Fall 2015 Principal View
Transcription
Fall 2015 Principal View
The Professional Voice of MESPA Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter Fall 2015 Issue Fall 2015 Principal View - The Professional Voice of MESPA FROM the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rich Burchill A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend an orientation in Reston, Virginia for new state executive directors hosted by NAESP and NASSP. It was enlightening to me on several fronts. It was impressive to see the scope and sophisticated service that NAESP offers to elementary and middle school principals across the country. In conjunction with NASSP they are a lobbying force in our nation’s capital for enhancing the working conditions for school principals. In this issue of Principal View, our representative to NAESP, John Quinn, shares some of the benefits that membership in our national association provides you. I also refer first and second year principals to the National Panel of New Principals opportunity from NAESP for both members and non-members. It is a great resource. On a state level, MESPA also offers great membership benefits. Between your state association and your national association, you are getting a “bang for your membership buck” and hopefully your school system is paying for your membership. MESPA has always advocated that your professional dues should be written into your contract as well as other funds identified for your professional development. As principals we lobby for professional development for our teachers. If we are not doing the same for ourselves, we are poor role models. MESPA membership entitles you to one hour of free legal consultation around contract and employment issues, significant lower or no fees for conferences and workshops, 6 issues a year of Principal View, advocacy and representation on a number of fronts, and probably most importantly, the opportunity for connection and support with colleagues. And of course, the benefits of being a member of NAESP as well. We are very excited about our Fall Conference with Kim Marshall in November. Principal colleagues are offering break-out sessions on relevant, engaging topics. In January we are offering our first conference for Assistant Principals. The keynote will be David Schimmel on Legal Issues for Assistant Principals, followed by relevant break-out sessions by principals and assistant principals. Cost for members at both of these full day conferences is only $100 ($200 for non-members.) Also in November we are starting a monthly Saturday Morning Series which is free for members and will offer an array of workshops over the rest of the year. Check out the details. County Directors will be hosting meetings and workshops throughout the state as well this year. Be on the lookout for their notices. Over the last five years an Australian researcher named Phillip Reilly has been surveying principals in Australia and Ireland about the impact of being a principal on their physical, emotional and mental health. His results have been distressing, proving a direct negative correlation. The implications of his results reinforce the need for principals to be mindful of how the increasing stresses of the job have an impact on their personal health and well-being. Make the same effort to protect your personal and family time as you do to being the professional leader of your school community and rely on MESPA and NAESP to help you find that balance. Bright moments, Rich October is National Principals Month. You are respected! 2 Fall 2015 Principal View - The Professional Voice of MESPA President’s Message Denise Fronius, Principal Stony Brook Elementary School, Brewster Welcome autumn, my favorite season of the year! Crisp mornings, warm afternoons, leaves changing colors, apple picking, pumpkin carving and squirrels scurrying are all signs of this most exuberant time of year. As principals we get to experience firsthand the enthusiasm of our students as they arrive to school each day. The school year is well underway. Routines have been established and new friendships have been made. For these reasons and so many more, I cannot think of a better job than to be a principal. Yes, the principalship can be the best job, and yet, at the same time we all know it can be overwhelming. As a principal we have many balls in the air at one time. Each day we literally control the pulse or climate in our school. It is our responsibility to be visible and upbeat, be a role model, set high and attainable expectations, and maintain a sense of calm. For example, if we let our guard down after a difficult conversation or some other adversarial situation it can literally be ‘felt’ by the entire school. Our principal plate includes: assessments, curriculum development, parent meetings, school committee meetings, school council meetings, writing weekly articles for the newspaper, capital planning, budget, building management and supervision and evaluation. Clearly I left off at least a dozen more items on our plate (but it’s all good). For the reasons described and so many more, there has never been a better time to join MESPA. As I sit at the table at monthly Board of Directors’ meetings I am incredibly inspired with the direction of professional development that is planned for the coming year. I personally am looking forward to the Fall Conference on November 6th with Kim Marshall. This year the Conference will be held at MESPA for an affordable rate of $100 for members. The Winter Conference is going to be designed for Assistant Principals. MESPA is the perfect venue to network with principals outside your district, support new principals and cultivate aspiring principals. The ideas and initiatives I have learned through other principals and as facilitator for CPAL (Certification Program for Administrator Licensure) is incredibly rich. The County Directors are planning two to three meetings for each county over the course of the year. One of my goals this year is to support County Directors. One way I plan to do this is to attend at least one meeting in each county this year. Bristol County Director, Nancy Kirk, is holding her first County Meeting on Thursday, October 7 th at the Venus de Milo restaurant in Swansea. Her theme for the first meeting is to simply meet, greet and together determine a date and focus for the next meeting. I am inspired that her first meeting is light and social as it supports this year’s theme at MESPA, which is “Principals Supporting Principals”. If you are a member of MESPA or thinking of joining MESPA and perhaps have a question, please do not hesitate to contact me at 508-274-4769 or [email protected]. In closing, remember to do your best to take good care of yourself by maintaining balance in your life, read often and join MESPA. ;>) 3 PRINCIPAL PERCH COUNTY NEWS MESPA/MESPEF ANNUAL FALL CONFERENCE Berkshire County Director Peter Bachli hosted his first county get together of the year at the Berkshire Museum on September 24. Appetizers and beverages in a lovely venue. Bristol County Director Nancy Kirk hosted her first county meeting at the Venus de Milo restaurant in Swansea on October 8. PRINCIPALS SUPPORTING PRINCIPALS When: Friday, November 6, 2015 Where: MESPA Education Center, Marlborough Time: 8:45 AM – 3:00 PM (Registration begins at 7:45 AM) Registration Deadline: October 22, 2015 Download Flyer and Registration Form here: http://mespa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/MESPA-FallConference-Flyer.pdf Seating is limited to 100 only. Payment information must accompany your registration to hold seat. Save the Date Assistant Principals Conference Tuesday, January 12, 2016 MESPA is proud to announce our own Twitter hashtag which can be found at #MESPAChat. Add this unique # to all of your tweets about ed leadership that pertain to our work. We look forward to using this resource to continue our learning together! Keynote on legal issues followed by breakout workshops Details to follow. THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS O'Connor Studio VALIC Heartiest welcomes: To Jill Flanders on assuming the part time position of Assistant Director of MESPA To Jen Chapin on assuming the position of Treasurer To Julie Vincentsen, Principal of the Ruggles Lane Elementary School in Barre, MA who is joining the MESPEF Board as a Director. 4 Fall 2015 Principal View - The Professional Voice of MESPA John Quinn, NAESP Representative Call for Proposals Once again I encourage you to submit a proposal to be a presenter at the 2016 Annual NAESP Conference held from July 6-8 in National Harbor, MD. The submission deadline is November 2, 2016. Sessions are 75 minutes in length and you can select a topic from the following Conference Strands: Leading Learning Communities: Pre K to Grade 3 Early Learning Technology and Social Media: Curriculum Integration, Digital Tools and Communication Strategies Arts Education: Spotlight on the “A” in STEM for 21st Century Learning Transforming Schools: Equality and Equity Emerging Issues: Game Changers in Education High Leverage Leadership: Practices for 21st Century Principals To view these conference strands in more detail and to submit your proposal please go to the NAESP website. Recognizing Assistant Principals Do you work with a fabulous Assistant Principal? If so, you should consider nominating them for the National Outstanding Assistant Principal Award Program. NAESP is committed to preparing Assistant Principals to advance into the Principal role. This program recognizes those that promote educational excellence within a Pre K-8 school environment. Applications and eligibility requirements are located on the NAESP website. If I can assist you in any part of the process, please do not hesitate to contact me. Stay Protected with the NAESP Legal Benefits Program NAESP's Legal Benefits Program safeguards you against unexpected expenses due to legal actions that may suddenly be directed against you. Please take a moment to read the about NAESP’s In-Dues Professional Liability Plan which is included in this edition of Principal View. Are you a New Principal? If you are in your first or second year as a Principal, you should consider joining the National Panel of New Principals. NAESP’s New Principal Panel is the first and only national program dedicated to gathering and sharing the experiences of new principals in rural, urban and suburban schools across the country. The panel is open to NAESP members and non-members. Panelists participate in four to six online surveys each year on a relevant topic. Each survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete. After every survey, panelists receive the survey results and resource recommendations from their peers. Participants completing multiple surveys will receive a special “Thank You” gift from NAESP or one of their sponsors. To enroll in the panel, simply go to the NAESP website and register. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Nikki Sparks at NAESP headquarters. Her number is 703-684-3345 X264 Also, please visit NAESP’s Center for New Principal’s. There are several resources there to help you through your first few years as a Principal. Principal’s Help Line NAESP offers a members-only help line service that will allow you to seek out guidance for problems and issues that come up in your school. This service provides confidential advice and answers. After you submit your question you will receive an answer within 48 hours. You will also get an e-mail when an answer has arrived. Feel free to give it a try. As always, I will do my best to keep you informed of what is going on nationally and what NAESP has to offer you. If I can answer any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] 5 INTRODUCING THE MESPA SATURDAY MORNING SERIES We are happy to initiate this year a series of Saturday morning workshops and/or roundtables which will be free to members ($75 for non-members). These will be held on one Saturday a month and feature a wide array of topics over the course of the year. They represent an effort on MESPA’s part to offer members no cost opportunities to hear about, share, discuss, and opine on craft knowledge. They run from 9:00-11:00 and hopefully will provide an alternative to principals who feel as though they can’t get out of their buildings during the week. Registration is required no later than the Monday before the offering. November 21 - First and Second Year Principal Roundtable Meeting with other newer colleagues to share challenges, triumphs, and questions. Facilitated by Passios Award Winner and National Distinguished Principal, David Keim, Principal of Miller Intermediate Elementary School in Holliston. December 12 - Using Educator Effectiveness Guidebook for Inclusive Practice Discussion on how principals can use the Master Schedule and other resources. Facilitated by Matt Holloway, Educator Effectiveness Specialist, DESE and Danielle Klingaman, Principal of Joseph W. Martin, Jr. Elementary School in North Attleborough. January 9 - Moving from Elementary Principal to Superintendent: Lessons Learned About Both Positions. Facilitated by former Passios Award Winner and National Distinguished Principal Jane Tremblay, currently Superintendent of Lynnfield Schools. March 5 Data - Using it to Improve Teaching and Learning: Practical Strategies Discussion and sharing of ideas about using data in the building. Facilitated by Heather Leonard, Principal of Barrows Elementary School in Reading. April and May to be determined. Please let us know ideas about what you would like to see or share. Contact Rich Burchill at [email protected] or at 508-624-0500. 6 Fall 2015 Principal View - The Professional Voice of MESPA Danielle E. Klingaman, Ed.D, Principal Joseph W. Martin, Jr. Elementary School, North Attleborough, MA It has been several years now that school districts across the state have been implementing the new educator evaluation system. Districts either chose to adopt, adapt, or revise the state’s Model System and administrators and teachers alike became responsible for self-assessment, setting measurable goals, and gathering evidence from observations of practice to demonstrate proficiency on the standards, indicators, and elements from our respective rubrics. Implementing a new evaluation system was an adjustment for many of us, but a welcome opportunity for principals to have a springboard for meaningful conversations about teaching and learning with our staff. Principals have been witness to the great impact that the new evaluation system has had on improving teaching and learning in our schools yet we continue to find ways to adjust to the increased workload this detailed teacher evaluation system demands. I have been left wondering how I can take the teacher rubric and evaluation system to a deeper level of implementation in my school. As principals, we are always asking ourselves the age old question, how can we work smarter, not harder for better results? Last spring, some of us had the good fortune of working on a project in collaboration with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, educators from across the state, and the national research group AIR. The Educator Effectiveness Guidebook for Inclusive Practice, which is now available on the DESE website www.doe.mass.edu/ edeval/guidebook, was the result of this collaboration and is now available for use by school districts. This document was written based on the guiding principles of Universal Design for Learning, Social and Emotional Learning, and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. It is rich with tools and resources intended to strengthen inclusive practices and provide access to instruction for all learners in our schools. All classrooms are inclusive in our schools today-from elementary classrooms to advanced high school courses- and teachers must find a way for every learner to be successful despite their individual learning styles and areas of challenge. The Guidebook includes tools for teachers and administrators and will serve as a great starting point for discussion about teaching and learning. My favorite tool in the Guidebook is the “Power Elements for Inclusive Practice” (Guidebook pgs. 5-6). This tool allows teachers and evaluators to identify the key Standards, Indicators, and Elements that most directly relate to successful inclusive instruction. The other tools in the Guidebook are numerous and helpful in many aspects of the evaluation process, including Inclusive Practice tools for teachers that align with the Teacher and Administrator Rubrics, a Teacher (and Superintendent) Self-Assessment tool, Goal-Setting templates, “look fors” when conducting observations and providing feedback, sample artifact lists and analysis tools, alternate options for collecting teacher and student feedback, discussion protocols, accessibility tools, tools to support DDMs and the Student Impact Rating, and tools for teachers to consider growth using baseline data. The “Master Schedule Review” is an excellent resource which assists administrators with creating master schedules that align with best practices for inclusion. Our district administrators hope to review the tools in the Guidebook this year in our own Professional Learning Community. Our first task will be to review the Power Elements as a group and then review the look fors when conducting observations. We can then bring the conversation forward to staff meetings with our teachers. The artifact lists provided in the Guidebook are something that the teachers have been asking for since we began the new evaluation process. Overall, all of us who participated in the development of the development of the Educator Effectiveness Guidebook were excited to provide a valuable resource to teachers and administrators across the state and want to continue to spread the message of its availability. The Guidebook promotes meaningful application of the educator evaluation process through the lens of inclusive practice, which we can always improve upon in our schools. All of the tools were designed to support existing educator evaluation processes, not as added tasks, but rather to support work teachers and administrators are already doing. One of our goals with this project was to take what can seem like an overwhelming process and make it more manageable for everyone. 7 Fall 2015 Principal View - The Professional Voice of MESPA 8 Fall 2015 Principal View - The Professional Voice of MESPA Kirk Downing Principal, Brown Elementary School, Natick, MA Two important elements of a deeper learning approach to teaching are collaboration and communication. We know effective educators incorporate these elements into their lessons because they want to gain a greater understanding of how their students are thinking. Just like highly effective teachers, MESPA has many principals who serve you by building a deeper understanding of your needs. For us to be highly effective and represent the interests of our principals, we are asking you to share your thoughts with us Three times during the school year, MESPA principals meet with the Commissioner of Education, Mitchell Chester, and representatives from MSSAA, Massachusetts Secondary School Principals Association, to discuss the challenges we face every day as principals and ways we can solve those problems. We have discussed PARCC implementation, the TELLS Mass survey strategy, dual language instruction and the RETELL initiative as well as many other topics. In those discussions, we have provided Commissioner Chester valuable insight from principals who provided us feedback. On October 16th we will once again meet with the Commissioner to discuss the issues we are working on today. For us to be effective collaborators we need you to communicate with us. Here is a link for you to share your thoughts with us. Simply click on the link and you will be directed to our website email page. Type in your comments and we will be sure to review them prior to the meeting with the commissioner. You can also find the page at http://mespa.org/contact/. The principals of MESPA who serve you, by representing you on this committee, are charged with the responsibility of making sure DESE knows the impact of policy and practice across the state. We are a professional learning community that needs to demonstrate that our greatest efforts are focused on the academic, social, and emotional well being of our students. Let's work together to build a bright future for our students. Help us advocate for kids by sending us your thoughts. MEMBERSHIP and MESPA.ORG Why do I have to create an account? Creating an account on mespa.org grants you access to members-only pages. Create your account HERE Not a MESPA member or need to renew your membership? Join MESPA 9 The MESPA and MESPEF Boards of Directors would like to extend a warm welcome to the following principals, assistant principals, and aspiring members who have joined the Association since our last publication of Principal View as new or reclaimed members. Timothy Adams Lisa Andrade Brian Baker Lynne Beattie Marc Bell Brooke Beverly Kim Booth David Brauninger Emily Bryan Shelly Chin Martha R. Clark Anne Cline-Scott Christine Connolly Charmie Curry Kristina Delaplain Maura Donoghue Monakatellia Ford Joanne Furze Kathleen Gerber Lori Gover Keitha Goulet John Greeley Angela Greene Deborah Hammett Jeri Hammond Christie Harvey Paul Haughey Julia Hendrix Jennifer Hunt Tanna Jango Candy Jezewski Samantha Karustis Brenda Kelley Tanya Lamoureux Kerry Light Elke Mackenzie Sue MacNeil Emily Mantineo Kevin Martes Timothy McLaughlin Joanne Menard Amy Mulkerin Robin Murphy Josh Myler Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Assistant Principal Aspiring Member Aspiring Member Principal Principal Aspiring Member Principal Assistant Principal Principal Aspiring Member Principal Principal Principal Principal Assistant Principal Aspiring Member Principal Aspiring Member Aspiring Member Principal Principal Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Aspiring Member Principal Aspiring Member Principal Aspiring Member Principal Aspiring Member Assistant Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal North Falmouth Elementary Mary K. Goode School Fiske Elementary School Concord Middle School Minot Forest Elem. School Dudley Elementary School North Street Elementary School Lt. Peter M. Hansen School Thomas J. Kenny Elem. School Waltham Public Schools Reingold Elementary School Concord Middle School Henry Grew Elementary School Boston Renaissance Charter School Alice Macomber Primary School Robin Hood Elem. School F. Lyman Winship Elem. School Gardner Elementary School Oak Street Elementary School Wm. Blackstone Elem. School Rose L. MacDonald School Cameron Middle School Mayo Elementary School Richardson Olmsted School Mary Walton Elementary School Claypit Hill Elem. School Millville Elem. School Harrington Elementary School Clarke Elementary School Marguerite Peaslee Elem. School Robert T. Capeless School Ephraim Curtis Middle School Allendale Elementary School South Elementary School Conte Community Elem. School Memorial Elementary School Chandler Elementary School Charlton Street Elem. School George H. Mitchell Elementary School Morse Pond School Petersham Center School Charlotte Dunning Elementary School Minot Forest Elem. School Hildreth Elementary School 10 North Falmouth Middleboro Lexington Concord Wareham Dudley Grafton Canton Dorchester Waltham Fitchburg Concord Hyde Park Hyde Park Westport Stoneham Brighton Swansea Franklin Boston West Bridgewater Framingham Holden North Easton Wakefield Wayland Millville Lexington Swampscott Northborough Pittsfield Sudbury Pittsfield Bellingham Pittsfield Natick Duxbury Southbridge Bridgewater Falmouth Petersham Framingham Wareham Harvard Stacy Phelan Darlene Ratiff Carrie Ruggiero Judy Rush Clayton Ryan Kerri Sankey Sean Scanlon Michelle Scheufele Kevin D. Sharkey Courtney Sheppeck Todd Simendinger Cynthia Soo Hoo Jennifer Stokes Dan Sylvestre Audra Thomas Alfred Thompson Kimberly S. Thompson Denise Tobin Myriam Ulloa-Skolnick Rochelle Valdez Samantha Varano Andrew Vega Jason Wallace Deborah Westell Erin Wiesehahn Stephanie Yermalovich Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Assistant Principal Principal Principal Principal Aspiring Member Principal Principal Principal Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal Principal Aspiring Member Assistant Principal Principal Principal Principal Principal Aspiring Member Principal Principal Assistant Principal Hadley Elementary School Higginson/Lewis K-8 School Heights Elementary Schools Egremont Elementary School Albert S. Woodward Memorial School Everett W. Robinson Elem. School Joseph G. Luther Elem. School Jefferson Elementary School Locke Middle School Richard J. Murphy School Rockport Elementary School Josiah Quincy Elementary School Morningside Community School Federal Furnace Elem. School James M. Quinn Elem. School Boylston Elementary School Stanley M. Koziol Elem. School Minot Forest Elem. School John Fausey Elem. School Mather Elementary School Thomas Edison K-8 School Phineas Bates Elem. School Greenwood Elementary School Lillie B. Merrill School Chandler Elementary School James M. Quinn Elem. School Swampscott Roxbury Sharon Pittsfield Southborough Mansfield Swansea Rockland Billerica Dorchester Rockport Boston Pittsfield Plymouth Dartmouth Boylston Ware Wareham West Springfield Dorchester Brighton Roslindale Wakefield Raynham Duxbury Dartmouth CELEBRATE NATIONAL PRINCIPALS MONTH Take time to reflect on the impact that you make on the lives of children and adults in your school community. While it may sometimes not feel it, you are respected and appreciated. You deserve to be proud of all that you do. CELEBRATE (maybe even leave work at a reasonable hour a few times) 11 Principal, Ruggles Lane Elementary School, Barre 12 13 14 Fall 2015 Principal View - The Professional Voice of MESPA COUNTY DIRECTORS WANTED The MESPA Board of Directors currently has openings for County Directors of Franklin County, Hampshire County, and Plymouth County. Responsibilities of County Directors are: Attend eight Board of Directors meetings a year (held on Friday mornings from 8:30-11:30 at the MESPA Education Center). Hold a minimum of two county meetings a year. These can be in a school, restaurant, or other site in the county. They can be focused on one issue or be a free flow discussion and sharing. We have a number of sponsors who would be happy to provide for breakfast or lunch. MESPA staff would help with e-mails and such. Help organize principal support groups in the county if members are interested. We will provide training on leading the groups. Assist in membership efforts across the county. Develop a committee of other principals willing to work with the County Director in support of principals in the county. County Directors are full voting members of the MESPA Board of Directors. If you are interested in becoming the County Director of either county please contact Rich Burchill at [email protected], MESPA President Denise Fronius at [email protected], or County Coordinator David Keim at [email protected] We are also looking for principals interested in joining a committee to explore how we can better reach out and serve members across the state. An emphasis will be on how we use technology and social media to help get the MESPA message out more clearly. Please contact Rich Burchill if you are interested. Announcing the 2016 Thomas C. Passios Outstanding Principal Award Sponsored by the Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Fitchburg University Alumni Association and the National Distinguished Principal Award Sponsored by the Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association and National Association of Elementary School Principals Awards may be presented to on Elementary Level and one Middle Level Principal, chosen by representatives of the Massachusetts Elementary School principals’ Association, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Fitchburg University Alumni Association. Application will be available after November 15, 2015 Deadline for Receipt of Nomination Binders: March 9, 2016 For more information about the Awards, the Criteria for Selection and a Nomination Form, please contact: Victoria Ellison at 508-624-0500 or via email at: [email protected] 15 GET TO KNOW YOUR COUNTY DIRECTORS Samuel Hein, Barnstable County Director Harwich Elementary School 263 South Street Harwich, MA 02645 Tel: 508-430-7216 [email protected] Neil G. Gile, Hampden County Director Wolf Swamp Road School 62 Wolf Swamp Road Longmeadow, MA 01106 Tel: 413-565-4270 [email protected] Peter Bachli, Berkshire County Director Cheshire Elementary School 191 Church Street Cheshire, MA 01225 Tel: 413-743-2298 [email protected] John Lyons, Middlesex County Director Pine Glen Elementary School 1 Pine Glen Way Burlington, MA 01803 Tel: 781-618-7065 [email protected] Nancy Kirk, Bristol County Director Williams Intermediate School 200 South Street Bridgewater, MA 02324 Tel: 508-697-6968 x6135 [email protected] David Barner, Norfolk County Director Joseph R. Dawe, Jr. Elementary School 131 Pine Street Stoughton, MA 02072 Tel: 781-344-7007 [email protected] Patricia Barrett, Essex County Director H. Sanborn Elementary School 90 Lovejoy Road Andover, MA 01810 Tel: 978-623-8860 [email protected] Susan Whitten Worcester County Director Marion E. Zeh Elementary School 33 Howard Street Northborough, MA 01532 Tel: 508-351-7048 [email protected] COUNTY DIRECTOR OPEN POSITIONS: Hampshire County, Franklin County, Plymouth County, and Suffolk County Interested? See page 15 for details 16 17