Colorado Association of School Executives Colorado Association of Secondary School Principals Board of Directors Meeting CEA Board Room April 30, 2010
Meeting Minutes Attendance: CASSP Board Members CASE Staff Carrie Coats, Cristal Loehr, Jim Szoka, Jim Mary McNeil, John Hefty, Bruce Caughey Lucas, Sheila Pottorff, Kevin Schott, Pat Buschjost, Delaine Hudson, Kevin Aten, Greg Wieman, Jana Frieler
Call to Order and Attendance Called to order at 10:15 a.m. by President Sheila Pottorff. An attendance sheet was circulated.
The agenda was unanimously approved on a motion from Jim and a second from Cristal.
NASSP Report Jana Frieler, was invited to the meeting to discuss her learning in her role as NASSP-President- Elect.
She shared the National Board for Professional Teachers work on principal standards. The standards are and further information is available at http://www.nbpts.org/products_and_services/national_board_certifica
Jana further discussed if and when there will be changes in No Child Left Behind. Principal professional development is getting to be a hot topic at the national level. NASSP is working for principal professional development and leadership academies.
The Colorado School Leadership Board, with Kevin Aten and Mary as reps to that board, is also working on Colorado Standards for principals.
NASSP has principal staff evaluation tools and more tools for helping evaluate and hire principals and assistant principals. http://www.principals.org
The CASSP Board feels strongly we need to stay in communication with Jana and learn from her experience and travels around the world over the next year.
Colorado School Leadership Board Mary and Kevin Aten shared the progress of the School Leadership Board and the draft comment process that will go forward with the new draft Colorado principal standards. Jana helped the board make connections between the national level work, and the NASSP contact for the CASSP Board Meeting April 30, 2010 standards update work. Mary hopes to align the CASE conference, for example, to the new national standards.
The working draft of the Colorado standards: #1: Lead Student Learning for 21st Century #2: Lead Professional Learning #3: Lead Schools to Support the Whole Child #4: Lead Community Engagement #5: Lead Continuous Improvement #6: Lead Ethical, Culturally Competent and Safe Environments
Membership Membership Reports were moved by Greg Wieman and seconded by Delaine and unanimously approved. The good news is that membership is still growing in our organization.
Financial Report The financial report was discussed. The budget for NASSP National convention was shared and the savings from the not-filled liaison was noted. The motion was made by Jim Lucas and seconded by Jim Szoka —pass unanimously.
Minutes The minutes were approved with one amendment. Region 5—please change Moffat County to Moffat School District. The motion was made by Jim Lucas and seconded by Jim Szoka—pass unanimously.
Dr. Hefty Retirement Sheila announced that Dr. John Hefty has announced his retirement from CASE Executive Director effective, December 31, 2010. Bruce Caughey will take the interim helm of CASE with next steps discussed through Coordinating Council. The CASSP Board feels that Dr. Hefty’s retirement will be a loss for CASE.
Calendar and Timeline Sheila shared the conferences dates and timelines. The board decided to have meeting as a luncheon on Wednesday from noon-1:15, or until 3:00 as needed. Mary agreed to find the CASSP Board a room at the conference. The department meeting is 3:30-4:45 p.m. on Wednesday. All board members are asked to be at that meeting.
Meeting dates for 2010-2011 Wednesday, July 28, 2010 (CASE Convention Board Meeting 12-3 p.m.) Monday, September 20, 2010 Monday, November 8, 2010 Tuesday, February 2-4, 2011, (during Winter Leadership) Thursday, February 3, 2011, (CASSP Board Meeting during Winter Leadership, 6 p.m.) Friday, March 4, 2011, (interviews Principals of the Year) Wednesday, July 27, 2011, CASE Convention April 2011, CASE Awards and CASSP Board meeting
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Professional Development Mary discussed the voting for sessions that are most helpful for our job-alike strands. She will accept the input on sessions until Monday or Tuesday. She needs to realign and remove 60 session applications.
Mary further highlighted 2 key programs: She discussed the leadership seminar completion of session #4. CASE is finding mentors for the professionals who met the guidelines.
Aspiring to the Principalship will be coordinated with Colorado Principals’ Center to maximize resources.
The CASE web site and resources and eLearning section under professional development are a growing part of the CASE site.
Winter CASE will be at the Westminster Westin Hotel. The board felt very positive about the move. The CASE conference is booked at Breckenridge through 2011.
The Colorado TELL survey is now wide open to results and it will be administered next year.
Reports from Bruce Caughey and John Hefty Bruce reported that secure rural school funding.
Colorado’s Race to the Top application was discussed. An issue that did not get much press was the fact the state was not unified under the application. Bruce also discussed the HB 191. CASE has worked to amend the bill. The board felt strongly the students and families must be a part of the accountability equation. How do we support rigorous education, have high expectations and still hold students accountable for achievement. How does the Colorado growth model support student learning? Will the state testing requirements become a graduation requirement (in some way, shape or form)?
Dr. Hefty expressed concern about the exact level of the standards-based program of education in our state.
CASE got waiver language placed into the bill to allow districts to seek a waiver to the bill’s provision. The bill is probably going to pass, and our leaders are going to have put the feelings back together on many levels. We have a bold leadership to make it work once again.
Bruce presented the latest version of the bill. It was heavily amended for 5 hours on Wednesday. The part of the bill that has not been amended is the principal workload as it goes to the Colorado House. We are to get Bruce language to support principals’ evaluation load in the next five days.
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Bruce is very concerned about amendment 60, 61, and proposition 100 as they will drain 4 billion dollars from Colorado. 61 deals with debt, and the polling is favorable because people think the debt is bad thing, rather than a way to finance what is not possible any other way.
Executive Session Jim Szoka moved and Greg Weiman seconded for a personnel executive session at 1:40. Passed unanimously. Kevin Schott moved and Jim Lucas seconded to remove the Board from executive session at 2:05 p.m. Passed unanimously.
Region Reports Region 1-Cristal—The loss of experience is a serious issue as high-dollar employees retire and mentors are lost. Region 2-Patti—The region is concerned about budget, even though 2 districts are opening new elementary schools from bond money. This week is assistant principal week. NASSP is working on more items of focus for assistant principals. Region 2b-Greg—he described the ASCENT program for 5th year high school seniors to get college and high school in the fifth year for sharing the PPOR for the students across colleges and high schools. The Governor’s ASCENT program information can be found at: http://165.127.10.10/cs/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1236948105280&pagename=GovRitter %2FGOVRLayout Region 3-Judy—Absent Region 4-Delaine—She explained that Delta is trying to move beyond budget and work on performance indicators for student achievement. Delta relied on schools to make the best decisions. Region 5a-Jill—absent, but Jim offered the report. Douglas County has been quiet, and now has a new superintendent. Region 5b-Jim—Jim reported on the budget reductions in his budget between transferring money for rural districts with PILC money. 14 districts in the San Luis Valley, the anticipation is that only Alamosa will remain on a five-day week. All of the schools also have moved off the block schedule with a 7 or 8 period day to help with academic support and keep contact with students each day. Cost savings is the goal, but high schools still have events on Fridays and use less subs with a “Friday off” schedule. Teachers will report one Friday per month. Region 6-Paul—La Junta is having some district-wide staffing changes and he could not make the meeting.
Social Media and Networking —Sheila discussed schools and social networking —Schools have started policies to stop taping of school fights, for example. —We need to teach kids to be socially responsible with social media. —How are we embracing the technology to help with education. —Legal issues are changing and need our attention as leaders. —Technology
CHSAA Report—Kevin Aten - Discussion about the new Commissioner at CHSAA – Paul Angelico.
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- Board members held a length conversation regarding the cutting of games throughout the state. This is happening due to the financial situation of our State. Many regions reported that their schools are also cutting games and competitions. Concern was raised regarding the increase in gate admission for events. - The CHSAA hall fame inductees were mentioned. - Reclassification was a discussion again with board members. Reclassification is scheduled for the 2011-12 school year. Election of officers - Those interested in running for an open CASSP position was asked to submit their name and a written ballot was taken.
Meeting was adjourned at 4:54 p.m Sheila Pottorf
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