Leader 2 Leader

The FASA Diversity discussion for October focused on how principals can move equity, diversity, and inclusion forward in our schools and districts. We want to thank our guest speakers:  •    David Watkins, Director of the Department of Equity & Diversity, Broward County •    Chandra Hall, Director for Equity and Diversity Management, Polk County •    Dr. Kyra Schafte, Coordinator of Equity, Indian River County •    Steve Chatman, Equity Officer, Okaloosa County A few takeaways from this meeting were that equity, diversity, and inclusion need to be intentionally monitored. Change will come fastest when it becomes a community conversation. Schools cannot work in isolation to tackle these topics.  Communities can start by looking at what policies are already in place and improve upon them by being intentional. Mr. Chatman encourages schools to use disparity data such as the percentage of minority students in accelera...

  Personal Excellence in a Caring Place Eric Basilo, Ed.D, Assistant Principal, Seminole County Public Schools “Leadership today is based on relationships built with trust, hope. Love. And encouragement.” - Billy Cox, bassist I will never forget my introduction to teaching.  I was 22, fresh out of college, and excited to teach Math.  I was walking into Winter Park High School at the ideal time (the middle of January – HA!) taking over for a beloved teacher who was taking over higher Math courses.  I had some of the toughest students on campus and was afforded the task of ensuring some would be ready for graduation in May.  Not a problem for someone facing a slew of health challenges that would take my ability to speak about halfway through the semester. Thank God I was a newly made wildcat - the school whose motto was, “Personal excellence in a caring place.”  What was unique about the school was each member of the community including students, pare...

111 Points to an “A”: A Student Achievement Success Story Emphasizing When Student Learning is Prioritized, Results Come by Heidi L. Keegan, M. Ed Principal Charlotte County Public Schools The ultimate goal of any educational leader is to ensure that their students achieve academic success. To do so, they must prioritize student learning through leadership actions that build and support a learning organization focused on student achievement. Below are the steps taken by an elementary school principal—and her team of educators—that led to increasing the school’s letter grade to just 10 points shy of an “A”, despite being 100% Title I and the challenges of a pandemic. Step 1: Make Sure EVERYONE Knows the Goal(s) I mean EVERYONE. Exceptional educational leaders will analyze trend data, look at growth and proficiency, and acknowledge strengths and gaps in achievement. They will dissect details for subgroups, study cohorts, and collaborate with teacher leaders to set goals. None of this wil...

Bonsai Trees, Wildflowers and Personalized Learning To many people in the gardening and plant world, bonsais are among the most impressive trees.  Bonsai is seen as a blend of gardening and art--a way to create living sculptures.  A gardener might spend decades pruning the tree, little by little, year over year, so that it grows to the gardener’s exact vision.  For example, A Coast Redwood tree that, in the wild might grow to 100’-200’, may only grow to 1’ under the curated care of the gardener over many decades.  Recently I was listening to a  podcast , where Julie Lythcott-Haims (author of best selling books on helping young people become healthy and happy adults, and former Dean of Freshmen and Undergraduate Advising at Stanford University) applied the concept of bonsai trees to the way parents raise their children.  She shared: “We treat our kids like they are our bonsai trees… The bonsai is such an exquisite creation of the gardener...

October Blog By. Christina Cornwell  Like many principals, I spent the summer planning for a “normal” student return. I quickly found many of the same difficulties and a handful of different trials waiting for the 21/22 school year. Almost all of the 20/21 Covid-19 protocols are still in place as the Delta variant continues to take its toll. Covid-19 difficulties are exacerbating educator shortages with problems seen nationwide.  Many school districts are continuing to deal with obscene absences of both employees and students. For a school to run smoothly we need everyone in place. Custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, support staff, teachers and students. How does instruction move forward without all of these symbiotic pieces in place? This is the trial that is bearing down on education. As a principal I have cleaned rooms, served food, registered students, ran the clinic and taught classes all in the same day. I have watched teachers cover 4 classes at the same time an...

  Preparing for a lifetime of saving and spending Let's start by admitting that no two real-life spending and saving timelines are the same. That being said, there is a "classic timeline" - a general framework - that you can use as a starting point. Let's look at life a decade at a time, because a financial plan isn't just about retirement - it's about your whole life.   20-something and starting your career When job hunting, a 24-year-old is probably looking at the salary, not company benefits. But remember to ask yourself, "Does this prospective employer offer an employer-sponsored, tax-deferred retirement plan? And does the employer contribute to my account?" It's important to start saving early so your retirement account will have the opportunity to benefit from decades of compounding interest. Not making much money? That's okay: you can start with small contributions and increase them later. Here's another tip: Do your best to avoid ...