Administrative Conference Notes

Strategic conversations is the topic because every child deserves a master teacher, every teacher deserves a master principal, every principal deserves a master administrator at the district level.

Dr. Johnson reiterated the "every child, every day" mission.  Three areas of focus 2012: PLCs, core implementation, data. CRT data is trending upward for all tested subjects and all tested grades.

2013-14 challenges

• Growing student population:  We need to get behind a bond.  Boundary changes are likely.
• New teacher and administrator evaluation systems:  30 schools piloting this year.  This means conferencing and talking with teachers often.
• Implementing new core:  There will be new SAGE Computer Adaptive Test.  The scores will likely decline, because it is more rigorous thinking and working.  This is a shift for teachers.

Challenges are vehicles to our happiness and success as we meet them.

Research on being successful from "The Value of Happiness" by Shawn Achor discusses the relationship between success and happiness. 90% of happiness depends on how our mind processes our surroundings.  Happiness is the joy you feel striving toward your potential.  Greatest predictors of success include establishing strong social connections and demonstrating optimism.

 

You will never have worked harder than this year.

 

Mark Bouchard, Chairman of Prosperity 2020, said the challenge is failure to recognize the importance of education. Don't make tough decisions to show it is important. Education is most important thing we as a society do. In 1960s, mom was at home and helping kids value and achieve at education. Today, a good percentage of homes in district are single parent homes. English may not be language at home. Concerned about 18% of Jordan District students who don't graduate from high school, because they become a liability for the state when don't graduate. Poverty and low income areas have the common thread of no education. The idea that education is just responsibility of teachers or that it can be legislated is old thinking. Education is a village and community responsibility. Begins by giving educators the things we need. Ask educators what they need to do their jobs. Empower employees to lead themselves by being at their best. Prosperity 2020 is a business led organization with most local chambers of commerce engaged in dialogue with Governor Herbert and the legislature asking what they are doing for education. The legislature's responsibility is to "provide for" education, which means to fund it. It is the state school board's responsibility to decide "how" education happens.  

In a poll of teachers on what they want, money does not come up in the top three items. Teacher development, class size, greater participation from community with compensation as fourth. The state could pay more if it were willing to do so. Educators are caring and giving people who want to help others develop and take joy in the success of others. This is not corporate America.

With governors commission on education, interviewed 36 high school seniors and asked about public education experiences. They know who good and bad teachers are.  They learn differently than we did. Devices do everything. None of them want to be teachers.

Education needs to be asking, "How an I going to replenish my workforce?" Technology cannot replace a teacher. In his company, each person gets new technology (laptop/iPad/software updates) every four years. If did that in public education, would cost $72 million yearly. This does not include devices for students. This means the legislature would have to provide $175 million new money each year just to maintain the status quo on salary and benefits and keep up with technology changes. A $175 million increase has only been done once and is not likely to happen yearly. It is not feasible to think technology will replace teachers.

Education task force in legislature is interviewing lots of people about what education should be doing. People who need to be running education are educators. Any other model simply won't work. We cannot take non-experts to direct how we do our work. Prosperity 2020's counsel to Governor Herbert is that if educators don't believe you, they won't do the work. Basics are simple. Allow subject matter experts to lead.

 

June LeMaster, Director of HR, reviewed administrative appointments. Expect 350 new teachers this year. Still have 28 unfilled positions. Reviewed negotiations, of which there was none for JEA and administrators, because "JEA honored the two-year agreement and did not enter into the negotiations process." Classified had changes to some policies. Department Advisory Council, like SAC, is first place to resolve issues. Then move to classified DAC if unresolved. Changes to hours of work that clarifies when an employee may be called back in after ending their shift. Info on website under associations.

 

Corey Fairholm, Region VI-Jordan PTA President, with Kayleen Whitelock serving as associate director due to number of PTA members. Advocate, involve, and develop is mission. Purposes to promote child welfare, raise home life standards, laws to protect children, closer relationship between home and school, and develop united effort for public education.  Local, council, region, state, national with 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. Gave benefits of being PTA rather than PTO.

PTA does not exist to raise money, but raises money to exist. Every child, one voice. Jordan has a strong PTA in Utah.

 

 

Ended by showing this video.  Change is good. You go first.