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March 31, 2008
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
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
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
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
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
March 30, 2008
Former Surgeon General David Satcher's Prescription for Health and WellnessFocus on Education Lecture
Focus on Health and Wellness: An Imperative for School Leaders in the 21st Century
2:00-3:15 PM
Dr. David Satcher stressed the importance of school districts promoting health and wellness. Students and teachers that are in good health miss fewer days of school and perform better when they attend. Below is his prescription:
1. Participate in Physical Activity (at least five days a week for 30 minutes). Allow every child to develop lifelong habits of exercise. It’s not just for jocks!
2. Prevent Obesity. Avoid dense calories, sweets and fats. Eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables (five a day of varied colors). Drink low-fat milk.
3. Avoid tobacco use. Is your state smoke free in public places? If not, think about being a legislative advocate.
4. Don’t abuse substances: Children replicate what they see at home. What kind of example to you set?
5. Educate students about responsible sexual behavior. Approximately twenty-five percent of adolescents today have contracted sexually transmitted diseases. Satcher stressed abstinence education isn’t working: many students engage in sexual activity regardless of its inclusion or exclusion in their school curriculum. When students learn about sexual behavior in school, they aren’t necessarily more inclined to be sexually active. Studies show education about safe sexual behavior can effectively reduce high-risk behavior.
(For more information on Dr. David Satcher see a News Hour with Jim Lehrer http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june02/satcher_1-21.html)
Posted by Molly O'Holleran, Blog Team, at 6:42 PM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
Effective Use of Board CommitteesWould you like a way to streamline your board work? Can you imagine a school board meeting where two hours is a long night? Want a strategy for taking on the challenges of your division in manageable pieces? South Colonie Central Schools in Albany, NY says the secret to good governance is the effective use of board committees.
(L to R: Board members Brian Casey, Tim Ryan, and Rick Dunn; and Superintendent Michael Marcelle)
Continue reading "Effective Use of Board Committees"
Posted by Brian Wheeler, Blog Team, at 2:17 PM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
Sharpening the District Leadership Through an IEP for the School Board and the Leadership TeamImagine this, an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) for individual board members, the board as a whole, the superintendent and his or her administrative team. This fresh approach for assessing and improving that district's climate was presented my Chuck Namit who spoke as a school board member with valuable knowledge and tools to identify individual strengths and weaknesses.
According to Mr. Namit, "The Individual Educational Plan develops a training matrix to manage weaknesses and build on strategies, with the goal of better governance that leads to improved student achievement." This in itself is worth investing the effort to build stronger teams and creating environments conducive to learning.
We are all familiar with the development of IEP's for our students and the intended goal to improve their achievement. It is important to understand the three distinct teams that should also develop IEP's. The Leadership Team is comprised of the Governance Team (the Board) and the Management Team (the superintendent and his or her administrative team). With constant change in the composition of school boards and administrators, it is important to understand, that "whenever you have a new board member, you have a new team." This also holds true for a change on the Management Team.
Mr. Namit also discussed the ten characteristics of well functioning teams and challenged all in attendance to complete a team climate survey. This survey required that we rate our board's functioning on a 10 point scale, 1 being excellent. The questions were very thought provoking and are useful in assessing where your board currently is, in the eyes of its members. This exercise is the beginning of the process to build a Board IEP training matrix which identifies areas of weakness and strengths and results in goals being developed.
The importance of cultivating a climate of trust was explored. Individual board members have to understand that it's not just their words, but also their body actions that acknowledge whether or not trust exists. Key characteristics of trusting relationships include open communication and consistent behavior to name a few.
Two different governance models were discussed to indicate the varied responsibilities of each team. The traditional Governance Model and the Policy Governance Model were explored in detail to indicate how most boards are governed. By examining the two models, it is useful in identifying Governance Team and Management Team boundaries. Namit indicates that, “it is important to establish and maintain a supportive Board - Superintendent relationship.” By self assessing each individual team, the possibility for improving the school climate, increases greatly.
I appreciated this fresh approach and the tools that we were given to apply in our districts. It gives each board an opportunity to look in the mirror, identify areas for improvement and focus totally on governance and student achievement. Isn’t that what we really are supposed to be doing as board members? I plan to challenge the board that I serve on to participate in developing our own IEP. This type of action will make us stronger as a governing body for our children.
Posted by Terri Sharpp, Blog Team, at 11:51 AM | Educational Sessions & Workshops | Comments (1)
Releasing Leadership Brilliance
How do you pick your sessions at NSBA? Do you find the topics challenging you in your school division? Do you look for marquee speakers? While I do both of those things, I also look for inspiration in the session title and description when I don't otherwise have a clear choice. That is what lead me Simon Bailey's "Releasing Leadership Brilliance" session Sunday morning. Who doesn't want to do that?
Bailey was introduced to the audience as someone who would reignite our passion and help us to inspire others to release their leadership brilliance. He did not disappoint.
Continue reading "Releasing Leadership Brilliance"
Posted by Brian Wheeler, Blog Team, at 8:02 AM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
March 29, 2008
Understanding Student AspirationsFocus on Understanding Student Aspirations: Enhancing the Learning Environment
Saturday, March 29, 2008 3:45 P.M.
What makes a conference fun? It is the combination of learning new concepts, networking with other board members and superintendents, and (if you’re lucky) listening to someone who makes you laugh out loud while you’re being told some difficult truths. Positive change occurs when district leadership thoughtfully considers student, staff, and parent perceptions of school culture and climate.
Over the past twenty years Russell Quaglia (See http://www.qisa.org/about.php) has surveyed over 500,000 students and staff. Quaglia sums up his findings this way: “When administrators, teachers, and students become full partners in schools, self-worth is deepened. Everyone becomes more actively engaged in the teaching and learning environment. A sense of purpose permeates the efforts of all participants.”
Quaglia’s eight conditions that make a difference in student achievement fall into three categories: Self Worth (including belonging, heroes, and a sense of accomplishment), Active Engagement (including fun and excitement, curiosity and creativity, and spirit of adventure) and Purpose (including leadership and responsibility, and confidence to take action.) What surprised me is how important being recognized, supported, and valued contributes not only to a good climate but also to student and staff achievement.
In some ways Dr. Russell Quaglia’s three precepts parallel Dr. Willard R. Daggett’s three themes of Relationship, Rigor, and Relevance. (See http://www.leadered.com/) Both gentlemen base their hypotheses on research that provides a community-wide, common sense approach to increasing student learning, student achievement, and student success.
Posted by Molly O'Holleran, Blog Team, at 3:28 PM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
Blogging Increases Board Member's Community VisibilityConsultant and freelance writer Craig Colgan and school board members Brian Wheeler and Jennifer Abell provided a wonderful overview about blogging. They spoke to an over-flow crowd about this new and powerful tool. Craig's Blog Municipalist discusses blogging issues while Brians' Blog, SchoolMatters, and Jennifer's, Ready, Willing and Abell , deal with their school board issues. Everyone was encouraged to use blogs as another way to communicate with parents. If you have questions about blogging, these are the folks to contact!
Posted by Tom Reed, Blog Team, at 2:35 PM | Educational Sessions & Workshops | Comments (2)
Got Gangs?I'm still thinking about the session I attended yesterday about gang prevention and intervention. Khaldun Everage, Gang Specialist for Chicago Public Schools made a huge impression on anyone who was in attendance. As part of CUBE's pre-conference programming, his energy and enthusiasm for a topic that is tough to handle was amazing. Mr. Everage's presence and style is engaging and he never let the school board members and others in the room grow bored. The message is clear--the gangs are almost everywhere and if you think they're not in your school system, whether your urban, suburban, or rural, you're wrong.
Gangs are powerful and they're getting more sophisticated. Mr. Everage stressed the importance of listening, not just as school board members, but every level of staff in the schools needs to listen to what students are talking about, from teachers to cafeteria workers. Popular culture often celebrates gangs and even those who many view as positive artists are still flashing symbols or perpetuating gang life. This was an afternoon that will be hard to forget.
Posted by Kevin Scott, NSBA Staff, at 11:19 AM
Lots to help school boards make informed decisons about health issues at this NSBA conferenceThis year's conference is providing a great opportunity for school board members to learn about a wide range of health issues, their impact on learning, and policies and practices that will make a difference for students and their success in school.
Posted by Brenda Greene, NSBA Staff, at 9:45 AM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
Districts' teacher quality strategies: learn, discuss and shareTeacher quality is the most important school-related factor in raising student achievement, which means recruiting and retaining outstanding teachers should be a top priority for every school district. But that may be easier said than done. Join two members of NSBA's Advocacy office Sunday from 3:45 p.m. - 5 p.m. in the convention center's W311G for an interactive session, "Because Teachers Matter: Effective Strategies for Strengthening Teacher Quality."
We'll take a look at why this issue continues to gain prominence in policy circles, the impact of federal legislation, and key lessons learned from district and state experiments, followed by a discussion among board members of their own district's efforts to strengthen teacher quality.
Posted by Marc Egan, NSBA Staff, at 12:40 AM | Educational Sessions & Workshops
March 28, 2008
What's Congress been up to?That's not an invitation to deliver a punch line, though there are a many that come to mind. But it is your invite to two NSBA Advocacy sessions where you'll receive a briefing on Congressional action on key education issues and ways for you and your school board to become more involved at the federal level.
The details: Join NSBA's Advocacy staff on Saturday from 9 - 10:30 a.m. (that'll leave plenty of time to get a good seat at the opening general session) in the convention center's W103AB for a fast-paced discussion of Congressional activity on NCLB, federal funding, Medicaid reimbursement for districts, early education, private school vouchers, teacher quality and higher education. Plus discover easy-to-use advocacy tools to help stay informed, involved and effective in advocating for your school district all through the year. The "official" session title: National Advocacy Networks Meeting.
Gotta conflict Saturday morning? Then join us Monday from 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the convention center's W307ABC for an encore session; this one's dubbed Legislative Update in your program book. See you there!
Posted by Marc Egan, NSBA Staff, at 12:22 AM | Educational Sessions & Workshops