A Message from GSBA's Executive Director

Agenda The Georgia School Boards Association

Magazine

Calling All Leaders “Do the Right Work. Tell Your Own Story.” See You in Savannah! 2017

Online at gsba.com

We Believe in Public Education

Featured Article:

Auriel’s Way:

From Macon to Harvard… Spring 2017

Energy to Power Education Georgia Power understands a strong educational foundation is the first step in creating a brighter future for the next generation and a prosperous economy for our state. That’s why we support organizations such as the Georgia School Boards Association and programs around the state that improve teacher quality, cultivate a talent pipeline for STEM fields and ensure a trained and motivated workforce for the future. Working together we can continue to build a state we are all proud to call home.

georgiapower.com

Agenda Magazine|Spring 2017

Executive Director’s Message

07

President’s Message

08

School Law

By Valarie Wilson, GSBA Executive Director

Business, Poverty & Solutions By Will Wade, GSBA President & Dawson County BOE Member

Local Control and the Federal Government 2.0 By Phil Hartley, Harben, Hartley & Hawkins

14

Featured Article

20

Vision for Public Education

Pg. 14

Auriel’s Way: From Macon to Harvard… By Scotty Fletcher

“Do the Right Work. Tell Your Own Story.” The Georgia Vision Project & Spark Messaging Campaign By Stan DeJarnett, Ed.D Director of the Georgia Vision Project

26

Summer Conference

30

Policy Points

34

FY17 Associates

38

Staff/Services Directory

Calling All Leaders By Angela Palm, GSBA Director of Policy and Legislative Services

Pg. 26

Publication Policy: Agenda is published by the Georgia School Boards Association as a service to its members. GSBA is a nonprofit organization for the state’s 180 local school boards, which have joined together voluntarily to improve public education through cooperative effort. The articles published in each issue represent the ideas or beliefs of the writers and are not necessarily the views of GSBA, except where specifically stated. © 2017 Georgia School Boards Association | All rights reserved.

Georgia School Boards Association 5120 Sugarloaf Parkway Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043 tel (770) 962-2985 toll-free (800) 226-1856 visit online at gsba.com

Follow us!

Contents

Pg. 07

04

Executive Director’s Message

A Message from GSBA’s Executive Director By Valarie Wilson

Since July 1, 2016, much has transpired in the life of public education in our state and country. We have seen the development of a new federal education plan, Every Student Succeeds Act, the Opportunity School District constitutional Valarie Wilson amendment in Georgia was defeated, a new President of the United States has been elected, a new U.S. Secretary of Education has been appointed, and finally, the 2017 Georgia General Assembly introduced and passed a flurry of education related bills. The 2017 theme and focus for GSBA this year has been the, “Vision for Change.”

Vision for Change We chose this theme and focus because we recognize that change is the only constant in life, and that change has not been more evident than what we in public education have experienced in recent years. A large part of GSBA’s strategic plan, and why we exist, is to assist Georgia’s school boards with their work and adaption to the rapid changes as they craft their “Vision for Change.”

with additional tools for their use in getting the work done. Going forward in the 2017-2018 school year, GSBA will continue on the path of focusing on data, finance, equity, and community support; however, our work will transition from learning and understanding to implementation. We want to assist you in taking what you have learned and putting it to work for your systems. As leaders AND chief advocates for public education in our communities, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that we can explain the challenges and more importantly the solutions to ensuring our children have every opportunity to succeed. The implementation process will be difficult work. The conversations we must take part in will sometimes be painful and uncomfortable, but crucial to move past the barriers that hold us, and our students back from success. Implementation takes planning, careful analyzation, and true reflection. It will require collaboration with traditional and nontraditional partners, diverse stakeholders, and our entire communities. GSBA is excited about this work, and we look forward to supporting you. We are doing the work that is necessary to ensure that we are prepared to assist you, our membership, in being the high performing school boards necessary to ensure excellent student achievement for every public school child in this state. Let’s keep it going!! n

Wanting to make sure the GSBA membership understood the work of the Association in addressing the onslaught of rapid-fire changes, we, along with District Directors, spent this past Fall traveling the state conducting regional GSBA District Meetings. During those meetings we discussed specially designed workshops and services created for our membership, as well as the most recent developments in education policy. Due to the state’s shift to a major focus on low performing schools, GSBA offered hands on interactive, in-depth opportunities in the areas of understanding data, local district finance, equity, and building community support for our membership. GSBA is clear that improving performance in low performing schools has always been a priority of local districts, our goal was to provide them GSBA Agenda- 4

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

A+ Service Through Superior Member Relationships.

GSBA Risk Management Services EDUCATE State-of-the-art programs that inform and educate school districts about the importance of risk management applications.

UNITE Shared ownership of the Funds provides a stable risk-financing environment that results in long-term savings.

PROTECT Emphasizes loss control and implementation of best practices to assist members in safeguarding assets and protecting employees.

Learn more online at gsba.com/member-services/risk-management. Call us today for a proposal or more information at 800.226.1856.

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 5

GSBA Agenda- 6

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

President’s Message

Business, Poverty & Solutions By Will Wade, Dawson County BOE Member & GSBA President In Georgia, we have businesses connected to all local school districts. These businesses, large and small are invested in the economy. These businesses are focused on the available workforce, a growing and thriving economy and most importantly their Will Wade consumers who use the goods and services provided. Business is dependent on the local educational system in their community. Over 90% of Georgia’s student age population attends a public school. Therefore, no business can overlook their involvement in a school. We are all connected by supply and demand, by proximity, technology and by necessity. In Georgia, roughly 60% of students in public schools live at or below the poverty line. We owe our children the best possible chance and opportunity to elevate themselves out of this dire situation. Those falling behind due to issues that many adults never have to face causes our kids to begin school at a lower level than those with means and family involvement. There are many factors that create a cycle of poverty. Our schools require investment from the business community. Schools do not have the human and financial means to go beyond what is necessary outside of the time they have with a child inside the walls of the school. I would challenge small and large businesses to invest in your local school. This investment will pay high yields and dividends for those willing to invest in the long run. There are many successful models of involvement in our public schools but there are also many areas of Georgia that are overlooked. As a business, help define the change by partnering with public schools because we all have a stake in our student’s future. These students are your We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

future employees, future customers, future investors, future leaders. Investing in a local school can take many shapes and forms. There are opportunities to mentor after school, help with homework, provide food for weekends and after school, create internships and co-ops to provide some real-world experience, the possibilities are endless. Money helps in many situations for schools but the community must rally around their school and show that they support the efforts. When business leaders allow their employees to give just a little time, effort and expertise to our schools they are helping reshape the educational and economic playing field. Our small-town businesses are a critical piece to this complicated puzzle of economic development. We must incubate and invest in schools in any way possible whether money or time, it is critical. The time is now and the need for this collaboration is paramount. There are 2,292 schools in Georgia. Imagine if you will, if at least 2,292 businesses each adopted one school. In Georgia, the number of businesses far exceeds the number of schools, but the impact it would make, the positive impact, would be immeasurable. We cannot solve all the problems in public education but we as business leaders and school board members can make a difference in the future of our state. We can recognize poverty, we can address it at its core and we can provide a way out for every child in this state. Invest in eliminating poverty by investing in our schools. n

GSBA Agenda- 7

School Law

Local Control and the Federal Government 2.0 By Phil Hartley, GSBA General Counsel, Harben, Hartley & Hawkins

Phil Hartley

In the Spring, 2016 edition of this publication, this space looked at the potential for more state and local control of public education as a result of the bipartisan passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. In what seems like a lifetime, but is less than a full year, school districts have seen regulations under the Act proposed and issued by the previous administration; many

states, including ours, begin the process of developing a state plan using the guidance and prototype provided; some states file their proposed plans while others, including ours, waited on a later September window; most of the issued regulations rescinded and those that were proposed withdrawn while new templates for state plans were issued with little guidance from the new administration and many local school districts lost and confused about what the future holds for accountability rules at either the federal or state level. The one certainty in public education these days is the uncertainty at every level. But as a new Department of Education is being formed at the federal level and everyone is trying to predict what is next, a few trends are emerging.

First, it seems certain that the current administration will be inclined to exercise less oversight over the details of state plans than the former administration sought to do. Thus, it becomes very important for local boards, superintendents and other stakeholders to use this opportunity to engage with state officials to provide a plan that works best for our state, especially with the flexibility options and contracts in place in 178 or our 180 districts. While there is often a feeling of frustration about what a board or school system can do to influence decisions in Washington, talking with friends and colleagues in Atlanta sometimes feels more promising. It appears that the rules that local districts will be following in the foreseeable future related to accountability and potential sanctions will be determined more at the state level than at the federal level. For the most part that should be viewed as a positive development. In the same way, the new administration throughout its departments is indicating that it will utilize less non-regulatory guidance. For school districts, that should mean fewer Dear Colleague letters issued without any effort to obtain input or feedback from local stakeholders and, as was recently seen with the specific withdrawal of the Dear Colleague letter related to transgender students, a reduction in the number of prescriptive mandates not found in statute or formal regulations. Yet, it is very important for school districts to understand that the Office for Civil Rights within the Department of Education continues to investigate and enforce the provisions of Title IX (as well as Title VI and section 504) and Secretary Devos made very clear that investigations of harassment or discrimination against students based on sexual identity will continue. While school districts are applauding a potential reduction in micromanagement from the federal level, there is concern with statements and possible initiatives that would provide federal dollars to charter schools, private schools, voucher or tax credit programs. Accountability proposals and calls for more school choice often have two things in common: the

continued on page 104 GSBA Agenda- 8

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

We’ll partner with your school to help you develop innovation stations for practicing creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication. We’ll create customized makerspace experiences designed to advance student achievement.

Our makerspace experiences

All of your making manipulatives in one place: For more information, visit: bsd.officedepot.com/education or contact us at [email protected] Office Depot and Committed to Learning are trademarks of The Office Club, Inc. © 2017 Office Depot, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 9

School Law... continued from page 8

inability of the public school community to address issues that have led certain schools to be perceived as “failing” and, even more frequently, the inability of the public school community to tell and sell the story of the programs that are in place and are working. Local boards of education and their educational leadership are more and more responsible for the decisions they are making as charter or strategic waiver systems. Local strategic plans and the state-wide Georgia Vision Project are implementing exciting programs and having success. The role of local boards is to get out of the mindset of waiting to see what the newest mandate from Washington or Atlanta will be, and instead to take control of the message. The responsibility of protecting each and every child that attends the public schools rests with the bus drivers, teachers, counselors, administrators and entire school community. The responsibility for having in place training, programs and services to protect and educate all children and telling the story of their success rests with the locally elected board and the leadership that it puts into place. Hopefully, the trends in Washington and Atlanta will continue to reflect that reality. n

GSBA Agenda- 10

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

Protect, Inform and Engage with America’s Largest Message Notification Provider Send voice, text and email messages to keep parents, students and staff safe and informed.

VISIT ONECALLNOW.COM TO START YOUR FREE TRIAL TODAY!

Contact ERIC COX | 937.573.2340 | [email protected] onecallnow.com We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 11

A L T M A N

ARCHITECTURE

ENGINEERIN

GSBA 2017 GSBA Agenda- 12

+

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

+

NG

B A R R E T T

INTERIOR DESIGN

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

SPACE PLANNING

RESTORATION

GSBA Agenda- 13

Featured Article

Auriel’s Way: From Macon to Harvard… By Scotty Fletcher

I talk about her [Auriel] to my students now all of the time. You don’t have to be a genius to do exceptional things – you just have to work hard. Auriel has true grit and the drive to do what she has done. She worked hard to get what she wanted.” – Tara Jones-Lawrence Science Department Chair Northeast High School, Bibb County

GSBA Agenda- 14

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

Featured Article... continued from page 14

Living in a socio-economically depressed school district doesn’t mean your path in life is set in stone. With enough hard work and initiative, that path can lead all the way to Harvard and even Shanghai, China – just ask Auriel Wright. Auriel graduated in 2015 the valedictorian of Northeast High School in Macon, Georgia. While she was there, Northeast ranked in the bottom 5% of student achievement in the state. The school’s principal, Dr. Quinton Green – and later Steven Jones, who came on board as principal Auriel’s senior year – quickly recognized Auriel’s potential and helped her create a unique learning environment. “She had focus and the drive to go after that focus,” Jones said. “Even during the summer, she would come in and research and work on scholarships. When we saw that kind of drive, we knew we had to accommodate it. We couldn’t keep her in a box.” Auriel’s family also recognized early on that she was special. “She was a go-getter from the start,” said Paula Wright, Auriel’s mother. “Once, when she was in the second grade, I brought a bunch of stuff home for her science fair project. She took one look and said she didn’t want any of it – she wanted to do her own project. She did and she got an A.” From that point on, Paula let Auriel guide the way. The next year, she encouraged Auriel to choose her own summer camp. She picked a three-week overnight camp to learn how to horseback ride. “Sending your kids away at an early age helps them become more independent. They learn to do things on their own,” Paula said. “That separation gave Auriel the opportunity to speak up for herself and be in control.” Auriel attended elementary and middle school in Warner Robins in Houston County, Georgia, where she excelled with perfect grades. After her father unexpectedly died in an accidental house fire when she was just 13-years old, she and her mother moved to Macon, Georgia, where Auriel attended Northeast High School. “After her father’s death, she was determined that we were going to make it out of the situation we were in and I supported her all the way,” Paula said. Initially, the change to Bibb County was a culture shock for Auriel. We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

“It was difficult at first, but even in that environment, she became an engaged student. She partnered with her teachers and the principal, told them her goals and planned out what she would do,” said Dr. Wanda West, a board member of the Bibb County School District and Auriel’s Aunt. “Whether she was in a poor, rich or middle class setting, she always understood her role in her education.” At home, Paula, gave Auriel everything she needed to succeed. She cleared out her dining room and created a home office for Auriel. She also shuttled her to and from school when she wanted to stay after to study, which was most weekends and holidays. “She worked the school system hard,” said Paula. “School would be closed, but I would take her, anyway, and she would stay all day until the janitors were ready to leave. That’s how serious she was. Auriel was determined to make it, so I was determined for her to make it.” Auriel worked her way through the advanced high school classes she needed while researching additional areas of interest on her own. She volunteered with the Red Cross after school and was quickly promoted from an administrative job at the visitor’s desk to a job in the lab. She organized an afterschool math and science program at a local elementary school, was selected for the Georgia Governor’s Honors program in biology, and hand selected her own mentor: her high school chemistry teacher (and now Science Department Chair), Tara Jones-Lawrence. “She approached me and asked if I would mentor her,” said Jones-Lawrence. “I’ve never had a student like her. Auriel is very persistent. When she wants something, she will find a way to get it.” Together, they worked after school, on weekends and even over Christmas break on AP biology projects, science experiments and a science fair project that went on to win a national award. They attended multiple international science competitions together. At the last one – the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) – Auriel placed fourth in her category out of several thousand students across the world. She was also a finalist for the International Sustainable World Energy Engineering and Environment Project Olympiad (I-SWEEEP).

continued on page 164 GSBA Agenda- 15

Featured Article... continued from page 15

Since then, Auriel went on to win many science fairs and other academic awards regionally, nationally and internationally. Her mother’s home is packed with her many trophies and awards.

Her efforts paid off. Auriel ended up with over $1.3 million in scholarships. Finding and applying for that kind of financial aid required a lot of work on both Auriel’s part as well as that of her school.

“Auriel had a drive to learn and she went beyond what a typical student will do. She had to work really hard to be the smartest,” Jones-Lawrence said. “I talk about her to my students now all of the time. You don’t have to be a genius to do exceptional things – you just have to work hard. Auriel has true grit and the drive to do what she has done. She worked hard to get what she wanted.”

“It was a hard year for her and for us because we really had to dive in to keep up,” said Cathy Dothard, Auriel’s high school counselor who helped her manage the scholarship process during her senior year. “When someone from Harvard called and told me what an amazing recommendation letter I had written Auriel, I was so excited – I felt like I had gotten into Harvard!”

According to Paula, there were many teachers along the way who contributed to Auriel’s success including Erika Wright, who helped her win her first scholarship award; Chiquita Dinkins, who helped Auriel acclimate to her new school and fostered her interest in biology and plant life; Donna Walker-Thompson, who turned her classroom into Auriel’s on-campus office; Robert Winborne, who was chosen as Auriel’s STAR Teacher of the Year; and Lula Curry-Williams, who converted the science greenhouse into Auriel’s temporary science lab.

Auriel took her process of researching and applying for scholarships and packaged it into a “how to” guide. When she is back in Georgia on breaks, she offers scholarship workshops to local students and their parents through Northeast and her church. At the workshops, Auriel explains her scholarship application process, as well as the community service component many schools look for in applicants.

Auriel, in partnership with Northeast’s Agri-Lab and Dr. Nirmal Joshee at Fort Valley State University’s research lab, went on to win first place in the FFA Organization’s National Agriscience Research Fair. Her project was on the comparison of thermotherapy and electrotherapy on soybean plants. Auriel is the first African American and female to win the competition.

continured on page 374

Auriel has received letters of recognition for community service from both Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson.

“All of Auriel’s teachers played a key role in her success, but these teachers in particular brought things to another level,” Paula said. In the eleventh grade, Auriel began teaching herself Mandarin Chinese at night online. She ended up winning a scholarship to study Mandarin in China the summer after graduating from high school and continues her Chinese studies today. Given the option of dual-enrollment with the local college while still in high school, Auriel chose instead to stay at Northeast and focus on her scholarship applications. “This was a science for her,” West said. “She sat down at her table in the office they provided her at school and did her research. She filled out application after application and we all got in line behind her.” GSBA Agenda- 16

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 17

GSBA Agenda- 18

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 19

Vision Project

“Do The Right Work. Tell Your Own Story” By Stan DeJarnett, Ed.D, Director of the Georgia Vision Project

The Georgia Vision Project and Spark Messaging Campaign All over Georgia, local system governance teams of elected board members and their superintendents are leading efforts to ensure that their students graduate prepared for their future. Recently, more of them are working on a more focused message to their commuStan DeJarnett nity about both their efforts and the results. Are these efforts making a difference? Are they related? DOING THE RIGHT WORK

The answer is simple where student achievement is concerned. We should all have student success at the top of our priority list - that is our core work. The improving indicators for our state are evidence that Georgia is “trending” in the right direction on student achievement. We need to own that responsibility as board members and superintendents.

One has finished its plan and is beginning the work of developing school plans.

committed much time or resources to this work. In response to this need the Georgia Vision Project offers support for local messaging and branding efforts through the Spark Campaign. Since January, 2017 13 local school systems have already agreed to become “early adopters” of this strategy and develop a local messaging strategy linked to the Spark Campaign. Two additional districts have requested an agreement to begin the work. We plan to have local campaigns in every part of Georgia by the end of this school year.

The rest are currently engaged in the planning and action team work.

To support the Spark campaign, we are redesigning our website into two separate sites devoted to these two goals: 1. Doing the Right Work 2. Telling Our Own Story

How is GSBA leading this work? Through our Strategic Improvement Planning (SIP) work. This school year alone we have implemented the Vision Project recommendations as a framework for local strategic improvement plans in six school systems. Those six districts are at various stages of the process as of this writing; • • •

three are just beginning this process but will have a district plan to begin the 2017-18 school year.

All six will have Vision Project recommendations as a framework that drives their work for the next three to five years. By year end, over 50 school systems will have this framework embedded in their strategic improvement plans. As we learned last year with the Vision Project Evaluation, if you implement these recommendations with fidelity THINGS GET BETTER. TELLING YOUR OWN STORY

Why message? In this day of 24-7 media we need to take control of the narrative about our state and our schools, our successes and our importance to the greater community. We cannot leave it to anyone else, certainly not our detractors. While many of our larger districts have excellent messaging and branding initiatives, smaller systems have not typically GSBA Agenda- 20

Each site will focus on providing assistance to local school systems in achieving one or both of these important goals. We will provide a toolkit, templates and best in class examples of the innovative work going on in our schools. We will also provide connections to partners who can provide direct service to schools. These partners, both corporate and professional, are as committed to public education as we are. Our job as educational leaders is to provide the best education possible to every child in our community. It is also our responsibility to be the chief advocates for public education in our local communities. The Vision Project is ready to assist. And we are making a difference. n

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

YOUR FIRST CLASS

CONSTRUCTION PARTNER

SINCE 1946

INTEGRITY SERVICE PERFORMANCE

www.carrolldaniel.com

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 21

Keeping Georgia Schools’ Students, Staff and Budgets Healthy Custodial

Lighting

Heating & Cooling

Renewable Energy

Controls

Landscape & Water Conservation Grounds

Budgetary challenges impacting your school’s educational needs? ABM provides customized solutions that address your critical facility needs and help you: • Lower operating costs • Convert operating savings into long-term capital programs • Create general fund relief Find out more at ABM.com/GSBA16-17 or call 770-400-0938.

GSBA Agenda- 22

©2017 ABM Industries Inc.

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 23

During the GSBA Summer Conference

GSBA Agenda- 24

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 25

See You in Savannah!

Vision for Change 2017

Hyatt Regency Hotel, Savannah Ga. June 9 – 10, 2017

Pre-Conference Workshops New Board Member Orientation ($295) | June 7-8 – In the day and a half training, school board members will be introduced to school law, school finance issues including budget, parliamentary procedure, superintendent evaluation process and much more. Participants must attend both days of this workshop and will receive 9 credit hours. Policy Workshop ($230) | June 8 – Angela Palm, Director of Policy & Legislative Services and attorney Phil Hartley will provide the latest information on what happened under the Gold Dome. Participants will receive 6 credit hours. School Board Members, Step to the Front on Achieving Racial Equity ($230) | June 8 – To achieve racial equity, we need to develop and support teachers, school site and district leaders to regularly engage in thoughtful explorations of institutionalized racism and its impact on student learning. In this interactive session, Glenn Singleton will model a sustainable and productive exploration of these topics. He will introduce the tools for Courageous Conversations (the Agreements, Conditions, and Compass). These tools will help participants discover how transformational, courageous school leaders emerge when given the time, space—and the right conditions—to rediscover their passion and will to educate ALL students.

Use of Data Workshop ($230) | June 8 – Explore how boards can use data to set goals, align resources, and monitor actions to improve outcomes for their students. Learn how other Georgia boards are using data to form their decisions about student achievement. Participants will receive 6 credit hours.

Registration Information You can register for the Summer Conference and Pre-Conference Workshops at gsba.com. Conference registration fee is $350. The deadline for regular conference registration is May, 19, 2017. Registration fees to increase to $420 after May 19. There are no refunds for cancellations received after May 19 and cancellations must be in writing and postmarked no later than that date. Late Fee Policy: There is a $70 additional fee per registrant (not per workshop or event) for on-site registrations.

Visit Exhibitors Meet companies and organizations who are knowledgeable about products and services that address the needs of your schools and your communities. Exhibitors provide solutions for one or more of your major concerns, such as: responsible financial stewardship, raising student achievement, and effective school safety.

Register online: gsba.com/board-development/conferences/ GSBA Agenda- 26

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

Summer Conference

Keynote Speakers Glenn E. Singleton hails from Baltimore, Maryland. A product of public elementary and independent secondary school, Singleton earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his master’s degree from the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University. Singleton began his career as an Ivy League admissions director. In 1992, he founded Pacific Educational Group, Inc. (PEG) to support families in their transitions within and between K–12 and higher education. His company rapidly grew into a vehicle for addressing systemic educational inequity by providing a framework, guidance, and support to K–12 systems and institutions of higher education focused on meeting the needs of under-served students of color. He is now its president and chief executive officer.

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

Alberto M. Carvalho has served as Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the nation’s fourth largest school system, since September 2008. He is a nationally recognized expert on education transformation, finance, and leadership development. During his tenure, M-DCPS has become one of the nation’s highest-performing urban school systems receiving systemwide accreditation from AdvancEd in 2014. The District has also been named as the 2014 College Board Advanced Placement Equity and Excellence District of the Year, as well as the 2012 winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education. Recognized by his peers as a leader, he has served as President of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents; been selected as Florida’s 2014 Superintendent of the Year, as well as the 2014 National Superintendent of the Year.

GSBA Agenda- 27

For more than 25 years, Sports Turf Company has been a recognized leader in the design, construction, and renovation of athletic facilities Natural & Synthethic Fields Latex & Polyurethane Tracks Tennis Courts

866-346-8691 · www.sportsturf.net GSBA Agenda- 28

STCFieldBuilder We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 29

Policy Points

Calling All Leaders

By Angela Palm, GSBA Director of Policy and Legislative Services As the legislative session progressed, there were many reminders of how important leadership is at all levels. News items and emotional stories are highly influential and often one-sided views of what has happened in a school district or classroom. For legal reasons a district may not be able to respond even if given the opportunity to clarify. That’s where the support and respect of the community can play a huge role. Leaders know that and continually work to strengthen that bond. Decisions made at one level can end up having quite a ripple effect that puts leaders in damage control mode. Many people assume if something happens in one place that it is happening all over. For instance, a few young children testifying that they haven’t been allowed to have recess because of various misdeeds plus a few parents saying their school has no break time left some legislators with the impression that recess is extinct and they need to take action. Angela Palm

Leadership is more than being in charge. It requires making the best decision for all while taking into consideration the individual impacts, being able to identify the skills and potential in others, being able to look forward and see the pathway to and through future opportunities, and putting the right people in the right place among many other things. The desire to set all students on a path for success has led to a number of efforts at the federal, state, and local level over the last two decades. Yet still we struggle with what to try next. It is a struggle partly because laws and rules have tended to force all school districts to dance the same dance when a slow dance would work best in one area and a line dance in another. Leaders often feel reduced to managers focused on keeping all the initiatives moving with little room left to set a direction. Taking leadership and getting the job done are as different as covering material and teaching. In their work on principals as leaders, the Wallace Foundation identified five things that effective principals do: ❑ Shape a vision of academic success for all students ❑ Create a climate hospitable for education ❑ Cultivate leadership in others ❑ Improve instruction

❑ Manage people, data, and processes to foster school improvement Moving to the district level, a McREL meta-analysis of 27 studies had several findings related to effective leadership and student achievement: ❑ District level leadership matters to student achievement. That seems obvious but there is a statistical correlation. ❑ Effective superintendents focus their efforts on creating goal-oriented districts

❍ Include all relevant stakeholders in collaboratively establishing goals for the district

❍ Ensure the collaborative goal setting process results in non-negotiable goals that all staff members must act on in at least two areas – student achievement and classroom instruction GSBA Agenda- 30

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

Policy Points

❍ Continually monitor district progress toward achievement and instructional goals to ensure they are the driving force behind district actions ❍ Ensure the necessary resources are allocated to accomplish the district’s goals.

❑ The local board ensures the goals remain the primary focus of the district’s efforts and that no other initiatives detract attention or resources from accomplishing these goals.

❑ The tenure of a superintendent impacts student achievement. The positive effects appeared to show as early as two years into the superintendent’s work.

❑ Effective superintendents may provide principals with defined autonomy. Increasing building level autonomy appeared to increase student achievement but site-based management had a negative impact. Giving school leadership the responsibility and authority for determining how to meet the district-set non-negotiable goals seemed to be the best choice.

Just as seen above, most lists of characteristics of effective leaders start with some version of consistent, high expectations and goals for the success of all students. How do you translate the general statements into meaning for daily actions in a multitude of differing circumstances each day? What evidence would someone hiring the person look for to know they lead in this research-based way? What would such a person be looking at to determine how to boost student learning? How to keep high-achieving students engaged? How to ensure students on grade level are not ignored? What processes would be put into place to develop and retain high-impact leaders? Questions such as these can lead to great discussions and help the district leaders see what each of them is looking for and expects. If the students are to be successful, the adults have to be. There has to be a complete focus on teaching and learning with all other functions supporting that. If that sounds odd, look at it from the standpoint of how one thing impacts the other. For instance, how does the day’s schedule impact the student’s learning and the teacher’s work? If each school day is like drinking from a fire hose for the administrators, what kind of atmosphere is there in the school or district? How can that be improved? We have more research and data available to us than ever before. Knowing how to evaluate it and tap into that to turn it into something useful and practical is an acquired and changing skill. There has to be time to share and work with information rather than just receiving it. Professional learning has to be opportunities for personal development. A great deal of attention has been placed on low performing schools, particularly in the urban areas. People often overlook the fact that those districts also have high performing schools and some that are average. The local board and superintendent have to balance all those interests as they lead the district forward. Taking a leadership role is not for the faint of heart, especially in public education. Winston Churchill said, “success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Words to live by as leaders and role models for students. n

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 31

and as proud partners with the Georgia Vision Project and GSBA present:

Cameras in the Classroom Audio Enhancement’s new classroom cameras provide a complete 360 multi-pane view to easily monitor all activities in the classroom.

Safety, Security & Student Discipline

Professional Development for Teachers

Anywhere, Anytime Learning for Students

Kevin Mitchell

Brent Coleman

[email protected]

[email protected]

Audio Enhancement 561.306.3327

Dooley Education Solutions 678.333.4183

AudioEnhancement.com GSBA Agenda- 32

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

STIFEL WAS NAMED THE #1 NATIONAL K-12 UNDERWRITER FOR 2013, 2014, 2015, AND 2016* At Stifel, we believe our investment banking relationships are based upon the trust and faith our school district clients place in us. Our team is committed to providing knowledgeable guidance and employing our years of experience to securing the lowest cost of borrowing for Georgia taxpayers. (404) 504-2760 3630 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 400 | Atlanta, Georgia 30326

Public Finance

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com *Source: Thomson Reuters SDC (True Economics to Book) senior managed negotiated K-12 transactions ranked by par.

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 33

GSBA Associates

Our thanks to our

FY17 Associates. We appreciate all you do!

Platinum

P Altman + Barrett Architects, PC, 4365 Plantation Crest Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602 | Web: www.altmanbarrettarchitects.com P American Fidelity Assurance, 900 Circle 75 Parkway S.E. Ste. 1340, Atlanta, GA 30308 | Web: http://americanfidelity.com

GCA Services Group, 4702 Western Ave, Ste 101, Knoxville, TN 37921 |Web: gcaservices.com H. E. Hodge Company, Inc., 393 Pendley Road, Suite 200, Cumming, GA 30041 | Web: www.hehodge.net/ James W Buckley & Assoc., 7 East Congress St., Ste 800, Savannah, GA 31401| Web: jwbuckley.com

P Audio Enhancement, 14241 S. Redwood Rd., Bluffdale, UT 84065| Web: www.AudioEnhancement.com

One Call Now, 6450 Poe Ave., Ste 500, Dayton, OH 45414:| Web: www. onecallnow.com

P Breaux & Associates, 5955 Shiloh Road East, Suite 200, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005 | Web: www.bxarch.com/

Outdoor Aluminum, P.O. Box 118, Geneva, AL 36340 Web: outdooraluminum.com

P Carroll Daniel Construction Co., P.O. Box 1438, Gainesville, GA 30503|Web: www.carrolldaniel.com P Frontline Education, 1400 Atwater Drive, Malvern, PA 19355| Web: www.frontlineeducation.com P Georgia Power Foundation, 241 Ralph McGill Blvd. Atlanta, GA 30308| Web: georgiapower.com P JCI Contractors, 2535 GA Hwy 37 West, Moultrie, GA 31768 | Web: www.jcicontractors.com

Ra-Lin & Associates, 101 Parkwood Circle, Carrollton, GA 30117 | Web: Ra-Lin.com Raymond James, 3050 Peachtree Rd., NW, Ste 702, Atlanta, GA 30305 Web: RaymondJames.com Sheridan Construction Company, P.O. Box 4441, Macon, GA 31201 | Web: chrisrsheridan.com Southern A & E, LLC, 7951 Troon Circle, Austell, GA 30168 | www.southernae.com

Web:

SRJ Architects, Inc., 1108 Maryland Drive, Albany, GA 31707 Web: www. srjarchitects.com

P Mobile Modular, 5700 Las Positas Road, Livermore, CA 94551 | Web: www.mobilemodular.com

Strategic Health Solutions, 521 Village Trace, Bldg 10, Ste 100, Marietta, GA 30067 |Web: strategic-healthsolutions.com

P Parrish Construction Group, 675 Mansell Road, Ste 230, Roswell, GA 30076 | Web: www.parrishconstruction.com

TQ Constructors, Inc., 145 E. Hiawatha Street, Metter, GA 30439 Web: tqconstructorsinc.net

P Office Depot, Inc, .6600 N Military Trail, C401E, Boca Raton, FL 33496 | Web: www.officedepot.com

Bronze

P Summit Systems, Inc., 1880 Enterprise Drive, Ste E, Buford, GA 30518 | Web: www.sumsys.com P Walmart Foundation, 702 SW 8th Street, Bentonville, AR 72716 | Web: walmartfoundation.org P Yancey Bus Sales and Service, 330 Lee Industrial Blvd, Austell, GA 30168 | Web: yanceybros.com

Gold

Classworks, 5185 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 285, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 | Web: www.Classworks.com Ombudsman Educational Services, 1321 Murfreesboro Pike, Suite 702, Nashville, TN 37217 |Web: www.ombudsman.com Robertson Loia Roof, 3460 Preston Ridge Road, Suite 275, Alpharetta, GA 30005 | Web: www.rlrpc.com

Associates

101 Mobility of Atlanta, 4651 Roswell Rd., Suite D -307, Atlanta, GA 30342 | Web: Atlanta.101mobility.com and

Manley Spangler Smith Architects, PC, 525 East Taylor Street, Griffin, GA 30224 | Web: mssarchitects.com

101 Mobility of North Georgia, 935 Hyw. 124, Suite 206, Braselton, GA 30517 | Web: Atlanta.101mobility.com

R. K. Redding Construction, Inc., P.O. Box 426, Bremen, GA 30110 | Web: rkredding.com

Equip Exports LLC, 795 Fulton Street, Macon, GA 31206 Phone: 478254-7400 Web: www.equipexports.com

Silver

Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, 6500 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30097 | Web: www.gwinnettchamber.org

ABM Building Solutions, 1005 Windward Ridge Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30005 | Web: abm.com Crescerance, Inc., 2727 Paces Ferry Rd SE, Bldg 2, Ste 1525, Atlanta, GA 30339 | Web: crescerance.com EDCO, 1201 Roberts Blvd, Ste 100, Kennesaw, GA 30144 |Web: http://www.edcoeducation.com GSBA Agenda- 34

Marsh, Inc., 2560 Lenox Rd., Ste 2400, Atlanta, GA 30326 | Web: www. marsh.com Sodexo School Services, 283 Cranes Roost Blvd. Suite #260, Altamonte

Springs, FL 32701 | Web: www.sodexo.com Underwriters Safety & Claims, P.O. Box 465328, Lawrenceville, GA 30042 |Web: uscky.com We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

Constructing Quality Educational Facilities Since 1989. CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT DESIGN-BUILD GENERAL CONTRACTING www.jcicontractors.com 229.985.4444

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

GSBA Agenda- 35

S P E C I A L I Z I N G

A L P H A R E T TA ,

GSBA Agenda- 36

I N

High Performance

G E O R G I A

|

( 6 7 8 )

5 8 5 - 4 5 0 8

S C H O O L

|

D E S I G N

www.BXArch.com We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

Featured Article... continued from page 16

She was accepted everywhere she applied. Soon colleges and universities began courting her, making arrangements for her to visit. “They would fly her to their campus and pay for her visit,” Dothard said. “It was exposure we haven’t had at this school in a very long time.” Ultimately, Auriel chose a full-paid scholarship to Harvard, where she is currently a sophomore. Her studies have taken her all over the world including multiple trips to China. “Fear of failure has always been a huge thing for me,” said Auriel. “To be able to sustain myself as an individual is the only goal I really have in life. That’s what drives me everyday. “All I want is to get my mom a little house and have stability in my life.” For Dr. West, a longtime educator and administrator, Auriel’s high school experience provided a new perspective on education.

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

“After watching Auriel, I learned that we should empower leadership at every level – starting with the students. We need to empower students to help themselves and open up the doors,” said West, who has followed her niece’s lead by also starting to learn Mandarin Chinese online. “Auriel is doing it her way and I love it. Our job is to help children realize their potential and their dreams.” For Auriel, she acknowledges that her high school teachers pushed her to become an independent, more self-engaged student. She is on schedule to graduate from Harvard in 2020. After that, she’s considering pursuing an MBA. Wherever her path leads, Auriel plans to take some time to enjoy the journey. She documents her world travels on her blog at www.aurielwright.com. “My life has always surprised me,” she said. “I didn’t always know I would go to an Ivy League school and especially that I would matriculate – it’s all been a dream come true.” n

GSBA Agenda- 37

GSBA Staff/Services Directory THE MISSION the Georgia School Boards Association is to ensure excellence in the governance of local school systems by providing leadership, advocacy and services, and by representing the collective resolve of Georgia’s elected boards of education.

Accounting Department

Mark Willis, Assistant Executive Director, [email protected] Charlton Calhoun, Controller, [email protected] Debbie Tweedell, Bookkeeper, [email protected] Gina Vang, Assistant Controller, [email protected]

Advocacy/Federal Issues

Angela Palm, Director of Policy & Legislative Services, [email protected] Riquel Stewart, Policy Research Assistant, [email protected]

Association/Governance Issues

Valarie Wilson, Executive Director, [email protected] Mark Willis, Assistant Executive Director, [email protected] Nancy McLellan, Executive Assistant, [email protected]

Awards/Recognitions Program

Tony Arasi, Director of Board Development, [email protected] Charlene James-Mobley, Staff Assistant, [email protected] Martha White, Staff Assistant, [email protected]

Board Development/Strategic Planning

Tony Arasi, Director of Board Development, [email protected] Zenda Bowie, Director of Field Services, [email protected] Stan DeJarnett, Director of the Georgia Vision Project, [email protected] Samuel King, Training & Curriculum Manager, [email protected] Charlene James-Mobley, Staff Assistant, [email protected] William Sampson, Board Development Specialist, [email protected] Martha White, Staff Assistant, [email protected]

Communications/Public Engagement

Justin Pauly, Director of Communications, [email protected] Stan DeJarnett, Director of the Georgia Vision Project, [email protected] Donna Davis, Staff Assistant, [email protected] Bridgett Johnson, Communications Specialist, [email protected] Chris Triplett, Video Production Specialist, [email protected]

Conferences/Conference Registration

Tony Arasi, Director of Board Development, [email protected] Charlene James-Mobley, Staff Assistant, [email protected] Martha White, Staff Assistant, [email protected]

eBOARDsolutions

Mark Willis, Assistant Executive Director, [email protected] Charlton Calhoun, Controller, [email protected] Kate Cammack, Executive Assistant, [email protected] Tim Covert, Systems Architect Manager, [email protected] GSBA Agenda- 38

Jeanne Fraizer, Administrative Assistant, [email protected] Lynita Jackson, Training & Support Manager, [email protected] Sandra McGuire, Customer Support Representative, [email protected] Charlie Rigby, Business Development Manager, [email protected] Andy Ryff, Marketing Manager, [email protected] Sandy Vanags, Policy Coordinator, [email protected] Gina Whitaker, Customer Support Representative, [email protected]

Parliamentary Procedure /Mentor Program

Zenda Bowie, Director of Field Services, [email protected]

Front Office Assistant

Breck Bennett, Front Office Assistant, [email protected]

Legal Counsel

Phil Hartley, Attorney, [email protected]

Policy Services

Angela Palm, Director of Policy & Legislative Services, [email protected] Riquel Stewart, Policy Research Assistant, [email protected] Sandy Vanags, Policy Coordinator, [email protected]

Risk Management Services

Trudy Sowar, Director of Risk Management Services, [email protected] Mary Bailey, Administrative Assistant, [email protected] Richard Brantley, Member Advocate, [email protected] David Colvard, Risk Control Coordinator, [email protected] Olan Hembree, Claims Manager, [email protected] Cliff Hood, RMS Consultant, [email protected] Mickey Key, Member Advocate, [email protected] Roger Mathews, Member Advocate, [email protected] John Shore, Assistant Director of Risk Management, [email protected] Jill Smith, Risk Specialist, [email protected] Lori Sours, Member Advocate, [email protected]

Sponsorships/Associates Program/Exhibits Pamela Harrison, Staff Assistant, [email protected]

Superintendent Searches

Trudy Sowar, Director of Superintendent Search Services, [email protected] Samuel King, Incoming Director of Superintendent Search Services, [email protected] Mary Bailey, Staff Assistant, [email protected] Donna Davis, Staff Assistant, [email protected] William Sampson, Board Development Specialist, [email protected] We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

E M P L O Y E R B E N E F I T S O L U T I O N S F O R E D U C AT I O N

Education professionals deserve a specialist. You take care of your people. We know. Your teachers and staff work hard—pulled in all directions. You search for partners who ease your workload and worry, while giving your colleagues guidance and support. For more than 55 years, the education community has turned to us for employee benefits, education and enrollment they can trust. Maybe you should, too? Consider American Fidelity for a different opinion. Help is here. • Supplemental Employee Benefits • Online Enrollment Tools • Year-Round Benefits Enrollment Support

Greg Riddle Georgia Branch Office 900 Circle 75 Parkway S.E., Suite 1340 Atlanta, GA 30339 800-639-0850 americanfidelity.com SB-30815-0117

We Believe in Public Education | Spring 2017

American Fidelity Assurance Company

GSBA Agenda- 39

Georgia School Boards Association | Agenda Magazine | Spring 2017 | gsba.com

Georgia School Boards Association 5120 Sugarloaf Parkway Lawrenceville, GA 30043 gsba.com