Superintendent of the Year - Pennsylvania Association of School

Superintendent of the Year
Vol. XLXVIII, No. 8
May 2016
Nominations Due August 1 Online
PASA and the American Association
of School Administrators (AASA) are now
seeking nominations for 2017 Pennsylvania
Superintendent of the Year.
The Superintendent of the Year program,
sponsored by ARAMARK Education, VALIC
and AASA, pays tribute to the talent and
vision of the men and women who lead the
nation’s public schools. This is the 30th year
for the award program.
Each candidate for Superintendent of the
Year will be judged on the following criteria:
Leadership for Learning – creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in his
or her school system.
Communication – strength in both personal
and organizational communication.
Professionalism – constant improvement of
administrative knowledge and skills, while
providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the
education team.
Community Involvement – active participation in local community activities and an
understanding of regional, national, and
international issues.
NOMINATIONS
To be considered for National Superintendent of the Year, a Pennsylvania applicant
must first be selected as Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year by the PA Association
of School Administrators (PASA).
Any superintendent who plans to continue as a superintendent or I.U. Executive
Director may be nominated. The program is
designed to recognize the outstanding leadership of active, front-line superintendents. It
In this Issue...
Women’s Caucus Conference Recap
PASA Award Nominations Due July 22
Registration Open for
w New Superintendents’
Academy - Part 1
w Education Summit
is not recognition of service at retirement or
a program to reward current state or national
leaders.
Additional criteria for Pennsylvania
nominee eligibility include the following:
w The individual must be both a PASA and
AASA member.
w The individual must have been a
superintendent for at least five years and
in his/her current district in Pennsylvania
for at least two years.
w The individual must intend to continue
serving as a superintendent in the year
in which he/she will be the PA
Superintendent of the Year.
All nominations will be accepted online
only. Those seeking to nominate a superintendent must first register on the AASA website.
(Self-nomination is permitted.) AASA will notify candidates of the nomination and provide
instructions for submitting the application.
The deadline for submitting formal,
online nominations for the Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year is August 1, 2016.
Nomination information for the 2017 National
Superintendent of the Year program is available
on the AASA web site at http://soy.aasa.org.
APPLICATIONS
Those nominated for the award will
complete the award application online on the
AASA website by September 16.
SELECTION
Members of the PASA Board of Governors will review all completed applications
and determine the 2017 Pennsylvania recipient based on the four criteria.
RECOGNITION
Winners from every state, including
Pennsylvania, receive local, state and national
recognition for their outstanding leadership.
The Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year
will be recognized and honored during a
special awards luncheon in Harrisburg, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 17, 2016.
The 2017 National Superintendent of the
Year will be chosen from among four finalists selected from the state winners and will
be announced at the 2017 AASA National
Conference on Education in New Orleans
(March 2-4) during a ceremony where all state
Superintendents of the Year are recognized
and honored. In addition to other awards, a
$10,000 scholarship is presented each year
in the name of the National Superintendent of
the Year to a student in the high school from
which the superintendent graduated. The four
national finalists receive U.S. Savings Bonds.
Questions about the PA/National Superintendent of the Year application process may be
directed to PASA.
At the Capitol
Page 3
Page 13
MEMBER
NEWS
Page 13
Inside...
Executive Director’s Message...2
2016 Award Nominations...........4
Membership Renewals..............4
From the President’s Pen..........5
Educational Leadership
Summit......................................5
New Superintendents’ Academy...5
Resolutions Corner....................6
“GRIT”- A Message for Your
Students....................................7
Women’s Caucus Recap......8-10
AASA News............................. 11
PASA Members:
Please report your appointments, renewals, awards
or special achievements,
or that of others in your
region to Barbara Jewett
at PASA either by phone
(717) 540-4448, by fax
(717) 540-4405, or via
email at pasa@pasa-net.
org. Copy deadline is the
15th of each month.
The PASA Flyer is published
monthly by the
Pennsylvania Association
of School Administrators.
President
John W. Friend, Superintendent
Carlisle Area School District
Treasurer
Richard Fry, Superintendent
Big Spring School District
Past President
Dr. Sherri Smith, Superintendent
Lower Dauphin School District
Executive Director
Jim Buckheit
Assistant to the Executive Director
Barbara W. Jewett
Design Editor
Suzanne K. Yorty
Correspondence regarding the
PASA Flyer can be mailed to:
PASA
2608 Market Place
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717) 540-4448
(717) 540-4405 fax
email to pasa@pasa-net.org
Visit our web site at
www.pasa-net.org
PASA Flyer
From the Executive Director...Jim Buckheit
The Legacy of NCLB
As I considered what to include in testimony on implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for a joint public
hearing of the House and Senate Education Committees, I thought
about what Pennsylvania’s public schools were like before the
NCLB era dramatically changed the face of public schools.
Pennsylvania’s public schools have lived under NCLB or
NCLB federal waiver conditions for the past 14 years. During
that 14-year period, four Governors, four chairmen of the Senate
Education Committee, four chairmen of the House Education
Committee and eight Secretaries of Education each had a role in
the development or revision of state policies needed to comply
with NCLB. An entire generation of students was educated under the high-stakes testing, and
schools and school districts were inappropriately labeled as failing or failures. Several high
school graduating classes spent their entire educational experience under NCLB and state
policies that were put in place to comply with the federal requirements. And tens of thousands
of teachers now providing instruction in classrooms across the state were trained and certified
under NCLB requirements.
While NCLB helped place a laser-like focus on improving reading and math achievement and shined a bright light on unacceptable achievement gaps, perhaps its most insidious
legacy is how it created a widespread belief that public schools are not properly preparing
students for the future.
Over the past 14 years, NCLB requirements have become woven into the very fabric
of Pennsylvania’s public schools, impacting everything from the course requirements for
aspiring teachers enrolled in teacher preparation programs to requirements for how districts
share student information with military recruiters. School districts had to rewrite curriculum,
redesign local assessments, restructure course schedules, change academic calendars, provide
professional development to staff, train current or hire new instructional aides, invest in new
data collection and reporting systems, and greatly expand communications to parents and the
local community.
As the No Child Left Behind Act sunsets into the history books, it leaves behind a lasting
legacy of literally dozens of provisions in the Public School Code, state regulations, certification standards and Department of Education policies. Most of these provisions are not readily
identifiable or associated with NCLB, so the task of identifying them is a challenge. There
are obvious examples, such as Department of Education’s Chapter 403 regulations, entitled
“Compliance with NCLB Act of 2001.” An example of a hard-to-identify provision is Section
116 of the Public School Code. It provides for the Department of Education to provide technical assistance and information to a school district or school identified for warning, school
improvement or corrective action. Another such provision is Section 222 that provides for
the collection and reporting of graduation rates and dropout data necessary to meet federal
reporting requirements.
The challenge for state policymakers will be to identify all these hidden NCLB policies
and either update them to reflect ESSA requirements, maintain them or repeal them. This same
challenge faces school administrators and school boards, as they too must review school district policies to perform a similar review. Perhaps the more significant challenge for state and
district leaders will be to overcome the natural inertia in organizations where staff continues
procedures and practices with which they are familiar, regardless whether those procedures
have been eliminated.
Congress was on target to pull back the federal overreach in education policy when it
passed ESSA. The reality is that it will require states and school districts to do more than just,
implement the new ESSA requirements to return the policy balance among the federal, state
and local levels. When it comes to education policy, the challenge will be to focus not only on
the new requirements but also to hunt down and eliminate the old NCLB policies and practices.
PASA stands ready to assist the committees in this difficult but critical work.
As we noted in our testimony this week before the House and Senate education committees,
“The question for state policymakers is whether they will use this opportunity to merely tweak
the existing system to simply comply with the minimum federal requirements – or whether
they will use this once-in-a-decade opportunity to start fresh and create a new, coherent, balanced and aligned system that is designed to prepare students for whatever their future brings.”
The action Pennsylvania takes in law, policy and regulation to reflect the new ESSA will
guide Pennsylvania’s public education system well into the next decade.
We need to get it right.
2
May 2016
At the Capitol...
NEWS RECAP
Don’t forget to check the PASA website for the weekly Education Update that provides a summary of up-to-date legislative, state
and national education news. For more information on the following
news briefs, see the PASA Web site at www.pasa-net.org. (Click on
“News and Advocacy” to access the current and archived updates.)
And follow us on Twitter for the latest updates @PASASupts.
timony on behalf of PASA, Dr. Eric Eshbach,
superintendent of the Northern York County
SD and chair of the PASA Legislative Committee, urged lawmakers to update academic
standards in the eight areas that have not been
revised since 2003, provide additional flexibility
in assessment, consider the implications of the
current “opt-out” granted to parents on state
assessments, develop accountability measures
that diminish over-reliance on high-stakes tests, revisit current certification requirements and evaluation systems to ensure more flexibility
in staffing and professional development, maintain vigilance against
changes to the Title 1 funding formula to ensure Pennsylvania does
not lose federal funds, and undertake a comprehensive analysis of all
policies, regulations and laws to determine changes that will need to
be made to comport with the new ESSA.
Budget and Funding News
PlanCon Update: Although most of the 2015-16 state budget was
finalized in April, nothing has yet happened to resolve the massive
stalemate preventing the Commonwealth Financing Authority from
moving forward with the bonds necessary to provide districts with
overdue 2015-16 reimbursements. This issue will factor in 2016-17
budget negotiations, and, while all agree that the borrowing must be
done, the issue is when.
2016-17 Budget: All four caucuses and the governor’s office are
continuing to meet on the budget, with a goal of trying to finalize
everything by the June 30 deadline. It appears that any broad-based
taxes are off the table and that revenue increases are likely to come
from limited options such as a higher cigarette tax. To date, the talk
about increases in the BEF range from $50M to as high as $200M.
Fair Funding Rally: On May 2 school officials, parents and other
education advocates from the Campaign for Fair Education Funding (including PASA) rallied in the Capitol to call for $400 million
more in public school funding to be driven through the state’s new
fair education funding formula. Campaign officials noted that $400
million is needed to bring school districts back to pre-2008 funding
levels, drastically reduce the growing inequities in funding available
to schools across the Commonwealth, and increase the state share of
public school funding, one of the worst in the nation.
State Revenues: According to the Department of Revenue, Pennsylvania collected $3.7 billion in General Fund revenue in April, which
was $24.8 million, or 0.7 percent, less than anticipated. Fiscal yearto-date collections remain 0.5 percent above estimate.
State News
Immunization Regulations: In recent comments submitted to the
State Board of Education and the PA Department of Health concerning proposed changes to immunization regulations, PASA expressed
support for updates in the required list of immunizations and revised
deadlines for submitting reports to the Department of Health, but expressed concern about the shortened five-day provisional enrollment
for students not yet in compliance with immunization requirements and
the administrative burden associated with the proposal, particularly at
a time when many school districts have reduced administrative staff.
The proposed regulations tighten requirements for student enrollment
and bring Pennsylvania schools closer to a “herd immunity” to ensure
better student body health. The proposal, which includes changes in
both State Board of Education (Chapter 11) and Department of Health
(Chapter 23) regulations, shortens the timeframe for compliance with
upgraded requirements for immunizations. (See the April 18 “Education Update” on the PASA website for details.)
Charter School Pension Obligations: The state Supreme Court is
hearing arguments about whether a school districts is liable for the
unpaid pension obligations of a now defunct charter school whose
operators recently pleaded guilty to tax evasion. The issue is whether
the debt should be the responsibility of the Pocono Mountain SD or
the Department of Education.
Legislative News
Legislative Schedule: While only the House is scheduled to be in
session the week of May 23, the General Assembly is expected to kick
into high gear after Memorial Day, beginning June 6, with 17 scheduled
session days for both
chambers.
E c o n o m i c F u rloughs: Governor
Wold this week vetoed HB 805, which
provides for economic furloughs of
school staff based on
performance ratings
of teachers. PASA
supported the bill.
ESSA ImplementaDr. Eric Eshbach (second from right), superintendent tion: This week the
of the Northern York County SD and PASA Legislative House and Senate
Committee chair, was among those testifying before education committhe House and Senate Education committees on May 18 tees held a public
concerning ESSA implementation. Also pictured (L-R): hearing on PennsylJerry Oleksiak, PSEA President; Dr. Jill Hackman, Exec. Dir., vania’s implemenBerks Co. I.U.; Sen. Lloyd Smucker, Chair, Senate Education tation of the new
Committee; Rep. Stan Saylor, Chair, House Education Com- federal Every Stumittee; Dr. Eshbach; Nathan Mains, PSBA Exec. Dir. Read dent Succeeds Act
the complete PASA testimony at: www.pasa-net.org// (ESSA). In his tes-
National News
Guidance on Civil Rights for Transgender Students: The U.S.
Departments of Education and Justice this month released joint guidance to school districts leaders on ensuring that all students, including
transgender students, are guaranteed civil rights under Title IX and do
not face discrimination in the school setting. The guidance explains
that, when students or their parents, as appropriate, notify a school that
a student is transgender, the school must treat the student consistent
with the student’s gender identity. The guidance was released following questions on the issue from schools leaders across the country.
COMING UP
Finalizing a state budget by the June 30 deadline is the goal over
the next month, as talks continue at the Capitol and bills start moving into place for final passage. Unlike budget negotiations for the
2015-16 budget, these talks are not being played out in the media, an
indication that all sides are determined to avoid another protracted
budget impasse, particularly in an election year. How both education
funding and education issues will be resolved in those talks remains
unknown. One thing is clear: June is shaping up to be a very busy
one in Harrisburg.
Files/testimony/2016/ESSAtestimony5-18-16.pdf.
May 2016
3
PASA Flyer
July 22 Deadline
REMINDER: PASA Seeking Nominations for 2016 Awards of Achievement
School districts are preparing their 2016-17 budgets. It’s the
middle of prom and spring sports season. And end-of-year activities
are picking up speed. It’s a busy time and a very challenging one for
all school administrators, even more so this year.
That is why it is important to recognize the good work that school
administrators do in leading school systems, raising student achievement and advocating for public education. The PASA Awards of
Achievement were developed for just this purpose.
PASA is again seeking nominations for three special awards
recognizing leadership in public education in three areas:
SERVICE TO THE PROFESSION - Demonstrating commitment
to excellence as evidenced through notable service to the profession.
Examples of this service may include developing an effective professional development program for school district educators, demonstrating leadership in administrator preparation programs, school study
councils or other professional development efforts, or promoting
the education profession through research, writing or organizational
service.
Sponsored by: Horace Mann
learning across the curriculum.
Sponsored by: Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc.
LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC EDUCATION - Demonstrating commitment to school administration as a profession, to public education
and to one's colleagues, including participation in and leadership with
the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.
Sponsored by: PLGIT/PFM
All PASA members are eligible for these awards. Individuals
may self-nominate or be nominated by their peers, staff or board.
Nominees may be asked to complete the PASA Awards application
form and attach further information that will provide a judging panel
with sufficient evidence to support their nomination.
The PASA Awards of Achievement will be presented on Oct. 13
during the PASA Recognition Dinner in Hershey at the PASA/PSBA
Annual Conference. $1,000 will be donated in each recipient’s name
to a scholarship fund of his/her choice or to the Pennsylvania administrator preparation program of his/her choice.
Deadline for nominations is July 22.
For more information on the Awards of Achievement, see the
PASA web site at www.pasa-net.org/PASAAwardsPA.asp.
INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP - Demonstrating commitment
to excellence in teaching and learning by developing, nurturing and
supporting exemplary programs that support the academic achievement of particular student populations, enrich student learning in a
particular content area, or implement strategies to enhance student
PASA thanks our Awards of Achievement sponsors for their
continuing support in recognizing outstanding public school
administrators in Pennsylvania.
No PASA dues increase in 2016-17!
Are you retiring? STOP!
Membership Renewal Time
Coming Soon
Before you retire, remember to stay connected to PASA by
joining the association as a Retired Member in 2016-17. Be
sure to forward your non-school contact information to the
PASA office to continue receiving The PASA Flyer through
the current membership year (ending September 30) and
to receive membership information for 2016-17. Call Jolene
Zelinski at PASA to update your information or for questions
on next year’s membership at (717) 540-4448 (or via email at
jolenez@pasa-net.org).
PASA is working in Harrisburg and throughout the Commonwealth – and AASA is working for you in Washington D.C. – to
influence policy, build support for public education, and provide
school administrators with both the information and professional development they need. Membership in both PASA, your
professional state organization, and in AASA, the only national
organization representing the interests of school district superintendents, is vital for you personally, for the profession and for
public education.
Watch for your membership renewal to arrive by mail
in early June!
The PASA membership year runs from October 1 through
September 30.
PASA Flyer
Communication Tip of the Month
“First, you need to have a strong vision. You need to know where
you’re going, and you need to be able to bring people along.
Leadership is not so much about a title; it’s your ability to help
motivate people and bring people on. A key part of that is being
a great communicator: How can you influence people? How can
you communicate to various masses? You need to have a strong
community relations background. You need to have a strong
character, a strong sense of who you are. You need to know
what you stand for.” – Dr. Thomas S. Tucker, Superintendent,
Princeton City SD (Ohio) and AASA 2016 National Superintendent of the Year, speaking on AASA radio concerning the
“Five Essential Qualities for the Model School Leader” (www.
jackstreet.com/jackstreet/WAASA.billboard.cfm). Want to have
direct access to AASA materials? Become an AASA member
today and join your colleagues in the only national organization focused on the needs of chief school administrators. Call
PASA today for information.
4
May 2016
Messages
FROM THE
PRESIDENT’S PEN
BY JOHN W. FRIEND,
2015-16 PASA PRESIDENT
Just last week we received the
latest “Dear Colleague” letter from
the U. S. Department of Education
and U. S Department of Justice.
I always take these letters seriously and read them carefully, then
disseminate them to all appropriate
parties in the district. Sometimes I wonder if I should add it to the
agenda of a district administrative meeting or just mention the key
points in an e-mail.
This time, I believe we have an obligation to do more.
Why? Because the nation is facing difficult challenges, and one
of the individuals running for President of the United States, and
garnering a lot of media attention, routinely makes comments about
people in this country that runs counter to everything we should be
teaching young people – and certainly runs counter to the guidance
in the recent “Dear Colleague” letter.
We have a responsibility to ensure that our schools provide a safe
and non-discriminatory environment for all students to learn. Harassment that targets any students simply erodes the culture of a school
and hurts everyone in it.
The important message that we send to every person working in
the system must be clear and unequivocal: that this type of discriminatory behavior is unacceptable. All employees and students must know
what they are responsible to do if and when they see or hear harassment
of any sort in a school.
So this time I will spend a little more time making sure that everyone understands the nature of letter and how its broader context is
important for all students in every school.
Remember: Many students don’t think they have a voice in making things better. Let’s give them that chance.
Still time to register!
2016 PA Educational Leadership
Summit set for July 24 - 26
The 2016 Educational Leadership Summit, scheduled for
Sunday evening, July 24, to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon,
July 26 at the PennStater Conference Center in State College, will provide an excellent opportunity for school district
administrative teams and instructional leaders to learn, share
and plan together at a quality venue in "Happy Valley."
Co-sponsored by PASA, the Pennsylvania Principals Association, the PA Association for Middle Level Education and
PASCD, the summit will feature Grant Lichtman, author of
EdJourney: A Roadmap to the Future of Education, Deputy
Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Matthew
Stem, and Dana Lightman, author of POWER Optimism: Enjoy
the Life You Have... Create the Success You Want.
Keynote speakers, high quality breakout sessions, table
talks on hot topics and district team planning and job-alike
sessions will provide practical ideas that can be immediately
reviewed and discussed at the summit before returning back
to your district.
Registration fees are $299 for Individuals and $259 pp for
Team Member registration.
For online registration, see the Summit website at http://
bit.ly/1No460f.
Part 1 Scheduled for July 20-21
For New District Leaders: New Superintendents’ Academy
Reach out to new school system leaders in your region and
encourage them to get a head start in their new roles by participating in PASA’s “New Superintendents’ Academy.” Or, if YOU are a
new superintendent, take advantage of a professional development
program developed to meet YOUR needs.
The Academy is a three-part series that serves as a primer of the
“basics” for new superintendents. Each two-day academy program
features discussions led be experienced superintendents. Each offers
participants practical advice on issues they are likely to confront as
they prepare for and enter their
new position.
Perhaps most importantly,
the Academy provides new
superintendents an opportunity
to meet and discuss issues with
experienced colleagues from
throughout the commonwealth
May 2016
and develop a network with new superintendents.
The 2016 series begins on July 20-21 with Part 1 – “Entry.”
This program, which will be offered on two full days, will focus on
tools you need as you enter the superintendency: the entry process,
leading with the board to create a culture of teaching and learning,
getting organized, team building, advocating for education, working
with the Department of Education, the superintendent's role as ethical
leader, and wellness for school leaders.
Upcoming programs in the series include:
Part 2 – September 20-21– Communicating with the Board,
the Staff and the Public
Part 3 – January 11-12, 2017 – Evaluating Programs and
Performance
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! See the PASA website for
information at www.pasa-net.org.
5
PASA Flyer
Resolutions Corner:
Better - and Wiser - Voices
BY BARBARA W. JEWETT, ASSISTANT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
It’s that time of year again – budget
season. Well, actually, it’s been
“budget season” for quite a long
time now. If you start counting from
Gov. Wolf’s first budget address on
March 3, 2015, it’s been nearly 15
months.
And, while there is much talk
in Harrisburg about moving more
quickly on a state budget this time
– motivated in no small measure by negative public perceptions, an
upcoming general election, and politicians just tired of sitting in Harrisburg for weeks at a time – there seems to be little interest among
lawmakers in developing a 2016-17 budget that makes more extensive
investments in education or one that substantially addresses the Commonwealth’s fiscal deficit.
Rather, the thinking appears to be “We will put off those tough decisions to 2017-18.” Or, in the words of Wimpy from the old “Popeye”
cartoon, “"I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."
If that happens, the need for real changes to make fair, adequate
and equitable funding for our public schools a reality, one of PASA’s
priority resolutions, will be put off once again. And, in its wake,
will be a continuance of the growing gulf between districts able to
withstand another underfunded state education budget and those who
are not – and who will be forced to raise local taxes and/or continue
cutting programs and staff for yet another year.
Coming next month is release of the PASA/PASBO report on
school districts budgets, based on survey responses from school leaders across the Commonwealth. Considering the numerous published
media reports of districts already planning for more cuts and higher
tax levies in 2016-17 just to stay afloat, that annual report will no
doubt provide clarity on what really needs to happen in Harrisburg.
But perhaps what is also needed at the Capitol to better guide the
budget process are some “pearls of wisdom” by many who can say it
better than I…
“It is our job above all in politics to tackle the big issues and to explain them, and have the honesty to say to people, ‘There are no easy
solutions here.’” – Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of Australia
“It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world
and moral courage so rare.” – Mark Twain
About Decision-making…
“My message to Washington is very simple. Face reality. Be leaders.
Demonstrate accountability. Engage in principled compromise. And
understand your job is to find solutions.” – Kenneth Chenault, CEO
and Chairman of American Express
“There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are
some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the
other.” – Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch Renaissance humanist
“The capability of negotiating... is something that means you not only
have to understand fully what you believe and what your national
interests are, but in order to be a really good negotiator, you have to
try to figure out what the other person on the other side of the table
has in mind.” – Madeleine Albright, former U.S. ambassador to the
United Nations
About Policy and Priorities…
“The budget is not just a collection of numbers, but an expression of
our values and aspirations.” – Jacob Lew, current U.S. Secretary of
the Treasury
“Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or
system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important
subject which we, as a people, can be engaged in.” – Abraham Lincoln
“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our
inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state
of facts and evidence.” – John Adams
About Leadership…
“The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section
gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” –
Dwight D. Eisenhower
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin
Franklin
About Where We Go From Here…
“Last year we said, 'Things can't go on like this', and they didn't; they
got worse.” – Will Rogers, American humorist
What You Need to Know!
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it
today.” – Abraham Lincoln
If you are a PASA member as a Commissioned Officer or District/Cabinet/Central Office Administrator, find what you need
to know in the weekly “Education Update.” Watch your email
on Mondays for the E-Update and link to this weekly report,
a source for the latest in education and budget news from
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and the nation.
PASA Flyer
“The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The buck stops here!” – Harry S Truman
“If life were easy, it wouldn't be difficult.” – Kermit the Frog
6
May 2016
“GRIT” - A Message for Your Students
BY CONNIE KINDLER, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Following a TED talk introduction to Angela Lee Duckworth’s message about “GRIT,” I
read her book, GRIT: The Power
of Passion and Perseverance. As
a former school administrator, I
know that during this time of the
year you are spending countless
hours researching inspirational
topics, and writing and rewriting
graduation and other speeches, as
well as completing a multitude of
other end-of-year tasks. Hopefully, my brief summary of Dr. Duckworth’s book will at least free some of your research time.
Duckworth, a 2013 MacArthur Fellow, who completed her BA
in neurobiology at Harvard and her MS in neuroscience at Oxford, is
professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, where she
completed her PhD. At Penn, she studies attributes such as self-control,
effort, interests, practice, hope, etc., in order to determine how these
intangibles might predict academic and professional success.
Her research for this book spanned varied groups of high-achievers. These included the new West Point cadets who transitioned to
soldiers, students who competed in the National Spelling Bee finals,
rookie teachers who survived tough neighborhoods, and successful
executives, sales people, journalists, scientists, musicians, athletes
and others.
Her conclusion is that those who reach the highest level of accomplishment are usually the “grittiest” in the group. They are the
students and the workers who are “satisfied to be unsatisfied.” In other
words, they persistently dig wider and deeper into their passion, always
wanting to understand and do more than the requirements. When they
face defeat, they do not give up. Instead, they move forward with
determination and resiliency. She asserts that one’s achievements
are twice as much a result of passion and perseverance as they are a
result of innate talent.
Duckworth discusses how we can grow grit from the inside out.
Growing it from the inside requires a self-identified interest and purpose. People are more satisfied with their work and perform better
when they do something that they like and when they view their work
as meaningful. Also, growing it requires concentrated and continuous
practice. The quality and quantity of the practice time are equally
important. Last but not least, growing grit requires optimism. When
interest, purpose, and practice are combined with hope, the likelihood
of achievement becomes greater.
In addition, Duckworth asserts that grit can grow from the outside in via the provision of a culture of grit. As parents, teachers, and
administrators, we can grow grit in our children and students by supporting their passions, providing them with adequate tools for practice,
maintaining high expectations for focused and sustained practice,
supporting them as they prod forward in the face of challenges, and
modeling passion and perseverance in our own lives.
By now, I am sure that you have realized that you are undoubtedly the grittiest person in your school or district. Your success in
achieving your role as a school leader is a result of your passion, your
calling, your perseverance and your never-give-up attitude. Perhaps
you grew grit from the inside. Perhaps it grew from the influence of
others. Perhaps your achievements are a result of both.
At any rate, you are gritty and in the perfect position to empower
others. When giving your end-of-year speeches, in addition to the
important messages about happiness and a strong moral character, I
wish you the best as you inspire grit by encouraging our youth to follow their passion and to persevere with unwavering practice and hope!
2016 PASA/PSBA School
Leadership Conference
Thursday, Oct. 13 - Saturday, Oct. 15
Hershey Lodge & Convention Center
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
Alan November
Jaime Casap
Julie Lythcott-Haims
Quick Glance:
2016 - 17 Programs
CONFERENCE HOUSING NOW OPEN!
Reservations for rooms at the Hershey Lodge & Convention
Center are now being accepted. Guest rooms for School Law
Workshop attendees are available at The Hotel Hershey. The
per-night group rate is $199 plus tax at the Lodge and $232
plus tax at the Hotel Hershey. Reserve as early as possible to
receive the group rate. (Also, please note cancellation policies.)
2016
June 6
Webcast: Legal Issues and Social Media
June 16
Leadership for Learning Course – Module 3
July 20-21
New Superintendents’ Academy Part 1
July 24-26
PA Education Leadership Summit
(State College)
Sept. 20-21
New Superintendents’ Academy Part 2
October 13-15 PASA/PSBA School Leadership Conference
Get information on how to make your room reservation on the
conference website:
https://www.paschoolleaders.org/
school-leadership-conference/hotel-information
For assistance, call the Hershey Lodge Reservation Office
at (717) 520-5732.
2017
January 11 - 12 New Superintendents’ Academy Part 3
January 17 - 18 Aspiring to Leadership Workshop
May 2016
For program information, see the Conference website at
https://www.paschoolleaders.org/.
7
PASA Flyer
2016 PASA Women’s Caucus Conference Recap
Women in school district administration gathered at the Hotel Hershey on May 1-3 for the annual
Women’s Caucus Conference.
With the theme “Revolutionizing Education
through Customization, Leading and Learning,” this
year’s conference offered participants featured presenters, opportunities for networking, and numerous
educational sessions focused on a variety of topics,
including customizing learning, leveraging distance
learning, and shifting to hybrid or blended learning
classrooms using a coaching model.
Keynote speakers included Julie Young, CEO of Global Personalized Academics, who spoke about her journey from online learning to
blended learning, and Elizabeth King, retired VP of Human resources
Solutions and Services for the Starbucks Corporation, who spoke on
“A Leadership Journey through the Lens of Service.”
Dr. Tracy Hinish and Dr. Francine Endler served as co-chairs
of the conference planning committee.
See images of the conference in this month’s issue.
The Women’s Caucus Board now is making plans for next year’s
conference, planned for April 30 – May 2, 2017 in the Hotel Hershey.
Want to Join the Women’s Caucus?
The purpose of the Women’s Caucus is to improve the
status, rights, and opportunities for women in educational leadership. The five Caucus goals are:
• To develop a network among women in or aspiring
to positions in educational leadership.
• To increase the number of women in positions of
educational leadership.
• To support and disseminate research concerning the
status of women in education.
• To sponsor seminars which provide opportunities
for skill building and competency in educational leadership.
• To encourage members to provide leadership for implementation
of race, sex, and national origin equity throughout educational systems.
You must be a PASA member to join the Caucus. Active or associate PASA members may elect membership in the Women’s Caucus
at no additional cost. When you renew your PASA membership for
2016-17, remember to check (√) the box indicating you also wish
to join the Women’s Caucus.
Have a question? Call the PASA office at (717) 540-4448.
Conference Pictures and Tech Support
Thank you to Sherry Cowburn for contributing and coordinating the conference pictures in this month’s issue of The PASA Flyer.
Thank you also to Jess Sahl, Manager for Technical Projects, with
Chester County I.U. 24, for her assistance with technology during the
conference.
PASA / Women’s
Caucus Sponsors
DIAMOND SPONSORS
Eidex Insights
Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc.
NaviGate Prepared
PFM/PLGIT
Coming in the June issue of The PASA Flyer…
A look at our 2016 Caucus award recipients:
WANDA MCDANIEL AWARD
Dr. Siobhan Leavy
Director of Pupil Services, Chichester SD
GOLD SPONSORS
AXA Equitable
EI Associates
MIND Research Institute
MARGARET SMITH LEADERSHIP AWARD
Dr. Merle Horowitz
Superintendent (ret.), Marple Newtown SD
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Horace Mann
SILVER SPONSORS
Kades-Margolis Corp.
King, Spry, Herman,
Freund & Faul LLC
The Women’s Caucus thanks our “Special” conference sponsors for their support:
Kades-Margolis Corporation – conference attendee gifts
Retirement and investment planning are the dual focus of our company. We help people plan and invest for carefree retirement years and help
employers provide retirement benefits for their employees. Kades-Margolis is a regional financial services and retirement planning organization serving clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. See us on the web at: www.4kmc.com.
MindResearch Institute – Sunday networking reception
MIND's Education Division deploys its distinctive visual approach through innovative instructional software, textbooks, and professional
development for the K-12 math market.
The MIND Research Institute enables elementary and secondary students to reach their full academic and career potential through developing
and deploying math instructional software and systems. See us on the web at: http://mindresearch.net.
AXA Advisors – Monday networking reception
An AXA Advisors financial professional can help you break down your financial goals into small, manageable steps so you can understand
your options, make informed decisions, and take action toward a more secure future. We provide the experience and knowledge about strategies and options that can help you address your specific concerns, goals and hopes for the future. See us on the web at: https://axa.com
PASA Flyer
8
May 2016
Faces from the 2016 Women’s Caucus
RIGHT: During
the Monday luncheon, Secretary
of Education Pedro Rivera shared
with conference
attendees the latest news from
the Department
of Education.
LEFT: Dr. Rina
Vassallo, member of the Caucus
Board and chair
of the Awards
Committee, introduced the two
award recipients.
ABOVE: Lynn Fuini-Hetten of the Salisbury
Township SD, along with Jennifer Holman
of the Northwestern Lehigh SD and Isabel
Resende of the Nazareth SD, led a session
about leadership lessons learned through the
eyes of three female assistant superintendents.
RIGHT: Ed Margolis of KadesMargolis Corporation attended the
conference dinner.
Kades-Margolis
sponsored the conference gift for attendees.
ABOVE: Julie Young (L) presented
the Keynote address on Sunday
evening. (shown here with Caucus
Board member and conference photographer Sherry Cowburn)
Women’s Caucus Officers for 2016-18
ABOVE: Dr. Merle Horowitz, former superintendent of the Marple Newtown SD (ret.)
and Past President of the Women’s Caucus, received the Margaret Smith Leadership Award,
awarded to a female administrator who has
demonstrated proven leadership in education.
(as of May 1)
President: Dr. Michelle Saylor, Interim Superintendent, Bellefonte
Area
Secretary: Lynn Fuini-Hetten, Assistant Superintendent, Salisbury
Township
Finance: Cindy Mortzfeldt, Executive Director, Capital Area IU 13
Conference: Lynn Fuini-Hetten
Membership: Sherry Cowburn, Principal, East Lycoming
Public Relations: Dr. Merle Horowitz (ret.)
Liaison: Sharon Laverdure, Superintendent, East Stroudsburg Area
Awards: Dr. Rina Vassallo (ret.)
LEFT: Elizabeth King,
one of the Keynote presenters at the conference,
talks about her leadership
journey.
Thank you to Dr. Francine Endler, 2014-16 President and conference co-chair, and to Dr. Tracy Hinish, 2014-16 Secretary and
conference co-chair, for your service to the Women’s Caucus!
See the Women’s Caucus page on the PASA website at www.
pasa-net.org to learn more about the Caucus, upcoming events and
regional contacts on the Caucus Board.
May 2016
9
PASA Flyer
Faces from the 2016 Women’s Caucus
LEFT: Brian Gresser of MIND Research, with conference co-chairs Dr.
Tracy Hinish (L) and Dr. Francine
Endler (R). MIND Research and AXA
Advisors each sponsored one of the
conference receptions.
ABOVE: Dr. Kathleen Sherman,
superintendent of the Chichester SD, facilitated a session on
customizing learning through
collaboration in an organization.
PASA Flyer
10
May 2016
Seeking Realistic Changes in School Nutrition Requirements
BY LESLIE FINNAN, AASA SENIOR LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
Children who are healthy and well fed are best suited to learn.
AASA is a strong advocate for child nutrition. Through our work on
school breakfast, health insurance and coordinated school health,
among many other projects, we support the whole child and help
our members ensure that their students are all given the best shot at
a healthy lifestyle.
However, the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act put in place
burdensome regulations that have harmed the ability for many districts
to run efficient and effective school nutrition programs. As Congress
is working to reauthorize this bill, we are working to strengthen these
nutrition programs through added flexibilities and support.
AASA supports a comprehensive reauthorization of the Healthy
Hunger-Free Kids Act, one which addresses the challenges stemming from the 2010 law. Superintendents throughout the country
have complained of decreased participation, increased cost, increased
food waste and unhappy students. School food service directors have
complained of the increased administrative burden, limited ability to
serve the foods their students eat, and difficulty finding products that
fit the regulations.
AASA is not looking to repeal the standards completely. Too
much good work has been done already. Instead, we have been asking
for some common sense changes to increase the flexibility, and allow
schools and districts to better serve their students.
The shining star of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act is the
Community Eligibility Provision. This provision, now in its second
year nationwide, allows schools or districts with 40 percent or more
of their students identified as in poverty to serve breakfast and lunch
to all students in the school or district without taking applications.
This provision has proven very successful in increasing participation,
decreasing administrative burden and improving the well-being of
children. Besides removing any barriers to accessing the food, Community Eligibility also removes the stigma attached to free meals. As
AASA member Morris Leis said at a recent Congressional briefing,
“This prevents embarrassment for some students and puts all (children) on an even playing field when it comes to getting their meals.”
In the winter, the Senate Agriculture Committee passed a bill
which AASA opposed. It did little to increase flexibility and included a
requirement for increased verification of student eligibility, a requirement that would significantly increase the administrative burden and
cause some students to lose their access to meals.
The House is currently considering a bill that would have mixed
implications for superintendents. It requires a review of all nutritional
standards with an eye on cost and participation, as well as nutrition,
to ensure that school meals are both healthy and practical. However,
it also includes a similar provision for increased verification of eligibility, as well as a change in the Community Eligibility Provision, a
move that would cause 7,000 schools to lose their current eligibility.
We are continuing to work with Congress to ensure that any reauthorization of this bill reflects the needs of superintendents around the
country. While healthy meals are essential for our students’ success, it
is crucial that we allow local districts to best serve their students. We
hope a reauthorized child nutrition bill reflects this need.
Find AASA’s positions on this bill and other child nutrition issues
on The Leading Edge blog here.
NEWS
Legislative Advocacy Conference
Registration remains open for the 2016 AASA Legislative Advocacy Conference, scheduled for July 12-14 in Washington, D.C. The
conference, which will include presentations by and visits with members of Congress, is hosted in partnership by the Association of School
Business Officials International (ASBO) and sponsored by AXA. See
the AASA website at www.aasa.org for registration information.
AASA and Federal Policy
In the past month, AASA has provided comments on numerous
policy issues, including: the proposed Improving Child Nutrition
and Education Act of 2016 (H.R. 5003), a proposed balanced budget
amendment, and proposed IDEA regulations. See more on the AASA
website at www.aasa.org. AASA…working for you in Washington!
2017 Conference: Call for proposals
Don’t miss next year’s conference: March 2-4 in New Orleans.
AASA is now searching for the “best of the best” presenters to engage
conference attendees in conversations around cutting edge trends,
issues and solutions in education.
Participation as a presenter will help attendees increase their
leadership skills and professional competence, provide for an exchange
of ideas and solutions and help attendees address the controversial
issues facing today’s educators. In doing so, AASA, along with those
selected presenters, will create a community of learning that will help
America’s public school education leaders improve the quality of
education for all children.
Read more about it on the AASA website, www.aasa.org. For
any questions regarding the Call for Proposals process, please contact:
Jennifer Rooney at jrooney@aasa.org.
The School Administrator
The May issue of AASA’s School Administrator magazine looks
at the ever-growing responsibility borne by public educators for addressing the effects of poverty. Coverage examines educators' beliefs
about students in poverty, the need for suburban safety nets and highpoverty, high-performing schools that are beating the odds.
For breaking education news
and the latest from the Capitol,
Follow us on Twitter
@PASASupts
May 2016
NOT AN AASA MEMBER? Join today! See the AASA web site
for details at www.aasa.org or contact the PASA office.
11
PASA Flyer
Noteworthy Quotes
On the State Budget…
“Not to impugn the intentions of the 46 cosponsors of the civics test
bill, but the legislation smells suspiciously like an election-year gambit.
Who, after all, could be opposed to students learning about the foundations of America? It would be more impressive if a bipartisan group
of representatives could come up with a budget on time. Maybe that
budget could lay the groundwork for a reform of the state’s appalling
system for financing education, which relies on local property taxes
and a regressive state income tax structure that dooms schools in lessaffluent areas to perpetual under-funding and under-achievement.”
– from an editorial published in The Citizen’s Voice, 5/8/16
“An equitable basic education funding system is good for students
and the state’s economy, but if the state continues to limit funding
increases to the level approved in this year’s budget, infants in their
cribs today will be out of high school by the time we achieve a fullyfunded and fair public school funding system in Pennsylvania.” – Joan
Benso, President and CEO of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children,
during a recent Campaign for Fair Education Funding rally in the state
Capitol (May 2)
Career Center
on the Web
As a courtesy to school administrators, those seeking positions
in school administration and public school employers, PASA provides
on its website the “PASA Career Center,” a listing of job openings,
both in Pennsylvania and in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Job openings are grouped into several categories:
• Superintendent/Asst. Supt./Executive Director vacancies in PA
• Public K-12, I.U., Career-Tech, Charter School
administrator vacancies in PA
• Other Professional Vacancies: PA and National
(professional education vacancies in public higher education
institutions, associations and other organizations in PA, and
non-superintendent public school positions in other states)
• Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Regional Positions (superintendent
and other executive vacancies in public schools out-of-state,
particularly the Northeast/MidAtlantic region)
Vacancies and available positions for public schools are posted
at no charge upon request and review.
To request a vacancy announcement posting on this web site, send
a message to the webmaster at pasa@pasa-net.org. Please include
your phone number with your e-mail request. Information needed
includes: position, entity, contact name/address, description of the
position, application deadline and application process. Additional
position information may be included, depending on length.
(PASA reserves the right not to publish an open position or to
modify submitted information.)
PASA Flyer
“Those districts with the least wealth were cut disproportionately
in 2011 and so [Gov. Wolf] was trying to get them back to where
they were before….If we continue to do it [adding more funding to
education] at $150 million a year, like we did this year, it’ll take over
20 years. If we do a $400 million increase going forward over the
next several years, we can get there in six to eight years.” – PASA
Executive Director Jim Buckheit, on school funding and state budget
negotiations, as quoted in a story on Capitolwire, 5/7/16
“There’s been a lot less heated rhetoric. There’s been a lot more
positive tone coming from both sides. It was so combative last year
… and a lot of the negotiating was being done loudly in the media
instead of behind closed doors with one voice. But I think it’s definitely
changed – I can sense it.” – an unidentified lobbyist on state budget
negotiations, as quoted on Capitolwire, 5/4/16)
“For the Wolf administration and Republican bigwigs are starting
to talk about a new state budget that’s due at the end of next month.
That’s right. Here we go again. And as they chat about new taxes or
no new taxes, fixing a deficit, funding education and so on, they face
the same set of problems and issues that stymied them last time for,
well, longer than the duration of a full-term pregnancy. And after that
there was no birth of a new Pennsylvania.” – John Baer, columnist for
the Philadelphia Daily News, 5/9/16
“Things are so tight right now. We are scraping for everything.” – Tony
Ryba, business manager of the Hazleton Area SD, during a recent
school board meeting concerning the district’s 2016-17 budget, as
reported in The Standard Speaker, 5/12/16
Other Issues…
“No student should ever have to go through the experience of feeling
unwelcome at school or on a college campus. This guidance further
clarifies what we’ve said repeatedly – that gender identity is protected
under Title IX.” – U.S. Secretary of Education of Education John B.
King, Jr., on recently issued guidelines concerning gender identity
and school responsibilities
“I believe one of the major factors that distinguishes traditional public
schools from either cyber charter or charter schools is they tend to
have more stable student enrollment. I would argue that consistency
and continuity of instruction and relationships is very important.” –
PASA Executive Director Jim Buckheit on a recent national report that
found higher rates of non-graduates among charter schools, particularly among virtual schools, compared to traditional public schools,
as quoted on Capitolwire, 5/11/16
“PASA urges the Department, as it develops the final regulations, to
carefully consider and balance the budgetary limitations and administrative capacity of school districts and other school entities to carry
out the new requirements against the public health policy objective to
maximize compliance with required childhood immunizations.” – from
PASA comments on proposed changes to state regulations concerning
child immunization and student entry
12
May 2016
MEMBER
NEWS
REGION 3
Dr. Robert Scherrer has been
named superintendent of the North
Allegheny SD. He has been serving
as acting superintendent of the district
following the resignation of Dr. Raymond Gualtieri.
Dr. Michael Loughead has been appointed superintendent of
the Hampton Township SD. He currently serves as assistant superintendent in the South Fayette Township SD. He will replace John
Hoover, who is retiring.
REGION 27
Dr. John Hansen, superintendent of the Beaver Area SD, has
announced his intention to retire, effective June 30. Carrie Rowe,
who currently serves as assistant superintendent in the district, has
been appointed his successor.
Dr. Michelle Miller has been appointed superintendent of the
Hopewell Area SD, effective July 1. She currently serves as superintendent in the Wilmington Area SD. Miller will replace Dr. Charles
Reina, who is retiring.
Please report member news to PASA at pasa@pasa-net.org.
Announcements of professional vacancies across Pennsylvania
and in neighboring states are posted on the PASA Web site at www.
pasa-net.org (Click on the “Leadership Development” button and
look for “Career Center.”)
REGION 5
Dr. James Tracy, currently superintendent of the Girard SD,
is retiring from the position, effective July 1, and has accepted the
position of superintendent in the Dunkirk City SD in New York. Tracy
has served Region 5 on the PASA Board of Governors.
Dr. William Clark, superintendent of the Warren County SD,
has announced he will resign from the position, effective July 1.
REGION 12
Dr. Mary Beth Grove, currently a principal in the York Suburban SD, has been appointed Assistant Superintendent of the Spring
Grove Area SD, effective July 1. Grove will replace Dr. David Renaut, who will move into the superintendent position following the
retirement of Dr. Robert Lombardo on June 30.
PASA CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2016
For more information,
see the PASA web site at www.pasa-net.org.
REGION 13
Dr. Cheryl Potteiger has been appointed superintendent of the
Annville-Cleona SD. She most recently served as superintendent of
the Bellefonte Area SD. She will replace Dr. Jeffrey Miller, who
has been serving as acting superintendent following the death of
superintendent Dr. Steven Houser.
MAY
30 PASA office closed
JUNE
6 Legal Issues and Social Media webinar*
7 PASA Lobby Day at the Capitol
16 Leadership for Learning – Module 3 (PASA office)
REGION 15
Dr. Chester Mummau, currently superintendent of the Wyalusing Area SD, has been appointed superintendent of the Shippensburg
Area SD. Mummau will replace Beth Bender, who will retire at
the close of the school year after 33 years in education, three as the
district’s superintendent.
JULY
4PASA office closed
20-21 New Superintendents’ Academy Party 1 (PASA office)
24-26 PA Education Leadership Summit (State College)
REGION 16
Dr. John Kurelja, superintendent of the Warrior Run SD, has
announced he has accepted the position of chief academic officer for
the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, effective July 1.
SEPTEMBER
5 PASA office closed
20-21 New Superintendents’ Academy Part 2 (PASA office)
29-30 Board of Governors’ meetings (PASA office)
REGION 17
William Clark is now serving as superintendent of the Northeast Bradford SD. He formerly served as high school principal in the
Athens Area SD.
OCTOBER
13-15 PASA/PSBA School Leadership Conference (Hershey)
REGION 18
Heather McPherson has been appointed superintendent of the
Tunkhannock Area SD. She has been serving as superintendent in
the Northeast Bradford SD. McPherson will replace Frank Galicki,
who has been serving as acting superintendent in the district.
Charles Suppon, superintendent of the Wyoming Valley West
SD, has announced he will retire from the position, effective July 1.
May 2016
NOVEMBER
17-18 Board of Governors’ meetings (PASA office)
(*sponsored by the PASA Technology Committee; to begin at 10:30
a.m. and led by Mark Walz, attorney with Sweet, Stevens, Katz and
Williams LLP)
13
PASA Flyer