Leadership Matters August 2014
Matters Leadership AUGUST 2 0 1 4
In this month’s issue
Additional Items
Let’s give new superintendents a helping hand P. 3
Listing of new superintendents P. 10 - 13
Listing of Transferring superintendents P. 14
IASA offers valuable mentoring services for new superintendents P. 15 Secret to serving others: Taking care of self P. 20 Superintendent of the Year nominating form P. 24 Illinois wins innovation award for new principal preparation program P. 25 Getting to know your new IASA Board members P. 26 Job Bank P. 22
Ask not what your association can do for you... P. 5
Key ISBE initiatives to be implemented P. 7
News in Brief P. 28
IASA Calendar of Events P. 30
Being a new superintendent is not for the faint of heart P. 8
New school year includes new laws P. 18
2648 Beechler Court Springfield, IL 62703-7305 217.753.2213 800 Woodfield Road, Ste. F109 Schaumburg, IL 60173-4717 847.466.5075
IASA Newsletter Editor Michael Chamness mchamness@iasaedu.org
Assistant Editor Mary Ellen Buch mbuch@iasaedu.org
1200 West Main Street Marion, IL 62959-1138 618.364.0501
Volume 2, Issue 7
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Let’s give new superintendents a helping hand
find an alphabetical listing of the new superintendents, including their photos, their school district and their IASA region. Please welcome them to your region and to our profession through a phone call or an email. Invite them to attend one of your IASA region meetings or even the IASA Annual Conference with you. Let them know that you are available to assist them with your experience, expertise and friendship. As Murphy succinctly said, the superintendency can be an island. I remember what it was like sitting in that superintendent’s chair for the first time, and just how helpful it was when veteran superintendents in my region went out of their way to lend a helping hand.
This time of year means a number of educators join the ranks of school superintendents in Illinois. They bring new blood and breathe new energy into our profession. We want to make sure to welcome them to the superintendency and to make sure they have a great IASA network of support as they begin to tackle the challenges of being a new superintendent. The members of the IASA
Message from the Executive Director Dr. Brent Clark
School for Advanced Leadership (ISAL) that graduated in June offered some interesting insights when asked about the benefits of going through the two-year cohort. One common theme expressed among the 19 ISAL graduates was how important it was to have developed a working relationship with the other ISAL members. Steve Murphy, superintendent at Carbondale Community District 165, summed up a prevailing
I was at Thompsonville in Southern Illinois and John Hill, who at the time was superintendent in Anna, called and asked if I had ever been to the state capitol to watch a bill move through the process. He said, “I’m going tomorrow and I’d like you to come along and I’ll show you how to sign in, testify and lobby…I’ll even show you where to park and where the bathrooms are.”
“...the superintendency can be an island. I can remember what it was like sitting in that superintendent’s chair for the first time, and just how helpful it was when veteran superintendents in my region went out of their way to lend a helping hand.”
sentiment of the group when he said “In our profession you can very much be on an island and need networks to succeed.” If that is true for veteran superintendents, it’s exponentially true for new superintendents. We are highlighting our new superintendents in this Back-to- School issue of Leadership Matters . In this issue you will find a column by Dr. Lindsey Hall, who is beginning her third year as superintendent at Morton Community Unit District 709. She writes about the challenges of being a new superintendent and offers some suggestions on how to help a new superintendent get their legs under them. We had 46 attendees at the IASA New Superintendents’ Conference in Springfield the end of July. The two-day session was crammed with information about school finance, technology, legal issues, board relations, communications and even personal health. It probably bordered on information overload, and IASA will provide ongoing professional support through our field services directors and our staff. We also are asking you to reach out to your new colleagues in your IASA region. In this issue you will
There was Ed Bradley, then superintendent at Harrisburg and the father of current House Assistant Majority Leader John Bradley of Marion. Mr. Bradley invited me to my first IASA conference and even asked me to ride up with him and join his group at the conference. Frank Barbre of Carmi invited me to my first IASA region meeting. At that time, I wasn’t even sure what IASA was and I probably would not have attended the meeting if Dr. Barbre hadn’t invited me. The meeting provided me with an instant network. Tom Dahncke of Nashville asked me to become involved in IASA. I didn’t realize it until later, but at the time he was an IASA executive officer who would go on to become president of IASA. What all that meant to me was that those superintendents had an honest interest in acclimating me to the world of being an Illinois school superintendent. It helped me get my legs under me as a new superintendent. It was very much appreciated at the time and even more so as I have taken the time to reflect upon their efforts to welcome me to the profession.
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Ask not what your Association can do for you...
The respect I have for so many of you grows immeasurably when I read and hear about the programs, initiatives and celebrations you conduct at the local level to invite legislators, business leaders and those who can influence policy to impact change at the most micro level. You do not sit on the sideline and wait to see if Diane Hendren or Sara Boucek is going to carry the water up the hill. You fill your own local bucket and drive to your legislative offices or caravan to Springfield. You speak to your local PTA groups or Chamber of Commerce, whether it's about Common Core curriculum or school funding. Kirtman also identifies seven competencies
By Scott Kuffel IASA President
Somehow it seems that every school year of the last decade finds us discussing how this could be a historic year for public schools. One more thing from Springfield, Chicago or Washington, D.C. has us clamoring for mandate relief, pursuing more equitable funding, or decrying the oppression of new "reform" that essentially neither "informs," "performs," nor "norms" much in the way of substantive improvement that we've seen from any data. The Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) promotes a mission statement that reads, "To
for high performing leaders in education, and his first competency is "Challenges the Status Quo." How willing are you to join with others to challenge common practices, rules and regulations if they block results or stymie improvements? We are the IASA -- not just Dr. Clark, or Dr. Voltz, or Mike Chamness – and when we work together in a coordinated effort on an issue we can have great impact on public education
support school leaders in the pursuit of educational excellence through continued school improvement." Lyle Kirtman, in his book "Leadership and Teams: The Missing Piece of the Educational Reform Puzzle," posits that "The job of an administrator is about insights, not tasks. Leaders must ask more questions and give fewer answers." Often I hear colleagues asking me, "What is IASA
Often hear colleagues asking me, "What is IASA doing about XYZ?" or "When will IASA produce ABC?" I
The vision of IASA is " Maximum Educational Success for all Students ," so I propose to you: "What have you done recently to support IASA's vision or mission?" - Scott Kuffel, IASA President
doing about XYZ?" or "When will IASA produce ABC?" The vision of IASA is " Maximum Educational Success for all Students ," so I propose to you: "What have you done recently to support IASA's vision or mission?" Without question, the greatest accomplishments we can make to bring that vision and mission to reality are at the level of our own Local Education Authority (LEA). The questions we ask, the stands we take for children, and the way we communicate with our parents and public grow exponentially in power when a common message is carried across our state. Why should we not expect the citizenry of our state see us as the ones who "Stand for Children" or who "Advance Illinois"?
in Illinois. Questioning takes courage and, as Maya Angelou said, "Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently." Courage can grow through collaboration, through shared conviction, through small victories that we share and build upon. Don't wait for others in IASA to step up for you, for collectively we are the Association. You are an equal partner and an equally important leader in our quest to pursue educational excellence by continuing to improve every minute, every day. Ask yourself, if not us , then who ? If not now, then when ?
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Key ISBE initiatives to be implemented
called our “Multiple Measure Index,” and reward schools that show improvement. Schools continue to implement the new ILS. The Illinois State Board of Education has created an online Professional Learning Series with hundreds of supplementary resource items available, developed an ELA and Math Listserv and designed ELA and Math shift kits containing materials about best practices. Teacher Voices , a new ISBE website, shares teacher stories and perspectives about curriculum and instructional changes as they put the standards into practice. Districts also are developing new educator evaluation systems that provide a clearer picture of the quality of classroom instruction by combining multiple measures of student growth and professional
Message from the State Superintendent of Education
I hope you had a wonderful summer and are ready for the challenges and opportunities of a new school year. Several significant changes are underway as many of our key statewide initiatives, including the debut of new online assessments, new ways to measure school performance and support of teacher and leader effectiveness, build momentum in Illinois. We appreciate the guidance members of the Illinois Association of School
To help administrators understand new requirements and prepare for what’s ahead, ISBE is hosting a Back- to-School webinar at 10 a.m. August 19. I strongly encourage you and your staff to join me for this overview with time for questions about these ongoing initiatives.
Administrators have provided as we continue to implement these improvements. This spring, students will take the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams in place of the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) and Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE). The PARCC assessment consists of two required components: a performance-
practice. Additionally, new metrics set to appear on the 2014 School Report Card, including the full 5Essentials profile and report for districts and schools, will better reflect student and school achievement. We have worked closely with administrators in the field as we move forward with the 5Essentials,
-- Dr. Christopher A. Koch, State Superintendent of Education
based assessment (PBA) and an end-of-year assessment (EOY). As a result of your feedback we will only require the federal minimum for testing and allow for some flexibility. This spring, third- through eighth-graders will take the PARCC in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. Students will take the PARCC in Algebra II/Integrated Math III and in ELA III. We will also administer the ACT on a voluntary basis. The new assessments were developed to gauge how well students meet our new Illinois Learning Standards (ILS) and determine by each grade level if students are on track for college and career success, offering a much earlier reading of that preparation than any state assessment has ever offered. These new standards and the PARCC are part of ISBE’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) flexibility waiver that goes into effect this school year. The new flexibility enables us to offer a much more comprehensive approach to measuring school performance through the use of multiple metrics,
making changes to how it was reported last year at your request, and also supporting legislation this year to allow for alternate survey of learning conditions instruments to be used. We are currently working with you and other stakeholders to determine what those instruments will be. To help administrators understand new requirements and prepare for what’s ahead, ISBE is hosting a Back-to-School webinar at 10 a.m. August 19. I strongly encourage you and your staff to join me for this overview with time for questions about these ongoing initiatives. I want to thank your advisory Board that has worked with us over the past four years as we move forward with implementation on these initiatives. Much work lies ahead, but with cooperation, planning and a clear understanding of our goals, I believe we can make the 2014-2015 school year the most productive and successful one yet for the students and educators of Illinois.
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Being a new school superintendent is certainly not for the faint of heart
By Dr. Lindsey Hall Superintendent Morton Community District 709 Being the superintendent of a public school district in Illinois is undoubtedly one of the most complex, rewarding, frustrating, fun and confounding jobs in the public sector. And all of that can occur on one day…or even in one board meeting. As someone who is still new to the position, this article outlines some observations and reflections in looking back on my first two years as superintendent of Morton CUSD 709, and also includes thoughts and observations from Dr. Kari Cremascoli, who just completed her second year as superintendent in Downers Grove District 58. In the spirit of looking back and thinking about what advice I could offer to those entering or wishing to enter into a superintendent’s position, the following things come to mind as being crucial to success in the job (and this is by no means the complete list!): Establish expectations for communication Establish expectations for communication with your board and, in particular, your board president, on Day One. This includes finding out what past practices have been, whether there is an expectation for those to continue, and what you can and should change. Specifically, it is vitally important to have a candid and forthright conversation with your board president about the frequency, duration and method(s) of communication that you, as the superintendent, will have with him/her. This includes such detailed information as best/worst time to call, expectations for returning communications, “debriefing” after a board meeting (that night or next day?), and how you can mutually make suggestions for improvement or changes without causing a rift. Another big factor in communicating is to embrace the concept of “no surprises.” Your board doesn’t want to be surprised, but you, as the superintendent should also not be surprised by curve balls in a public meeting. Encourage communication with your board prior to meetings if they have questions or concerns about agenda items. In the bigger picture of communication, a common vision and goals for your district provides a framework for the work of the board (and for you and your leadership team). “Having common goals guide the work of the
board and their decisions, and overall guide the efforts of the district,” said Cremascoli. “Collectively, we share the same vision and goals for our district and our efforts are aligned.” While the process of long-term planning and goal-setting is time consuming, laying that groundwork, and frequent monitoring of those goals, enhance communication and are well worth the investment of time and effort. Networking, networking, networking You will feel as though you are drinking from the proverbial fire hose from the first day on the job (a question for our more veteran colleagues: Does that ever end??), but you must schedule time to confer and network with your superintendent friends and peers. Remember, unlike many other positions in a school district, there is only one superintendent. The requirements of your position, the sources of stress and joys you feel are unique and special, and therefore the opportunity to find support, humor and shared experiences with other superintendents are essential to your survival! Go to your regional meetings of various organizations (especially IASA!), call other superintendents for advice, take advantage of mentoring or set up meetings on your own. (Continued on page 9)
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and letting them fully utilize their leadership skills and talents to reach the district’s goals. If someone is not an effective leader on your team, they will suck the energy out of you and detract from the mission and vision of your organization. Invite them to find other opportunities if coaching, mentoring and clear expectations for performance are not options. In addition, your team must have a clear road map of the journey you are on in your school district. This vision starts from the top down with effective, impactful leaders in the organization. Care for yourself You can only perform your job at a level that is proportionate to the level of your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.
(Continued from page 8)
For the seasoned superintendents reading this, please know how valuable, appreciated and important it is to call someone new and welcome them to the region, area, city, etc. It feels great to be included and recognized and know that someone has reached out to you. A personal invitation to a local meeting is helpful as many superintendents relocate to areas where they might not have an established network. I am grateful for the efforts made by my colleagues in the Central Illinois Valley region to welcome me when I started in Morton. Putting out fires vs. long-term planning In looking back at her former position as an assistant superintendent, Cremascoli characterized much of that work as dealing with the day-to-day operations of the district, large projects and initiatives. “My work now is
“I find that while my professional time is more flexible as a superintendent, I have also found that I am always working, thinking, planning, coordinating… always ‘ON’,” observed Cremascoli. It can be a challenge carving out time for exercise, spending time with family, and engaging in hobbies and interests not related to work. However, it is essential to care for yourself as a superintendent so that you are a healthy and vibrant leader, a good role model for your employees and students, and, most
“You will feel as though you are drinking from the
focused much more on the overall vision, mission and strategic plan of the district. Long-term planning consumes my time, as well as working to align the vision and initiatives of the district,” she said. As a former junior high and high school principal and assistant superintendent, I wholeheartedly
proverbial fire hose from the first day on the job (a question for our more veteran colleagues: does that ever end??), but you must schedule time to confer and network with your superintendent friends and peers. Remember, unlike many other positions in a school district, there is only one superintendent.”
- Dr. Lindsey Hall, Morton Comm 709, talking about the importance of networking.
importantly, there for your family. In closing, Cremasoli offered three valuable pieces of advice for those entering the superintendent’s position. First, she counseled to “Be patient. Be patient as you learn, with yourself and with those around you -- especially in planning new initiatives and improvements.” She went on to say that getting to know your community and your school district and learning about the nuances and culture of the place you are now leading are also all vitally important. Finally, the third and likely the piece of advice with the most importance was to “always do what’s best for kids. If you always do this, then rest of the things that keep us up at night -- the worries, the policies, the politics and the day-to-day decisions will all be right.”
agree with Cremascoli. I can look back upon those former positions and realize a good portion of my time was spent putting out fires on an hourly and daily basis. While that might occur occasionally in the superintendency depending upon the size of the district, being the top instructional leader is much more about long-term planning, goal setting, having a vision for your organization and working to focus your board on the same journey through contact and communication. This shift in thinking -- short term to longer term -- was a big adjustment for me
personally. Be prepared for that change. Surround yourself with good people
No one can do this job alone. Surround yourself with other excellent leaders, then support those leaders in their specific positions by standing back
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Welcome to our new superintendents!
Kurt Alberstett Durand 322 Northwest Region
Dr. Carole Ayanlaja Rich Twp HS 227 Cook South Region
Robert Bardwell Eureka Comm Unit 140 Central IL Valley Region
Jason Bauer Donovan Comm 3 Corn Belt Region
Photo Not Available
Chuck Bleyer Pope County Comm 1 Shawnee Region
Helen Boehrnsen St. George 258 Three Rivers Region
Todd Butler Cumberland 77 Wabash Valley Region
Philip Caposey Meridian 223 Northwest Region
Kelly Clark Akin Comm 91 Egyptian Region
Brian Charron Waterloo Comm 5 Southwestern Region
Dr. Daniel Cates Township HS 211 Cook North Region
David Chavira East Coloma-Nelson 20 Northwest Region
Dr. Mark Daniel McLean County Unit Dist 5 Corn Belt Region
Cathy Croy Clay City Comm 10 Wabash Valley Region
Nathaniel Cunningham, Jr. Crete Monee 201U Three Rivers Region
Dr. Jeff Craig Aurora West 129 Kishwaukee Region
Photo Not Available
Jill Fulkerson Fairfield Comm 225 Egyptian Region
Dr. Anthony Edison Posen-Robbins Elem 143-5 Cook South Region
Martin Felesena Community Unit 2 Starved Rock Region
Kent Froebe Lincoln Elem 27 Abe Lincoln Region
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Welcome to our new superintendents!
Jennifer Gill Springfield Unit 186 Abe Lincoln Region
Dr. Tina Halliman Cook County 130 Cook South Region
Julie Healy North Wayne 200 Egyptian Region
Dr. Paul Goren Evanston CC 65 Cook North Region
Dr. Laurie Heinz Park Ridge CC 64 Cook North Region
Rodolfo Hernandez Cicero 99 Cook West Region
Fred Heid Community Unit 300 Kishwaukee Region
Dr. Andy Henrikson Mundelein 75 Lake Region
Photo Not Available
Jamie Hodge Williamson Cty. Sp. Ed.Coop. 3 S hawnee Region
Dr. Melissa Kaczkowski Roselle 12 Du Page Region
Darryl Hogue River Bend Comm 2 Northwest Region
Dr. Charles Johns West Chicago 33 Du Page Region
Dr. Paige Maginel Dongola 66 Shawnee Region
Jennifer Kelsall Ridgewood Comm 234 Cook West Region
Trisha Kocanda Winnetka 36 Cook North Region
Jilinda Larson Tri City Comm Unit 1 Abe Lincoln Region
Dr. Margaret Manville New Lenox 122 Three Rivers Region
Dr. Paul McDermott Forest Ridge 142 Cook South Region
Dr. Michael Moan Woodstock 200 Kishwaukee Region
Jeffrey McCartney Beecher 200U Three Rivers Region
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Welcome to our new superintendents!
Jodi Moore Leland Comm 1 Starved Rock Region
David Mouser Tri-Valley 3 Corn Belt Region
Joe Nighswander New Simpson Hill CSD 32 Shawnee Region
Dr. Douglas Moeller De Kalb Comm 428 Kishwaukee Region
Dr. Lisa Parker Dunlap Comm Unit 323 Central IL Valley Region
William Robertson Creston 161 Northwest Region
Vicki Phillips Brown County 1 Two Rivers Region
Dr. Michael Popp Aurora East 131 Kishwaukee Region
Ted Sanders Grand Ridge 95 Starved Rock Region
Sharon Rossiter SPEED Sp. Ed. Coop. Cook South Region
Dr. Kevin Russell Chicago Ridge 127-5 Cook South Region
Anthony Scarsella Palos Comm Cons 118 Cook South Region
Richard Stempinski Staunton Comm 6 Kaskaskia Region
Kimberly Shoemaker Cypress 64 Shawnee Region
Sharon Smith Forrestville Valley 221 Northwest Region
Lucas Schroeder Donovan Comm 3 Corn Belt Region
Photo Not Available
Peter Sullivan Will County SD 92 Three Rivers Region
Karen Sullivan Indian Prairie 204 Du Page Region
Lisa Taylor Decatur Unit 61 Abe Lincoln Region
Dwight Stricklin Kansas Comm 3 Illini Region
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Welcome to our new superintendents!
IASA Field Services Director Dr. Bill Phillips discusses school finance at the New Superintendents’ Conference.
Photo Not Available
Photo Not Available
Dr. Lance Thurman Riverton CU 14 Abe Lincoln Region
Joseph Tieman Gillespie Comm 7 Kaskaskia Region
Dr. Sandra Thomas Country Club Hills 160 Cook South Region
Brad Turner Mulberry Grove 1 Kaskaskia Region
Dr. Nancy Wagner Beach Park 3 Lake Region
Scott Vance Morrison CU 6 Northwest Region
Nathaniel Wilson DeSoto 86 Shawnee Region
Dr. Maura Zinni Frankfort 157C Three Rivers Region
Dr. Douglas Wood O’Fallon 90 Southwestern Region
Dr. Henrietta Young Brooklyn Unit 188 Southwestern Region
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Transferring Superintendents FY 2015
Region
District
Transferring Superintendents
Abe Lincoln
Morrisonville Unit 1
Karen Perry
Blackhawk
Sherrard Comm Unit 200
Dr. Samuel Light
Central Illinois Valley
District 50
Dr. Chad Allaman
Central Illinois Valley
Illini Bluffs Unit 327
Dr. Roger Alvey
Central Illinois Valley
Rankin 98
Dr. James Dunnan
Central Illinois Valley
Washington Comm HS 308
Dr. Kyle Freeman
Central Illinois Valley
Elmwood Unit 322
Chad Wagner
Cook North
Arlington Heights 25
Dr. Lori Bein
Cook North
Skokie #68
Dr. James Garwood
Cook South
Lemont-Bromberek 113A
Dr. Courtney Orzel
Cook South
Sauk Village 168
Dr. Donna Leak
Du Page
Wheaton 302
Dr. Jeffrey Schuler
Du Page
Community Consolidated 181
Dr. Don White
Egyptian
Oakdale 1
Charles Peterson
Kishwaukee
Prairie Grove 46
Dr. Philip Bender
Lake
North Shore 112
Dr. Michael Bregy
Lake
Barrington 220
Dr. Brian Harris
Lake
Antioch 34
Dr. Jay Marino
Lake
Mundelein 120
Dr. Kevin Myers
Lake
Lake Villa CC 41
Lynette Zimmer
Northwest
Paw Paw CU 271
Stan Adcock
Shawnee
Harrisburg 3
Michael Gauch
Shawnee
Meridian 101
David Rademacher
Shawnee
Massac 1
Dennis Smith
Shawnee
Jonesboro 43
Janet Ulrich
Shawnee
Anna Jonesboro Comm 81
Rob Wright
Starved Rock
Bureau Valley CU 340
Dr. Stephen Endress
Starved Rock
Streator Twp HS 40
Matthew Seaton
Three Rivers
Homer Comm 33C
Dr. Kara Coglianese
Three Rivers
Troy Comm 30C
Dr. Todd Koehl
Three Rivers
Kankakee 111
Dr. Genevra Walters
Two Rivers
Griggsville-Perry 4
Dr. Janet Gladu
Two Rivers
Schuyler-Industry 5
Dr. Tami Roskamp
Western
ROWVA CU 208
Joe Sornberger
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IASA offers valuable mentoring services for new superintendents
This year there will be more than 60 brand new superintendents who were hired to begin leading their respective districts in Illinois. As I reflect on my own first superintendency, I can’t help but think about the long and arduous process it took to get there -- the application process, the screening, the interviews with the board, the committees, etc. Then you get the call from the
Dr. Gary Zabilka IASA Field Services Director
board president: “We’d like you to be our next superintendent.” Euphoria kicks in, you’re giddy, you’re thinking “finally,” as well as singing the “Hallelujah Chorus.” Your mind is racing, but in no particular direction. However, once things calm down, you sign your contract, and you show up for your first day on the job. You may all of the sudden be thinking like Robert Redford in the movie “The Candidate,” where upon being surprised that he was elected said to his campaign manager, “Marvin, now what do we do?” It’s often been cited that the superintendency is considered to be one of the loneliest jobs in education. No one else in the district has that position, and it will be rare to find someone in the district that ever held that position. It is for this reason that mentoring is considered to be a valuable practice for new superintendents to embrace. Mentoring is defined as the professional practice that occurs when experienced, trained educators (in this case, superintendents) work effectively with novice educators to support, challenge and guide the development of their professional practices and facilitate structured reflection of those practices. Mentoring can occur both formally and informally, as mentors are often colleagues with whom one may have previously worked or someone who has been assigned to serve in that capacity based on their years of experience and ability to work effectively with others. IASA made a commitment in 2012 to create three Field Services Director positions, with one of the main responsibilities being to deliver mentoring services to new and continuing superintendents while
serving as a role models and resources for problem- solving. This service is provided free of charge for members. All new superintendents will be contacted by their Super Region’s Field Services Director, who not only will introduce themselves but also offer new superintendents a cadre of services and resources that IASA can provide, including mentoring. New superintendents should strongly consider the options available through IASA for mentoring. Mentoring can be extremely helpful and beneficial as one begins to navigate the numerous responsibilities and challenges that today’s superintendents must face. The IASA Field Services Directors would like to support new superintendents so that they may begin their superintendency on a positive note and build upon their own successes. If you haven’t heard from your Field Service Director, feel free to contact them through the IASA offices in Schaumburg (847-466- 5075), Springfield (217-753-2213), or Marion (618- 364-0501).
Field Services Directors
Northeastern Super Region Dr. Gary Zabilka Northcentral Super Region Dr. Bill Phillips Southern Super Region Dr. Nick Osborne
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SAVE THE DATES
Celebrate IASA’s Golden Anniversary at the Annual Conference! We are marking the 50 th anniversary of IASA becoming a stand- alone association at our Annual Conference, so please save the dates October 8-10. We have designed a commemorative coin that will be given to attendees, and we are working very hard to make the conference the highlight of our Golden Anniversary celebration. In fact, we already have confirmed many of our main speakers and it is an outstanding group, which you can read about on the opposite page.
The dates of the Annual Conference are Wednesday, October 8 through Friday, October 10.
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OCTOBER 8-10, 2014
We have a great lineup of speakers!
Hall Davidson , director of the Discovery Education Network and a nationally known educator and speaker on education in the digital age. Before coming to the Discovery Education Network, Davidson was Director of Educational Services at KOCE-TV, a PBS station in Orange County, California and taught math on a television show that earned an Emmy.
Noted author and business consultant Jon Gordon , who has written books on such topics as leadership, culture and teamwork. He has authored nine books, including One Word, The Energy Bus and The Seed : Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work .
Suhail Farooqui is CEO of K12 Insight, a company that specializes in survey design and deployment in public schools, and the impact of surveys and community-wide communication on public schools. He is widely recognized as a visionary helping America’s public schools become more relevant and effective at their core mission.
Rafe Esquith , an award-winning teacher at Hobart Boulevard Elementary School in Los Angeles, where he has taught since 1984. Many of his students, who are all from a community of poor and immigrant families, start class very early, leave late, and typically achieve high scores in standardized tests. Esquith has authored books about teaching and his annual class Shakespeare Productions was featured in the 2005 documentary The Hobart Shakespeareans.
We’ve invited Gubernatorial Candidates Pat Quinn & Bruce Rauner to come and talk about public education in a special conference session
This one still is in pencil and may remain so for right up to the conference because of the obvious complexities of scheduling that are involved, but we have been given indications that both candidates might take advantage of the opportunity to come and talk about one of the most important issues facing our state.
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New school year includes new laws
There were close to 100 bills passed by the General Assembly last spring that could affect public schools and, as of this writing, many of them are still waiting for the governor to sign them into law. A complete list of those bills can be found in the Digest of Bills Passed compiled by IASB for the Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance. Here are seven bills that we want to highlight heading into the new school year:
Diane Hendren IASA Director of Governmental Relations
Bullying Policy (HB 5707) This bill became effective on June 26 and adds criteria for a school’s bullying policy, including, among other things: School contact numbers and email addresses and a procedure to allow for anonymous reporting of bullying. Procedures for promptly informing parents or guardians of all students involved in an alleged bullying incident and informing them about services, interventions and restorative measures that are available. Procedures for prompt investigation of a bullying incident, including “reasonable” efforts to complete the investigation within 10 days; Interventions that can be taken to address bullying; A statement prohibiting reprisal or retaliation against those who reports acts of bullying; Consequences and appropriate remedial actions for persons falsely accusing another person of bullying as means of retaliation or means of bullying; Including a wide range of stakeholders, including students and parents or guardians, in the development of the bullying policy; Posting the policy on the school website and in the student handbook and distributing the policy annually to students, parents and guardians and school personnel, including new employees when hired; A policy evaluation process to evaluate outcomes and effectiveness of the policy that includes, among other things, frequency of
victimization, identification of areas of school where bullying occurs, and the types of bullying that occur. Information collected as part of the evaluation process must be included on the school district website or disseminated to stakeholders; and A listing of the restorative measures used by the school district. Report on Student Discipline (SB 2793) This bill was sent to the governor in late June and, if signed, requires that beginning with the 2014- 15 school year ISBE will analyze data collected on the issuance of out-of-school suspensions, expulsion and removals to alternative settings in lieu of another disciplinary action to determine districts in the top 20 percent of each metric. Beginning with the 2017-18 school year, each of the districts identified in the top 20 percent for the previous three consecutive years must submit a board-approved plan identifying the strategies the district will implement to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline practices, racial disproportionality or both. CPR/AED Training Requirement (HB 3724) This bill became effective on July 1 and requires that beginning in the 2014-15 school year that schools include in their high school health education classes training on how to properly administer
(Continued on page 19)
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New school laws continued _______________________________________________
learning conditions instrument that has been pre- approved by the State Superintendent instead of the
(Continued from page 18)
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Graduation Requirements-Computer Science (HB3695) This bill was sent to the governor in June and, if signed, would allow one of the three years of mathematics that a student must successfully complete as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma to be an Advanced Placement (AP) computer science course as long as the student has completed Algebra II. Teacher Evaluation Groupings and Survey of Learning Conditions (HB 5546) This measure became effective on July 1 and provides for a limited recall for certain tenured teachers who were in Group 2 and part of a reduction in force (RIF) because they had received a “Needs Improvement” on their latest teacher evaluation provided the other evaluation used in the RIF procedure was a “Satisfactory,” “Proficient,” or “Excellent” rating. This legislation also allows a school district to use at its own expense a district-wide alternate survey of
5Essentials Survey being used by ISBE. Physical Fitness Assessment (HB 5397)
This bill became effective on August 4. Even if signed, it would not go into effect until the 2016-17 school year. It requires all public schools to use a physical fitness assessment and report the fitness information to ISBE. It defines the assessment as measuring aerobic capacity, body composition, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. The assessment would apply to students in grades 3-12. The bill also would create a task force appointed by the State Superintendent to make recommendations on validating the assessments, the frequency of reports to ISBE and minimum fitness indicators. Charter Schools Requirements (HB 4527) This bill became effective on June 9 and requires a charter school to comply with all federal and state laws and rules applicable to public schools that pertain to special education and the instruction of English Language Learners.
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Secret to serving others: Taking care of self
It was my first week as a superintendent and I was still working in my school office around midnight. I was startled by a knock on the window behind me. I turned quickly to see the face of the district’s school board president staring at me. I motioned for him to go to the front door and I let him in the office. He was an elderly farmer who no longer had children in the school system but who was a very active school and community civic person. He told me to go home and he gave me sage advice: “No one will put on your gravestone that you were working at midnight.”
Dr. Richard Voltz IASA Professional Development
cleanse itself of conflicting thoughts and solutions and helps one focus on the real issues at hand. Obviously, family conflicts occur due to the many hours worked by school administrators. These conflicts are sometimes harder to solve. It took me
As I enter the twilight of my career I am able to reflect on both past successes and failures. Earlier in my administrative career I remember “elder” school administrators telling me to calm down because this crisis (you could insert any major problem school administrators have in this space) will soon pass. Of course, as a young, energetic and passionate school administrator I felt the need to solve the crisis now . That board president was wise. I doubt if anyone at our visitation will discuss or remember the solution to the “crisis” we solved. My bet is that family, faith, friends and good times will more be the reflections that are shared. That brings me to the subject of this article: “Taking Care of Self.” The message for those of us who are so consumed with our jobs is that if we do not take time to take proper care of self we will not be able to serve others – and that visitation mentioned above might come sooner than expected. Educators spend an enormous amount of time doing their work if they do it well. During my administrative career I spent three to four nights per week at school activities, board meetings and community affairs, plus hours working in my home office for the school district. As many of you know, I am an avid exerciser and I run at least three miles almost every day. I also lift weights two to three times a week and for the last several years I play or practice golf at every opportunity. Many ask me when I find time to exercise. I learned early in my career that the best time to exercise is early in the morning. If I wait to exercise in the evening it seems like something always gets in the way and school administrators have to attend many night activities. The job of being a school administrator can be very stressful and exercise is a great way to alleviate stress. It burns the unwanted calories from poor eating habits due to snacks at meetings or a rushed fast food lunch. Exercise also allows the body to
Dr. Richard Voltz practices what he preaches as he runs in the ‘Super’ 5K at last year’s IASA Annual Conference
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IASA Associate Director for Professional Development Dr. Richard Voltz addresses the New Superintendents’ Conference
talk to family and friends. The superintendent I mentioned in the preceding paragraph started a practice of putting his cell phone in his bedroom when he got home. He would only check it occasionally and this led to much better discussions with his wife and children. Another superintendent (who, by the way, is very tech savvy) told me how he handled this constant flow of communication via technology. When he arrived home he did not check email until he returned to work either the next day or after the weekend. He did keep his personal cell phone with him and his top staff knew this number and how to contact him in an emergency. You need to take care of self if you want to serve others. Start making plans to eat healthy, exercise at least 30 minutes five days per week, spend special uninterrupted time with family members on a daily basis, visit with friends on a regular basis and keep proper perspective of whatever faith you believe. The school district that you serve now will quickly forget the service you have provided them, but your health, family, friends and faith will be with you until the end.
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awhile to find solutions, but I would like to share with you some that have worked for me. I was lucky enough to be able to work in the same district that my children attended. While this can have some disadvantages it definitely offers the advantage of attending games and concerts as both a parent and as a school administrator. A practice my wife Linda and I started later in our marriage was the concept of a “date night.” The communities I worked in did not allow school activities on Wednesdays because of church and family activities. Thus, Linda and I would make Wednesdays our “date night.” This was time for us to spend quality time together. Recently I was mentoring a superintendent and offered this as a possible solution to his perceived lack of family time. He started this practice and found it extremely valuable family time. Technology has become so important in our roles as school administrators that we let it dominate our lives. How many times do you check your phone when you should be spending quality time with your family or friends? Put the phone down and listen and
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Illinois wins innovation award for new principal preparation program
championed the voice of the field and piloted new approaches for preparing effective principals." Brad Hutchison, who retired as a school superintendent last year, was one of the IASA representatives on the design team and said he thinks the program will help better prepare candidates to become effective principals. “I have witnessed first-hand the benefits of the redesigned Principal Preparation Program (PPP). The principal candidates in my class are eager to become principals, rather than just acquiring a Type 75 certification for possible use sometime in the future. It is my belief that students who complete the PPP will be ready to successfully serve as an instructional leader of an Illinois school,” said Hutchison, who now serves as the P-12 Program Coordinator at ISU. “As a former superintendent of schools and member of the statewide Principal Redesign Team, it brings me great joy to know that the Illinois work on this important topic has been recognized at the national level.” The Illinois Education Research Council (IERC) at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville has been awarded a two-year $500,000 grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and a two-year $50,000 grant from the Wallace Foundation that allows the IERC to conduct an implementation review study of Illinois’ new policy for redesigning principal preparation programs, gathering both university and pre-K through 12 th grade perspectives. The IERC will collaborate with the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research on this study. For more information about the program visit: Working Together to Prepare Illinois School Leaders .
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) and the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University (ISU) were honored by the Education Commission of the States (ECS) at its recent National Forum on Educational Policy in Washington, D.C. Illinois was named winner of the 2014 Frank Newman Award for State Innovations for the collaborative implementation of new school principal preparation and certification standards. The two state agencies and the ISU education policy center partnered with stakeholders throughout the state to redesign the strategy for preparing school principals through upgraded standards and professional development. “In improving our schools, there is little that matters more than the quality of our principals,” said Jeremy Anderson, president of ECS. “Illinois’ work exemplifies what can happen when stakeholders collaborate in such a critical area.” Dr. Erika Hunt, senior policy analyst at the ISU Center, said collaboration was the key to successfully implementing the new program. “The ideas for strengthening principal preparation came directly from the educational professionals throughout the state,” Hunt said. “This work is a result of a grassroots effort based on over five years of planning and input both through formal state task forces and also planning and feedback by the field. The Center facilitated and staffed these meetings, but the success of this work is dependent on so many people and organizations that
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Getting to know your IASA Board Members
Favorite hobby: Spending time with family Favorite movie: McLintock Favorite book: A Team of Rivals Favorite musical artist: Jimmy Buffett One thing people probably would be surprised to know about you: I am proud to be an Illinois farm boy. My parents still reside on our homestead farm near Monmouth that has been owned and operated by the same family for seven generations. Biggest concern about public education: The continuous attack on public education by special interest groups. Most encouraging thing about public education: When our efforts on behalf of students are rewarded by their continuous success. Family: Wife Lisa, daughters Jillian (17) Caroline (14) Favorite hobby: Anything outdoors (biking/golfing) Favorite movie: The Quiet Man Favorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird Favorite musical artist: Bruce Springsteen One thing people probably would be surprised to know about you: I am a huge New York Yankees fan. Biggest concern about public education: The overemphasis being placed on assessment rather than what students are learning. Most encouraging thing about public education: The continued commitment throughout the state of Illinois from outstanding teachers and administrators to meet the academic and social needs of all students.
Dr. Chad Allaman, Central Illinois Valley
School district: District 50 One thing you would like people to know about your school district: Being part of the Washington Community and being recognized for
academic success and Board Governance makes Washington District 50 Schools a great place for kids. Years as educator: 18 High school: (Monmouth) Yorkwood Colleges or Universities: Western Illinois University – Doctor of Education, Education Specialist, Masters of Science, Bachelor of Arts Family: Married to wife, Laura for 20 years; daughter, Grace
Dr. Timothy Kilrea, Cook West
School district: Lyons Township High School District 204 One thing you would like people to know about your school district: LT is one of the oldest high school districts in the state of Illinois, recently celebrating our 125 th anniversary, and we continue to challenge each of our students to reach their fullest potential while serving as a cornerstone to all 11 diverse communities that encompass the Lyons Township High School Community. Years as educator: 28 High school: Homewood Flossmoor Colleges or Universities: Illinois State University Ed.D. Educational Leadership ‘98; Governors State University MA Educational Leadership ‘92; University of Illinois/Urbana Champaign BS Secondary Education (Social Science) ‘87
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