School Administrator: February 2019

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Bringing Compassion Into Our Schools
BY MICHAEL B. MATSUDA
With increasing signs of trauma among students, a California superintendent details how his school district is turning to mindfulness to alter social-emotional and academic trajectories.

• Kayla Jackson: Unpacking an invisible burden
• Justice through restorative circles

Believe in Fate No Longer
BY NANCY L. AKHAVAN
A former school district leader, drawing on her family’s recent experience, shares an up-close parental perspective on how educators might more consciously address student depression before it leads to self-harm.

Understanding Trauma’s Impact on Learning
BY SUSAN F. COLE
A Harvard University educator on creating a school climate where every child living through adversity can grow alongside peers.

• Salvatore Terrasi: Brockton’s trauma-sensitive practices

Comfort in Crisis
BY BILL GRAVES
Schools nationwide are using therapy dogs in classrooms to support children stricken by trauma. They’re also helping youngsters learn to read.

• Long-term effects of dogs in schools

Resilient Schools Put Educators First
BY DARLENE M. FERRIS AND JODY L. CARRINGTON
When it comes to serving students who struggle, a network of schools in Alberta is attending just as diligently to the well-being of school staff members.

STARTING POINT
The editor’s thoughts behind State of the Superintendency.

STATE OF THE SUPERINTENDENCY
Excitement About District’s Future
Gallup’s survey of superintendents captured their feelings about their districts’ futures.

BEST OF THE BLOGS
Reflections on leadership in the form of superintendents’ blog excerpts.

ETHICAL EDUCATOR
Top-Ranked But Suspicious
A meritorious teacher of 30 years is accused by a 4th grader of battery. The superintendent, though distraught, places the teacher on leave but questions himself over his action.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Using Facebook Live To Drive Community Engagement
BY JASON A. WHEELER
Streaming video is part of one Texas school district’s innovative marketing. The author details three key stages of a live broadcast.

LEGAL BRIEF
Bless You (and Your E-mails, Too!)
BY V. WAYNE YOUNG
Dealing with a school employee whose e-mail signature includes a quote from Christian doctrine. Should policy prohibit?

BOARD-SAVVY SUPERINTENDENT
Two Sides Evaluating Each Other Annually
BY MICHAEL K. GINALSKI
The use of a board/superintendent evaluation checklist gives the author a chance to deliver feedback to his board individually and collectively.

MY VIEW
My Shadowing Lesson: The Importance of Play
BY MICHAEL J. HYNES
A game of kickball with students opened this superintendent’s eyes to the state of children’s lives.

MY VIEW
It’s Time We Advocate for the Poor
BY JOSEPH P. BATORY
The author lived it so he is tired of the clichéd explanation, “My family was poor, but we never knew it.”

MY VIEW
Differentiating Funding and Improvement Priorities
BY BO YAN
Expectations over outcome and delivery time serve as the basis for a return-on-investment review of spending.

Reading & Resources

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

 

  

PRESIDENT’S CORNER
Harmony and Rhythm With My Paddle
BY CHRISTOPHER O. GAINES
AASA’s elected leader on attending to the balancing act all superintendents face.

EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE
Creating Cultures Through Cohorts
BY DANIEL A. DOMENECH
Professional networking with critical friends may be the most valuable use of training time for school system leaders.

PEOPLE WATCH
Comings and goings of those in leadership plus the Sidelight shines on a superintendent who decompresses in his pottery workshop.

PROFILE: James Thompson Jr.
BY PAUL RIEDE
A 50-year educator in Connecticut who hasn’t run out of challenges to address.