School of Thought Blog

Recognizing Student Success: Creating a Positive Culture for Students

Guest post by Matthew Younghans

Motivation and success are what drive individuals in any profession. In the school setting, it is critically important that we celebrate and recognize the outstanding things that students accomplish, both inside and outside of the building. Watching students grow and accomplish their goals is one of the main reasons most go into education, myself included. The recognition of students fosters strong relationships among students, families, faculty, and the community and creates a positive school culture where students feel valued. (more…)

August 30, 2016

Building Culture

Advocacy Update: Tracking ESSA

Inside the Beltway

What’s going on in Washington?

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced on August 18 the three principals who will serve as Principal Ambassador Fellows during the 2016–17 school year. The Principal Ambassador Fellowship (PAF) program was launched in 2013 to highlight the voice of the principal within the education community and the country at large. (more…)

August 29, 2016

Education Policy Other

Creating Culturally Responsive Schools

Guest post by Helen Gladden

Schools that strive to be culturally responsive believe that there is no one right “set” of experiences, beliefs, and values. They know that each student’s cultural set is his or her self identity. Most importantly, they understand that students are far more likely to fully engage in the learning process when their self identity is understood, accepted, and valued. They are committed to building trust with and among their students, and they know that trust is built through respect. (more…)

August 23, 2016

Building Culture Equity Ethics Global-mindedness

Advocacy Update

Inside the Beltway

What’s going on in Washington?

Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) were joined by U.S. Secretary of Education John King for a roundtable discussion in Hartford, CT, on the importance of diversity and equity in education. The discussion focused on strategies and best practices to ensure an excellent education for all students. (more…)

August 22, 2016

Education Policy Other

Process Report Cards: Creating a Behavior-Based Reporting System

Guest post by Cameron Soester

Grading has always been a tricky issue for school leaders to master. How do you ensure it captures the full picture of a student’s progress and achievement?

Thomas Guskey suggests that a well-rounded and comprehensive grading policy has three well-defined components. They include a product grade that assesses what students know and can do at the moment the assessment is given; a process grade that measures student behaviors; and a progress grade that considers a student’s improvement over time. (more…)

August 16, 2016

Collaborative Leadership Leading Learning

Advocacy Update: Tracking ESSA

Inside the Beltway

What’s going on in Washington?

On August 5, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the next step in President Obama’s Testing Action Plan—a competitive grant competition to help states innovate and improve the quality of assessments; enhance communications to parents, educators, and other stakeholders; and reduce redundant and ineffective testing in states and districts. Applications for the Enhanced Assessment Grants are due September 22, and ED expects to announce grantees in January 2017. (more…)

August 15, 2016

Education Policy Other

Leading Innovative Learning in Traditional Schools

Innovative learning requires the alignment of the entire organization, and that comes down to leadership. We know what that leadership looks like, and we now have standards that don’t just reflect that leadership, but demand it from every school leader, regardless of their context. The 2015 Professional Standards for Educational Leaders call for principals to approach every teacher conversation, every interaction with the central office, every analysis of data, with one question always in mind: How will this empower our students as learners? (more…)

August 9, 2016

Collaborative Leadership Innovation Leading Learning Other Technology & E-learning

Advocacy Update: Tracking ESSA

Inside the Beltway

What’s going on in Washington?

On August 1, thousands of organizations and individuals submitted comments for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to the U.S. Department of Education on the proposed regulations for Title I of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). NASSP coordinated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals and 57 of our state affiliates to submit joint comments on behalf of the nation’s preK–12 elementary, middle level, and high school principals. (more…)

August 8, 2016

Education Policy Other

Advocacy Update: Tracking ESSA

Inside the Beltway

What’s going on in Washington?

Yesterday was the due date for comments to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Education in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the proposed regulations for Title I of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

NASSP coordinated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals and 58 of our state affiliates to submit joint comments on behalf of the nation’s preK–12 elementary, middle level, and high school principals. (more…)

August 2, 2016

Education Policy Other

Making the Most of Intervention Time

Guest post by Clint Williams

Every day at Skyridge Middle School ends with an hour we call FLEX. Parents and students always ask, “What is FLEX?” My answer to that question often starts with a chuckle as I think about the best way to answer it. Essentially, FLEX is flexible time built into our schedule that allows us to meet the needs of our students.

During the last seven years, the FLEX program has morphed from a completely exploratory hour to an intervention period. (more…)

August 2, 2016

Collaborative Leadership Leading Learning

Touching Gold with PBIS: Supporting Struggling Students Through Systematic Interventions

Guest post by Greg Bozarth

In 2012, Lava Ridge School District had a simple goal: for all students—even those who struggle with behavioral issues—to learn at high levels. That’s why we formed our PBIS “Touch Gold” program in 2013, and little did we know how important this framework would become for student interventions.

PBIS, or Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support system, seeks to establish a more proactive and positive school culture by using a systematic framework for student interventions. (more…)

July 26, 2016

Building Culture Communication Wellness

Advocacy Update: Tracking ESSA

Inside the Beltway

What is going on in Washington?

Last Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services met to markup their FY 2017 appropriations bill. The full Appropriations Committee marked up the bill on Thursday. NASSP’s David Chodak was present for both markups and has been following appropriations closely, meeting with staff from the Committee’s membership over the past month.

(more…)

July 25, 2016

Education Policy Other

Community Connections: Building a Partnership for the Future

Guest post by John Carder

“Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood? In your neighborhood? In your neighborhood? Say, who are the people in your neighborhood? The people that you meet each day.”

We can all learn a lesson or two from Sesame Street. It reminds us about the importance of getting to know the people and community around us. Establishing relationships with community partners and businesses has become an integral component of the educational experience for students at Marion Harding High School in Marion, OH. (more…)

July 19, 2016

Building Culture Collaborative Leadership Leading Learning Relationships

The Advanced Placement Journey: Making the Most of this Meaningful Student Learning Experience

Guest post by Veronica “Voni” Perrine

It was the fall of my first year as an assistant principal at Middletown High School in Middletown, DE. My principal handed me the Advanced Placement coordinator’s manual and informed me that I was the new coordinator. The thought of being the AP coordinator was, to be honest, a little daunting. I was now in charge of ensuring that students had rigorous courses taught by skilled teachers who would lead these students to take the AP exam—an exam with scores that could influence their future educational opportunities. (more…)

July 12, 2016

Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessments Leading Learning

Cultivating Strong Teacher Leaders

Guest post by Marianna Valdez and Tisha White

New Leaders has been training and supporting principals of high-need schools for more than 15 years. From this experience, we have learned that principals who achieve dramatic gains at their schools virtually never lead alone. Our most successful principals unfailingly encourage and cultivate leadership among their teachers so that the burdens and rewards of conceptualizing and carrying out instructional improvement efforts are shared.

There is growing recognition that fostering teacher leadership is key to accelerating school improvement. (more…)

July 11, 2016

Collaborative Leadership Leading Learning Other Principal/Teacher Preparation Reflection & Growth teacher leader

School Leaders Take to the Hill to Advocate for Schools and Students

Guest post by William Parker

On June 21 and 22, 2016, the National Association of Secondary Principals hosted its Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C.

School leaders from across the country descended upon Capitol Hill as well as heard presentations from experts in advocacy, leadership, and federal policies that affect schools. As a state coordinator for NASSP, I joined Clay McDonald—middle school principal from Piedmont, OK, and president-elect of the Oklahoma Association of Secondary Principals—for the two-day conference and Hill visit. (more…)

July 8, 2016

Education Policy Other

House Education and the Workforce Committee Approves CTE Reauthorization Bill

A decade after Congress last reauthorized the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) Act, the House Education and the Workforce Committee unanimously approved the Strengthening Career and Technical Education Act (H.R. 5587) on July 7.

“Today, we’ve taken another important step to ensure every American has access to the skills and education they need to compete in the workforce,” said Chairman John Kline (R-MN). “Career and technical education has placed countless individuals on the path to success, and this bipartisan legislation will empower more individuals to follow that same path.” (more…)

July 8, 2016

Education Policy Perkins career tech

Arts Integration and Student Learning

Guest post by Ashanti Foster

In my school, I have had great success with integrating the arts into classroom learning experiences. This integration can raise student achievement by improving motivation and increasing cognitive development.

Arts integration has proven to be a partnership that increases engagement, deepens understanding, and raises success for students. In President Barack Obama’s 2008 Arts Policy Campaign, he argued for reestablishing the investment in arts education and reigniting the creativity and innovation in America. (more…)

July 5, 2016

Building Culture Collaborative Leadership Leading Learning

Making the Most of Professional Learning Communities

Guest post by Allison Staffin

A professional learning community (PLC) is more than just a time to prepare lessons, grade papers, and create learning materials—it is an opportunity to impact student learning. Based on the DuFour model for PLCs, it is essential to consider the differences between teaching and learning. PLCs lose credibility unless the educators who are part of them keep the fundamental concepts of Professional Learning Communities at the forefront of their thinking when it comes to educational reform. (more…)

June 28, 2016

Collaborative Leadership Leading Learning Other Recognition

Using Learning Targets as a GPS to Student Learning

Guest post by Drake Shelton

When I drive, my GPS helps me navigate to where I am going. It shows me multiple routes, an estimated arrival time, and the distance to my destination. My GPS has saved me countless hours of frustration by alerting me to traffic and helping me get back on track when I get lost.

But as Connie M. Moss, Susan M. Brookhart, and Beverly A. Long state, “a GPS can’t do any of that without a precise description of where you want to go.” (more…)

June 21, 2016

Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessments Leading Learning Results-Orientation