School Administrators of Iowa

How To Stay Focused on Teaching and Learning in Tough Economic Times

2010-03-05T21:44:07Z

As school leaders face difficult budget decisions, focusing on teaching and learning is even more challenging. This one-day workshop with Dr. Allan Odden, will offer strategies to assist in squeezing the most out of your education dollars. Dr. Odden is a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin, and co-director of the Consortium for Policy Research in Education–Wisconsin Center for Education Research. He is a nationally recognized expert in resource allocation and fiscal policy.

Superintendents with board president and other board members, board secretary, business manager, person responsible for teaching and learning (curriculum director), principals are encouraged to attend this event at the Sheraton West Des Moines. The May 12 session is structured for 1A to 3A schools, and the May 13 audience is 4A schools.

Learn more about the event and register online.

A discussion of Dr. Odden's book Doubling Student Performance: . . . And Finding the Resources to Do It will begin mid-March on this site.

Roger Wilcox of Waverly-Shell Rock is the 2010 Iowa Fine Arts Administrator of the Year

2010-03-04T21:06:07Z

Roger Wilcox, principal of Washington Irving and West Cedar Elementary Schools in the Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District, is the 2010 Iowa Fine Arts Administrator of the Year. This school leader, who is known for practicing and performing with students, was selected by the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education and School Administrators of Iowa.

SAI Legislative Reception Provides Advocacy for Education

2010-02-24T20:07:39Z

Superintendents and principals from throughout the state met Feb. 23 with legislators to discuss education priorities and review the impact of proposed bills on districts. Read about current legislation on the legislative news page, and access SAI's legislative platform online. Additional pictures are available in the online photo gallery.

Iowa Leadership Academy Principals Center Summer Institute is June 23-24

2010-02-05T19:41:54Z

The focus of the 2010 Principals Center Summer Institute, June 23-24 in West Des Moines, will be on developing a common vision of deep learning and the teaching that produces it. Participants will also refine their Individual Administrator Professional Development Plans, and follow-up work will be expected. The Iowa Leadership Academy Principals Center steering committee decided to move forward with the event based on survey results from principals. Details and registration now available!

DE Releases Guidance on 2009-10 Snow Days

2010-01-29T16:02:44Z

This year's weather has presented many schools with a number of missed days, and we know that the possibility exists for more inclement weather yet this school year. The Department of Education has provided guidance on this year's snow days and has a Frequently Asked Questions section devoted to the subject.

Iowa Featured in new RAND Report, 'Improving School Leadership: The Promise of Cohesive Leadership Systems'

2009-12-23T19:56:11Z

The Improving School Leadership: The Promise of Cohesive Leadership Systems report identifying Iowa as one of three states in which progress toward a cohesive leadership system is “exemplary” is available on The Wallace Foundation's Web site.

Five key dimensions of a cohesive leadership system are identified in the report:

Comprehensiveness in the scope of state and district initiatives—for example, in addressing standards, licensure, training, evaluation and improving conditions;
Alignment of policies and practices within and between different levels of the system;
Engagement of relevant stakeholders in planning and implementing policy changes;
Agreement on the importance of leadership, what it should consist of and how to improve it; and
Coordination that promotes alignment, engagement and agreement around leadership improvement initiatives among the key players at all levels of the system.

Deepening, spreading and sustaining a cohesive leadership system in Iowa will require additional, ongoing efforts. Business, government and education organizations continue to work together to make the emerging leadership system a reality.

Congratulations to Assistant Principal of the Year Diane Campbell of Muscatine

2009-11-20T20:07:40Z

Diane Campbell, associate principal at Muscatine High School, has been named the 2009-10 Iowa Assistant Principal of the Year. Watch for additional award news in the December SAI Report. Read more about the winner in the Muscatine Journal article.

New Resources to Assist with Budget-Related Decision Making and Communications

2009-11-02T20:47:23Z

Decision Rubrics for Education Leaders
With Wallace Foundation support, a Web site is now available with rubrics focusing on data-informed decision making, financial resource allocation, governance and human resource allocation. These instruments have been piloted in four states and 20 districts. The site features:

a complete set of the rubrics with questions that guide users to areas of greatest interest;
links to best practices;
annotated resources;
connections to experts on conditions change who can assist your district in using the rubrics to make changes in policies and practices affecting leaders;
usage guidelines that include: facilitating a rubrics discussion, prioritizing next steps and taking action.

Listen to a recording of a webinar covering the resources' use.

Facilitation Tools for Tough Budget Times
IASB, IASBO and SAI invites you to take advantage of a new, free toolkit, "Facilitation Tools for Tough Budget Times." The tools provide a multi-step process that takes a board/superintendent team from brainstorming and initial prioritizing to identifying consequences and barriers to budget options, prioritization and quantification, and decision analysis. You may access the toolkit online.

Talking about the ABCs of ATBs: Iowa Schools Budget Communications Toolkit
With several stakeholder groups in each school district, there is a terrific need to accurately communicate these issues in a manner that all audiences understand. Continual two-way dialogue is key to keeping individuals engaged with what is happening in a school district.

Iowa’s AEAs, in concert with Larry Sigel of Iowa School Information Services, have developed this communications toolkit to help school administrators respond and guide community conversations about what implications the governor’s budget cut has for local districts across the state and for education as a whole.

Iowa's administrator professional growth work featured in NSDC's "The Learning System"

2009-10-02T13:36:57Z

National Staff Development Council just published the latest issue of The Learning System, its newsletter for district personnel. Much of the September issue spotlights Iowa's efforts to use professional growth plans as a vehicle for focusing the work of the superintendent. The same kinds of results can happen with principals as superintendents coach them using their required professional development plans. The model superintendent and principal evaluation guides are now under revision and should be available by November. A new tool for central office personnel will also be online by then.

Gov. Culver Proclaims October Parental Involvement in Children's Education Month

2009-10-01T22:07:31Z

October has been designated Parental Involvement in Children's Education Month in Iowa. This recognition emphasizes parents’ roles in student achievement and encourages them to partner with schools in their children's education. The Iowa Statewide Parent Information Resource Center Web site offers a detailed engagement toolkit for educators and tips for parents to support their kids. As schools hold Parent-Teacher conferences in the coming months, Iowa PIRC director Ed Redalen's SAI Report article offers ideas for these meetings to serve as the cornerstone to developing strong parent-school relationships.