Myths and Realities Regarding SAMs

The School Administration Manager Program is one of the components listed in the Branstad-Reynolds Recommendations for World-Class Schools, and its inclusion has elicited questions about SAMs. Listen to this webinar recording in which SAMs State Coordinator Carol Lensing provides more information about the Program.

Ways to Stay Informed During the Legislative Session

The 2012 legislative session convened January 9, and SAI will offer multiple ways for you to stay up-to-date on legislative developments:

• weekly e-mails will be sent to members,
• the legislative web page will offer news,
• and the School Administrators of Iowa Facebook group (open only to current members) will provide frequent updates and request your thoughts on issues. 

If you haven’t already done so, review SAI’s 2012 Legislative Priorities for this year's areas of focus.

What are schools studying?

Administrators answered the November SAI poll asking what titles are being used this year for book studies by teams of teachers, administrators and school board members. See what your colleagues are reading and access links to more information on the books.

Bev Kuehn is the 2011-12 Iowa Assistant Principal of the Year

Bev Kuehn, associate principal at Parkview Middle School in Ankeny, has been named the 2011-12 Iowa Assistant Secondary Principal of the Year by SAI. 

"As an educational leader, Bev Kuehn’s commitment to student and staff learning is evident through not only her work in helping students make the transition from elementary to middle school and structuring schedules to enable staff to have time to learn together each day, but also in her overall involvement with academics on the district level," expressed SAI Executive Director Dan Smith.

As Iowa's recipient, Kuehn will move on to the national competition sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and Virco, Inc. The organizations honor all State Assistant Principals of the Year at a forum and awards banquet held each year in Washington, D.C. This event salutes assistant principals and provides an opportunity for them to share best practices and expertise with each other.

You can read more about Bev Kuehn in the upcoming December issue of the SAI Report.

Congratulations to the 2011-12 Iowa Superintendent of the Year Katie Mulholland

Katie Mulholland, superintendent of the Linn-Mar Community School District, has been named the 2011-12 Iowa Superintendent of the Year by the School Administrators of Iowa.

SAI Executive Director Dan Smith expressed, “Katie Mulholland is an exemplary Iowa school superintendent. She believes that the job of a superintendent is to ensure that each student receives the best education possible. All of her work and expertise is focused on that goal.” 

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