Speaking of Leading
"Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower, thirty-fouth U.S. President

MASA Midwinter Conference, 23-25 January 2008

The Art of Possibilities: Leading In A Culture of Change

Make arrangements now to attend MASA's 2008 Midwinter Conference in Detroit , January 23-25 . This year's event promises to provide you with valuable information, resources for continued growth, and great professional networking. We are planning topics like:

• Finding the Value of Administrators During Tough Times
• Crisis Management
• The latest on ERIN
• Languages for All Students: Making It a Reality
• Getting to Yes: Interest Based Bargaining
• Using Classroom Observations to Develop Superintendent's Instructional Leadership Skills
• First Amendment & K-12
• New IRS rules and regulations on tax shelter plans
• and much, much more. 

Under the leadership of MASA's President, Len Rezmierski, colleagues from the Southeast Region have been working diligently to come up with great ideas for welcoming all participants to Detroit. So far, some include exemplary program school visits, welcome from Dr. Connie K. Calloway, Superintendent of Detroit Public Schools and other Detroit area celebrities, and fun prize incentives.

Our Keynote speakers will share expert insights through a global filter that will inspire, inform, and revitalize you for the challenging role you play in your district and community.

Wednesday 1/23/08  

David Hollister will open Wednesday presenting a vision of economics, politics, and education in the Michigan landscape and what it means to our schools as we move into the near future. As president of Prima Civitas, Hollister will share the work that is being done to diversify Michigan 's economy, and transform our region into one of the most innovative in the world.

Thursday, 1/24/2008

Dr. Yong Zhao will open participants’ eyes to the global view of our world, the challenges that will confront the students we are graduating, and some strategies for creating a system that successfully prepares our children. Dr. Zhao, Distinguished Professor with Michigan State University, brings a wealth of practical experience related to succeeding in a global society, the use of integrated technology in education, and ethics to create digital world citizens in the 21st century and beyond.

In addition, consider attending the following Pre-conference options:

Contract Planning & Pre-retirement Strategies (Tuesday 1/ 22/07)
This informative 1-day pre-conference event will explore legal ramifications, potential pitfalls, and various options to consider in securing a solid contract that protects your interests, is fair to all parties, and reduces your stress when retirement draws near.

The first half of the day will be for the whole group. The afternoon will provide participants the option of two tracks, one for those with retirement in the near future and the other for those that are beginning to plan their retirement in the mid to longer range time frame. There will also be the option (as we did last year) for members to sign up for min-private contract review sessions with Tom Derderian of Cluck and Associates.

Building a Strong Professional Learning Community (PLC) (Wednesday 1/ 23/07 ; 9:30 a.m.– noon)
This hands-on, half-day pre-conference event will give newer superintendents a chance to re-connect and extend the networks forged during past New Superintendent events. The target audience is first- through third-year superintendents, but all interested in this topic are welcome to sign up and attend. This session, led by Dr. Nancy Colflesh, will provide a brief introduction of what a PLC is and how to support it from the district level. Participants will also explore specific strategies for participatory planning and decision making. This highly practical and interactive workshop will allow for plenty of member networking time. Registration and details for the our conference will be updated regularly online.

Facilities Benchmarking Survey aids in data driven decision making

Data driven decisions? What data are we using when we look at our facilities operation? With all that’s happening now with collaboration/consolidation issues and continuing efforts to understand our costs and efficiencies in facilities, it’s important to have current information regarding this area of our operations. MSBO’s 2007 Facilities Benchmarking Survey can help.

Benchmarking is a powerful tool for initiating and sustaining continuous improvement. Good decisions begin with good information and benchmarking provides a framework, structure, and methodology to gather essential analysis.

Benchmarking is also a powerful tool for change because it generates credible, comprehensive, comparative information that moves us from a debate about what’s wrong to a discussion of how to improve.

The Michigan School Business Officials (MSBO) is collecting data for their 7th School Benchmarking Survey this fall. All Michigan public K-12 districts are asked to participate in this survey to provide comprehensive information on school facilities and the costs of maintaining them. MSBO will publish the survey in comparison groups based on size of district and region of the state. Individual school district information will not be released.

Gathering this information regularly helps to ensure current data for comparing costs, and analyzing trends.

This survey provides useful financial benchmarking information to schools for understanding and managing their infrastructure resources. The Facilities Benchmarking Survey can help you answer two important questions:

• Where can I reduce resources and have the least negative impact?
• Where can I invest resources to have the greatest positive impact?

(Take a look at the 2005 benchmarking survey results on the MSBO website.)

All MSBO members in the area of facilities and business office operations have been sent an e-mail about this project. The survey form and instructions are posted on the MSBO Web site.

Districts have until Dec. 17 to complete the survey. The information obtained will provide school districts with valuable data to assess their operational costs. Please make sure your district is a part of this important benchmarking study.

Michigan Merit success will require a shift of attitude

by Ronald Koehler, APR
Assistant Superintendent, Organizational and Community Initiatives, Kent ISD

You may have seen Public Agenda's "Important, But Not For Me" research regarding parents' and students' lack of appreciation for increased math and science achievement.

The findings of this extensive study in the greater Kansas City area demonstrate the challenge of increasing math and science achievement lies in the education of parents and students as to why it is necessary. Consider these data points from the research: 

• 70 percent of parents say things are fine as they are
• only 23 percent of parents believe advanced math and science instruction is essential
• only a quarter of students believe advanced math and science is important

This poses a challenge for all of us in implementing the Michigan Merit Curriculum, let alone in increasing achievement beyond that point. What motivates parents and students to reconsider? Awareness. 

Information directly from businesses and colleges indicating higher math and science achievement is necessary for entrance in lucrative careers and for success in higher education moves initial apathetic responses into the 60-70 percent range.

Health care access increased in rural Michigan through $20 million broadband telehealth services

Michigan Public Health Institute learned in November that it will receive up to $20,910,000 to build a new network infrastructure that will connect existing state health networks to each other and Internet2 at speeds ranging from 1.5 Mbps to 100 Mbps. The network will link approximately 390 facilities, primarily rural, in underserved areas of the state.

The money comes from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has dedicated over $417 million for the construction of 69 statewide or regional broadband telehealth networks in 42 states and three U.S. territories under the Rural Health Care Pilot Program (RHCPP). The FCC’s goal is to significantly increase access to acute, primary and preventive health care in rural America ,

Broadband deployment is one of the Commission’s top priorities – particularly in rural America . And nowhere is the need for broadband greater than in rural healthcare, where isolated clinics can save lives by using advanced communications technology to tap the expertise of modern urban medical centers.

The Commission’s RHCPP will support the connection of more than 6,000 public and non-profit health care providers nationwide to broadband telehealth networks. The health care facilities participating in the Pilot Program include: hospitals, clinics, universities and research centers, behavioral health sites, correctional facility clinics, and community health centers.

Telehealth and telemedicine services provide patients in rural areas with access to critically needed medical specialists in a variety of practices, including cardiology, pediatrics, and radiology, in some instances without leaving their homes or communities. Intensive care doctors and nurses can monitor critically-ill patients around the clock and video conferencing allows specialists and mental health professionals to care for patients in different rural locations, often hundreds of miles away.

The networks will deliver services efficiently, reduce costs and travel time for consumers, decrease medical errors, and enable health care providers to share critical information. Rapid and coordinated responses to public health emergencies, such as bioterrorism attacks, pandemics or disease-related outbreaks, will be expedited through coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other public health officials during public health emergencies.

In addition, participants are required to implement, where feasible, health information technology standards as set forth by HHS. This will help advance the President’s goal of creating a national system to support patients’ electronic health records.

Michigan LearnPort® Redesigned: Michigan’s professional development website portal for the K-12 school community

The Michigan Virtual University® has re-designed its professional development website portal to ease use and increase collaboration among Michigan’s educators and support staff who take the no-cost online courses.

After a comprehensive re-design and development process based on the input from learners and many partner organizations and associations, the Michigan LearnPort reopened with a new, intuitive, user-friendly layout and powerful collaboration tools.

One user exclaimed, “While taking the online courses through MichiganLearnPort, I am constantly amazed at the number of and quality of free resources that are available for teachers.”

The course catalog inside the portal contains a wide variety of courses, including online blood borne pathogens training, MIT resource series in physics, chemistry and biology, and differentiated instruction. Currently, all courses are available at no cost and provide educators the opportunity to earn the required State Board-Continuing Education Units from home, school, libraries — anywhere there’s an Internet connection.

The new portal contains a Collaboration Center that is full of easy-to-use tools, allowing users to collaborate with like-minded professionals and share best practices inside the system. Create or join a Community Room where you can exchange email, share a calendar of events; add to a discussion forum or chat. There are also public discussion forums. A User Directory makes it simple for people to find colleagues in their building or across the state.

One educator was so happy at the new resources; he was convinced that through this program he learned several new approaches that “will help me in my daily instruction”.

All Michigan-certificated teachers and administrators are eligible to join Michigan LearnPort professional development portal. In addition, Michigan LearnPort membership is extended to Michigan educational professional organizations and their employees. Michigan pre-service teachers and their university faculty may also use the site free of charge. Non-employed persons holding a Michigan teacher or administrator certificate may use Michigan LearnPort resources as part of a recertification plan. Visit www.learnport.org today to resume your professional development or to register for your new account.

Call 888.532.5806 for more information. Financial support for the Michigan LearnPort Website is provided through the MDE and ESEA Title II, Part (A) funds.

REMC Association members showcase Michigan programs at AESA 2007

Three members of the Regional Educational Media Center Association of Michigan (REMCAM) recently presented at the Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) annual conference. David Schulte, Associate Superintendent for Instructional Support Services, Shiawassee ISD; Dr. Daniel L. Jonker, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, Ottawa Area Intermediate School District; and Ms. Ricki Chowning, Executive Director of the REMC Association, were presenters at the Leading for Lifelong Learning Conference in Tampa, Florida.

The REMC Association is affiliated with the National Association of Media and Technology Centers (NAMTC), an organization whose mission is very closely aligned with REMCAM. NAMTC ‘s mission is to promote leadership among its membership through networking, advocacy, and support activities that enhance equitable access to media, technology, and information services to educational communities—a mission almost identical to that of the REMC Association.

REMCAM has had a long history of participation and leadership within the NAMTC Association and is participating in the second year of a partnership between AESA and NAMTC to sponsor a strand of sessions focused on media and technology topics. NAMTC Sessions were prefaced by the phrase NAMTC Presents……in the conference planner. NAMTC sponsored five sessions dealing with digital personal tools and their place in the classroom, managing data systems, copyright, Universal Design for Learning, and data warehousing for student achievement,

Jonker’s topic was action research. Through the 2006-07 school year, over 50 K-12 educators conducted 22 action research projects in Ottawa Area ISD’s Action Research program. Examples of final reports created, how teachers benefited from this experience and use of the Moodle Learning Management System were shared. Jonker can be reached at djonker@oaisd.org.

Schulte presented on a multi-year plan developed by partnership of an ESA and their LEAs to increase data-based decision-making to increase student achievement, and how that model is being shared statewide by several ESAs. For more information, contact Schulte atschulte@sresd.org.

Chowning presented on how Universal Design for Learning is supported by Regional Media& Technology Centers. A fundamental principle of UDL is the creation of flexible learning environments in which each student regardless of ability receives the tools and resources needed to fully comprehend and express learning. Regional media & technology centers have traditionally been committed to providing those tools and resources; UDL is an inclusive definition of meeting the learning needs of all students. It was an opportunity to highlight the successful programs that Michigan’s REMCs and ISDs have implemented and often serve as models for other states.

Petitions for officers to the MASA Executive Board

In accordance with the MASA Constitution, individuals interested in seeking election for the upcoming open seats on the Executive Board must file petitions in the MASA office on or before February 1 of each year.

For the spring election, we will have four positions on the ballot:

• President, commencing July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009 (currently Craig Douglas is President-Elect but we must place the seat on the ballot as he was appointed to the seat vacated by Sally Vaughn in August 2007).
• President-elect, commencing July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009.
• Director 2008-2009—continuation of a term through June 30, 2009 (currently held by T.C. Wallace who was appointed to the seat vacated by Scott Dunsmore in September 2007).
• Director 2008-2011

MASA Council highlights

November 21, 2007

The MASA Executive Board and Council met on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at the University Club in East Lansing , Michigan . Here are some of the highlights of those meetings.

• The Legislative Committee reported on the protracted state budget negotiations and its effects on schools for 2007-08. The counsel approved the following action items as recommended by the Committee: 1) to oppose HB 5454 which would modify the claims data portion of the recently passed Health Care Reform package; 2) to oppose legislation requiring mandatory 3 rd grade retention for students not determined to be reading at grade level; 3) to oppose a bill requiring opening of shared time in contiguous districts; and 4) to oppose a bill regarding class placement for multiple siblings. You can learn more on the government relations page at www.michiganedusource.org/gomasa/
  
• Associate Executive Director Pat Reeves provided an update on the Courageous Journey (CJ) and on the status of Michigan ’s new voluntary administrator certification/endorsement process. After two years in operation, CJ now encompasses 22 charter members entering their third (and final) year of the program; 24 members in cohort 2; and 23 entering cohort 3. In addition, 27 building- and central office-level administrators will form the first cohort of aspiring supts to begin the CJ program. Pat answered questions from the field about who is eligible for certification/endorsement under the new rules and how to begin the process. Pat will develop a Q & A to help. In the meantime, members can find information online or by contacting Donna Hamilton at MDE: 517.241.4546; hamiltond3@michigan.gov
  
• Director William Mayes reported on a November 16 ruling by administrative law judge Robert E. Hollenshead that a (superintendent) petitioner’s compensation “for amounts equivalent to his FICA costs” (among other compensation) does constitute compensation for purposes of calculating the petitioner’s Final Average Compensation (FAC) to be used for calculating retirement allowance. In addition, William reported that he and two MASA staff members met with Michigan Public School Employees Retirement Service director Phil Stoddard and MPSERS Customer service director Laurie Hill on November 20. William considers this to be one of the more positive dialogues to date, building some bridges toward common understanding of the law and the processes by which MPSERS operates and is expected to operate by its members.
  
• The Council heard from the Conference Committee on some exciting options participants will have during the Midwinter Conference January 23-25 in Detroit . Schools in Detroit and the surrounding areas who are engaged in promising practices will open their doors to visiting supts on Wednesday morning. In addition, some high-impact local guests will be dropping by with information, encouragement and prizes. More details will follow.

MASA retirees to be honored at Midwinter Conference

MASA will honor members who retired since June, 2007, or who are planning to retire by June, 2008 at a luncheon to be held on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at the MarriottRenaissanceCenterin Detroit. The following persons will be honored:

John Artis, Sharon Banks, George Bednorek, James Booth, Janice Brown, Marty Chard, James Clor, Tom Davis, Paula Dawning, Rosemary Ervine, Lee Gerard, James Gillette, Cheryl Hahnenberg, Mark Hilt, John Hoeffler, Hal Hooks, George Hubbard, Virginia Brennan-Kyro, Rick Lane, Bob Lange, Tom Lanway, Cheryl Leach, Timothy Lentz, Robert Luchenbill, Mildred Mason, Larry Mason, Mark Miller, Craig Misner, William Newkirk, Mike O’Connor, David Oegema, Roland Pakonen, Paul Palka, Timothy Peruzzi, Chuck Sandro, Thomas Scaife, June Schaefer, Charles Seguna, Charles Smith, Bob Tebo, Rich Ramsey, Al Roeseler, Jim Ryan, B. Jack VanderWall, David Werner.

Florida Retirees!
Save this date for the MASEL meeting in Floriday - February 21, 2008

The 44 th annual lunch and meeting of the retired Michigan school educators who are (or soon will be) in Florida, including spouses and friends, will be held on Thursday, February 21, 2008, at Peridia Country Club, 4950 Peridia Drive, Bradenton, Florida. Registration and social hour begin at 11:00, with lunch at 12:00 noon. Dr. Sarah Pappas, President of Manatee Community College will be the guest speaker. The letter with registration form and map will be mailed the week of January 7 th to all retirees for whom the MASA office has a Florida address. Should you have any questions with regard to this meeting, please contact:

Kristy Warner
MASA
1001 Centennial Way, Suite 300
Lansing, MI 48917
phone 517.327.9262

or contact:

John V. Koczman
721 Magellan Drive
Sarasota, FL 34243
phone 941.755.8972

Bay-Arenac ISD passes litmus test for quality

The Bay-Arenac ISD has become the first intermediate school district in the nation to earn accreditation through the North Central Association process.

The process took a full year of data gathering and internal examination in which nearly every ISD employee played a part. Superintendent Michael R. Dewey said he credits those employees for having the willingness to be scrutinized by such a prestigious organization as North Central Association.

''We think we're doing a good job, our local school districts think we're doing a good job, our students think we're doing a good job, but when an outside organization comes in and confirms that we're doing a good job, that only makes us better,'' Dewey said. ''If we're not looking at ways to improve ourselves we're really standing still.''

North Central is under the umbrella of AdvancEd, which does the accreditation process for schools and universities all over the world.

Over the past year, ISD employees found and organized information that would supply answers to questions asked by North Central in seven areas: Vision and purpose, governance and leadership, teaching and learning, documenting and using results, resources and support systems, stakeholder communications and relationships, and commitment to continuous improvement.

The North Central team spent three days visiting three of the seven districts the Bay-Arenac ISD serves - Bay City Public Schools , Essexville-Hampton Public Schools and Standish-Sterling Community Schools . A total of 166 stakeholders were interviewed, including teachers, students, parents, support staff, administrators and board members.

According to Dave Sevener, director of human resources for the district, ISDs have been around since 1963, and there has never been anything in place to measure the quality of the educational services they deliver. It's a time-consuming process, but well worth it, he said. ''If your sending schools are accredited, why wouldn't we want to be accredited?'' Sevener said.. ''With all the emphasis and focus on high school reform ... why wouldn't we want to subject ourselves to North Central scrutiny?''

Read more…

Steve Gaynor wins national leadership award

Congratulations to Bloomfield Hills Schools Superintendent Steve Gaynor who has won a national leadership award from the North Central Association’s Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.

The association gave Gaynor its 2007 G. Sutherland Hayden Award for outstanding leadership and service in support of school improvement and excellence. The North Central Association recognized Gaynor for his service since 2001 on the group’s state committee, including two years as the state council chair for Michigan.

Past MASA president celebrates golden anniversary

Congratulations to Sue and Wayne Bucholz, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this summer with a surprise gathering, hosted by their children. Wayne served as MASA President in 1992-93.

Wayne and Sue were married June 8, 1957, in Owosso, Mich. In 1970, Wayne became an elementary principal and then in 1973 became the Superintendent of Harrison Schools. They left the Harrison community in 1977 and Wayne took a superintendent position in Gladstone. He retired from his position in 1993, spending his last year as president of the Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA).

Wayne and Sue still reside in Gladstone and have a summer cottage in Harrison. They enjoy traveling to their cottage and spending time with their family. The surprise dinner was held at the Terrace Bay Inn.

MAISA news:

Michigan Early Childhood Challenge

MAISA was invited to participate in the first annual Michigan Early Childhood Challenge sponsored by the National Governor’s Association and the Early Childhood Investment Corporation. The purpose of the meeting was to prepare recommendations for Michigan’s first early childhood policy agenda for young children. Governor Granholm opened the session with a commitment to Michigan ’s youngest citizens and a further commitment to use the consensus priorities established by the participants as her agenda for early childhood policies in Michigan. A number of MAISA and ISD/RESA members were in attendance and ECIC will be sharing the work of the session on their website.

Children's Agenda published by Michigan Coalition for Children and Families

Keeping the focus on early childhood is the Michigan Coalition for Children and Families (MCCF). They are in the process of developing their annual Children’s Agenda which identifies areas of legislative focus and policy development which will impact and improve the lives of our children. (You can see the 2007 Children’s Agenda at www.MICCF.org) MAISA is a member of the MCCF, and its Associate Executive Director serves as co-chair of the coalition.

MAISA meeting scheduled during MASA Midwinter Conference, Jan 23

MAISA encourages your participation in the MASA Winter Conference which will be held in Detroit, January 23-25, 2008 . MAISA will have a morning meeting on Wednesday, January 23rd (more details to follow). Registration is ongoing and can be accessed by visiting the MASA web page. This promises to be an outstanding conference and we hope you can attend.

“Whole Child” campaign gains AASA support

AASA is a supporter of the “Whole Child” campaign initiated by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. The campaign promotes a comprehensive approach to learning that recognizes that successful young people are knowledgeable, emotionally and physically healthy, civically inspired, engaged in the arts, prepared for work and economic self-sufficiency, and ready for the world beyond their own borders. Learn more about the campaign and how it aligns with long-held AASA beliefs about student learning and development.

Child safety issue examined by AASA magazine

The November issue of The School Administrator magazine looks at how superintendents put politics aside to ensure the safety of children during federal crackdowns on illegal immigrants. A new report from the Urban Institute confirms the importance of protecting children during illegal immigration raids. The report, Paying the Price: The Impact of Immigration Raids on America’s Children, finds that immigration raids have a negative impact on children’s psychological, educational, economic and social well-being. In addition, the report finds the raids place a heavy burden on communities, school systems, social service providers and religious institutions, which have acted as first responders for families in these incidents. Learn more in The School Administrator and the Urban Institute report.

State of the Superintendency podcast available

AASA President-Elect Randy Collins recently spoke with Connecticut NPR about AASA’s State of the Superintendency report. Listen to a podcast of the interview.

U.S. students match many nations in math, but lag behind Asia

American eighth-graders match or outperform students in most countries in mathematics, according to the American Institutes of Research. That holds true even in states that generally do poorly in education. But U.S. pupils in the top-performing states lag behind Asian countries like Singapore and Japan .

Reports like these have business and education leaders worried that the United States may be losing its edge in math and science. Thomas Toch, a co-director of Education Sector, an independent policy group says there is some good news in this report. But this report shows we might not be doing as badly as some people believe.

"In this case, the bad news trumps the good because our Asian economic competitors are winning the race to prepare students in math and science," said the study's author, Gary Phillips, chief scientist at the American Institutes of Research, a nonprofit independent scientific research firm.

The study equated standardized test scores of eighth-grade students in each of the 50 states with those of their peers in 45 countries. Experts said it was the first such effort to link standardized test scores, state by state, with scores from other nations.

Gage Kingsbury, the chief research and development officer at the Northwest Evaluation Association, a group in Oregon that carries out testing in 2,700 school districts, praised the study's methodology but said "a flock of difficulties" made it hazardous to compare test results from one country to another and from one state to another. "Kids don't start school at the same age in different countries," he said. "Not all kids are in school in grade eight, and the percentage differs from country to country."

Read the American Institutes of Research report: http://www.air.org/news/pr/8thGrader.aspx

• MASA Midwinter Conference 2008
  Jan 23-25 - Detroit Ren Cen Marriott
• 17th Annual Technology Conference
  Jan 30-Feb 1 - Dearborn Inn
• Classroom Assessment
  Feb 5, 2008 - Macomb ISD
• Site-Based Professional Development: "On a Shoe String"
  May 7, 2008 - Kent ISD
• Superintendents continue to grow through SELF
• START: Superintendents Talking and Reflecting Together

Michigan Association of School Administrators
1001 Centennial Way, Ste 300
Lansing, MI 48917
www.michiganedusource.org/gomasa | Contact us