April 2016 Linking Leadership & Learning Report

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April 2016 Linking Leadership & Learning

ReportExcellence in school leadership deserves recognition, which is why SAI con-

ducts the Administrator of the Year awards program. Nominate a colleaguefor one of eight awards.

How to nominateUse the form available at http://bit.ly/aoydistrict and return it to your SAIDistrict President no later than May 13, 2016.Eligibility criteria and a list of awards may be found at http://bit.ly/aoyawards.

There is also a link to SAI District Presidents on the page.The critical role of school administrators should not be overlooked; you are to

be applauded for your contributions to education. Thank you for all you do andplease help us recognize the exemplary work that is taking place in the state!

Take a moment to ce lebrate school leadership!

Seeking Principals to Represent SAI at the National Level

Elementary principals who are members of SAI and NAESP are eligible to

run for NAESP State Representative. Secondary principals who are mem-

bers of SAI and NASSP are eligible to run for NASSP State Coordinator.

The term of office for each position is July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2019.

The position will provide a link between the respective national organizations

and SAI regarding mutual goals and issues of common concern. Performance

responsibilities are to fulfill the duties mandated by the: NAESP or NASSP

bylaws; policy, affiliation agreements, or Delegate Assembly rules and proce-

dures the NAESP or NASSP Board of Directors recommends be assumed; and

SAI Rep. Council, working in collaboration with SAI’s Executive Committee

and Executive Director and as a liaison between NAESP or NASSP and SAI.

If you are interested in serving, please submit the following to SAI Executive

Director Roark Horn, [email protected], by April 15 in two pages or fewer

(layout/format of your choice):

1. A brief summary of your educational background.

2. A brief outline of your professional career.

3. A listing of awards/honors you may have earned while serving in K-12

education.

4. A listing of your involvement with SAI and NAESP or NASSP (e.g. com-

mittees, offices held, etc.)

5. A brief statement as to why you want to serve in this office.

6. A brief statement as to why you should be selected for this office.

7. A signed statement from your superintendent that you may serve in this

office if selected.

According to policy, the Executive Committee will select the two individuals

at its May meeting.

Dan Cox Art Sathoff

Vote today for SAI Vice President!Ballots were sent via email April 1 with an elec-tronic ballot link and information about candi-dates for SAI vice president Dan Cox, CharlesCity superintendent; and Art Sathoff, Indianolasuperintendent. Cast your vote by April 15.

SAI Aug. 2 Pre-ConferenceTeams that Work: Improving yourPLCs with High-Performing Teams!We improve schools today when teamscommit to teamwork as an institutionalnonnegotiable and then focus on thestrategic art and science of workingtogether. Strong teams are always in passionate

pursuit of enhanced team skills andimproved team outcomes. Team growthleads to improved individual perform-ance as well. Improving the work ofteams isn’t a fun-and-done “soft-skill.”It’s a strategic priority that’s driven byemerging performance science anddecades of research associated withsuccessful teaming in PLCs. In this session, you’ll learn those

strategic, researched-based strategiesthat improve the work of teams anddrive school improvement while creat-ing a much-improved school culture.Learning outcomes:

· Identify the aspects of traditionalschooling that directly undermine thework of teams, and learn about thestrategies to overcome this challenge.· Consider the latest findings in per-formance science and identify thestrategies schools can use to stimulateand engage teams in ways that boostcreativity and drive innovation.· Understand the all-important role ofdisagreement and conflict and learn touse this dynamic as a tool for innova-tion rather than an implement of stressand frustration.Event registration opens in May. Plan

now to bring a team in August.

http://bit.ly/aoydistrict

President Tim Kuehl, superintendentClear Creek Amana Community School [email protected]

President-elect Paul Wenger, elementary principalWest Des Moines Community School [email protected]

Vice President Kirk Johnson, high school principalWaukee Community School [email protected]

Past President Deron Durflinger, superintendent / sec. principalVan Meter Community School [email protected]

AASA Governing Board MembersTim Kuehl (SAI president, see above)

Mary Jo Hainstock, superintendentVinton-Shellsburg Community School [email protected]

Ed Klamfoth, superintendentWaverly-Shell Rock Community School [email protected]

NAESP State Rep. Chad Shook, principalLawton-Bronson [email protected]

NASSP State Coordinator Justin Gross, principalNevada High [email protected]

Business Manager Cyndi [email protected]

Communications Director Tracy [email protected]

Executive Director Dr. Roark [email protected]

Government Relations Director Dr. Tom [email protected]

Legal Services DirectorMatt Carver, [email protected]

Professional Learning DirectorDr. Dana [email protected]

Program AssistantAmy [email protected]

Program AssistantCheri [email protected]

Receptionist/SecretaryDebbie [email protected]

School Administrators of Iowa12199 Stratford Drive, Clive, IA 50325-8146

Voice: (515) 267-1115 l FAX: (515) 267-1066www.sai-iowa.orgFollow SAI on Twitter - @sai_iowa

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National Representatives

SAI Staff

SAI Officers

We Will Get Fooled AgainIam sad to report that, to date, all of my efforts to make April Fools’ Day anational holiday have tragically failed. In those moments of self-reflection that

we encourage for all leaders, I suspect there may be several reasons for this: 1) Ihave not been able to garner the support of any of our presidential candidates,who seem insistent on focusing on lessor matters such as the economy, immi-gration and health care; 2) I don’t have a cute animal, such as a groundhog, as asymbol to rally around; and 3) I am funding my campaign, and no one wins any-thing doing that, do they?But I am wondering … even if I fail in my quest, could we, at this most special

time of year, at least talk about the importance of promoting fun and joy in ourschool climate and culture? One of the many delights of this great job is that Iget to travel the state and visit with you in your schools. Anyone who has donethis can tell you that within seconds of walking into a building, a visitor can tellwhat kind of climate and culture exists. It is immediately apparent if people areworking and learning in an environment that is sterile and joyless. I am happyto report that in my experience such places are rare. It is equally easy to ascer-tain if those environments are places where people are obviously enjoying beingthere. Wouldn’t it be great if we all got to serve in those kinds of environments?It is my belief that those who get to work in a place where fun and laughter is

encouraged and celebrated likely work with a skilled leader who understandsthe critical importance of keeping people joyful even in the crazy educationalworld in which we live. One such skilled leader is our colleague Pat Hocking,superintendent at Lisbon and Springville. I count as one of the great delights ofmy professional career getting to work with Pat for five years at NortheastHamilton. It was there that I met a person who seemed to break all perceptions Ihad of how to motivate others. Whereas I came to the district with the notionthat you clearly communicate high expectations and hold people accountable,Pat taught and showed me that you need to do that, but there is a next level ofleadership in which you also make them feel comfortable, and therefore valued.So I asked Pat to pass along some of the techniques he uses to create a climate ofthat rare mixture of motivation, accountability and fun. Here is what he wrote:“If you spend much time around me you soon learn that I approach my profes-

sional life much the same way I approach my personal life, just being myself. Asa school administrator I believe that is the most important thing you can do. Forme, I like to spend as much time as I can laughing and helping others laugh. Ihave yet to find too many people who do not like to laugh or at least have a goodchuckle whenever possible. Appropriate humor can be very helpful even in themidst of critical conversations and critical thinking. The real key is that impor-tant combination of knowing your audience, understanding the situation, andremaining true to yourself. Knowing your audience means building relationships, which is a vital compo-

nent of our work as leaders. I find that by keeping the conversations light andgood-natured whenever possible, you can build capacity in others. It is impor-tant to recognize that what might seem to be short, casual conversations to youmay be deeply meaningful to those you are talking to. You always need to keepthis in mind, because failure to do so might cause you to say something that willcompromise their regard for you, and maybe even the trust they have in you. The key words above are ‘whenever possible.’ You need to realize there are

times when humor is not appropriate, and that’s what I mean by understandingthe situation. Finding that line can be a challenge because people will viewthings differently. You need to learn to accept that. You have to be a good judgeof who would appreciate your humor and who wouldn’t, because some willjudge humor as insensitive. So it is critical that you are always respectful andhonest when addressing individuals and building relationships with key stake-holders. Some people will be quick to judge you based on your humor anddesire to have fun. But it has been my experience that sometimes you will findthose who don’t appreciate your humor at first will actually end up enjoying itonce they see you can make good judgments about when to use it and, maybeeven more importantly, when not to. And that brings me to my final point. When it comes to remaining true to your-

self, you have to accept that individuals can be judgmental and not let thatchange who you are. You cannot let people sway your energy or your desire toenjoy what you are doing. In my career I have been the target of many jokes big - continued on page 3

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InBrief

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REPORT

The SAI Report is published for asso-ciation members and selected com-munity and business leaders bySchool Administrators of Iowa. Theviews expressed in the SAI Report donot necessarily reflect SAI opinionnor does acceptance of advertisingimply SAI endorsement.

Your comments and suggestions arewelcomed.

Tracy J. Harms, editor

March SAI Rep CouncilHighlightsl Received a legislative update;l Discussed future district meetingoptions;

l Reviewed association financials;l Received a professional learningactivities update/preview;

l Distributed information for 2017Administrator of the Year program;

l Discussed recent Law Conference;l Heard a CatchLife health initiativeupdate;

l Approved a policy change for non-member conference registrationfrom an additional $100 to settingan amount each year.

Calendar of EventsCalendar of EventsApril21 - Spring Legal Lab - FULL

June14 - Employee Discipline, Module 1:

Types of Employee Discipline15 - Employee Discipline, Module 2:

Grounds for Employee Discipline16 - Employee Discipline, Module 3:

Executing Employee Discipline

July13 - 3rd Annual Leveraging Teacher

Leadership Conference19 - New Superintendents Institute20 - New Administrators Institute for

Elementary Principals21 - New Administrators Institute for

Middle Level and SecondaryPrincipals

25 - New Administrators Institute forAssistant/Associate Principalsand Deans

August 2 - SAI Pre-Conference

3 & 4 - SAI Annual Conference

Register online for events at www.sai-iowa.org/events.cfm

Iowa Dept. of Ed.Iowa Dept. of Ed.DeadlinesDeadlinesUse this link to access critical due dates:http://bit.ly/dedeadlines

and small and I never let those thingsbother me because I am who I am. Ican accept my faults and make fun ofthem as well. When people can seeme laughing at myself they don’t feelthreatened or hurt when I poke good-natured fun at them. To summarize, you always need a

positive outlook no matter what, real-ize it is acceptable to joke and havefun yet keep your eye on the task athand, don’t judge people, be honest inyour comments even if your com-ment is constructive and finally,always be respectful to each other.Life is too short not to enjoy it. It ispowerful to laugh, especially if youare a leader and responsible not onlyfor your own work but also others’.”So with those words of wisdom

from Pat, I encourage you to reflectand see how you are applying them toyour work situation. We all know thatthe climate and culture of the schoolis determined and cultivated by itsleader. Are you consciously and con-scientiously doing what you can tobring well-meaning and respectfulfun and joy to those staff and stu-dents you serve? If so, I bet you lookforward to coming to work each day,and so do the people who get to workwith you. If not, please consider tak-ing Pat’s practical approach and mak-ing this April Fools’ Day the launchdate of change in your school.

In MemoriamDonald Flynn, retired middle schoolprincipal, Perry (3-17-16)

Fooled- continued from page 2

LegislativeNotesfrom Tom NarakSAI Government Relations Director

This legislative session is scheduledto end April 19. The last few yearsthey have not ended on time, but thisyear looks like it may be possible. Itdepends on how much they get doneduring the next few weeks. We stillhave some important issues for legis-lators to address.The issue of assessment is critically

important. The Iowa State Board ofEducation was progressing well withthe rules until the Legislature put iton a session delay to provide achance to get involved this session. Itis our desire for the Legislature toallow the State Board to do its workand continue to develop the rules forSmarter Balanced as the task forcerecommended. The Legislature’s roleshould be to provide the funding.The issue of funding for summer

reading programming is extremelyimportant as well. If the Legislaturechooses not to fund the program thissession, then the retention require-ment should be delayed.In addition to both of those unfin-

ished issues, there is still the issue ofsetting SSA growth for FY 2018. Itwould be appropriate if they try to bemore in line with the Iowa Code onthis issue. Legislators have beenignoring the code for the past severalyears, which is not appropriate at all.Thank you for your great work and

dedication to the students in Iowa’sschools. We have a tremendousamount of pride in our state for ourgreat schools. Great schools are theresult of outstanding leaders andteachers as well as outstanding sup-port staff, board members and theAEAs. All of the education team mem-bers working together in Iowa’s com-munities is the formula for success.

Average Administrator SalariesSAI annually publishes salary figuresfor the various administrative levels.We are awaiting the certified data andplan to publish the information in theMay SAI Report.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/desmoinesregister/obituary.aspx?n=donald-joseph-flynn&pid=178118558&fhid=6927

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To cut to the chase, this month’s column concerns some springtime reminders regarding contracts, termination, proba-tion, and other fun topics, so I was lying in bed thinking about some sort of witty intro about how I can be a bit forgetful

at times. Yes, you should feel sorry, or disturbed, that I lie in bed and think about writing legal columns. I continued to pon-der numerous ideas regarding my column about reminders as I drove to Kum and Go to pick up my morning maple cakedonut and 44 oz. Diet Dr. Pepper. Hey, don’t judge me. Just as I stepped up to pay for my healthy breakfast I realized that Iforgot to take an antibiotic that was awaiting me on my kitchen counter. As such, I would have to drive back to my house,even though I was about a third of the way to work. Now you might be thinking: “That’s not so bad. I’ve done the samething before.” Well, did you do it two days in a row? That’s right, yesterday I was in line with my donut and Diet Dr. Pepperwhen I realized I would have to go home for that forgotten antibiotic. On the down side, this makes me wonder about theeffect of those anthrax shots from the military, as well as those concussions in soccer and football. On the bright side, I did-n’t have to give any additional thought to my witty introduction on the remainder of my drive to work. What is this column about? That’s right, reminders. This time of the year I get many calls regarding questions surround-

ing administrator contracts, teacher contracts, intensive assistance, probationary status, and a variety of other topics refer-enced in the Iowa Code. Let’s see if we can knock the dust off a few while I throw in an editorial comment or two at mypleasure. Hey, I am the one writing the column. I will focus contract discussion on those covered under the authority of Iowa Code Chapter 279 (“Chapter 279 Contracts”).

I would encourage you to ensure that your contract references Iowa Code Chapter 279. If it does not, I am not suggestingthat you do not have statutory protection, as your role might clearly be listed as a school administrator position in the IowaCode or in your contract. However, it never hurts to have the Chapter 279 reference added if it does not already appear inyour contract.

Beginning Teachers – Beginning teachers are those individuals who are serving under an initial or intern license from theBoard of Educational Examiners. [Iowa Code §284.2(1)] Remember that not all teachers new to your district are necessarily“beginning teachers” for statutory purposes. Why is this important? Intensive assistance is NOT required for beginningteachers under Iowa Code Chapter 284. I am not suggesting you should not work to assist beginning teachers, whether itrelates to counseling or other forms of support. However, it is important for administrators to know that the Iowa Codedoes not require intensive assistance for beginning teachers.

Intensive Assistance – Please review Iowa Code Chapter 284, as well as district policy and your master contract to ensureyou are following appropriate procedures regarding the use of intensive assistance. OK, I am going to rant a bit here.INTENSIVE ASSISTANCE IS NOT A BAD THING AND IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT A TEACHER IS GOING TO BE TERMI-NATED. Sorry for yelling, but intensive assistance is just that … assistance. When did assistance become an awful thing?This assistance will undoubtedly include some support for the teacher. Are supports not good?! A teacher should not feelthat s/he will wear a Scarlet Letter for the rest of his/her career if the administration determines that intensive assistance isappropriate.

Awareness Periods – OK, I’m probably going to get in trouble for this one, but it is my belief that awareness periods aresome of the worst things that have popped up in master contracts over the last 10-15 years. Please see my rant regardingintensive assistance as to why I find awareness periods to be detrimental. What is the point? From my perspective, thepoint is to throw up one more procedural hurdle and to delay the intensive assistance process. Why should we delay inten-sive assistance for a teacher who needs it?! That is just silly. OK, I’m officially done with my rant.

Termination or counseling out of beginning teachers – First, as my SAI predecessor Kathy Collins would eloquently andappropriately put it: “Don’t pass the trash.” If a teacher is not a good fit in a particular building or district, fair enough, butask whether the teacher should be educating kids at all. You are not doing him or her a favor if you are not providingappropriate counseling regarding what might be best not only for the kids but for the young teacher him/herself. If thebeginning teacher has completed one year, then the teacher would potentially just move on to another district with the ini-tial license. If the teacher has completed her second year, then you need to decide if you are willing to recommend a thirdyear of mentoring and induction. If so, then that beginning teacher may move on to another district, and the teacher would

Don’t be Forgetful, Note these Chapter 279 Reminders

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still have limited appeal rights if she is challenging the district’s decision. If you determine that thebeginning teacher should not receive a third year, and the teacher is not meeting the teaching stan-dards, then the beginning teacher has additional appeal rights under Iowa Code §§279.17 and 279.18.

Probationary teachers – “The first three consecutive years of employment of a teacher in the sameschool district are a probationary period. However, if the teacher has successfully completed a proba-tionary period of employment for another school district located in Iowa, the probationary period inthe current district of employment shall not exceed one year. A board of directors may waive the pro-bationary period for any teacher who previously has served a probationary period in another schooldistrict and the board may extend the probationary period for an additional year with the consent ofthe teacher.” [Iowa Code §279.19] So, if a teacher keeps bouncing from one district to another andnever completes the full three-year probationary period in one location, remember that the threeyears start over. For those who have completed the three years in another Iowa district the probation-ary period will not be longer than one year, and the teacher may negotiate with the district to waive the one year of proba-tion. I would give some deep thought prior to waiving the probationary year altogether. Some individuals may interviewwell, but you don’t really know them until they serve in your buildings. As you probably know, probationary employeeshave significantly reduced appeal rights during times of termination.

Probationary administrators – “Administrators employed in a school district for less than two consecutive years are pro-bationary administrators. However, a school board may waive the probationary period for any administrator who has pre-viously served a probationary period in another school district and the school board may extend the probationary periodfor an additional year with the consent of the administrator.”[Iowa Code §279.24(4)] While the mechanics of the process aredifferent, it is fair to say that probationary administrators, like probationary teachers, have significantly reduced rights ofappeal during termination proceedings.

Chapter 279 Contracts with Principals and other Administrators who are not Superintendents – Principals, assistantprincipals, and all others who are not superintendents may have contracts for a term of up to two (2) years. [Iowa Code§279.23] Principals may receive two-year contracts upon having served at least nine months as a principal. [Iowa Code§279.21] “Just cause” is required to terminate such a contract covering a non-probationary administrator.

Chapter 279 Contracts with Superintendents – “The board of directors of a school district may employ a superintendentof schools for a term of not to exceed three years. However, the board’s initial contract with a superintendent shall notexceed one year if the board is obligated to pay a former superintendent under an unexpired contract.”[Iowa Code §279.20]That one-year restriction may come into play if you are interviewing at a district that just bought out the remainder of thecurrent or past superintendent’s contract, and the district still has a year or two or even three years to pay on that contract.You might double-check for the possibility of such a scenario as you perform your due diligence, if you are looking into ajob in a new district. Superintendents, please keep in mind that unless your contract or district policy states otherwise,“just cause” is NOT needed to terminate your contract. As such, I suggest you have such language added if you are in aposition to negotiate the terms of your contract.

Some important Chapter 279 dates to keep in mind:March 15 – School districts may not tender contracts for teachers or administrators prior to March 15. This, of course, doesnot apply to employees who go through the hiring process and may be offered a contract at another time during the year. April 30 – The superintendent or the superintendent’s designee will notify a teacher not later than April 30 that the super-intendent will recommend to the school board that the teacher’s contract should be terminated, at a meeting held not laterthan May 15. [Iowa Code §279.15]May 1 – An administrator may file a written resignation with the board secretary “on or before May 1 of each year or thedate specified by the school board for return of the contract, whichever date occurs first.” [Iowa Code §279.24(3)]May 15 – Teachers – Unless there is sufficient cause to terminate a teacher’s contract mid-year, the superintendent mustrecommend to the school board at a meeting held not later than May 15 that the teacher’s contract should be terminated. May 15 – Probationary Administrators – The school board shall notify a probationary administrator not later than May 15that a probationary administrator’s contract will not be renewed. May 15 – Non-probationary Administrators – “On or before May 15, the administrator shall be notified in writing by a letterpersonally delivered or mailed by certified mail that the school board has voted to consider termination of the contract.”[Iowa Code §279.24(5)(a)]- cont. on page 8

This article isintended only as areference in regardto the subject mat-ter covered. It isfurnished with theunderstanding thatSAI is not engagedin rendering legaladvice. If a legalopinion is desired,private legal coun-sel should be con-sulted.

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From Project-based Learning to Project-based Work

The Latest in Learningby Dana Schon, SAI professional learning director

This spring, I am in the same situation of home improvement madness as last. Looming only two short months away isyet another high school graduation party at our house. This year, we are updating a bathroom. I started by applying two

coats of primer and three coats of paint in an effort to transform the golden oak trim to a bright white. Amid these multiplecoats and the sanding in between, I had lots of quality think-time. I found myself returning to the documentary I hadrecently seen, Most Likely to Succeed (www.mltsfilm.org). The video traces the evolution of American education and push-es us to reimagine our approach to teaching and learning. At the heart of the vision put forth by producer Ted Dintersmithis the value of a project-based approach to learning. The film prompted me to wonder about where my bathroom project might fall in the space of project-based learning. My

selection of new hardware, paint color and sheen, a countertop, and floor engaged and excited me. I had to apply math andreading skills, and I had to problem-solve when removal of the wall-mounted mirror also resulted in the unintendedremoval of fairly large chunks of the drywall. I collaborated with others who had completed recent bathroom remodels andconsulted professionals before tackling the painting of the cabinets. All of these experiences seem to capture the nature of aproject-based experience, but home improvement doesn’t necessarily inspire everyone. What about work responsibilitiesand expectations across different professions and what might that have to do with our students? In my roles at the school and district level, both as a teacher and administrator, I saw most of my work as incident/event-

based and often driven by daily schedules. This isn’t surprising since ourAmerican system of education is founded on a factory model. For example, as ateacher, I designed and delivered lesson plans within a designated timeframe—whether we were on the cusp of an epiphany did not matter if the bell had sig-naled passing time. Similarly, as building and district leaders, we compose andreply to email, field parent concerns, and navigate teacher evaluations as part ofour daily routine. At the same time, we do engage in projects like a cycle ofinquiry under the Iowa Professional Development Model or the construction/renovation of a building. However, the dailydemands tend to consume the bulk of our time. I realized this more concretely when someone recently commented, “I betyour job at SAI is really different.”It is different, but her comment pushed me to consider what makes it different. I realized the most defining difference is

that the majority of my work now is very much project-based. Annual conference, mentoring, and other professional learn-ing events represent projects for which I need to allocate time and resources in order to complete. I love researching topicsand presenters for conference, but this work is not inherently part of my daily routine. I have to be intentional about desig-nating time for this—it was a significant transition for me when I first started! Several tasks are still part of my daily rou-tine, but it’s almost an inverse relationship from what I experienced at the building and district levels. Until recently, I hadn’t given much thought to how work is organized in companies and industries outside of education. I

think I have always just equated work as work, but I’ve realized that many businesses accomplish their goals through proj-ect-based work. In fact, with ever greater sophistication in software platforms, the business community can readily searchoutside their organizations via the web for the best talent to complete any project. Consequently, rather than hiring long-term employees, many employers contract freelance talent that will best serve their needs. What does this mean for us in K-12? It would seem to suggest that we could serve our students best by integrating into

our practice opportunities for students to engage in project-based learning so that they are prepared to meet the demandsof an increasingly project-based world. Not only that, project-based learning motivates students, feeds their passions, andsupports them in developing competencies related to collaboration, persistence, problem-solving, and creativity. Are youready to put project-based practices into play? Set aside time in your daily routine to check out these various and multipleresources at the Buck Institute for Education, http://bie.org.

“… project-based learning motivates stu-dents, feeds their passions, and supportsthem in developing competencies relatedto collaboration, persistence, problem-solving, and creativity.”

Tune in to Teacher LeadershipAs many districts finalize the hiring of teacher leaders and continue to work to clarify the roles and responsibili-ties of both teacher leaders and administrators, these tools from Joellen Killion can provide support.

• This resource articulates teacher leadership roles, the allocation of time, and the specific responsibilities of the variousteacher leader roles as well as the principal: http://bit.ly/1UEUeCw• This tool speaks specifically to principal-coach relationships: http://bit.ly/1Rs3vee

http://bit.ly/1Rs3vee

http://bit.ly/1UEUeCw

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Most schools that dive deep into project-based learning tend to be smaller charter or magnet schools that have the abili-ty to hire new educators and create new schedules and instructional paradigms from scratch. Bettendorf Middle

School, in contrast, has been around a while and often resembles other large middle schools across the nation. With over1,100 students and about 70 instructional staff, a move to a project-based learning paradigm meant shifting legacy struc-tures and mindsets rather than creating from a blank slate. Nonetheless, the school took up the challenge …

Exposed to some faculty from High Tech High a few years back, the school decided to go all in. Most of the staff now havevisited the original High Tech High campus in California and the decision was made several years ago to incorporate proj-ect-based learning into every Bettendorf Middle School course at least twice a year. Projects at the school range from twoto 12 weeks. Teachers put together proposals and then have to pitch their projects to a panel of teacher peers AND students.Together they all use Bettendorf’s project tuning protocol to make the projects meaningful, relevant, and of high quality. Allprojects incorporate essential curriculum standards to ensure that students are addressing critical learning outcomes.Students hold community exhibitions twice per year to show their learning.

Projects are numerous and varied. For instance, an English teacher had her students investigate the question, What isessential?, which ultimately led to the creation of three separate 9’ x 15’ tiny houses. Students designed, built, and decoratedthe homes themselves and incorporated essential ELA standards into their work as they wrote and reflected about theirattempts to do various tasks within the homes. In another class, studentsworked with a local senior citizens home to interview residents, write biogra-phies, and create an abstract piece of art that reflected each interviewee’s life.As you can imagine, the unveiling and gifting of these student-created productsto the residents was incredibly moving and emotional.

Another project involved creating a community garden. Students worked with alocal landscape company to create 10 garden plots, write bylaws, create logos,engage in marketing, and build support structures, such as a shed. Every garden plot was quickly rented out by the com-munity. Students in another course investigated the question, What is true survival? Although that question initiallyrevolved around outdoor survival techniques, by project’s end student investigations and writing had turned toward suchdiverse topics as mountaineering, homelessness, food insecurity, and divorce.

Most of this instructional planning, assessment, and standards coverage work is addressed within traditional professionallearning communities (PLCs), with some additional assistance from the school’s three instructional coaches. The emphasisis on robust, hands-on and minds-on work and on developing powerful essential questions to frame students’ learning.

Bettendorf Middle School is moving forward in exciting new directions, including a recent global project involving theessential question, Is revolution justified?, that involved 1,000 participating students from nine different schools aroundthe world. What could you do at YOUR traditional school?

Upcoming events• The annual Iowa 1:1 Institute will be in Des Moines on April 5 and 6. More info at iowa1to1.com.• The Student Voices Matter Rally at the Iowa State Capitol is April 5 and is a student-driven statewide political rally in sup-port of public education. Hope your students participate! More info at iowasli.org.

As always, stay in touch at [email protected], 707-722-7853, or @mcleod!

Dr. Scott McLeod | Director of Learning, Teaching, & Innovation | Prairie Lakes AEA

Project-based learning at scale

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Increasing Knowledge and Skills in this Digital, Global Erawith Scott McLeod

“The emphasis is on robust, hands-on and minds-on work andon developing powerful essentialquestions to frame students’ learning.”

https://twitter.com/mcleod

http://www.iowasli.org/

http://iowa1to1.com/

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TLC Teacher & Administrator Survey Begins April 11

On April 11 the Department of Education, in partnershipwith the American Institutes for Research, will launch asurvey to evaluate the progress Teacher Leadership andCompensation is making toward its intended goals. Thissurvey is for all teachers and administrators—even if yourdistrict won’t implement TLC until next year.The survey is voluntary and confidential, but highly

encouraged. Weekly prize drawings will be held and dis-tricts that have at least 50 percent of their teaching staffparticipate will receive a district-level report.Please watch for an email from AIR between April 4 and

8 with more details. Superintendents are asked to sharethe administrator survey link with district administrators.Principals will be provided with a link for assistant princi-pals and teachers.The Department of Education would greatly appreciate

your help in encouraging participation. Also, don’t forgetto take the survey yourself! If you have questions, call or email Becky Slater at the

Department of Education, 515-281-5433 [email protected].

Employee Discipline in an Education Environment June 14 - Types of Employee Discipline; June 15 - Grounds for Employee Discipline; June 16 - Executing Employee Discipline 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the SAI Office, Clive

When it comes to the issue of employee discipline, many school leaders feel as if they are caught between a rock and ahard place. On one side, administrators and supervisors know they need to hold staff accountable for their actions

and behaviors. Whether they ultimately result in disciplinary action, the research is clear: Instances of substandard per-formance — and cases of employee misconduct — can negatively impact student achievement either directly or indirectly.In fact, performance and conduct issues are often found to undermine school improvement initiatives. The question isn’t whether corrective or disciplinary action should be taken to address substandard performance or

employee misconduct, but how to do so proactively in an effective and defensible manner.Employee Discipline in an Education Environment© establishes a comprehensive framework of best practices for effec-

tively and defensibly managing cases of employee misconduct or substandard performance. These workshops provideparticipants with dozens of collaborative opportunities to practice research-supported management strategies using educa-tion attorney-hosted tutorials and video-based reenactments of actual disciplinary situations from across the country. Want to learn how to better manage your certified and classified employees as you work to increase student achieve-

ment? Join us for one, two or all three modules! License Renewal Credit: Participants completing all three Employee Discipline in an Education Environment Module

workshops will receive 1 license renewal credit.Register today at www.sai-iowa.org/events.cfm

Leveraging Teacher Leadership:Institute for Teacher Leaders & AdministratorsJuly 13, 2016

This is the third year that teacher leaders and administrators willjoin together to learn to support students through Iowa’s TLC pro-gram. This year’s institute will inform, engage and inspire educa-tors across Iowa to take back ideas, strategies and resources tohelp improve practices that advance teaching. The diversity ofspeakers offers opportunities to learn to leverage components ofthe Teacher Leadership and Compensation Program to make atrue difference for future generations of teachers, administratorsand students.Keynote speaker Ron McMillan is a leading social scientist for

organizational change. He is coauthor of four New York Timesbestsellers: Crucial Conversations, Crucial Accountability,Influencer and Change Anything.

Breakout presenters: Jennifer Abrams - Being Generational Savvy and BuildingLeadership CapacityPete Hall - Navigating the Administrator/Teacher-LeaderRelationshipJoellen Killion - Learning-focused FeedbackAlisa Simeral - Developing a Reflective Practice

Register: www.cvent.com/d/vfq0gr

Chapter 129 - Contracts- cont. from page 5

Regarding the above dates, please remember that teachers may negotiate to have other deadlines apply, as long as thosedeadlines provide more and not less protection for the employee. Please also know that following the statutory deadlines ata minimum is absolutely essential. Holy smokes, that was a lot to cover. Do others still say “Holy smokes?” I may be aging myself. Maybe that has something

to do with the short-term memory problems. Finally, I strongly encourage you to get your district’s legal counsel involved if you are considering the termination of a

Chapter 279 educator. Such actions are fraught with missteps at times, and such missteps may prevent you from takingneeded action. If you find yourself in a potentially adversarial position with your school district regarding your contract,please give me or Roark a call. We want to be of assistance whenever possible.Until next time, Go Cubs!

April 2016 Linking Leadership & Learning Report

Documents

Transcript of April 2016 Linking Leadership & Learning Report