Inside the Beltway
What’s going on in Washington?
Next week, Congress returns from summer recess with a long list of legislative priorities and a small window to complete these tasks ahead of the November elections. One of the biggest questions is: How will Congress tackle the FY17 budget? (more…)
Guest post by Cameron Soester
For years many schools have adopted common instructional language, which has produced some amazing results. At Milford Public Schools we have taken a similar approach to adopting common discipline language. Though other programs exist that guide leadership teams to develop a discipline philosophy, we took a path less traveled and made Eagle Pride, a one-of-a-kind customized program for our preK–12 students. (more…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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.
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
