School Administrator: December 2017

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The Making of Meaningful Evaluations
BY P.J. CAPOSEY
A superintendent is diving deeply into teacher evaluation in his district by reading every assessment of his staff members completed over a two-year period. It’s a launching point for his five-part plan.

Creating Coherence With Instructional Rounds
BY DAVID A. MOYER
A school district in Illinois is using learning targets to drive its instructional plans, according to this account by the superintendent.

• Principals' Point of View

Mini-Observations: A Keystone Habit
BY KIM MARSHALL AND DAVE MARSHALL
Principals’ short, frequent, unannounced classroom visits followed by face-to-face coaching can pay off well.

By the Numbers: A School District's Tax Elections
BY DON E. LIFTO
How a community vote on public referendums can be linked to three ideas: scarcity, absence and opposition. The author considers how those factors play out.

• A tale of two votes

Coming Soon: Transparent School-by-School Spending
BY MARGUERITE ROZA AND CARRIE STEWART
Beginning in 2018-19, federal law requires public reporting of school-level financial data, potentially unmasking patterns of fiscal inequities within a school system. The authors share ideas on preparing for that approaching day.

• Assembling a first look at school-level financials

STARTING POINT
Delivering practical goods on personal technology use.

STATE OF THE SUPERINTENDENCY
Problems at the Top
Ranking the leading problems faced.

BEST OF THE BLOGS
Short takes from four superintendents’ blog postings.

ETHICAL EDUCATOR
A Dubious Donation
Should the district accept a large financial gift to renovate art and tech classrooms offered by a businessman with organized crime connections?

SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook for Authentic Conversations
BY NICOLE KIRBY
It’s a great tool for district communication, but be ready for matters best addressed offline.

LEGAL BRIEF
Crowdfunding: Simple Solutions to Big Liability
BY ERIN D. GILSBACH
If you’re not aware of how staff are soliciting funds for school projects via the internet, you should be.

BOARD-SAVVY SUPERINTENDENT
The CEO's Part in School Board Recruitment
BY JAMES RUSSELL
How much can or should a superintendent do to promote board succession?

MY VIEW
Still the Toughest Job in America
BY JOHN MERROW
The former public television journalist applauds those leading their school communities “into this brave new world.”

MY VIEW
Why I'm a Big Fan of the Gap Year
BY ALLAN CAMERON
What benefited this superintendent at 17 is worth promoting to many others today.

MY VIEW
The Lone African American in the Room
BY MILTON THOMPSON
Stepping outside of a cultural comfort zone to become superintendent of an all-white school district.

MY VIEW
Not Your Daddy's Vocational Education
BY MARC S. TUCKER
Career and technical education built on the foundation of demanding academics, not as an alternative to them.

Reading & Resources

• Book Reviews
• Why I Wrote This Book...
• Abstract
• Bits & Pieces

 

  

PRESIDENT’S CORNER
Holding All Stakeholders Accountable
BY GAIL PLETNICK
Her Arizona district takes an expansive view of involvement and responsibility.

EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE
The Giving Season Cannot End at Holidays
BY DANIEL A. DOMENECH
Addressing the needs of the less fortunate should be a year-round commitment.

INSIDE AASA
Heidi Schmidt and Tara Gao on Partnerships
The AASA staffers responsible for external corporate relations.

PEOPLE WATCH
Our monthly record of member superintendents in transition.

PROFILE: Patricia F. Deklotz
BY JULI DOSHAN
Past board duty has well served the superintendent of Kettle Moraine, Wis., schools.