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March 31, 2008
Thoughts on MondayThoughts on Monday
A friend of mine who is an administrator in a neighboring School District once told me that her Superintendent told her this when she joined their leadership team: “If you are not going home exhausted at the end of the day, then you are not working hard enough.”
I am exhausted and definitely ready to go home.
Now, that does not mean that I have not enjoyed myself, learned a lot, and appreciated this conference. Oh, to the contrary. This has been one of the most enjoyable and worthwhile professional experiences of my career in public service.
Continue reading "Thoughts on Monday"
Posted by Andrew Mizsak, Blog Team, at 9:26 PM | Special Programs & Events
A Paperless Governance Solution that Increases Accountability and Community EngagementShare the Success Clinic
Accountability and Community Engagement: Communicating District Progress and Performance to the Public in a Continuous Improvement Model
Monday, March 31, 2008 11:15 AM-12:30 PM
Can your Board of Education go paperless? Is an electronic board meeting right for your district? Can you at the same time address accountability and community engagement on a budget? . BoardDocs Emerald Data provides a paperless governance solution. BoardDocs features contribute to a better experience for staff, board of education and the public. (See www.boarddocs.com. The phone number is 800-407-0141) This paperless solution complies with the open meetings act.
Marguardt School District 15 (Glendale, Illinois) http://www.d15.us/schools/mms/staff/678-encore.php highlighted the way to discuss accountability and community engagement. Their goal is to communicate district progress and performance to the public in a continuous improvement environment through BoardDocs Emerald Data.
1. Parent and community access to district information is important. Monthly communication with the community via public board meetings is a constant. BoardDocs educates and involves parents, students, and community stakeholders concerning district business and progress in achieving district goals. It helps build ongoing partnerships with community stakeholders. The public access page also allows the public to view committee meeting and agendas. Minutes of all meetings facilitate access to public information. The district’s mission and goals is the centerpiece of the BoardDocs homepage. All policies are also included.
2. The use of technology (BoardDocs Emerald Data Solutions) enhances community engagement. A search feature allows the constituent to quickly find answers. The superintendent and central office verified the paperless solution helps increase transparency with the public. The paper mailing to all constituents includes the web links to the district’s homepage and BoardDocs. Usually the superintendent’s executive assistant inputs the agenda, takes the minutes online, and receives ongoing upgrades. Having a director of technology helps coordinate the needs of the district with the wireless portal.
3. At the board level wireless communication increases internal communication in an affordable and immediate manner. This includes weekly reviews from central officers and committee meetings and agendas.
4. Benefits abound. It has proven to be cost effective. It makes more efficient use of time and personnel within the District. Also the flow and accessibility of information between the Board, community, parents and staff is increased.
5. The private site is password protected and visible only to specific members on the board and central office.
Unique properties of Marquardt School District 15
Essential standards of core subjects are in alignment. They are consistent between schools horizontally by grade and vertically between grades. This provides smooth transitions for student learning. Assessments are reliable and formative. The district has plans that address those students that don’t learn standards. Definite roles of strategic and operational responsibilities exist to advance student learning. At the base are core values.
Customer service requires input from stakeholders. Quarterly at parent/teach conferences, parents take a satisfaction survey. Staff and students also take the survey. The same twenty-five questions are asked each time. (Gallup can help your district ask the key questions for a healthy climate and educational culture.) From the results, the district addresses issues needing improvement.
Emerald Data BoardDocs can include a district scorecard. Each district can publish what it uniquely determines as most important. The input is displayed on the district BoardDoc site. Improve the system and you’ll improve results. It includes student achievement, safe and nurturing environment, fiscal health, customer service, and quality personnel. The priorities have corresponding goals. Each goal has indicators and timing. The priorities are hyperlinked to graphs and charts that are easily read by the public visiting the web site. This encourages consistent improvement. The school district can disaggregate the scorecard by school.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Posted by Molly O'Holleran, Blog Team, at 8:31 PM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
Life as a Board Member: Governing through the eyes of a twentysomething.Continue reading "Life as a Board Member: Governing through the eyes of a twentysomething."
Posted by Andrew Mizsak, Blog Team, at 8:07 PM
When the levy breaks... Communicate
Anoka-Hennepin [enr. 41,000] is the largest school district in Minnesota, and based on their presentation at the 2008 NSBA Annual Conference, one can only assume they are also the most prolific public education communicator in the state.
Vice Chairman of the School Board, Tom Heidemann, said the district got serious about community engagement when a levy failed to pass in 2001. “It was clear there were some communications gaps,” said Heidemann. After that, Anoka-Hennepin set a course for transparency, for an improved flow of information, and to regain the public’s trust. This session focused on their high-tech approach to improving communications.
As Director of Communications, Mary Olson added a couple staff to her team when the School Board was convinced that would deliver a sound return on investment. According to Olson, “Without understanding, there is often lack of support, and that is a key factor in the failure of [school] levies and bonds.” Olson and her team built a multi-faceted communications platform within the district.
Continue reading "When the levy breaks... Communicate"
Posted by Brian Wheeler, Blog Team, at 4:31 PM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
Legislative Update: A Briefing by our NSBA LobbyistsLegislative Update: A Briefing by our NSBA Lobbyists
National School Boards Association Annual Conference
Full Conference – Day 3
Monday, March 31, 2008
From Orlando, Florida
Andrew C.M. Mizsak
Member of the Bedford Board of Education (Bedford, Ohio)
E-Mail: amizsak@sbcglobal.net
Both this morning and this afternoon, the NSBA Legislative Staff provided for School Board Members a comprehensive briefing on legislative issues affecting public education at the Federal Level.
Here are some highlights:
• NSBA is continuing to work hard to promote HR 648 (NCLB Improvements Act, sponsored by Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska/At-Large), and those efforts are being led by our National Association President Norm D. Wooten of Alaska. This bill has 40+ provisions in it that would improve this law.
• With regards to federal funding – especially for Title I and IDEA; To provide public school districts with funding necessary for special education, and for mandates enumerated in NCLB.
• School-Based Medicaid Reimbursement: School Districts provide necessary health services to many students, and this has a large financial effect upon local School Districts. School Districts need money to provide these services, and we need to be rid of this underfunded mandate.
• Head Start: To support Head Start, provide Head Start instructors with opportunities for professional development; and for federal resources to be there for local head start agencies and school districts in order to help our youngest students begin to develop academically.
• Private school vouchers: The NSBA is in opposition to any and all funding for school vouchers.
It is encouraged that all School Boards pass the resolution in support of HR 648, and get their Member of Congress to sign the Pledge to America’s School Children if they have not done so.
Many of the things discussed this morning were those we lobbied for as Members of the FRN during our Day on the Hill in February. Our lobbyists work tirelessly on the issues that are important to this Association, and it is our duty as public officials to continue to convey to our Constituents what we stand for. We also have a duty to make contact and build relationships with our Members of Congress and serve as their local point persons on education-related legislation. As both our National Association and State Association lobbyists have said to us time and again, you want to be the person that your legislator or their senior legislative counsel calls to get the feeling of the public education community in their district when it comes to important pieces of legislation.
The way our lobbyists are effective, truly, in conveying the message of the public education community to elected representatives at the Federal and State levels is when Board Members are engaged and knowledgeable on legislative issues. To this end, we elected officials are looked at to be lobbyists on behalf of our local School Districts and our states in order to push for education-related legislation that makes sense. We, too, represent people, and if we say to our legislators that we are doing this on behalf of our constituents, our voices become a little bit louder, and our message becomes a little bit clearer.
I highly encourage you to get your District to pass the resolution in favor of HR 648, to continue to communicate with your constituents about ways they can get involved, and to communicate on a regular basis with your fellow elected officials.
For additional grassroots outreach information, please contact your State Association, or NSBA’s Kathleen Branch at kbranch@nsba.org
-A.Mizsak
Author’s Note: Andrew C.M. Mizsak is a Member of the Bedford Board of Education in Bedford, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, where he serves as it’s Legislative Liaison and National Affiliates Advisory Network (NAAN) Liaison. In addition to his District service, Mizsak is a Member of the Legislative Platform Committee of the Northeast Ohio and Ohio School Boards Associations, and is a Member of the Ohio Delegation of the National School Boards Association’s Federal Relations Network, coordinating the 10th and 11th Congressional Districts of Ohio.
Posted by Andrew Mizsak, Blog Team, at 2:51 PM
Religion and Public Schools: A First Amendment DilemmaContinue reading "Religion and Public Schools: A First Amendment Dilemma"
Posted by Andrew Mizsak, Blog Team, at 2:46 PM
Andrea Peterson - Teacher of the YearWhat an honor! Of all the teachers in the country who dedicate their lives to educating children, Andrea Peterson was chosen as the 2007 National Teacher of the Year. She began her speech by thanking all who paved the way to help her attain this level of distinction. Andrea is a music teacher and stated, “this was an unbelievable honor, a music teacher getting to speak to a bunch of school board members." The audience exploded with laughter and applause. She emphasized that there were so many people working together to help our children succeed. She thanked Board Members and community members for their overflow of support.
Andrea shared a story from earlier in her teaching career. She revealed that she made a "rookie mistake," and didn't take attendance prior to the start of a music concert. She talked about the importance of every member in the orchestra and how in this particular piece of music being played, she realized at the point of his solo, that the cymbal player wasn't there. Not only did he miss his queue, but in a moment of silence, someone exclaimed, "Wow, Joe didn't show up".
In short, the moral in Andrea’s story is that, "we all need to show up to the concert". She acknowledged that she failed as a teacher to show Joe just how important and valuable he was! Of course, this was a lesson learned and she has excelled to greater heights by making sure that she shows up for her students and values their contributions.
She inspired the audience by leaving us with the following quote:
"Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
-- Martin Luther King Jr.
Andrea is an amazing inspiration to the children of Granite Falls, WA and received this honor which was well deserved. Congratulations and continue the great work that you do on behalf of the children!
Posted by Terri Sharpp, Blog Team, at 2:07 PM | General Session Speakers
The path from 'random acts of improvement' to Baldrige excellence
Northbrook School District 27 northwest of Chicago [1,250 students in K-8] is about to submit its second application seeking recognition by the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program. The Board of Education and staff were exposed to the Baldrige Framework at a past NSBA Annual Conference. In 2006, Northbrook submitted its first Baldrige application and in 2008 it will submit its second as they continue on their path of continuous improvement.
In this session, Northbrook Superintendent David Kroeze [Photo] shared background on the Baldrige framework and how his school district and board are using it as a tool for continuous improvement. Board member Sally Lane said it was not about getting the Baldrige award. “In all honesty… our focus is to figure what is important to us, how to get there, to then get there, and how to sustain it.”
Continue reading "The path from 'random acts of improvement' to Baldrige excellence"
Posted by Brian Wheeler, Blog Team, at 9:41 AM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
Sandra Day O'ConnorFor those who believe that civic engagement and learning is a core fundamental purpose for American education then listening to Sandra Day O'Connor was as exciting as the Westside High School Concert Jazz Band from Omaha, NE that played earlier in the session.
Former Justice O'Connor, who is now the co-chair of the Civic Mission of Schools, believes that civic learning has been pushed aside in this current environment of standardized testing and accountability. While she believes these are important goals we need to be careful that we don't lose sight of the fact that to sustain democracy we need an educated and informated citizenry.
Humorously, she cites a few alarming facts. For instance, only one third of Americans can name the three branches of government, but two thirds can name all Three Stooges. Less then 1 in 10 can name the Chief Justice of the US, but 7 out of 10 can name a judge for "American Idol"
She also noted that she's realizes that today's student is dramatically different. Education methods today need to be more engaging and relevant. She cited a few examples of Service Learning programs in Oregon, Maine and Arizona that have integrated civic education in an exciting project-based format. These classes are about teaching students to be citizens, and they will have a toolbox of skills.
Finally, she shared with us a project that is being collaboratively worked on at Arizona State and Georgetown University that is an interactive website to teach civics for K-12 student. It's scheduled to launch in the fall of this year. To learn more go to: http://www.ourcourts.org
Posted by Rich Parker, Blog Team, at 8:23 AM | General Session Speakers
21st Century SkillsThe mastery of 21st Century skills is a key requirement for every student regardless of their post high school graduation plans. These skills will have an enormous impact on students' prospects in today's global economy... this was the message delivered by Ken Kay, President Partnership for 21st Century Skills; Melissa Bartlett, Executive Director for 21st Century Learning, North Carolina; and Bob Hale, Board of Education member, Madison CT.
From their perspective the core subjects still need to be emphasized in education, however, additional emphasis must be placed on skills such as, problem solving, critical thinking, media literacy, global awareness, collaboration, and civic engagement.
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a non-profit organization located in Tucson, AZ. their mission is: "The Partnership for 21st Century Skills serves as a catalyst to position 21st century skills at the center of K-12 education by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, and community and government leaders."
So far, they're working in partnership with 7 states, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Iowa.
Melissa Bartlett, from North Carolina provided the audience a State's perspective and Bob Hale give us the School Board viewpoint.
For more information on the Partnership for 21st Century Skills you can visit their website @http://www.21stcenturyskills.org
Posted by Rich Parker, Blog Team, at 7:23 AM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
What are the reasons students are absent in your school district?Absenteeism can be a chronic problem for some students, whether due to illness, family problems, or disengagement from school. For school districts, absenteeism often means a loss of state funding when average daily attendance (ADA) is the basis for funding. And absenteeism, of course, can also have a significant impact on student academic success.
Continue reading "What are the reasons students are absent in your school district?"
Posted by Brenda Greene, NSBA Staff, at 7:17 AM | Special Programs & Events
Rise and Shine: Don't Forget Breakfast and Pre-KMany dedicated preschool advocates woke up early today for the NSBA’s Pre-K Legislative Committee networking breakfast. These are school board members who signed up to join the Committee last October and are committed to be advocates to lobby for more federal investments in voluntary pre-k programs across the country. The Committee is part of NSBA’s advocacy programs in response to the increasing awareness that quality pre-k programs have long lasting positive effects on children’s development . This year, the Committee is geared up to respond to potential actions in Congress that would help states advance their pre-k programs or establish new programs. NSBA will host an online conference on pre-k messaging for the Committee members in April. For more information on the Committee and pre-k issues, check out www.nsba.org/prekcommittee and www.centerforpubliceducation.org.
Posted by Katherine Shek, NSBA Staff, at 6:58 AM | Special Programs & Events
Recognizing Effective School Boards Session CommentsThe Pennsylvania School Boards Assoc. is making use of the Iowa Lighthouse Study to strengthen their evaluation and recognition of effective governance. This year, they have adopted a new strategic plan, with the underlying belief that "excellence in the classroom begins with excellence in the board room".
Their newly devised Code of Conduct for Members of school boards, and associated recognition programs, helps boards focus on their role of governing.
As Pennsylvania has made use of the Iowa study, perhaps other state associations can utilize Pennsylvania's model in establishing similar programs. The session was inciteful & valuable.
Continue reading "Recognizing Effective School Boards Session Comments"
Posted by Rich Benson, Blog Team, at 4:31 AM | Educational Sessions & Workshops