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Balanced Leadership for Powerful Learning
What makes a great school leader? Contrary to what many believe, the answer is not tied to a certain kind of personality but to specific behaviors and actions that have positive effects on student achievement behaviors and actions that any school leader can learn and put into practice. Over the last decade, thousands of school principals have done that, by implementing balanced leadership, an approach that recognizes the need to both maintain and challenge the status quo in order to move schools forward.
Building on the analysis that was first reported in School Leadership That Works, the authors of Balanced Leadership identify the 21 responsibilities associated with effective leadership and show how they relate to three overarching responsibilities:
- Establishing a clear focus keeping the work and the conversations targeted on the issues that matter most;
- Managing change understanding how to skillfully steer through the challenges associated with making improvements, both large and small; and
- Developing a purposeful community creating a sense among all teachers and staff that they are invested in student outcomes and that they can make a difference.
For each of these areas, key points and specific practices are described in detail and illustrated with stories from school principals who have successfully learned how to become great leaders. Step-by-step tools provide clear guidance for readers who are ready to make the same kind of journey one with the potential to transform them and the schools they serve.
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Please contact your librarian or Kelly Wilson (kelly.wilson@sllboces.org) for the password, and find more useful online books at INFOTRAC.
View the complete catalog of e-books here.
Are you looking to find information from multiple books? Download our guide to making your search more efficient.
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NY State Education News You Can Use:
Survey for Review of Draft NYS PK-12 Arts Learning Standards Now Open
- The PK-12 Arts Learning Standards survey will close on Tuesday, January 31, 2017 and is accessible here.
Testing and Data
Computer-Based Testing
- REMINDER: NYSED released a memo advising school administrators, teachers, and Committees on Special Education (CSEs) of the accommodation features that will be available to students with disabilities as part of the Grades 3-8 ELA and mathematics computer-based tests.
- As shared at the elementary and secondary principals’ network meetings this week, our coaches created/compiled resources to help prepare your teachers and students for the upcoming Computer Based Testing.
- As always, if you need any assistance do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or need assistance.
- Click here to download a PDF of resources.
Assessment Dates 2017-18
- REMINDER: The August Regents exams will be administered on August 16 and 17. The information from NYSED will be forthcoming.
- The 2018 January and June Regents Schedules and the 2018 3-8 assessments will be released in the next few days.
Trauma-Sensitive Resources
Resources for Schools on Trauma Care
- REMINDER: Click here for resources for school and district staff providing support to students and families in the aftermath of a tragedy, including resources on how to recognize, respond, and appropriately refer youth who may be experiencing trauma.
Financial Literacy Resources
Webinar Demo of the New SUNY Smart TrackTM High School Financial Literacy Website
- REMINDER: NYSED invites you to participate in an upcoming webinar to introduce a new financial literacy tool for students and families at Thursday, February 9 at 9:00 am.
- Last month, Commissioner Elia and SUNY Chancellor Zimpher launched the SUNY Smart TrackTM High School Financial Literacy Website for high school students. The website offers free online courses and tools that help students and their families plan for the costs of college.
- Questions may be directed to the SUNY System Office of Student Financial Aid Services, at (518) 445-4058, or finaid@suny.edu.
Pay for Success Competition
- On Tuesday, January 17, Jobs for the Future (JFF) and Social Finance announced the nation’s first-ever Pay for Success competition in K-12 education, which will spur the implementation and expansion of high-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs for underserved, high-need youth.
- Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Social Finance and JFF will award select applicants technical support to create and launch Pay for Success CTE projects in their communities. Applicants can include local education agencies, postsecondary institutions, and consortia.
- Read more about the competition and Pay for Success. Please join us for an informational webinar on Friday, January 27 at 1p.m. EST. The competition is open until March 17, 2017.
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What Does the Research Say?
For the last several years you could not talk about evidence-based teaching without repeatedly bumping into the work of John Hattie.
Hattie started a database on the various factors affecting student achievement before the turn of the millennium. However, it only became widely known after he published is 2009 book "Visible Learning."
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Thinking About Math
- REMINDER: Over the past 3 years the gap in the proficiency rate between students of teachers participating in the regional Math Grant (MSP) and the NYS average has significantly decreased.
- In 2015-2016, 37.3% of students of teachers participating in the MSP grant (grades 3-6) achieved proficiency level (3-4) in mathematics.
- This finding represents a statistically significant improvement from 2014-2015. MSP students are closing the gap when compared to the statewide data.
- In 2013-2014, MSP students scored 22.9 percentage points lower than the state average. In 2015-2016, the gap is now only 5 percentage points. We anticipate meeting or exceeding the statewide average this spring.
- What is the biggest difference that these teachers are seeing in their students?
- Firstly, the students are developing number sense. They no longer see calculations as procedural steps to reach one right answer, instead they reason through problems in their heads.
- Secondly, the students are less afraid of tackling harder problems and approach new problems with curiosity rather than fear and can better connect new understandings with what they already know.
- As one teacher said, "Changing my approach to teaching mathematics has not been easy. I hated the modules at first and thought it absurd that our school required us to use them. The math camp helped me to better understand how to use the module materials, picking and choosing the problems that my students needed. Not trying to teach everything and handpicking the problems made all the difference. Now I like the modules and can appreciate how well they build from year to year.”
- Also, as shared at the Elementary Principals’ Meeting, Edweek produced a report of a textbook comparison.
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Professional Development:
Upcoming PD Sessions:
January
- Are Your Students Going To Be Ready For The New High School Social Studies Exams? (1/30- 1/31)
- Will your kids be ready for the new regents exams? What changes have to be made in your curriculum to ensure student success on these exams? This workshop, led by Greg Ahlquist 2013 New York State Teacher of the Year, will provide participants the answers to these questions and more.
- Building Algebraic Thinking: A Hands On Approach (1/30)
- Using Algebra tiles can help a student to better understand what is meant by combining like terms and how the distributive property is applied to multiplication of binomials. (Grades 5-9)
- Online Assessment in the Elementary Math Classroom (1/30)
- Are you looking for instant feedback on your Math Assessments? Would you like your students to practice online assessments? Are you looking for ways to bring technology into your Math Classroom? Then come join Ron Jacobs and Nicole Charleson as they explore Google Forms! This workshop is intended to guide teachers in creating online assessments using Google Forms.
- Opinion/Argument Writing Bootcamp (1/31)
- Participants will build on their knowledge of narrative and informational writing to understand the role of opinion/argument writing within the CCSS. Teachers will study methods for using mentor texts and classroom charts to promote both engagement and independence.
February
- Scoring Institute for Scoring the New York State Alternate Assessment in Science and Social Studies. (2/1)
- Participants will be trained in scoring procedures and must qualify before actual scoring of approximately 100 data folios. Teachers who administer the Alternate Assessment to their students are encouraged to participate. This is a full day session and lunch will be provided. A snow date is scheduled for the next day, February 2.
- Principal's Academy Follow-Up Session 4 (2/2)
- The topic of this session will continue the work of the summer Principal's Academy Retreat.
- Tracking RTI through eDoctrina's RTI Tracker (2/3)
- Better Response to Invention Tracking Leads To Improved RTI Services. eDoctrina has an RTI tracking component that allows schools to not only track student assessment data but also services.
- Substitute Teacher Training (2/4)
- The six-hour training is designed for individuals who are interested in becoming or wish to better their role as a substitute teacher. Topics include application process, expectations, classroom management, navigating the classroom and lesson plans, effective communication with students and teachers, etc
- The School District Negotiator (2/6)
- This is a professional workshop and unique learning opportunity for any and all members of district negotiating teams. The session will cover the foundation of negotiations, legal knowledge, preparation, table strategies, use of and defense against tactics, and practical tips on organization.
- School Library System Day (2/7)
- The School Library System will hold a full day of professional activities. All school librarians, library assistants and library aides are encouraged to attend. The Fall 2016 Book Review Session will be held in the morning. The CC/Liaison session will take up the rest of the afternoon.
- One Computer, One Smartboard, One Mobile Device Workshop w/ Hybrid Extension (2/8)
- At this one day in-person workshop, we will be finding ways to use technology in the classroom, even if all you have is your teacher computer, a Smart board, and one mobile device (probably your own.) There is also an online extension to this session that must be completed to get credit for 12 hours. You will earn 6 hours from the in-person session.
- Counselor's Workshop: Mindfullness Seminar (2/8)
- 8:30 Registration * Breakfast will be served, compliments of Clarkson's Admissions Office
- CSE Chairpersons' Meeting (2/9)
- Monthly Chairpersons' meeting @ ESC in Canton.
- UPK-Module 1: Promoting Children's Success: Building Relationships and Creating Supportive Environments (2/9)
- The foundation of the Pyramid Model is grounded in the context of positive, supportive relationships between teachers and children, as well as with families and other professionals. These relationships are essential to implementing effective practices to support children's social emotional development.
- Secondary Principals' Network Meeting (2/16)
- Student Projects for the 1:1 Classroom (2/16)
- The increasing availability of devices in the classroom along with Google Apps for Education and Chrome Extensions provide a creative and collaborative learning opportunities. In this workshop we will explore uses of Google Drive, the Chrome Browser, and select Google Apps in ways that facilitate creative student demonstrations of learning.
- Primary Principals' Network Meeting (2/17)
- K-2 Guided Reading, Strategy Lessons, and Small Groups (2/21-2/22)
- Learn about setting the foundation in K-2 for this important work. Who doesn't need a refresher on Guided Reading? Do you want to make your small groups more effective? Are 3-6 teachers in your building implementing Instructional Independent Reading, the Independent Reading Assessment, and/or strategies for instruction from The Reading Strategies book?
Looking Ahead
March 2017 Staff Development Day
Note: Registration for all sessions will put into MLP and will open on Monday morning. As some sessions are limited in numbers participants will be accepted on a first come basis.
Staff Day Planning:
The full planning document and links for registration are now available. Please note the planning is in a Google Doc that anyone with the link may view so please feel free to share this link with your teachers. (Copy and paste this paragraph into an email)
Effective Teaching
DATE: 5/17/2017
PRESENTER: APL Associates
Effective Teaching Refresher
After attending the Effective Teaching session teachers return their classrooms and implement a number of strategies but as time passes we often forget about some strategies we learned. Effective Teaching strategies strive to:
- Increase student time on task.
- Improve student behavior.
- Improve student performance.
- Provide insights Into and options for classroom organization.
- Motivate students.
- Improve classroom management through techniques that work.
Effective Teaching refreshers are aimed at teachers who attended the Days 1-5 session previously. It is highly recommended that teachers complete the ET refresher every 7-10 years.
Effective Teaching refreshers are scheduled for January 12 and May 17. Be sure to register your teachers while seats are still available!
PD in Other Areas
SUNY Potsdam presents: HOCUS FOCUS, PD for related service providers, elementary, middle and special education classroom teachers
Technical Assistance Center on Disproportionality (TAC-D)
- Addressing and Understanding Disproportionality FLYER (Spring 2017)
- Technical Assistance Center on Disproportionality (TAC-D) at New York University, in partnership with the Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Center (RSE-TASC).
- The target audience for these sessions are District and Building Administrators, K-12 Regular/Special Education Teachers, PBIS Teams, Social Workers, Psychologists, School Counselors.
- Please contact Dr. Patrick Jean-Pierre, TAC-D Director pjp4@nyu.edu for more information.
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SLL BOCES Instructional Resources is here to meet your needs.
Not sure who to contact? The attached chart identifies who to contact for your specific needs.
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The St. Lawrence-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The BOCES is an equal opportunity employer. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Rafael A. Olazagasti III
Director of Human Resources and General Counsel
40 West Main Street, Canton, NY 13617
315 386-4504
rolazagasti@sllboces.org.
Inquiries concerning the application of the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES non-discrimination policies may also be referred to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), 32 Old Slip, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10005, telephone (646) 428-3800 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (TTY).
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