This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here August 3, 2021 ##\member## .PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP 8 ways school leaders continued to innovate during the pandemic District Administration Magazine Schools have yet to use technology to its full potential, say researchers who have built a tool that lets educators share insights into how ed-tech works best. Even before COVID, spending on education technology had reached between $25 and $41 billion per year, say the researchers behind the EdTech Genome Project. READ MORE Post-pandemic schooling will be even more challenging than most of us expect The Hechinger Report Imagine that it's summer, 2022. The pandemic is a fading memory and data is being released from the first state assessments of student learning in three years. What will the data tell us? Despite the best efforts of thousands of us in education, I am deeply afraid of the answer — and specifically what it will reveal along lines of race and class. READ MORE CDC reverses course: Masks now required for vaccinated educators and students in schools Tech & Learning Delta variant is more contagious and those vaccinated appear able to spread it in rare breakthrough cases, says the CDC. Masking is seen as a necessary strategy to keep open schools. READ MORE How students can help build better education policy Center for American Progress There were 53.1 million K-12 students in the United States as of 2018, the most recent official data available. This is significantly higher than the number of K-12 administrators, approximately 460,000, and the number of public school teachers, 3.1 million. Yet while students comprise the largest population of educational stakeholders, they are rarely included in education governance at any level. And although they are among those most affected by education policy choices, they are often left out of education policy decision-making. READ MORE VIDEO SHOWCASE Principals say this is the go-to fundraiser for the upcoming school year. Promoted By Boosterthon Positive Environment for All Students Promoted By HONORABLE CHARACTER School supply shortage: Backpacks, shoes could be hard to find, so shop early, experts say USA Today In a year where there have been shortages on everything from Grape-Nuts cereal to chicken wings, another is looming that could affect students' return to school. Experts say it's possible some school supplies could be harder to find and may sell out. Plus, prices may be on the rise. Neil Saunders, managing director of consultancy GlobalData Retail, told USA TODAY he expects demand will be high on products like backpacks, sneakers, some gadgets and stationery. READ MORE The pandemic's toll: National test scores show progress slowed, gaps widened Chalkbeat A pandemic that reshaped American society and disrupted more than a year of schooling also slowed progress in math and reading for millions of U.S. students, according to new national data, which confirms Black, Latino, and low-income students were hit hardest. READ MORE Teachers were told to 'give grace' as the pandemic started. They did that and much more Education Week On Friday, March 13 of last year, schoolhouse doors closed across the United States in response to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic caused the only lengthy, coast-to-coast disruption of American education to have ever occurred. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Peaceful Playgrounds Enter the U.S. Map Contest. It’s free to enter Playground Stencils A Recess Program that Works Use Coupon Code naesp2021 for 10% off your order COVID Social Distancing Playground Sparked by pandemic fallout, homeschooling surges across US The Associated Press Although the pandemic disrupted family life across the U.S. since taking hold in spring 2020, some parents are grateful for one consequence: They're now opting to homeschool their children, even as schools plan to resume in-person classes. READ MORE Beyond crises: The reawakening of classrooms Language Magazine It's summer 2021 and as educators, we might be thinking beyond crises and concentrating on the extent to which the transformation of our practices of the recent past will have a lasting impact on teaching and learning. As our classrooms reawaken, having a schoolwide plan or a theory of action (a hypothesis that projects what will happen when educators agree to implement a set of evidence-centered strategies) will be helpful in tackling the web of educational inequities that still exists. READ MORE Instructional materials have greater impact when they incorporate caregivers into learning THE Journal A new report finds that high-quality instructional materials that incorporate technology, that are culturally relevant and that bring caregivers into student learning helped remote students meet or even exceed expectations during school shutdowns. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE The "New Normal" of SpEd Screening and progress monitoring will be more important than ever this school year as you work to close gaps. Tune into this free webinar to ensure students receive the support they need while reducing unnecessary SpEd referrals in this new-for-all-of-us climate. August 25 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Register. How can you be sure someone has what it takes to lead others? Look for 6 key behaviors Inc. Leadership is certainly not for everyone. For those in the esteemed role of a "leader," a serious question needs to be asked: Are you fit to inspire human beings to be great and do great things for your organization? Whether you're a line manager on the floor or an executive in the C-suite, you have to eventually accept, in your heart-of-hearts, the fact that the majority of the leadership decisions you will make will involve people. READ MORE If most leaders are average, what does that say about you and your team Leadership Freak (commentary) "An inordinate need to win reflects a need for superiority. For example, I stopped playing basketball with my sons when they regularly beat me. We shot around, but no more 1:1 games. Leaders that need to feel superior to their teams end up with inferior teams." READ MORE The 4 most important leadership skills, according to philosophy Forbes You're never far from Plato and Aristotle, even if you're technically not into philosophy. You're also likely aware of John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and maybe Friedrich Nietzsche and Cornel West. And, if you consider them philosophers, Simone de Beauvoir and Karl Marx. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by SignUp.com Help save hundreds of hours scheduling parent conferences with SignUp! Time-saving tips and savvy solutions for your back-to-school planning Try SignUp's Campus Plan Fresh school spirit ideas to get everyone onboard Teacher and staff appreciation ideas - easy ways to say thank you! Leading from well-being Training Industry Magazine The people who come to you for training have many reasons for doing so, but there is one thing they all need, and that is for you to be grounded, clear and fully present. When you are, that gives them the emotional and energetic space to tap into their own sense of psychological safety and truly absorb the lessons and learning you make available to them. In this article, let's take a closer look at how you're showing up for yourself so you can better show up as a trainer and educator for others. READ MORE The real difference between leadership and management, and why most people struggle to make the grade Entrepreneur (commentary) "Ok, I admit it. I'm a control freak. Not only am I a control freak, but this trait has served me royally in my career as it helped to rapidly propel me up the management ladder, which made me become even more of a control freak. A control super freak, if truth be told. I was a sought-after program manager, brought in to turn around failing projects and underperforming departments. I was considered an expert and was highly paid for that skill and expertise." READ MORE The impact of COVID on workplace conflict Forbes As more countries move tentatively back to a version of "normal," and organizations cement their plans for working patterns, leaders may anticipate some unhappiness or discord amongst staff. But many may not be prepared for the number of workplace conflict issues rising to the surface. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Amplify Instruction with Volume-Based Intervention Literacy experts Stephanie Harvey, Annie Ward, Maggie Hoddinott, and Suzanne Carroll provide an easy-to-use guide that begins with foundational actions for increasing reading volume. Readers then use a decision-tree process to ask diagnostic questions, review instructional options, and select practices that help launch students into a cycle of reading success. LEARN MORE One reason people don't listen to you (and how to easily fix it) Fast Company Getting your message across can be hard, especially when the listener is faced with myriad distractions. One challenge you may not know about, though, is clearing the listening tendency hurdle. READ MORE .EDUCATION POLICY New normal? Delta spike drives CDC's call for another masked school year District Administration Magazine All students and staff — regardless of age or vaccination status — should keep wearing masks as the delta variant and vaccine hesitancy fuel a summer COVID spike, the CDC recommended Tuesday. It was only two weeks ago that the CDC said fully vaccinated students and staff no longer had to wear masks inside schools. But just a week later, the American Academy of Pediatrics said everyone in schools should wear masks and that districts would have to consider vaccine mandates. READ MORE .SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY Why buybacks? 7 tips for schools seeking Second Life with Apple devices District Administration Magazine School districts that have gotten Apple technology into the hands of students likely paid a price to get it. Over the past year, many others have opted for less expensive alternatives, namely Chromebooks. Though any 1:1 initiative is positive for students, how much consideration should schools be giving to cost of ownership when purchasing new educational technology? Apple products, like Jeeps or a good piece of art, often retain their value. Districts willing to sell back their older models could see significant returns from companies such as Second Life Mac, which offers buybacks on most Apple devices. READ MORE Access to technology is changing the US education system for good USA Today Prior to COVID-19, the Pleasanton Calif. Unified School District was already issuing a digital device to every middle and high school student. During the pandemic, the district expanded its 1-to-1 policy to all elementary-level students, as well. READ MORE Millions of students with home internet access still can't get online EdSurge Though about 12 million students in this country still lack any internet access at all — a problem cast into relief during the pandemic — there is good news: That number is steadily shrinking. Multiple studies and surveys have documented the ever-narrowing digital divide. READ MORE Helping parents feel more comfortable with tech Edutopia Getting parental buy-in for school and class initiatives and activities can be a challenge for teachers for any number of reasons. Some parents and caregivers may have had a negative school experience that makes them resistant to engaging, others are working multiple jobs and are already stretched to the limit, and still others might have been discouraged by a poor relationship with one of their children's teachers. READ MORE  FEATURED ARTICLE   Re-opening K-12 schools safely with COVID-19 testing programs Promoted by Quadrant biosciences Register for DNA Genotek and Quadrant Biosciences’ live panel - Thursday, July 29 at 2:00 pm EST - for an in-depth discussion of re-opening K-12 schools safely and efficiently using non-invasive saliva samples and pooled testing. Topics will include emerging variants, US funding programs available to schools and an overview of a successful COVID-19 screening program presented by SUNY. Register now! LEARN MORE   5 reasons to set up a coding program in your district eSchool News At Everett Public Schools, we've always had a robotics team at the elementary and secondary levels. Last year we were up to 50 robotics teams within the FIRST organization. During the shutdown, we went into a panic over how students wouldn't be able to physically "touch" and work on the robots on campus anymore. READ MORE School's offline for summer: 3 tips for easy device reclamation eSchool News Across the country, millions of students have been learning remotely since March 2020. According to the US Census, nearly 93 percent of people in households reported their children engaged in some form of distance learning this year. With that in mind, as another school year ends, device reclamation is more distributed than ever. READ MORE How do educators incorporate the use of Spotify QR codes into their ICT teaching? Influencive As our education sector strives to bring our education system to the next level, implementing Information and Communication Technology appears to be the solution. Incorporating technology into the classroom gives students with increased learning opportunities. ICT teaching allows students to access digital learning materials via computers, tablets or cellphones. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by McGraw-Hill Identify and Address Individual Learning Gaps Many students will experience learning losses and have gaps in their knowledge and skills. With Rise, long-term learning loss doesn’t have to be one of the consequences. An adaptive math and ELA supplemental solution for grades 3-8 with over 1,100 learning objectives Rise can be used as independent practice work for progress monitoring, request a sample New project hopes to help teachers choose ed tech with true impact THE Journal Sorting out what education technology really works for teachers and where and why is a complex undertaking. After all, there is no master overseer in charge of tracking the details of a segment that some estimates have pegged at between $26 billion and $41 billion annually before 2020 and that could far exceed that given the impact of the pandemic (updated 7/26 from previous figure of $13 billion). READ MORE .PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT No one starts out awesome: Advice for new teachers Edutopia (commentary) Jason DeHart, a contributor for Edutopia, writes: "As we begin to explore what the postpandemic world looks like, I think about the challenges teachers have faced this year and the obstacles that may be ahead. My mind returns to 2007, when I began my teaching career." READ MORE MULTIBRIEFS EXCLUSIVE Simple ideas to strengthen struggling readers' achievements By Howard Margolis Though many struggling readers want to succeed in reading, writing and other schoolwork, they don't know how. Many have learned to think they're "stupid" though they're not. Many have abandoned hope of becoming successful readers and writers. Our job, as parents, teachers, support staff and administrators, is to change such mindsets. To do so and to accelerate learning requires us to show readers how to succeed. READ MORE PRODUCT SHOWCASE Perfect for School Cafeterias! James Tressel, President of Youngstown State University said, “We feel blessed that we have this opportunity to really make our employees and our students and or community confident, because all of these..." Quad-Sink is a mobile, high volume hand washing station that can service 120 students in just 10 minutes.   LEARN MORE   Connect From Anywhere Extraordinary virtual learning opportunities are still available for the summer! Explore space, travel to prehistoric times or enjoy our many other STEAM-focused virtual workshops.   LEARN MORE   A rough draft mindset boosts math learning MiddleWeb (commentary) Students are invited to write and revise rough drafts in other subject matter domains, so why not do so in mathematics? Incorporating rough drafts and revision into our math classrooms has the potential to further engage middle school students as we move away from treating middle level mathematics as a process of task completion and move toward a process of continuous, ongoing learning. READ MORE Helping students experience hands-on learning again THE Journal (commentary) Sherrie Starkie, a contributor for THE Journal, writes: "As a science specialist who sees students for an hour each week to provide hands-on science opportunities to support their primary classroom learning, I faced some additional challenges that a more traditional teacher may not have faced during the pandemic. I'm certainly eager to get back into the classroom to help students begin exploring the natural world face to face, but at this point I don't know exactly what the school day will look like." READ MORE Raising expectations: 10 ways to hold all learners to ambitious goals We Are Teachers If you think about your role in the classroom, you really hold a lot of power. Power to empower, encourage, and enable; and power to disengage, disable, and defeat. Short-circuiting students’ potential with a deficit mindset is nothing short of tragic. Our students are learners in all senses of the word. READ MORE How to inspire students to pursue a STEAM career Teaching Channel Over the next 20 years, the science, technology, engineering, arts and math field is projected to grow significantly. The field is growing so quickly that employers are worried there won't be enough qualified candidates to fill these positions. Such a crisis could lead to economic setbacks and innovation delays. With STEAM permeating nearly every facet of society, the future depends upon STEAM graduates. To combat the talent shortage, parents and educators have an opportunity to encourage their students to pursue these studies. READ MORE Making a difference for students with learning differences 1 on 1 Education Week For the 1 in 5 students who learn differently, whether due to dyslexia, ADHD or other conditions, a sense of community and commonality is key. The nonprofit Eye to Eye tries to foster that by pairing older and younger students with learning differences in weekly mentoring sessions where they use arts and crafts to break down barriers and talk about common challenges and how to overcome them. READ MORE Did online learning mostly miss the mark? eSchool News Online learning has untapped potential for students across the nation, and while the COVID-19 pandemic forced classrooms online in early 2020, that doesn't mean learning became more innovative and personalized. To what extent have educators used the pandemic as an opportunity to realize online learning's benefits? READ MORE How to implement active learning strategies and activities into your classroom Faculty Focus Most of us think we know what active learning is. The word engagement quickly comes to mind. Or, we describe what it isn't: passive learning. Definitions also abound, the one proposed by Bonwell and Eison in an early (and now classic) active learning monograph is widely referenced: involving "students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing" (p. 2). READ MORE Planning for student engagement Edutopia Teaching during the pandemic helped some of us teachers evolve to meet the needs of students by making adjustments to how we planned lessons. New instructional strategies emerged around how to deliver and apply content, including modifying traditional approaches, such as the gallery walk, and developing new strategies, like designing memes to demonstrate learning. READ MORE Personalized learning and pandemic recovery: 6 big considerations Education Week Software alone is not the answer to getting personalized learning back on track but popular new forms of schooling could help. READ MORE Play will be more important than ever in preschool this year Edutopia After a year and a half of social distancing and virtual learning, our transition back to a classroom routine needs to start with social and emotional learning, and play must be at the forefront in early childhood classrooms. While play has always been an important part of early childhood, teachers should prioritize incorporating intentional play to promote social and emotional development, the very foundation from which we can play and work with others, take turns, manage impulses and keep trying when we're struggling. READ MORE Summer study in public health boosts STEM interest in students District Administration Magazine Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, when high school students were given the chance to learn about public health during summer months, they took advantage of it. And the outcomes were surprising. Of the 130 students across more than 60 high schools who participated in weeklong Rutgers University studies in 2018 and 2019, the vast majority said it boosted their interest in STEM areas related to the field, which previously had fallen in popularity. READ MORE Camp invention hands-on summer STEM program goes virtual, bringing creativity and innovation to kids — And their families The 74 The National Inventors Hall of Fame’s Camp Invention program has gotten pretty, well, inventive with the way it delivers content during the pandemic. And that includes offering both in-person and virtual camps, connecting not only to K-8 students, but to entire families through the Camp Invention at Home program. READ MORE An integrative approach to student understanding and learning Faculty Focus Our primary role as educators is to create learning environments that service a diverse student body. To be successful, this environment should focus on the ability of the student to demonstrate their level of understanding for the topics posed rather than focusing on just the grade. READ MORE Teens with ADHD need scaffolds and structure ADDitude Magazine ADHD symptoms in teens may contribute to challenges in school when they collide with adolescent milestones. The solution is not being a micro-managing, helicopter parent but encouraging independence with smart scaffolding strategies like these. READ MORE .EDUCATION RESEARCH Reading on screen vs. print: New analysis thickens the plot on promoting comprehension Education Week The pandemic has increased the amount of reading young children do in digital formats, and a new research analysis suggests parent and teacher behavior can mean the difference in whether e-books help or hinder reading skills in the long run. READ MORE Children with ADHD need positive reinforcement (& other interventions that work) ADDitude Magazine ADHD in children shows up at school, in behavior, and with friends and siblings. For the ADHD symptoms that collide with developmental milestones in childhood, positive reinforcement is almost always the best parenting solution. Read on for pinpointed solutions for common organization problems, emotional dysregulation and learning challenges. READ MORE How read-alouds can benefit older students Edutopia One of the best parts of kindergarten through second grades is the time that teachers set aside to read aloud to their students. It's a moment when children get to use their imagination and creativity while dreaming about the story that's unfolding before them. The wonderment and excitement this activity creates is one of the reasons why young children develop a love of reading. READ MORE .IN THE STATES How universal meals nourish all students and transform citywide wellness K-12 DIVE Being a frontline school nutrition worker, you see the importance of supporting the "whole child" first hand, each and every day. School meals are an opportunity to close prominent, long-standing gaps that have kept specific student populations from an equitable education experience, yet our current national approach to school meals reinforces these divides instead of working to close them. READ MORE .ASSOCIATION NEWS Captain of the ship: Sailing your school to success NAESP Discover your unknown patterns and blind spots that unknowingly hinder your success and efficiency in areas of verbal and non-verbal communication, achieving effective solutions, teacher retention, parent engagement, human connectiveness and all around joy and aligned vision for your district. READ MORE Center for Women in Leadership book study NAESP Connect and grow with other women in leadership by participating in NAESP's Center for Women in Leadership Book Study Group. Starting in September, we will be reading "The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance — What Women Should Know," by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman. If you are interested in participating — or even being a book study group facilitator — attend the orientation kick-off meeting on August 24, 7:30 p.m. ET. READ MORE SUGGESTED COMPANIES Landscape Structures @Landscape Structures © Introduce a revolutionary swing forward in inclusive play experience with We-Go-Swing™. Read more   First No–Transfer Inclusive Swing   Promoted by Landscape Structures Stepping Stones Museum For Children © Explore space, travel to prehistoric times or enjoy our other STEAM-focused virtual workshops and camps. Read more   EXTRAORDINARY Virtual Learning Opportunities   Promoted by Stepping Stones Museum For Children GE Healthcare @GEHealthcare © We provide medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. 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