August 2013

THE VOICE
FALL PUBLICATION - NDAESP
VOLUME 61 N0. I
NDAESP MEMBERS SUPPORT
NAESP SERVICE PROJECT DAY
NAESP NATIONAL CONVENTION
Baltimore, MD (July 2013)
President’s Report
Jason Hornbacher
Hello NDAESP Colleagues,
I hope this article finds all of you in good health and enjoying the start of a fantastic school year. The
NDAESP extends a special welcome to all the new administrators across the state of North Dakota. Please make sure to ask if
you need assistance as your NDAESP board is here to serve you! I know that I posted this on the listserve last month but I
thought it was worth printing in The Voice.
Many North Dakota Elementary Principals attended our National Conference in Baltimore. The conference was filled with
resources, learning, networking, and inspiration. In addition, North Dakota made a national impact at the Delegate Assembly
which was led by our own State Editor and NDP, Mr. Dave Hanson. In addition, Mr. Dave Steckler broke the mold and staged
an incredible Zone 7 gathering that people are still talking about! The Zone 7 gather is simply the single best way to network
with administrators from the Midwest and Alaska.
During the conference, North Dakota members attended the “Delegate Assembly” which is held every year. The 2013 Delegate
Assembly is our voting panel for pertinent issues brought forth by the National Association. Although others can attend, North
Dakota is allowed four (4) delegates to participate in the actual voting to amend bylaws.
This year’s Delegate Assembly was charged with the task of “Adopting the Proposed NAESP Bylaw Amendments.” The
committee that had worked on the bylaw changes in many ways did a great job ensuring that our NAESP remains a viable and
adaptable organization. The primary concern with the Bylaw Amendments included the loss of each member’s right to vote
which was proposed to be turned over to one member within the state to cast our 4 votes.
The NDAESP Board feels these changes to our Bylaws impacts the core values. As a board, we believe each one of us had the
right and responsibility to cast a vote. Having said this, it is noteworthy that of our approximate 200 NDAESP members, 24
voted in the last NAESP President-Elect election. Although this is a meager percentage, it is 5 times the national average. Let’s
look at this from the national perspective. NAESP has 20,000 members, 718 voted in the last NAESP President-Elect election.
If all eligible NDAESP members cast a vote, ND would have considerable influence within these elections. It is already known
across this nation that although Zone 7 is small, it is very influential, solely due to our engaged members and their willingness
to vote.
Mr. Dave Hanson’s motion to send the Bylaw changes back to committee for reconsideration was met with resistance but after a
heated discussion by many members across our nation, the Delegate Assembly voted 131 to 111 to send the committee back to
work! Please ensure your voice is heard and your vote is counted. You can stay abreast of this situation by reading your state
publication this year and watching the list-serve. If you get a chance, thank our own Mr. Dave Hanson for analyzing, synthesizing,
summarizing, and standing up during the Delegate Assembly for what we in North Dakota feel is our right and responsibility…VOTING!
In closing, Nashville is the location of our next NAESP Conference. To add a little pressure to Mr. Dave Steckler, come and
join all of us at the conference and do no miss the Zone 7 evening gathering…Dave promised it would continue to get better!
This year Dave found a sponsor to give away a classroom set of furniture. I hope to see all of you in attendance…let’s show
them the true North Dakota spirit!
I would like to thank all of you for all the work you did yesterday and today so that tomorrow can be even better. Enjoy your
school year!
STATE REPRESENTATIVE REPORT
Dave Steckler
MEMBERSHIP:
I hope that all of you enjoyed your summer break!
As we continue to value our membership, the NDAESP Board has agreed to fund two NDAESP/NAESP
memberships which will be drawn at the NDCEL Conference this fall. Please remember, the NDCEL, NDAESP and
NAESP organizations offer a rich palette of professional benefits, including being part of a network of dedicated
school leaders.
North Dakota’s NAESP membership continues to maintain at a high percentage and I would like to personally thank
all of you that take advantage of the NDAESP and NAESP memberships.
For the second straight year, North
Dakota received the Goal Buster Award and the Circle of Excellence Award. Again, North Dakota’s membership
increased by more than 3 percent and at least 95% of our North Dakota principals are NAESP members. Kudos to
all of you!
I welcome the chance to visit with you and answer any questions you may have. You can contact me at
701-751-6506, or email me at [email protected]. Also, if you know of new members in your area, you can
have them contact your region’s representative and they would be glad to help. I encourage all new principals to use
our Region Representatives as a resource. I have listed each Region Representative for the 2013-2014 school year:
Region 1
Region 2
Region 3
Region 4
Region 5
Region 6
Region 7
Region 8
-
Jeremy Melhoff
Joy Walker
Kim Krogfoss
Shari Bilden
Dana Carlson
Vikki Coombs
Jean Schafer
Denise Soehren
NAESP NATIONAL CONVENTION
The NAESP National Convention took place in Baltimore, Maryland on July 11-13, 2013. The convention was filled
with many great speakers and events. A special thanks goes out to Accent Furniture for being one of the major
sponsors for the Zone 7 Reception. Also, thank you to those that helped work the North Dakota Booth. I believe
those that attended the national convention found the convention to be worthy and also it gave them an opportunity
to network with our Zone 7 colleagues. I encourage more of our members to consider attending the national
convention. Next year, the NAESP National Convention will be held in Nashville, Tennessee on July 10-12.
Have a great 2013-14 school year!
State Editor’s Report
Dave Hanson
This years first day of school was a little more special to me. Last year I was in the hospital
with West Nile and missed the first day of school. I was a little surprised how much that
bothered me. As the first day of school approached this year I found myself getting more and
more excited. I am to some degree or another usually ready for the summer routine to be over
and to get back into the school swing of things. Losing the opportunity to greet the new crop of
kindergartners last year as well as all the returning students helped me to see that I was taking that moment
for granted. It also help to show me that the energy and excitement I bring to this setting does make a
difference in the lives of my staff and students. I know that there will be days that I wonder why I chose this
profession but each day brings it’s own unique challenges and the opportunity to change the lives of those I
work with for the positive. My challenge for you is to find the “spark” that ignites you to energize your kids
and staff for the best school year ever.
I would like to remind you that we do have a NDAESP list-serve as well as our own NDAESP website. Let
me know if you would like to be added to the list-serve and be sure to check out the website. I hope
everyone has a great school year and I look forward to serving you as the NDAESP State Editor!
Federal Relations
Report
Lynn Wolf
You’ll never believe it! The U.S.
House of Representatives approved
the Student Success Act, H.R. 5. It
was the first vote in Congress since 2001 to reauthorize
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
The act was approved by a vote of 221 – 207.
Representative Kramer voted in favor of the bill.
The fact there has been action taken on the
reauthorization of ESEA is good news. Both NAESP and
NASSP support many provisions in H.R. 5, the Student
Success Act of 2013, specifically the elimination of
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and the 100%
proficiency requirements, requiring disaggregation of
subgroup data, and removal of the unworkable school
turnaround models that are required under the School
Improvement Grants (SIG) program and Race to the
Top. However, NAESP and NASSP were opposed to the
bill as it does not support the principalship or a wellrounded education, continues the overreliance on
standardized tests and locks in federal budget cuts from
sequestration. Congress has been trying to reauthorize
ESEA (also known as No Child Left Behind) since 2007
and President Obama has threatened to veto the bill as it
is currently written.
On the Senate side, the Senate Education Committee
Chair Tom Harkin (D-IA) as well as the top Republican
on the committee, Lamar Alexander (R-TN) have both
stated they would like to see the Senate committee
passed legislation move to the Senate floor for debate
and a vote. No date or time has been scheduled in the
Senate for ESEA to be debated before October. The
outlook for a full reauthorization of ESEA will remain
uncertain if the Senate is not able to pass a bill and move
to a conference committee with the House of
Representatives.
As the Congress gets closer to the next election cycle –
yes, I know it seems like we just got out of that – it will
be important for all principals to be watchful of the
actions of the legislative as well as the executive
branches of our government as they continue to grapple
with the responsibility of the federal government in
educating the young people of America.
McGraw
Rea
AW ding is tot
ESO ally
ME
!
–Hill
2013-2014 NDAESP Executive Committee
Executive Board
President
Jason Hornbacher, Prin.
Riverside Elementary
406 S Anderson St.
Bismarck, ND 58504
701-323-4230
President Elect
Audrey Faul, Prin.
Griggs County Elemntary
1207 Foster Ave NE
Cooperstown, ND 58425
1-701-797-3114
Vice-President
Stacy Murschel, Prin..
Beulah Middle School
204 5th St. NW
Beulah, ND 58523
1-701-873-2261
Past President
Deb Follman, Prin.
Sweetwater Elementary
1304 2nd Avenue NE
Devils Lake, ND 58301
701-662-7630
Secretary/Treasurer
Anna Sell. Prin.
Ellendale Elementary
PO Box 400
Ellendale, ND 58436
701-349-3232
State Representative
Dave Steckler. Prin.
Mary Stark Elementary
405 8th Avenue SW
Mandan, ND 58554
701-663-7514
Editor/Archvist
David Hanson. Prin.
Wyndmere Elementary
PO Box 190
Wyndmere, ND 58081
701-439-2287
Federal Relations
Lynn Wolf, Prin.
Moses Elementary
1312 S Columbia Drive
Bismarck, ND 58503
701-323-4182
Regional Directors & NDCEL Reps
Region 1
Jeremy Melhoff
Wilkinson Elementary
PO Box 1407
Williston, ND 58802
701-572-6532
Region 2
Joy Walker, Prin.
Edison Elementary
701 17th Ave SW
Minot, ND 58701
701-857-4595
Region 3
Kim Krogfoss, Prin.
Minne H Elementary
210 College Drive S
Devils Lake, ND 58301
701-662-7670
Region 4
Shari Bilden, Prin.
Northwood Elementary
420 Trojan Road
Northwood, ND 58267
701-587-5221
Region 5
Dana Carlson, Prin.
Washington Elementary
1725 N Broadway
Fargo, ND 58102
701-446-5400
Region 6
Vikki Coombs, Prin.
Lours L'Amour Elementary
PO Box 269
Jamestown, ND 58402
701-251-2102
Region 7
Jean Schafer
Ft. Lincoln Elementary
PO Box 29
Mandan, ND 58554
701-663-0922
Region 8
Denise Soehren Prin.
DesMores Elementary
PO Box 30
Medora, ND 586345
701-623-4868
NDCEL Rep
Chris Bastian, Prin.
Central Cass Elementary
802 5th Street N
Casselton, ND 58012
701-347-5353
NDCEL Rep
Dave Wegner, Prin.
Lincoln Elementary School
PO Box 639
Beach, ND 58621
701-872-4253
NDCEL Rep
Tricia Erickson, Prin.
Bennett Elementary
2000 58 Ave South
Fargo, ND 58103
701-446-4004
*Links to Executive Board’s email contacts can be found on the NDAESP website.
NDAESP WELCOMES
NEW ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS
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South Heart Public School
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Kindred Elementary School
Minot Public Schools
Lewis & Clarck Sch00l- Plaza
Selfridge Public School
Grafton Middle School
Eight Mile Public School
New Public School-Williston
Montpelier Public School
Fordville-Lankin Public School
Everyone Smiles_hlf pg_4C:half page 5/8/13 9:27 AM Page 1
ERASE THE FIRST OBSTACLE TO LEARNING.
Students • Teachers • Administrators • Parents
Breakfast in the Classroom
makes everyone smile.
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For help implementing your own Breakfast in the Classroom
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Gami%ication: The (New) New Normal
Let me start with a caveat: I don’t play video or computer games, and I didn’t allow my adolescent son to play them much. I don’t get them. However, I am mesmerized by Gabe Zichermann and his take on gamiAication in education.
Zichermann launched his plenary session, “The GamiAication Revolution” with an anecdote. Perhaps you’ve heard of the documentary TV series, The Aviators? It shows how airline pilots train and planes are built. On the show, a 12-­‐year-­‐old was put in a Alight simulator used to train actual pilots, and the boy safely “landed” a jet aircraft at the Los Angeles airport. How did the boy, with no training, do this? He plays video games and he plays them well.
Zichermann used this story to illustrate the difference between “Aluid intelligence,” and “crystalized intelligence.” The former is the ability to solve problems—a key component in gamiAication theory. The latter is the ability to use existing skills or knowledge, what we routinely test for in education. Zichermann said that Aluid intelligence is the fundamental idea that will allow us to move forward as a society, and that we can increase it exponentially through game theory.
Just what is gamiAication and who is Gabe Zichermann? GamiAication is the use of game thinking and game mechanics to engage people and solve problems. Zichermann is CEO of GamiAication Co. and Dopamine (a creative agency), and an author (most recently of The Gami/ication Revolution). He is considered t he world’s foremost expert on designing engagement strategies. He maintains that game-­‐based learning is a driving force of innovation and that it’s changing education.
In his presentation, Zichermann cited research indicating that we increase our Aluid intelligence when we: seek novelty, challenge ourselves, think creatively, do things the hard way, and network. These are common in all contemporary video games. Not easy games, but hard, complicated games. He stated that hard games + hard work = increased intelligence. Players are drawn to keep playing the games by the intrinsic reinforcement of achievement; each time they accept the challenge and achieve in the game, they experience a dopamine release. In a game, this could happen hundreds of times per hour; it’s intrinsic reinforcement.
People raised playing games, Zichermann said, view the rest of the world as being too slow, while we non-­‐gamers may deAine them as having an “engagement crisis.” How do we get their attention? He suggests games as a homeopathic remedy: engaging users and changing behavior by using best practices of games.
GamiAication is not just about earning badges and gold stars, nor is it about making everything into a game. It is about the three Fs:
•
Feedback. How are you doing?
•
Friends, or social connections.
•
Fun, which is different for every person.
When a system has the three Fs, it creates engagement. The addition of constraint and failure makes this creates a powerful learning environment.
If it were as easy as simply being engaged, everyone with a Smartphone would be creating literary masterpieces as they texted away every day. Most aren’t. Games, Zichermann says, get results not by saying “be creative,” but rather, “be creative with this problem.” Also, games allow you to fail often, and permit you to start anew and continue at the click of a button, allowing for repetition and learning from mistakes.
How does all this Ait with education? It’s the new new normal. Through many more fascinating anecdotes, Zichermann arrived at the conclusion that great teaching, with scaffolded individual attention and gamiAication ideas (using games to augment, but not replace curriculum), is the new new normal for education. He stressed that the gamiAication concept isn’t about subject matter as much as it is about your motivational approach. Consider your students’ method of learning. Zichermann also stressed that this is not the one great truth. It is a strategy: motivation better understood through the prism of gamiAication. Ultimately, systems with greater engagement will upend other systems.
For resources and examples of gamiAication supporting education, visit www.gamiAication.org/education.
—Olivia Gault
director, communications and professional development, Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association
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Focusing on What Matters: Four Facts and Strategies from Eric Jensen
“When teachers focus on what matters most, good things happen,” says Eric Jensen.
So, what matters most? Jensen explored that in his plenary session at the NAESP conference, “Teaching With Poverty in Mind.” In just seventy minutes, he generated more wonder and excitement for conference attendees than a trip to Neverland with Peter Pan might. Finding the answers to alleviating poverty’s impact, though, isn’t as simple as heading three stars to the right and straight on ‘till morning. Nonetheless, Jensen provided four key facts and strategies that educators can take to support all students with an environment of acceptance and excellence.
Fact #1: Teachers can change the structure of the brain in just Aive days. Neurogenesis is the brain’s production of new cells. The brain is so much more plastic than scientists previously thought. But factors such as distress, inactivity, boredom, and depression can suppress neurogenesis. Educators can maximize students’ neurogenesis with exciting, multifaceted classroom activities, and by getting students moving—research has found that the hippocampus creates new neurons after exercise.
•
School Strategy: Never keep kids in at recess. One minute of new activity doesn’t produce new neurons, but 20 minutes does.
Fact #2: Five years in a row of great teaching can erase the effects of poverty on students. Great teaching is about more than just instruction—
classroom climate ranks in the top ten contributors to student achievement. Relationships between teachers and students can decrease distress in students. The well-­‐known adage, “Kids don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” rings true.
•
School Strategy: Introduce teachers to Jensen’s BASE: Behavior, Attitude, Capacity, Effort system. (See graphic.) Fact #3: We must demand excellence. Period. It doesn’t get much clearer than that. Jensen emphasizes that creating excellence and high expectations is a good thing. When high expectations aren’t reached, the result still places you higher than where you would be if you settled for mediocrity. When you have high expectations, your students rise to them. Jensen shared an example of an all-­‐
boys high school with at-­‐risk students that has sent 100 percent of its graduates to college three years running. So, don’t give excuses. Four-­‐year-­‐
olds can point Aingers; you can only look in the mirror.
•
School Strategy: Jensen gives six steps to creating High Achieving Schools:
1. Set nearly impossible “gaudy goals.”
2. Foster collaboration and trust. Without these qualities in your school, you can’t reach excellence.
3. Connect the dots between data, behavior, and learning on a daily basis.
4. Build the BASE (see above).
5. Cultivate good culture by taking responsibility rather than pointing Aingers, and using feedback from colleagues and administration.
6. Manage yourself as a leader.
Fact #4: Empathy, optimism, and patience must be taught.
Fun fact: Brain research indicates that our minds are wired for just six emotions: sadness, joy, disgust, anger, surprise, and fear. In order to create emotionally and cognitively sound students, we must teach humility, forgiveness, empathy, optimism, compassion, sympathy, patience, shame, cooperation, and gratitude. We wrongly assume our students already know or exhibit these emotions. We must be speciAic
Next Steps
Jensen left attendees with three simple steps to making a change at your school: ABC, or Agree, Buy-­‐In, and Commit. Agree on a strategy, generate buy-­‐in with your team, and commit to a plan.
Learn more about these facts and strategies in Jensen’s PowerPoint presentation: jensenlearning.com/
NAESP2013#
—Adam Drummond, principal, Lincoln Elementary School, Huntington, Indiana
Using iPads to Become Tech-­‐Savvy Leaders
“When my iPad arrives, I’m going to be in business! I’m going to be able to complete observations with quick feedback; maintain a multi-­‐tiered, but feasible schedule; keep and manage student data; download apps that will improve my job performance; and, most importantly, be a technology-­‐savvy administrator!”
These were my initial thoughts when I was told I’d be receiving an iPad. A year and a half later, I couldn’t say that I’d become a technology-­‐savvy administrator yet. But that’s about to change, thanks to Justin Baeder of Eduleadership.
Baeder’s two-­‐hour workshop at the NAESP conference, “iPad Essentials for School Leaders” was a thorough and carefully designed presentation. He challenged attendees to consider, “How can we use the iPad to increase our productivity in accomplishing the work of school leadership?” I didn’t have the answer beforehand, but I’m in business now!
In his presentation, Baeder shared apps that are helpful for managing workKlow. At Kirst, I worried the information would be too complex. But Baeder was explicit and detailed in his explanations of apps and their efKiciency. Evernote, for instance, is free (all of us budget-­‐conscious administrators can appreciate that), and it supports rich text, photos, and Kiles. Most importantly, Evernote allows for secure document storage. While I downloaded this app a year and a half ago, I never knew how powerful it was and how it could create efKiciency. Now, I know how it can be used to download attachment documents, save them, and email them all in one place!
In addition, Baeder showed attendees several techniques to quickly respond to and manage emails. Nudgemail is my new go-­‐to resource for managing emails on the go. In the past, there were several occasions when I couldn’t immediately respond to an email due to lack of information or insufKicient time to process all the details. Nudgemail allows you to receive a reminder to respond to the email at a later time that you suggest. It offers prioritizing and time management all in one!
Lastly, Baeder’s session also empowered me with a tool to create forms. I’m on a mission to create forms: forms for observations, forms for student discipline, forms for professional development. Baeder introduced us to Wufoo, which makes forms a cinch. No more writing on paper, typing, and making copies! With this program, I can now create a form, type it in, and email it quickly and easily.
These iPad tips and tricks can empower principals to become “powerful forces in leadership,” as Baeder calls it. This session armed me with the tools I need to increase my productivity and elevate my school leadership practice. Thank you and cheers to the 2013-­‐2014 school year!
—Terri Fuller, assistant principal, Ben W. Murch Elementary School, Washington, D.C