While most people might picture buses, crowded hallways, and teachers working in bustling classrooms, the behind-the-scenes work is just as vital. All the work that goes into making school happen: recruiting and hiring teachers, custodians, coaches, bus drivers, food service employees, nurses, and everyone else who makes it possible to open school each day. Onboarding those employees, and providing ongoing professional learning opportunities. Ensuring substitutes are in classrooms. Making sure supplies are ordered. Running payroll. Scheduling bus routes.Part of operating an organization as complex as a school district is ensuring that the right information gets to the right people, so they can work efficiently and make the best decisions. That requires technology, getting departments to work together, and quite often, managing change.In this episode, we speak with Dr. Russell Miller, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources for Andover Public Schools in Kansas, about his district’s efforts to implement new processes and software systems to be more effective and work across departments more easily. We cover:The biggest blockers to efficiency and effectiveness in school administrationHow they brought their software systems together to move away from paper and make information more readily accessibleHow systems thinking helps his team hire and onboard more effectivelyHow to get buy-in from other stakeholders to make a changeWhat’s needed to effectively implement a new software systemThe impact all of this has on serving students and staffRelated Resources:Change Management in K-12: What You Need to KnowChange Management in K-12: Six Change Management Models

Field Trip

Making School Happen

The concern about student learning loss is real. Reduced classroom time, learning over Zoom, technology challenges, difficult home situations, mental health concerns, and heightened inequities have all contributed in one way or another to a difficult academic year.But of all the factors that affect student performance, one stands above the rest: teachers. Yet throughout the pandemic, supporting teachers’ growth took on a new wrinkle: how do you observe, evaluate, and provide feedback to teachers who are either teaching from home, or who are teaching students who are at home?In today’s podcast, Dr. James Stronge, Heritage Professor at the College of William & Mary School of Education and president and CEO of Stronge & Associates Educational Consulting, considers:The pandemic’s impact on teachers and the administrators who support themThe skills needed for effective virtual teachingPrinciples for schools as they conduct teacher evaluations in a virtual environmentHow to shape evaluations to support growth and genuinely impact student learningFor further reading:Dr. Stronge referenced several research studies in this podcast, which can be found here:Fitzpatrick, B. R., Berends, M., Ferrare, J. J., & Waddington, R. J. (2020). Virtual Illusion: Comparing Student Achievement and Teacher and Classroom Characteristics in Online and Brick-and-Mortar Charter Schools (Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 161-175). Educational Researcher. doi:10.3102/0013189X20909814Barbour, Michael. (2019). The Landscape of K-12 Online Learning: Examining What Is Known.Hattie, J. (2017, November). 250+ Influences on Student Achievement. Retrieved from https://visible-learning.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/VLPLUS-252-Influences-Hattie-ranking-DEC-2017.pdf

Evaluating Teachers Virtually

It’s no secret that when students have teachers of the same race or ethnicity, they tend to do better academically. Yet people of color make up a relatively small percentage of the teaching workforce.Today we’re joined by Dr. Searetha Smith-Collins, a career educator and former superintendent and chief academic officer, to talk about workforce diversity in education: why it matters, and steps schools can take to overcome roadblocks to inclusive hiring practices.Related Resources:4 Real-Life Stories About Equity in EducationPodcast: 5 Generations at Work. Today’s workforce consists of up to FIVE generations of people. Here’s how they’re different, how they complement each other, and how leadership can maximize each one’s strengths in schools.Podcast: Not Your Father&#39;s Labor Market. Teachers entering the workforce today are different from those who entered the profession a few decades ago. What does that mean for school districts?Podcast: Grow Your Own Teachers. When leaders at this school district wanted a teacher workforce that reflected the diversity of its student body, the answer was right in front of them.The Line: Resources on Equity in Education

School Workforce Diversity

After nearly a year of remote learning, hand washing, and six-feet-apart staying, who’s doing not doing okay? The answer is… quite a few of us, kids and adults alike.This week, Dr. Rosanne Capanna-Hodge, a psychologist and author of The Teletherapy Toolkit: Therapist Handbook for Treating Children and Teens, explores the long-term impact the pandemic has on students, teachers, and school staff:Signs to look out for in kids who may be struggling with anxiety – and how to monitor mental health when students aren’t in the buildingPractices schools can incorporate to care for mental health in the classroomHow schools can support staff who are struggling during the pandemic as wellMore Mental Health ResourcesBlog: How DC Public Schools Use Student Data to Support Mental HealthPodcast: Are Schools Prepared for the Mental Health Crisis?Interview: What Should Schools Do Right Now to Care for Students’ Mental Health Needs?

Caring for Students’ Mental Health During Virtual Learning

Leanne Sherred is co-founder of Expressable, a company that provides online speech language therapy services. In this conversation, Leanne shares what she observes and insights about:Why services for kids with speech and communication challenges are so crucialThe added struggles kids face during remote learningWhat schools should keep in mind as they provide remote service deliveryHow schools can work with parents and families of students receiving teletherapy to better set them up for successMental health challenges relating to communication and language issuesWant more?You got it. Here are some more related resources:Remote Special Education & Related Services Tools. A school’s ability to provide special education and related services remotely is critical during COVID-19. Here are tools to help.Working with Parents in Special Education. Working in special education can be very rewarding, but also challenging. One of the many reasons it can be challenging is working with parents.5 Strategies to Improve the IEP Process with Parent Participation. While there are no guarantees that parents and schools will agree on decisions, the positive impact of parental involvement is well-documented. And so are the challenges! Here are five strategies to increase parental participation in the IEP process and make life easier for all involved.

Kids With Speech and Language Service Needs

School closures have been tough for everyone. Administrators, district leadership, teachers, and families raced to adapt to new teaching and learning conditions. Students faced an entirely unfamiliar school experience. Already-existing inequities grew starker, and English Learners faced extra hurdles as teachers and families often struggled to communicate.In this podcast, Dr. Jessica Hazzard, an EL specialist at Cape Henlopen School District in Delaware, shares how her district tackled these issues and developed strategies they can continue to use, whether they’re remote, in person, or somewhere in between.The connection between teacher collaboration and equityHow the district carves out time for teacher collaboration during a stressful and busy timeHow reading specialists, grade level teachers, EL teachers use Remote Planning Workshops to collaboratively create lesson plansMore Content You’ll Like:Podcast: 3 Benefits of Restorative Dialogue for English Learners4 Ways to Support Staff Working with English Language Learners

Equity for English Learners

Over the past 10 years, anxiety disorders among adolescents has risen 17%. Serious depression has gone up 80%. Suicide attempts are startlingly common.[1] That’s the bad news.The good news is that there is an increasing awareness of the need for student mental health care, a greater focus on the whole child. Schools are taking more steps to provide this kind of care — and more and more, they’re becoming the primary providers of care for those students. But that’s a herculean task, and it raises the question: are schools ready?In this episode of Field Trip, ten experts in roles ranging from school counselors to superintendents share how they see it:Are schools prepared to be the primary providers of student mental health care?What are schools doing well in this area? Where is there room to grow?What do schools need to be better prepared?What will the mental health care landscape look like in 5 or 10 years?And more…[1] Are Districts the Nation's Adolescent Mental Health Care Providers? (Rep.). (2020). Retrieved https://eab.com/research/district-leadership/whitepaper/are-districts-the-nations-adolescent-mental-health-care-providers/More About Mental Health in Schools:3-Step System to Identify Social, Emotional & Behavioral Issues Sooner. This 3-step approach (with examples) can help your school build a system that empowers educators, counselors, and other specialists to collect and interpret behavioral data to find students who most need intervention.10 Best Practices for Improving and Expanding Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Supports. Ten key, interconnected best practices to help you and your team effectively and comprehensively create a system to meet the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students.5 Strategies to Build Your and Students’ Resilience. How can those on the front lines of education help students, families, and each other navigate this uncertain time?Student Mental Health in Crisis: Are Schools Ready? Go beyond the podcast and see this interview in written and video form.Mental & Behavioral Health Management: Identify patterns, determine trends, simplify documentation and collaborate with staff and parents about mental health issues in schools.

Are Schools Prepared for the Mental Health Crisis?

While schools are wrestling with how to re-open in the fall, Robin Cogan says there’s one perspective that is especially critical to consider: that of the school nurse. Robin is a school nurse in Camden, NJ and the author of the blog The Relentless School Nurse. She joined us to talk about:Questions schools need to answer as they consider reopeningWhy school nurses are a vital part of any school’s communityAll of the things school nurses do that most people never seePlus, how administrators can tap into the expertise their nurses bringYou may also like:White Paper: “Mitigating COVID-19 Risk: How Schools Can Help Reopen the Economy Safely”On-Demand Webinar: Top 5 Legal Strategies to Manage Student Mental Health During COVID-193 Ways Districts Can Better Handle Student Health Records

Unsung Heroes

When Stephen was in school, his hand was always raised. A mind brimming with ideas, a packed schedule because he wanted to be involved in everything, an appetite for challenge. Today, Stephen is in college, pursuing a career in aerospace engineering — and we’re speaking with him and the teacher of his elementary gifted program, about what such programs can offer students.Why such programs are so helpful for gifted studentsWhere things get tough for gifted students — and where such programs fit in as schools work to serve students of all academic abilitiesA look at one district’s gifted program and the difference it continues to make in Stephen’s life, years after graduation

Gifted

Right now, schools are closed across the country, as we all try to stay safe and healthy. But we all know that for educators and for parents, this doesn’t mean more downtime on the couch.You’re still hard at work, because learning goes on, at home and online. This shift has been a huge effort for schools, administrators, teachers, and staff.So today, something a little different. Normally, we bring you stories from schools around the country. Today we’re doing the same thing — sort of. Join us as we check in with the schooling that’s taking place in the living rooms and home offices of some of us at Frontline, and offer heartfelt appreciation for the work that educators are doing during this time.

School... at Home

“You could have a great conversation with somebody, you could talk about [teaching practice] and then, all of a sudden: ‘Okay, what was my rating?’ ‘Well, you got a ‘2’ in this area.’ And that would defeat the entire conversation.” - Jason Smith, Principal, Anna Reynolds Elementary SchoolAt Newington Public Schools, teacher evaluations look different these days. Rather than a process that focuses primarily on the nuts and bolts of generating a score, the district changed how administrators and teachers approach the observation process. They trained administrators to ask questions that help teachers reflect and be self-directed in their learning. This has made a huge difference in how teachers engage in the evaluation process and hone their practice as a result.For further reading:[INFOGRAPHIC] Key Building Blocks for a Culture of Trust in Teacher Evaluations[WHITE PAPER] Building a Culture of Trust in Teacher Evaluations[WHITE PAPER] Feedback That Matters: Using formative feedback and meaningful conversations to grow teaching practice and foster a collaborative educational environment

Observations & Conversations

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System used to outsource their substitute teacher program. But in 2014, they decided to bring it back in house — no small thing for an office of just four people, in a district with 36,000 students. But… it’s a success.A savings of over $300,000 in just the first yearA higher fill rate (99% the first year!)Over 800 substitutes hired into permanent positions since the program beganReclaimed instructional timeA culture that values and recognizes substitutes as an integral part of the teamToday, we’re speaking with Melissa Izatt, Director of Educator Quality, about the why and how behind bringing the substitute program back under their own roof.More substitute management resources:[VIDEO] Low substitute fill rates? Your substitutes might not be accepting jobs.A Roadmap to Substitute EngagementThe Substitute Teacher Shortage: What’s behind it? What can be done about it?[PODCAST] No Substitute for Customer Service

Substitutes In the House

Racial equality is an important factor in ensuring every student has access to the general education curriculum. But equity in special education goes deeper yet.What does equity in special education mean? What does it look like? Today we’re speaking with Dr. Dorothea Gordon, Executive Director of Special Education at Grand Prairie ISD in Texas. Dr. Gordon helps to set a baseline definition for equity in special education, shares some highlights of GPISD’s program that have proven effective, and looks at some of the pressing issues facing educators working in special education in today’s world.Professional learning that special educators need to be effectiveThe challenges that racial minorities – often African American and Hispanic males – face in schools, especially in disciplinary situationsThe most important factors when considering how to provide equitable access to education for all students

Equity, Part 3: Special Education is an Equity Issue

In Louisiana, 1969: “separate but equal” is a thing of the past – in theory. In practice, schools are largely still divided along racial lines. Eileen Sanchez was a white teacher who taught in the “black school,” at least until the day students and staff were told the school was closing.In her book Freedom Lessons, Eileen details that tumultuous year and what it was like for her, the students and the other teachers. We spoke with Eileen about her experience:What she learned about race and diversityThe impact it has had on her career as a teacher and ultimately, as a district administratorWhere we are today, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of education in 2020 and beyondHow teachers, administrators and department leaders like HR and C&I can work toward equity in their school systems

Equity, Part 2: Fifty Years Later

What if you could hear from leaders in school systems all around the country? People who are finding innovative ways to solve problems and make strategic decisions as they work to hire, develop, retain and support teachers and staff? From superintendents to principals, from human resources to curriculum and instruction to special education, we’re talking with people who have something to say in K-12 – and we’re sharing those conversations here.

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Field Trip

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