Leadership Matters August 2014

Ask not what your Association can do for you...

The respect I have for so many of you grows immeasurably when I read and hear about the programs, initiatives and celebrations you conduct at the local level to invite legislators, business leaders and those who can influence policy to impact change at the most micro level. You do not sit on the sideline and wait to see if Diane Hendren or Sara Boucek is going to carry the water up the hill. You fill your own local bucket and drive to your legislative offices or caravan to Springfield. You speak to your local PTA groups or Chamber of Commerce, whether it's about Common Core curriculum or school funding. Kirtman also identifies seven competencies

By Scott Kuffel IASA President

Somehow it seems that every school year of the last decade finds us discussing how this could be a historic year for public schools. One more thing from Springfield, Chicago or Washington, D.C. has us clamoring for mandate relief, pursuing more equitable funding, or decrying the oppression of new "reform" that essentially neither "informs," "performs," nor "norms" much in the way of substantive improvement that we've seen from any data. The Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) promotes a mission statement that reads, "To

for high performing leaders in education, and his first competency is "Challenges the Status Quo." How willing are you to join with others to challenge common practices, rules and regulations if they block results or stymie improvements? We are the IASA -- not just Dr. Clark, or Dr. Voltz, or Mike Chamness – and when we work together in a coordinated effort on an issue we can have great impact on public education

support school leaders in the pursuit of educational excellence through continued school improvement." Lyle Kirtman, in his book "Leadership and Teams: The Missing Piece of the Educational Reform Puzzle," posits that "The job of an administrator is about insights, not tasks. Leaders must ask more questions and give fewer answers." Often I hear colleagues asking me, "What is IASA

Often hear colleagues asking me, "What is IASA doing about XYZ?" or "When will IASA produce ABC?" I

The vision of IASA is " Maximum Educational Success for all Students ," so I propose to you: "What have you done recently to support IASA's vision or mission?" - Scott Kuffel, IASA President

doing about XYZ?" or "When will IASA produce ABC?" The vision of IASA is " Maximum Educational Success for all Students ," so I propose to you: "What have you done recently to support IASA's vision or mission?" Without question, the greatest accomplishments we can make to bring that vision and mission to reality are at the level of our own Local Education Authority (LEA). The questions we ask, the stands we take for children, and the way we communicate with our parents and public grow exponentially in power when a common message is carried across our state. Why should we not expect the citizenry of our state see us as the ones who "Stand for Children" or who "Advance Illinois"?

in Illinois. Questioning takes courage and, as Maya Angelou said, "Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently." Courage can grow through collaboration, through shared conviction, through small victories that we share and build upon. Don't wait for others in IASA to step up for you, for collectively we are the Association. You are an equal partner and an equally important leader in our quest to pursue educational excellence by continuing to improve every minute, every day. Ask yourself, if not us , then who ? If not now, then when ?

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