School Administrators of Iowa

Education Reform and Tax Reform Legislative Update Webinar

Tracy Harms — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:37:53 +0000

IASB lobbyist Emily Piper, SAI government relations director Tom Narak and IASB advocacy director Mary Gannon hosted a webinar June 13 to explain the recent education and tax reform legislation and answer questions. Access a recording of the webinar here. [Members will need to log in to access the page information.]

Petition Submitted Regarding School Start Date Rule

Tracy Harms — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 21:10:09 +0000

On June 5, the Iowa Department of Education received a petition for rule making relating to the school start date. A proposal has been offered to define the phrase "significant negative educational impact" which is used by the DE when granting waivers. The petitioners offered suggested language in the document provided here. You are encouraged to share your comments and recommendations concerning the school start date to Nicole Proesch, DE legal consultant.

Mentoring and Induction Program Required for All Districts

Tracy Harms — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:39:37 +0000

SAI's mentoring and induction program can help your district meet the requirements of § chapter 284A.5. Each district is required to have a mentoring and induction plan for beginning principals and persons new to the superintendency regardless of whether you have a beginning administrator in any given year. A beginning administrator is defined by law as “an individual … who is assuming a position as a school district principal or superintendent for the first time.”

If your district intends to use the SAI program in 2013-14 to meet chapter 284A requirements, more information and participation forms are available here.

Members Approve New SAI District Boundaries

Tracy Harms — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:56:28 +0000

Beginning Sept. 1, 2014, SAI district boundaries will mirror those of the area education agencies. Members who voted overwhelmingly approved an amendment to the SAI bylaws reflecting this change. SAI will use the 2013-14 year to prepare for the transition, including moving from 52 people on the Representative Council to 34.

State's Leaders Recognize Iowa Administrators of the Year

Tracy Harms — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:29:32 +0000

Pictured (l to r): SAI Executive Director Dan Smith, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Central Office Administrator of the Year Linda Carroll, Assistant Elementary Principal of the Year Genie Wickham, Assistant Secondary Principal of the Year Brenda Maro, Elementary Principal of the Year Lucas DeWitt, Superintendent of the Year Tom Lane, Secondary Principal of the Year Trent Grundmeyer, Middle Level Principal of the Year Brian McNeill, Gov. Terry Branstad and Board of Educational Examiners Executive Director Duane Magee.

Gov. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds and Duane Magee lauded the accomplishments of the 2013 Iowa Administrators of the Year May 10 at the Capitol. Recipients were recognized for their contributions to the education of students in Iowa.

More information on the awards program is available here.

Superintendents Advocate for Student Success

Tracy Harms — Thu, 02 May 2013 21:05:09 +0000

A recent American Association of School Administrators' publication "Advocating for Student Success" captures the thoughts of the state superintendents of the year on the shifting educational landscape and the critical advocacy role of district leaders. Conversations centered on:

new Common Core State Standards,
educator evaluations,
federal policy, and
the role leadership plays as sweeping efforts to prepare tomorrow’s graduates for college and the global workforce take hold in public schools across the nation.

According to AASA, forum participants had candid conversations about how these initiatives are unfolding in an environment facing significant budget challenges and an increasingly vocal chorus of public school critics. This publication highlights major themes from the forum, strategies for success and a look at what’s on the horizon for our country's public schools. Access the publication here.

Genie Wickham of Lewis Central is Named Iowa Assistant Elementary Principal of the Year

Tracy Harms — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:31:20 +0000

Genie Wickham of Titan Hill Intermediate School in the Lewis Central district is the recipient of the 2013 Iowa Assistant Elementary Principal of the Year award from the School Administrators of Iowa.

Wickham expressed, “I am so fortunate to work with so many people who give 110 percent for the sake of children. The staff at Titan Hill have modeled what it means to do whatever it takes in an effort to help children be successful!"

“Genie Wickham is a passionate advocate for ‘kids first’ and meeting the diverse needs of all students. Her focus is on good instruction. She works with teachers and families to problem solve and remove barriers that hinder student success,” said Dan Smith, SAI executive director.

Wickham has been assistant principal since 2007 and was previously a reading consultant with Area Education Agency 13. She began her career as an elementary teacher in the Council Bluffs district. Her education includes a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Buena Vista University, a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Doane College, and her administrative endorsement from the Iowa Principal Leadership Academy.

The May issue of the SAI Report will feature several recent Administrator of the Year recipients.

Effective Principals Exhibit Five Practices According to Decade of Research

Tracy Harms — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:21:40 +0000

School leaders talk about how they put effective practices to work in a new series of videos provided by The Wallace Foundation. The practices focus on:

1. Shaping a vision of academic success for all students

2. Creating a climate hospitable to education

3. Cultivating leadership in others

4. Improving instruction

5. Managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement

A full report titled The School Principal as Leader: Guiding Schools to Better Teaching and Learning compiled from a decade of research in school leadership is available here.

Brian McNeill of Knoxville Selected as Middle Level Principal of the Year

Tracy Harms — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:15:52 +0000

SAI announced that Brian McNeill, principal of Knoxville Middle School, is the 2013 Iowa Middle Level Principal of the Year.

Dan Smith, SAI executive director, remarked, “Brian McNeill models school leadership. He has focused teacher professional learning on developing instructional skills to meet the needs of all students. He has made sure that all students have opportunities to advance their learning—from those who may be struggling with reading or math, to those who excel in the classroom. Additionally he strives to build a positive culture with students and staff in the building.”

Trent Grundmeyer of Indianola is Iowa Secondary Principal of the Year

Tracy Harms — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:26:34 +0000

Trent Grundmeyer, principal of Indianola High School, has been named the 2013 Iowa Secondary Principal of the Year by School Administrators of Iowa.

“Indianola High School and the community have benefited from Dr. Grundmeyer’s leadership,” said SAI Executive Director Dan Smith. “His efforts to realign the school’s curriculum to match the Iowa Core academic expectations for students, decrease the dropout rate, develop methods to evaluate instructional practices district-wide, update service-learning programming and provide college-level vocational programs are just a few of the noteworthy contributions he has made,” Smith expressed.

“I truly believe in a collaborative approach to meeting the needs of students. Students deserve the best experience in school they can possibly have to be college and career ready. Only by pooling the collective knowledge and skills of professionals who serve them can the needs of all students be met,” Grundmeyer shared.

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