May
10

McDonald Signs Legislation To Help Make Virginia Students College and Career Ready

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BRISTOL – Flanked by leaders from the General Assembly, students, teachers and staff from Virginia High School in Bristol, Governor Bob McDonnell ceremonially signed into law four pieces of legislation today aimed at making students graduating from college or high school ready to enter the workforce as productive members of society. The laws support the governor’s “Opportunity to Learn” legislative agenda in this year’s General Assembly session.

“Our role as parents, educators and citizens is to ensure that our students have received the skills and training necessary to enter the workforce of the 21st century and are prepared for the careers of today and tomorrow,” Governor McDonnell said. “We are taking a large step forward in providing the skills necessary for success in our high school and college curricula. We fail our children if we do not ensure that they have the basic knowledge, training and skills necessary to compete in the complex global marketplace, and we sacrifice the futures of our young people and our country if we are not vigilant about ensuring that our diplomas prepare our students to thrive. Standing here today in front of all of these students, we may be in the presence of the next great military leader, inventor, scientist, teacher, doctor, or even governor. Our students can accomplish great things in their lifetimes so long as we give them the tools necessary to think, work and thrive in our complex world.”

Senator Frank Ruff, who sponsored legislation to enhance diploma requirements to build job skills for high school graduates, said, “There is no more significant investment we can make in our Commonwealth than to ensure that our young people, when they leave high school to enter the workforce or to go on to college, are prepared for the various career opportunities that await them.”
Delegate Kathy Byron, who sponsored this legislation in the House, added, “Our education policies must empower today’s and tomorrow’s students to pursue an academic and career pathway that leads to success – this bill provides the rigor and relevance needed in our diplomas to make that journey come true for all students.”

Delegate Tom Rust, sponsor of legislation allowing high school students to complete and associate’s degree concurrent with their high school diploma, said, “Many of today’s young minds are able to complete advanced workload while still in high school. Allowing students to complete and associate’s degree while still in high school will provide them additional options for entering the workforce, or provide them with a leg up to enter advanced-degree programs. Community colleges are a spectacular resource with which to partner to provide students with these life-changing opportunities.”

Delegate Joseph Yost, who sponsored legislation to provide character education to high school students during the summer, said, “Learning to be a productive citizen is about more than just mastering reading, writing and arithmetic. Character education to ensure our students are prepared for the difficult ethical, moral and personal decisions they will face in their lifetimes will help round out their education and allow them to get ready for the complexities of their career and personal decisions.”

These new laws will go into effect July 1, 2012 in time for the 2012-2013 school year. The Board of Education, local school divisions, and the leaders of public and private colleges and universities will be working together to develop and implement these new programs between now and July 1, when they take effect.

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May
10

Leadership Traits for Principals: The Importance of Visibility

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When you stop and reflect upon what is expected from you each and every day in your building, do you sometimes get overwhelmed?  From instruction to safety/security to helping teachers and students, responding to parent concerns, to time spent in seemingly endless meetings and nights away from home due to athletics and the list goes on.  Most of us do not take the time to review all of our roles and responsibilities as there really is little time left to do so.  Quite frankly if you did, you may wonder why you do what you do. The challenges continue daily, but so do the rewards.

Principals are aware of what is necessary and important for leadership and proper management in their school.  Effective principals all demonstrate the same general traits.

Instructional leader –  You are the go-to person regarding sound instructional practices and work hard to maintain these practices in your staff.

Create a vision –  A plan for learning is developed and you stick to it and keep it in your focus by your established practices.

Support excellent teachers and teaching – You encourage staff to participate in relevant professional development that supports the vision established by you.

Be visible -  Good building leaders are visible leaders.  The principals of earlier decades served as building managers and as facilitators, and spent much of their time in  the office. Maintaining order and overseeing the school operations were the primary functions. Instruction was important,  but it did not have the close scrutiny that administrators experience now.  Our current level of accountability in all facets of our job require that the principal is “out and about” during the school day to monitor the staff and students and to gauge the mood of the students in hallways, cafeterias, and classrooms. Student interactions may vary due just to the time of day.  Student arrival time in the mornings are especially critical times for observation by administrators. Students often bring issues to school that have developed overnight through telephone, email or the variety of social media. This early morning time can be a prime time for arguments and altercations to begin and monitoring by administrators is very important.  Class change times during the day need monitoring by administrators as well as your presence in classrooms during the day.  Students need to feel a level of comfort that comes from your visibility and your efforts to greet and speak to them.  Being visible in your building takes dedication and a commitment to get away from your paperwork and computer to put yourself “out there” with your students and staff. If visibility in your school needs a boost, then you are the one who will need to get it done. It does pay off when you see your students in the hallways and the cafeteria and they recognize you and speak to you.  Increase your visibility and you will find that it does make a change in school climate.

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May
07

Changes in Teacher Evaluation

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As all principals know, beginning July 1, teacher evaluation changes significantly. The revised evaluation model includes seven performance standards: professional knowledge; instructional planning; instructional delivery; assessment of and for student learning; learning environment; professionalism, and student academic progress. It is standard 7, student academic progress, which could change the evaluation process most dramatically.

Working with other states, Virginia has developed a method for calculating student growth percentiles. This method measures one year of growth for students in grades 4 – 8 in math and reading around SOL scores from the previous year compared to current year. Student growth percentiles will be available for about 30% of teachers. For about 70 percent of teachers, other measures of academic progress will need to be identified.

The work of the teacher should result in acceptable, measurable, and appropriate student academic progress. Multiple data sources are required as part of this process. The Virginia Department of Education (DOE) recommends a variety of data sources including student surveys, portfolios/document logs, and self-evaluation. In addition, the DOE has provided some training in establishing SMART goals, an acronym for:
•Specific – The goal is focused such as by content area and by students’ needs
•Measurable – An appropriate instrument/measure is selected to assess the goal
•Appropriate – The goal is clearly related to the role and responsibilities of the teacher
•Realistic – The goal is attainable by the teacher
•Time-bound – The goal is contained to a single school year

In PowerPoint slides on the DOE website, it is noted that one approach to linking student achievement to teacher performance involves building the capacity for teachers and their supervisors to interpret and use student achievement data to set target goals for student improvement.

These goals must focus “squarely on student performance” and must be “designed to improve student learning.” Documents go on to emphasize that student achievement goal setting involves a multi-step process. Baseline performance is established by reviewing and analyzing data. Baseline data can be reviewed individually, or in a collaborative manner with other teachers. Based on the data, the teacher decides to focus attention on student improvement.

The teacher sets an attainable goal and develops strategies that would support goal attainment. Strategies are critical to the goal setting process as they provide the means to the end, which is increased student achievement. Strategies are then implemented and student progress is monitored. At the end of the year, data is analyzed to determine whether the goal was attained.

Many school divisions are basing their evaluation of standard 7 around SMART goals. This appears to be the easiest way to address this standard. However, for school divisions taking this approach, there are some issues that need to be addressed. Developing SMART goals requires good baseline data. School divisions need to provide direction for teachers in what is appropriate to use as baseline data. Examples need to be developed to provide guidance. A process needs to be in place throughout the year that requires teachers and supervisors to check and monitor progress toward meeting the goals. Teachers and supervisors have to be very intentional about this process; otherwise, it loses its power.

One potential problem that must be addressed is how one year of growth is defined around each specific SMART goal that is created? You cannot wait until the end of the year to define one year of growth. That conversation should occur early in the goal setting process. Otherwise, you make life easier at the beginning but much more difficult at the end.

It is also important, particularly for administrators in the same building, to be consistent in helping teachers develop SMART goals as well as helping them determine appropriate data to be used in establishing the baselines. If the baseline data is weak, it will make evaluation much more difficult. There has to be validity and reliability in the process. Inconsistency in implementing standard 7 creates potential legal challenges.

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May
03

Virginia Schools Earn Student Council National Recognition

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The National Association of Student Councils (NASC), a program sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) annually recognizes student councils that consistently provide quality leadership programs, activities and services to their schools and communities.  This year, the NASC has named 190 of its member councils as 2012 National Councils of Excellence and National Gold Councils of Excellence.

Student councils are recognized for meeting NASC standards through the award criteria and councils reaching the highest levels are recognized as National Gold Councils of Excellence.  This year, Virginia has two schools recognized for having National Councils of Excellence and four that achieved recognition as National Gold Councils of Excellence.

National Councils of Excellence

C.D. Hylton Senior High School – Mr. David Cassady, Principal – Prince William County School Division

Larkspur Middle School – Mr. Matthew Delaney, Principal – Virginia Beach City School Division

National Gold Councils of Excellence

Chantilly High School – Mrs. Teresa Johnson, Principal - Fairfax County School Division

Grassfield High School – Mrs. Carolyn Bernard, Principal – Chesapeake City School Division

South Lakes High School – Mr. Bruce Butler, Principal - Fairfax County School Division

Stafford Senior High School – Mr. Joseph Lewis, Principal – Stafford County School Division

Congratulations to these school student councils, their leaders and their school principals.

 

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May
01

Evaluation Tips from a Classroom Teacher

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If you look into the near future of education in Virginia, you will see that more stringent standards and processes for teacher evaluation may soon be in place. The “40% Solution” that is being reviewed is designed to align successful student performance with classroom observation, teacher evaluation and ultimately the evaluations for building principals.  As building administrators prepare for the possible developments and changes in the process of formative assessments, it is  helpful to read about techniques used to help in assisting classroom teachers during the evaluation process.  School divisions in our nation use a variety of formats for formative evaluation and some effective actions to consider from one school are listed below.

In a recent article in the Huffington Post, an on-line news source, one practicing teacher outlined the five steps for evaluation employed by her department leader which she feels lead to her success as a teacher.  Many of these practices are ones you may already be using in your school now.

1. My evaluator has strong content knowledge and credibility, so her feedback is useful, relevant, and actionable.

2. My evaluator pops into my classroom at least 10 times a year for 10-20 minutes, unannounced, announced or invited.

3. During her observations, my evaluator looks at student work and talks with students to guage understanding.

4. The main way my evaluator gives feedback is through short, verbal conversations very soon after each observation.

5. My evaluator aims, above all, to be useful.

If you would like to review this article, you may access it at www.huffingtonpost.com/teach-plus/5-teacher-evaluation-must_be_1446778.html

 

 

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Apr
30

The 40% Solution……Stay Tuned!

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“No Board of Education meeting would be complete without some discussion of NCLB” commented the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Pat Wright at the State Board of Education’s annual retreat on April 25th. The State Board will also have to do more than discuss the response to a number of waiver requests. This week the USED made it clear that the state must do more than issue guidelines for instructional evaluations, and also must ensure that student academic progress/outcomes are a significant component of teacher and principal evaluations.

Department representatives, stakeholders, and the Board agreed when devising the evaluation documents for teachers and principals that student academic progress should be a strong component in any evaluation, and agreed on a recommendation of 40%. USED, however, responded to Dr. Wright that policy directed by guidelines was not good enough. It is now our understanding that the Board will likely amend the evaluation document to require that student academic outcomes comprise at least 40% of teacher/principal/assistant principal evaluations. Dr. Cannady, former State Superintendent and current Board member, suggested that the Board consider a proposal that division superintendents certify that student academic progress comprised at least 40% of each teacher/principal/assistant principal evaluation documentation. Dr. Wright and her team will begin new discussions with USED next week in an attempt to resolve this and other issues related to NCLB. Dr. Wright told the Board that, although the USED did not accept all of the state’s requests for a wide range of accommodations, this federal staff had proved much more amenable to negotiation and “give and take” than those in charge in the early days of NCLB.

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Apr
29

STEM Academies Increase in Virginia High Schools

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The State Board of Education took action March 26, 2012 on four requests for new STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academies to be located at Virginia high schools. These academies, when all are finally approved this spring, will bring the total of these learning opportunities to fourteen across the Commonwealth. There are currently Governor’s  STEM academies in Arlington County, Chesterfield County, Halifax County, Hampton City, Loudoun County, Richmond City, Russell County, Stafford County, Suffolk City and Carroll County. The Governor’s STEM Academies are designed to expand opportunities for the general student population to acquire STEM literacy and other critical skills, knowledge, and credentials that will prepare them for high-wage and high-skills careers.

The actions taken by the board on April 26 were:

  • Final review and approval from the Virginia Beach Public Schools to establish a Governor’s STEM Academy  for Engineering, Marketing  and Information at Landstown High School.  The three pathways included in this proposal are Engineering and Technology, Professional Sales and Web and Digital Communications.  Dr. Brian Matney, principal at Landstown High School, currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals and also represents VASSP on the Govenor’s Advisory Board for Teacher Education and Licensure (ABTEL).
  • First review for the Fairfax County Public Schools to establish a Governor’s STEM Academy at Chantilly High School and Chantilly Academy.  The two career pathways in this proposal would focus on Engineering and Technology and Network Systems.   This proposal was accepted for first review and will be acted upon during the May 24th State Board meeting.
  • First review for the Roanoke County Public Schools to establish a Governor’s STEM Academy at the Burton Center for Arts and Technology. The three career pathways in this proposal would focus on Engineering and Technology, Journalism and Broadcasting, and Facility and Mobile Equipment Maintainence. This proposal was accepted for first review and will be acted upon during the May 24th State Board meeting.
  • First review for the Chesapeake Public Schools to establish a Governor’s STEM Academy at Grassfield High School.  The three pathways in this proposal are Engineering and Technology, Programming and Software Development, and Marketing Management.  This proposal was accepted for first review and will be acted upon during the May 24th State Board meeting.  Mrs. Carolyn Bernard, principal at Grassfield High School, currently serves as President of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals.

Congratulations to the staff members and administrators of each of these high schools for their excellent presentations to the State Board at the April meeting.

 

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Apr
24

Virginia School Earns Green Ribbon Award

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Congratulations to Kevin Bezey, Principal at the Gereau Center for Applied Technology and Career Exploration in the Franklin County School Division as the recipient of the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon School award. Kevin’s school was the only secondary school in Virginia recognized for this distinction. Kevin is past president of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals and VASSP Board of Directors member. If you wish more information regarding this recognition, contact Kevin at http://gereau.frco.k12.va.us.

The announcement for this award reads as follows:

The Obama Administration Named 78 Schools in 29 States and D.C. as First-Ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was joined today by White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to announce the first-ever U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, a list including 78 schools that span 29 states and D.C.

“Science, environmental and outdoor education plays a central role in providing children with a well-rounded education, helping prepare them for the jobs of the future,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools demonstrate compelling examples of the ways schools can help children build real-world skillsets, cut school costs, and provide healthy learning environments.”

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a federal recognition program that opened in September 2011. Honored schools exercise a comprehensive approach to creating “green” environments through reducing environmental impact, promoting health, and ensuring a high-quality environmental and outdoor education to prepare students with the 21st century skills and sustainability concepts needed in the growing global economy.

“Schools that take a green approach cut costs on their utility bills, foster healthy and productive classrooms, and prepare students to thrive in the 21st century economy,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. “These Green Ribbon School award winners are taking outstanding steps to educate tomorrow’s environmental leaders, and demonstrating how sustainability and environmental awareness make sense for the health of our students and our country.”

The 78 awarded schools were named winners from among nearly 100 nominees submitted by 30 state education agencies, the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Indian Education. More than 350 schools completed applications to their state education agencies. Among the list of winners are 66 public schools including 8 charters, and 12 private schools composed of 43 elementary, 31 middle and 26 high schools with around 50 percent representing high poverty schools.

“These Green Ribbon Schools are giving students and educators what they need to maximize learning and minimize risks like asthma and other respiratory illnesses, ensuring that no child is burdened by pollution in or around their school,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Today’s winners are protecting our children’s health and opening up environmental education opportunities for students. The EPA is proud to help recognize the Green Ribbon award winners and will continue working to improve the environment of our nation’s schools and helping prepare students to succeed in the emerging green economy.”

The U.S. Department of Education’s “Green Ribbons” are one-year recognition awards.

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Apr
20

State Budget Finally Completed

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Unprecedented and unpredictable really describes much of what went on during the 2012 General Assembly Session, and the Veto Session proved to be no different. During the Session of 2012, highly publicized social legislation put Virginia on the national map and the late-night TV circuit. But almost from the first day state politicians came to Richmond in January, after power sharing was nixed in the evenly divided Senate, everyone knew that there would eventually be a showdown on the budget. On Tuesday, one day prior to Veto Session, the Democrats voted in a block to hold strong against the revised BUDGET based on an ongoing dispute regarding transportation; but on Wednesday, one senator, the longest serving Senate member in the state’s history, Senator Charles Colgan (D), broke ranks with his party and voted with the Republicans to end the budget stalemate.

Many of us who were in Richmond for the Veto Session left the Capitol just before 4 pm on Wednesday, upon hearing that there would be no budget vote and noting that a key Republican Senate member had already headed home. Not so fast. Less than an hour later, majority party leaders sent out word that a vote on the budget was imminent and that the Republicans could eek out a majority – if the State Police could get to the senator who was on his way home and divert him back to the Capitol. They did just that, and on a vote of 21 to 19, the budget passed.

K-12 was one major beneficiary of the revised budget to the tune of an additional $212 M over and above the Governor’s original proposals. But localities and school divisions know that this amount is not enough to prevent layoffs and cutbacks that many schools have already initiated.

Let us know what you think about the 2012 budget fracas and how your school divisions will be affected this year by funding reductions.

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Apr
18

What Do Teachers Want?

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The title for this blog may bring many thoughts to building principals, some thoughts humorous and some serious.  Some of these responses in your mind may be longer planning blocks, more compensation, or fewer visits in their classrooms by you! Actually, none of these responses are close and thankfully so. The classroom teachers did respond in the majority to issues that effect student learning and success and greater achievement for all students in their schools.  The opening question for this blog belongs to a recent blog in Education Week (http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/2012/04/what_do_teachers_want.html)

This blog, written by Diane Ravitch, outlines and compares the results of two surveys regarding teacher job satisfaction, reasons for their discontent and also their thoughts as to what can or should be done to improve public education in our nation.

One survey is the Metlife Survey of the American Teacher. In this survey, teachers expressed their feelings of career dissatisfaction which is resulting in teachers making decisions to leave for another occupation.  Among the issues related to teachers making this decision are:

  • The declining economy
  • Staff reductions which increase classroom student numbers
  • Budget cuts that effect programs for needy students

Issues that teachers noted that help them be more successful as educators are:

  • More family involvement
  • High expectations for student learners
  • Effective school leadership

The second survey was Primary Sources 2012: America’s Teachers on the Teaching Profession which was developed and put out by Scholastic and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  The 10,000 classroom teachers who participated were surveyed regarding their schools, classrooms and how teachers should be evaluated, supported and rewarded. Among the factors identified thought to help maintain teacher retention by these teachers are:

  • Strong school leaders
  • Family involvement
  • High quality curriculum and resources
  • Quality in-school support personnel

These two national surveys provide school leaders with a reinforcement of practices that are in place and a mandate to continue to with these to help improve student success. It is important and not coincidental at all that strong leaders are common to both surveys. You know from your experience that strong school leadership makes the difference for success in your school for students and staff. Teachers nationwide have expressed their feelings about leadership and most likely, your staff would agree.

Virginia school leaders have a history and pattern for providing effective school leadership. Our students, parents, teachers and communities deserve nothing less. Keep up the good work!

 

 

 

 

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