Volume 6 | Issue 6 December 2017 
Admin Advantage Updates 
Administrators, where has 2017 gone? In this issue you will find the Rising Stars nomination deadline, the call for schools to join NWEA Measures of Academic Progress, some thought provoking articles and a video story of a principal that uses his vision to transform staff, students and families. Happy reading!
Administrators in the  Success Partners  Network stay informed of the latest information, events, and support using this monthly  Admin Advantage Updates email. Our  Success Stories newsletter is delivered within a week to both leadership and staff members whose emails have been made available. 
NWEA Measures of Academic Progress
Norm Reference Test
Call for schools to join!
If you are a school leader who is passionate about improving student achievement and wants to be on the cutting edge in the area of assessment, then we invite you to join us and over 200
schools across the state to be a part of our Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)/SUFS Partnership. For information on what MAP
is, visit www.nwea.org to learn more.

Some details:
  • K-12 Online Growth Interim Assessments Fall, Winter & Spring
  • FL DOE Approved
  • Immediate Results & Easy-to-Interpret Data
  • Reports to Help Inform Instruction
  • FREE Professional Learning & Ongoing Support for Schools from SUFS Office of Student Learning
  • A Reduced Cost of Only $12.50 per Student for R, M, LA ($2.50 additional for Science)

Click here to express your interest and be placed on our list to contact for further information. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR MAP INFO - NO COMMITMENT AT THIS TIME
LAST CALL Nominations for our annual Rising Stars Awards close in mid- December !
Click the yellow button to begin your nominations.

We hope your school plans to attend and recognize teachers, students and family members contributing to student success.

Click the map to download the locations flyer.
Deeper Learning Conference, Gainesville
January 11 - 12
  The Hewlett Packard Foundation defined Deeper Learning by six competencies that students need to succeed in and out of school. The first four, often called the 4 Cs, are: content, collaboration, critical (and creative) thinking, and communication. Two others have to do with the attitude of the learner: positive/growth mindset and independent learning, or becoming leaders of their own learning.
A number of Christian educators have been asking what Deeper Learning might look like in a Christian school. There have been a handful of  informal gatherings  to explore this. Momentum is growing to define 21st century skills in the context of “He who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow,” and provide support for schools who might be interested in re-imagining what a Christian school might look like, or in aligning their practices more intentionally with their mission. This  chart  describes some of the differences you might see in traditional vs. deeper learning classrooms, according to the Hewlett Packard Foundation’s six competencies.
If the descriptors in the Deeper Learning column of the charts interest you, come learn more about them at the  Powerful Practices: Deeper Learning in Christian Schools  conference  in Gainesville, FL January 11-12, 2018. 
Join us in January to explore what Deeper Learning practices look like in classrooms and schools!
Information & Registration online at  www.chrdeeperlearningconf.org . 

USE PROMO CODE SUFS2017 that will provide a $100 discount per person on any ticket purchased by January 4.
A RELENTLESS PRINCIPAL
How Far Are YOU Willing To go For a Child?
Why this principal is know to be 'relentless'
Northern Virgina principal Hamish Brewer, featured in a new video called 'The Relentless Principal,' says his role is to help teachers keep their passion for the job so they can help students succeed. Brewer has been recognized locally and nationally for his approach.
Professional Learning
Great for Holiday Reading
Do You Know Your School's Vision? Does Every Staff Member? Tips on Making a Meaningful Mission Statement
written by Ben Owens for Education Week

Here’s a challenge for you: Without looking, write down the vision of your school or district. You may not be able to write it down verbatim, but can you at least identify and articulate the main points in your own words?

My principal and I gave this challenge to a group of educators at a conference last summer in a session we taught on how to make meaningful change in your own school.

Of the approximately 200 educators from across the country who attended our session, less than 10 percent could confidently meet this challenge.

Your Gift to New Teachers Is to Help Them Navigate the Holiday Hustle
written by Monica Washington for Education Week
The holiday hustle—that precarious time between Thanksgiving and winter break—is an outstanding time for teacher leaders to reach out to new teachers. 
For many beginning teachers, this period is pivotal. It's the first holiday rush, and they are likely reflecting on how they did during their first semester.

It is so important for schools who want to retain talent to think critically about the needs of their novice teachers—they must think beyond new teacher training at the beginning of the year. As we approach the first extended break, why not initiate a check-in with new teachers that can provide exactly what they need (but likely won't ask for)?