NASSP Lends Support for Wider Internet Access Principals of the

NewsLeader
October 2015  Vol. 63  No. 2
 Last month, NASSP submitted
comments along with those of
other members of the Education
and Libraries Networks Coalition
(EdLiNC) to the Federal
Communications Commission
regarding the Lifeline program.
The Lifeline program’s mission
is to prov ide critical access
to telecommunications and
information services to lowincome consumers nationwide.
NASSP and EdLiNC believe
that the program should be
expanded to include broadband
services, given the importance of
access to broadband Internet for
students to complete homework
assignments nationwide. Lack of
access to Internet for homework
purposes is sometimes referred
to as the “homework gap.”
The Pew Research Center
analyzed the 2013 American
Community Survey data and
found that about 82.5 percent of
American homes with school-age
children have broadband access.
They also found that about 5
million households do not have
broadband access, and those
households are disproportionally
low-income. Of households
whose annual incomes fall below
$50,000 and have children, 31.4
percent do not have a high-speed
Internet connection. This group
makes up about 40 percent of all
families with school-age children
in the United States.
In a push by schools and
d i s t r i c t s f o r c l a s s ro o m s to
go paperless and teachers to
make use of new educational
t e c h n o l o g y, s t u d e n t s a r e
increasingly asked to complete
homework assignments online.
T h e y m ay a l s o h ave on l i n e
textbooks or other resources.
Without access to these, they are
at a disadvantage compared to
their peers.
Some districts now require
o n l i n e c o u r s e s , p ro m p t i n g
schools to open computer labs
during the school day or pay
teachers to monitor them after
school, creating a strain on time
and resources. Teachers are faced
with difficult decisions when
asked to employ online learning
or resources but not all of their
students are able to access them.
The problem extends beyond
students’ homes and into the
schools themselves. According
to a report from the Alliance
for Excellent Education, more
than 70 percent of public K–12
schools do not have sufficient
broadband to allow most of their
students to engage in digital
learning activities at the same
time.
In September 2014 NASSP
and EdLiNC submitted comments urging the modernization
of the E-Rate program, a similar
program to Lifeline but with
the goal of upgrading telecommunications and information
services in schools and libraries.
In December 2014, the E-Rate
program was expanded to
include high-speed broadband
services and the funding cap was
increased. NL
Principals of the Year Gather in
DC for Annual Institute
 State principals of the year from During the Edcamp, principals morning. Also awarded during
discussed and shared ideas about
various topics including increasing student voice, improving
math outcomes, and teacher
evaluations. The principals also
had the opportunity to travel to
Capitol Hill on Thursday to meet
with their members of Congress
in an effort to advocate for their
schools and their profession.
The three national principal
of the year finalists, Patricia Fry
of Massachusetts, Kyle Hoehner
of Nebraska, and Alan Tenreiro
of Rhode Island, were honored
during a recognition breakfast
and awards program Thursday
the program was Minnesota
Senator Al Franken, who received
this year’s NASSP Congressional
Champion Award.
During the Institute, a panel
of judges interviewed the finalists
to select one winner for the
national title. The 2016 NASSP
National Principal of the Year will
be announced during National
Principals Month in October
in a surprise ceremony at the
principal’s school.
See page 3 for photos from
the Institute and visit www.nassp
.org/poy to learn more about the
Principal of the Year program. NL
Happy National Principals Month! NASSP is proud to honor the
principalship every October and we urge you to celebrate your
leadership this month. See page 4 for ways to get involved with
your school and be sure to visit www.principalsmonth.org and
post to social media with #ThankAPrincipal.
At a
Public’s Attitudes
Glance Toward Public Schools
The 2015 PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools
surveyed more than 3,000 Americans 18 years and older with various
questions. One main takeaway? Americans look beyond testing when they
evaluate schools, which was revealed in poll results including the answers to
the question below.
“In your opinion, which of the following approaches would provide the
most accurate picture of a public school student’s academic progress?
Select all that apply.”
Example of the
student’s work
Written
observations
by the teacher
Grades
awarded by
the teacher
Scores on
standardized
achievement tests
National
total 2015
Public sch.
parents
38
37
26
25
21
22
22
16
16
18
Rep. Dem. Ind.
37
23
40
26
Blacks Hispanics Whites
38
36
39
38
25
27
24
26
18
22
21
19
16
15
20
22
14
15
Source: The 47th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the
Public Schools, www.pdkpoll.org.
Inside
across the country gathered in
Washington, D.C., for a week of
meetings with elected officials,
professional development, and
networking during the annual
NASSP Principal of the Year Institute.
During the September
1 5 – 1 8 In s t i t u te , p r i n c i p a l s
learned about federal education
legislation and were reminded
of the need for principals to
advocate for their school and the
principalship as a whole.
On Wednesday, the principals
participated in a professional
development day, which included
an Edcamp session that morning.
Photo courtesy of Cara Ledy
NASSP Lends Support for
Wider Internet Access
2
New Principal
Ambassador Fellows
Four principals join
the USED program.
3
Get Innovative
at Ignite ’16
Learn more about the
exciting lineup for next
February.
4
National Principals Month
Celebrate your leadership this
month at your school.
2
NewsLeader
n
October 2015
Message from the Executive Director
A Principals Month
Challenge: Invest in You
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
MICHAEL ALLISON (PA)
Principal, Hopewell HS
JO A N N B A RT O L E T T I
 If you are like most principals, you
probably defer professional learning
oppor tunities to your teachers. You
want your teachers to have every chance
to enhance their learning and improve
their skills, but tight PD budgets and the
challenges of teacher absences limit those
opportunities—and you certainly don’t want
to exacerbate that condition by taking those
opportunities for yourself.
Yet the research could not be clearer:
Principal leadership matters. The quality of
your leadership, in fact, is second only to the
quality of instruction among school-based
factors that affect student achievement. And
don’t think “second” means school can do
without you. No incidence of school turnaround has yet been documented without a
strong, effective leader. The inverse is equally
true and perhaps even more compelling:
It takes at least five years for a significant
schoolwide initiative to take hold and sustain
itself in a school. Yet without a robust support system, only 27 percent of principals
report for duty in the same school on year
five—and that lack of continuity results in
half-baked initiatives in schools across the
United States.
So, as a start, we have to internalize the
belief that effective leadership does not
happen by accident. It requires intentional,
ongoing, job-embedded development. It
requires time to think so you can regularly
reflect and improve on your priorities and
responses to emerging matters. Fundamentally, your work requires a carefully honed
set of knowledge, skills, and dispositions that
keep the learning organization functioning
at the highest level. The Wallace Foundation
has spent more than a decade examining
principal practice and identified the key
functions of principal practice. They are
cited so often, in fact, that they have come to
be known simply as the Wallace Five:
1.Shaping a vision of academic success
for all students, one based on high
standards.
2.Creating a climate hospitable to education in order that safety, a cooperative
spirit, and other foundations of fruitful
interaction prevail.
3.Cultivating leadership in others so that
teachers and other adults assume their
part in realizing the school vision.
4.Improving instruction to enable teachers to teach at their best and students to
learn at their utmost.
5.Managing people, data, and processes to
foster school improvement.
If we want the school to function at its
best, we need to constantly improve our
practice in these five areas. It’s not a luxury,
and it’s not optional. We have delivered that
same message to Congress for the past year
during the ongoing ESEA reauthorization
process. We led the #PD4Principals Twitter
campaign to raise awareness of the need for
principals’ ongoing professional learning.
We worked with members of Congress to
codify that need in the 2015 budget report.
We lobbied successfully for a provision
in the House ESEA bill to define “school
leader” as a site-based administrator, so
that any funds dedicated to school leader
development do not get diverted elsewhere.
And we will continue to remind you that an
investment in your leadership is not selfish,
but an investment in student success.
During this October celebration of
National Principals Month (see additional
article on page 4), NASSP and countless
supporting organizations will redouble
efforts to raise the principal’s profile in both
the education community and the general
public. You will be recognized in large and
small ways by many people whose lives
you touch daily. On top of it all, I issue you
a challenge: Give yourself permission to
learn. Close the door for a few minutes and
open a professional journal. Step out of the
building—not for another central office
meeting—but to connect with your learning
community and have deep, meaningful
discussions about your work. Both you
and your school will be better for it. Just by
opening this publication, you are well on
your way.
Have a great celebration of National
Principals Month. NL
Photo courtesy of USED
New Principal Ambassador Fellows Come to Washington
The new principals (from left, Perez-Katz, Manko, Nauiokas, and
Pearson) posed with USED staff member James Laws (far right) when
they kicked off the program this past July.
 As the nation’s principals
opened their school doors, four
s c h o o l l e a d e r s co m m e n ce d
their new role as a Principal
Ambassador Fellow (PAF) at the
U.S. Department of Education
(USED). The PAF program was
created in 2013 as one means of
recognizing the critical impact
that principals have on instruction
and student achievement; school
c l i m a t e a n d i m p r o ve m e n t ;
and communit y and family
engagement.
The 2015-16 cohort includes
three principals who will remain
at their schools and serve as
a dv i s o r s to S e c re t a r y Ar n e
Duncan and his staff and help
e n s u re t h a t t h e p r i n c i p a l ’s
perspective is included in the
creation and implementation
of new federal policies and
programs. They include Joe
Manko, principal at Liberty
Elementary School in Baltimore,
MD; Jessica Nauiokas, principal
at Mott Haven Academy Charter
School in New York, NY; and
Chris Pearson, superintendent
and principal in the Conway
School District in Mt. Vernon,
WA.
In addition, Alicia Perez-Katz
will take a leave of absence as
principal of Baruch College Campus High School in New York,
NY, to work full time at the USED
headquarters in Washington, D.C.
In 2007, Perez-Katz wrote an article for Principal Leadership magazine about the model for teacher
collaboration that her school
developed to promote effective
professional development.
“As the Principal Ambassador
Fellow for the Department of
Education, I am excited about
continuing to hig hlig ht the
importance of principals and
focus on the types of training
and supports principals receive as
instructional leaders,” said PerezKatz. “Additionally, I want to
highlight how the role of the principal is incredibly challenging and
rewarding; principals must balance instruction with the myriad
elements of leadership. Principals
need opportunities to share best
practices and learn from one
another. In addition, we all know
that great teacher leadership, student outcomes, and community
involvement only happens when
there is great principal leadership
at the helm.”
After USED officials spent a
day shadowing principals as part
of our National Principals Month
celebration in October 2012, one
of the participants highlighted
the lack of principals’ voices in
dialogues surrounding education policy at a debrief session
with Secretary Arne Duncan. The
secretary agreed with him, and
soon after announced the creation
of the PAF program at NASSP’s
annual conference, Ignite, in February 2013.
“The Principal Ambassador
Fellowship Program codifies the
belief that principals have a great
deal of knowledge and authority to contribute to public policy
discussions,” said NASSP Executive Director JoAnn Bartoletti.
“We applaud the Department of
Education for its ongoing support
and inclusion of principals and we
look forward to working with this
year’s outstanding fellows.” NL
President-Elect
JAYNE ELLSPERMANN (FL)
Principal, West Port HS
DANIEL SHANE AZURE (ND)
Principal, Northwood HS
JAMES A. BEVER (IN)
Principal, Greenfield IS
BRETT BLANCHARD (VT)
Principal, Fair Haven Union HS
MARILYN BOERKE (WA)
Principal, Liberty MS
RICHARD BROWN (AL)
Principal, Beauregard HS
RALPH FUNK (TX)
Principal, Jersey Village HS
MARTIN GUILLORY (LA)
Principal, Oak Park MS
CHRISTINE HANDY (MD)
Principal, Gaithersburg HS
RANDY C. JENSEN (ID)
Principal, William Thomas MS
CURTIS JOHNSON (PA)
Associate Principal, State College Area HS
CHRIS JOHNSTON (NC)
Principal, Ledford HS
DANIEL P. KELLEY (RI)
Principal, Smithfield HS
MATTHEW C. LINDSEY (MO)
Principal, Winnetonka HS
BRUCE LOCKLEAR (MN)
Principal, Edina HS
RODNEY LOGAN (NJ)
Principal, Ewing HS
SUSAN BOSSIE MADDOX (WV)
Principal, The Lighthouse of Learning
Academy
ROBERT A. MOTLEY (MD)
Principal, Glenwood MS
KRIS OLSEN (OR)
Principal, McMinnville HS
LARRY ROTHER (AZ)
Principal, Chandler HS
BRAD SEAMER (SD)
Principal, McCook Central Schools
DEBRA THOMAS (OK)
Principal, OCPS Extended Ed
School Services
EUGENE WRIGHT (DC)
Assistant Principal, Youth Services Center &
Inspiring Youth Program
NASSP STAFF
(not a complete listing)
Executive Director
JOANN BARTOLETTI
Deputy Executive Director, Programs
and Services
BEVERLY J. HUTTON, EdD
Deputy Executive Director, Operations
DENNIS SADLER
NewsLeader
PUBLISHING STAFF
Director of Communications
JENNIFER J. JONES
Senior Content Strategist
SONIA HARMON
Graphic Designer
MICHELLE DELAPENHA
CONTRIBUTORS
Director of Public Affairs
BOB FARRACE
Director of Advocacy
AMANDA KARHUSE
Associate Director, Advocacy
DAVID CHODAK
Advocacy Coordinator
SOPHIE PAPAVIZAS
The NASSP NewsLeader, ISSN 0278-0569, is published
monthly by the National Association of Secondary School
Principals, 1904 Association Dr., Reston, VA 20191-1537,
703-860-0200. Articles do not necessarily reflect official
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available to members only. Periodicals postage
paid at Herndon, VA, and additional entry offices.
Postmaster: Send address changes to NewsLeader,
1904 Association Dr., Reston, VA 20191-1537.
NewsLeader
n
October 2015
3
Photos courtesy of Lifetouch
2015 NASSP National PrincipalS Institute
Maryland State Principal of the Year Monifa B. McKnight (right) met with
Steny Hoyer, the Democratic Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives
(Maryland’s 5th Congressional District).
NASSP Executive Director JoAnn Bartoletti welcomed the State Principals
of the Year as they gathered in Washington, D.C., on September 15 for the
POY State Awards Program. Each state winner received a crystal award to
display at his or her school.
The State Principals of the Year headed to Capitol Hill on September 17 to meet with their
members of Congress. They discussed key education issues and urged their policymakers to
support school leaders in current and future legislation.
NASSP President Michael Allison worked with the State
Principals of the Year during a professional development day.
NASSP 2015 Principal of the Year Jayne Ellspermann
helped lead an Edcamp session during the 2015
Principals Institute.
Ignite ’16 to Bring Innovation, Energy in February
 NASSP’s Ignite conference comes to Orlando, FL, this
February 25–27, and promises an exciting lineup of
education leaders and innovative learning opportunities.
One reason for attendees to arrive ready to roll up their
sleeves on the first day will be to participate in the second
NASSP Edcamp. These “unconferences” bring together
educators to collaborate and learn with no preset agenda
and have been sweeping the nation in recent years. NASSP
was the first organization to include an Edcamp in their
national conference at Ignite ’15, and also supported the
Edcamp Leadership event this past summer. (Learn more
about this groundbreaking Edcamp event on page 4 and by
visiting NASSP’s School of Thought blog at blog.nassp.org/
edcamp-leadership-15.)
Sekou Andrews
Robert Putnam, PhD
Another new and unique aspect of this year’s Ignite
conference will be Hackathons. Traditionally seen in the
tech world, Hackathons bring people together to conquer
specific challenges. Ignite ’16 will host two Hackathons—
one for middle level principals and another for assistant
principals—where leaders will divide into groups to tackle
some of the most pressing education issues of the day.
As technology continues to evolve and change the way
educators operate, Ignite ’16 will be sure to help school
leaders navigate these critical issues. One panel, “Social
Media, Educators, and Digital Footprints,” will tackle the
far-reaching effects of social media. Participants will learn
how to prepare and guide teachers on the use of social
media, real-life situations affecting teachers and principals
who use social media, and the legal implications for schools
and districts.
The Ignite ’16 Thought Leaders will impart both
wisdom and energy. Opening the conference will be Sekou
Andrews, who engages audiences with his cutting-edge
fusion of inspirational speaking and spoken word poetry.
Robert Putnam, professor of public policy at Harvard
University, will close out the conference and send Ignite ’16
attendees home armed with ideas from his newest book,
Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. Putnam will offer
possible approaches to narrowing the opportunity gaps
increasingly faced by young people, including the roles that
schools and educators can play in areas such as parental
coaching, extracurricular activities, and mentoring.
Another special part of Ignite ’16 will be the celebration
of NASSP’s 100th anniversary. One way attendees can
honor the milestone is by attending “Whitaker and
Wormeli Unplugged: A Conversation Without Guardrails.”
Over lunch, international authors and consultants Todd
Whitaker and Rick Wormeli will have a no-holds-barred
conversation on the most urgent matters for education
leaders today.
Learn more about the Ignite ’16 conference and
register today by visiting www.nasspconference.org. NL
Digital Principal Award
NASSP seeks to honor principals who harness the
potential of new technologies to further learning
goals with the Digital Principal Award. Three
winners will receive an expenses-paid trip to
the Ignite ’16 conference where they will
also present a panel on digital learning. Visit
www.nassp.org/digitalprincipal to apply or
nominate a principal. The deadline is November 1.
NewsLeader
n
October 2015
Calendar of Events
Upcoming national and state association events
OCTOBER
4–6
MASSP (MO)MASSP/MCCTA Fall Conference
(Columbia, MO)
6
NASA (NV)
NASA Annual Law Conference (Sparks, NV)
8
UASSP (UT) Secretary Conference (Lehi, UT)
13
NASA (NV)NASA Annual Law Conference
(Las Vegas, NV)
18–19 SAANYS (NY) SAANYS Annual Conference (Rochester, NY)
18–20 AASSP (AK)49th Annual Alaska Principals Conference
(Anchorage, AK)
18–20 IPA (IL)Education Leaders Fall Conference
(Peoria, IL)
18–20 OASSA (OH) Fall Conference (Columbus, OH)
21
ASA (AZ)Principals Leadership Symposium
(Phoenix, AZ)
22
MASSP (MD)Assistant Principals Conference
(Linthicum, MD)
22UASSP (UT) Assistant Principals Conference (Lehi, UT)
22–23 NJPSAFEA/NJPSA/NJASCD Fall Conference
(Long Branch, NJ)
25–26 AWSP (WA)Washington Educators Conference
(Seattle, WA)
25–27 COSA (OR)Annual Oregon Principals Conference (Bend,
OR)
28
OASSP (OK) Fall Conference (Oklahoma City, OK)
30
PAESSP (PA)PAESSP Annual Conference
(State College, PA)
NOVEMBER
1
PAESSP (PA)PAESSP Annual Conference
(State College, PA)
1–2
TASSP (TX)Fundamental Five Conference on Student
Success (Austin, TX)
1–2
GASSP (GA) Fall Conference (Savannah, GA)
2
LAP (LA)32nd Assistant Principals Conference
(Baton Rouge, LA)
5–7
ACSA (CA)
Leadership Summit (Sacramento, CA)
8–11 CLAS (AL)AASSP/AAMSP Fall Conference
(Orange Beach, AL)
8–11Mountain States Regional Leadership
Conference (Deadwood, SD)
13–15 NASSP
LEAD Conference (Phoenix, AZ)
16–17 NASA (NV)
Annual Fall Conference (Las Vegas, NV)
18–20 NCPAPA (NC)NCPAPA Fall Instructional Symposium
(Pinehurst, NC)
19–20 MPA (ME)
MPA Fall Conference (Portland, ME)
20–21 IASP (IN)Assistant Principals Conference
(Indianapolis, IN)
22–24 IASP (IN)Fall Professionals Conference
(Indianapolis, IN)
DECEMBER
2–3
7
7
NASSP Supports Edcamp
Leadership 2015
 Edcamp events continue to sweep the nation.
These “unconferences” bring together K–12
educators for a day of collaboration and learning with no preset agenda. NASSP was the first
organization to include an Edcamp in their
national conference at Ignite ’15, and supported
the Edcamp Leadership event this past summer.
On July 13, 2015, more than 2,000 education leaders gathered in 18 locations around the world for
Edcamp Leadership—a day of conversation, reflection, and inspiration. A wide variety of school and
education leaders attended, including principals,
teachers, and even some state commissioners of
education.
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction June St. Clair Atkinson walked away with a
glowing review of the Edcamp event:
“Edcamps derive their value from what every
participant brings to the table on that day, and these
thoughts and experiences can be much more useful
than any handout or planned presentation.”
Joe Mazza, a former principal-turned-University
of Pennsylvania professor who led the charge on this
special nationwide Edcamp event, said:
“Edcamp Leadership 2015 could not have been
accomplished without NASSP’s support. NASSP was
the first to hold an Edcamp at a national conference,
Photo courtesy of Lifetouch
4
Prior to supporting the nationwide Edcamp event
last summer, NASSP successfully held its first
Edcamp (pictured above) during the Ignite ’15
conference.
and having the support of the national organization
has been critical to our success.”
Ignite ’16 conference attendees can look forward
to an Edcamp experience on February 25 in Orlando,
FL. Learn more about Edcamps by visiting www
.edcamp.org. NL
NATIONAL
PRINCIPALS
MONTH
 This October,
principalsHAVE
acrossGREAT
•Meet
with student leaders in
GREAT SCHOOLS
PRINCIPALS
the country will be celebrated far your school from organizations
and wide as part of National Prin- like the Honor Societies and
cipals Month. Together with the National Association of Student
National Association of Elemen- Councils. Talk to them about
tary School Principals and the mutual goals for the school
American Federation of School year and make this an annual
Administrators, NASSP encour- exchange of ideas.
ages teachers, students, parents, •Ask your superintendent to
and district leaders to recognize plan a joint meeting between the
the enormous contributions local school board and the city
made by principals.
council to discuss the needs of
Get Involved
school leaders.
Use this month to not only •Ask your mayor or local
celebrate the principalship, but council to declare October 2015
to help strengthen your school as National Principals Month in
and community. Some ideas to your community.
celebrate include:
Visit www.principalsmonth
•Hold an open house for .org/ideas for more ideas on how to
parents and community members, celebrate National Principals
i.e., local business, the chamber Month.
of commerce, and realtors who Principal Props Video Contest
promote schools to prospective
Students have the opportunity
homeowners in your community.
to thank their principal in a very
OCTOBER 2015
creative way by entering the
Principal Props Video Contest. By
submitting a one- to two-minute
video telling the world what their
principal means to their school,
students can publicly celebrate
their principal and bring home a
$200 Best Buy gift card. Last year,
over 70 videos were submitted—
some of which literally sang the
praises of their principal. Entries
are encouraged to be fun and
creative and must be submitted
by October 31, 2015. Learn more
and see last year’s winning videos
by visiting www.principalsmonth
.org/contest.
Get Active Online
Join the conversation
o n Tw i t t e r b y u s i n g
#ThankAPrincipal and sharing
how your school is celebrating
National Principals Month. NL
NCSA (NE)Nebraska State Principals Conference
(Lincoln, NE)
ASA (AZ)
Middle Level Drive–in (Phoenix, AZ)
LAP (LA)LAP’s 21st Clerical Conference
(Lafayette, LA)
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE: HOW LEADERS DRIVE STUDENT LEARNING
blog.nassp.org
Visit the NASSP blog,
School of Thought, for
updates on our advocacy
efforts, posts from
education experts and
Ignite speakers, guest
blogs from NASSP
members, and much more.
Monday, October 5, 4:00-5:00 p.m. (ET)
Based on The Wallace Foundation’s five key practices for school leaders, panelists will discuss
the values, beliefs, and personal dimensions they bring to their role as building administrators
to meet the specific needs of their school. The behaviors that make a principal successful as
they drive student learning—including resilience, self-confidence, self-analysis, flexibility,
situational awareness, relational awareness, positivity, and mindfulness—will be explored.
Register for the live or archived event at http://bit.ly/1UHzt5T.