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| | LATEST NEWS FOR PRINCIPALS |
School Leaders Now
Sign language translators convey emotion and tone without saying a word. Sad. Mad. Frustrated. Worried. Conveying tone in face-to-face meetings includes gestures and facial expressions in addition to actual spoken word tone. Email communications rely only on the written word. How can you better show emotions and intention in an email? Just as a sign language translator finds ways to show emotions through signs, you can add further dimension to your written school communication.
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eSchool News
When it comes to school communications, parents today want more information from their children's teachers and schools, but they also want that information to be timely, targeted and personalized to their children or their interest areas. The latest data from Speak Up Research Project gives insights on school-to-home communications. In "Text, Twitter, Email, Call — What Do Parents Say About School Communications?" Dr. Julie Evans, chief executive officer of Project Tomorrow, shared these insights from parents, educators, and administrators, and discussed takeaways from the research.
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By: Catherine Iste (commentary)
 Jen's perfume is bothering Carol. No one cares about Steve's six cats. Sue gets upset when John clears his throat so vigorously in meetings. As leaders, we often become the mediator of unusual interpersonal issues. Though we may want to ignore them, doing so can allow the situation to blossom into a real problem. Here are some tips to nip awkward situations in the bud.
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Duke University via Science Daily
A pilot program reduced absenteeism in elementary schools by an average of 10 percent, according to a new study by Duke researchers. Chronic absenteeism is linked to poor grades, low test scores and eventually, dropping out of high school. While most truancy prevention efforts focus on middle and high school students, the Early Truancy Prevention Program concentrates on first- and second-grade students. The pilot was field-tested at five schools in a mid-sized North Carolina school district. This is among the first programs for primary school students that has been effective in improving absenteeism rates.
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By: Susan Winebrenner (commentary)
 By this time of the school year, some gifted or advanced learners may be struggling to complete their work in certain subject areas. To fully understand this dynamic, try to remember a time when you felt "trapped" at a mandatory in-service, class or other event at which you discovered immediately that you already knew all the content but were still required to stay to the bitter end of the event. I'm predicting that your primary goal became getting out of there early, at almost any cost!
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NPR
Fred Rogers, the beloved children's television host, used to tell a story about when he would see scary things in the news as a child. His mother would reassure him by saying: "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." Lately, there's been a surfeit of scary news: Charlottesville, Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and now Las Vegas. And unfortunately, the stress of children's daily lives doesn't go away with all that's happening in the world around us. The National Survey of Children's Health consistently finds that nearly half of American children experience at least one adversity such as physical abuse or food insecurity, and 1 in 5 experience at least two.
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Your students don’t all learn in the same way, so why deliver instruction in the same way? Exact Path is focused on understanding where your students are academically and then taking that data a step further. Adaptive tools offer targeted instruction that is aligned to your goals and paced to your students’ needs.
Click here to learn more.
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The Hechinger Report
It's been hard to prove that attending preschool makes a difference for kids, academically. Many research studies have found that children who didn't go to preschool catch up to those who did in just a few years. By third grade, there's often no difference in math and reading scores between the preschooled and the non-preschooled child. Experts call it "fadeout." That hasn't sat well with advocates of early childhood education. They point to other studies that have looked beyond elementary schools' test scores, and have found that preschooled children are more likely to graduate from high school, be employed and raise families in stable marriages.
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MindShift
There's a common misconception that the best way to encourage children's creativity is simply to get out of the way and let them be creative. Although it's certainly true that children are naturally curious and inquisitive, they need support to develop their creative capacities and reach their full creative potential. Supporting children's development is always a balancing act: how much structure, how much freedom; when to step in, when to step back; when to show, when to tell, when to ask, when to listen.
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District Administration Magazine
Teaching religion in public schools has been illegal for decades. Teaching about religion, however, is not only permissible, but is gaining traction as a way to promote greater understanding in a world of conflicting dogmas. The National Council for the Social Studies in June published guidelines on how to study religion “in ways that are constitutionally sound" and consistent with accepted standards for what students should know in history, civics, geography and economics.
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Edutopia (commentary)
Alyssa Nucaro, a contributor for Edutopia, writes: "When I started teaching, I didn't truly understand the power of words and their ability to influence the lives of students. I quickly learned that the effectiveness of my lessons and the classroom culture are heavily influenced by the language I use and how I use it. One of the hardest things I had to do was learn how to change my 'teacher' language so that I could encourage and empower students on a daily basis. Using powerful and effective teacher language takes a lot of practice and awareness."
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Education DIVE
4-year-olds in Massachusetts are more likely to attend formal early-childhood education programs, such as Head Start or a pre-K class, than 3-year-olds, according to the early results of a new longitudinal early education study from researchers at Harvard University. The findings, from a household survey, could suggest that more options are open to 4-year-olds or that parents are more motivated to enroll their children in preschool the year prior to kindergarten, the researchers say. 3-year-olds are just as likely to spend time in center-based programs as they are informal settings, such as friend, relative and neighbor care; a family child-care home; or at home with a parent.
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Inc. (commentary)
Marcel Schwantes, a contributor for Inc., writes: "I've done a lot of research over the years to drill down to the most likely reason for employees to quit and answer the question, 'How do you stop the bleeding?' As in bleeding money. The cost of employee turnover is exorbitant, with some recent estimates putting the price at $45,000 to $150,000 to replace an employee. The data from my research on employee retention is astounding and not entirely positive."
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Istation
[FREE E-Book] Boost student achievement and inspire educational gains with eight steps schools can take to bridge the gap! This e-book from Istation covers progress monitoring, motivational strategies, strengthening school-to-home connections, and more.
Get your copy.
eSchool News
Sixty-three percent of K-12 educators use edtech in their classrooms each day–an increase from the 55 percent reporting the same in 2016, according to an annual survey from the College of Education at the University of Phoenix. Laptops are most commonly used (86 percent), while other technologies include educational apps (58 percent), 3D printers (21 percent), and social media (41 percent, up from 32 percent in 2016).
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Edutopia
Trauma in students' lives takes an emotional and physical toll on teachers as well. Experts weigh in on the best ways to cope.
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EdTech Magazine
In today's classroom, there is a lot of pressure on educators to be prepared to teach students how to thrive in a tech-laden world. Many teachers lack the credentials needed to educate students on topics that require a lot of tech use, simply because the tech didn't exist when they were trained. Some schools have turned to micro-credentialing as a way to give educators valuable professional development on these 21st-century skills. However, these small one-off courses do little to shape how today's educators are prepared for the classroom overall. That's where data comes in.
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NPR
In a tiny hamlet in Tanzania, children who have never been to school, and can't recognize a single letter in any language, are about to start learning basic math and reading. They'll do this with the help of a cutting-edge, artificially intelligent "tutor" who can hear what they are saying in Swahili and respond meaningfully. In the slums of Bogota, Colombia, children play with special board games, dominoes and dice games that can teach them math and reading in a matter of months. Youth volunteers in the community help bring the games to younger children.
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Harvard Business Review
Jack is well-known in his company for delivering growth through high-performing, cross-functional teams. Where others get stuck in silos, he fosters innovation through collaboration. But these days, when you exit the elevator on his floor, you sense fear wafting through the halls. He's nine months into a new role as Business Unit Leader, and a lot has changed. So far his tenure is marked by poor communication, eroding morale, and weak results. Managers aren't even working together anymore. They retreat to their corners and protect their turf.
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District Administration Magazine
Steven Yates has a message for would-be school librarians. "If you're coming to this because you like to read and you want to manage a collection of books, then you showed up about 30 years too late to the profession," says Yates, a former high school librarian who teaches in the school library media certification program at the University of Alabama. The school library's mission — matching resources with those who need them — has not changed, he says. But its role is evolving: With materials increasingly offered online, schools are transforming their libraries into active places for students to work together and get creative, with staff who do much more than manage books.
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| | FEDERAL ADVOCACY AND POLICY |
U.S. News & World Report
In her most resolute wording to date, the Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said that the federal government should not create a new private school choice program — a far cry from where she stood on that issue upon her confirmation eight months ago. "I wholeheartedly believe the future of choice does not begin with a new federal mandate from Washington," she said Sept. 28 during a speech at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
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Education Week
President Donald Trump has tapped Mitchell "Mick" Zais, the former South Carolina chief state school officer and a vehement opponent of the Common Core State Standards, as deputy secretary, the number two position at the U.S. Department of Education. Trump ran on getting rid of the Common Core — something he doesn't have the power to do. But it's hard to imagine Zais cheerleading the common core from his new post. As state chief in he tried to persuade South Carolina to dump the common core.
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The Washington Post
Hampered by blocked roads and power outages, schools in Puerto Rico may not reopen full-time for weeks or even months as many campuses on the island remain without electricity and running water in the wake of Hurricane Maria. The island is home to one of the nation’s largest and poorest school systems, with 347,000 students in more than 1,100 schools scattered across the island. The extended school closures may not only delay education for schoolchildren but also sever a lifeline for students who rely on schools for free lunches and clean drinking water.
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The Cinncinati Enquirer
School bullies who repeatedly torment their victims would face criminal charges under a new proposal from a Democratic lawmaker. Bullying can lead to violence, retaliation and even suicide, said Sen. Sandra Williams, D-Cleveland, who said she recently intervened when a relative was repeatedly bullied at school. One of the bullies was suspended only after threatening a teacher, she said.
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The Legislative Gazette
Two Hudson Valley lawmakers are working with local parents and police to push for legislation (A.8382/S.6597) they say would protect children from sex offenders working in their schools. The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, D-Ossining, and Sen. Sue Serino, R-Hyde Park, would require that all schools are immediately notified if any of their employees are arrested for sex offenses. Earlier this year, a longtime Ossining school custodian was convicted of two misdemeanors and two felonies, including the third-degree rape of a victim under the age of 17, taking many in the community by surprise.
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NAESP
Today's principals must provide leadership that will prepare students for their future. Research notes a gap between what students need and what our schools currently provide. What are the essential skills needed for this task? Join Dr. Bill Daggett, Founder and Chairman for the International Center for Leadership in Education, as he describes essential leadership skills to create impactful student and adult learning. This webinar takes place Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 3 p.m. EDT.
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NAESP
School choice is again at the center of the education policy debate. But what exactly is it? Many policies and programs fall under this general term, which on one level simply means giving students options in where they go to school. But this debate is also about which schools receive funding from the government, and under what conditions.
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