Handling the Holidays

With Thanksgiving just around the corner --and seasonal advertisements bombarding us from everywhere -- we're officially in the grips of the holiday season. Throw in winter break disruptions and weather delays, and schools can lose focus quickly this time of year. This can either mean headaches or holiday cheer, depending on how it's handled.

Our question today is: How do you handle holiday issues at your school and still maintain cultural sensitivities about Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other observances?

Creativity Matters

Eric Liu is onto something.

"We are in the midst of a failure of imagination in public schools," said Liu, the former speechwriter for President Clinton and current member of the State Board of Education.

On Oct. 30, Liu gathered together more than 150 teachers, principals, superintendents, business leaders, legislators and philanthropists for "Creativity Matters: Teaching Creativity/Transforming Education," a summit was designed to address the value of creativity in public education. As he noted in the day's opening remarks, "Play, discovery, exploration are at the very heart of what it means to be an educator." Unfortunately, Liu asserted, many schools are depleting the very areas that may inspire student learning at a time when there is so much pressure to improve.

The day long session, held at the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts in Tacoma, was an offshoot of Washington Learns, Gov. Gregoire's education task force. For the next 12 months, Liu and colleagues will wage a campaign to support an infusion of creativity in schools. AWSP's Gary Kipp is a member of the steering committee for the event and future initiatives. Said Liu of the effort:

"A lot of things can get outsourced to other places at a cheaper cost... but a state and people's capacity for creativity cannot. Creativity matters because it is at the heart of what we are as a community...Creativity is no some magic fairy dust that is sprinkled around to some and not others. It can be reduced down to a set of habits that can be taught in the way we teach, in the way we lead."

These five habits of mind are:

1. Observing intently - Creativity begins with observing intently and deeply noticing.
   
2. Taking risks - Reckoning with the possibility of failure.
   
3. Persisting - Developing the capacity for resilience
4. Recognizing patterns
5. Making connections
   

You can read the case Liu and others have made for creativity in schools here. Also, it's worth noting that Liu's group has partnered with the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. Until recently, only New York public schools have been eligible for the Center's Imagination Award for teaching practices that encourage imaginative thinking across the curriculum. As a result of this partnership, middle and high schools in Washington state will also be eligible for the award.

E-mail: When in Doubt, Don't!

There are many life lessons to be learned thanks to the speedy and global reach of the Internet.

Today's cautionary tale of woe comes to you from Catskill, New York, where the superintendent's choice of words in a hastily composed e-mail has landed her in a heap of trouble with her union, families, students and herself.

According to this morning's New York Times, the superintendent, Dr. Kathleen Farrell, was at odds with teachers over fire and safety codes that required classroom doors to be shut while students were in attendance. Without air conditioning, the rooms became stagnant, causing teachers to prop the doors open. According to the paper:

Back and forth the discussion went, until Oct. 3, when Dr. Farrell wrote an e-mail message to the district’s director of facilities, John Willabay. She vented a bit and then allowed: “Please go KILL these people....Please, please, please.”

Then she sent it — not just to him — but, accidentally, to an unknown number of others as well, including Terri Dubuke, a sixth-grade teacher who was one of the critics. Ms. Dubuke read it in shock and referred it to the teachers’ union, and the matter was discussed at a closed-door school board meeting on Oct. 17.

You can imagine the fallout that ensued: apologies were exchanged. Punishment was demanded. Remorse was rampant. But did the reaction fit the infraction?

Granted, an student e-mail with these same words may likely have garnered equal, if not greater attention. But in looking more carefully at the context of the message, it was clearly unprofessional and inappropriate. But was this issue blown out of proportion?

What Would You Do for Your Students?

Here's a great story about Olympic Elementary Principal Brett Ellingson, who was featured in the Centralia Chronicle. Ellingson honored a promise to his students and PTA: if they raised $10,000 to support extras at the school (field trips, etc.), he'd trade in his tie for a hoodie, jeans and tennis shoes and be a student for a day. The result was really a win-win. The school $11,500 in the two-week fund raising window, the paper reported. Ellingson also had a great day in the school classrooms, connecting with students and staff. (Better make that a win-win-win-win.)

This story got us thinking of another principal who made good on a promise. Last week, Lake Roosevelt High Principal Karl Miller surfaced at the AWSP Principals' Conference in Vancouver sporting a fresh mohawk, courtesy a school fundraising event. (It takes a brave person to wager a haircut with students!)

Gold stars to these two principals for keeping their word and being so committed to their students and schools.

This also got us wondering: what's the wackiest thing you've ever done to support a student fundraiser at your school?

Teens and Substance Abuse: A Snapshot

A new report published last week, "A Day in the Life of American Adolescents," details the self-reported habits of 12-17 year-olds in 2006. The report is the work of the Office of Applied Studies, which is part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

On an average day in 2006, researchers found that:

• Nearly 1.2 million teenagers smoked cigarettes
  
• More than 630,000 drank
• Approximately 586,000 used marijuana

To put the numbers in perspective, the nationwide number of adolescents using cigarettes on an average day equals more students than are enrolled in Washington state's K-12 school system.

A short form of the report is also available here.

Finland, Finland, Finland...

A riddle for you this blustery fall afternoon.

Question: What's blue and white and the world leader in K-12 education instruction?

Answer: Finland!

Yes, the country of 5 million people and a heck of a lot more reindeer is apparently the world's leader in education. Forget Japan. Forget the U.S. According to Andrew Hargreaves, the Thomas Moore Brennan Chair in Education at Boston College, the focus should really be on the small northern European country of Finland.

On Monday, Hargreaves captivated attendees at the AWSP Principals' Conference in Vancouver with his research on this country and its relevance to instructional leadership. As Hargreaves noted in his research and presentation:

In less than half a century, Finland has transformed itself from a rural backwater into a high-tech economic powerhouse, through its educational system.

By the way, that Nokia phone in your hand has a direct role in the country's regeneration. Today, 40 percent of the country's GDP is accounted for by Nokia and its suppliers. What was once a rubber products company (making everything from timber to galoshes to electrical cables for telephony), the company has "flexed, adapted and changed" as markets shifted. As a result, Nokia is now ranked #1 in economic competitiveness, Hargreaves said, and its educational system is a key player in this success.

In Finland, Hargreaves noted, teachers are seen as creators of the next generation. There is a strong mission. As a result, the Finnish youth are number one in the world not by an emphasis on testing but on teaching. High quality teachers, coupled with a culture of cooperation, clear guidelines (with flexibility within those guidelines) and, interestingly, a reverence for the music and science, have made Finland the highest performing country in the world on the PISA (Programme for International Student Achievement). This triennial assessment of 15-year-olds is administered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Hargreave's presentation was very compelling and entertaining (he does an excellent Tony Blair impression, too). But what does all of this mean for leadership? Hargreaves boiled it down to three things:

1. All leaders must have been teachers. In Finland, it's the law. You can't be a principal without having first been a teacher.
   
2. All principals still teach, even for just two hours a week.
   
3. The job of the principal in Finland is to "pull all of this together -- not pull everything through it." In other words, Hargreaves said, principal are not competing with one another but, rather, boosting each other up for the betterment of all, as they believe they are ethically responsible for each student's success.

Hargreaves gave attendees a wonderful presentation, rich with data, witty anecdotes and substantive knowledge about educational leadership and change.

Did you attend the conference and hear Hargreaves speak? What did you think? Or, perhaps you've read his books/research? What do you think?

(Bonus points to those of you who remember the Monty Python tribute to "the country where [I] want to be...")

Going to the Experts

This afternoon's mathematics panel with students from the Washougal School District was as entertaining as it was insightful. Fourteen students ranging from freshmen to seniors shared their thoughts about the teaching and learning of mathematics with pre-conference attendees.

As mentioned in an earlier blog, the discussion was moderated by Washougal Superintendent Teresa Baldwin. The students she gathered for this conversation exuded an enthusiasm for math. Although, one student acknowledged it was his love of science that led him to a deeper exploration of math ("since math is the language of science" he noted.) But they're also putting their talents to use outside the classroom by volunteering, participating in the Model United Nations or through music and dance.

Perhaps the most telling discussion point of the afternoon came when Baldwin asked the students how they would change math instruction. Here's a quick synopsis of some of their suggestions:

• Show students how classroom instruction applies in real life situations. ("Repetition gets really boring.")
• Help ensure students understand tested concepts by making them retake classroom assessments until they correctly answer all questions -- then let them proceed to the next chapter or section.
• Make sure your teachers are sending positive messages about mathematics in the classroom. What they say has an enormous impact on student attitudes about math. ("It's bad when teachers have negative attitudes about math -- it transfers to the students.")
• Don't abandon those multiplication time tables! The foundational skills are essential and should be emphasized in elementary school.
  
• Teachers need to be able to explain things in different ways and be patient with students who need additional support.

It's Conference Time

Starting today, hundreds of Washington state principals, assistant principals and interns will converge on downtown Vancouver for the Association's fall conference. This event is designed by and for the component levels; members from the elementary, middle and high school boards planned the program around the needs of each grade band.

Today, the boards will meet and in the afternoon, a pre-conference with a special emphasis on the teaching and learning of mathematics will kick-off. Leading this afternoon's session is Teresa Baldwin, superintendent of the neighboring Washougal School District. Baldwin has compiled a great group of high school students from around the area to talk about their views about math. Then participants will break up into their respective grade groupings and tackle challenges specific to elementary, middle and high schools. More on that in a future post.

Then, tomorrow morning, the conference will get rolling with our keynote speaker, education researcher Andrew Hargreaves. Hargreaves is the Thomas Moore Brennan Chair in Education at the Lynch School of Ed in Boston. You can read more about him on his Web page.

All in all, should be a great start to things today.

Tuesday Tidbits - Oct. 9, 2007

Here's today's Tuesday Tidbits in K-12 education with a decidedly tech theme:

• The Los Angeles Unified School District has launched a new campaign to lower dropout rates by using the Internet -- particularly sites like YouTube and MySpace. According to the state of California, one in four of the district's 200,000 high school students dropped out of school in 2006.
  
• In a related note, the Toppenish School District has also launched an online school program, also aimed at dropouts. According to the article in this morning's Yakima Herald-Republic, the program will offer a free online curriculum aligned to state standards and will include home visits and tutoring from state-certified teachers.
  
• Let's just keep the online theme going: Walla Walla Public Schools' online grade program is giving families one more way to connect with schools. The online service allows parents to log in and view middle and high school grades, including information about how students performed on specific assignments. Today's Union-Bulletin praises the tool in an editorial.
  

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

In the vein of "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Grader" comes the online quiz, "Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?"

Amazingly (to me and, probably, to my eighth-grade science teacher) I did pass this little quiz; see my badge of honor below. The questions cover a range of content from photosynthesis to physics. And you can review the answer sheet at the conclusion of the "exam."

What's most interesting is that this is not a science-related site, but rather an Internet dating service called Just Say Hi. Not sure what an online dating site and science quizzes have in common. They have several other online quizzes, too (How Addicted to Coffee Are You? and The Germ Quiz -- How Many Germs Are There On Your Keyboard may also be worth a click.)

A fun diversion, anyway, amidst the heightened focus on math and science these days.

More Snow Days Ahead?

Difficult as it may be to fathom snowy weather and cold temps on this crisp, golden day in September, the weather wizards are already speculating about this winter.

According to weather experts at the University of Washington, western Washington may receive more snowfall this winter due to the La Nina effect. This cooling of the Pacific Ocean means we'll have more rainfall and varying temps in the coming months, researchers said. These conditions can mean more snow.

Last year, a series of bad weather instances -- ranging from wind storms and flooding to ice and snow -- dragged out the school year for many schools on the western half of the state until the end of June.

Did the weather disruptions affect planning for this school year? Does your school plan to do anything different to handle inclement weather as a result of lessons learned last year?

A Place for My Stuff

Like slide rulers and chalkboards, the school locker is quickly becoming a relic of school days gone by. Safety concerns, noise issues, constantly forgotten combos and the occasional student prank may all have contributed to the decline of the metal storage closets in today's modern schools.

The problem is, students still have all that, well, stuff. (Turns out George Carlin was right.) And a backpack can only handle so much.

Case in point: At Seattle's newest high school, a $67 million redesign of Cleveland High did not include lockers. However, given the amount of sporting equipment, books and other supplies students must tote, the school is rethinking the lack of storage. According to an article in this week's Seattle Weekly, 500 new lockers will be brought in to help stem the tide of bad backs and lost items.

So, about all that stuff: Does your school still have lockers? Or if yours doesn't, how are you helping students manage their school stuff? Extra classroom storage? (Bigger backpacks?)

And, if you don't have lockers, has not having them cut down on related problems?

New Face in School Safety at OSPI

The state department of education announced today that Tyson Vogeler is the new program supervisor for school safety and security. Vogeler has previously worked in the Naselle and Elma school districts and, according to OSPI, has extensive experience in working with at-risk youth.

In his new role at OSPI, Vogeler will be working on a new grant to enhance school safety planning (including the Prepared Response school mapping project AWSP has been involved with) and a new school gang task force.

The End of No Child Left Behind?

Well, in name, at least.

Today's Washington Post reports that Congress is considering a new name for the now infamous No Child Left Behind Act:

One reason, said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), a key sponsor of the original bill that transformed K-12 education in the country by ushering in an era of high-stakes standardized testing, is that "No Child" is inextricably linked to Bush. And Bush, he said, has become unpopular.

Furthermore, he said, people simply don't like the name.

"People find it an incredible insult [to suggest] that we are deliberately leaving children behind," he said.

Marian Wright Edelman, president of the nonprofit Children's Defense Fund, isn't a big fan of the name either. According to the Post, Edelman supports the change because it borrows from the CDF's own federally registered trademark, Leave No Child Behind.

Let's say Congress invited you to their focus group. What would you rename the act? And as an added bonus, they want you to name one major change you'd make to the law, on behalf of principals. What would you recommend?

One More [Post] for the Road

One last post for the week. The nonprofit Partnership for Learning has a newly redesigned Web site that is definitely worth clicking around.

AWSP has worked with the Partnership, or "PFL", for many years now on campaigns to inform principals, teachers, parents, students, lawmakers, the media and the general public about changes in the state's education system and the ongoing improvements in student achievement. Be sure to take a tour of their new site, which includes their new public service announcements about why math matters -- part of their college and work readiness campaign.

You can find PFL online at http://partnership4learning.org.

Caution: Light Blogging Ahead

AWSP will be in "The Palm Springs of Washington" (Yakima) Thursday and Friday of this week for fall board meetings. These are always great venues for new blog post ideas, but probably not until next week.

Educational CEOs

Like fathers, blondes and next-door neighbors, principals have acquired a certain stereotyped status in movies and on TV. The mischaracterizations usually fall toward the inept (think Principal Skinner on The Simpsons) or the controlling (a la Ed Rooney in Ferris Bueller's Day Off). The reality is, few people know or understand what principals really do.

That's what makes this NPR piece noteworthy. Reporter Larry Abramson highlights some of the challenges facing today's "educational CEOs" hitting on the increasing number of retirements and mounting pressure to raise student achievement. It's a short story, but it's a refreshing take on the reality of the principal's office.

How would you characterize your role as a school administrator? Are you an educational CEO? Or are you an instructional leader? Both? Something in between?

Edublogs

Naturally, we here at The Comp Book were disappointed that Edutopia overlooked our little contribution to the blogosphere. However, you can't really knock any of their suggestions for Edublogs [They] Love: Ten Top Stops for Internet Interaction.

Are there any education blogs you read regularly that you would like to have seen on this list? Let us know! (You can post a comment to Edutopia's site if you beg to differ with their list, too.)

ZIP Codes and Healthy Communities (Yes, That Includes Schools)

For years, income has been used to predict test scores and student achievement. Now comes a new study that may throw another factor into the mix: property values.

In an article published in today's Seattle P-I, researchers at the U.W. have identified disparities in obesity rates based on ZIP codes. Property values, the researchers concluded, are a strong predictor of obesity. Each additional $100,000 in median home value for a ZIP code corresponded with a drop in obesity of 2 percentage points, the story noted.

In looking at the map that ran with today's story, it's tempting to wonder how student achievement might factor into this analysis of health and healthy habits? Would we find high achievement in communities at greater risk for obesity?

It's worth a look, particularly in light of SB 5093, the newly created Comprehensive School Health Task Force. This new commission was created in the last legislative session to The task force is currently seeking input from the school community on the following two questions:

• What is the most critical area of school health that should be addressed by the task force?
  
• What are examples of model programs or policies that could be expanded through legislative action?

In discussions at AWSP, staff concluded the task force should examine schools as a community resource and review existing programs for possible enhancement. Many schools serve meals year-round. How healthy are those meals? And could other services -- medical, dental and mental health resources -- also be offered at the school to build a stronger community? Take a look at the Parent Information and Resource Center grant just implemented by the folks at Blue Ridge Elementary in Walla Walla. What could this sort of thing do for other schools?

Better yet, what could it do for this map? What do you think?

Tuesday Tidbits - Sept. 11, 2007

In today's Tuesday Tidbits:

• OMG! Check out this USA Today article, confirming what many adults have suspected (and might also be a tad guilty of - LOL!): texting is affecting student writing habits.
  
• Testify: AWSP President Charlene Milota (assistant principal, Salk Middle, Spokane P.S.) joined four other ed association presidents Monday to testify before the Task Force on Basic Education Finance. Milota underscored the need for a new system that was both equitable and flexible for public schools in Washington state. She was joined by reps from the Washington State School Directors' Association, Washington Education Association, Washington Association of School Administrators and the Public School Employees of Washington.
  
• It's almost as bad as texting: The K-12 world is being taken to task for its abbreviations, which create verbal barriers for non-educator types (i.e., parents). While every industry has its own lingo, education seems to be brimming with these alphabet soup nicknames. NCLB, AYP, WASL, FERPA, NERCs, ESL, ELL -- let me count the ways...
  

Noblis Award at Rogers High

Day two of my first week of school photo outings.

Today, AWSP Executive Director Gary Kipp and I had the pleasure of visiting John R. Rogers High in Puyallup, where Principal Scott Brittain and his school played host to a national awards ceremony. This event was the first of two media events taking place today to honor Washington state as the winner of the 2007 Noblis Innovative Award for Homeland Security. You can read the full press release here about the award, which recognizes our state's efforts in the school mapping technology. (AWSP has been the link to schools in the mapping process.) In addition to hosting Gov. Gregoire, Supt. Bergeson and several current and former legislators, there were a host of first responder officials (fire, police, sheriff's office and Washington State Patrol) on hand to celebrate.

The event began with a Q&A session with the governor in the school library. Unfortunately, events like these are on ultra-tight timelines, and in reality, there was barely time for one question. But two were asked, and each was posed by a principal in the Puyallup School District: Zeiger Elementary Principal Marc Brouillet and Ferrucci Junior High Principal Aileen Baxter. Their questions focused on the need for improved funding of school safety and mental health detection for students.

The second and more festive portion of the event was a pep assembly, wherein 1,800 students, plus staff and all of the invited guests gathered for the presentation of the award. It was hot and it was crowded, but all in all, it was a nice event. There is nothing like a high school assembly to get you energized for the day! Principal Brittain did a wonderful job of setting the tone, and I was impressed by how attentive the students were, despite having to sit for a very long time (a third of them on the floor -- sorry, sophomores) listening to adults.

I mentioned that Rogers is a school of about 1,800 students; five junior highs filter into this high school. So managing the campus has got to be a huge job. Fortunately, the culture they've developed at Rogers goes a long way toward ensuring a safe and friendly atmosphere, something you noticed right away when you first walk on campus.

When we arrived today, were met and escorted by a handful of juniors and seniors, known as the Rodgers High “Rambassadors” (complete with spiffy embroidered blue polo shirts and khaki pants). Now, today was a special day, so you would expect a little extra polish on things. Except these students are a part of the every day routine of the school, serving as tour guides and backup help at school events . Having them there underscored the welcoming nature of the school and the tone they are striving to hit with all who work and visit there. And that sense of welcoming and security, coupled with the award-winning school mapping technology, is what really helps everyone feel safe, and connected, at school.

All in all, another great day!

Back in the Saddle Again

Today marks the first day of school for many districts in western Washington. I was privileged enough to spend today's "first day" touring four schools in the Highline School District, meeting our members and getting a feel for today's schools. I was not disappointed!

The first school I visited has actually turned into three. The district has moved to an academy model, first at Tyee High and now at Evergreen High, where I met Eric Hong, principal of the Technology, Engineering and Communications School and Vic Anderson, principal of the Arts and Academic Academy. Both were gracious enough to let me shadow them for the morning as they visited classrooms and interacted with students. As Eric pointed out, having 350 students will allow him more time to get to know each student better this year. Each of the three academies at the Evergreen High campus will eventually have about 400 students.

My second visit was to the beautiful new Hazel Valley Elementary. This brand new school is incredibly inviting and the students there all seemed to be settling into the new year well. There I met new principal Johnathan Letcher, who was busy making the rounds to classrooms. (On his suit coat, he wore a name tag with "PRINCIPAL" in large red letters.) In this photo, he's asking first-graders why they are at school. The answer: "TO LEARN!" they responded enthusiastically.

My third visit was to one of my own alma maters, Sylvester Middle School. Principal Vicki Fisher gave me a quick tour of the main building, which boasts a hallway that is a half-mile long. With 800+ students, it's probably a good thing, too. This is Vicki's second year at Sylvester, having spent her previous administrative time at the elementary level. Vicki also help me navigate the day's first lunch crowd, which was really fun to watch.

In each of these schools, there was an enthusiasm you just can't replicate sitting at the desk. The first day of school is something to be experienced, and I appreciate the opportunity to share today with these members, their staff and students. Let's hope the energy of the first day carries into the rest of the school year for everyone!

How did the first day go in your school?

SIDE NOTE: Today The Comp Book hits the century mark! This post is our 100th post since starting this blog last spring, and the first of what we hope are 100s more to come.

Tuesday Tidbits - Sept. 4

Today is Tuesday, so technically it's time for another installment of Tuesday Tidbits. However, given the long holiday weekend, it really feels like a Monday. (But we digress...)

Here's a round-up of some of the smaller, but still noteworthy, tidbits making news today about K-12 education:

• SETTLED: Everett Public Schools announced late last week that it had settled a lawsuit with two former student editors at Everett High. In fall 2005, the students objected to the principal's request to review the paper, The Kodak, which they believed was a public forum -- and thus not subject to review. This incident was one of several that inspired legislation this past session to remove principal oversight of student publications; the bill died but may be resurrected in the Legislature in 2008. You can read the district's press release here and the Everett Herald piece on it here. Who won in the settlement? You be the judge. Bottom line for AWSP: More must be done to help administrators, students and journalism advisers understand their respective roles in student press issues.
  
• ON HOLD: The issue of cell phones in schools continues to vex administrators. Today's Seattle Times takes a look at the struggle administrators and teachers find themselves in, balancing instructional needs with safety concerns and the distraction factor.
  
• DEBATABLE: How should teachers be graded? That's the debate shaping up in Congress right now, given the reauthorization of NCLB. As of last winter, 17 percent of U.S. school districts did not expect to meet the June 2007 deadline for highly qualified teachers, according to this story in today's Christian Science Monitor.

As always, your thoughts on any of the above are welcome!

WASL: Drinking from the Fire Hose

Today's WASL score release by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction further underscores the incredible amount of testing data available. "Like drinking from a fire hose," quipped KING 5's Glenn Farley, reporting at noon on today's announcement. His analogy is not far from the truth.

In the wake of NCLB, the good news is, you have more data. The bad news is...you have more data.

So what do you do with it all? That's the question newsrooms around the state are grappling with right now. How do you tell a numbers story when you (1) can't see the test or (2) the test results and (3) school, in some areas, has not started? This is perhaps where principals can be a good resource for their local media -- and share some good news about what's working in schools. Conversely, this is also a time when some principals will also have to be honest about what isn't working. Still, it's another opportunity to get your message across -- even just to your staff, students and families, about your instructional priorities for the year.

How have you communicated the results of WASL scores in your school? What do you do with your staff to distill all of the WASL information? How are you using it to improve classroom instruction?

Washington's SAT Scores

An update on yesterday's post about the slight decline in SAT scores nationally (down one point in reading to 502; three in writing to 494 and to 515 in math).

According to a story in today's Seattle P-I, Washington state students who took the college entrance exam only saw their collective scores drop two points by comparison. In our state, the average scores were 526 in reading, 510 in writing and 531 in math. A detailed, state-by-state report is also available online, which allows a more in-depth look at the data for the 34,638 students who sat for the SAT. For example:

• In math, boys still outscore the girls, this time by 34 points (provided my math is correct).
• There were 31 freshmen who took the test and 493 seniors
• 67 percent of our state's testers were white; 13 percent were Asian, Asian American or Pacific Islander. Four percent were Black or African American. Three percent identified themselves as Mexican or Mexican American and 2 percent said they were Hispanic, Latino or Latin American.
• 44 percent took the PSAT as a junior and 29 percent never took the PSAT at all.
• The mean grade point average for the test-takers: 3.41.

There's a great breakdown of coursework by gender and SAT grade that's worth a closer look. Fifty-eight percent of test-takers reported taking four years of mathematics (44 percent of boys and 58 percent of girls). There's data for English, natural sciences, social sciences and history, too.

Tuesday Tidbits - Aug. 28

Each Tuesday, AWSP will try to capture some of the smaller, but still noteworthy, items making news in the K-12 world. Here's today's tidbits:

• The College Board today announced the scores for the class of 2007, the largest and most diverse class of SAT takers on record. Nearly 1.5 million students in the class of 2007 took the test and students of color comprised nearly four out of 10 test-takers. As for the scores:
  
• The average score in reading (502) declined one point from last year.
  
• The average score in mathematics and writing declined by three points each, as well, bringing the average scores to 515 and 494 respectively.
  
• Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup releases its 39th annual poll of the public's attitudes toward public schools today. You can read the full report here, which offers seven implications and lessons for leaders (politicians and educators alike). Among the highlights:
  
• For the first time since they started asking the question in 2003, 54 percent of respondents say they know "a great deal or a fair amount" about NCLB.
• Is this gain in knowledge affecting people's perceptions of schools? PDK/Gallup found that as public knowledge of NCLB grows, the public's view of NCLB is becoming less favorable.
• A new study released this week by the University of Washington's Harborview Medical Center suggests that a nationwide push to install automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools may not be worth the cost. The study, which was published Monday in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, suggests putting AEDs in high schools or pinpointing schools where students and staff have medical problems. According to the AP story in today's Seattle Times:

  The survey of emergency response to schools in the Seattle area over 16 years found that students suffered cardiac arrests only 12 times and a third of these children had known heart problems.
  
  Most of the cardiac arrests at schools between 1990 to 2005 involved adults — teachers, volunteers or people just walking on school property. And they occurred much more often in high schools and middle schools than elementary schools.

La Cima Leadership Camp - VIDEO!

At today's AWSP quarterly staff meeting, Student Leadership Director Susan Fortin gave a recap of the summer programs. Summer is her super busy time of the year, so it's always fun to hear how things went, especially at some of our newer events like Mascot CheerLeadership Camp and Bilingual Leadership Camp.

The La Cima Bilingual Leadership Camp is one of the newer programs (this is the second year). It's aimed at developing the leadership skills of Latino students. With each year, the camp gets a little better and grows a little more in attendance. About 50 middle and high school students attended the camp this year at Chewelah Peak Learning Center, located about an hour north of Spokane.

As often happens with leadership camps, the people who are there and experience the fun return home full of fun stories and enthusiasm. But unless you were there, it's a little hard to sympathize or share in that fun. That's why video has become such a powerful medium.

Fortunately for AWSP, one of our Leadership Camp alumni is a filmmaker. Brad McLaughlin took some time to go up to the camp this summer and has pulled together some initial video. Unfinished or not, you can really see how much fun these students had at camp!

Putting Some English on School Improvement.

Let's say you're the principal of a very successful elementary school. Staff is great. Kids are doing well. Things are generally great. Would you increase your current workload to help a similar, though less well-performing school? Leave your building for a part of each week? And take your assistant principal with you, too? (Note: there is a stipend for the effort.)

If you have a moment, fish the Aug. 1 issue of Education Week out of your reading pile. It's worth taking a glance at page 8 and their focus on world learning. Accessing the article online requires a free registration-- or use of your existing one -- but Lynn Olson's article ("In England, Top 'Heads' Oversee Two Schools at Once") gives another perspective on how principals in some successful schools in England are helping their colleagues (and the students) in struggling schools through a privately funded initiative. It's particularly intriguing in light of our own school improvement efforts at AWSP and in Washington state.

Here's the gist of it: High-performing head teachers -- the equivalent of American principals -- are paired with low-performing schools with similar characteristics. It's part of an initiative in England known as National Leaders in Education (NLE) /National Support Schools (NSS), operated by the National College for School Leadership, a private entity that reads more like a corporation than a traditional institution of higher education. You can read their goals and corporate plan online.

The scope of work apparently varies from school to school depending on the nature of the contract between the "NLEs", their school and the local school district.The program started in 2006 with 68 schools and a second cadre of 59 schools has been added. NLEs in the first cohort were paid approximately $10,000 for their work.

Lawrence Montagu, the head teacher at St. Peter's High School and Sixth Form in Gloucester, is one of the NLEs mentioned in the story. His perspective largely tracks with AWSP's own role in the state's school improvement efforts:

"You take into the school a vision of what's made your school successful," he said, "but do not tell them that's the way to do it. I think to transport one school to another is a recipe for disaster."

Take a read and let us know what you think. Should we broaden our efforts in Washington state and incorporate more of the NCSL program into ours? As a principal of a low-performing school, would you welcome this sort of help? As the principal of a high-performing school, ould you do this if you could?

Read any good books lately?

According to a new Associated Press-Ipsos poll, only one in four Americans has in the last year.

Or, put another way, three in four Americans have NOT read a single book in the last year.

Given everything on their "to do" lists, most principals will not find this terribly shocking. In an age of media overload, reading a book has become a rare treat for people already swimming in e-mail, snail mail, soccer practice, extended family obligations and everything else in between. And per the poll, the fact that you're reading this means you're contributing to the malaise:

Analysts attribute the listlessness to competition from the Internet and other media, the unsteady economy and a well-established industry with limited opportunities for expansion.

So who's included in that 27 percent who haven't read a book? Deeper analysis by the pollsters said a third of men and a third of women count in that category. They tend to be older, less educated, have lower incomes, minorities, from rural areas and are less religious. But take heart: people in the West and Midwest are more than likely to have read a book in the past year. And "many in the survey reported reading dozens of books and said they couldn't do without them."

At AWSP, we're doing our part to help the curve. We know several principals have read books this past year, because they're participating in our book reviews for The Principal News magazine. For the past two years, our business partner, University Book Store, has generously donated several books for our members to read (and keep) and review in each issue. This fall's titles include The World is Flat, The Freedom Writers Diary and A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Informational Age to the Conceptual Age.

So, have you read any good books this past year? Or are you sympathizing with the polling data? And what message, if any, does this send to students?

Tuesday Tidbits

Each Tuesday, AWSP will try to capture some of the smaller, but still noteworthy, items making news in the K-12 world.

Today's Tuesday Tidbits include:

• The Professional Educator Standards Board will meet in Yakima on Wednesday, Sept. 12. Included in their agenda will be a 30-minute panel discussion on "the effects of collective bargaining agreements and local hiring practices on teacher assignment." Panelists include AWSP's own executive director, Gary Kipp, along with Jim Meadows of the WEA; Kevin Chase, superintendent, Grandview School District; and Missy Hallead, executive director of human resources, Vancouver School District. This meeting is open to the public.
  
• OSPI will host a K-20 today from 2 - 4 p.m. on communicating the AYP and WASL results this fall. Space is limited so be sure to call the site ahead of time. More information is on the AWSP Web site.
• Don't forget to vote! Today is primary election day in Washington state. Ballots must be postmarked by today, Aug. 21, 2007. Secretary of State Sam Reed's office has created these great e-mail reminders and MySpace vote reminders to spread the word among social media users (and perhaps a younger demographic of voters). According to Reed's press release, only 34 percent of eligible voters will cast ballots in this election.
  

College Rankings

Although the K-12 world often shies away from school comparisons, it's hard to not at least peek at U.S News and World Report's rankings of "America's best colleges."

Oh, there are a lot of familiar names amid the top 25 -- Princeton garnered the number one ranking followed by Harvard and Yale (sure to incite some Ivy smackdowns). In terms of Washington's schools, the University of Washington came in tied for 11th among public universities and 42nd among all universities in the country. Washington State University also made the overall list, tied for 118th with Samford University (AL) and University at Buffalo (SUNY). Peruse the full list for yourself and let the office/home bragging rights begin.

The list our state should be particularly proud of, though, is the magazine's ranking of the top schools for master's degree programs. That's where Washington really shines, with whopping 11 of the 55 spots (58 if you include the ties). Here's how that list shook out:

• Gonzaga (3rd)
• Seattle U. (6th)
• Whitworth (9th)
• Pacific Lutheran University (13th)
• Seattle Pacific University (14th)
• Western Washington University (17th)
• The Evergreen State College (27th)
• Walla Walla University (nee College) (29th)
  
• Central Washington University (43rd)
  
• Eastern Washington University (44th)
  
• Saint Martin's University (tied with three others at 58th)
  

With this announcement coming out today, the magazine's Web site is about as slow as I-5 between Spokane St. and I-90. Needless to say, there's lots of fodder for office water coolers everywhere.

Riding the Audit Trail

AWSP was recently invited to attend a meeting on the status of our state's K-12 performance audits. These audits are the result of I-900, which passed in 1995, requiring independent audits of all state and local governments. ESDs were the first entity in the K-12 system to undergo the audits. No publish date yet on the findings from those audits.

Next up: the state's 10 largest school districts. This includes:

• Seattle P.S.
• Tacoma P.S.
• Spokane P.S.
• Kent S.D.
• Evergreen P.S.
• Lake Washington S.D.
• Federal Way S.D.
• Vancouver S.D.
• Puyallup S.D.
• Edmonds S.D.
  

At the meeting, representatives from the State Auditor's office and the independent audit group, Cotton & Company, discussed this next phase. Cotton lists K-12 audits as one of its areas of expertise.

According to Lou Adams, the state's K-12 performance manager, there are two dozen program areas that will be examined, including district business offices, transportation and food services, instructional technology and professional development. Each audit will look at the efficiency and economy of each district's administrative operations, including:

• Gaps, overlaps in programs or services
• The feasibility of pooling technology systems
• Recommendations for regulatory changes to better allow districts to carry out their functions.

Site work is expected to run from Oct. 8 - Nov. 16 and the audit teams will spend one week in each of the 10 districts, save for Seattle. Results are expected in the spring of 2008.

ESDs and big districts have been put under the microscope with this initiative, came one question, so "what about OSPI?"

"They are on the radar screen," Adams said.

Tweens, Teens and Technology

According to a new study out by the National School Boards Association:

Online social networking is now so deeply embedded in the lifestyles of tweens and teens that it rivals television for their attention.

Nine- to 17-year-olds report spending almost as much time using social networking services and Web sites as they do watching television. That pencils out to about nine hours a week on social networking and 10 hours a week watching TV, the study found.

It's worth noting this research was funded by three companies with a vested interest in teen and tween communication habits: Microsoft, Verizon and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. And while it confirms some things most people assume (young people are highly engaged in using technology) it also raises questions about ways schools might engage otherwise disconnected kids. So-called "nonconformists" -- students who step outside of online safety behavior rules -- seem to have

an "extraordinary" set of traditional and 21st century skills, including communication, creativity, collaboration and leadership skills and technology proficiency. Yet they are significantly more likely than other students to have lower grades, which they report as 'a mix of Bs and Cs,' or lower than, other students.

Interestingly, almost 60 percent of the students suing social networking say they talk about education topics online, and more than 50 percent talk specifically about schoolwork. But, the study points out, "the vast majority" of school districts have stringent rules against nearly all forms of social networking during the school day.

Among the other key findings of the poll:

• More than one in four school districts (27 percent) say their schools participate in a structured teacher/principal online community.
• Districts that report that their parents are influential in technology decision making are more active in social networking (71 percent vs 59 percent in districts with low parental influence).
  
• 96 percent of school districts say that at least some of their teachers assign homework requiring Internet use.

Have you ever used a social networking site? How is your school dealing with social networking among students?

Tested

Right now, educators are preparing for the first day of the new school year and the annual WASL and AYP announcements. Perhaps that's why the piece in today's USA Today jumped off the page.

The paper carries an interview with former Washington Post reporter Linda Perlstein, the author of a new book about No Child Left Behind and student testing. Curious about the real effects of NCLB, Perlstein spent an academic year at Tyler Heights Elementary, a high-poverty school in Annapolis, Maryland. Her findings are detailed in her new book, Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the Grade.

Interviewer Gregg Toppo talks with her about the book and about testing:

Q: Reading your account of a teacher dropping nonsense words into lessons to prep for their appearance on a vital speed-reading test, I thought about Thoreau's warning against becoming "the tools of our tools." What is wrong with this picture?

A: The teacher wanted her kindergartners to be prepared for their assessment, which makes sense. Kids should learn to sound out letter combinations whether or not they make actual words. But she would have preferred to use that time teaching her kids real vocabulary.

Take a look at the interview and read the excerpt from her book. Do you agree with Perlstein's analysis of the impact of NCLB on teaching and learning? Would you let a reporter undertake the same project in your school?

Education Funding Task Force

Last Friday, Gov. Gregoire announced a new task force to develop a plan for school funding in Washington state. You can read the entire press release here. The entire panel will eventually consist of 14 members, five of which are appointed by the governor. They include:

• Dan Grimm of Puyallup has been appointed as chair to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Grimm is the Director of Doughty Hanson & Co.
• Cheryl Chow of Seattle has been appointed to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Chow is the president of Seattle School District board of directors and is a long-time educator with teaching, administration and state agency experience.
• Bette Hyde of Bremerton has been appointed to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Hyde is the superintendent of the Bremerton School District and was a member of the Washington Learns K – 12th advisory committee.
• Jim Kowalkowski of Davenport has been appointed to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Kowalkowski is the superintendent of the Davenport School District and the executive director of the Rural Education Center at Washington State University.
• Laurie Dolan of Olympia has been appointed as the representative from the Office of the Governor/Office of Financial Management to a term effective immediately, ending in December 2008. Dolan is the director of the Executive Policy Office for Governor Gregoire and spent 30 years working for Spokane Public Schools.
  

Additional task force members will be selected from the House and Senate Democratic and Republican caucuses. State Superintendent Terry Bergeson will also serve on the panel.

Generation Net: Unplugged

And you thought Gilligan had it rough.

(No phone, no lights, no motor cars. Not a single luxury!)

Try no electronic media for 24 hours.

No cell phones, regular phones, iPods/MP3 players, computers, Internet access, blogs or TV.

For one whole day.

To give you some perspective on the upcoming generation of young adults (read: future teachers and principals), take a look at this Washington Post article written by Danna L. Walker. Walker is an adjunct professor of journalism in the School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C. Last spring, she put forward this e-blackout challenge to the students in her "Understanding Mass Media" course. As a sign of solidarity, Walker said she would participate in the e-fast, too. She noted their initial response in her article:

"No cellphones?" they asked in pleading voices, looking around at one another with wide eyes and open mouths.

"How are cellphones media?" another student protested, but she could sense that resistance was futile.

Now, to some, this may sound like heaven on earth. But for today's wired "Net generation," it's seemingly the quite the opposite. As Walker observed:

The 50 young women and men in my class at AU are what are called digital natives or "millennials," those born between 1980 and 2000, many of whom graduated from high school as the 21st century dawned. Researchers say they will constitute the largest generation in American history, outnumbering baby boomers by as much as 33 percent.

Millennials grew up thinking that computers were as much a part of the family room furniture as my generation thought televisions were. While we boomers have had to change our thinking entirely from its static analog map of reality, their generation has always been comfortable with the malleable, non-physical terrain of electronic networks. They started life with VCRs and CDs and led the charge to digital video and MP3s. They were the first generation to link up through cellphones and instant messages. Personal computers came of age as they were born, and they grew up with the World Wide Web and e-mail, not to mention Nintendo, Game Boy, Sony PlayStation, GameCube and Xbox. They are the demographic that marketers love to court, but they can be elusive to advertisers tied to old media.

The results of this one-day loose experiment offer a revealing glimpse of not only this generation, but of the reach of technology in our daily lives.

Most Prestigious Occupations

The research crew at Harris Interactive is out with the results of a new poll today that puts teachers in the mix of the six "most prestigious occupations."

According to Harris, half of U.S. adults polled by telephone between July 10 and 16 identified six occupations as having "very great" prestige: firefighters (61%), scientists (54%), teachers (54%), doctors (52%), military officers (52%), and nurses (50%). They are followed by police officers (46%) priests/ministers/clergy (42%) and farmers (41%).

Interestingly, the perception of teachers in this poll has risen significantly -- by 25 points from 29 to 54 percent -- in the 30 years since the poll was first started. Athletes, by contrast, have fallen 10 points from 26 to 16 percent. Some other established professions have also seen declines, including scientists (down 12 points), doctors (nine points), bankers (seven points) and entertainers (six points).

Principals, though not mentioned specifically in the mix, should take pride in these findings. After all, where do principals come from?

As the AWSP Executive Board discussed yesterday at its annual planning retreat, the development of principals, particularly principals of color, is largely dependent on the number of students who see teaching as professional calling. Therefore, the more that can be done to model teaching as a positive profession, the greater the opportunity for more young people to enter the profession and, perhaps, take the next step into educational administration.

In case you were wondering: the five occupations perceived by one-quarter or more of adults to have "hardly any prestige at all include stockbrokers (25%), union leaders (30%), entertainers (31%), real estate brokers (34%) and actors (38%).

Inbox Zero

For many principals, finding a way to tame the animal that is the inbox is an ongoing struggle. That's where the philosophy of Inbox Zero might come in handy. Created by writer/blogger Merlin Mann, it's a straightforward way of processing and managing the e-mayhem that has quietly taken over many people's lives.

The goal: zero e-mail in your inbox.

Intrigued?

Mann recently gave a Google Tech Talk about the Inbox Zero system. It takes about 30 minutes to view the formal part of his presentation (there is a Q& A for the last 30 minutes), which makes some pretty compelling points:

Today I feel like the only way you are going to succeed at a job...one of the most important soft skills you can have is figuring out how to deal with a high volume of e-mail.

The two most precious natural resources you've got are your time and your attention. They're both finite and they're both irreplaceable.

A lot of people are living in their inboxes...They leave their e-mail open all day long...it's auto-checking throughout the day. Little blips and e-mail becomes the nexus for everything they do at work.

There is no better way to have your time burgled than not having a healthy relationship with your e-mail.

Principals may not be able to apply all of his concepts to their inboxes, but there are some tips that can easily be put into practice (like the two-minute reply, spending time to address an issue immediately rather than allowing the message to junk up your inbox). It's worth trying, particularly if your inbox runneth over...And your time does not.

Tech Conference for Educators

Attention all tech-savvy principals!

(Yes, that's YOU!)

The National Association of Elementary School Principals is co-sponsoring the T+L Conference Oct. 17-19 in Nashville, Tenn., in what's billed as the largest annual educational technology event. Although we would not want to discourage anyone from attending AWSP's Principal's Conference that same week in Vancouver, Wash., this does sound like a great opportunity for school leaders with an interest in technology.

The event (we assume the T&L stands for technology and leadership) is being hosted by the National School Boards Association's Technology Leadership Network. According to the conference Web site, the event will focus on six big tech ideas, including "21st Century Skills" for students and educators alike.

With 75,000 new blogs and 200,00 MySpace pages being created every day (per Technorati), today's students, and to some extent, younger administrators, expect the world to be interactive.

What are you doing to keep your own technology skills up to speed? How about those of your staff?

Touchy-Feely Crap

You read that correctly.

Tumwater High Principal Scott Seaman (green shirt, right) knows how to get his staff meetings off to a great start. And this morning, on Day 2 of the AWSP New Principals' and Assistant Principals' Workshop, he cut to the chase about those often dreaded meetings: Make people do touchy-feely crap. Because, as Scott astutely observed, "nobody likes to do touchy-feely crap."

What better way, then, to break down barriers and get people out of their comfort zone?

Touchy-feely crap, of course!

Scott and his assistant principal, Penny Therrein, spent about an hour this morning helping new administrators think about ways to better engage staff and encourage teamwork by leading them in some really fun (and appropriate) "touchy-feely crap" exercises. And man, were they a hit! Three of the myriad offered this morning: eyeball tag and good ol' musical chairs.

Eyeball tag (photo at right) is as simple as this: Everyone at the table looks at the ground. On the count of the leader, everyone looks up and must look at someone else. If that same person you are looking at is also looking at you, you're out. This encourages people to meet others and also breaks the ice.

With musical chairs (below), one seat is removed from the table or group, then one person stands in the middle and calls out something they did recently. In today's example, the theme was "something I did this summer." Examples today included "I moved!" or "I went camping!" If you did that activity this summer, you scrambled to change seats. Last one standing calls the next activity. The game can be called off at any time -- but you should allow enough exchanges for everyone to get to know a little bit more about each other in a fun way.

Mosquito/salmon/bear. A Pacific Northwest take on the old "rock/paper/scissors" game, participants do their best impressions of mosquitoes, bears and salmon to beat out other players. You know the order: salmon beats mosquito, bear beats salmon, etc. Have people pair off, then work in teams of fours. Work until one half the group is challenging the other (salmon team beats mosquitoes at right).

Above all else, Scott and Penny encouraged new administrators to have fun and engage others (adults and kids alike). In fact, Scott and his staff have a school motto, "Go Big! Make It Happen!" which is printed on shirts and on other materials at school.

Scott also shared some of his "keys to loving the [principalship]":

1. Never say, "At my old school..." Instead, show others you are committed to your new school.
   
2. Assume the best in others. Wouldn't you want the same treatment?
   
3. Treat everyone like professionals (with respect). From the kitchen staff to your teachers and custodial staff. "Treat them like professionals, because that's what they are," Seaman told participants.
   
4. Be visible. Interact with kids, parents. If you're on the phone when the bell rings, excuse yourself to get out into the hallways and make a connection with your students.
   
5. Apologize. A leader who can't say 'sorry' is doomed.
   

We'll post Scott's complete list to our Web site (with his permission, of course). You can e-mail him if you're interested in learning more, too.

Hello My Name Is...

This morning, about 60 new principals and assistant principals from around the state gathered at North Thurston High in Lacey for AWSP's workshop for new administrators. Some are already administrators that are simply in new schools; others are completely new to the principalship. There were individuals from P-4 schools and teams, like the all-new administrator crew from Kent-Meridian High School in the Kent School District. Rural. Urban Suburban. Big. Small. In-between.

To get things started, AWSP's Executive Director Gary Kipp asked everyone to visualize the room as the state of Washington, then asked participants to stand in the approximate areas of their schools (like the group from southwest Washington, at right). This gave everyone a sense of who may be close by, in a neighboring district, in the ESD, or way across the state. It was a great icebreaker that helped put people more at ease with all of the new faces and helped them better connect with people who they might someday call upon for advice.

Dr. Harvey Alvy, an associate professor of educational leadership at Eastern Washington University, was the day's first presenter. A co-author of the popular New Principal's Fieldbook, Alvy began by focusing on the challenges of being a new administrator. His comments focused on the importance of interpersonal communication, underscoring the value of a principal's interaction not only with students, but with adults, as well. With so much to do at the start of the school year, he cautioned, don't forget about the adults in your quest to make things right for the students. His guiding quote for the day:

"Human relations is essential to the effectiveness of this job."

In our last post, we asked what advice you for your best "back-to-school advice" for new administrators. Today, in keeping with Dr. Alvy's theme, we want to know: As an administrator, what do you do to get to know or reconnect with staff at the start of the new school year?

Mr. P's Blog: To Blog....

Mr. P's Blog: To Blog....

This is a link to DeGrazia Elementary School (AZ) Principal Steve Poling's blog. He's responding to questions from principals about blogging. Thought readers of The Comp Book might also appreciate his thoughts. Steve is also a contributor on Ed LeaderWeb.

Summer Clearance Time

If you've taken a trip to your local Target or grocery store lately, then you know what's lurking around the corner: the start of school.

Want a beach towel? Be prepared to dig in the bargain bins, because the summer fun displays are about as fleeting as your tan, with stores now sporting rows upon rows of fresh Pink Pearls and pristine Pee-Chees.

At AWSP, the pace began quickening in the last week or so in preparation for next week's New Principals and Assistant Principals Workshop and our annual membership recruitment drive in August. This also means most of our members are headed back to their offices to begin the process of preparing for the new school year. Which leads us to today's question:

What's your best "back to school" advice for new administrators? Maybe you were a new administrator last year. What do you wish you could have done differently? Or maybe you're a seasoned veteran of the profession. What's your secret to back-to-school success? We'd like to hear from you.

More Help for Principals

Yesterday, AWSP learned that it will continue its work with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction as the provider of individualized principal leadership support to administrators whose schools are in the state's School Improvement Assistance Program.

Bob Mc Mullen, AWSP's director of high school programs, has been leading this effort for the Association -- an effort that at times means several days on the road touring the state. During these site visits, he meets one-on-one with principals for 90 minutes about their individual needs as school leaders. This has been one of the more popular, though labor intensive aspects of the program. For the cohort principals, participation in the program means not only putting your school under a public microscope, but your own leadership, too.

Each principal is teamed with a mentor and participates in a "360" evaluation of their skills, meaning the administrator is systematically evaluated based on survey data gathered from a variety of sources (parents, staff, teachers, etc.). This data guides their leadership training as school leaders for the duration of their stay in the program. For some participants, some who may be geographically bound, access to this kind of individualized professional development is invaluable.

The initiative began in 2003 with a small cohort of schools that did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress under the new No Child Left Behind Act. Fast forward to this year, and the program is now working with its seventh cohort of schools, which is set to include 15 schools (a cross-section of elementary, middle, high school and alternative schools). Another five may be added before the school year begins.

To qualify for School Improvement assistance, schools must receive federal dollars. And while it's currently a volunteer program, the State Board of Education is thinking about changing that.

What do you think about this model of professional development for principals? Should it be expanded?