Calm in the Storm
I think it is fair to say our country – locally and nationally – is facing many challenges or circumstances many may not have foreseen years, months, days, or even hours prior. A coronavirus pandemic, a fellow citizen – a person, a man, a human being – dying for all to see while another citizen kneels on his neck, protests in the streets and in communities shutting down transportation and commerce. In the midst of it all, the word “unprecedented” becomes the term of the day in an attempt to explain it all. As it has been since the first compulsory education laws created what we know today as a public education system, public schools stand at the bedrock of our republic with the expectation to prepare our children to adapt to the circumstances and perhaps more importantly lead a path forward.
There are sayings or lessons or morals to stories we carry with us in our cultures. At least two come to my mind as I write this “Be calm in the midst of a storm” and “There is nothing new under the sun.” In public education we acknowledge that we are charged with preparing children for careers that do not yet exist, to advance our democratic republic experiment in the midst of new technologies and ideals that emerge daily, and to own the challenge of continuously working to form a more perfect union while protecting the rights of and valuing every individual. Hmmm… perhaps we live “unprecedented” daily.
Growing up I remember watching with my father and uncle who lived next door a movie titled “The Caine Mutiny.” The movie like so many is based upon a novel by the same title. “
It depicts the events on board a fictitious World War II U.S. Navy minesweeper and a subsequent court-martial for mutiny.” The court-martial, the crescendo scene of the movie, derives from the vessel being caught in a typhoon and the crew, believing their captain is unfit or indecisive or possibly mentally ill, seizes control of the ship. During the court-martial in a classic scene where the captain testifies while rolling metal balls in his hands, it is revealed that indeed the captain may have indeed suffered from paranoia or some other illness that impacted his decision-making. Underlining messages I consider often about the movie are… the ship survived the storm and the crew as well; norms, protocols, governance, and training prepared the leadership and the crew to “weather the storm” and for most remain calm in its midst; and finally policies and regulations provided a process for survival as well as a path forward to continue carrying out the mission on behalf of the nation. (Note: to all who serve or have served in the Navy or Military, please forgive any understating in my use of this fictional movie).
As board members, our policies can continue to guide and to help govern our school systems in the midst of the storm – “unprecedented times.” Our training, our understanding of the role of the superintendent
and
the superintendent’s understanding of our role as representatives of and to the community can prepare us to provide calm and direction when uncertainty and even fear may grip our communities – adults and children alike. Let us “lean in” together. As school boards may provide more autonomy to our superintendents to manage during this crisis or these crises, our superintendents may make an effort to develop enhanced or new communication channels to boards so we may exercise calm and stewardship together respective of our roles and responsibilities.
Your VSBA Board of Directors and Your VSBA too have adapted to the times and worked to offer enhanced communications channels while learning from past experiences. Virtual governance trainings, conferences, webinars, blogs, and tried-and-true phone calls remain at your disposal to support your work locally and our work as a commonwealth. Continue to look for recommended guidance, model policies, resolution templates, et. al. driven by the commitment to “leadership, advocacy, and support.” Yes, we may be experiencing “unprecedented times” in this moment, but we also know “there is nothing new under the sun.” We Can Make It… Together!
-RJ
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Rodney A. Jordan
VSBA President
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Issue Highlights
Communicating Your Budget to the Community
VSBA Academy Credits Information
VSBA Leadership Spotlight: Irene Mullins, Southwest Region Chair
Spotlight Article on Lunenburg County Public Schools
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Executive Director
Gina G. Patterson
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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School board service is very difficult work, so it is important that new board members have sufficient support. Each year, the VSBA holds two orientations for new school board members and superintendents, one in January after the November elections and one in July after the May elections/appointments. These orientations cover important topics such as school board ethics, school law, parliamentary procedure, budgets, board/superintendent roles, teamwork, and more. In addition to the VSBA orientation, it is essential to orient new members to the workings of your particular division; this is to the benefit of the entire school board. Each local board must decide how to orient its new members. To get you started, below is a list of recommendations on what the board should review with its new school board members.
- A copy of the division’s vision, mission, goals, and strategic plan
- Access to a current copy of the division’s policies and regulations
- Access to prior board meeting minutes or recordings
- A copy of the School Board’s norms and protocols
- School board and division organizational chart
- Basic parliamentary procedures for conducting local board meetings
- Explanation of how agendas are developed
- The role of the school board chair/vice-chair
- The role of the school board clerk
- An explanation of how the chain of communication works in the division
- Procedure for responding to the media and citizens
- A copy of the division’s most current annual report
- A copy of the Virginia Standards of Quality and Accreditation
- Definition of FOIA
- A copy of the division’s budget and a time to meet with the finance department to explain Virginia school finance laws (VSBA will provide access to our finance manual to all new members)
- How much the division currently spends per student
- Current enrollment trends in the division
- An explanation of the Virginia SOLs and regulations
- Status of all the schools in the division, if they are accredited, and recent test results
- Division dropout rate and college-bound rate
- Teacher/pupil ratio and class size
- Information on the division’s special education programs
- Information on the division’s gifted programs
- The division’s technology plan
- Access to a school email address for school board business
- Job description and evaluation instrument for the superintendent
- An explanation of the division’s staff development program
- A list showing information on schools and other buildings
- A tour of the division’s facilities
- Information on any construction projects currently going on in the division
- Division boundaries and attendance zones
- A calendar of VSBA activities and other board development activities
- Policies and procedures overview by the school board attorney
- A mentor for new members (VSBA is happy to assist with providing a mentor)
Keep in mind that all information cannot be covered at one time, nor should it all be covered at once. Use this list as a starting point to identify the needs and priorities for orienting your school board’s new members. Remember, the VSBA is here to assist any way we can to help make the transition as smooth as possible.
-GP
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J.T. Kessler, Government Relations Specialist
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Legislative Updates
In May, I was joined by VSBA Legislative Positions Committee/Federal Relations Committee Chair, James E. Coleman (Lynchburg City), to deliver a webinar addressing the importance of advocacy during times of emergency. I thought I would share a few key takeaways from the webinar with board members.
Since the closure of public schools in March, board members have taken a variety of actions to ensure operations of the local division are meeting the needs of students, faculty, and staff. These actions have presented both successes and challenges that can become the starting point for effective public-school advocacy.
You have likely read in my previous columns the need to engage state and federal legislators on a regular basis. This dialogue between school board members and your legislative delegation is the foundation for successful advocacy. If you have yet to establish these relationships, I strongly encourage you to begin. The current response to the pandemic provides an excellent opportunity.
When talking to state and federal policy makers, you may wish to consider the following questions and build a narrative to tell your story:
- How have your schools responded to the pandemic? How have you changed your operations to meet the needs of your students?
- How is virtual learning working in your division? What virtual education services are you providing for your students? Do you have any data to support the successes or challenges in transitioning to virtual learning?
- What has your division done to provide meals for students?
- What are the challenges you have encountered during the pandemic that future legislation may need to address? How has your division been innovative to meet community needs?
- What are successes or challenges is your division experiencing in continuity of learning for students with disabilities? What can state and federal policy makers do to assist local school divisions?
There are many ways to communicate your story to state and federal policy makers. Phone calls, emails, letters, video meetings, in-person visits, and social media are outlets your division can use to engage your legislative delegation. Use the method that you find the most comfortable and regularly engage your legislative delegation.
When engaging your legislators, always remember to be polite and respectful. Introduce yourself as a school board member and let the legislator know which school division you represent. If your legislator has done something positive for your division, make sure to thank them.
Keep your discussion focused on public schools and your local division. Each legislator has an agenda of ideas they bring to D.C., or Richmond. Some of these ideas may conflict with your individual ideology. By staying focused on public schools, you avoid being disrespectful. Nothing will jeopardize your message and reduce your credibility faster than being rude with your legislators.
Effective advocacy is about building relationships around the common good for public education. Always remember to provide accurate information. If you do not know an answer to a legislator’s question, ask if you can get back to them and their staff. Providing a false answer or giving misleading information will break trust in the relationship with your legislative delegation.
Finally, use your local media as a resource to tell your division’s story. Submitting letters to the editor to your local newspaper or reaching out to your television or radio stations with stories of how your division is responding to the pandemic are very effective methods to employ that assist your advocacy efforts.
If you have questions regarding engaging your legislative delegation, or if there is any area of advocacy that I can provide assistance to you/your board, please do not hesitate to contact me at
jason@vsba.org
or by phone at 434-295-8722. I thank you for all you do on behalf of public school students!
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Samantha Bosserman, Director of Communications and Board Development
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Communicating Your Budget to the Community
How should school boards communicate to the public about their school division budget? And how can school board members help?
First, your school division can develop talking points to help school board members and staff educate the public on how the budget will serve students in the division. Such talking points might cover:
- How the budget reflects the mission of the school division.
- What the general operating budget funds each year, in broad expense categories.
- Any new budget proposals for the upcoming year.
- Any major changes to programs and staffing included in the budget and, if applicable, how those relate to expenses for the COVID-19 crisis response.
- Any new initiatives that would be of particular importance to your community, such as school safety efforts or mental health programs.
- Projected increases or decreases in the funding received from state or federal resources.
This is a unique budget year, given the uncertainty over potential state and federal cuts. Be transparent in your decision making and inform the public of any assumptions about these situations included in your budget. Transparency builds trust with your community and stakeholders.
There are many traditional media resources that can be used to get your message out to the community. Consider developing a fact sheet about your budget with your key messages and share that with your local newspaper’s education reporter or editorial board.
And finally, tell a story. Budgets are inherently about numbers, but they ultimately affect people. So, for example, if your division is proposing re-appropriating funds to avoid cuts to programs, explain why you made that choice and how those programs help students.
It is not too early to begin to discuss your upcoming budget with the community and the changes that may have to be made. Ensure that the school division and school board members have a plan in place to discuss this very important topic.
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VSBA Recognition Awards
The VSBA has three recognition programs that school boards and school board members may apply for each year. Please review the below information for a description of each award and a link to the nomination forms.
To be considered by the judges, the official nomination form and supporting materials for each of the award programs must be received
by July 17, 2020.
To learn more about each of these awards, and for the nomination forms, please visit the links below.
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VSBA Profile in Leadership- Meet Irene Mullins, VSBA Board of Directors, Southwest Region Chair
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Where is your hometown?
I grew up in Tazewell, Virginia.
How long have you been a school board member?
I have been a school board member for three years.
Who inspires you?
Previous students I have had through the years inspire me. My husband, daughter, and my grandchildren inspire me. I enjoy watching the children grow and learn new things.
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Irene Mullins
Tazewell County School Board
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What is your pie-in-the-sky vision for education?
I would love to see all new school facilities with the most up-to-date technology available to all students. I would like to see schools serve three meals a day to all students free of charge. Also, I would like to see teachers have access to all the curriculum and desires for their instruction.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as a school board member?
I listen to the people in my district and endeavor to handle their concerns. We have put in new bleachers at Tazewell High School. Also, in the best interest of the elementary students, two schools that were 2 miles apart were designated as Primary and Intermediate.
What is your advice for new school board members?
I would advise new board members to attend all the VSBA trainings they can, network with other board members in the state, be involved in their community, learn the budget, and be open and available to listen to their students, teachers, parents, and community members.
Was there a teacher or administrator that had a lasting effect on your life?
My first administrator, Mr. Claude Reedy, was an awesome inspiration to me. Mr. Reedy shared his knowledge and guidance from his many years of experience and taught me the importance of building relationships with your students and their parents. He gave me the freedom to use "out-of-the box" instructional techniques with my students and helped me gain the confidence I needed to become the best teacher and administrator I could.
What do you feel is the best benefit of being a member of the VSBA?
The VSBA offers many training opportunities to help learn about developing a budget and the many aspects of being a strong school board member. They also give constant updates on "hot topics" and legal aspects of the school system. The VSBA staff is always very open,friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable of any topics in the school system and offer you help and guidance as a board member. The networking with other board members is beneficial.
How do you define advocacy?
Advocacy is the act of speaking on the behalf of or in support of another person or group of people. School Boards are advocates of their students, teachers, and school staff.
What made you want to get involved in advocacy?
I wanted to bring about positive support and changes to the school system. I love my community and the people in my county. I wanted to share my knowledge of 35 years in education and show support to the schools, teachers, students, staff, and community.
Advocacy can be intimidating to some people. What advice do you have for them on ways to gradually become more engaged in advocacy?
Listening and questioning skills are very important, along with decision making skills and inter-personal communication skills. The need to work collaboratively with others is also a great need. Self-evaluation of these skills and work on them one at a time to master them.
What is the most challenging aspect of advocacy and how do you work to overcome it?
Issues can be identified that need advocacy; however, it is more difficult to develop solutions, build support for the issue to be solved, and then bring about the change that needs to come to solve the identified issue.
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VSBA Releases Guidance for School
Boards to Consider When Planning to Reopen Schools
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Division Spotlight: Lunenburg County Public Schools
In each newsletter VSBA will spotlight a recent initiative or best practice taking place in a school division in Virginia. If you have a story you would like to submit for inclusion in the spotlight section of the VSBA Newsletter, please contact Samantha Bosserman, director of communications and board development, for more information. We look forward to hearing about the great things going on in your divisions.
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Empowering Students & Fostering Learning for Teachers Through
The Newly-Formed KES Spanish Club
Submitted by Lunenburg County Public Schools
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In rural Southside Virginia, Kenbridge Elementary School (KES) is unique in many ways. One thing that stands out here is a pervading sense that students have a voice, and they are heard by teachers and administrators. KES also has a student population in which almost 30% of the students have English as their second language and Spanish as their first language.
Ricky Ramirez-Morales, a fifth-grade student, wanted to help his teachers and the staff at KES gain Spanish language skills to help them better communicate with Spanish speaking families. He decided to offer to stay after-school to teach a Spanish class to the staff. When he approached the staff at KES, they were overjoyed at the idea of the students staying after one day a week to teach Spanish to the teachers and staff. He proposed that he and 3 other Spanish speaking students would act as the teachers for the after-school program. Ricky, the mastermind behind all of this, is one of the most self-motivated students you will find anywhere. He is also one of the driving forces behind the newly-formed student council at KES.
After getting approvals and parental permission, everything was set up for classes to start on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. There are four Spanish speaking students who serve as Spanish teachers, Ricky Ramirez-Morales, Dina Ramirez-Diaz, Leandro Ramirez-Macario, and Damaris Tomas-Perez. These students are remarkable in so many ways. Each of them is in good academic standing, acts regularly as a translator for adults and children, and is always willing to help KES staff and their peers. Two of these students, being elected by their peers and recommended by their teachers, also serve as members of the KES Student Council. For the after-school Spanish program, they have come up with lesson plans, including flashcards and games. They also use Kahoot as a fun way to quiz the class participants and manage a Google Classroom with ongoing assignments and resources. KES staff has been amazed at the seriousness, professionalism, and integrity with which they address teaching a class full of adults. They are inspiring, and often model teaching strategies used by some of their most influential teachers.
In the creation of their assignments and essential curriculum development, the Spanish teachers (KES students) focused on words and phrases that would be important in KES staff’s frequent communication with Spanish speaking families. For example, they modeled telephone call interactions and covered important phrases that would allow KES staff to communicate that a student at school was sick and needed to be picked up. Because many of the younger Spanish speaking students at KES come understanding very little English, they provided staff with ways to tell students to walk instead of run, to not play in the bathroom, and many other direction-type of phrases to help with behavior management. They were thoughtful in their design and implementation of instruction, being considerate of the day to day communication needs of the KES staff members. KES staff attendance in the afterschool program has ranged from 10-15 participants at most meetings and even more on specific dates. This has been an engaging and beneficial experience for the students who became teachers as well as the KES staff who became students.
Kenbridge Elementary School is one of two elementary schools in the Lunenburg County Public Schools.
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News Tidbits: Stories and Studies from Around the Country
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Technology Counts 2020: Coronavirus, Virtual Learning,...
The massive, systemwide move to remote learning over the past few months created huge frustrations for educators. Those sentiments showed up in the results from surveys conducted by the EdWeek Research Center and in Education Week's reporting....
Read more
www.edweek.org
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Keeping Students and Staff Healthy and Safe When Schools ...
School and district leaders must be equipped to protect the health and safety of students and staff before they reopen school buildings. In addition to maintaining social-distancing measures, schools will have to implement safety measures to...
Read more
www.edweek.org
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Changing Expectations for the K-12 Teacher Workforce:...
Teachers play a critical role in the success of their students, both academically and in regard to long term outcomes such as higher education participation and economic attainment. Expectations for teachers are increasing due to changing...
Read more
www.nap.edu
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Reinvesting in school improvement as a strategy for...
A decade ago, schools nationwide were facing severe budget cuts led by declining property values during the Great Recession of 2008. This economic slowdown prompted major investments in infrastructure, including innovations in school improvement...
Read more
www.brookings.edu
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VSBA Affiliate Member Profiles
In each Issue of the VSBA Newsletter, we will feature three VSBA Affiliate Members.
Thank you for your support of the VSBA and Virginia's public education system.
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Skanska USA Building, Inc.
One of the world’s leading construction and project development firms.
Curtis Elswick
Phone:
(540) 423-2860
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Successful Innovations
Successful Innovations is the creator of the National Family Engagement Summit, the largest family engagement conference for educators.
Darla Edwards
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Waller, Todd & Sadler Architects
Architectural Design, Interior Design, Programming, Educational Specifications, Master Planning and Planning serving the K-12 and Higher Education Market.
William Schwegler
Phone:
(757) 417-0140
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UPCOMING EVENTS, WORKSHOPS, & WEBINARS
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Paid Events
Tuesday July 7, 2020, 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online Webinar
DETAIL: As school divisions plan for the 2020-2021 school year, it is imperative that school administrators plan how they will support students with disabilities during the up-coming school year. The school closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have left school divisions with many questions about serving students with disabilities. This webinar will address guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and the Virginia Department of Education related to the provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education during the most recent school closure as well as considerations for compensatory services. The webinar will also discuss: ways for school divisions to plan for future school closures with division-wide distance learning procedures; suggestions for IEP development; and the importance of continuing data collection and progress reporting during future interruptions during the school year. This webinar is open to everyone, and it is highly encouraged that the special education directors in your division attend.
Cost: $150 per connection (unlimited number of participants per connection). REGISTRATION FOR THE WEBINAR IS FINAL. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, the webinar recording will be available for purchase.
Monday, July 20, 2020, 9:00 a.m.- 3:15 p.m.
LOCATION: Virtual Conference
DETAIL: Becoming a new school board member or superintendent is an honor and a privilege. Enjoy a successful and less stressful transition by attending the VSBA Orientation for New Board Members & Superintendents. Many important topics will be covered, including the roles and responsibilities of board/ superintendents, how to work with your local appropriating body, school law, parliamentary procedure and school board budget basics. Don’t miss this important virtual orientation which is a “must” for all new board members and superintendents!
Cost: $205
Thank you to VA Lottery for sponsoring the 2020 VSBA Summer New Board Members and Superintendents Orientation
Tuesday, July 21, 2020, 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online Webinar
DETAIL: The webinar will focus on the many personnel and special education issues confronting school divisions around the Commonwealth as they try to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and extended school closures. There will be discussion of new legislation, state and federal guidance, and practical considerations as schools prepare for the 2020-21 school year facing new challenges. We hope you can join us for this conversation!
Cost: $150 per connection (unlimited number of participants per connection). REGISTRATION FOR THE WEBINAR IS FINAL. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, the webinar recording will be available for purchase.
Free Events
Tuesday, June 23, 2020, 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online Webinar
DETAIL
: In our first session we explored how paying more attention to SEL can benefit students’ confidence, improve the school culture and learning climate, and boost student achievement. The goal of this session is to operationalize moving onward in our equity journey by considering the question, “How do we move towards an action orientation?” This workshop will concentrate on foundational mindset work needed to enrich the district, school, and classroom environment in culturally relevant ways that engage the unique strengths of your educators, students, and equity partners
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Cost: Free
Thursday, June 25, 2020, 12:00 p.m.- 1:00p.m.
LOCATION: Online Webinar
DETAIL: In light of recent events, how do we empower all learners and prepare them for a rapidly changing world? Now more than ever, technology affects the way we live, the way the world works, and the kind of skills people need to thrive. Technology also presents unique opportunities for learning. Join Apple as we share four design principles to drive the future of learning.
Cost: Free
Thursday, July 9, 2020, 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Online Webinar
DETAIL: The presentation will cover the history of the JJRA, how the four core protections provide safeguards for states to ensure youth who enter the juvenile justice system are provided adequate representation, gender specific programing,evidence based programing and reentry services,
Four core protections
• Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders
• Site and Sound Separation
• Removal of youth from adult jails or lockups
• Reduce or Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities
Cost: Free
Wednesday, July 15, 2020, 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m
LOCATION: Online Webinar
DETAIL: Join us to learn about VSBA’s new procurement program, BuyBoard, an NSBA service. BuyBoard is a free-to-join national online purchasing cooperative developed to streamline the buying process for school divisions, municipalities, and other public entities, while saving time and money. The program was developed to comply with Virginia state laws which require government entities to make purchases from an approved list of vendors who have gone through a competitive procurement process. As divisions tighten budgets and look for ways to do more with less funding in the wake of COVID-19, this new member service can assist divisions in their savings efforts.
An added value…every purchase made by participating Virginia school divisions, colleges/universities, counties and municipalities provides VSBA with additional revenue for our advocacy efforts on behalf of public education.
Cost: Free
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200 Hansen Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911
Tel: 434-295-8722 Fax: 434-295-8785
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