Leadership Matters - June 2013

Matters JUNE 2 0 1 3 I ASA MONTHLY NEWSLETTER Leadership 1:1 computer program unleashes power of creativity

Public educaƟon holds line for FY 14

In this month’s issue

Additional Items

 ISAL II Sponsors P. 12  Getting to Know your IASA Board members, P. 15  IASA Calendar of Events, P. 18  Member News from the Regions, P. 19

Pension reform, cost shift still in limbo P. 4

Message from the IASA President P. 5

 Food allergy

management toolkit available, P. 20

 ISDLAF+ Update, P. 20

MET project reveals important teacher evaluation research, P. 10

1:1 Program unleashes power of creativity, collaboration P. 6

2648 Beechler Court Springfield, IL 62703-7305 217.753.2213 800 Woodfield Road, Ste. F109 Schaumburg, IL 60173-4717 847.466.5075

IASA Newsletter Editor Michael Chamness mchamness@iasaedu.org

Assistant Editor Mary Ellen Buch mbuch@iasaedu.org

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Volume 1, Issue 6

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Message from the Executive Director: By Dr. Brent Clark

Public education holds line for FY 14

Most importantly, restoring local control over whether to implement certain unfunded mandates. The pension reform maneuvering was perhaps the most intriguing political chess match in some time at the Statehouse. While some described it as a showdown between the state’s two most powerful Democrats – House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton – I saw it a little differently. I saw it first and foremost as a philosophical difference of opinion. I think Cullerton truly believes that Senate Bill 1 was unconstitutional because it unilaterally would have imposed cuts to the pension benefits of employees and retirees. Madigan, on the other hand, wanted the largest savings possible and was willing to gamble on the fact that the Illinois Supreme Court would factor the state’s financial situation into its final decision and ultimately would have granted “police powers” to the state to circumvent the constitution. The fact that Madigan refused to call Cullerton’s Senate Bill 2404 for a vote in the House meant that no pension reform measure would pass. How that situation will play out over the course of the next few months is anybody’s guess. While Cullerton and the vast majority of Senators held to their belief that SB 1 was unfair and unconstitutional, the pressure from Madigan, the governor and many editorial boards will continue to be intense. I would analyze this session as one in which public education held its own and survived. Some would say that compared to the overall financial situation in our state, maybe that’s not so bad. My response is that especially in the worst of times, public education is the best investment that can be made in the future of our state. So we will continue our efforts, including the Vision 20/20 project that kicks off this month for IASA to develop a roadmap for the future of public education in Illinois. I want to thank you for your help and support during these most challenging times, especially to those of you who took the time and made the effort to talk with your local legislators. Those personal connections really do make a difference. When we work together, IASA is a powerful voice for public education.

As the most challenging legislative session in memory for public education drew to a close, it reminded me of a game of tic-tac-toe that once again ends in a draw. You don’t really win, but you don’t lose. One adage of longtime Statehouse observers is that if you bet on the “Nothing” horse, you’ll win 90 percent of the time – and the “Nothing” horse raced home a winner on the pension reform issue. The governor said he will call the four legislative leaders back to Springfield soon to “forge a comprehensive pension reform agreement.” Probably the biggest “win” for education was the General Assembly restoring General State Aid and Transportation for FY14 to this year’s level. Of course, that still funds GSA at only 89 percent and Transportation at 64 percent. But the governor’s proposal was to lower the funding for GSA to as little as 82 percent and to virtually wipe out the Transportation budget by prorating it as low as 19 percent. So it not only could have been worse, it could have been catastrophic for many school districts. Avoiding a cost shift for local school districts was another good thing, but that is a subject that is certain to resurface in the future according to Rep. Elaine Nekritz, who served as Speaker Michael Madigan’s point person on the issues of the cost shift and pension reform. A cost shift for universities and community colleges did pass the House with a bare minimum of 60 votes, but got shot down in the Senate, where it fell seven votes short of the 30 necessary. The Illinois School Management Alliance was opposed to a cost shift, but we did negotiate with House leadership and demanded that certain items be a part of any cost shift legislation for public school districts, including: A slow, predictable implementation schedule of ½ of 1 percent per year; The ability to use the IMRF/Social Security levy for pension cost of reciprocal systems outside of the tax caps; A much stronger voice on the TRS Board as well as the ability for that board to approve or disapprove any changes the General Assembly might make to the benefits package; and

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Pension reform, cost shift still in limbo The Illinois General Assembly concluded its session May 31 without taking comprehensive action on pension reform, meaning that issue will continue to percolate as we head into the Fall Veto Session and into 2014, which of course also is a gubernatorial election year.

the governor will sign the budget bill as it has been sent to him by the General Assembly. Based on some of the debate surrounding the education budget, we wouldn’t be surprised to see efforts next year to change the way in which public schools are funded. Senate Joint Resolution 32 , sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) creates an advisory committee to review the current funding-distribution methods for public education in Illinois and make recommendations for a more fair and adequate funding system by Feb. 1, 2014. The pension reform situation is no clearer now than it was going into the session, except perhaps for the fact that Senate President John Cullerton and most of his caucus stood their ground against SB 1 on the basis that it was unfair and unconstitutional. Of course, the lobbying efforts of the We Are One Illinois labor coalition that supported Cullerton’s SB 2404 were critical to holding off the most draconian of the pension reform plans as SB 1 would have unilaterally raised the retirement age, capped pensionable salaries and drastically reduced the pension COLAs of employees and retirees. Similarly, the efforts of IASA member superintendents and administrators getting the education budget back to at least the FY13 levels. Thanks to those of you who contacted your legislators and even made trips to Springfield to meet with lawmakers. Your voices were heard. Your voices also will be important going forward because the legislative outlook for the rest of this year and the 2014 election year looks every bit as stormy as what we just survived. The budget, the cost shift, pension reform and unfunded mandates will continue to be the main battlegrounds as we fight for top-quality educational opportunities for children in Illinois. had an impact when it came to

Diane Hendren, Chief of Staff / Director of Governmental Relations

Also left for possible future action is the issue of a cost shift for local

school districts as at this time there does not appear to be enough legislative support to force the cost shift onto local school districts or their taxpayers. The underlying reasons go to the fundamentals of the issue as well as the combined efforts of the Illinois School Management Alliance partners. House Speaker Michael Madigan has said he remains intent on passing the state’s normal pension costs to local school districts, similar to a Higher Ed bill, Senate Bill 1687 , which narrowly passed the

House but fell seven votes shy in the Senate. That legislation would have moved the state’s pension costs to universities and community colleges at a rate of ½ percent a year, estimated to be in the range of $18 million beginning in FY15 and continuing to increase by a

similar amount each year until the normal pension costs are completely the responsibility of the higher education schools in the state. The FY 14 budget for PreK-12 public education ended up being essentially the same as for FY13, with level funding for General State Aid, Transportation, Early Childhood and Bilingual Education. While that ended up being much better than the drastic cuts to GSA and Transportation proposed by Governor Pat Quinn, the fact remains that GSA still is being prorated at 89 percent and Transportation at 64 percent. The main part of the education budget bill is in SB 2555 . The hope is that

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Message from the IASA President

Being a part of the IASA Board for the past eight years and serving as president this year have By Dr. Kathryn Robbins IASA President

we said goodbye to some of our colleagues, we welcomed five new Board members, all eager to begin their Board service. They include Dr. Scott Doerr from the Kaskaskia Region, Paula Hawley from the Two Rivers Region, Dr. Jonathan Heerboth from the Western Region, Ron Jacobs from the Blackhawk Region, and Cliff McClure from the Corn Belt Region. The strength of the Board lies in the diversity of its members, the wide range of perspectives they bring, and their commitment to our profession. It’s bigger than its individual members, and the culture is one of respect, collegiality, professionalism, and action. I am especially proud of some of this year’s accomplishments which include deploying our three Field Services Directors to provide support and mentoring for local superintendents, taking the initial steps toward implementation of the Visioning 20/20

been highlights of my professional career. I’ve had the privilege of meeting superintendents from all over the state this year and, although the circumstances in our individual districts may be quite diverse, our mission, vision and commitment to the students, staff members, and communities we serve are more similar than not. On April 24, I presided over my last IASA Board of Directors meeting as President. It was a good meeting as always with spirited discussion on a variety of topics. We recognized four superintendents who are leaving the Board this year, including retirees Dr. Jo Campbell from the Western Region and Diane Robertson from the Two Rivers Region. We also said goodbye to Kaskaskia

project, continuing the growth of our professional development offerings, and expanding our communication vehicles including Leadership Matters . While our challenges as superintendents have never been greater, our professional organization has never been stronger. I thank Dr. Brent Clark for providing another year of exceptional leadership for IASA and for assembling an incomparable executive staff in Sara Boucek, Diane Hendren, Rich Voltz, and Mike Chamness as well as Cherry Middleton and

“ The strength of the Board lies in the diversity of its members, the wide range of perspectives they bring, and their commitment to our profession. It’s bigger than its individual members, and the culture

is one of respect, collegiality, professionalism, and action .”

Region’s Chad Allison, who took a job in another part of the state, and to Past President Dave Messersmith. Collectively, these individuals volunteered their time and talents on the Board for 22 years, and they leave a legacy of solid contributions. While there is no doubt that those individuals leaving the Board will be sorely missed – both on a personal and professional level – the Board will continue to be strong, united and productive. For as

her talented office staff. I thank Dave Messersmith for his service as Past President this year, and I wish Dr. Steve Webb good luck as he begins his presidency on July 1. With the assistance of his team – President-Elect Scott Kuffle, Treasurer Dr. Jane Westerhold, and Secretary Dr. Patrick Martin, I am confident that IASA will continue on the path toward becoming the premier provider of superintendent training, coaching, mentoring, and professional development.

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1:1 program unleashes power of creativity and collaboration Unity High School English teacher Christina Meyer helps facilitate the new style of instruction following implementation of the 1:1 program in Community Unit District 4 in Mendon.

role as facilitators and coaches and are able to individualize learning for all students.” The classrooms at Unity High School in Mendon even look and sound different. Round tables have replaced rows of desks and there is a literal “hum” of activity as students exchange ideas and assist one another. It’s the sound of collaboration and engagement, the new sound of learning. It’s project-, research- and discovery-based. It looks fun. And it has unleashed the power of creativity in students who now have the tools to express themselves when completing projects such as:  A photo essay comparing the structure of a cell to parts of an amusement park;  A slope/intercept math project done as a YouTube video exploring the cost of community college versus a state university; and  A digital book report done as a movie trailer using family members acting out roles. Student laptops are loaded with interactive digital textbooks, assignments and a myriad of other

Teaching and learning are being transformed in a rural school district in West Central Illinois in ways that have exceeded the expectations of even the architect of the plan to move from a mostly paper- based educational environment to a mostly digital one that is highly interactive, extremely engaging and produces real-time results. Diane Robertson, the recently retired superintendent of Community Unit School District 4 in Mendon, knew the 1:1 digital conversion would benefit students and teachers in the PreK-12 district of 700 students through the magic of technology. What she might not have been able to predict was how quickly this paradigm shift would be embraced by not only the students and teachers, but also by the parents and community when the decision was made to equip each teacher and student with a laptop. “It’s really not about the device,” Robertson told a group of teachers who traveled from a Southern Illinois school district recently to spend a day in Mendon observing the program. “The laptop is only a tool. It’s really about a paradigm shift where students take more ownership and responsibility for their own education, and teachers take on more of a

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1:1 Program ———————————

(Continued from page 6)

resources that enable students to research answers to questions, collaborate on projects, get step-by-step help with math problems, submit reports and essays for evaluation of their writing prior to submission for grading, listen to an avatar explain a concept, get immediate feedback upon submission of assignments or tests, and monitor their academic progress. Students have their laptops 24/7 so learning can take place anytime, anywhere. “We still use paper and pencil, just a lot less of it. For example, in math it’s still important to show your work,” Robertson said. Teachers in Mendon still teach. In fact, they have more time to spend directly interacting with students because the technology will grade rough drafts of papers, grade assignments and tests, and immediately generate an item analysis of student performance by individual, class or grade level, even showing the average time spent on an item. Teachers are now able to hone in on topics and even individual students with more of a laser-like precision and have the ability to adjust the reading level of text material and push out individualized assignments based on the item analysis. “The analysis is priceless,” Robertson said. “Having that data at their fingertips enables teachers to literally change their instruction on a dime and focus on students or concepts that need more attention. “You can almost see the fences start to come down,” Robertson added, noting that it is not unusual for the students to drive instruction in the classroom or for the tech-savvy kids to help teachers learn various technology programs. Teachers have had to learn to give up some control. Students have had to learn to step up and become active learners. Both are learning together. Robertson’s ideas for the program took on a more defined shape after she attended a 2010 national leadership summit in Orlando, Florida, as part of an Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) delegation. One theme of the summit was utilizing technology to prepare students for the technology- based world in which they will live and work. There she heard a presentation by Dr. Mark Edwards, superintendent of Moorseville Graded School District in North Carolina, who had launched a successful, cutting-edge digital conversion and laptop initiative. At the summit, she also met Scott Drossos, Senior Vice President of Pearson, with whom she discussed her vision. She followed up with a trip to North

Confessions of a ‘Type A’ teacher

Christina Meyer used to be a self-described “Type A” teacher who believed in a strict, regimented learning environment. “I used to believe that quiet in the classroom meant production and discipline,” said Meyer, a 10-year veteran English teacher who was selected to be one of the pilot teachers in the Mendon Community Unit 4 School District’s 1:1 program two years ago. Meyer’s classroom now features round tables as opposed to rows of desks, an arrangement designed to spur discussion and student-to- student interaction as they work on assignments and projects with their laptops. “It’s what I now call productive noise,” Meyer said. “The students have more freedom and ownership in how they learn. The classroom is more of a communal environment. It was difficult in some ways to give up that control and to trust them to be more vested in their education, but the rewards have been tremendous. “I have watched students that had not traditionally been successful in the English classroom grow so much, and I have seen their confidence increase. Some days I feel like I learn as much as they do.” Meyer does have advice for teachers who will go through the digital teaching transformation in the future. “My advice is lots of chocolate, patience and open-mindedness,” Meyer said. “It’s like being a first-year teacher all over again, but the good news is that the kids will pick you up.”

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1:1 Program ——————————————————

and  Interactive digital teacher and principal evaluation systems with embedded professional development and the ability to collect and store artifacts. The over-arching goal of the program is to equip students with the 21 st century technology skills to ensure college and career readiness and to prepare them to compete for the top jobs in a global, technology-based society. As side benefits, Robertson also hoped to see student performance and attendance increase and the number of disciplinary incidents and time “off-task” decrease. Enlisting the help of a community steering committee and following a custom-designed 1:1 Learning Framework from Pearson, numerous decisions had to be made prior to implementation with respect to:  Personalized Learning Environment – finding digital solutions for curriculum, assessments, resources, interventions, etc.  Supporting Change of Practice (an essential element for success) – Pearson provided professional development for the teachers on creating tech rich lessons, creating rubrics for project-based learning, managing a 1:1 classroom, online formative assessments, item analysis, curriculum support, etc.  Planning and Project Management – Pearson dedicated a project management team that supplied research, plan development and on-site management of the entire scope of the conversion project.  Hardware and Network Infrastructure (an essential element for success) – designing and installing a business class wireless infrastructure that can handle hundreds of devices downloading and streaming video at the same time, filtering and monitoring solutions “Because we wanted our conversion to focus on content creation rather than content consumption, we

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Carolina to find out more about the program in Moorseville where, unexpectedly, Drossos also walked in the door. Call it Devine intervention. “I remember thinking there was so much coming at us so quickly with respect to education reform, and I needed to find a way to make it all manageable for my students, teachers and administrators: 21 st century learning, engaged learning, Common Core State Standards, PARCC assessments, teacher evaluation (Danielson model), principal evaluation, student growth, evidence-based, transparency, parent involvement, and on and on….. I had this vision in my head of a one-stop shop, single sign on (SSO) platform that would provide a solution for all the requirements coming at us.”

“ The analysis is priceless. Having that data at their fingertips enables teachers to literally change their instruction on a dime and focus on

students or concepts that need more attention. ” -- Recently retired Mendon Superintendent Diane Robertson talking about the immediate feedback and analysis the 1:1 program offers teachers

Robertson said she didn’t have the expertise, contacts or financial resources to develop such a platform, but Pearson did, and a three-year partnership was formed. The platform would eventually seamlessly integrate:  Interactive digital course content for all subjects (textbooks, assignments, resources) with teacher and student portals;  Assessments, analytics and diagnostics;  Course content and assessments aligned to CCSS and/or other standards;  Digital assignments and tests to flow seamlessly into electronic grade book;  All of the above to integrate seamlessly with the student management system;  Digital analysis of student growth and trend data;  Reports and analyses generated at the click of a button;  Parent portal for monitoring student progress;

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felt it was important to have a device that had a keyboard, a day-long battery life, and a large enough screen to view full pages without scrolling from side to side,” Robertson said. “We ultimately chose to go with MacBooks that come preloaded with creativity software and are virtually virus free.” The laptops are filtered 24-hours a day, whether they are connected to the district’s network or not. They can also be monitored remotely when connected to the district network. A bring-your-own-device (BYOD) environment was not considered, as the curriculum would not function on all devices. Additionally, there was no interest in requiring teachers to deliver instruction across multiple platforms – not to mention the potential stigma for children whose families don’t own a device. Parents and students are required to attend a training session each year in order for the student to be eligible to receive a laptop. A “contract” is signed that outlines general rules and guidance for care and use of the devices. The former book rent fee is now a laptop fee and is used to help defray the cost of a four-year lease used to acquire the laptops. Students keep the same machine from year to year, and are responsible for any damage costs. Damage in the first two years has been limited to a handful of cracked screens and power cord chargers. The cost of implementation the first year totaled nearly $100,000 and was financed with a combination of donations, budget reallocation and new money in the budget. “The question was not so much how were we going to be able to afford it, but how could we not afford to do this for our students,” Robertson said, acknowledging support of the Community Unit School District 4 school board and of the community. (Continued from page 8) 1:1 Program ———–———-—

Mendon student hits reset button for success in school

Cordero Sierens remembers being surprised when one of his teachers asked him to address the school board regarding the new 1:1 program at Unity High School in Mendon near the end of his sophomore year. Diane Robertson, superintendent of Community Unit School District 4, also was surprised at the selection. “I remember Cordero telling the board ‘If I look familiar, it’s because I was here a year ago and you were deciding

Cordero Sierens

whether to let me stay in school,’ “ said Robertson, recalling how Sierens then showed the board a very challenging list of English and math classes -- all of which he was passing. Count Sierens as a big advocate for the 1:1 program that provided him a laptop as a learning tool. The junior is a prime example of how a student can reinvent himself if the proper human buttons are pushed. “I didn’t like coming to school; it was too difficult. I was always a kid who made bad decisions,” Sierens said. “This program has really helped me. Before the 1:1 program I was a kid who never wanted to do the work.” Sierens said he had no problems using the computer, probably thanks to lots of hours spent playing computer games before the new learning program was introduced at Unity High last year. “This makes school a lot easier for me. The computer has programs that give us chances to solve a problem and if I don’t understand, the computer has programs that can help me find out how to do something,” he said. “I don’t have to raise my hand and ask for help because the help is right there in the computer. I don’t have to wait for a teacher” An added benefit is the computer makes it much harder for the dog to eat the homework and much easier to stay organized. “There are about 15 million different things teachers want from you and I’m also a person who loses things. This makes my work virtually ‘unlosable.’ It helps to always know where my work is, “ Sierens said So Sierens has made a turnaround that hasn’t gone unnoticed by his teachers and school administrators. His arrow is now pointing up, and college is not out of the question for a student that otherwise might not have finished high school. But he prefers to take things one step at a time. “I hope to go to college, but I have to graduate high school first,” Sierens said. “I enjoy coming to school now.”

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MET project reveals important teacher evaluation research

Dr. Richard Voltz IASA Associate Director/ Professional Development

The Effective Teaching (MET) Project has three major findings: 1) student achievement gains are the direct result of more effective instruction; 2) trained evaluators using a research based evaluation instrument (Danielson Frameworks for Teaching) does result in proper summative practice teacher evaluation; and 3) student perception surveys are effective in determining effective teaching. The most important finding of the (MET) is that research validated the Measures of

theory that teaching ability affects student achievement taking into account that students have various learning characteristics. The student academic achievement scores of the most effective teachers were significantly higher than the student scores of the least effective teachers. In addition, the student scores of the least effective teachers actually decreased. This study showed that more effective teachers are truly better than other teachers at improving student learning, not that they simply have better students. The study collected data and produced estimates of teaching effectiveness for each teacher. The study then adjusted the estimates to account for student differences in prior test scores, demographics, and other traits. The study then randomly assigned a classroom of students to each participating teacher. The adjusted measures did identify teachers who produced higher (and lower) average student achievement gains following random assignment. The data showed that we can identify groups of teachers who are more effective in helping students learn. Moreover, the magnitude of the achievement gains that teachers generated was consistent with expectations. The more effective teachers not only caused students to perform better on state tests, but they also caused students to score higher on other, more

cognitively challenging assessments in math and English. The study pointed out that “Teaching is too complex for any single measure of performance to capture it accurately. Identifying great teachers requires multiple measures.” The MET project identified three composites that reliably predicted student academic growth. They were 1) state assessments, 2) classroom observations, and 3) student surveys. The project went on to say that significantly placing a lot of weight on one measure such as state assessments will lead to unintended consequences. In the case of weighting state assessments as more than 50% results in teachers teaching to the assessment and leaving out of the curriculum other important education goals such as higher order thinking and creativity. The study concluded “Heavily weighting a single measure may incentivize teachers to focus too narrowly on a single aspect of effective teaching and neglect its other important aspects....If the goal is for students to meet a broader set of learning objectives than are measured by a state’s tests, then too-heavily weighting that test could make it harder to identify teachers who are producing other valued outcomes.” The project studied four ways to weight the measures. They are shown in the table above. (Continued on page 11)

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Model 1 with the highest percentage (81%) on achievement gains on state tests resulted in the highest correlation with state tests gains. However, it also had the lowest correlation with higher-order tests. Model 3 with an equal 33% weight on each measure produced the highest correlation, .76, to reliability reflecting the year-to-year stability of teacher’s results. Model 4 had a .75 correlation to (Continued from page 10)

year-to-year stability of teacher’s results based 50% on observations, 25% on achievement tests and 25% on student surveys. Other important findings from this project are the following: 1) the student data that is being used needs to be accurate; 2) classroom observers not only need training on the instrument they need continual scoring practice with master observers; 3) observations should be done by more than one observer; and 4) multiple years of student achievement gains, observations, and student surveys should be used if they are available. The table above illustrates various methods for

districts to consider when observing teachers. The MET project states “Adding lessons and observers increases the reliability of classroom observations. In our estimates, if a teacher’s results are based on two lessons, having the second lesson scored by a second observer can boost reliability significantly.” Another significant finding was “Our analysis from Hillsborough County showed observations based on the first 15 minutes of lessons were about 60 percent as reliable as full lesson observations, while requiring one-third as much observer time.”

Very important teacher dismissal case for Illinois Senate Bill 7 A Peoria County judge threw out a lawsuit recently filed by two former Peoria School District teachers who claimed they were terminated improperly after receiving poor evaluations. This case contested the new Illinois law that places teachers in one of four groups based on their teacher performance evaluation ratings. Teachers rated as Unsatisfactory are placed in Group 1, teachers rated Needs Improvement are placed in Group 2, teachers rated Proficient in Group 3 and teachers rated Excellent in Group 4. Teachers in Groups 1 and 2 are not considered for reemployment if the district has a Reduction in Force (RIF). Teachers are laid off first from Group 1 then progressing to Group 4. The Peoria teachers sued because they said the district did not in fact RIF any teachers even though several teachers were given RIF notices in the spring. Chief Judge Michael Brandt ruled in a two-page decision the district acted properly when it pink-slipped Eymarde Lawler and Michelle Frakes at the end of the school year. Brandt held that “the uncertainty of enrollment and state funding were valid reasons for a reduction-in-force at the end of a school year.” The newspaper article in the Peoria Journal Star stated “Gil Feldman of Chicago, the teachers’ attorney, claimed at a hearing earlier this month a ruling in favor of the district would render seniority rights meaningless.”

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Thank you to our ISAL II Sponsors

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Thank you to our ISAL II Sponsors

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IASA, IASB, IASBO offer insurance plans for schools

 Flexibility with Coverage  Flexibility with Deductibles  Life Insurance Coverage  Early Retirement Option  Short-Term Disability (STD) & Long-Term Disability (LTD) Coverage  Dental Coverage

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For more information, please contact Stan Travelstead at stan@iasaedu.org or Jeremy Travelstead at jeremy@iasaedu.org or toll-free at 877.698.2247

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Getting to know your IASA Board Members

Favorite musical artist: Michael Buble

Dr. Thomas Bertrand Abe Lincoln

One thing people probably would be surprised to know about you: I became a high school principal at age 26. Biggest concern about public education: Where will the next generation of educators and

School district: Rochester Community Unit 3A One thing you would like people to know about your school district: We have nearly as many students with Springfield zip codes as Rochester. Years on IASA Board: 3 Years as educator: 28 High school: Quincy Notre Dame Colleges or Universities: Quincy College, Western Illinois University, Illinois State University Family : Celebrating my 27th wedding anniversary this year with my wife, Michelle. Three children: Nathan (25), Erica (21), and Connor (14) Favorite hobby: Reading, Bicycling Favorite movie: Forrest Gump ; I have seen it dozens of times, but I can’t turn the channel whenever it is on. Favorite book: Too many to pick one: most recently, 18 Minutes: Finding your Focus

Favorite hobby: Music, Reading Favorite movie: The Godfather I & II Favorite book: Impossible to name a favorite book although I really like Ishmael (Daniel Quinn) Favorite musical artist: Beatles One thing people probably would be surprised to know about you: I dropped out of college after my sophomore year to hitchhike through Europe. Biggest concern about public education: Public education is in danger of becoming irrelevant as more choices present themselves for people of means to access education, leaving only the people without means as our main constituency. This erodes public support and in turn damages all of society as we become even more of a state of haves and have-nots. The recent trend of prorating General State Aid, which has a disproportionate impact on poor students, and the lack of public outcry about this despicable practice, offends me and causes me to worry about our future. Most encouraging thing about public education: We have some great people in leadership positions (superintendents, principals, teachers, professional organizations) fighting to restore education to the prominence that it deserves. school leaders come from? With changes in certification and licensure, internships, new evaluations linked to student outcomes, rogue school board members, increasing mandates, and the possibility of caps on salaries and credible earnings and pensions, what incentive is there for the best teachers and administrators to remain in the profession? Most encouraging thing about public education: Public schools are a reflection of our society. Public schools accept every child. I am amazed at the number of talented educators who are working with our children and accepting of them regardless of ability and background.

Daniel Marenda Starved Rock School district: LaSalle Elementary School District 122 One thing you would like people to know about your school district: Despite our

80% low income students, LaSalle Elementary School offers a first-rate education including a 1:1 iPad (24/7) program in our Junior High. Years on IASA Board: 1 Years as educator: 35 High school: St. Bede Academy Colleges or Universities: Illinois Valley Community College, Illinois State University (B.S., M.S. Superintendent Endorsement) Western Illinois University (ABD procrastinating. Hope to finish someday…) Family : Married to my wife Donna for 39 years. Son Daniel R. Marenda, Ph.D. and daughter-in law Kirsten live in Philadelphia with their three sons; Daughter Madonna and son-in-law Chris Duncan live in LaSalle with their son and daughter.

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Member News from the Regions

DR. RODERICK BICKERT, formerly the superintendent of the New Trier

received the Educational Leadership Award from the Illinois Directors of Student Activities at their annual convention in April. THOMAS D. MAHONEY is Superintendent of the Oregon District. SCOTT BLOOMQUIST has been named Superintendent of Winnebago Community School District 323 beginning July 1. Bloomquist currently is Principal of Iroquois West Upper Middle School in Gilman. DONALD K. Bourbonnais Community Schools, recently passed away. In 1998, the gymnasium in Bourbonnais was dedicated in his name. JEANNE DAVIS has been named Superintendent at Lewistown Community Unit School District 97 beginning July 1. Davis currently is Superintendent at Creve Coeur District 76. Western Three Rivers TURNER, formerly superintendent of Bradley-

GLORIA J. DAVIS announced her retirement as Superintendent of Decatur Unit District 61 effective June

Cook North

Abe Lincoln

District, recently passed away at age 85. In 2003, the gymnasium in New Trier was dedicated in his name.

30. Davis served as Superintendent in Decatur the past seven years. SHEILA GREENWOOD has been named Superintendent of Bement Community Unit District 5 beginning July 1. Greenwood currently is Principal at Villa Grove High School. She replaces DANIEL R. BRUE , who is becoming Superintendent of Meridian District 15 in Macon County.

PAUL ENDERLE has been named Superintendent of Oak Lawn- Hometown District

Cook South

123 beginning July 1. Enderle currently is Principal at Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School. He replaces DR. ART FESSLER , who is becoming Superintendent of Community Consolidated District 59 in Arlington Heights. DR. ROBERT WILLIS has been named Interim Superintendent of Meridian District 223 beginning July 1. Dr. Willis served the past two years as Interim Superintendent of Rockford District 205. MIKE LAWTON, activities director at Oregon District 220, Northwest

MATT PLATER has been named Superintendent of Havana Unit District 126 beginning July 1.

Central Illinois Valley

Plater, who currently is Superintendent at Schuyler- Industry District 5, replaces DR. PATRICK TWOMEY, who is becoming Superintendent of Macomb Community District 185.

Six schools selected by Illinois Wind for Schools Program Selected schools will participate in a program that integrates wind energy topics into the classroom, offering curriculum-development resources, teacher professional development, on-site technical assistance and instructional equipment to middle school and high school teachers throughout Illinois. Click here to read the entire story. Schools selected include:  Northwest, Freeport School District 145, Roberta Selleck, Superintendent  Southwestern, Collinsville Community Unit School District 10, Dr. Robert Green, Superintendent  Wabash Valley, Jasper County Community School District 1, Dan Cox, Superintendent  Illini, Champaign Community Unit School District 4, Judy Wiegand, Superintendent  Illini, Prairieview-Ogden Community Consolidation School District 197,Victor White, Superintendent  Egyptian, Webber Township High School District 204, Scott Porter, Superintendent

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Food allergy management toolkit available

The Food Allergy Management and Education (FAME) Manual/Toolkit for schools is ready to pilot, and Illinois school districts are invited to participate at no charge. To enroll in the pilot, please complete a confidential, 15-minute online survey, after which you can download the FAME Manual/Toolkit. The food allergy program began in 2008 at St. Louis Children’s Hospital thanks to a donor who saw the need first-hand for a comprehensive school- based food allergy program. A FAME advisory board was formed that included leading allergists, food allergy consumer organizations, registered dieticians, school nurses and parents of children with food allergy. The manual/toolkit that was developed had four objectives: 1. Describing life-threatening food allergy reactions, including common causes. 2. Listing steps that can be taken to increase the safety of the school environment by avoiding food allergens. 3. Knowing how to recognize and respond to an allergic reaction that could progress to an anaphylactic reaction. 4. Developing policies and procedures to maintain a safe school environment for children with a Life Threatening Food Allergy (LTFA). The materials are divided into role-specific sections for school principals, school nurses, teachers, transportation staff, school nutrition staff and others, and includes emergency protocols. The pilot is designed to determine the effectiveness and usefulness of the FAME Manual/Toolkit as a

resource for schools. The manual/toolkit also includes forms and information for schools to give to students and families. The initial enrollment for the pilot program is open now and continues through August. A follow-up 15- minute survey is scheduled for November. For additional information, please email FAME@bjc.org .

ISDLAF+ May 2013 Monthly Update

Click here to view the May 2013 ISDLAF+ rates, economic indicators and general economic news brief. To obtain additional information regarding this IASA sponsored service, contact Emmert Dannenberg, statewide marketing director/ ISDLAF+ at 815.592.6948. To check daily rates, visit the ISDLAF+ website at www.isdlafplus.com .

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