Volume 27, Issue 8 - July 15, 2015 | Archives | AlabamaSchoolBoards.org
State board chooses Newman and Richardson to lead
Congratulations to Jeff Newman (District 7), elected as state board vice president and Dr. Yvette Richardson (District 4), elected as president pro tem, at Tuesday’s annual state board meeting.
The unanimous elections place two seasoned former local superintendents at the state board’s helm. While Gov. Robert Bentley serves by virtue of his office as president, the board vice president customarily presides at the monthly meetings.
In other business, the board presented Thomasville Chief School Financial Officer Linda McGhee with a resolution recognizing her as the recipient of the Robert L. Morton Award.
The meeting was followed by a work session, during which the board discussed a resolution to adopt the Science State Course of Study. Lowndes County Superintendent Dr. Daniel Boyd presented recommendations after the committee’s three years of work to collect information and comments on the science standards.
Boyd said the committee worked hard to align standards with Plan 2020’s goal to have every student ready for college or a career. The recommendations contain minimum changes to the compulsory course of study and will assure high quality minimum standards.
Once adopted, school systems have one year of lead time to enable the textbook committee to act and for teachers to have appropriate professional development before implementation of their local curriculum. Dr. Cynthia McCarty complimented the committee for its hard work to engage the public with 11 regional meetings around the state. State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tommy Bice commended the committee for a stellar job.
Changes to the Alabama Administrative Code pertaining to dyslexia were also discussed Tuesday. The state has been working to build best practices to codify as a resource to identify and support students with dyslexia. A number of students with dyslexia need support to succeed but do not qualify for special education. The department’s focus is on using existing instruments to identify these students and growing the pool of teachers certified in approved training.
Initial drafts are being revised to prevent putting unrealistic expectations and an unfunded mandate on schools. In 136 school systems, 1,500 schools simply do not have that capacity, Bice said, but this is an opportunity to have a state model of what a standard could be. A summer training program is underway to begin building the expertise among teaching professionals. The department is sorting through a high volume of comments and suggestions regarding the draft and a proposal will come before the state board at its August meeting.
Bice notes that 70 percent of the state’s high school graduates who need remedial courses can be found in Alabama’s two-year community colleges. He reiterated the need for a clear and common definition of “remedial student.” With 26 different community colleges, there are 26 different ways students are identified for remedial coursework.
Students must pay full tuition for remedial courses but do not receive college credit. That means the inconsistency is costly for students and parents and puts public K-12 schools in the untenable position of being held responsible for a graduation rate and remediation accountability with arbitrary policies.
Bice has been working with the two-year school system chancellor to identify a definition for all community colleges to use before a student must take a remedial course. With the recent split of the postsecondary department to a board of trustees, now action must be taken by both bodies. The suggested definition is a grade of “C” or better for courses including algebra, geometry and higher maths, or an ACT score of 20 or higher in english, reading and math. Students who qualify under those parameters would automatically be exempt from being identified for remedial coursework following graduation.
The next board meeting and work session is scheduled for Aug.13.
Still time to register for July 16 webinar
The New Legislation: What You Need to Know webinar features Carl Johnson and Melissa McKie of Bishop, Colvin, Johnson & Kent. They will review the new legislation that will impact schools around the state. This webinar will include discussion of the Open Meetings Act, Nepotism Law, Erin’s Law, Accountability Act, the virtual schools law and the requirement that school systems provide an annual benefits statement to employees.
The July 16 teleconference/webinar begins at 11:30 a.m. central time and ends at 1 p.m. School board members will earn 1.5 hours in the AASB School Board Member Academy. Register now.
All-State nominees resolution must be approved by Aug. board meeting
Honor the commitment and achievement of one of your board members by nominating him or her for AASB’s All-State School Board Member Recognition Program. The All-State award, one of AASB’s highest honors, celebrates the work of up to five past or present Alabama school board members who have exhibited exemplary boardmanship.
Nominations may be submitted following a majority vote of the school board. An individual board member may nominate another member provided the nomination is endorsed by a majority vote of the nominee’s board. Detailed nomination information has been mailed to board presidents and superintendents. Nominations are due Sept. 1. For more, email training@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org or call 334/277-9700.
Aug. 31-Sept. 21 district meetings on virtual learning, legislative survey
Registration is now open for AASB's Aug. 31-Sept. 21 Fall District Meetings, Virtual Vision & Legislative Litmus. By the fall of 2016, every Alabama school system must offer some form of online learning for students. Whether it’s specific online course offerings you couldn’t offer in a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom or a full virtual high school, your school board and superintendent have the flexibility to create a program that meets your students’ needs in new and creative ways. Also during the program, we will ask you to weigh in on some of the issues expected to take center stage during the 2016 legislative session.
During the AASB Fall District Meetings, school boards are recognized if 60 percent or more of their members attended at least three AASB conferences in the academy year and, in that same year, all board members met state-mandated training requirements.
The $25 cost includes your meal. You will enjoy a training program worth 1 hour in the AASB School Board Member Academy and interact with your district directors and network with school board members from your area. The meetings all begin at 6 p.m. central time with the exception of District 5, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Register today.
Though subject to change, the tentative meeting dates and location are:
· District 1 - Sept. 1 at Satsuma Community Center;
· District 2 - Aug. 31 in Brent at Sawmeal Restaurant;
· District 3 - Sept. 21 in Ozark at Hoppergrass Restaurant;
· District 4 - Sept. 3 at Opelika High School;
· District 5 - Sept. 17 in Birmingham at Alabama School of Fine Arts;
· District 6 - Sept. 10 in Anniston at Classic on Noble;
· District 7 - Sept. 8 in Tuscaloosa at Hotel Capstone;
· District 8 - Sept. 15 in Florence at Marriott Shoals;
· District 9 - Sept. 14 in Huntsville at Huntsville Center for Technology.
AASB Bylaws & Resolutions due Aug.14
Please submit your proposed resolutions or changes to AASB Bylaws in writing by Aug. 14. Proposals will be considered by AASB’s Delegate Assembly in December. Fax submissions to AASB (Attn: Bylaws Submission) at 334/270-0000; mail to: P.O. Box 230488, Montgomery, AL 36123-0488 or email us.
Coming Oct. 4 & 5: Fall core course on optimal learning environment
The learning environment is more than just bricks and mortar. That’s why board members need to learn strategies for managing facilities, keeping schools safe, improving parental involvement, expanding internal communication and fostering teamwork.
The AASB School Board Member Academy presents its core course on Leadership to Create the Optimal Learning Environment Oct. 4 and 5 at The Renaissance Montgomery in downtown Montgomery. It will be taught again in 2018. School board members who take this required academy course will earn 6 hours, enough to meet the state’s requirement for annual individual school board member training.
Stay over for the Oct. 5 post-conference workshop When Social Media Attacks, which will also include training on how to get started with social media. Bring your devices. For more, visit AlabamaSchoolBoards.org.
Enter the 2015 Alabama’s Best Contest! Prizes total $5,000
LEAN Frog, in association with AASB, is proud to announce its second annual contest for Alabama public schools. This year’s “Alabama’s Best” contest has been expanded to include non-instructional best practices and innovations in instructional departments. The contest is open to all Alabama public school systems. Systems may submit up to three entries describing a best practice in their departments. The best practice must have been implemented within the last two school years (i.e., 2013-2014, 2014-2015).
Applicants must complete an official entry form and submit either a PowerPoint presentation or video about the best practice. Entries will be evaluated on the following:
· Creativity – the uniqueness of the practice or its application;
· Sustainability – practice makes lasting improvement;
· Impact on Students – practice improves student achievement and increases value by 1) improving students’ environment or well-being, 2) improving the quality of service provided to students, or 3) reducing costs or increasing revenue for the school or system.
Entry forms, rules and regulations, evaluation criteria and further details are available on the LEAN Frog website. The winning entry will receive $3,000. Two second place winning entries will receive $1,000 each. Award presentations will be made during the AASB Annual Convention in Birmingham. In addition to the cash prizes, the winning media presentations will be recognized during the Dec. 5 awards ceremony.
Getting a policy manual makeover? Enjoy a free issue of Policy Pipeline
If your school board contracts with AASB to use its Policy Review & Analysis member service, you will get a free, one-year subscription to the Policy Pipeline to ensure those policies remain up to date. You can also participate in the policy maintenance conference call for Policy Pipeline subscribers. This year’s call will be at 10 a.m. on July 30. Alabama school board members also benefit from a 10 percent discount on the eBoardsolutions.com Policy Module, and AASB will upload your policies to that module at no charge. Email us at policy@AlabamaSchoolBoards.org or call 800/562-0601for details.
Do you have GRIT? Add your voice
Alabama GRIT: Graduate Ready. Impact Tomorrow. is a coalition made up of educators, parents, business and civic leaders and the military community that has come together to support high academic standards for all Alabama students. GRIT welcomes local school boards to join. GRIT members are committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure all students graduate ready for life, whether they choose to go to college or begin a career after high school. The group has produced a variety of information pieces about the Alabama College and Career Ready Standards. To add your voice and support, visit AlabamaGRIT.org.
Congrats to free registration winners
Sherry Digmon of Escambia County, Bill Edd Gilbert of Walker County and Chester Moore of Marengo County won free registration for either the October 2015 or March 2016 School Board Member Academy conferences. Their names were selected randomly from those who completed the 2015 AASB Summer Conference and Orientation evaluations. Feedback from event evaluations are invaluable to AASB and help us improve future training sessions.
Save money, schedule your whole board training now for July, Aug. or Sept.
Get a jump on earning your 2016 state-required 2 hours of interactive, facilitated whole board training by signing up early. Early birds get 10 percent off the regular fee if they schedule their AASB-provided whole board training for July, August or September 2015. Prices start at $500 (plus mileage) or join up with other school boards in your area to share the cost.
It’s a date!
July 16 (1.5 hours)
Webinar
Aug. 31-Sept. 21 (1 hour)
Fall District Meetings
Oct. 4 & 5 (6 hours)
Optimal Learning Environment
Core Conference
Oct. 5 (2 hours)
Social Media Workshop
— Lissa Tucker and Emily Maxwell
contributed to this report.
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“army of advocates” today!
Take a stand for public schools.
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