District Administration® DA DistrictAdministration.com February 2020

PORTRAIT OF A LEADER Excellence and equity Balancing high performance while working to erase legacies of segregation 29

Sponsored content: Coaching them up How to better promote learning How ed tech coaches can maximize and measure progress 38 investments and improve learning outcomes 36 Winning partnership How IT and HR can work better together 40 DISTRICTS OF Twice-exceptional students DISTINCTION Accommodating gifted students Power of PLCs with special needs 10 Place-based education Collaboration and communication Lessons that connect students allow teachers to craft to their environments 13 more effective instruction 24 Q: What’s 101 - 24?

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How big districts dive into esports Dallas ISD administrators saw a surge in students participating in extracurricular activities when esports programs launched at 64 schools. DAmag.me/disdesports

Rural relief How a small college powers K-12 education by offering cradle- to-career services in depressed Appalachia region DAmag.me/berea

Watch DATV: Esports DA Briefings Keep up with the latest are leveling up developments and perspectives Here’s how K-12 districts are supplying with DA’s frequent K-12 reports. tech essentials and diversifying esports. DAmag.me/briefings DAmag.me/levelup

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DistrictAdministration.com February 2020 | 1 Contents FEBRUARY 2020, VOL. 56, NO. 2 FEBRUARY 2020 Publisher Robert M. Avossa EDITORIAL Executive Editor Eric Weiss Senior Managing Editor Melissa Ezarik Senior Writer Matt Zalaznick Managing Editor Ray Bendici Technology Editor at Large Lenny Schad Associate Editor Steven Blackburn Associate Editor Marybeth Luczak Esports Editor Chris Burt 29 ART Art Director Rebecca Eller FEATURES 16 Senior Production Designer Edie Sutton PORTRAIT OF A LEADER DISTRICTS OF Designer Lisa Wedemeyer DISTINCTION ADVERTISING, EVENTS 29 Aiming for excellence AND CUSTOM MEDIA and equity 16 Taking learning to new Vice President, Event and Media Sales, Education Group Jim Callan Maintaining performance while heights [email protected] (561) 622-6520 ext. erasing legacies of segregation Poway USD increases student 8696 Matt Zalaznick engagement and ed tech use Sales Manager, Rachel Davis [email protected] 36 C oaching them up Steven Blackburn (678) 521-7584 Support instructional technology 22 Content Marketing Editor Kurt Eisele- Districts of Distinction PD Dyrli coaches to improve ed tech runners-up programs investments and student learning PRODUCTION, CIRCULATION DA Staff AND OPERATIONS Nancy Mann Jackson Director of Circulation and Production 24 Power of PLCs Dana Kubicko 40 W orking partnership New levels of collaboration LRP CONFERENCES LLC, Building relationships between A BUSINESS UNIT OF LRP and social media use let teachers PUBLICATIONS human resources and IT craft more effective instruction President Kenneth Kahn Ray Bendici Matt Zalaznick Senior Vice President and Publisher, Education Products Robert M. Avossa DEPARTMENTS Chief Financial Officer Todd Lutz 28 PD Matters Chief Information and Innovation 4 On Topic Officer Ann Clark 11 ways for leaders Lenny Schad to ‘unschool’ school Vice President, Marketing and 6 On Topic Communications Missy Ciocca Michael Niehoff Jonathan Raymond REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS 42 Voices in Tech For more information, call (203) 663- BEYOND THE NEWS How to lead teams 0100 8 Esports accelerates achievement through the storage wars SUBSCRIPTIONS Send address changes to: and personal growth Jennifer Herseim Lilly Holman 12 Cutting into dissection alternatives DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION 44 A better side hustle 35 Nutmeg Drive, for teachers Suite 205, Trumbull, CT 06611 COLUMNS Moonlighting at an assembly line Please direct questions to: [email protected] may help educators pay the bills, 14 HR Matters HOW TO REACH US Why do your employees stay? but it won’t help their students 35 Nutmeg Drive, Suite 205 Trumbull, CT 06611 Carol Patton Michael Driskill Phone: (203) 663-0100 Fax: (203) 663-0149 District Administration (ISSN 1537-5749) Vol. 56 No. 2 is published 10 times per year. A publication of Website: DistrictAdministration.com LRP Conferences LLC, 35 Nutmeg Drive, Suite 205, Trumbull, CT 06611. Phone: 203-663-0100, Fax 203- 663-0149. Periodicals postage paid at Trumbull, CT, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send Stock photography from gettyimages.com address changes to Dana Kubicko, District Administration, 35 Nutmeg Drive, Suite 205, Trumbull, unless otherwise noted. CT 06611. District Administration is a registered trademark of LRP Conferences LLC. Copyright 2020. Printed in the USA.

2 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com SchoolCEO

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www.schoolceo.com OnTopic Ann Clark By Matt Zalaznick

Guiding education’s air traffic controllers Former Superintendent Ann Clark stresses the importance of purpose and collaboration for CAOs

Ann Clark, featured speaker at a recent the CAO is not working collaboratively, into the daily fabric, in and out of the District Administration Leadership the messages that arrive at the school- classroom. Certainly, there’s also a huge Institute CAO Summit, learned plenty house for building-level leaders and national focus on creating a safe, secure of lessons in leadership during her 35- classroom teachers are confusing. learning environment. Lots of princi- year education career as a superintendent pals are interested in knowing best prac- and chief academic officer. Clark What big challenges do CAOs face? tices for focusing on school climate, and served as CAO on her way to becoming So many districts are focused on early how to recruit, retain and coach highly superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg literacy skills and reading on grade level effective teachers. Schools in North Carolina, and considers by third grade. Many districts are also the position the linchpin of any district. focused on narrowing the achievement You’re also focused on teacher short- “I refer to the chief academic officer gap between different subgroups of ages. How are you helping school as the air traffic controller for school students. And there’s a huge focus on leaders tackle this problem? districts,” says Clark, who is now an effective strategies for working with Across the country, we’re faced with executive leadership coach for e Broad English language learners and students fewer and fewer high school students Center and superintendent-in-residence at with special needs. going into college thinking they might the New York City Leadership Academy. So how does a chief academic officer pick a career in teaching. I’m working “ey have to help people from all the shape a vision that supports our gifted with school districts and superinten- departments see the need for alignment of students, our special needs students and dents to think about how they can initiatives in order for the student experi- our English language learners? How do build a talent pipeline, so as they’re re- ence to be what is envisioned.” you deliver instruction in a very per- cruiting, they can show teachers all the sonalized way, and how do you support possible pathways they can have over a How does a CAO achieve alignment? classroom teachers with the professional 30-year career. e chief academic officer leads the development they’ll need to meet the Teachers should think about taking core business for a K-12 public school needs of the students who are in front on mentoring roles, becoming a coach system, and that carries a huge respon- of them every day? or facilitator, and becoming a principal sibility. One of the keys to the role is and moving into the central office. the ability to work collaboratively with You also work with principals. What I also think it’s on the school dis- other members of the leadership team. are their main leadership concerns? tricts to find ways to put the career ere needs to be an aligned, co- A huge focus has been on meeting the of teaching in front of their middle hesive message from the district about social-emotional needs of students, and and high school students. Charlotte- what the instructional priorities are. If making sure that doesn’t become one Mecklenburg Schools, for example, has more initiative on the pile, but is inte- started an early college high school for grated into teaching students every day. teaching. is is something that could I’m also involved in equipping princi- be done in any state in the U.S. DA pals to support teachers in integrating DAmag.me/annclark the social-emotional needs of students Matt Zalaznick is senior writer.

4 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com It Starts With a Ripple.

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Whole-child education powers healthy society Former Superintendent Jonathan Raymond examines the importance of “equity is empathy”

Former Sacramento City USD their communities and in society as a things that are moving us toward our Superintendent Jonathan Raymond whole; and so that it prepares them to vision and purpose. doesn’t put too much weight on whole- help advance our democratic institu- I provide some simple tools to help child education: just the enduring health tions and humanity. them become better team leaders and of America’s democratic society. listeners, and to create learning organi- Raymond, now an education leader- How can CAOs follow the “equity is zations that are able to think systemati- ship consultant, made his case for meeting empathy” philosophy in their work? cally but are designed locally. the needs of each unique learner in his When we’re empathetic, we recognize book, Wildflowers: A School Superin- that the best way to ensure that our What are some other ideas that would tendent’s Challenge to America (Stuart young people have a sense of empathy inspire educators? Foundation, 2018). His “Equity is Em- and compassion is to educate them ho- So much of this work really is about pathy” workshops at District Administra- listically. For some children, it’s about asking questions. I like to use the tra- tion Leadership Institute’s Chief Academic having really challenging college and ca- ditional Masai greeting: “And how are Officer Summits have encouraged educa- reer pathways and academies. For oth- the children?” It shows what they value tors to take each child’s learning style into ers, it’s ensuring that we have art and most as a culture and a society. account in designing instruction. music in our schools. And for others, For my work, it’s returning to the it’s making sure that they have access to time when progressive educators such as What are the key tenets of your ap- good college and life counseling. John Dewey, Maria Montessori and Ru- proach to whole-child education? It’s about asking the question: dolf Steiner understood how children Whole-child education educates young “What does every child need to be most learn and how their brain develops. people’s heads, hands and hearts. successful?” ey understood that education was It’s really important that young peo- for a much bigger purpose—that it was ple learn critical thinking, are creative, What improvements can CAOs learn to prepare young people to be the next can advocate for themselves, can work to make in their districts? generation of stewards of democracy well together in teams, and can take I try to enlighten them by saying this and society. control of their ability to learn. work is both external, by leading orga- It ultimately starts with a question And it’s really important that they nizations, and it’s internal. To do this such as: “How is this good for kids?” can see, feel and touch what they’re work really well, some things need to I often say to folks I’m working with: learning so that it’s real and has mean- shift inside, and that’s being really clear “Imagine if we started every school ing in their lives; so that it can help about “What’s your purpose?”’ and board meeting with that question. them face the challenges that exist in “Why are you in this work?” Imagine if a superintendent started ev- It’s about asking if we, as leaders, ery cabinet meeting with that question.” are creating a shared vision about the If we did, I think we’d be at a different changes that need to be made. And it’s place. DA about having a daily ritual or practice DAmag.me/raymond that helps us stay focused on those Matt Zalaznick is senior writer.

6 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com Furniture that makes the grade. 13 grades to be exact.

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e esports coach at Sedro-Woolley ‘Happy, excited and doing well’ High School north of Seattle also When teacher John Robertson won his teaches math based on video games in first grant to start an esports team at the classroom. Leveraging his students’ Tipton High School in Indiana, some passion for fantasy battle game League educators weren’t convinced, he says. of Legends, teacher Jason Dilley’s “Some teachers did not think esports curriculum tasks his players with video gaming should be in school, understanding the numbers behind the but we’ve won them over because virtual action. we’re using it in a positive way,” says “You build weapons and armor Robertson, whose school is a part of within the game to improve your char- CAREER PREP—The North America the Tipton Community School Corp. acter,” says Dilley, whose school is a part Scholastic Esports Federation’s “Screen time is not necessarily bad of the Sedro-Woolley School District. esports curriculum can be integrated if it’s used for a bigger and better into all core subjects to help students “ ey’re learning how to gather good cause.” envision careers in the video-gaming data, how to analyze data, and how to industry. In fact, the video games in the make histograms so they can test which classrooms have become learning weapons do the most damage in 10 resources. For instance, in Forza seconds.” with English language arts, where Motorsport, students can repair cars. ese video games and being part students can examine the narrative ele- And during the upcoming semester, of a team, are helping students become ments of games by reading books such Robertson will teach a class on the lit- more engaged in school and develop as Ready Player One and Ender’s Game, erature and history of video games. some critical soft skills, Dilley says. and then coming up with their own During play, students are also “Gaming has a lot of negative stig- characters, plots and adventures. learning better gaming habits. “It can mas, and some of those stigmas have In a bridge from ELA to career and be a tough sell to say we’re playing some merit,” he says. “When kids play technical education, students can begin video games in the classroom,” Rob- games at home by themselves, they see writing a business plan for an esports ertson says. “But the kids are going to negative behavior, internalize that and team while also learning how to orga- play games, so why not have them do take it out into the world. When you nize a team, develop a marketing cam- it under the guidance of teachers who have responsible adults in the room, paign and create branding. can show them how to be good citi- they are teaching kids that these things e esports curriculum can be used zens while they’re doing it.” are bad.” to develop an entire course or a two- More broadly, students who were week module in another class, says failing courses and missing school fre- A free esports curriculum Turner, who’s also the executive director quently have joined the team, and now e California-based North America of the Educational Services Division have a renewed and powerful reason to Scholastic Esports Federation, formerly for the Orange County Department of improve their grades and attendance known as the Orange County Esports Education. records. League, has developed an extensive (and And any of these academic topics can “ eir school spirit is on the rise free) esports curriculum. be taught to students after school of dur- because they don’t feel like school is e program, which integrates video ing club and team meetings. just a place to come and get homework games with several core subjects, focuses “You may have 55 kids who want to every day,” Robertson says. “It’s so heavily on the many career paths in the participate, but only five can play on the good to see kids who never had joy at rapidly expanding esports industry, says team,” Turner says. “You can keep the school become all of a sudden happy Tom Turner, the federation’s chief edu- other 50 engaged by offering leadership and excited to be here and doing well cation officer. opportunities.” in their classes.” Video games and education start —Matt Zalaznick

8 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com SPECIAL ED 5 strategies to promote learning for students with disabilities

Students need to be able to adapt and 2. Powerful, engaging instruction solving. Consider how to intervene and respond to changes brought about by Some students with disabilities will plan for interventions if students are not globalization, technology and automa- need explicit instruction, Parsi says. meeting the skills that they need. tion to compete for the jobs of the future. For instance, a student with executive To succeed, students with disabilities functioning issues might have challenges 4. Holistic measurement will need to learn the same life skills— organizing information; or a student Consider how assessments can be devel- critical thinking, collaboration, problem- with an emotional and behavioral dis- oped with principles of universal design solving and self-advocacy—that their order might approach collaboration in a for learning. Also consider how IEPs will peers will need, says Lindsay Jones, CEO diff erent way. “We need to prepare our measure new skills, Parsi says. Create a and president of the National Center for students for that reality,” Parsi says. rubric for key skills such as self-advocacy, Learning Disabilities (NCLD). self-determination, collaboration, and “Students with disabilities enter the 3. Comprehensive interventions, critical thinking within students’ IEP same world as everyone,” Jones says. supports goals, the report recommends. “ eir education has to include those Destigmatize supports and incorporate same concepts. ey cannot be segre- them into response to intervention and 5. Empowering culture gated in separate classrooms where they multitiered systems of support, the Facilitate a growth mindset culture in don’t get that opportunity.” NCLD writes in its report. Also, con- which students see learning as a process NCLD and the Alliance for Excel- sider building small-group time into the not an end, the report states. “We need lence in Education recently hosted a schedule so students can practice collab- to make sure we have an inclusive cul- panel discussion on designing learning oration, critical thinking, and problem- ture,” Parsi says. —Jennifer Herseim opportunities with greater equity and inclusion in mind. “We have come such a long way, but at the same time, we have to think about how education and the world are chang- ing,” says Ace Parsi, NCLD’s director of innovation. e skills that students need to compete in the world have changed signifi cantly from those needed when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was fi rst authorized, he said. To understand how learning can be designed more inclusively, NCLD asked 10 charter schools to discuss key classroom strategies for students with disabilities. Here are fi ve key practices identifi ed in NCLD’s report: (DAmag.me/ncld)

1. Expanded student voice, choice Dis- tricts can use Section 504 and IEP team meetings to empower students’ voice and choice. Don’t use IEP and transition meetings just as a bureaucratic exercise, Parsi says. Instead, build students’ skills and dispositions through these processes. Use students’ interests to drive learning and instruction.

DistrictAdministration.com February 2020 | 9 BeyondtheNews STUDENT SUCCESS

Districts work to accommodate twice-exceptional students

As special education needs continue to with local criteria. increase, a challenge for district leaders Determining eligibility for 2E stu- POTENTIAL SIGNS is identifying and managing accommo- dents can be tricky, says Slater. Under dations and supports for academically the Individuals with Disabilities Educa- OF A DISABILITY gifted students who have learning diffi - tion Act (IDEA), a student qualifi es for culties, also known as twice-exceptional special ed if they have a disability that IN GIFTED STUDENTS (2E) students. has been identifi ed. It’s not that educators don’t want to For example, a kindergartner may help these students; it’s that some might excel academically but can’t talk without not even be aware that they exist, says stuttering, so the eligibility team may Amy Slater, author of Educating Twice- decide that the student has an impair- Exceptional Students in Compliance ment that requires special ed in terms of With IDEA and Section 504 (Damag. academic interventions, and the student Here are some behaviors in gifted me/2estudents) from LRP Publications, could be eligible for IDEA services. students that could signal a need which also publishes DA. State-by-state defi nitions for educa- for special ed services, according “Picture it as a Venn diagram,” says tion performance and how it relates to to Amy Slater, author of Educating Slater. “You have students with disabili- special ed and related services vary, adds Twice-Exceptional Students in ties on one side and gifted students on Slater. Compliance With IDEA and the other, and the area in between is the Section 504: twice-exceptional students.” Removing barriers to support • diffi culty with attention or focus With a wide range of disabilities In regard to assessing and supporting 2E • diffi culty with a specifi c subject in schools, Slater reminds educators students, Slater off ers a few best prac- or curriculum area that a special ed designation doesn’t tices, including: • frequent absences always mean an intellectual disability. • Review Child Find qualifi cations For example, anxiety and ADHD may with relevant staff members. • missing or incomplete require accommodations but neither is • Conduct periodic training on 2E assignments classifi ed as an intellectual disability. students and Child Find requirements • fi dgeting, repetitive movements  us, an academically successful stu- in general. or diffi culty staying still dent may also qualify for special ed. • Make sure evaluators are knowl- • diffi culty with transitions edgeable about 2E students because • diffi culty with social interaction Determining eligibility gifted abilities might mask disabilities, When it comes to 2E students, educa- and vice versa. • behavioral outbursts tors need to be aware of Child Find Educators also should be aware of • frequent disciplinary offenses requirements, eligibility determination the potential signs of disability in gifted • acts of self-harm and implementation of supports. students (see sidebar). Most districts are already well When it comes to potential barriers versed in federal Child Find mandates, to implementation of supports, Slater make that service or accommodation so the question becomes when does a says teachers in gifted and accelerated available, says Slater. gifted student with special ed needs classes may not be familiar with IEPs or “ ere seems to be this mindset with get those supports and services, says Section 504 programs. some educators that if you’re gifted, you Slater. For example, does a team need Ultimately, leaders need to remind can’t have a disability,” says Slater. “You to consider the student’s grades or their staff of the district’s obligations, and can’t just assume that a gifted student potential, which means considering ensure that educators know they can’t doesn’t have a disability. Even if they issues such as overall education perfor- pick and choose what services 2E stu- perform well, there may be other factors mance. Performance standards vary by dents should receive. Even if a teacher involved.” state, so educators need to be familiar thinks it’s unnecessary, they have to —Ray Bendici

10 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com BECAUSE SHE FOUGHT, WE CAN

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*SyncBlasts not available with all Networks titles—inquire for availability. BeyondtheNews STEM Cutting into dissection alternatives piques students’ interest

Faced with a lack of school lab space and a need for more in-depth medical imaging, district leaders and science educators have been seeking alterna- tives to real animal dissections in VIRTUAL WORK—Virtual class. dissection tables (left) and Synthetic frogs and digital dissec- other tools allow students to explore anatomy tion tables are among the options that without the mess or the also help to accommodate students ethical issues. These tools who opt out of dissecting real animals also allow students to for ethical or religious reasons. separate and view multiple To maintain the physical inter- anatomical systems, such as organs or skeletal activity with a dissection specimen, systems (below). SynDaver Labs, a manufacturer of synthetic human and animal mod- els, recently debuted a synthetic frog to replace the use of deceased, pre- served frogs in classrooms. Last fall, nearly 100 SynFrogs were provided for students at Pasco County School District’s J.W. Mitchell High School in Florida, thanks in part to funding from the People for the Ethical Treat- scans in addition to life-sized gross dissection can offer additional learn- ment of Animals. anatomy 3D images of two male and ing opportunities not always available Similar to a preserved frog, stu- two female adults. e latest version with actual specimens. dents can cut into a synthetic frog, also includes a canine anatomy virtual For example, Aaron Volkoff, a experience the visual features and dissection and scans of more than 250 science teacher at Lakewood High textures of the specimen, and extract animal species. School in Long Beach, California, organs and bones. Students can rotate virtual bodies; uses the digital cadavers and the e current cost of $150 per frog make slices to expose anatomic details; Anatomage case library in a health might be a deterrent for districts and choose to isolate specific body sys- care analysis course to teach students when actual frogs only cost around tems, such as the skeletal or muscular to analyze how pathologies change $10 each. However, the specimen can systems. normal anatomy. Students are then be “restuffed” with less costly organs e interest in virtual dissection is posed with a health challenge and if it is not deboned. In addition to especially high from students looking to must investigate what may be wrong full-body feline and frog models, fetal enter sports medicine, physical therapy, with a particular patient and appropri- pigs, rats and other animals are in radiology technology, emergency medi- ate treatment options. development. cal technician and medical assistant Anatomy tournaments in which training tracks, says Jake Lehman, high school student teams compete Virtual exploration Anatomage’s corporate sales manager. against each other on their human e Anatomage Table, a virtual dissec- e table’s cost ranges between anatomy knowledge, make use of the tion table currently in use at a couple $50,000 and $80,000, with a number virtual table. e tournaments, which of hundred high schools nationwide, of schools able to receive grant fund- began two years ago in California in has been used to teach human anat- ing to aid in the purchase. partnership with the American Aca- omy in more detail as part of career demic Competition Institute. Now and technology courses. Expanded lessons there are nearly a dozen annual tour- e gurney-sized table offers more In addition to the practical and naments across the nation. than 1,000 human CT and MRI ethical issues, alternative and virtual —Ariana Fine

12 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com CURRICULUM Place-based learning models connect students to their environments

Picture the various “place-based learn- and instruction at Eastern Michigan ing” lessons you might have received University and director of the Southeast if your high school had been on the Michigan Stewardship Coalition. grounds of the local zoo. It can connect students to their Students at the School of Environ- natural environment in an era when mental Studies (SES) in suburban Min- many young people become engrossed neapolis don’t have to use their imagi- in—and isolated by—their mobile nations—at least not when it comes to devices, says Lowenstein, who is guid- trying to save endangered mussels. ing 30 schools in Detroit, Ann Arbor Seniors at SES, a magnet that serves and Ypsilanti in the implementation of 11th- and 12th-grade students in place-based learning. Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public “is is especially important for Schools, study mussels with staff of the students who live in poverty or who live TAPPING INTO NATURAL Minnesota Zoo each year. en, they in areas where the media is telling them WONDERS—Students at Oregon’s create public service announcements to deficit stories about their communities,” Hood River Middle School take place- based learning electives in which raise awareness about the species’ impor- Lowenstein says. “We’re helping young they mountain bike, windsurf and tant role in the ecosystem, Principal people become authors of their own explore the region’s gorges. Lauren Trainer says. communities’ stories, and to use math, “e zoo knows people protect what English and science to take civic action they care about,” Trainer says. “So in a meaningful way.” school’s greenhouse. the students have to figure out how to In Ypsilanti, for example, place-based Classes have researched ways to generate enthusiasm for mussels, which learning has students learning ways to grow food in an environment that sees aren’t cute and fuzzy.” make their neighborhoods more resil- extreme cold and extreme heat, says e zoo project is just one example ient to flooding, which has become an Principal Brent Emmons, whose school of place-based learning, in which edu- increasing problem as climate change is part of the Hood River County cators across the country are using the creates heavier rains. High school stu- School District. Students have built spe- natural world right outside their build- dents studied where to plant trees, and cialized “climate batteries” and experi- ings to make learning more relevant and which varieties, to help grounds crews mented with aquaponic systems that engaging. control flooding on their campus. retain heat. Beyond the zoo, SES students study “One of the strengths of place-based Place-based learning should also the water quality of suburban lakes and education is that an interdisciplinary incorporate the culture of a region, ponds. ey don waders and board approach is a necessary component,” Emmons says. canoes to undertake research with city Lowenstein says. “We live in a really Hood River Middle School students naturalists, and then analyze their find- complicated era, where if you don’t have studied the culture of local Native ings in lengthy academic papers, says understand complex systems, you’re not American tribes through the Columbia Trainer. going to be prepared.” River Confluence Project. In English e students complete their time language arts, students are learning at SES with a capstone project that A local learning lens about how the region’s population includes an environmental service initia- Students at Oregon’s Hood River of Japanese Americans were taken to tive. “A lot of the time, environmental Middle School live in a place where internment camps during World War II. issues can be a big downer,” Trainer recreation is paramount. ey can take “Making learning relevant is one of says. “is helps them integrate hope, place-based learning electives in which the arts of education,” Emmons says. activism and leadership.” they mountain bike, windsurf and “at disconnect that particularly explore the region’s gorges. secondary students have with find- Creating new stories In the classroom, all students take ing meaning in their learning? Much Place-based learning can play a pivotal a course in food and conservation of that can be solved by saying we are role in urban environments, says Ethan science, which requires them to solve learning things through the lens of our Lowenstein, a professor of curriculum local ecological problems, often in the community.” —Matt Zalaznick

DistrictAdministration.com February 2020 | 13 HRMatters

Why do your employees stay? Understanding the reasons can help leaders boost recruitment and retention

By Carol Patton

mong the most effective and “Stay interviews” must “It could be that one teacher got to low-cost retention and recruit- paint her classroom in different colors ment strategies for K-12 districts be personal, authentic that inspire her and her students, which areA “stay interviews.” These face-to-face and focused to build is why she stays,” Brooks says. “This conversations between district leaders has to be a schoolwide or districtwide and top performers reveal why employ- relationships. effort. Some things that pop up are fac- ees remain on the job and the concerns tors that, more often than not, HR does that may provoke them to leave. not control.” “You totally miss the boat if you don’t leadership development. To solicit buy-in for stay interviews, actively engage top-performing employ- She says stay interviews must be per- Brooks says HR staffers can ask leaders ees in trying to keep them,” says Skye sonal, authentic and focused. Employees to consider what would happen if their Duckett, chief human resources officer can tell if leaders are not listening or are top five teachers quit this month. Of- for Atlanta Public Schools, which sup- distracted by other matters. “Stay inter- tentimes, leaders assume there are only ports some 8,300 employees and faculty. views are a fancy way of getting to know a handful of levers they can pull. But Duckett says about 70% of the your [employees] and taking good care Brooks says some aspects are within their district’s leaders conduct these optional of them as individuals,” Duckett says. control and can help avoid that “horrific interviews. But don’t confuse them with “It’s all about the relationship.” scene of highly valued employees with engagement surveys, she says, explain- community and family legacy connec- ing that surveys gather opinions from Determine district ‘perks’ tions from walking out that door.” the entire workforce, including low per- Stay interviews can also help identify formers whose ideas may not align with a district’s competitive advantages, Apply what you learn the district’s values. says Ben Brooks, founder and CEO HR can couple information from stay of PILOT, a software-based employee interviews with results from climate or Build relationships coaching platform. engagement surveys, says Chett Dan- Atlanta’s HR staffers train principals and Why employees stay at an organiza- iel, founder of K12 HR Solutions, a other leaders to start the sessions telling tion is different than administrators national K-12 consultancy in Missouri. top performers how much they’re valued. think, Brooks says, adding that highly Conducting focus groups can pro- Then, leaders ask employees what they valued talent may enjoy perks that are vide more feedback. Daniel says some like best about the job, school or district, completely unrelated to their role. “Re- employees feel safer in a group setting and to disclose potential concerns. tention is highly personal,” he says. because it gives them permission to Several years ago, stay interviews Brooks says trusted school leaders speak up. He suggests framing questions revealed that top teachers believed should conduct such interviews one-on- in the third person, which makes the the district lacked leadership or career one since there’s a great benefit to read- process less threatening. For example: growth opportunities, Duckett says. So ing body language. Questions include: Can you think of a reason why your co- she worked with the teacher advisory Why do you stay? What are the best workers might have responded this way council to establish career pathways parts of working here? Describe your on the survey? And apply what you learn and an aspiring leadership program, ideal and worst workdays. If you were because “retention is a bucket where and then trained administrators on offered another job, what factors would right now, there’s more water going out likely keep you here? than coming in,” Daniel says. DA Share responses with HR, Brooks says, and discuss what was learned and DAmag.me/whystay how the information can enhance re- Carol Patton is a Las Vegas-based writer cruitment and retention efforts. who specializes in human resources issues.

14 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com

TAKING LEARNING TO NEW HEIGHTS DISTRICTS OF Poway USD’s blended learning and professional DISTINCTION development environment increases student PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT engagement and the use of education technology

NEW LEARNING APPROACHES—Collaboration in flexible seating environments is one of the main tenets of Poway USD’s Voyager professional development program, which gives teachers more opportunities for small- group and one-on-one interactions with their students.

professional development and in-class coaching pro- Poway USD gram transformed ed tech use in a San Diego dis- trict, with teachers going from not knowing how to San Diego, California A use new technology to now helping students in Google Suite while cooking dinner at home. Where random chromebooks Students: More than 36,000 were collecting dust, third-graders now collaborate with stu- dents in Australia via Skype. Superintendent: This transformation came after the development of the Marian Kim-Phelps Voyager program in the 2017-18 school year. The initiative focuses on implementing blended learning practices and ed Initiative launched: tech strategies to increase student engagement and interest. 2017-18 academic year “We developed a system of support for teachers to learn how to integrate and use the latest technology in the class-

16 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com room,” says Superintendent Marian Kim-Phelps of Poway USD. “Ed tech allows our students to connect with the world and engage with ideas that help them ask more organic questions.”

Voice and choice To participate in Voyager, teachers must first apply to deter- mine which sessions they would benefit from most. “We pro- vide ‘voice and choice,’ so teachers can choose what they want to learn and take it to the next level,” says Phelps. PD sessions begin in the summer and continue at various times throughout the year (see sidebar). Learning opportuni- ties range from blended learning and station rotations to ses- sions where participants determine what to discuss and share their experiences. Tech cafes focus on specialized new concepts or topics that educators have expressed an interest in learning about. AND . . . ACTION!—Innovation coaches work inside At the end of the year, teachers participating in the pro- classrooms with teachers and students to provide expertise in using digital tools and to help students share their gram set up booths at a showcase event to share their best projects with a wider audience. practices and student work. “Teachers who haven’t taken part in Voyager can use this opportunity to see what their peers in Voyager are doing,” says Phelps. Generating excitement and experimentation e Voyager program promotes collaboration without much Coaching for teachers—and students oversight from Poway administration. To support Poway USD’s 39 schools, the district currently “We eliminated a top-down model where district leaders employs five full-time certified tech innovation coaches who tell teachers what to do, so educators are encouraged to share went through a rigorous application process. ideas organically that they are excited about,” says Phelps. “We looked for teachers who had strong instructional “Teachers feel more supported this way, and when you feel practices with expertise in blended and tech integration, so more supported, you are more inclined to try an untested they had to be well-versed and comfortable with ed tech,” says innovative approach.” Phelps. Similarly, Poway USD doesn’t use an evaluative model, ese leaders provide in-class mentoring throughout the which further encourages teachers to develop and embrace year. Coaches monitor classes and provide feedback, teach new teaching methods. side by side with educators, lead lessons, and share new con- “After PD, many districts have principals evaluate teacher cepts with teachers—and students. performance and make sure they’re following certain guide- “is way, students can decide how they learn and what lines,” says Phelps. “Instead, we’re telling teachers, ‘Hey, feel they learn,” says Phelps. “Students are more likely to take free to try something innovative.’” ownership of their own learning.” —Steven Blackburn

PD and coaching days “Ed tech allows our students to connect with • Two full PD days • Three two-hour in the summer sessions aer school the world around them per month and engage with ideas • Two 40 minutes of that helps them ask more “embedded coaching” • Showcase event at each month the end of the year organic questions.” • Two full PD days in the — Marian Kim-Phelps, Superintendent, Poway USD winter and spring

DistrictAdministration.com February 2020 | 17 Predicting Student Success isEmpower Their Superpower with Superhero Confidence

Discover hidden strengths with powerful actionable data that drives intervention and blended learning for reading, math, and Spanish literacy. Working together, Istation’s formative assessments, adaptive curriculum, personalized data profiles, and flexible teacher resources help schools measure growth and introduce new skills. Plus, educators get easy-to-understand feedback that is timely, specific, and constructive.

Istation is the Platinum Sponsor of DA’s Districts of Distinction Learn more about Istation’s action-packed approach to educational technology and data-driven instruction.

Celebrating Excellence and info.istation.com/contactsales Innovation in K12 Education SPONSORED CASE STUDY

Diverse district sees academic progress in K-3 with Istation assessments

Using program resources, Bernalillo Public Schools targets instruction based on adaptive tests

very elementary school in Bernalillo Public Schools has “We know E a data wall, where educators the ongoing plot student progress according to monthly assessments. Color-coded assessment, to easily track movement from “inadequate” (red) through “on target” progress (green), the walls illustrate the positive impact that Istation has had in this monitoring diverse New Mexico community, says and instruction Jennifer Trujillo, district assessment and school improvement coordinator. have made “The data are constantly changing a difference because Istation assessments are adaptive, and instruction is then because scores targeted to each student’s needs,” Trujillo says. “We know the ongoing continue to assessment, progress monitoring and go up.” instruction have made a difference because scores continue to go up.” each student based on their level and expectations rose seven percentage Targeted instruction and quick buy-in the skills they need more support in.” points during the same time period. The Bernalillo district started using Istation over seven years ago Improved assessments in English ‘Engaged students’ when the state chose it to pilot the and Spanish “Students are engaged, and teachers assessments. The following year, every The nationally normed ISIP™, which like having immediate results that district in New Mexico began using provide the information posted on each can be trusted,” Trujillo says. Parent Istation’s Indicators of Progress (ISIP™) school’s data wall, also help predict reports improve communication, she for testing all K-3 students. In Trujillo’s student success. Some recent results: adds, as reports show where students district, buy-in came quickly with IT • English readers in kindergarten are, where they need to be, and how support, differentiated professional who were assessed as inadequate parents can support learning at home. development, and a solution that decreased 16 percentage points “We are constantly having helps teachers as much as it helps during the school year. conversations about the data,” Trujillo students, she says. For example, • English readers in kindergarten says. “Teachers use it to help struggling before Istation, teachers hand-scored who were assessed as on target to meet students, and all the information is at assessments. They now have more end-of-year grade-level expectations our fingertips.” time as well as access to Istation increased seven percentage points instructional resources, gaining even during the school year. more efficiencies. • Spanish readers in kindergarten “We saw a big difference in test who were assessed as inadequate scores once we purchased the decreased 15 percentage points instructional component—and when during the school year. students use Istation more often,” • Spanish readers in kindergarten Trujillo says. “You can’t go wrong with who were assessed as on target more instruction that’s targeted to to meet end-of-year grade-level

For more information, please visit istation.com Share this story online at DAmag.me/isip Ever get the feeling your PD is missing something?

Visit go.voyagersopris.com/letrs/white-paper Your Professional Development is Missing 5 Essential Components Teachers matter phoneme awareness and phonics lead to comprehension, When educators at Hilldale Elementary School in teachers are left feeling ill-prepared–like riding a bike Oklahoma began the professional development without wheels. ® program LETRS , Principal Price Brown immediately LETRS closes the gap in teacher training realized, “This is something that our teachers are “Going through , you sit there, moment-by- missing, and I don’t mean just our teachers. I’m talking LETRS moment, thinking, ‘I should have known this,’” said teachers everywhere.” Ebony Lee, Ph.D., director of curriculum, instruction, and You’re Right Teachers matter more to student success than any other assessment, Clayton County, Georgia Public Schools. “It’s aspect of schooling. They, not programs, teach students the tool to change lives and change communities.” how to read. Yet a study of most teaching institutions found only 29 percent actually prepare teachers with all In Ohio, where Niles City Schools implemented LETRS, five essential components of literacy instruction, including: students reading at or above average increased from † phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and 53 percent to 89 percent within one school year. comprehension.* Coincidentally, another national study With LETRS, decades of research translates best practice found 63 percent of U.S. fourth grade students are not into everyday classroom success, including a systematic pro cient readers.** approach to building oral and written language to improve Learning to read is complex reading instruction overall. Reading requires multiple parts of the brain learning to work together. Visual symbols must be connected “Going through LETRS, you sit there, with language. For example, the letter b represents /b/, which, in turn, distinguishes bat from pat. Brain pathways moment-by moment, thinking, ‘I should connecting speech with print must be built by every reader. have known this.’ It’s the tool to change Teaching reading should be based on scientific research lives and change communities.” applied to the classroom, and tailored to individuals. Ebony Lee, Ed.D., Clayton County Public Schools, Georgia Without a deep understanding of the science behind how we learn to read, why we spell the way we do, or how

CHAMPION CHANGE IN YOUR DISTRICT. Visit go.voyagersopris.com/letrs/white-paper FIND OUT MORE: 1.800.547.6747 LANGUAGE ESSENTIALS FOR TEACHERS LETRS is a registered trademark of Voyager Sopris Learning®. *National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), 2013 **2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress report (NAEP) †go.voyagersopris.com/letrs-niles-oh OF READING AND SPELLING Districts of Distinction PD programs Here are three K-12 districts that were Districts of Distinction runners up that also DISTRICTS OF have developed noteworthy PD programs DISTINCTION

NEW EDUCATOR ORIENTATION EDUCATOR GROWTH EQUITY FOUNDATIONAL Martin County School District School District of the Chathams TRAINING, Osseo Area Schools- Stuart, Florida Chatham, New Jersey ISD 279, Maple Grove, Minnesota martinschools.org chatham-nj.org district279.org

CHALLENGE: Prior to 2018-19 school CHALLENGE: District leaders realized CHALLENGE: After vendor-provided year, new teachers received a one-day that professional development structures equity training ended, the district still training to acclimate them to the district. designed to support educator growth needed to provide PD for more than Based on feedback and declining reten- were countering expectations for student 200 facilitators and 3,500 employees tion rates (at least 10% per year), a stron- learning and ignoring the vast interests of that would include scheduling at least 15 ger orientation was required. educators and their desire to pursue their hours of training over two years for all job own learning. positions and roles. INITIATIVE: e New Educator Ori- entation is a four-day training opportunity INITIATIVE: “GO Time” (Growth INITIATIVE: Equity Foundational that was developed with district depart- Opportunity Time) is a professional Training (EFT) was developed to pro- ments—including human resources, development structure designed to vide a systematic approach for all district curriculum and instruction, and student revamp learning that also aligns with employees to develop a common lan- services—and outside teacher prep orga- the expectations for student learning. guage and tools to identify and respond nizations such as the New Teacher Center Over the course of an academic year, to the impact of race and culture on learn- and e New Teacher Project. During educators receive a minimum of 20 ing. EFT 1.0 is comprised of three mod- the welcoming event, teachers are given hours (during contracted time) to pur- ules requiring a minimum of seven hours school swag, enjoy breakfast and lunch, sue an area of interest. Teachers may of PD focused on increasing knowledge engage with district staff, learn from con- work collaboratively, independently, of the five system equity tools and aware- tent experts, network, and are paid $100 or participate in various topics offered ness of racially predictable outcomes in per day. ey also receive mental health through the district learning lab. Pro- the district. EFT 1.5 has two modules first aid training. fessional staff are also able to participate requiring a minimum of six hours of PD in the program. focused on strengthening and applying IMPACT: e district decreased hires by the skills learned in the first section. 4% in the 2019-20 school year over the IMPACT: “We believe our educators 2018-19 school year. Ninety-seven per- are committed learners and profession- IMPACT: “ e underlying beliefs of cent of new teachers responded that they als who have an inherent need to learn EFT are unique as the System Equity would recommend the program to other and improve,” says Karen Chase, assis- Tools are designed to explicitly address teachers (new or outside of the school tant superintendent of curriculum and the intersectionality of race and culture,” district). In addition, new teachers have instruction. “By creating a structure says Rev Hillstrom, director of educa- started social media accounts to share that supports this belief system, we have tional equity. More than 87% of staff what they learned from the orientation. shown our educators that we honor them surveyed believe that program helps to as learners and respect their abilities, develop approaches for having effective ADVICE: “Plan and organize well in interests, and learning styles.” dialogue about racial inequity. advance of launching,” says Heather Padgett, coordinator of professional ADVICE: “GO Time places quite a bit ADVICE: e commitments of your development. “Make time to vet and of trust in the hands of educators,” says district must align with the conscious- review the content that is being deliv- Chase. “But we need to empower them ness and convictions that are present, says ered to the new teachers. Make the by creating a model for their learning Hillstrom. Employees have to move from branding consistent, review, and pro- that mirrors what we know to be effective simply becoming aware of student racial vide feedback for a streamlined message learning for students.” inequities to actively implementing strate- in each session.” gies to address those inequities. DA

22 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com

POWER of PLCs By Ma Zalaznick

New levels of collaboration and a willingness to use social media allow teachers to cra more effective instruction

uestion: Do teachers’ professional isolation anymore,” says Phillip Page, LONGDISTANCE LEARNING learning communities (PLCs) superintendent of the Bartow County NETWORKS—Student teachers at Grove City College in Pennsylvania are paired impact student achievement? School System in north Georgia. “Since Q with and mentored online by classroom Answer: Yes. But only when educa- our teachers have been collaborating, teachers from around the world. tors have ample time and space to dive they’ve taken more of an ‘our kids’ deeply into data, provide one another approach as opposed to a ‘my kids’ with constructive feedback and col- approach.” professor of learning technology at the laborate on innovative and differenti- Page is not alone in seeing results. University of Massachusetts Amherst’s ated approaches to instruction that will And education experts are reimagin- College of Education. impact all students, administrators and ing the PLC concept to move beyond “Where we’re heading is super excit- other experts say. the school building and into the glob- ing because you’re no longer limited to “We have very little teaching in ally connected world of social media the PLC in your school or a professional and other interactive online platforms. development day,” Trust says. “Online, ese resources now allow teachers to there’s a world of supportive educa- DISTRICTS OF create extensive global learning net- tors—on Twitter, writing blog posts DISTINCTION works, says Torrey Trust, an associate and sharing digital tools.”

24 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com Safe places to share challenges pals fl exibility to set their own schedules Everyday conversations Gillian Chapman, superintendent of so they can provide time for teachers to about eff ectiveness rural Teton County School District get the most of out their PLCs. Bartow County schools’ PLCs meet #1 in Wyoming, has seen the power of “In PLCs, you get so many better twice per week during built-in collabo- PLCs at work at two of her schools. Jack- ideas because you have a team that’s in ration time. A key focus is when dif- son Hole Middle School had slipped on the boat with you and you’re all rowing ferent classes get signifi cantly diff erent some standards but improved dramati- in the same direction,” Chapman says. results on common assessments, says cally on a 2019 state assessment after teachers in various content areas received PLC facilitator training from the state of Wyoming. ese teacher leaders were PLN OFFERS A PREVIEW then able to create safe, non-judgmental places where teachers could discuss chal- Here's a professional learning network (PLN) lenges, Chapman says. that provides a virtual look at what teaching is “ e stress is off a little bit because really like. teachers are not being evaluated by the Student teachers at Grove City College in Penn- folks on the PLCs,” she says. “ ey can sylvania participate in virtual co-op programs in admit they are wondering about some- which they are paired with and mentored online thing or they have a concern. ey can by a professional classroom teacher somewhere show their data without feeling like, in the world. ‘Oh gosh, if I show my data my job These student teachers, as early as freshman year, will create an online les- might be in jeopardy.’” son and then get feedback from the mentors in weekly meetings via video- At Colter K-5 Elementary School, conferencing platforms such as Facetime or Skype. This relationship allows leaders bring all new hires into the PLC, students to begin developing a professional learning network before they which then “renorms and reforms” even start looking for a job, says Samantha Fecich, an assistant professor of around the new member, Chapman says. education and instructional technologist who created the program. “A lot of times, there’s an unwritten rule on teams that if you’re new, you Students about to graduate can then leverage the PLNs they’ve developed don’t participate,” she says. “But teams through the Grove City program to inquire about opportunities in specific dis- work because you build on the skills, tricts. “As freshmen or sophomores, they’re able to spread their little bread- training and past experiences of the crumbs of of awesomeness across the internet,” Fecich says. “And, it helps individuals.” them get a sneak peak into what it’s like to be a practicing teacher.” e PLCs are key in support- The virtual co-op relationships often changes some of the students’ perspec- ing the district’s Success 2022 goals, tives about education, says Melissa-Ann Pero, an English teacher at Pennsyl- which include having all 3rd grad- vania’s Bermudian Springs High School who has participated in the program ers reach profi ciency in reading and as a mentor. math. Grade-level and content-based “When you want to become a teacher, you already assume what it’s going PLCs meet at least once per week dur- to be like because you’ve had teachers,” says Pero, whose school is part of ing time that has been built into the the Bermudian Springs School District. “Here, you get to ask people in the school day. Teachers compare students’ field questions you might be less inclined to ask face-to-face.” For example, performance on common assessments, Pero says she often talks to student teachers about how she created a gay- among other data, and then share ideas straight alliance to provide a safe space for kids at her school. for why some students or classes may have shown greater growth. PLCs make “When I first started teaching, I was told not to bring my personal life into presentations to the entire faculty about the classroom,” Pero says. “But when students get to know a little bit about once per month so other teachers are you, you’re real to them, you’re not a figurehead. That’s something I want new aware of each group’s priorities. teacher to get a feel for—it’s important that your students know you.” Chapman’s role is to give her princi-

DistrictAdministration.com February 2020 | 25 POWER of PLCs

Page, the superintendent. learning,” Trust says. “ e way we “We have certainly seen a more tar- expect learning to happen in the class- geted focus on instruction,” he says. room, can now happen for teachers e PLCs are also analyzing state through all the tools we have today.” standards to determine which are the When Trust does presentations, most important for students to achieve she’ll show a screenshot of an educa- at the next grade level. tor’s tweet that has gotten hundreds of “States give you more standards than responses from around the world. you can possibly teach so, instead of “Yes, Twitter is a place where celeb- teachers going off in isolation and say- rities share photos of food, but it can ing, ‘ ere’s no way I can teach them also be a powerful learning experience,” all,’ we’re asking our teachers to deter- Trust says. “When I join a Twitter chat, mine together what they believe are the after just an hour I end up with 30 open essential standards for kids to be suc- browser tabs with all the new resources cessful,” Page says. I’ve looked up.” As an extension of the PLCs, teach- Teachers can use a tool called tchat. ers also hold college-style office hours io (tchat.io) to follow the conversations twice per week to meet individually going on around specific education with students who need enrichment VIRTUAL VETTING—Grove City hashtags, such as #edchat, #mathchat or or extra help. e PLCs also design College students create online #spedchat. Other teachers use the Voxer “response days” during which students lessons and then get feedback from ‘Walkie Talkie’ app (voxer.com) that have a chance to catch up on skills they their mentors in weekly meetings via allows teams to meet through audio platforms such as Facetime or Skype. have not yet mastered. messages. “A PLC is the best PD that you can However, some teachers find Twit- get because teachers are having conver- ter is not ideal for co-constructing new sations about their effectiveness every enrichment to students. But UDL is not lesson plans or other projects. Instead, day,” Page says. “You’re helping each merely personalized or individualized they can move to platforms such as other get better because you want each learning, says Novak, who has presented Google Hangouts, she says. other to do better.” at education conferences on using uni- Of course, whether teachers are con- versal design concepts in PLCs. necting on Twitter, Pinterest, Google Laying foundations “We’re now seeing a much wider Hangouts or elsewhere in the virtual for inclusive classrooms variability of learners within every world, they should reflect regularly on Some educators are letting Universal single class,” she says. “UDL is how whether these resources are improving Design for Learning (UDL) concepts we design learning that works for all their practice, Trust says. guide PLCs in being more responsive to students. UDL is the foundation of an “If you are connecting with a PLN students’ learning styles. inclusive classroom.” but haven’t taken time to reflect on UDL allows teachers in PLCs to look whether it’s having a positive impact on for various types of evidence to deter- Where to find 30 ideas in an hour student learning, that’s a big gap,” Trust mine when different students are mak- Technology now allows PLCs to grow says. “You might not be in the right ing progress—or when certain students into professional learning networks spaces to discover the right tools.” DA need interventions, says Katie Novak, that transcend a school building, a dis- assistant superintendent of curriculum, trict, and even states and nations. And instruction, and human resources at whereas even effective PLCs can still Matt Zalaznick is senior writer. Groton-Dunstable Regional School be regimented by an administrators’ District in Massachusetts. priorities, online tools give teachers the e district’s PLCs design instruc- freedom to explore a wider range of tion for specially designated WIN interests from more diverse sources, says blocks (or, “What I Need”) in which Trust, the UMass education professor. DAmag.me/plc teachers can provide assistance or “It’s evolved to self-driven teacher

26 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com DISTRICTS OF DISTINCTION 2020

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11 ways for leaders to ‘unschool’ school Taking a student-centered approach increases learning (and buy-in)

By Michael Niehoff

he term “unschooling” was If our schools are to be taught students how to tell time? If you originally associated with the need a reminder, use music or some- home-school movement. Now the hubs of our student thing fun. But to me, bells don’t make thatT personalized learning is becoming communities, make people on time; importance, buy-in, a pedagogy, unschooling is taking on an involvement and engagement do. expanded meaning. It’s about advocat- them reflect those 8. Flip the school food paradigm ing a student-centered approach. It’s communities. and more. Our school food services time to redefine what we know as school need to be more like food trucks. to boost engagement and improve learn- Our classrooms need to be more like ing. Here are 11 ways to take action. contemporary workspaces. Our admin- 1. Ask students about everything. students anticipate the beginning of istrative offices need to be more like Staff should survey students several each school year. This excitement usu- concierge centers. It’s about making our times per year about their learning expe- ally dissipates as they are inundated schools more inviting. When we want riences, and work to improve those ex- with long talks about rules, expecta- to be somewhere, we perform better. periences. Students should also provide tions, syllabuses and more. What if 9. Go big and go pro with gear. feedback on rules, processes, hiring, that first week and beyond opened up Yes, we have budget limitations. schedules, facilities, course needs and opportunities and possibilities? What if Whether it’s through grant writing, finances. Students have great ideas, and schools focused more on what students corporate or community donations, or we rarely consult them. If you want to can do versus what they cannot do? (For something else, we need to find a way have responsible students who are pre- more, visit DAmag.me/smartstart.) to provide cutting-edge equipment that pared for the future, include them. 5. Expand the campus walls. Our inspires innovation and boosts creativity. 2. Limit rules and restrictions. school gates need to be literally and 10. Go beyond the “big game” Schools tend to have dozens, or even figuratively transparent. In addition to or school dance. What if our schools hundreds, of rules. Like a good résumé, their teachers and peers, students should offered student art exhibitions and get your list down to one page. Focus see a variety of people on campus—in- project showcases, student film festivals, on the essentials, and make sure they are cluding career professionals, mentors unplugged acoustic nights, and culinary based on legal obligations and common and community leaders. Also, students competitions? If our schools are to be sense and/or safety. should spend time off campus. They the hubs of our student communities, 3. Improve staff accessibility. All need work-, place- and community- make them reflect those communities. school personnel should be accessible. based experiences not only to define 11. Mix it up. We know our stu- Allow, or even encourage, students to their learning, but also to provide neces- dents depend on certain levels of struc- communicate in any way that works. sary context and networks. ture. But consider reversing the daily Using social media applications will 6. Help students become leaders schedule on occasion; having lame duck open the lines of communication, which and facilitators. All students need to days that allow students to take over the will build relationships and lead to trust. pursue their interests and career goals. school’s social media accounts; or having 4. “Smart-start” your school. Many They need opportunities to research, teachers swap classes. You get the idea. collaborate, pitch, problem-solve and Let’s “unschool” school. DA more—all in an effort to create a digital portfolio of work and accompanying DAmag.me/unschool badges, certificates and skill mastery. Longtime educator Michael Niehoff writes 7. Eliminate bells. Haven’t we about transformational leadership and PD.

28 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com PORTRAIT OF A LEADER

AIMING for EXCELLENCE

and EQUITY Superintendent KATHY MURPHY works to maintain high performance while erasing legacies of segregation BY MATT ZALAZNICK

OOVER, Ala.—A high-perform- phy, who also served as superintendent ing and affluent district in the sub- of Alabama’s Monroe County Schools. urbs of Birmingham, Hoover City “We’re asking ourselves what are we doing Schools remains under a decades- that may be a barrier to the education of CREATIVE CONVERSATION—Hoover H City Schools Superintendent Kathy old desegregation order. children based on race.” Murphy and an elementary school Since taking over the district in 2015, student discuss their arts and crafts Superintendent Kathy Murphy has been ‘I got my feelings hurt’ assignment in the library. leading her team to convince a federal Murphy grew up in the 1970s in the judge to lift the order that her district small town of Greenville, Alabama, with inherited when it broke away from the fleeting visions of being a gymnast or a larger Jefferson County school system in runner, or maybe an athletic trainer or the 1980s. They have worked on several sports psychologist. But even though fronts, from school boundaries to AP she grew up in a loving and supportive enrollment to discipline. family, girls back then were not so read- DAmag.me/hoover “We are constantly focused on how to ily encouraged to participate in sports or do the work of equity better,” says Mur- purse athletic careers.

DistrictAdministration.com February 2020 | 29 AIMING for EXCELLENCE and EQUITY

Also, gymnastic studios and similar facilities were scarce in rural Alabama. “I was the kid who always took my glove and threw my rubber ball against the house and got into trouble,” she laughs. “And I could do backflips with the best of them.” Early on, she also came to prefer the outdoors and mechanical devices to, say, more traditionally domestic endeavors. “If my parents said ‘I need you to put this chain on this chainsaw or prepare this soufflé,’ I put the chain on the chainsaw,” Murphy says. “I still tend to come to work on Mondays with some tractor grease under my fingernails.” When it came time to choose a career, she followed another path that she had been passionate about since childhood. “I had such a deep regard and respect for my teachers,” she says. “At a young age I real- ized how important they were to me, and A SOUND EDUCATION—Students rehearse at Hoover High School in the saw that as such a worthy way to spend suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama. one’s life.” Murphy earned her undergraduate degree in physical education from Troy job—as a PE teacher—at Auburn High diverse district where vestiges of segrega- University in Alabama, and her masters School in Alabama. She then shifted to tion remained in place. and doctorate degrees from Auburn Uni- higher education, instructing student PE For instance, she had to travel for versity at Montgomery. She took her first teachers at West Georgia College (now, more than an hour through two other the University of West Georgia). counties to reach one of her buildings—a She got her first job as a principal at high-poverty school in remote Packards Hoover City Schools Greenville Middle School, back in her Bend, Alabama. All 66 of the school’s by the numbers: hometown, and spent nine years there. students were African American. She later became principal at Greenville One big challenge was keeping that Schools: 18 including RC3 (Career High School and then moved to the cen- school connected to the internet. “We Center) and Crossroads (Alternative tral office of the district, Butler County were starting to make the transition to Center) Schools, with her sights set on the super- using computer-generated tests for some Students: 14,085 intendency. But when the job came open, high-stakes tests,” she says. “Imagine Employees: 2,080 she was not selected. “I was so disap- the frustration for those children when pointed. It was my home town, my com- they would get on a computer and be in Per-child expenditure: $12,000 munity,” Murphy says. “I had invested the process of taking a test, and having Annual budget: $168 million time and energy in making the schools a that connectivity go down and having to Students on free/reduced-price better place and I got my feelings hurt.” start over.” lunch: 3,430 Murphy also was struck by the fact Crowbars and connectivity that when she became superintendent English language learners: 894 If she had stayed in Greenville, Murphy in Hoover, she could enter any build- receiving services/1,929 identified says, she would have grown bitter, so she ing in the district, at any time of day, Graduation rate: 93.75% left her hometown again and, in 2011, with her electronic badge. At one of her Teacher retention rate: 91% landed the top spot in 3,000-student prior districts, she actually had to use Monroe County Schools in Alabama, a keys and a crowbar to open a school

30 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com as she works to move Hoover City Schools past the desegregation order. She and her team must convince the government that all children are receiving an equal educa- tion. Administrators are currently working to ensure all students have equal access to Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs, gifted and tal- ented classes, and other enrichment activi- ties. The biggest change: Students no lon- ger need a teacher’s recommendation to get into an AP course. They can simply request a spot in the class, Murphy says. “We know that a student who gets into an AP class, even though he or she might struggle, that challenge of thinking deeper and working at a richer level is so impor- tant,” she says. GETTING WITH THE PROGRAM—Two students tell Kathy Murphy about the Teachers now provide tutoring and code they are writing and the tasks they want their robot to accomplish. other before- and after-school support for AP and IB students. “It’s a whole para- digm shift when you say not only are we door, she says. while others have nearly a year of funds going to embrace your walking through These technological dilemmas reflect in reserve, she adds. “The education of this door, but we are going to help you be the pockets of poverty—and the lack children in this state in great measure is successful,” she says. of educational resources—that con- defined by zip code,” she says. The district also is shifting its disci- tinue to exist in Alabama. For example, plinary approach, using positive behav- some districts still struggle to keep one How struggling can enrich students ioral supports in an effort to ensure that month’s operating revenue in the bank, Equity remains top of mind for Murphy students of color are not punished dispro- portionately. Of particular focus has been How superintendents stay energized looking more closely at why students end up in the district’s alternative school— School district leaders are increasingly Murphy once completed the Boston with an eye toward preventing disruptive urged to make sure they set aside time Marathon as a “bandit runner”— behaviors before they occur, she says. to take care of their own social and meaning she hadn’t entered the race Murphy has placed a full-time coun- emotional needs. with a qualifying time, so she had to selor at the alternative center, and has start at the very back of the pack. Now, Kathy Murphy, superintendent of hired more mental health specialists to during the work week, she tries to get Hoover City Schools in Alabama, work with troubled students and connect a run or walk in each afternoon. spends that ‘me time’ felling trees, them with outside medical providers. clearing brush and repairing “Considering the intensity in which mechanical equipment on the 40-acre we work and the multiple number More teachers than are required farm she owns about two hours south of balls you may be juggling at any As the leader of a high-performing dis- of her suburban Birmingham district. one point in time, just stepping away trict, Murphy must also work to maintain “I absolutely love nature,” she says. in the afternoon and refreshing is the high academic standards to which her “It’s the place to go for calmness and really important for keeping things in community has become accustomed. peace.” perspective,” she says. Recently, Hoover opened the $20 mil- lion River Chase Career Connection Cen-

DistrictAdministration.com February 2020 | 31 AIMING for EXCELLENCE and EQUITY

ter to provide students with professional credentials so they can go to work right after graduation or enter more advanced vocational pathways in college. The center offers tracks in culinary arts, cybersecurity, health sciences, and firefighting and emer- gency response, among other programs. Murphy has also used $600,000 in grant funds to dramatically expand pre- school programs to several elementary schools. Previously, the district had only offered pre-K services in special education. The preschool waiting list of about 250 CLAWS-ON LEARNING—A student decides whether he wants to hold a students now has sparked plans to create crawfish during an elementary school science lesson with the superintendent. an early-learning center in the district. Of course, high-performing districts need high-performing teachers. The dis- Superintendent Kathy Murphy on her favorite things: trict pays its educators at a higher rate than the state’s salary schedule. And when the Teacher: I had so many favorite Dessert: Mama’s fudge chocolate icing Alabama legislature enacted a 4% teacher teachers that it’s hard to narrow this on a white layer cake. The important pay increase for Oct. 1, 2019, Murphy down. I can tell you the special sauce ingredient is mama’s love. allocated $2.4 million to make the raise for making a teacher a favorite: My Book: With no hesitation, my favorite retroactive to July 1. favorite teachers always knew me, book is The Bible. It is from this She also pays supplements to teach- cared about me, advocated for me, book, I have learned how to live with ers who lead extracurricular activities and believed in me, and pushed me to do purpose and meaning, to love and academic trips. Finally, to keep class sizes better and be better. to forgive people and myself, and to small, Hoover employs 230 more teachers Childhood aspiration: I loved physical know I have been called for such a than the state requires for a district its size, activity: Climbing trees, swinging on time as this. Murphy says. vines, riding my bike, and throwing/ Music/song: ‘70s music all the way. “Our parents want us to offer as much hitting/catching balls. From a young No particular song. as we can, and there is an eye of scrutiny age, I wanted to teach physical Sports/recreation: I love sports, on us to get this work right,” she says. education and coach sports. Becoming notably football, and particularly “High expectations and high demands an administrator was something of an Hoover High Bucs, Spain Park High make us a better school district, make us accident. Jaguars, Auburn University Tigers and better administrators and make us better Pastime/hobby: I have 40 acres DA Troy University Trojan football. teachers.” complete with a small cabin, which is Heroes/sheroes: I am beyond my happy place. I enjoy working the blessed to have been reared by two Matt Zalaznick is senior writer. land and enjoy the wildlife that has of my heroes—my dad, who is now made my little spot of earth their little deceased, and my sweet mother, who spot of earth. gets more beautiful by the day. Watch DATV —How Kathy Travel destination: Travel is not my Quote: “The mediocre teacher tells. Murphy connects with students preferred means of entertainment, but The good teacher explains. The DAmag.me/murphy I have enjoyed traveling in Europe, superior teacher demonstrates. The particularly Ireland. great teacher inspires.”—William More coverage on leadership at Food: Mexican. DAmag.me/leadership Arthur Ward

32 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com Comprehensive leadership development for aspiring K-12 district superintendents IS THERE AN ASPIRING LEADER ON YOUR TEAM? The National Superintendents Academy is the premier professional development program for aspiring superintendents. It was founded to prepare new leaders, to address the looming leadership defi cit, and to provide a focused supplement to traditional superintendent training and certifi cation programs. Academy participants learn from highly successful superintendents and executives, and will be equipped with a solid mastery of the complex academic, political and logistical rigors inherent in running a K-12 school district. Graduates have been highly sought after for their capacity to transform the culture of systems and schools, to dramatically improve student achievement, and to close the achievement gap.

Our cohort learning model includes: • System leadership • Board-superintendent relations • Leading learning • Community coalition building • Accountability for student success • Career management • Communication and political mapping • Post-academy career counseling • Finance and budget

Who should attend: Aspiring Superintendents

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Dr. Robert Avossa Dr. Peter Gorman Dr. Terry Grier Former Former Former Superintendent of Superintendent Superintendent Palm Beach County of Charlotte- of Houston and Fulton County Mecklenburg Independent Schools Schools School District

Apply now to be part of the Dallas 2020 cohort. FEBRUARY 20-22 • MARCH 12-14 • APRIL 23-25 Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre, Dallas, TX

Learn more about DA’s National Superintendents Academy at DAleadershipinstitute.com/national-superintendents-academy SPONSORED CONTENT Survey finds many school phone systems are outdated and unreliable

ENA partnered with District Administration to explore the topic of school and district communications technology by deploying a survey to school administrators in the DA audience. Nearly 200 respondents participated, providing insightful findings on the types of phone systems districts are currently using, the most significant problems they are experiencing, and how confident they are in the reliability of their phone systems.

Types of phone systems, and frustrations What are the biggest frustrations you have with your current phone system? To better understand the current phone technology landscape in K-12, participants were asked what type “Outdated voicemail or of communication platform their school district uses. other features/technology” The majority of respondents (43%) indicated voice over 48% IP (VoIP), while some 23% said they use an analog or traditional landline system. Another 16% said they use “Difficult for new users a combination of VoIP and analog, while 18% said they 20% to learn the system” didn’t know. “Our users periodically can’t 14% make outbound calls” When asked to identify when their current phone system was installed, the majority of respondents (45%) said “Callers can’t get through to within the last 5 years, while 21% said 5-10 years ago, 9% 8% us in times of high demand” said 10-15 years ago, 7% said 15-20 years ago, and 3% said it was installed more than 20 years ago. Another 14% said they didn’t know. 8% “Inconsistent/poor audio quality” 5% “Dropped calls” Respondents were also asked to identify their most significant frustrations with their current phone system. For the 39% currently using an analog, traditional “The increase in VoIP adoption for K-12 is really system, or a combination, the most commonly selected encouraging, but some of these frustrations including frustration was “Outdated voicemail or other features/ dropped calls, poor audio quality, and congested technology,” at 48%, followed by “Difficult for new users phones lines blocking inbound and outbound calls to learn the system” (20%), “Our users periodically can’t could potentially jeopardize the safety and welfare make outbound calls” (14%), “Inconsistent/poor audio of students and staff during emergency situations,” quality” (8%), “Callers can’t get through to us in times of says Michael McKerley, Vice President and Chief high demand” (8%) and “Dropped calls” (5%). Technology Officer at ENA.

When you have experienced an outage or Outages and reliability in emergencies other problem, about how long does it usually take for the problem to be resolved To assess how equipped district communication systems and the phones to be working again? are for emergency situations, the survey asked a variety of questions around outages, resolution response, and reliability. 26% Less than 15 minutes

20% 15-30 minutes Respondents were asked how long it usually takes for a problem or outage to be resolved. The highest number of respondents (31%) said “Over 1 hour,” while 24% said 24% 30-60 minutes “30-60 minutes,” 20% said “15-30 minutes” and 26% said “Less than 15 minutes.” 31% Over 1 hour SPONSORED CONTENT

Reliability of cell phone signal When asked how confident they were in the reliability of their phone system in the event of an emergency, 52% How confident are you in the reliability of said they were “Extremely confident,” but 41% said they your school or district phone system in the were “Somewhat confident”, and another 7% said they event of an emergency? were “Not confident.”

“Your phone system’s reliability is the most important component in building an effective and comprehensive communication and emergency response plan,” McKerley says. “Any outage is a safety hazard, but a majority of 52% respondents indicating their outages last 30-60+ minutes Extremely demonstrates two things: not all phone systems, including confident VoIP, are engineered or supported the same, and how important selecting a service provider with proven 41% reliability – 99.999% uptime – is.” Somewhat confident Similarly, respondents were asked to describe the reliability of cell phone signal from inside their school or 7% district buildings. 10% selected the statement “Perfect; no problems getting reliable signal for calls, from anywhere Not confident inside our buildings,” while 49% said “Good; there are just a few places with poor or no signal inside our buildings.” Some 27% selected “Poor; there are many places with poor or no signal inside our buildings,” and 14% said “Very poor; it is very difficult to get cell phone connectivity from inside our buildings.”

How would you describe the reliability of cell phone signal from inside your school or district buildings?

10% Perfect; 27% Poor; 14% Very no problems 49% Good; there are just a there are many poor; it is very getting reliable places with difficult to get signal for calls, few places with poor or no cell phone from anywhere poor or no connectivity inside our signal inside our buildings signal inside from inside our buildings our buildings buildings

“These survey findings also demonstrate that while cell phones can play a role in emergency response, they should not be the sole communication method relied upon during an emergency,” McKerley says. “In order to be fully prepared, districts need to be engaging with vendors who understand the mission-critical status of school phone systems, have multiple layers of redundancy built into their VoIP platform, and have excellent resolution response and customer support.”

ENA provides fully managed, cloud-based VoIP phone systems for schools. These next-generation communication systems offer a low total cost of ownership, deliver 99.999% uptime reliability, and can include advanced features such as instant location identification with 911 calls to enhance emergency response and preparedness.

To learn more, go to ENA.com.

*Data taken from the survey of DA subscribers, “School Phone Systems,” conducted in December 2019, with 191 respondents participating. Coaching them up Supporting instructional technology coaches can help districts get the most of ed tech investments and improve student learning By Nancy Mann Jackson

s educational technology district leaders must understand the value technology, she says that’s not her sole has quickly developed and that these professionals can bring to the focus. Coaches can provide an invalu- evolved, school districts and table and how to set them up for success, able resource for school leaders because Ateachers have been over- says Bradbury. they are constantly taking the pulse of the whelmed with the array of options and building culture, student achievement, possibilities for incorporating it into the Support beyond tech and professional learning needs, Bollen- classroom. A recent analysis of more than $2 billion dorf says. “Wise administrators know this For many districts, the answer has been in school spending showed that ed tech and work with their coaches to grow and to hire instructional technology coaches— represents one of the largest categories of advance their buildings,” she says. which also go by other titles, such as tech- waste in school budgets: 67% of educa- nology integrationists, professional devel- tional software purchased for schools goes Collaborating with coaches opment coaches or tech trainers. unused, according to the study. Although tech coaches are valuable In many cases, however, that strategy Instructional technology coaches resources, they can easily be overlooked alone isn’t working because many dis- can help reduce or eliminate this waste. by administration. This may happen tricts hire a “tech coach” without clearly Beyond teaching instructors how to use because leaders want to keep their dis- defining what that role will involve, and ed tech, the good coaches help educators tance so that teachers can feel their work without communicating to teachers about focus on improving their teaching. with coaches is held in confidence, or the value these coaches can bring to their “The best tech coaches will tell you possibly because administrators aren’t classroom, says Jeffrey Bradbury, instruc- their job doesn’t have to involve technol- quite sure how to support or promote the tional technology coach at New Jersey’s ogy,” Bradbury says. “If a teacher is scared coaches. Westwood Regional School District and of turning on a tablet, I’m not going to “In many cases, a district has its heart creator of the TeacherCast Educational start with technology. And another teacher in the right place and budgets for a tech Network. may understand all about technology, but coach position, but then the person in the To maximize the expertise of tech their teaching really needs work. Coach- position is not supported so teachers don’t coaches and improve learning outcomes, ing can help in both situations.” use their expertise,” Bradbury says. “Even- For example, Linda Bollendorf is an tually, the person appears to be an unnec- instructional coach at Fleetwood Middle essary expense and they lose their job.” SHARE School and High School in Pennsylvania’s For instance, at Bradbury’s current DAmag.me/techcoach Fleetwood Area School District. While school, teachers understand what he can she supports and assists teachers with provide and come to him when they want

36 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com help or support in the classroom. But at technology coaches and others interested equally valuable. his previous school, administrators didn’t in expanding their professional knowledge “Some of the best professional devel- encourage teachers to take advantage of of education technology. The certifica- opment I have found is on Twitter,” Field- his expertise and they never quite under- tion, known as the FETC® Coaching Col- ing says. “My online personalized learning stood how to work with him, which could laborative Powered by iTeach, will involve network is strong and provides new ideas be frustrating, he says. education about the evolving role of the ed daily. Following hashtags such as #EdTech Outside of his New Jersey district, tech coach, new strategies to implement will get you into the community.” Bradbury leads tech coach mastermind and effective ways to make an impact in By keeping coaches learning and groups, which consist of professionals who schools and districts. engaged, district administrators can boost want to help teachers but their districts In addition to attending conferences teacher development and learning out- may not be properly supporting them for such as FETC, Edcamps and ISTE, earn- comes. success. Some also struggle with being in ing EdTech badges such as Google Teacher “Technology coaching is essential to multiple buildings and every principal Certification and Microsoft Innovative the quality implementation of a district wants something different, he says. Educator is recommended, says Katie technology plan,” Fielding says. “Teach- Instead of allowing instructional tech Fielding, technology coach at Woodbridge ers span a wide array of digital literacy. coaches and their skills to languish with- Senior High School in Prince William If you want the devices you are putting out being utilized, district leaders can County, Virginia. “Badges like these pro- in students’ hands to be more than a empower them to be more effective. That vide your teachers with a little bit of cred- Google search or word processor, you starts by clearly defining expectations—to ibility that shows they know what they are need to show teachers how to be innova- the tech coach and to the teachers with talking about when it comes to this tool,” tive with the tool. Coaches help foster whom they are expected to work. Fielding says. this innovation.” DA For example, after observing a teacher, While the educational opportunities a principal could say, “You’re doing a great sponsored by large providers is helpful, Nancy Mann Jackson is an Alabama-based job with this, but I’d really like for you to learning from other practitioners can be writer. spend some time with the tech coach to improve in this other area, or add in this Best practices for instructional tech coaches other type of instruction,” Bradbury says. District leaders should focus on pro- • Prioritize communication. Coaches need to listen to the needs viding communication and classroom of the teacher, which are ultimately the needs of the students, presence for tech coaches, Bollendorf says. Fielding says. After listening, they can provide feedback or try “Leaders need to get out and see what’s to find a solution or enhancement that technology can provide. going on so that they can collaborate with When they find a solution, coaches then can ask teachers what coaches about how the building and dis- help they would need to implement it. trict goals are advancing and how to help students and teachers do their best,” says • Focus on relationships. The best tech coaches take time to get Bollendorf. to know teachers on a personal level and understand their chal- lenges in the classroom. “You are more likely to get a resistant Fostering innovation teacher to try something if you have built a personal relationship Once coaches’ roles have been made clear, with them,” Fielding says. “Trust is a key part of coaching.” they need ongoing PD to remain effective, • Build trust. Coaches need to build one-on-one relationships just like all other school personnel. As the with teachers on an equal playing field. “A teacher needs to be role of instructional tech coaching is still able to look at you as a colleague, not as an administrator, and emerging, PD is also evolving—but prac- ask for help,” Bradbury says. “Coaches must make people feel ticing coaches say there are plenty of viable comfortable with them so they can suggest things and the teacher opportunities. will say, ‘I’ve never thought of that; would you do that with me?’” The National Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) recently • Develop a support system. Bradbury reached out to every partnered with the Bagwell College of school district in northern New Jersey and asked to take their Education at Kennesaw State University tech coaches to lunch. Through those meetings, he created the to provide a new certification program North Jersey Tech Coaches group, which holds regular meetings for technology champions, instructional for sharing information and coping with job-related challenges. While a support system is important for teachers and other school employees, tech coaches especially benefit as their roles are More on professional development often misunderstood and overwhelming. DAmag.me/PD

DistrictAdministration.com February 2020 | 37 SPONSORED CASE STUDY

Empowering districts and schools to measure progress

Marzano High Reliability Schools™ framework shows how best practices work together to improve achievement

n associate from Marzano Resources conducted a A professional development workshop in 2015 with the superintendent of McKinney ISD, one of the fastest-growing districts in Texas. They reinforced the need to look at student achievement initiatives to determine what was working and what needed improvement. “We needed to be able to capture evidence about our current initiatives, highlight areas of need, and be able to make corrections, rather than add another program or initiative,” says Melanie Magee, senior director of curriculum and instruction in the Student Support department at McKinney, which has more than 24,500 students in 20 elementary schools, five middle schools, three high schools, two alternative “We had a laser focus on effective classroom instruction, campuses and one early childhood and tailored the framework to specific points of need, education center. “The bottom line is student which contributed to our level of success.” achievement,” Magee says.

Impact on student achievement • Level 2: Effective Teaching in multiple complex initiatives so McKinney leaders decided to use the Every Classroom students can learn the content and Marzano High Reliability Schools™ • Level 3: Guaranteed and Viable skills necessary for success in college, (HRS) framework, which shows how Curriculum careers and beyond. best practices work together without • Level 4: Standards-Referenced adding new initiatives. The framework Reporting Certifications lead to net gains also provides indicators to empower • Level 5: Competency-Based For three years, Marzano Resources districts and schools to measure their Education provided PD services for McKinney’s progress on attaining five progressive Using the framework and certification in the first two levels. In levels of reliability: indicators, district and school leaders 2018-19, Reuben Johnson Elementary • Level 1: Safe, Supportive and can significantly impact student School experienced a net gain of 35% Collaborative Culture achievement by synthesizing on state standardized math, reading

For more information, please visit MarzanoResources.com/BecomeHRS

Share this story online at DAmag.me/marzano SPONSORED CASE STUDY

and writing scores, which Magee met semimonthly to review data, data with our staff regularly and know attributes to the HRS framework. create goals and plan interventions how to tailor our PD. That has been “We had a laser focus on effective for individual students. powerful for us.” classroom instruction, and tailored the framework to specific points of ‘Common, shared vocabulary’ need, which contributed to our level As schools now progress toward Level of success,” Magee says. 3, the district model of instruction has Following HRS recommendations, been completely reshaped through school leaders utilized walk-throughs the use of the HRS framework. to identify and highlight best “I can now walk into classrooms practices and provide PD to further knowing that our teachers have develop these practices. Instructional a common, shared vocabulary coaches, special education groups, surrounding our best practices for counselors and a grade-level team instruction,” Magee says. “We share

How school districts can more effectively promote student learning

Q&A with Phil Warrick, Author and Associate, Marzano Resources

What must districts achieve to ensure school What characteristics should K-12 leaders adopt to effectiveness and student success? identify and balance these goals? Districts must define their missions to help all students Data-driven leadership is a habit that leaders need to learn. One way is establishing collaborative teams to develop. It involves continuous data monitoring. When work smarter, not harder. Another is to have a clear a districtwide instructional model is implemented, there approach to districtwide models for teaching and should be data to help understand if it is working or learning. This provides a chance to develop skills and not. Monitoring can identify a problem long before it instructional strategies. Districts also need a guaranteed, becomes an issue. viable curriculum and a way to measure learning. The biggest mistake that I’ve seen districts make over the How does the Marzano High Reliability Schools™ years is doing a lot of things and not doing any of them (HRS) framework empower districts to make these well. Districts need to be focused on learning and must significant impacts on student achievement? not get knocked off track by quick-fix opportunities. The HRS framework defines conditions of leading Districts also need to commit to what works and provide indicators across a school district. It uses lagging time to get better at it. indicators, which are evidence that leading indicators are in place and working. Also, it provides quick data to watch How important is it that all levels of school and systems and take action to fix them before they become district leadership are involved in this process? systemwide failures. HRS identifies key areas of focus It is vital for the most successful districts. District- for districts and also establishes the concept of defined level leadership communicates a clear vision, which is autonomy for schools. Defined autonomy allows schools passed along to the schools and empowers leaders to to do different things based on their unique needs. This understand the mission and put in place systems that empowers district- and school-level leaders to monitor help students learn. Teacher-level leadership is also data and practice data-driven leadership. It also helps important. We need to have opportunities for teachers with long- and short-term strategic planning. Long-term to lead because many aspects of leadership are about goals involve gaining certification across multiple levels. action, not position. If there is a leadership structure The short-term focus is on leading indicators within a from district to school to teachers, that is a much more single level that schools need to solidify or implement effective school district. before moving to the next level. WORKING PARTNERSHIP Building an active, working relationship between human resources and information technology departments benefi ts everyone involved

t the beginning of this school year, still been little things on the backside also people who are actually doing the administrators in Lincoln Pub- that needed to be tweaked,” says Weber. work, to help eliminate those errors that A lic Schools in Nebraska threw on “As long as you have the right people can happen when only one part of the the switch for a new enterprise resource communicating and at the table, hope- organization is responsible for an ERP.” planning platform. fully you make the right decisions.” at proactive approach—which e implementation came after Part of the project’s success was that other school districts have found as more than two years of intense prep, from the start of Lincoln’s ERP imple- well— continues to benefi t all parties building and production, yet there were mentation, the district’s leaders of the involved. still glitches when the system went live, human resources, business aff airs and including payroll discrepancies for some IT departments all have been involved Building relationships of the district’s nearly 7,800 employees, to help avoid pitfalls. Every department in every district says Eric Weber, associate superinten- “When you see ERPs go wrong, a lot is going through some sort of digital dent for human resources. of times it’s a result of communication transformation, says Lenny Schad, “I’d characterize our implementa- breakdowns and errors,” says Weber. District Administration’s chief infor- tion as fantastic—it went way better “We wanted to have this triad, this mation and innovation offi cer, and

than we anticipated—but there have three-legged stool of leadership, and former CIO of Houston ISD. Conse- GETTYIMAGES.COM/MMUSTAFABOZDEMIR

40 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com By Ray Bendici

quently, establishing interdepartmental “‘Relaxed professional’ is the term Taking the first step relationships continues to be a critical we like to use here,” says Wilson. For In HR, the hiring process has changed challenge. “Digital transformations are example, the district recently switched dramatically over the past few years. forcing groups to work together much to a new ERP system to handle HR e infusion of technology has become sooner and much deeper than they have needs. IT was fully involved with the integral to those processes, so having a before,” says Schad. integration and implementation, and good relationship between HR and IT e IT needs of HR department are although there were no regularly set leadership is critical, says Schad. changing dramatically, not just with meetings, the two departments got For example, leaders need to con- enterprise technology but also in areas together as needed, with any issues sider how social media is being lever- such as in recruitment and interview- posted to a shared drive and addressed aged to promote job openings, or if vid- ing. “ e infusion of technology is by the appropriate staff members. eoconferencing is being used for inter- becoming really important into those Since the implementation, however, views. Consider which web pages are processes, so having a good relationship IT representatives have a presence at being used for recruiting, says Schad. between HR and IT leadership facili- monthly leadership meetings to offer “ e whole cultural operational switch tates that,” says Schad. ongoing guidance and help vet new has technology at the forefront.” In Lincoln Public Schools’s ERP software and platforms. An active working partnership with implementation, communication HR can also benefit IT in terms of hav- between the HR, business and IT ing someone who is keeping abreast of departments was a point of emphasis. In “By working efficiently, the skills, responsibilities and certifi- addition to sharing digital information we can take the money cations that are expected of new hires, via Google Drive, weekly standup meet- especially given the dynamic nature of ings allowed the project team to report that would go to extra IT. And, of course, having HR involved updates, discuss issues and brainstorm from the start with any sort of personnel solutions. employees and put it back issues or incidents is critical to a positive “We also worked together to brand into the schools to benefit resolution, says Schad. and market the ERP system so that Ultimately, rather than wait for these everyone had a skin in the game in the kids, and that's what relationships to evolve, CIOs should be terms of ownership,” says Weber. proactive, says Schad. e success of the ERP implemen- we're here for." “If I don’t have the relationship, I tation has strengthened the working would go sit down with the HR leader relationship of the departments. e —Rick Wilson and say, ‘As an IT department, we’re a district CIO now regularly participates Maryville City School District, service group, and in order for me to Tennessee in the HR leadership meetings. provide what your department needs, “We don’t consider purchasing or I need to understand your goals, objec- doing of a demo of any additional sys- “We’re always looking to improve tives and areas where you’re strug- tems without having the CIO and IT at our internal efficiency, and IT is a big gling,’” says Schad. “And it really starts the table,” says Weber. “Having them player in that in how they can help us from that perspective: ‘I’m here to help, on board from the start means we don’t do that,” says Wilson. For example, and the way that I can do that is to have to scramble on the backside to try when HR changed over to electronic learn, and attend some of your meet- and make software work. It saves time records, IT was critical in researching ings, so that we can work together and and money for everyone.” software and proposing a product that make sure we’re aligned in whatever would work with existing systems— we’re doing together.’ at’s the single Increasing efficiencies avoiding costly issues down the line. most important thing a CIO can do.” Maryville City School District in Ten- Other IT solutions have lightened the nessee is a small district (5,200 stu- workload and reduced the need for add- dents) with a very lean central office ing extra staff. Ray Bendici is managing editor. staff. Hiring takes place at individual “By working efficiently, we can schools, and the HR and IT personnel take the money that would go to extra have an informal working relationship, employees and put it back into the says Rick Wilson, director of human schools to benefit the kids, and that’s DAmag.me/partners resources and support services. what we’re here for,” says Wilson.

DistrictAdministration.com February 2020 | 41 Voices in Tech Kenneth J. Thompson By Jennifer Herseim

How to lead teams through the storage wars

Shoring up infrastructure and using cloud storage is critical, but shifting culture is job No. 1

Kenneth J. ompson How do you shift the mentality that data needs to be “touchable” or Chief Information Technology Officer stored on-premise? San Antonio ISD A lot of districts still operate under the impression of “I have to be able to touch it; it has to be in my environment.” When we started our shift to the cloud, there was some nervousness and concern about changing or eliminat- Determining whether to store data in the ing jobs. You have to show staff the value, the return on investment and the cloud or on-premise can sometimes feel efficiency for the organization and for them. If that’s not done, you’re rowing like choosing between two rival teams the boat by yourself. Cloud computing can put us on a playing field where with diehard fans on both sides. we have the same efficiencies as any corporation in the world. With vendors responsible for maintenance and upgrades, you can reskill your staff to use Although Kenneth J. ompson, chief them in other ways. information technology officer for San Antonio ISD, expects that the days of What lessons are you learning as you move through your five-year strate- 100-by-100-square-foot district data gic plan? centers are nearing the end, he believes in We have a saying among our CIOs: Friends don’t let friends build data cen- a hybrid approach of both cloud and on- ters. I’ve learned that all things have to run parallel. Our data center is criti- cal, infrastructure is critical, WAN is critical, the devices our users use are premise storage. critical. Prioritizing the cloud has worked out well. We have about 30 of our ompson has led a five-year strategic applications in the cloud. But even if I had the applications up, if I didn’t plan that includes relocating the district’s ramp up or true up those other environments, then it would be the same data center, redesigning local and wide environment. It’s like having a car with no gas in it. We had to do the rest to area networks, and launching a new put us in a position of success. cloud-based student information and How do you budget for the different pricing models of cloud services enterprise resource planning system. compared with on-premise costs? e biggest shifts, however, haven’t You have to find partners. Some cloud service providers charge based on us- been with technology.“Changing age. One month it could be one price, and the next, it could jump to a much culture has been 50% of my work,” says higher price. You need to find a partner that you can budget for and sustain. ompson. Ask about their pricing model and if they have a model that allows for pre- ompson was a featured presenter for dictable prices. A server might cost $5,000 to $7,000 and an average server might need to be replaced every three years, so it’s important to figure out DA’s FETC® 2020 in Miami. your budget and determine your cost savings for your district. DA

DAmag.me/kthompson Jennifer Herseim was a former editor for LRP Media Group and program chair for Inclusion and Special Education at DA’s Future of Education Technology Conference.

42 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com Chief Academic Officer Summit

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This event is brought to you complimentary by District Administration. Aendees will only be responsible for travel expenses. To register visit: daleadershipinstitute.com/events/caosummitdallas For any questions, please contact [email protected] or call 800.981.8172 ProfessionalOpinion

A better side hustle for teachers Moonlighting at an assembly line may help educators pay the bills, but it won’t help their students learn more. There is a better way.

By Michael Driskill

ide hustles for teachers are com- A commitment Creating new opportunities mon in many states, as recent How do we take the U.S. from a reports have shown. In South to professionalizing country where teachers can’t pay the SCarolina, for instance, some 600 edu- teaching is a key to bills, and turn it into a global leader in cators—including an award-winning education? We can start by creating ad- teacher of the year—have worked nights success in many high- ditional paid opportunities—through on an assembly line to make ends meet. performing nations. stipends and other means—that allow Low pay isn’t the only reason teach- teachers to work extra hours and tackle ers are picking up extra jobs: 96% use the intellectually demanding, reflective personal funds to pay for their supplies, and collaborative work necessary to according to a survey by Fishbowl, an teach and then they analyze what works move the profession forward. app that teachers commonly use to dis- and what doesn’t to improve their les- These opportunities should bring cuss workplace issues. The combination sons. The extra work pays off. Japan is a together teachers who work at the same of low wages and a lack of professional regular high performer on comparative school, and connect outstanding teach- respect is seen as a driving force behind international tests. ers from many different schools, as we America’s teacher shortage, which is at In the early 2000s, I visited Japan do in the fellowship program that I lead crisis levels. as a guest of the Japanese government in New York. There is a silver lining. Educators are for a program designed to improve rela- Finding the money for these new so committed to their profession that tions and the understanding of our dif- opportunities will be a challenge, of they are willing to do additional work ferent education systems. At the time, course, but it can be done. Policymak- outside their normal business hours I was teaching math at a large urban ers can create programs and fund them to stay in their chosen field. This is high school in New York City. I was using public or private sources. Either good news because additional work for surprised not only by how much time way, these efforts demand the political teachers is one of the main ways we can teachers spent together after instruc- will to ignore quick fixes and fads in improve education in the U.S. But that tion, but also by how the profession favor of slow but steady progress to- extra work should boost student achieve- was viewed in Japan. It is widely con- ward education excellence. ment instead of Uber’s bottom line. sidered rigorous and prestigious. Teach- In the 1970s, Finland’s education ers don’t “practice” for a couple of years system was in trouble. A solution was Taking time for analysis before moving on to bigger and better proposed that was viewed as radical Countries with high-performing educa- things. Japanese educators were equally at the time: Transform teaching into tion systems know that work beyond surprised to learn that in America, I a profession with prestige, similar to the classroom is important for student was regularly asked what I planned to medicine and law. Many believed that success. In Japan, for example, teachers do next. teachers weren’t up to the task. spend many hours together engaged International studies by leading re- Today in Finland, it is easier to be- in a collaborative process called “lesson searchers—such as Linda Darling-Ham- come a doctor than a teacher, and the study.” Similar to surgeons debriefing mond, now president of the California Finish education system is one of the one another on complex procedures, State Board of Education—have shown world’s best. We can transform educa- Japanese teachers watch their peers that a commitment to professionalizing tion in the U.S. To get there, we need to teaching is a key to success in many show teachers the money and the pro- high-performing nations. These coun- fessional respect they deserve. DA tries recognize that teaching is complex DAmag.me/sidehustle and teachers spend considerable time Former teacher Michael Driskill is the chief working together outside the classroom. operating officer at Math for America.

44 | February 2020 DistrictAdministration.com

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