This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here December 1, 2020 .PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP Teaching in a crisis: Educators discuss morale amid COVID-19 District Administration Magazine Superintendents and principals have hailed teachers as heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, they have given a seemingly endless supply of time and support to students and parents while providing comprehensive instruction in changing environments. Despite the challenges presented by technology and the long hours, they have pressed on day after day — sometimes behind face shields — to deliver the best education they can with a smile. READ MORE Supporting teachers in a difficult year Edutopia A new principal shares her strategies for making sure teachers can air concerns about both their work and the health of everyone in the school. READ MORE How are our teachers faring during the pandemic? eSchool News Imagine you've got a business, housed in the basement of a single building. A tremendous storm sweeps in, and the basement floods — standing water, four inches deep, Forbes reports. Some workers are asked to stay at their station, working ankle deep in water. Others are moved to the first floor, forced to use unfamiliar equipment that they must learn to use on the fly while trying to do something that is kind of, but not really, like their usual work. Nobody knows when the storm is going to end, or when the basement will be pumped dry. READ MORE Why COVID school schedules are better for some students Forbes Prior to COVID, the majority of K-12 schools were running on schedules that didn't serve students well. In the latter half of the 20th century, school start and end times were designed around bus schedules. To use the same fleet of buses for all students, schools in suburban areas created schedules with high school students as the first arrivals. READ MORE VIDEO SHOWCASE Mitigating the Risk of Aerosolized Transmission Promoted By Erlab Boost Your School's Immunity Promoted By Apothepack Fall testing paints fuller picture of COVID learning loss District Administration Magazine The COVID learning loss predictions were dire, and several organizations are now releasing data tracking how students have actually performed this fall. In one series of tests, student reading achievement was, on average, only a single percentile point below normal, according to a report from Renaissance Learning, "How Kids Are Performing: Tracking the Impact of COVID-19 on Reading and Mathematics Achievement." READ MORE Building better relationships with parents at the classroom, school and district level Edutopia The research in parent engagement makes it clear that even during challenging times, when so much is unknown and when our methods of communication have been disrupted, it is more vital than ever to strengthen our interactions with those at home supporting our students. READ MORE Study guide: Attendance and chronic absenteeism during COVID-19 Education DIVE Among educators' greatest challenges with the pandemic-driven transition to remote learning is tracking attendance and participation. Doing so can be challenging in a virtual environment, particularly if learning is taking place asynchronously. Attendance and chronic absenteeism rates are crucial accountability metrics that are once again being tracked following some initial lenience in the spring. And with some forms of online learning likely to remain in a post-coronavirus world, the way attendance is tracked could be primed for significant change. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. A School Leader’s Guide to Crisis Communication Free 3 PD Hour Course: Building Relationships in Online Learning Free 3 PD Hour Course: An Exploration into Social and Emotional Learning Teacher Resources: Supporting Students of Color and Battling Racism Appropriate Ways for Principals to Build Relationships with Teachers How wearable trackers help with contact tracing eSchool News As schools, colleges and universities navigate the new school year, teachers and administrators will be serving on the front lines of public health efforts to keep kids and communities safe from COVID-19 outbreaks. To do that, educators will need to do two things that public health officials struggle to do even when working with adults: ensure that social distancing is maintained and conduct effective contact tracing as suspected/confirmed cases arise. READ MORE Decisions to stop or start in-person K-12 learning aren't getting easier Education DIVE In recent weeks, as novel coronavirus caseloads across the country have surged, school systems are making difficult decisions to stop or limit in-person learning options in an effort to reduce the virus' spread. In some areas, those transitions are coming just weeks after districts phased in on-campus learning. READ MORE The real hero of the school? The custodian We Are Teachers Dear School Custodian, We don't appreciate you enough, especially in the year of 2020. Sam Ewing, a former professional baseball player, once said, "Hard work spotlights the character of people: Some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all." Custodians ... Thank you for turning up. Thank you for rolling up your sleeves. Thank you for helping with the chaos of COVID cleaning. And thank you for working hard, even when some of us turn up our noses. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Bakpax: Hybrid Learning on Any Device • Empower and engage students with instant feedback • Solve for digital access issues • Use for in-person, virtual, and seamless hybrid learning LEARN MORE How to keep your team energized during the holidays Entrepreneur This year, the holidays are different from any other that we have had in the past. Many families have been quarantined together all year long, struggling to balance the lines between work and home. Being on calls, virtual meetings and attending online conferences, while feeding small children and pets is exhausting. Work feels like it is never-ending, and many are struggling with burn out. We all are due for a much-needed time off — to properly be strengthened as individuals, and as a team. READ MORE MULTIBRIEFS EXCLUSIVE In times of crisis: 5 strategies that lead to better decisions By Dr. Paul Napper and Dr. Anthony Rao The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our work, how we relate with our families, and our personal sense of safety, security and health. This crisis, coupled with recent burgeoning social unrest, presents unique challenges to leaders. How can we make better decisions — ones that could make or break our business — when we're consumed by what's around us? One answer comes from leaders in the profession that's at the very center of the COVID crisis: expert medical practitioners, who frequently make life-or-death decisions for the people in front of them. How do they stay focused and keep their decision-making sharp? READ MORE Why you shouldn't always look on the bright side Fast Company Optimism is a valued trait in the American workplace. Optimism accounts for 30% of an employee's inspiration at work, according to a survey by Leadership IQ. Optimists may deal with workplace stress better. And they may even be healthier. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Tangible Play (Osmo) Whether you’re teaching in-person, online, or a mix of both, Osmo can make a difference. Explore the many ways Osmo can integrate with mainstream curriculum, special education, and more. Learn about the Osmo for Schools difference: educator resources for an educational environment. 4 tips for expressing gratitude this holiday season — Without a party HR DIVE Employers' holiday celebrations are sure to look different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. With remote work, social-distancing requirements and other limitations, it's difficult for employers to know whether or how to hold holiday or year-end celebrations. READ MORE Quiet is the new superpower: Voices from the introvert revolution The Lead Change Group Half of the population identifies themselves as introverts, however many workplaces are stuck in traditional, extrovert-centric cultures that reward people for speaking up publicly, expect them to log face time, and employ hiring and promotion practices rooted in the past. As we move forward in this evolving climate of inclusion, we're beginning to see an increased understanding of how individual attributes contribute to an organization's success. Where does introversion fit in with this revolution, and how can employers, and employees, start viewing quiet as the new superpower? READ MORE 3 tips to communicate authentically in times of crisis Entrepreneur Times of crisis naturally lead to stress, and in the workplace, a surefire way to heighten that stress is lackluster communication. Don't get me wrong — my company struggles with this, too. In May, our leadership team decided that we wouldn't return to in-person work yet, even though our state had lifted its stay-at-home order. But we didn't communicate that to the team right away. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Don't Go It Alone The learning landscape is changing. Let us help you navigate it. Our experts are available for early-morning check-ins, or late in the evening as you reflect on your day. Bottom line: Leadership doesn’t have to be lonely. We’re here, day and night, to help you lead your schools into the future. Learn more LEARN MORE 'Failure is not an option' — How to accept when things go wrong Forbes Sometimes our best efforts fail. It's normal. It happens to everyone. Still, we're surprised when they do. We ask ourselves: How did this happen? How could this happen to me? What's wrong with people? What's wrong with me? The cold truth is that we tried hard and failed. Nothing went wrong. And nothing is wrong with us. We failed because mistakes are a fact of life for every leader and for every human being. Failure is an option. READ MORE Why you must always test your assumptions Inc. Vitality curves. Rank and yank. Fire the bottom 10%. (Or, as some suggest, fire the next-to-bottom 10%, too.) Hire fast, fire faster: Since no hiring process is ever perfect, firing people the moment they appear to be dead weight instead of superstars. As the American Management Association says, "Selecting a bad hire is understandable; but accepting it and not doing anything about it will cost an organization greatly." READ MORE .EDUCATION POLICY IDEA turns 45: Is Congress close to guaranteeing full special ed funding? Education DIVE In the small Sweetwater County School District #2 in Green River, Wyoming, federal funding for special education services is a minor portion — just 2% — of the overall costs to educate the district's 2,600 students. But when Sweetwater agrees to provide interventions to a student with disabilities, every dollar counts, said Special Services Director Alan Demaret. READ MORE .SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY The 6 C's of cybersafety: How to keep students safe online EdTech Magazine Distance learning has made the digital presence of students more prevalent than ever. Educational technology is now a staple of most learning experiences. Combine that with social media identities, and the digital footprint of today's students has become almost as important as the real thing. Therefore, it's even more crucial for teachers and parents to do what they can to help protect students online. READ MORE Can AR be the antidote to virtual classroom shortcomings? eSchool News Schools across the country are well into their second go-round of distance learning at this point. Things seem to be running more smoothly than the first attempt last spring–however, we are still experiencing growing pains to say the least. Students, parents, and educators have all expressed serious concerns regarding distance learning. In a survey done by The Education Trust, a statewide poll found that 90 percent of parents are worried about their children falling behind academically due to coronavirus-related school closures. READ MORE How to make the most of Chromebook security features EdTech Magazine Among the reasons many K–12 schools have made Chromebooks their tech of choice for remote and hybrid learning is the protection they provide against cyberattacks. Because most of their operations are based in the cloud and are easily controlled by system administrators, the devices are widely seen as highly secure. READ MORE  FEATURED ARTICLE   Benefits of an Early Childhood Leadership Certificate from Bank Street   A child’s first few years of educational experiences set the stage for how they will learn for the rest of their lives. The Bank Street Early Childhood Leadership Advanced Certificate Program is designed for mission-driven educators seeking to advance their professional opportunities and fill the need for exceptional leadership in early childhood education. Areas of study within the program include curriculum and development, social justice, systems thinking, progressive education and law. LEARN MORE   Wearable devices are increasingly central to a safe return to the classroom eSchool News Technology has played a central role during COVID-19, enabling educators to continue teaching remotely, with both students and staff ensconced in the safety of their kitchens or living rooms. Remote learning technology has become mission-critical for education. But as the pandemic stretches out far longer than we could have imagined, evidence suggests that remote learning is falling short in a number of ways. READ MORE Best headphones for teachers in remote teaching Tech & Learning The best headphones for teachers in remote learning situations can make a huge difference to the quality of a lesson. From being more clearly heard, to hearing more clearly yourself and, of course, remaining comfortable for long periods of time – there are many factors to consider when buying the best headphones for distance teaching. READ MORE Why student safety tools are essential during a pandemic eSchool News Interventions into student safety, prompted by technology used to help school leaders prevent students from harming themselves or others, increased dramatically after COVID-19 landed in the U.S. and caused schools to close physical classrooms. In its annual Student Safety Report, Gaggle, which uses artificial intelligence and trained safety experts in a student safety solution designed to prevent student suicide, bullying, inappropriate behaviors, school violence and other harmful situations. 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 .PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Teaching in a crisis: Life on the front lines and on video screens District Administration Magazine Teachers sit in empty classrooms with laptops instructing their students. Children's faces appear and then disappear from computer screens. Parents scramble behind their kids to try to help them figure out assignments. Young siblings cry out for attention. These have been some of the indelible images of 2020 and the grand experiment of education in a remote/hybrid/in-person/COVID-19 world. For those on the front lines — teachers — it has been a complicated, nonstop, off the rails experience that has shown their resilience and strength. READ MORE Using gradual release in remote learning MiddleWeb It's important for teachers to keep in mind that we need to give students support at an appropriate level throughout the learning process, whether we're teaching face to face, completely online or in a hybrid model. READ MORE Better ways to measure student progress Edutopia Following the widespread closure of schools last spring, teachers grappled with the challenges of remote learning. Meeting students' needs became more difficult as teachers traded the predictability of in-person schooling for the unpredictable nature of learning by distance. READ MORE How mindfulness during class can help students and teachers The Hechinger Report via MindShift Doug Worthen guided his small class of ninth graders at Middlesex School through an exercise designed to focus their attention. On his screen, he saw the students sitting outside or at desks and lounging across their beds as they joined their weekly mindfulness class online. One by one the students clicked off their cameras, each square became a white and gray icon and Worthen began the meditation. READ MORE The importance of supporting students' connection to curiosity District Administration Magazine Supporting elementary students' continued connection to curiosity not only supports continued student engagement in their current grade, but it is also critical for student success in the middle and high school years. In speaking with my colleagues at the middle school and secondary levels, elementary students who are encouraged to use their curiosity develop the key problem-solving skills that are essential to continuing their academic growth. READ MORE Early literacy instruction should go beyond the basics Edutopia To inspire young children to become creative thinkers, problem solvers and lifelong learners, teachers should lay a strong foundation in early literacy skills like vocabulary and spelling, as well as nurture a set of intangible skills like the ability to make sense of and critically analyze new information. READ MORE PRODUCT SHOWCASE Enter for a Chance to Win! PCS Edventures is awarding 8 winners, $12,000 in STEM curriculum & materials. Hurry, the entry period ends on December 7th, 2020. Enter sweepstakes at: https://contest.edventures.com   LEARN MORE   Reach Your Prospects Every Week Thousands of industry professionals subscribe to association news briefs, which allows your company to push messaging directly to their inboxes and take advantage of the association's brand affinity. Connect with Highly Defined Buyers and Maximize Your Brand Exposure   LEARN MORE   Building community virtually with Friendly Fridays Edutopia (commentary) Elizabeth Peterson, a contributor for Edutopia, writes: "Building community and developing relationships is the foundation of a successful learning environment. But what if you only see your students on a computer screen? For years, I used an activity I call Friendly Fridays to help my students build community and develop social awareness in my physical classroom. Now that I'm teaching remotely, my class has been able to keep up the tradition of Friendly Fridays so that we continue to build lasting relationships even as we interact online." READ MORE How COVID-19 is affecting students with visual impairments and their educators Education DIVE "It takes a village, and many students don't have a village to support them." These words came from a teacher of students with visual impairments who was one of 1,432 participants this spring in the American Foundation for the Blind's Access and Engagement to Education Study, which examined the impact of COVID-19 on students with visual impairments, their families and professionals in the United States and Canada. READ MORE .EDUCATION RESEARCH As COVID cases spike among children, concerns rise District Administration Magazine As school districts continue to revamp decisions on remote vs. in-person learning, the American Academy of Pediatrics released data showing a large rise in cases of COVID-19 across the U.S. among children from the previous two-week period. According to statistics from the Academy and Children's Hospital Association, there were more than 250,000 positive cases among children (0-19) from Nov. 5 to Nov. 19, a 28% increase over the prior two-week period. The total number of children nationwide who have been infected with coronavirus is more than one million, which represents nearly 12% of overall cases in the United States. READ MORE Schools grapple with substitute teacher shortages, medical leave requests, survey finds Education Week The challenges schools are facing during the pandemic continue to pile up and expand, putting teachers and school and district leaders in a very difficult spot, suggest the latest results of a survey by the EdWeek Research Center. One of the biggest challenges is finding substitute teachers to fill in for teachers who are absent or on medical leave. The demand is outpacing the supply, and the quality of those applying for substitute teacher positions is a concern in many school districts, the survey found. READ MORE Contrary to predictions, rate of teacher retirements looks to decline in 2020 THE Journal An analysis of teacher retirements during 2020 found that the rate was down by about five percent. Just one state under study — Alabama — showed an increase in retirements, of 7.2%. The research was undertaken by Bellwether Education Partners, a nonprofit focused on changing education for underserved children, and published on 74 million. READ MORE .IN THE STATES Hunger pains: Keeping kids fed during the pandemic stretches the limits of bureaucracy The 74 In mid-October, at a warehouse on the East Side of San Antonio, 600 large green bins filled with food sat for weeks waiting to be delivered to children in some of San Antonio's poorest schools. The bins were yet another image of hunger during the pandemic and the numerous bureaucratic blockades keeping meals from hungry kids — waivers and protocols that mean little to the families wondering if dinner will be on the table. READ MORE Outdoor learning, in blustery weather The New York Times This summer, teachers rolled up their T-shirt sleeves and set out to make a plan for outdoor learning. A teacher in Wisconsin worked with her students to build a 12-sided outdoor classroom. A school in New York City held class on the roof. A district superintendent in Maine bought every Adirondack chair she could find. READ MORE .ASSOCIATION NEWS Middle-level leadership matters: Innovative schedules in the COVID-19 era NAESP With the launch of the new NAESP Centers for Advancing Leadership comes new opportunities for NAESP to help advance the leadership of its middle-level leaders. To start, we're rolling out a new series, Middle-Level Leadership Matters, which aims to highlight innovative leaders from across the country — starting with me, Jessica Cabeen, one of the fellows of the Center for Middle-Level Leadership. READ MORE Webinar: Assistant principals' critical role in literacy instruction NAESP When principals serve as instructional leaders, assistant principals are often assigned hands-on intermediary roles in directing classroom literacy instruction and measuring its success. In schools with strong leadership development programs, this means observing classes, coaching teachers and modeling instruction. Join NAESP's National Outstanding Assistant Principals, Equetta Jones and Andrew Lindsay, as they take a deeper look into the questions raised in the November/December Principal magazine article on "APs Play a Critical Role in Literacy Instruction: Observing, Coaching, and Modeling Best Practices." READ MORE   Principal Insights Connect with NAESP Dennis Hall, Director of Publishing, MultiView, 469-420-2656 | Download media kit Hailey Golden, Senior Education Editor, 469-420-2630| Contribute news National Association of Elementary School Principals 1615 Duke Street|  | Alexandria, VA 22314  800-386-2377  |  Contact Us  |  www.naesp.org Click here to unsubscribe.  Learn how to add us to your safe sender list so our emails get to your inbox. ADVERTISE SUBSCRIBE PAST ISSUES   7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063