NCLB has 588 mandates in Title I alone

Need a way to explain why schools need top-notch, efficient administrators? Here’s one.

In a very brief recent report by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of the Inspector General, Compliance Requirements within Title I, Part A of the No Child Left Behind Act the report found the following: “We identified 588 SEA and LEA compliance requirements within Title I, Part A of the NCLB Act—566 requirements in Subpart 1 and 22 requirements in Subpart 2.… We concluded that the requirements not specifically identified for monitoring need to be reviewed and evaluated to determine whether all of the requirements are necessary to fulfill the goals of the NCLB Act ... In view of the number of requirements included in the NCLB Act and the corresponding resources necessary to comply with and monitor those requirements, the Department should ensure that all of the requirements are necessary.” Please note that the nearly 600 mandates are just for Title I, and don't include any of the requirements for highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals, English language learners, military recruitment, safe schools, or other facets of the law.

Source: Public Education Network

How can YOU make a difference in this year's elections?

Your participation in the SAPAC (School Administrators Political Action Committee) Golf Outing is just the answer. This year’s outing is at Hawk Hollow on Monday, July 31, 2006. Bring a whole group, or come alone as we will be organizing foursomes.

SAPAC funds are used to support legislative initiatives and candidates that care about supporting public education for Michigan’s kids.

This event is our major fundraiser for the year; so your support is crucial. Dollars earned from this event will go into campaigns during this election cycle. The Primaries are well underway, with the General Election just around the corner.

It’s not too late to register! For details, directions, and more information, go to www.gomasa.org/GolfOuting.htm or contact Debbie Squires at 517.327.5910 x321, dsquires@gomasa.org.

Fall Conference will explore success stories founded on data

1. Help each of us take care of ourselves, as well as learn ways to support those on our team to do the same.
2. Model being the lead teacher and learner in our organization.
3. Leave the conference inspired to deal with the reality of being the key leader back home.

Be good to yourself by making the committent to seeing what Friday brings from Brooke, Daria, and the other important presentors. These include Mitch Stapley of Fifth Third Bank with an updated economic forcast; James Ballard, Executive Director of MASSP, with the latest on High School Reform; and some announcements of some special gifts, Our very own Executive Director, William Mayes, will wrap up the conference and help connect us to future events.

For conference details and registration, visit our website at www.gomasa.org/fc06.htm.

Preparing today's youngsters for tomorrow's world -
The SET SEG Educational Foundation

To learn more, contact SET SEG today!
800.292.5421

Overcoming Criticism - 6 Truths to Take to Heart

Remember these six truths:
1. If you swing the sword, everybody loses. Don’t fire back at your critics. They are just waiting to get a rise out of you and you are giving them ammunition to shoot back at you. Learn to respond kindly and remember these points. First, consider the source. Are the critics out for your or the organization’s good or their own? Next, use discernment in formatting your response to criticism. Don’t respond publicly if you possibly can avoid it.

Don’t take it personally. A friend of mine told me several years ago, “Remember your critics don’t know you well enough to hate you personally. Let them get to know you so they will have a good reason not to like you.” He was right. We take opposition to our ideas personally because we feel we own the ideas. We don’t. Respond with kindness. Learn statements like, “Thank you for your opinion. I will think and ponder on it and do what is necessary at the right time.” Always use tact when responding with kindness.

2. Look at your critics – See who is opposing you. Often you will find that they have something in common that may not be to your benefit. Look for alliances that are unusual. Is your opposition the same ones you’ve always fought? Are they people who have the best interest of the organization at their hearts or are their own motives ruling their judgment? People tend to follow negative trends for no good reason. British statesman Benjamin Disraeli said, “It is much easier to be critical than to be correct.” I heard this in church one Sunday, “65% of people don’t like change. The other 35% are lying about it.” There will always be opposition to any change or new idea, so don’t let it stop you automatically.

3. Weigh your critics—don’t count them. Once we get into counting our opposition, we start losing. If you consider the “weight” of those who are in your opposition you might be surprised as to how little influence they have. Are your critics influencers? Are they individuals with any clout? Spend your time enlisting the support of those with respect. Make sure those who you respect and respect you are in your camp. Stay confident and you will turn your critics around. Jean Rostand said, "Take heed of critics even when they are not fair; resist them even when they are."

4. You can be rescued. No situation is hopeless unless you conceive it to be so. There is always a solution and you can be rescued from your troubles. Your own thoughts and attitude can turn your opposition around. Always keep a positive attitude around your critics and you will turn their criticism into dust. Some of the greatest cause leaders wound up in jail, Mohandas Ghandi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. Not that your goal should be to secure a criminal record but these leaders were willing to face their opposition by going to jail and wound up leading movements that freed other people. Their inner strength and devotion to their causes rescued them.

5. You have a greater purpose. Remember why you were put here. Find your purpose and stick to it. See things in the light of your entire life, not the moment of crisis. The people named in the paragraph above all had a dedication to their life’s purpose. It kept them focused during their darkest days. Look inside yourself and ask what you were put in this situation for. Esther in the Bible was told by her uncle, “who know but that you have come to the kingdom for such and time as this.” Maybe this is your defining moment. It is the time you were put here to take a stand and change the culture of your organization.

6. Take a look at you—be kind to & honest with yourself. Don’t’ be so critical of yourself. We spend too much time being so hard on ourselves it gives our critics the advantage. Often you are your own worst enemy. You are the opposition you need to win over. Dale Carnegie said, "If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done."

Lightening up on yourself will help you lighten up on your critics. Show yourself some mercy. Quit remembering the times you failed. Learn from your failures and turn them into lessons for success.

JIM MATHIS is an International Speaking Professional and Trainer. To subscribe to his FREE personal and professional development newsletter, please send an email to subscribe@jimmathis.com with the word SUBSCRIBE. An electronic copy will be sent out to you every month. For more information on how JIM and his programs can benefit your organization or group, please call 888.688.0220, or visit his website: www.jimmathis.com.

MiDEAL extends State's purchasing power to school districts

Operated by the Department of Management and Budget (DMB), MiDEAL extends State contracts to members, allowing them to leverage volume purchasing power and buy goods and services at the State’s competitively bid and negotiated prices. Members can use more than 260 contracts to buy materials such as road salt, fuel, lawn care equipment, office supplies, picnic tables and passenger vehicles.

“As local governments struggle to do more with less, innovative programs such as MiDEAL are imperative,” said DMB Director Lisa Webb Sharpe. “This is just one example of good government, which we are responsible for providing Michigan’s taxpayers.”

Membership is open to every Michigan county, city, village, township, higher education institution, community college, school district, intermediate school district and nonprofit hospital.

Benefits of membership are not limited to hard-dollar savings on goods and services. Participants also take advantage of reduced costs from increased price competition and contracts written with improved specifications. Members also benefit from indirect savings by eliminating administrative duplication by saving time and labor required to:

• Recruit and maintain a diverse pool of potential suppliers
• Process requisitions for bids
• Write and update specifications
• Research industries
• Take, read and evaluate bids
• Make awards
• Test products and samples

More information about the MiDEAL program, as well as links to registration information and current contracts, can be found at www.michigan.gov/mideal or by calling Sue Schweim, DMB’s Purchasing Operations, at 517.335.0230.

New superintendents receive free resources from AASA

The first publication will be a hard copy document entitled The AASA New Superintendents Journal. It contains thirteen articles that address topics that have been identified by first time superintendents as ones regarding which they need some assistance. The articles which are written by nationally recognized authors have appeared in previous issues of The School Administrator.

The second publication will be an on-line document entitled The AASA New Superintendents E-Journal. This publication will be sent to first time superintendents four times during the 2006-07 school year. Each issue will contain three articles that also address topics that have been identified by first time superintendents. These articles will be written by actual practitioners.

Both publications will be sent to first time superintendents in each state as a service from both the Center for System Leadership and from the state association that serves them. The New Superintendents Journal will be distributed through MASA this fall. The first issue of The New Superintendents E-Journal will be e-mailed on 11/1/06.

But we need to know about you! If you are a new superintendent—or if you know of a new superintendent in your area—be sure to notify MASA with contact information. Please send us your current mailing address, phone number and e-mail address so you don’t miss out on these valuable tools. Contact Susan White at 517.327.9266 or swhite@gomasa.org.

Fall Exhibit Show features expanded networking hours

Note: Sponsors and Business Affiliates who like to host after-hours receptions will be more successful if they schedule their events after 6:30.

To download the Exhibit Show information and registration flyer, click here. Or go to www.gomasa.org/FC06.htm for more conference details.

Annual Rose Memorial Service

Carl Brautigam – Maple Valley Schools
Elmer Hollenbeck – Buena Vista Schools
Richard Kelly – Charlevoix–Emmet ISD
Ed Kukuk – Iron Mountain Public Schools
John Mader – St. Clair County ISD
Raymond Madigan – South Lyon Community Schools
Shari Miller – Lowell Area Schools
Harvey Olsen – Kentwood Public Schools
Therese Peterson – Bath Community Schools
George Ruwitch – East Grand Rapids Public Schools
James Ritchie – Dewitt Public Schools
Neal Singles – Morenci Area Schools
Thomas Smusz – Bridgman Public Schools
William Young – Bentley Community Schools

Register for the SET SEG Fun Run at Fall Conference

MASA will be holding a Fun Run/Walk in conjunction with Fall Conference on Thursday, September 28, at the Grand Traverse Resort beginning bright and early at 7:15am sponsored by SET SEG, you school insurance specialist.

Events will consist of a one-mile run/walk and a 5,000 meter run/walk. Awards will be presented to runners finishing closest to their predicted time in each event as well as to the best time in the 5K event.

Members and their guests are encouraged to participate. Comlimentary SET SEG Run Run/Walk t-shirts will be provided to all who register by September 4, 2005.

Go online now to register.

Headline news from MASA Edlines

Missed reading this week’s school news? You can read highlights of the week at www.gomasa.org/Edlines.htm

Renew your MASA membership today

Now MASA offers you a chance to renew all your critical memeberships in one easy step. Just check off the boxes on your invoice to renew memberships for the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and the Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA). Both organizations offer key benefits and services that will improve your success as a school leader.

If you have not received a MASA invoice or have questions about your membership, contact Susan White at 517.327.9266 or swhite@gomasa.org.

Members in the news -
Mike Simeck

Members in the news -
Michael H. Bozym

"We are at that 100-year transition point in Muskegon," said Bozym, retired superintendent of the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. "We are building for the next 100 years, and through the foundation we have a say in our future."

Source: Muskegon Chronicle, 07/01/2006

Members in the news -
Paula Dawning

Paula Dawning wanted a new career, a job that would let her “give something back.” Working for a cancer foundation, she thought. Or the American Diabetes Association.

“But something quite unusual happened,” said Ms. Dawning, 56. “On the same day I was praying and fasting over what to do next, a friend sent me an e-mail about the Broad program.”

So Ms. Dawning, who had not considered becoming a superintendent, applied. Six months later, she was in the Broad Superintendents Academy’s inaugural class and had already landed her job, besting six other finalists who were all career educators.
Ms. Dawning arrived in Benton Harbor, Mich., a district of 5,300 students who are poor and mostly African-American, in July 2002 and immediately went to work on moving the low, stagnant test scores.

The proportion of Benton Harbor 4th graders who scored at the proficient level or higher in language arts has risen from 38.8 percent in 2001 to 77 percent last year. In mathematics, the figure rose from 45.6 percent to 71 percent in 2004. In 2003, the former telecommunications executive steered the district to its first successful vote for a property-tax increase in 17 years, which will raise more than $6 million for building repairs and improvements.

The Michigan Association of School Administrators named Ms. Dawning state superintendent of the year for 2006, cementing her status as one of the Broad Academy’s success stories. In fact, she was the first graduate to be hired as a superintendent….

High School "Class of 2006" MEAP results released today

High school students are allowed to take the high school MEAP assessment multiple times throughout their high school years to qualify for Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment programs, and the Michigan Merit Award scholarship. The “Class of” results represent students’ best scores on the various subject tests throughout their high school careers.

A Press Release from the Michigan Department of Education will be sent to media electronically at 3:00 p.m. or the results can be found by logging on to the Department’s website at www.michigan.gov/mde.

Michigan's Visual, Performing and Applied Arts draft guidelines review extended to July 14th

Field review of the survey has been extended to close of business Friday, July 14th. There is still time to complete your survey.

The Visual, Performing and Applied Arts DRAFT guidelines are now available for review until July 14th, 2006 at:

www.michigan.gov/documents/Art_Guidelines_163780_7.pdf

On April 20, 2006, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed into law a rigorous new set of statewide high school graduation requirements called the Michigan Merit Curriculum that are among the best in the nation. (Public Acts 123 & 124)

The Michigan Merit Curriculum will be required for graduation starting with the Class of 2011. The curriculum requires 16 credits for graduation, which could be acquired through subject and integrated (mixed subject) classes, as well as, career and technical education programs and requires the Michigan Department of Education to develop credit guidelines for all of the Michigan Merit Curriculum credits including Visual, Performing and Applied Arts.

To develop the Visual, Performing and Applied Arts guidelines, the department established an Academic Work Group, co-chaired by Aaron P. Dworkin, Sphinx Organization; Robert Root-Bernstein, Michigan State University; and Sharon L. Vasquez, Wayne State University with representation from higher education, K-12 education, and the cultural and business sectors.

The committee has met and drafted the Visual, Performing and Applied Arts guidelines. We value your input and would like to invite you to review these DRAFT guidelines and provide input by completing the survey by July 14, 2006.

New high school graduation requirements pay first dividents for Michigan students

Michigan’s newly-enacted high school graduation requirements have been deemed rigorous enough by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings to qualify students for the new federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) a post-secondary financial aid program to complement federal Pell Grants.

“We are seeing the first real benefit of our new high school graduation requirements,” said Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. “More federal financial aid and more educational opportunity is good news for Michigan students and good news for Michigan’s economy."

The U.S. Department of Education notified Michigan that its new Michigan Merit Curriculum has been recognized and accepted as a rigorous secondary school program of study for the purposes of student eligibility for the ACG program. Students who complete a State Scholars Initiative; Advanced Placement; or International Baccalaureate program also qualify for the ACG.

“We are proud of the collaborative, bi-partisan drive of the Governor, State Board of Education, and state Legislature to pass the new high school requirements and put Michigan in a position to qualify for this new federal college grant program,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan.

An ACG will provide up to $750 for the first year of undergraduate study and up to $2,300 for the second year to full-time students enrolled in a two- or four-year degree program; who are eligible for a federal Pell Grant; and who had successfully completed a rigorous high school program, as determined by the state and recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Second-year students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. The ACG award will be in addition to the student’s Pell Grant award.

Flanagan explained that even though the Michigan Merit Curriculum does not go into effect until the graduating Class of 2011, Michigan students who can show they have taken the same requirements will be able to qualify for the ACG now.

For more information on the Academic Competitiveness Grant, link to the U.S. Department of Education website.

Rigor + Support = Success

Creating a Personalized and Orderly Learning Environment in High Schools

Speaking of Leading

“This was a real team effort. Everybody was watchful; everybody was doing their best. … Bottom line is we looked it the way you would eat an elephant, one bite at a time.”
- Al Gaiss, superintendent at Bessemer School District, in the Ironwood Daily Globe June 26, 2006 regarding the district’s success at wiping out the district’s “two-year journey into the red depths of debt.”

Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel

This comprehensive guide, available from the National Diabetes Education Program, provides school personnel, parents, and students with a framework for managing diabetes effectively in the school setting. The guide helps to ensure that students with diabetes are medically safe and have access to all educational opportunities and activities. The guide includes user-friendly tools, copier-ready action plans, a diabetes primer, and a review of school responsibilities under federal laws. To get a copy of the guide, visit www.ndep.nih.gov/resources/school.htm or call 800.438.5383.

New guide to understand IDEA

Pontiac Schools to get renovations

But now some of that work will be done.

Last week, the district started a partnership with Johnson Controls, a large automotive supplier based in Milwaukee. It will complete some major projects -- thanks to $18 million in energy bonds from the state -- and save the district more than $40 million, the district and Johnson Controls say.

"This is a great opportunity for us to get some things done in our buildings," said school board member Alma Bradley Pettress.

Upgrades that will be made in all of the district's 21 buildings will save money in the long run, said Nikita Andrews, education account manager for Johnson Controls' Auburn Hills office. For example, electrical upgrades will make lighting more efficient, allowing for decreased electrical use and demand and resulting in lower utility bills.

"The upgrades actually pay for themselves," Andrews said.

The district will have to repay those bonds. But some of that savings can go right into the district's revenue. Johnson Controls, which will work with subcontractors to do the work, is guaranteeing the savings for the district, even if it means coughing up some of the money on its own.

"If we don't meet that number, we give a check back to the district," said Darryll Fortune, a company spokesman.

The company has worked with 75 school districts in Michigan under similar partnerships, said Fortune. He called it an alternative to seeking a bond proposal.

"We know the challenges they face there. This is an avenue for them," Fortune said.

Major projects to be undertaken this summer include new roofs for Pontiac Central and Pontiac Northern high schools, and Herrington Elementary School. Work will continue over the next 18 months; lighting, security, roofing, flooring and technology will be upgraded.

Students will benefit from scholarships Johnson Controls will award over a 15-year period. The $2,500 scholarships will be given to four graduating seniors each year. The company also is working on internship and mentoring programs that will benefit children in Pontiac.

Those are key parts of the partnership, Pettress said. Often, partnerships between districts and companies don't impact students directly, she said. This one will.

"If we say children are first, we need to make sure they have some benefit from the project," she said.

TAG! More schools ban games at recess

U.S.A. Today reported recently that some traditional childhood games are disappearing from school playgrounds because educators say they're dangerous. Elementary schools in Cheyenne, Wyo., and Spokane, Wash., banned tag at recess this year. Others, including a suburban Charleston, S.C., school, dumped contact sports such as soccer and touch football. In other cities, including Wichita; San Jose, Calif.; Beaverton, Ore.; and Rancho Santa Fe., Calif., schools took similar actions earlier. The bans were passed in the name of safety, but some children's health advocates say limiting exercise and free play can inhibit a child's development. Groups such as the National School Boards Association don't keep statistics on school games. But several experts, including Donna Thompson of the National Program for Playground Safety, verify the trend. Dodge ball has been out at some schools for years, reports Emily Bazar, but banning games such as tag and soccer is a newer development. “It's happening more,” Thompson says. Educators worry about “kids running into one another and getting hurt,” she says. Critics of the bans say playing freely helps kids lose weight, learn to negotiate rules and resolve disputes. Read the article online...

The Magnetism of a Vision is Always Greater Than Your Current Assets

"The Magnetism of a Vision Is Always Greater Than Your Current Assets"

Presenter: Dr. William C. Skilling, Superintendent Webberville Community Schools
Sponsor: NuUnion Credit Union

Dr. Skilling will give a background on the obstacles to success that Webberville Community Schools was encountering in 2003 and how those obstacles are being or have been eliminated through the importance of having a strong vision. Making the right decision, having the right process, and having the right communication plan are all imperative to bringing about the systematic and systemic change for continual improvement in any organization.

A Flyer with details is available online
Time: 7:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Program: 8:00-9:00 a.m.
Location: LCC West Campus Conference Center. West Campus Map
Cost*: $20/ members; $25/ non-member (Make checks payable to Lansing Community College. We can now accept Master Card and Visa for payment)
Registration deadline: Friday, July 14, 2006
Call the CQI Office at 517.483.1363 or email to tennisj@lcc.edu or FAX to 517.483.9927

*Registrant will be responsible for cost of reservation unless a 24-hour notice of cancellation is received.

For a full calendar of upcoming CQI events see Calendar of Events

Freedom to Learn to sponsor Balanced Leadership Consortia

These workshops will be partially sponsored by Freedom to Learn, MDE and MIEM. The intended audience is superintendents and principals whether or not they are in the Freedom to Learn program. District leadership teams would also benefit from this learning.

The following dates and locations are confirmed:

Wayne RESA
January 30 - 31, 2007
Train-the-Trainer: February 1, 2007

Genesee ISD
February 13 - 14, 2007
Train-the-Trainer: February 15, 2007

Oakland Schools
March 7 - 8, 2007
Train-the-Trainer: March 9, 2007

Wexford-Missaukee ISD (Cadillac)
April 17 - 18, 2007
Train-the-Trainer: April 19, 2007

More information including registration instructions and fees will be available at the start of the 2006-07 school year. Contact FTL’s Kate Kennedy at 517.335.0449, or Sam LoPresto, 517.327.9263, for more information or if you have questions.