaurice@frac.org or 202-986-2200, ext. 5056.

 


How Technology Can Remove All Obstacles

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Guest post by Nicholas Indeglio

In August of 1997, when I was the Nittany Lion mascot at Pennsylvania State University, I had the opportunity to attend College Spirit Camp at East Tennessee State University run by the Universal Cheerleading Association. The top college mascots in the country assembled to learn from one another and jockey for position at the upcoming 1998 National Championships. For three days, I learned from and shared with Aubie the Tiger from Auburn, Big Al the Elephant from Alabama, and the Wildcat from Kentucky. I furiously scribbled notes in my paper journal and recorded dance moves and skits with an old-school, mini VHS video camera.

When camp ended—and before we went our separate ways—we exchanged mailing addresses so we could write letters to one another. A few of us exchanged our families’ home phone numbers and a couple of us in the “tech savvy” category took a stab at a nascent technology known as email. In short, this group of mascot royalty, who had formed a fast bond and friendship, quickly fell apart because there was no easy way to maintain or grow relationships over thousands of miles.

Fast-forward to the winter of 2017 as I was preparing for my first powerlifting competition. Brian, one of my best friends and training partners, lived forty minutes away and had different work hours from mine. Rickey, a former colleague who was training for a meet at around the same time, was working abroad, in Japan.

Due to amazing advances in technology, we quickly decided that we could still train together and motivate one another. First, we picked one common weekend time to have a live video chat in Google Hangouts. During each of our four main workouts, we agreed to take videos of our heaviest set and share them via group text, so we could offer constructive criticism and encouragement. Finally, we coordinated a group on Voxer and shared audio monologues about our triumphs, failures, ponderings, and anecdotes. When convenient, we would listen to those messages and respond, thus giving us all a chance to hear sincere, fortifying words of encouragement. We found our “race crew.”

All of this technology can empower principals to escape isolation and overcome scheduling challenges to form powerful, collegial cohorts. Many intermediate units and local organizations hold periodic meetings in an attempt to bring principals together. Unfortunately, these meetings are often lightly attended due to the difficulty for principals to be out of the building. But such meetings, which are powerful for problem-solving and camaraderie, can be held virtually, using applications like Skype, Google Hangouts, or a more robust platform like GoToMeeting. Virtual meetings relieve the anxiety of being out of the building and more importantly, can lead to a higher level of focus depending on the technological platform being used. Moreover, information, notes, and anecdotes can be captured easily and shared through selected applications’ recording capabilities.

A powerful application that bridges the gap between groups and creates a more authentic experience for interaction and community is Voxer. The company describes the free product as a “mobile messaging solution for customer-facing teams and distributed workforces” that can function in real-time or any time. I use Voxer with two of my colleagues who are principals in other school districts, one at the elementary level and the other at the high school level. We leave each other audio messages to share anecdotes or articulate questions we’re trying to problem-solve. Sometimes a message that would otherwise have been lost in an email or text becomes the catalyst for a whole line of dialogue and discussion. There’s a special power in hearing someone’s actual voice where true human emotion can be more easily conveyed. The three of us have been able to prevent isolation, offer empathy, and problem-solve situations that occur at almost every school no matter the grade level. Technology has removed the manifold obstacles associated with distance, creating a close-knit community.

What are your experiences in using technology to connect with other school leaders?

Nicholas Indeglio, EdD, is the principal of Downingtown Middle School in Downingtown, PA. He is the 2017 Digital Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @DrIndeglio

Student Voice: The Most Important Sound in the School

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Guest post by Bobby Bennett

In 2012, I became principal of my alma mater—only the second alumnus since the 1890s to have such an opportunity. No pressure! Eager to begin the work of serving my community and school improvement, I held a series of meetings with staff and the school community over the course of the first three months. These meetings would shape our work for the next five years. In fact, what we learned and put into practice not only yielded academic success, it transformed the culture of our school.

The Beginning

Our story is like many eastern Kentucky communities where the loss of the coal industry has created great economic hardship. Regardless of the outside struggles, we still had a building filled with kids who needed hope and help. Analyzing state testing data provided insight into academic issues, but it gave almost no information as to the reasons for us to be where we were. What we needed were causal connections. Our assistant principal and I discussed safety and behavioral program needs. Our counselor, department chairs, and I examined our college and career readiness approach and discovered we needed to overhaul our schedule while designing new pathways for our students. However, our most important discoveries were made during a series of meetings with our student government officers.

The Process

The discussions that transpired with the student leaders were insightful and inspiring. They were eager to be heard. Their understanding of our environment was clear, and their mature, positive approach to change was incredible. Our discussions led us to create a motto, redesign a school logo, perform a yearlong study of a cen

tury of school history, bring back lost traditions, and focus on whole student development.

By the end of this first year the metamorphosis was in full swing. We talked daily about the phrase we created: “Yellow Jacket PRIDE: Persistence, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Excellence.” All decisions were rooted in the best interest of students and the impact on our culture. We held monthly class meetings and discussed the connections between choices and consequences, attitude and behavior, school and life. In every conversation we had with students, we openly discussed the importance of having a positive attitude and making thoughtful choices. These meetings played an integral role in changing our culture. The kids even called me their principal and life coach.

The student government wanted to produce a new logo that would speak to the history of our school and the essence of what we could be. They decided on “Tradition. Pride. Excellence.” It worked. Everyone bought into the phrase, and now it’s a staple of our culture.

The Result

Since 2012, our school has enjoyed steady academic growth. We’ve seen improvements in ACT performance, state testing results, college and career readiness; a reduction in the number of students scoring at the novice level; and Kentucky GAP closures in achievement, opportunity, and learning. In addition, our graduation percentage rate has been consistently in the mid-nineties since 2013. While all of the successes we’ve enjoyed for the past five years have had a strong connection to an excellent, dedicated faculty, individual and group data monitoring, recreating our instructional design and curricular offerings amidst a multitude of other small changes, the key was—and continues to be—student voice.

By listening to our kids, we created an environment that was all inclusive. Once they realized that their voice was important and had an impact on our decisions, the culture experienced a dramatic shift. The formula for our success was fairly simple: Give every shareholder an equal voice, but listen most closely to the students. It is all about the students, their success and future.

The insightful opinions and ideas of the student government officers shaped the positive change that occurred in our high school. They helped to create an improved culture and climate that allowed for a focus on learning. Preparing for life’s journey through discussions, examination, and change has become a key process at our school. Listening to the voice of our students changed our school—and me.

How do you hear what your students think? Does student voice play a role in the decision-making process of your school? We would love to hear about it!

Bobby Bennett serves as the principal of Middlesboro High School (MHS) in Middlesboro, KY. MHS has been a Proficient and Distinguished ranked Kentucky high school since 2013 and was a 2017 U.S. News and World Report Best High School. Bennett is the president of the KASSP, president of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators Center for Education Leadership, and was the 2017 Kentucky Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @BobBennett16.

What’s in Your School Leadership Playbook?

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Guest post by Burke Davis

As an avid sports fan and longtime coach, I have learned a lot of lessons from the world of sports, such as the importance of commitment, hard work, and culture. Coaches like Urban Meyer, Jay Wright, Tony Dungy, and Vince Lombardi inspire me to do my best and show me what it takes to build a winning team. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that leaders don’t just happen. Leadership is a skill, and like any skill, we must practice in order to improve our skills and develop as leaders. As an assistant principal at Shelley High School (SHS) in Idaho, I have worked diligently to develop my skills as a leader for the sake of my students and staff.

Here are some of the lessons I have learned about leadership in my time as an educator: 

  • Collaboration is a key element for student achievement, and educators need to work together to be successful. As an administrator, my role is to find ways to help teachers collaborate with one another and also to work together with staff. Our weekly PLC time at SHS helps to accomplish both goals. Another way to promote collaboration is to get into classrooms as an administrator and talk to teachers about what is happening in their classroom.
  • Trust the people around you. It’s a matter of attitude. Assume that other people’s motives are good unless they prove otherwise. If you trust people, you will treat them better; if you treat them better, you and they will be more likely to create collaborative relationships.
  • Improve communication to solve problems. According to author and leadership guru John C. Maxwell, the majority of problems people deal with are a result of poor communication or miscommunication. Maxwell offers three ways to improve:
    1. Be honest and candid: Being candid for a school leader means there are no hidden agendas and there is no sugarcoating.
    2. Be quick: Talk with someone as soon as possible. When I postpone a conversation, I build up more anxiety than if I had just taken care of it right away.
    3. Be inclusive: Talk to many people to gain a better understanding of a situation or issue. Ask questions like “How would you handle this?” or “What do you think about the situation?” More minds are always better than one.
  • Perform with consistency. Great leaders are consistent in the way they handle people and situations. Staff and students alike need predictability from you as an administrator. I always have an open-door policy; teachers and students know they can come to me at any time to discuss issues or get assistance. Staff and students also know that I will remain cool and calm when confronted with situations and issues happening at school. The more consistent you are, the more trust and respect others will have for you.
  • Pay attention to how you play and stop keeping score! In our test-driven school culture, it is easy to get caught up in school rankings and test scores. Though it can be difficult, I have found more success in paying attention to the approach we take with students and learning instead of focusing on the results.
  • Establish a culture of caring. One of the ways we do this is by building relationships with all of our students. I make an effort to know as many students on a first-name basis as possible, which helps to create a friendly environment that is more conducive to learning. One of the things I am most proud of is the results of our school climate survey from last year, which showed that 94 percent of our students feel cared about by at least one adult at our school.
  • Act rather than react. It is inevitable that things are going to go wrong at school sometimes. Though we’d like to control our circumstances to avoid situations and issues, I have learned it is better to control our responses to circumstances. And when I find myself reacting to a situation and emotions are involved, I press the pause button and gather my thoughts before I address a problem or a person.
  • Build up those around you. One thing I have learned in my time in school leadership is that it’s not about me. I am here to serve others and help get the best out of them. Whether it is helping a new teacher gain confidence in the classroom or helping a student through a difficult situation, I work to see the positive in people rather than focus on the negative. I have learned to see others as they could be, not how they are now, which helps them reach their maximum potential.

Do you practice these leadership skills in your daily work? What are the key elements of your leadership playbook?

Burke Davis is assistant principal of Shelley High School in Shelley, ID. Previously, he taught health and social studies and coached football and boys and girls basketball. He was the 2017 Idaho Assistant Principal of the Year.

Allow Yourself to Be a Beginner Again

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Guest post by Brandon Mowinkel

From: Brandon Mowinkel
Date: Friday, March 25, 2016 at 12:03 AM
To: Brandon Mowinkel
Subject:
Allow yourself to be a beginner again…

I was recently cleaning out my inbox and came across this email sent from me to me at three minutes past midnight. This isn’t necessarily odd as I send myself emails all the time of things I need to do or want to remember. However, I have no context for this email—the body of the email was blank. What was I watching or reading that I felt compelled enough to send these seven words? What was it that resonated with me at the time? As I ponder and reflect upon these words, I wonder when was the last time I was truly a beginner again.

Although being a beginner opens one up to fear, vulnerability, and the unknown, the payoff can be one of joy, excitement, accomplishment, and newfound passions. After being fired from Apple, Steve Jobs embraced the opportunity to become a beginner again and said, “[Being a beginner] freed me to enter into one of the most creative periods of my life.”

Watch any toddler or young child play, and they aren’t afraid to try new things. Whether it is learning to swim, riding a bike, or shooting hoops, they try and fail over and over again until they finally get it right. There is a sense of excitement to what they are doing, and nothing will stop them from achieving their goal. But as we get older, this sense of excitement and wonder turns into fear and eventually a lack of trying new things altogether.

As educators, it is easy to become stuck in what we do and only tend to the needs of our jobs. Our routines follow a distinct calendar with the occasional disruption, but for the most part, we stick to the schedule and take on the ebbs and flows that come with being an administrator. This leaves little time to dabble in something new.

As school leaders we are constantly learning, whether it be attending professional development opportunities, reading, participating in discussions, or relying on our network and mentors for support and guidance. But what would happen if we took 30 minutes a day to learn a new skill, research a topic of interest, or explore an unfamiliar art form?

Recently, I had the opportunity to become a beginner again. As a former shop teacher, I love working with my hands and honing my shop skills. This school year we hired a new shop teacher who wanted to learn how to run the CNC plasma cutter. As neither of us had used this before, I told him I would work on getting it up and running. In less than five hours on a Saturday, with help from our tech department, our former shop teacher, and YouTube videos, I was able to program and run the CNC cutter. Not only had I learned a new skill, but I became energized by the process. Becoming a beginner forced me to problem-solve, engage with equipment I was not familiar with, and most importantly, learn a new skill from start to finish.

As an administrator, what is a skill, trade, or topic you have always wanted to explore? How can you find 30 minutes here and there to “become a beginner again”? Take time to invest in yourself and see what a difference it makes in your attitude. We all have something we want to learn—now go out and find it!

Brandon Mowinkel is the principal at Milford Jr./Sr. High School in Milford, NE, where he has spent his entire career, previously serving as the industrial technology teacher and an assistant principal. He is actively involved in Nebraska Association of Secondary School Principals and is the current president of the organization. Follow him on Twitter @bmowinkel.

 

Pave the Way for Freshman Success With an After-School Intervention Program

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Guest post by Kimie Carroll

I often say to the students that I mentor in our ninth-grade intervention program: “My job is to protect you from yourself.” As anyone who has worked with theses student know, freshmen don’t always make the wisest choices and they need lots of adult support to make positive decisions and pass their classes. To address these problems and reduce the failure rate, Canby High School in 2010 started an after-school intervention program called CATS, or Cougars Achieving Together = Success, designed to provide freshmen with the support and structure needed to make a successful transition into high school.

How CATS Works

The program offers two 90-minute sessions per week, after school on Mondays and Wednesdays. Transportation is available for students who ride the bus, and snacks are provided. During this time, our certified teachers work with freshmen to help them develop the skills and mindset they need to succeed academically throughout their high school career. The teachers give lessons on study skills, organization, self-advocacy, and communication to help students develop a growth mindset. After these lessons, students use the rest of their time to work on assignments and study. The teacher answers questions and offers assistance to help students not only complete their work but also learn the skills, knowledge, and concepts necessary to understand the curriculum. Classes are generally no larger than ten students per teacher.

Who Participates?

Our administrative team works closely with the middle school and K–8 school that feed into our high school to introduce eighth graders to CATS. The students learn that if they fail one or more classes during the last semester of eighth grade, then they are required to participate in CATS the first trimester of high school. It is also for students who fail one or more classes during the first or second trimester their freshman year. If students are passing classes at progress reporting time or after, they can exit CATS, but if they drop below a 65 percent in any class, they must reenter CATS.

Students can also elect to stay in CATS and some do. They recognize the value and say they are passing classes because of CATS. Coaches are also supportive of this program, and students who miss practices or games because of CATS are not penalized because of the importance of academics. They are student athletes, and coaches value that.

What We’ve Learned

Freshmen don’t love CATS. Most recognize the value though. Since 2013, we have conducted an annual informal survey with small groups of juniors and seniors who were in CATS. One hundred percent of them said the program helped them, and a large majority even said it provided a strong foundation for the rest of high school. In the past two years, I have asked students what I could have done to help them get the message about the importance of academics, good attendance, etc. their freshman year. All of them said there was nothing I could have said, they just had to grow up.

What this information means for us is that we can’t intervene in all areas for students. They need to progress on their own, make mistakes, learn from those mistakes, and figure things out. Our program is certainly not a guarantee for student success or zero Fs. When we first started, around 120 students failed one or more classes and entered the after-school program. Now, we typically have 70–80 in CATS classes. But what our program does do is identify the students who need the most help, allowing us to provide targeted interventions outside of class to help these students navigate the transition into high school and hopefully pave the road for their academic success.

How to Start an After-School Intervention Program

For those of you who would like to start your own program like CATS, the first thing for you to do is gain the support of your school district and school board. How will you fund the program to pay for teachers, bussing, and snacks? Also, consider your relationships with your middle school(s). With whom do you need to collaborate to identify the students to participate in the program and inform them about the program? If you want to learn more about CATS, feel free to contact me at carrollk@canby.k12.or.us for details and assistance.

Would an after-school intervention program like CATS help ease the transition for freshmen in your school?

Kimie Carroll is an associate principal at Canby High School in Canby, OR, and was the 2017 Oregon High School Assistant Principal of the Year. Her first teaching job was as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Dabola, Guinea, in West Africa, from 1991–1993 where she found her love of teaching. Follow her on Twitter @KimieCarroll.

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