Fall 2021

A PUBLICATION OF THE NEBRASKA COUNCIL OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH NEBRASKA LOVES PUBLIC SCHOOLS Photo Credit: Nebraska Loves Public Schools

Fall 2021

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C ONTENTS

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Back in Kearney: Administrators’ Days Returns to Central Nebraska

BY TYLER DAHLGREN

7 Behind the Scenes with Nebraska Loves Public Schools: The Team Behind the Films and Their Decade-Long Journey from Intention to Impact BY TYLER DAHLGREN 12 Lead Every Day BY KEVIN WINGARD

13 Taking Action on a Persistent Issue, First Ever “Nebraska Teacher Shortage Summit” Set for October 27th BY TYLER DAHLGREN 14 Copy and Paste is Not Enough for a Bullying Policy BY CESAR TORRES AND DR. JOLENE PALMER

16 Nebraska Association of Professors of School Leadership Launches to Support Administrators Across the State BY LONA NELSON-MILKS

18 Supporting Educator Effectiveness through Development (S.E.E.D.): An Approach to Effectiveness to Maximize the Impact and Influence of Educators DR. KIM SNYDER AND RYAN RICENBAW

20 Research for the Real World

22 Superintendent Turnover BY DR. CRAIG PEASE AND DR. JERRY BEACH 26 Calendar of Events

27 Sponsorship

NCSA EXECUTIVE BOARD 2021-2022

Chair – Brad Jacobsen Vice Chair – Sara Paider Immed. Past Chair – Dr. Mark Adler NASA Representatives President – Kevin Wingard President Elect – Dr. Melissa Poloncic Past President – Dr. Jeff Edwards NASBO Representatives President – Dr. Liz Standish President Elect – Jeremy Knajdl Past President – Erin Heineman NAESP Representatives President – Erin Gonzalez President Elect – Josie Floyd Past President – Sara Paider NASES Representatives President – McKayla LaBorde President Elect – Misty Beair Past President – Lona Nelson-Milks NSASSP Representatives President – Patrick Moore President Elect – Dr. Tiffanie Welte Past President – Brad Jacobsen NCSA STAFF Dr. Michael S. Dulaney Executive Director/Lobbyist Dr. Dan E. Ernst Associate Executive Director/Lobbyist Amy Poggenklass Finance and Membership Director Megan Hillabrand Professional Development Manager Tyler Dahlgren Communications Specialist Jen Sylvester Executive Administrative Assistant

NCSA Mission

The mission of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA) is to be an effective leader for quality education and to enhance the professionalism of its members. NCSA Today is a benefit of membership in the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, 455 South 11th Street, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68508. Telephone 402.476.8055 or 800.793.6272. Fax 402.476.7740. Annual membership dues are $335 (active members), $125 (associate members), or $50 (student members). NCSA Today is published quarterly. Send address changes to NCSA, Membership, 455 South 11th Street, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68508. Copyright ©2019 by NCSA. All rights reserved.

Brenda Petsch Administrative Assistant The opinions expressed in NCSA Today or by its authors do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators.

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AD MI N I S T RA TO R S ' D AY S

Back in Kearney: Administrators’ Days Returns to Central Nebraska By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist After three years of unprecedented obstacles and extraordinary challenges, once-in-a-lifetime floods and a world-altering global pandemic, the headstrong gathered for a well-deserved week without headaches in late July. It was the first Administrators’ Days in Kearney since 2018, and event organizers worked overtime to make the return special. In turn, NCSA members made it a week to remember. The Younes Conference Center grounds may have changed since 2018 (the remodels are impressive and the nearlycompleted Crowne Plaza is already dazzling), but the event offered the same networking, professional development, reinvigoration, and fun as it always has. “We hope those are invaluable opportunities for all of our members, the thousand-plus Nebraska administrators embarking on a new school year,” said NCSA Executive Director Dr. Mike Dulaney. Administrators’ Days featured three nationally-acclaimed keynote speakers, including Brian Mendler, Dorina SackmanEbuwa and Dr. Danny Brassell. More than 55 timely and relevant select-a-sessions were offered throughout Thursday, led by local, state and national-level officials, educators and professionals. The exhibitor hall was packed and lively throughout the conference, especially during Wednesday’s Exhibitor Reception and Raffle.

NCSA Chair Dr. Mark Adler gives a welcoming address at Administrators’ Days. The conference returned to Kearney this summer for the first time in three years.

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Nationally-renowned keynote speaker Brian Mendler gets the crowd going Thursday morning at Administrators’ Days, delivering an energetic message that set the tone for the day.

Florida-based keynote speaker Dorina Sackman-Ebuwa made sure there were no post-luncheon snoozes on Thursday at Administrators’ Days. She had the crowd roaring with laughter throughout her keynote.

Dr. Danny Brassell closed the conference with his Friday morning keynote, delivering a message of lightheartedness and the importance of joy in education.

A DMINIS T RA T O R S' DAY S

ESU 6 Administrator Dr. John Skretta took home the NCSA Distinguished Service Award during Administrators’ Days in late July. Dr. Skretta, a past NCSA Chair, was most recently superintendent of Norris School District 160.

Dr. Enid Schonewise was presented with the NCSA Distinguished Service Award on Thursday of Administrators’ Days in Kearney. Schonewise recently retired after a long career as Westside Community Schools’ Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources.

“The keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and opportunities for networking were outstanding,” Sutherland Elementary School Principal Josie Floyd wrote on Twitter. “Always a great way to get us pumped up and ready for the new year.” Administrators’ Days included the presentation of NCSA’s two prestigious awards and an honoring of other award recipients during Thursday’s luncheon ceremony. Dr. John Skretta (ESU 6 Administrator) and Dr. Enid Schonewise (recently retired Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and District Operations, Westside Community Schools) were this year’s recipients of the NCSA Distinguished Service Award. “We couldn’t have given this award to two more worthy professionals,” Dr. Dulaney said. “Both Dr. Schonewise and Dr. Skretta have been tremendous assets to our organization and to education in Nebraska.”

NCSA Ambassadors Dr. Keith Rohwer, Dr. Cinde Wendell and Kyle McGowan pose together before the Steak Fry on Thursday at Administrators’ Days.

From left to right, Senator Lynne Walz, ESU 7 Administrator Dr. Larianne Polk, Executive Director Dr. Mike Dulaney and NCSA Ambassador Kyle McGowan pose after a hard-fought game of Cornhole during the celebration Thursday night at Administrators’ Days. Team NCSA did not come out of the contest victorious. Continued on page 6 >>

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Senator Mark Kolterman was one of two recipients of the NCSA Friend of Education Award, presented annually at Administrators’ Days in Kearney.

Nebraska School Safety & Security Director Dr. Jolene Palmer received the NCSA Friend of Education Award at Administrators’ Days in Kearney. Palmer, alongside NCSA, was the driver behind LB 322 last legislative session.

The NCSA Friend of Education Award went to two honorees: Senator Mark Kolterman and Dr. Jolene Palmer, Nebraska School Safety and Security Director with NDE. “Senator Kolterman has been an invaluable ally to the education community, and his work in the Legislature has greatly benefited not only school districts, but their administrators, educators, students and families, too,” said Dr. Dulaney. “Jolene Palmer works tirelessly to make schools a safe place for students, and she’s been responsible for keeping Nebraska ahead of the curve and at the top of the list as far as prioritizing school safety and security.”

Affiliate awards were announced, too, as was the 2021-22 Nebraska Superintendent of the Year Award, which will be presented to Bennington’s Dr. Terry Haack at the State Education Conference in November. We will have more on those awards then! There were many special guests at this year’s Administrators’ Days, including our friends from Nebraska Loves Public Schools, who held a booth in the main concourse and appeared on stage periodically throughout Thursday. Senator Lynne Walz, Chair of the Education Committee, took in the conference alongside her colleagues from the Capitol

This year’s Administrators’ Days included several very special guests, including State Senators Mark Williams, Lynne Walz (Chair of the Education Committee) and Mark Kolterman, three great friends of education in Nebraska.

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A DMINIS T RA T O R S' DAY S

Though temperatures hovered around triple digits Thursday afternoon, over 250 administrators still took part in their annual walk. Their Administrators in Action efforts resulted in a $5,000 check from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska to the Pediatric Cancer Action Network.

It wouldn’t be Trivia Night at Administrators’ Days without hosts Sam Stecher and Mark Johnson, who kept the crowd engaged and entertained from their spots on the stage.

Dr. Mark Adler addresses new members Friday morning.

Senators Williams and Kolterman. The NCSA Ambassadors were in attendance doing what they do and spreading the good word on education, too.

Algorhythms rocked on the main outdoor stage, members played games (Paul Younes was even seen throwing a few bags) and enjoyed delicious food before breaking into teams for the yearly Trivia Night hosted by Sam Stecher and Mark Johnson (MissionMonday.com).

Blazing temperatures that hovered just below triple digits couldn’t keep packs of brave administrators from participating in this year’s Administrators in Action. For the efforts of the 261 participants, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska donated $5,000 to the Pediatric Cancer Action Network. Thursday night was a celebration, a time for fellowship, laughter and the return of the NCSA Steak Fry. While the

The association welcomed its new members during a breakfast ceremony Friday morning. The NCSA New Member Breakfast is not only one of the staff’s favorite events of the year, but it is one of the most important. The room was full when NCSA Chair Dr. Mark Adler provided a welcoming address. ■

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P ROMOT I N G S C H O O L S

Behind the Scenes with Nebraska Loves Public Schools: The Team Behind the Films and Their Decade-Long Journey from Intention to Impact By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist If you watch closely and pay enough attention to detail, it’s not all that difficult to find magic in the ordinary, to marvel at something you’d long looked at as mundane. To find the extraordinary, it’s often as simple as taking a closer look. “So often, people just don’t ask,” said Sally Nellson, Executive Director of Nebraska Loves Public Schools. “In particular, people in schools are used to being told they’re not doing enough or feeling like they’re not doing enough. So when someone shows up to ask them how they’re doing and how they do all the amazing things that they do, I think they feel seen. They’re more comfortable opening up and sharing their story.”

Deputy Director Liz Renner and Director of Photography Andy Marinkovich share a laugh while on the set of one of Nebraska Loves Public Schools shoots. Photo Courtesy of Nebraska Loves Public Schools.

Nebraska Loves Public Schools finds the magic in everyday moments. The team works on traveling sets, hauling equipment to districts across the state. Their many films offer more than a glimpse into life in a school, often times transporting viewers to places like North Platte, North Bend and North Omaha. Through walking a mile in the shoes of administrators, educators, and students, we see the stars of their documentaries for what they really are: Heroes. Director of Photography Andy Marinkovich’s favorite film is often times the one he’s working on at the moment. Photo Courtesy of Nebraska Loves Public Schools.

What happens on camera is exactly what was happening before the film was rolling, and therein lies the beauty of Nebraska Loves Public Schools. What you see on the screen doesn’t mirror reality; it is reality, in its most vulnerable, humanistic form. The joys and triumphs, the heartbreak and tribulations, they’re organic and as real as it gets.

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A decade ago, Nebraska Loves Public Schools was started. Filmmakers dedicated to sharing the stories of public schools, the only of their kind. Before the t-shirts became famous and before #ilovepublicschools became a statewide rallying cry with its own holiday, they set out on a journey that has become a fascinating tale. “We had gut-level intention (ten years ago), but we didn’t really have the process behind it to make sure that our gutlevel intention had an impact,” said Nellson. “We are so much more intentional about things now and more passionate

PRO MO T ING S CHOOL S That’s every documentary maker’s dream, she added, to turn the camera on and allow the story to play out on its own. Relationships have helped the crew in that quest. Being so recognizable has strengthened their repertoire. “The energy we feel when we walk into a building, it went from ‘We have no idea who you are but we kind of trust that we’re just going to let you do what you need to do’ to this overwhelming joy and welcoming that we get now,” said Nellson. Each district has its own charm, often reflective of the community it represents. Nebraska Loves Public Schools Executive Director Sally Nellson enjoys a ride in a wheelbarrow while Creative Director Nicole Brown provides a push and Director of Photography Andy Marinkovich captures the fun moment. Photo Courtesy of Nebraska Loves Public Schools.

about using that gut intention with spoken intention to maximize our impact.” The key ingredient to turning intention into impact? Relationships. Relationships open doors and allow for trust to be built. “I am seeing, every single day, a payoff for the time and effort that every single individual on this team has put into developing relationships,” Nellson said. “Many of those doors have been opened by NCSA, and many of those doors have been opened by Brittany (Mascio, Director of Marketing), Andy (Marinkovich, Director of Photography), and all the crew that we’ve ever worked with that shows up on set with a gentle, kind, open and curious demeanor.” Every project Nebraska Loves Public Schools takes on starts with a story, but its arch isn’t predetermined and oftentimes there is no ending. No dramatic final scene. Only new perspectives. “We do need something tangible to share going in and then going out, because we’re not staying with these people forever,” said Marinkovich. “The film, the content that’s created for it, is a byproduct. We have intent coming in but we couldn’t do any of this without relationships. We get a lot of joy out of being able to be the messengers for these schools and these amazing people.”

“Every school has a slightly different personality, much of that is based on their leadership, and sometimes it’s based on the actual architecture of the building, its openness or design,” Nellson explained. “Our schools here, every single one of them inspires me. They have that in common. You think you’ve met the very best teacher on the planet, then you go to the next school and it’s like, wow, here’s another one.”

“Our schools here, every single one of them inspire me. They have that in common. You think you’ve met the very best teacher on the planet, then you go to the next school and it’s like, wow, here’s another one” — Sally Nellson Executive Director of Nebraska Loves Public Schools

While discovering what makes each school unique, the team is often reminded that they have a lot in common. “There are so many things that you see that remind you that schools are all in this together, they’re all facing similar challenges and seeing similar successes,” said Mascio.

Over the course of 10 years, Nellson said the crew has learned to show rather than to tell. The end result is authenticity and, for educators and the general public alike, relatability. Continued on page 10 >>

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P ROMOT I N G S C H O O L S

Merch Director Jennifer Zatechka signals "Action" on the set of a Nebraska Loves Public Schools film. NCSA has been a proud partner of the organization for more than five years. Photo Courtesy of Nebraska Loves Public Schools.

“One thing that’s always made me feel special and welcomed is when we walk into a school and the entire staff is wearing their shirts. It’s such a cool thing to be where we are now.”

Having an award-winning film crew in their corner is a tremendous luxury for Nebraska’s public schools, and that’s stating it modestly.

The joy comes naturally now. Schools roll out the red carpet for Nebraska Loves Public Schools, and that energy is infectious. "Filming in a school is an honor," said Marinkovich, something the team is fortunate to get to do and not just something they have to do.

Nebraska Loves Public Schools films are a window into schools, providing audiences with a firsthand look at what school is like today. More often than not, it’s different than they remember. The landscape has changed. Education has changed.

“If we can bring a little bit of joy by taking a picture of somebody, by turning the camera on them for a small moment, that makes our day,” he said. “It feels like an incredible privilege.”

The crew constantly balances gravity with levity, seriousness with festivity, and heartstring tugs with lightheartedness. “Balance for us comes when we define what we stand for,” said Mascio. “Loving public schools looks like supporting and celebrating and cherishing those smaller, shorter stories that are those feel-good pieces. On the other hand, when you think about loving something or someone, you care for them and you support them. If there’s an issue, you learn how you can be the best person you can be for the person that you love.” Though it can be taxing, the team tackles it all head-on. From mental health to poverty and everything in between.

The Nebraska Loves Public Schools crew poses for the camera in their widely-recognized and extremely popular shirts, which are seen all over the state. Photo Courtesy of Nebraska Loves Public Schools.

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“We’re trying to tell real stories,” said Nellson. “There’s one slight change when we go into a heavier story. It’s about gearing up with a bit more courage, at least for me, and being comfortable asking uncomfortable questions, allowing there to be much more silence so that (the interviewee) can process and react.”

PRO MO T ING S CHOOL S Nellson credits Mascio for striking the right balance there. It’s easy for her and Marinkovich to get immersed in a topic. Filmmaking, she said, is viewed as the sexy side of production, but the other half, the promotion and distribution, is just as integral. Nebraska Loves Public Schools has been successful because of its game-changing films, no doubt, but the brand is unmistakable thanks to the team on the back end of operations. “It does us no good at all to break our backs pouring our passion into creating a beautiful piece if they can’t do anything with it,” Nellson said. It’s a collaborative effort, Marinkovich explained, and the handing of the baton once editing is finished to Mascio and social media manager Kourtney Kaisershot is a crucial exchange.

“If we can bring a little bit of joy by taking a picture of somebody, by turning the camera on them for a small moment, that makes our day. It feels like an incredible privilege.” — Andy Marinkovich Director of Photography Nebraska Loves Public Schools

“Ultimately, the more eyeballs on a film the better.” Asking Sally Nellson to pick a favorite film is like asking a mother to choose her favorite child. She’s conducted countless interviews, somewhere north of 500, and directed a wildly impressive catalogue of films over the last 10 years. Oh, there are some that stand out. Conversations like the one with then-Crete Superintendent and now-NCSA Ambassador Kyle McGowan in 2013 that fill her passion with even more purpose. Exchanges she’ll carry near and dear forever. “Before that interview, I didn’t know anything at all about the level of poverty that schools were faced with every single day and I had no idea the challenges that kids and families face,”

she remembers. “He sat at his desk and described the poverty in his district and explained how schools were opening their arms, wider and wider, to accommodate all of these needs. To me, that is the essence of the problem/opportunity. It’s our responsibility to make sure that people understand that schools have become social service agencies. They just do everything.” It’s a good feeling, Marinkovich explained, knowing that their films make an impact. “It feels good to know that by us listening, these people have some hope that things are going to maybe get just a little bit better,” he said, adding that his favorite project is usually the one he’s immersed in at the time. “We each find something, regardless of the story, that has some sort of personal connection for us. I get inspiration right off the bat if even one other person gets it. It’s infectious among us. Then it’s just how we’re able to own that, to keep what we capture authentic.” One way of painting a true picture is by placing trust in students. Nebraska Loves Public Schools, through its films and projects like “Student Voices” has become the premiere platform for students in the state to share their perspectives. “Kids are honest and they’re going to tell you how they feel,” said Kaisershot. “They’re not really the ones going to board meetings or the ones speaking up. They’re not heard as much. With Student Voices, we’re trying to bring their perspectives to the forefront. They can talk about anything that’s impacting their lives. They can share with us, and what they say is often very powerful.” Mascio is the best at bringing students out of their shell, Nellson said. Putting a mic in front of a student, especially the really young ones, can result in waves of laughter and, for the viewers, a deeper level of understanding, too. “The more we can have kids tell the stories, the more people are going to want to watch and connect with the film,” Nellson said. “Ultimately, this is one hundred percent about the kids and the next generation of Nebraskans.” Nebraska Loves Public Schools will be around to tell the next generation’s stories, too. The exciting part of this journey they’re on is who they get to share the road with. “We’re walking in partnership with you to tell your story,” said Mascio. Step-by-step, the filmmakers will be there, telling the stories of a state. ■ FALL 2021 NCSA TODAY

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AF F I LI A T E L EAD ER S H I P

Lead Every Day By KEVIN WINGARD, NASA President

I want to start by thanking all of the leaders that make up our membership in NASA and all the affiliates of NCSA. You are doing a great job! You do not get to hear that enough. Today, more than ever, I am extremely proud that I am a public school administrator in Nebraska! I am a member of a group of extremely talented people that WINGARD are working under constant scrutiny! As school leaders, we have the incredible responsibility to lead and guide our students, our staff, our communities, and the State in a direction that prepares everyone for an unpredictable future. Leader. A person who leads: such as, a person who has commanding authority or influence. This is the definition by Merriam-Webster. Looking back over my previous 25 years in school administration, I must admit in my early years I was guilty of not truly recognizing the breadth of our responsibility as school leaders. I also overlooked the extent our leadership has on not only every person in our school system, but also our communities and society in general. During these uncertain and challenging times we are currently living in it is so important that Nebraska school leaders reflect on our role. In my opinion, we have the most important and influential job in our communities. Earlier this summer I sat in my office on a Saturday morning staring at an email from Megan at NCSA requesting I write an article for the NCSA Today as the NASA affiliate president. I created a great list (well, maybe not great . . . I had a list of ideas, but nothing that just stood out that day) of potential topics. At an ESU 6 Superintendent’s meeting later in the summer, someone posed the question “are you managing or leading?” After reflecting on this conversation, and the craziness of the past two years, I had one of those “aha” moments. While leading and managing go hand in hand, there is a difference. We all manage under the definition provided by MerriamWebster. Manager. A person responsible for controlling or administering all or part of a company. However, when you compare this to the definition of leader, there is a difference. When asked whether I was leading or managing, my immediate answer was that I was in survival mode. I was making several managerial decisions about how to adapt to the changes caused by COVID-19. One could argue that all of these tasks 12

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performed fell under the leadership realm due to the unique situation. After several other “aha” moments this summer, I began to self-evaluate my performance as a superintendent. I did perform many managerial tasks, but during these past two years, survival mode took the majority of my time. Even though I feel like I was in survival mode and managing, leadership examples did stand out as I reflected. What I am most proud of these past two years is, even though I was in survival mode, my administrative team, staff, and students were working hard to write better stories just like every other year. Leadership in our district was obvious. In respect to teaching and learning, I feel the pre-COVID leadership provided by my administrative team and our staff leaders prepared our district for the craziness of the past two years. On Monday, March 16th, 2020, I told my staff I was not worried about the teaching and learning aspects of the upcoming COVID changes, as we had a staff that always does “whatever it takes” for our students. This mindset has been developed over many years in our district prior to COVID. The work we had done to implement our school theme “Everyone has a story . . . Make yours worth telling” was evident. All of the work we did previously as a district to create a culture of doing whatever it takes to help students write better stories continued during the craziness. My administrators and staff provided the leadership our students needed. They kept our students focused on their stories, rather than the hardships COVID created. This is just one example of reminding ourselves that the leadership we provide every day in our districts makes a difference. You may not see it right away. It takes an event such as COVID to make you realize the influence you have, or have had, in your district will shine. It will lead your district while you manage the tasks. This culture does not happen by accident. I believe as leaders we need to set the example and be the model for our staff and students. As school leaders in today’s society, we need to step back and honestly answer the question “Am I managing or am I leading?” Am I influencing and setting the example for my district or am I administering the district? As I said in my opening, I am proud to be a Nebraska public school administrator. Please take care of yourself and take care of each other. Have a great 2021-22 school year and be the leader that your district and community need today! ■

T E A C HE R S HORTAG E

Taking Action on a Persistent Issue, First Ever “Nebraska Teacher Shortage Summit” Set for October 27th By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist There’s a teacher shortage, in all regions of Nebraska and across the country, and those in the education community unanimously agree that the time has come for actual solutions to a lingering conversation. It’s high time to take action, and at the inaugural Nebraska Teacher Shortage Summit, educators across the state will have the opportunity to do just that. The one-day event is being sponsored by the Nebraska Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NACTE) and is slated for October 27 at the Holiday Inn in Kearney. There isn’t a magic bullet or a quick fix to the shortage in Nebraska’s teacher pipeline, but there is much that can be gained by assembling professionals from each level of education under one roof. “We’re going to discover what those steps are as a collective group,” said Dr. Sara Skretta, UNL’s Certification Officer. “The plan is for attendees to walk out of the summit with either an individual action plan crafted for their schools and their geographic location or connections that allow them to establish some partnerships and coordination with other districts they can beg, borrow and steal ideas from, because that’s how education works." NACTE received a grant from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), their national chapter, which made the event possible. Corporate sponsorships have been helpful too. The association felt uniquely positioned to take initiative given its close work with NDE, K-12 school districts, NCSA and other organizations in the education realm. “We’re not trying to put together some kind of state teacher shortage plan, but we do think it’s important for everybody to come together to have those conversations and move beyond the talking,” Skretta said. “Everybody’s talked this to death. We know it’s a bad situation, so what are we going to do about it? Finding answers to that question is our top priority.”

approach. “In education, we are reactive quite a bit, just by the nature of the business. We already know that in the next five to seven years, there’s going to be a dramatic decrease in enrollment in colleges across the country. If our teacher candidate enrollment is already low, it’s just going to get lower.” Schools, however, still need teachers. The problem isn’t going away, so there’s no sense in ducking it. “If we can be innovative and come up with solutions that are within our requirements, because we certainly do not want to compromise quality or preparation, then we have to,” Skretta continued. Above all, NACTE hopes the summit will start conversations and serve as a place where different groups can pool different perspectives. The teacher shortage isn’t determined geographically. Its range is widespread. “You might think someone in Gordon is having more trouble than someone in Bellevue, but that’s not necessarily true,” Skretta said. “Obviously, larger and smaller districts, urban and more rural districts, have different challenges, but that’s what would make attending the summit valuable for every building administrator, every educator. Establishing partnerships with people you may not have been aware of. That’s the beauty of it. The value is twofold.” Dr. Skretta knows that a one-day conversation isn’t going to solve the issue entirely, but bringing Nebraska’s education community together with one goal, a shared purpose, is a heck of a start. “We really feel strongly that in Nebraska we can no longer just sit around and talk about it.” *Registration deadline for the NEBRASKA TEACHER SHORTAGE SUMMIT is October 20th. Use the QR code below to register. ■

Keynote speaker Kelly Coash-Johnson, Executive Director of the American Association of School Personnel Administrators, will set the table for the day by sharing a national perspective of the teacher shortage. From there, attendees will dig into Nebraska’s data. “It’s going to be a very participatory day, because it has to be,” said Skretta, who reiterated the importance of taking a proactive

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SCHOOL S A FETY & S EC U R I TY

Copy and Paste is Not Enough for a Bullying Policy By CESAR TORRES, NDE Bullying Specialist DR. JOLENE PALMER, NDE Director of School Safety & Security

TORRES

PALMER

The current climate has brought unique challenges to schools. The media reports daily about alarming incidents happening around our country at schools, school board meetings, and other school-related bullying activities involving adults and students. Oftentimes, students learn behavior from adults and yet are held to a different standard. All too often, student bullying at school and school-related activities is reported and the school is responsible for follow-up and de-escalating the situation. After many calls to the NDE School Safety team, it was decided to review current policies and procedures to better provide support to schools when dealing with bullying situations. A systematic review of Nebraska bullying policies conducted by the NDE School Safety team revealed a critical need to adopt policies aligned with federal and state legislation and follow best practices. The review indicated important components such as Title IX statements, bullying education, accurate definitions, reporting procedures, educators' policies, and discipline were missing or written vaguely. Additionally, a pattern emerged where bullying policies dating from 2001 were copied and pasted from one district to the other. Such practices are a disservice to students. Creating clear and practical guidelines is essential as it not only protects schools from litigation, but improves a school's environment, prevents bullying behaviors, improves family engagement, and may prevent the severe outcomes associated with bullying. The decision to conduct a bullying policy review was a result of frequent calls made to the NDE School Safety Team. Frequently, parents stated being unfamiliar with

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their bullying policy and expressed difficulty understanding their school's response. Additionally, reports by the United States Department of Education (USDOE) reported that in Nebraska during the 2017-2018 school year, there were 472 reports made to the Office of Civil Rights based on bullying and harassment. A review of educational lawsuits in Nebraska found Title IX and IDEA violations as frequent reasons parents of bully-victims filed litigation against schools. A few examples of litigation found lawsuits ranging from $3.27 million for failing to protect students with disabilities who were bullied, a $650,000 lawsuit against a school for oversight, and a $75,000 lawsuit for school employees bullying a student with disabilities. The cost of bullying is increased by student absentness and the physical and emotional toll experienced by students and their families. Results: The systematic review of school policies and handbooks revealed a consistent pattern of themes among schools. The review found that most schools' policies were missing or included short, vague statements regarding bullying prevention procedures. Specifically, the review found that many schools defined bullying behavior incorrectly or did not define bullying within their policy. For example, when defining bullying, it was observed that cyber-bullying was not addressed in the bullying policy, and cyber-bullying education was often found in a school's technology policy. Additionally, the review found that bullying policies were included in hazing, harassment, or sexual harassment policies. While bullying behavior can become hazing or harassment, it is an entirely separate construct. Hazing and harassment are severe behaviors that should be taken seriously and have their own policy and procedures. Effective bullying policies include the state's definition of bullying and the agreed definition of experts and national organizations. Procedures such as defined ways to report bullying, how an investigation would be conducted, and discipline were frequently absent in bullying policies. Clearly defined processes are vital as they provide clarity to parents and students regarding the actions the school will take. Clearly defined procedures help build trust with parents and protect

S C HO O L S A FE T Y & S ECURI TY schools, as they can demonstrate that they are following the steps outlined in their policy. While bullying is often observed within students, studies and reports to the state indicate that bullying perpetrated by a district employee is a significant concern. The review found a policy regarding bullying by an educator or an adult in the school was rarely included in bullying policies. An important theme emerged when parents reported concerns to the NDE School Safety Team. They often knew their school handbook but were not aware of their official school bullying policy. The review found that schools tended to copy their school policy to their school handbook. Consistently, school handbooks were significantly different from their school bullying policy, or in some rare instances, they did not include bullying in their school handbook. A school handbook aims to interpret, enforce, and provide more detailed information regarding the school policy. Parents, students, and district employees were rarely engaged or had limited access to reviewing school policies. Studies consistently indicate the most effective policies engage their local school community. Specifically, engagement creates consistency across contexts, creates a feeling of ownership among the school, addresses specific issues relevant to a particular community, and, most importantly, aids in developing a feasible policy. Unfortunately, the most prevalent theme within bullying policies was a pattern repetitiveness of four policies consistently present among school districts. While having a broad template helps draft a policy, copying a policy goes against the best practice as each school district has unique needs, values, and resources. Requirements: Nebraska Legislature (§79-2,137) requires schools to (a) have a bullying policy, (b) that it is reviewed annually, and (c) that schools have bullying prevention education. The specific education programs and best practices are up to the local school districts. However, when reviewing bullying policies in Nebraska, it was observed that some policies dated as far back as 2001, and, in some instances, had not been reviewed since 2013, as reported on their school's bullying policy. In addition, when reviewing education requirements, the majority of the schools provided vague education statements. While following requirements made by the state, a vague statement regarding bullying education is difficult for parents to interpret and for schools to demonstrate the developmentally appropriate bullying education they are providing to students.

In the review, a theme emerged: many schools did not include Title IX statements in their bullying policy. It is essential to have Title IX protections, as bullying research consistently finds that students are bullied because they are different. Specifically, studies indicate multicultural students, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ students are the most at risk of being targets of bullying. It is critical to know biased-based bullying can become a civil rights issue. When bullying is based on a protected status, Title IX can protect students from discrimination. The U.S. Department of Education also confirms additional protections from Title IX protecting students from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender, stemming from the landmark U.S Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. Best Practice: Within Nebraska Schools, the most popular strategy for addressing bullying was severe punishment (zerotolerance). Research has consistently found zero-tolerance strategies to be an ineffective form of discipline. They do not address the cause of student behavior, inhibit student learning, create negative relationships with students, and do not teach students proper behavior. As schools adopt their bullying policies and procedures, it is also vital to remember mediation between a victim and bully perpetrator is inappropriate and can expose victims to further trauma. Mediation is suitable for conflict resolution but not for bullying behaviors. When educating students, experts warn against addressing bullying concerns with a one-time assembly, scaring students with overly dramatic statistics, and relying on simplistic slogans or stereotypes. Bullying behavior is an incredibly complex issue continuing to challenge researchers and experts. However, decades of bullying research indicate bullying prevention is best approached holistically and through a multi-system, evidenced-based approach. First, a bullying policy would engage the local school community in creating a bullying policy that addresses their culture and needs. Engagement creates a sense of ownership, responsibility, and shared values across a local community. Second, an effective bullying policy would consider the underlying mechanisms of bullying behavior on an individual basis when students don't respond to school-wide efforts. Finally, making datainformed decisions is a practical approach in determining the effectiveness of a policy by tracking the school environment or incidents of bullying.

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P ART N E R S P O TL I G H T

Nebraska Association of Professors of School Leadership Launches to Support Administrators Across the State By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist Leadership preparation programs are critical in the State of Nebraska. They always have been, and they always will be, said Dr. Michael Teahon, department chair of UNK’s College of Educational Administration. Given the current political and cultural climate, Teahon continued, consistency in the delivery of said programs has proven to be equally important. Finding that consistency has been made easier by the fact that post-secondary institutions in the state share a common goal. “It’s important that we work together,” Teahon said. “We all want to accomplish the same thing-to help create and develop great leaders for the State of Nebraska, for our kids and for our schools.”

With this mission as its foundation, the Nebraska Association of Professors of School Leadership (NAPSL) was formed last year. Now, they’re on the same page. “We talk so much about relationships in school leadership and how important that is for school leaders,” said Dr. Nick Pace, professor and chair of the Department of Educational Administration at UNL. “NAPSL is a great opportunity for us as folks who teach and nurture and support school leaders to build relationships amongst ourselves and across our colleges and universities.” The association was formed collaboratively in 2020 and its members spent last November developing bylaws and a clear, direct mission. NAPSL is comprised of leaders

Copy and Paste is not Enough for a Bullying Policy Suggested steps forward: Suggested steps would be to engage students or a review of your school’s data to understand the extent of bullying in your school. It would be helpful so students can provide ideas and suggestions on policy components which are meaningful for them. The same exercise could be conducted with parents and teachers. That would be a great first step in reviewing your school’s policy and validating it with the school community. The second step would be to ensure to follow state and federal laws, but to also consult best practices. This can be achieved through research or by engaging staff within your school that are knowledgeable about mental health, student behavior, and intervention. The education provided must be developmentally appropriate for students. Further, interventions should take a school environmental approach and improve school environment. Additional support can be at the class level through social-emotional learning, and if students do not respond providing individualized support (for victims, perpetrators, and bystanders).

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Conclusion The present review indicates an urgent need for redefining school bullying policies to align with state and federal requirements. While state legislation provides the directive for bullying policy, leadership by the local school community can follow best practices and improve student outcomes. The current review and reports made by concerned parents indicate a need for clarity and transparency. An effective bullying policy can improve the schools' environments, students' sense of safety, and academic outcomes. An example of a school bullying policy can be found at www.education.ne.gov/safety. Given the new ways students engage in social media platforms, increased societal pressures, and stressors brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to respond to a local school community's needs by providing clear and practical policies. ■

PA RT NE R S PO R TL I G HT representing post-secondary institutions from across the state. Pace said the association chose three great leaders to help launch NAPSL in President Dr. Shavonna Holman (Coordinator of UNL’s Med Program and an assistant professor of Educational Administration), Vice President Dr. Tamara Williams (Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership at UNO), and Secretary Dr. Teresa Perkins (Assistant Professor of Practice in Education & Co-Dir EDL at Doane University). “Those three have done a great job setting a course,” Pace added. NCSA was involved in the formation of NAPSL from the start. The organization held its initial meeting in the offices and met up on Wednesday of Administrators’ Days in Kearney. “The partnership with NCSA has had a tremendous impact on the growth and development of our group,” said Dr. Holman. “NCSA started this conversation with the chairs of our Ed leadership departments and we certainly appreciate their partnership, their leadership, their experience, and knowledge in helping us to move smoothly along.”

“It’s important for us as learning institutions that we understand what’s going on in the minds of our school leaders now and utilize that information to both help them navigate their roles and to inform us as to our programming,” said Riley, who pointed out that the UNL flagship programs have three leaders in Pace, Teahon and Dr. Kate Keiser (UNO) who work very well together. Other institutions involved are Doane, Wayne State, Creighton, Concordia and Chadron State. Together, the schools produce 95-percent of school leaders in Nebraska. Statewide involvement at the postsecondary level allows for deeper connections with all of Nebraska’s districts and particularly the rural ones. “By spreading our wings across the entire state and involving as many higher education institutions as we can, that just gives us a better opportunity to reach all school districts,” Teahon said. Relationships, NAPSL members unanimously agree, are at the core of the association’s purpose. The key to making progress.

NAPSL is doing just that. They’ve already taken on two primary initiatives; the first, a survey which will be distributed to K-12 administrators through NCSA to get a gauge of the current state of thought amongst school leaders.

“There’s so much experience and expertise on each of our campuses,” said Pace. “But if we’re not intentional about making connections, then there’s a limited impact we can make.”

“Attracting and retaining school leaders, most specifically superintendents, is the purpose of the initiative,” said Dr. Kevin Riley, who moved into an Educational Leadership role at UNO after retiring as superintendent of Gretna Public Schools following a long administrational career that saw him named Superintendent of the Year in 2013. “Our goal there is to build a sustainable pipeline of district leaders and to reduce turnover. We’re concerned about the level of pressure and criticism that has been placed on school superintendents since the beginning of the pandemic.”

As president of NAPSL, Holman has steered members away from competitiveness and in the direction of collaboration. Pace said his colleague has led that way from the start, and it’s resulted in noticeable cohesion among the group.

Too commonly, Riley continued, conversations are drifting from meaningful focuses like teaching, learning and the development of staff to three-inch by five-inch pieces of cloth. When superintendents are pulled into political battles, the exceptionally high level quality of leadership they provide tends to get lost somewhere in the shuffle. But it shouldn’t, and NAPSL has plans to make sure it won’t.

“It’s so much better when we work in tandem with one another and not in isolation,” Holman said. “It’s not always about competition between our institutions. We all have the same goal in developing and supporting school leaders.” Support is always going to be necessary, said Teahon, a longtime K-12 administrator and the 2018 Nebraska Superintendent of the Year. “Leadership matters and our leaders need support,” Teahon explained. “Always have and always will, but especially now. We are all in positions at our institutions where we can lend that support. By working together, we can make sure that our administrators are supported, whether they live in Wayne, Chadron or Omaha.” ■

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E D UCA T OR EF F EC TI VEN ES S

Supporting Educator Effectiveness through Development (S.E.E.D.): An Approach to Effectiveness to Maximize the Impact and Influence of Educators By Dr. KIM SNYDER, Director of Statewide Teacher and Principal Support RYAN RICENBAW, Nebraska Leadership and Learning Network Specialist

SNYDER

RICENBAW

The traditional role of the principal as a building manager has given way to a new type of principal who is an inspirational leader, a team builder, a coach, and an agent of visionary change. However, as Ron Heifetz states, “No one leader has all the answers.” To maximize capacity and impact, leaders must seek solutions from the collective efforts of administrators, teachers, and staff. The role of an educator seems to be expanding exponentially each year, and teachers and principals are working harder than ever before. Annually, principals are committed to leading the continuous improvement process with the goal of increasing student success. Teachers are implementing instructional strategies and curriculum resources aimed at impacting student achievement. But why does it seem that no matter how much more effort educators give, long term sustainability and success seems to be harder and harder to achieve at times? Barriers to the continuous improvement process are magnified when the approach lacks an examination through the lens of educator effectiveness. The context and uniqueness of the school can become blurred when lacking the voice of the educators who are committed to the long-term success of the student. The traditionally general “template” approach to continuous improvement might reduce school leadership autonomy and can constrain the authenticity of the plan development. The

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annual approach to continuous improvement can also reduce principal flexibility by confining them to what is on paper despite the potential existence of a more adaptive and responsive way forward. The skills and abilities of the educators in schools are much too valuable and must be maximized. Principals are responsible for establishing a vision and creating an environment where this is possible, and teachers are responsible for actualizing the vision in the classroom. The Wallace Foundation defines principal leadership as those who can shape a vision for academic success, create a climate hospitable to education, cultivate leadership in others, improve classroom instruction, and manage people, data, and processes to improve.

The role of an educator seems to be expanding exponentially each year, and teachers and principals are working harder than ever before. Teachers are implementing instructional strategies and curriculum resources aimed at impacting student achievement.

The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), in partnership with districts, Educational Service Units (ESUs), Educational Preparation Programs (EPPs) and NCSA, is committed to supporting leaders in their work of cultivating leadership in others. The S.E.E.D. (Supporting Educator Effectiveness through Development) Team and partners understand… • Effective principals lead as facilitators and guide continuous improvement by framing tough questions,

E DUC A T O R E FFE C T IVENESS confronting reality, and drawing out the issues that challenge the status quo • Effective principals maximize their impact and influence by leading in a way that transfers the responsibility and builds the capacity of the school for sustainable and long-term progress • Effective principals seek to understand the unique and personal context of each teacher’s skills and needs, allowing for a culture of high expectations and collective responsibility.

Educator effectiveness is achieved through the growth and development of individuals in the context of their own experiences and abilities and is not an evaluative judgement. Too often aspiring and practicing leaders are taught the what without being shown the how, and without creating the necessary conditions for them to grow from their experiences (Drago-Severson, 2012). This requires an investment in people; people who need to be allowed to live out their expertise and their experiences.

at different levels of effectiveness at any given time. These realities are personal and contextual to everyone, and they require purposeful conversations. Building an educator effectiveness system is dependent on two-way engagement through the conversation that takes place between the teacher, who is poised to take ownership of their own growth, and the principal, who serves to facilitate and to guide the growth process. It is the rubrics and their alignment to the NTPPS that connect an individual’s context to the conversations around effectiveness. Rubrics aligned to the teacher standards can be found at https://www.education.ne.gov/educatoreffectiveness/. Rubrics aligned to the principal standards will be available this fall. The language of these rubrics will illustrate a commitment to the support and development of educators over time rather than a static evaluation of skill and ability. The NDE appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with the NCSA and will continue its work to ensure these rubrics are effective tools in a principal’s ability to maximize their impact and influence. The S.E.E.D. Team agrees with Jim Knight who said, “When you start with humanity, it always ages well.” ■

Accredited. College-Prep. Online.

The Nebraska Teacher and Principal Performance Standards (NTPPS) lay out the expectations of educator effectiveness in our state and are the foundation of a critical partnership between the NDE and the education community. The S.E.E.D. System is designed to support schools in defining their own paths towards educator effectiveness. The S.E.E.D. team at the Nebraska Department of Education, in collaboration with the previously mentioned partnerships in the education community, has created rubrics to accompany the NTPPS. These rubrics are based on one very critical premise: Educator effectiveness is achieved through the growth and development of individuals in the context of their own experiences and abilities and is not an evaluative judgement. The effective principal builds the capacity of staff by leading efforts to develop, test, model, or promote ownership of growth. It is these conversations that allow teachers to express that they recognize the importance of specific actions, and their desire to seek resources to ensure they are developing the skills they need to be effective. Principals must recognize that educators can be

Proudly Supporting Nebraska Schools and Their Students University of Nebraska High School allows educators to: • Offer summer school

• Address teacher shortages

• Solve schedule issues

• Expand curriculum

• Assist transfer students

• Challenge high-achieving students

highschool.nebraska.edu/ncsa (402) 472-3388 The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based upon any protected status. Please see go.unl.edu/nondiscrimination.

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P ART N E RS H I P

Research for the Real World UNL Department of Educational Administration faculty conduct leading research and outreach related to the most pressing and complex challenges and opportunities in education and support students in connecting theory to practice. Students pursuing their Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree complete dissertations addressing authentic challenges and opportunities in school leadership. Below are two summaries of research published this past academic year by UNL EDAD graduates under the supervision of Dr. Jiangang Xia. Please contact the graduates directly to learn more about their work. Influencing Teacher Instructional Practice through School Leadership and Teacher Professional Practices By BOHDAN M. CHRISTIAN, Ph.D. Schools are complex organizations, and the relationship between teachers, their beliefs, their professional and instructional CHRISTIAN practices, and even school leadership structures are not always evident within an educational setting. Schools are structured as pooled interdependent resource environments. Each classroom is largely independent but receives resources that are both tangible and intangible from the school. Therefore, the success of academic outcomes depends on the performance of all classrooms, not just a grade level or single classroom in this multilevel environment. Instructional leadership and distributed leadership, and teacher professional and instructional practices function within this environment. Using the TALIS 2018 survey, Dr. Christian has explored the relationships between teachers’ perceptions of self-efficacy, distributed leadership, instructional leadership, and teachers’ professional and instructional practices. Dr. Christian’s research suggests that teachers’ perceptions of leadership and professional practice function differently at the different organizational levels in the pooled resource environment. At the teacher level, perceptions of distributed leadership directly support professional practices, and instructional leadership with each leadership function indirectly affects teachers’ instructional practice. At the school level, perceptions of leadership have an indirect effect on teachers’ instructional practices and may be mediated by teachers’ professional practices. Using teacher perceptions as the foundational base of

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developing intentional beliefs, Dr. Christian extended his research to include the effects of teachers’ self-efficacy on perceptions of distributed leadership and teachers’ professional and instructional practices. Results again demonstrated that distributed leadership has an indirect impact on instructional practice and is mediated by perceptions of professional practices. Moreover, self-efficacy components of classroom management, instruction, and student engagement have individualized effects that do not operate in unions and exhibit different direct and indirect impacts on distributed leadership, professional practice, and instructional practice. A further extension of this research has explored teachers’ self-efficacy effects on individualized components of teachers’ instructional practice measured by classroom instruction, cogitative activation, and classroom practice. Results again demonstrate that perceptions of self-efficacy do not act uniformly on either teacher professional practices or instructional practices. Results also show that teacher professional practices do not uniformly mediate teacher self-efficacy beliefs on instructional practices. Dr. Christian is continuing this line of research with the hope of developing a dynamic programming model for discrete educational systems. Dr. Bohdan M. Christian is an education scholar, practitioner, and administrator with more than twenty-five years of experience in the field of urban school education. Follow Dr. Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/ in/bochristian Twitter: Bohdan M Christian@BohdanChristian Website: bchristian.net Organizational Supports and School Climate By WENDY J. KEMLING-HORNER, Ed.D. As a component of her doctoral pathway through UNL, Dr. Wendy Kemling-Horner examined the KEMLING-HORNER resources district administrators could afford to build leaders to improve school climate. School climate is the perceptions and attitudes that are evoked by a school’s environment and affects every aspect of the school surroundings; therefore, it is essential that principals have the resources they need to positively affect

PA RT NERSHI P the climate in their buildings. In fact, a positive school climate has been linked to not only the achievement of students, but also the satisfaction and retention of the school staff. A positive school climate does not come easily; instead, it is the result of significant devotion to the school’s safety, disciplinary environment, and the relationships between constituents. District leaders have a strong desire to have a positive school climate in each of their buildings. They know that, when given the right supports, principals can make the necessary adjustments to their school climate. Unfortunately, resources are in great demand and are scarce; therefore, district leaders face many challenges regarding how to deploy resources productively and efficiently in a manner that best meets the needs of students, staff, and the community. With the many competing priorities for administrators to consider as the budget is being developed, it is essential that district leaders know which resources most influence the climate. Dr. Kemling-Horner found that through the development of principals, principal autonomy is increased, and school

climate is improved. This finding encourages district leaders to support the structures and mechanisms needed to attract principals to professional development opportunities. This professional development leads to less delinquency and violence in students and an increase in autonomy for principals in the areas of curriculum, staffing, budgeting, and policies. Additionally, as a result of this autonomy, the school increases teacher-student relations. Next, the results of this study indicated the provision of resources leads to an increase in qualified personnel and teacher-student relations, and the ability of the school to provide qualified personnel has a significant impact on the teacher-student relationships in the building. Finally, by increasing the teacher student relationships, the school has the ability to decrease disciplinary referrals in the building. Wendy Kemling-Horner, Ed.D. is starting her sixteenth year as the Executive Director of Student Services at Scottsbluff Public Schools. Follow her on Twitter @wendykh. ■

When saying “great job” just isn’t enough

Horace Mann, a long-time NCSA corporate supporter, offers a variety of programs to help you recognize the hard work and dedication of your students and staff. For your staff

• Crystal Apple or Crystal Owl award program – rewards a staff member for his or her hard work, dedication and enthusiasm.

For your students

• Personal Achievement Spells Success (PASS) – rewards students for perfect attendance or personal achievement.

• Appreciation events during faculty meetings or for special occasions Horace Mann also offers programs that help educators make informed financial decisions so they can stay in the job they love. • Student Loan Solutions • DonorsChoose • Financial literacy workshops

Partner with your local Horace Mann representative to learn more or implement a program in your school(s). Horace Mann Service Corporation and certain of its affiliates (Horace Mann) enter into agreements with educational associations where Horace Mann pays the association to provide services aimed at familiarizing association members with the Horace Mann brand, products or services. For more information, email your inquiry to association.relations@horacemann.com

AM-C04594 (8-21)

horacemann.com

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T RE N D S I N S U PER I NTEND ENC Y

Superintendent Turnover by DR. CRAIG PEASE and DR. JERRY BEACH, Wayne State College

Nebraska have had six or more superintendents in the last 20 years.

PEASE

BEACH

Last year, amid the pandemic, the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) conducted its 10-year survey of PK-12 public school superintendents from across the United States. Survey results indicate the demographics of the superintendency did not show much change from 20102020. According to the American Superintendent: 2020 Decennial Study, the primary pathway to the superintendency remained classroom teacher to principal to superintendent. From the survey, the typical superintendent was a white male, married, with prior principal experience, and 2-8 years of experience as a superintendent. The percentage of women in superintendent roles rose slightly from 24.1% in 2010 to 26.68% in 2020, with survey data reflecting the United States still lacks gender equity in the superintendent position. Over the next five years, 42.8% of the survey respondents intend to stay in their current superintendent position, with 16.7% remaining as a superintendent in another district. This finding suggests over 59% of superintendents intend to stay the course. However, that leaves about 40% who plan to get other professional positions or retire by 2025. These trends are reflected across Nebraska's PK-12 public schools. Former principals represent 59% of the educational leaders moving into superintendent positions this year. A much smaller percentage of new superintendents in Nebraska are coming from the superintendent role in other school districts. Superintendent turnover in Nebraska appears to match other national trends. Historically, since 2000-2001, Nebraska school districts averaged three superintendent changes. However, superintendent changes seem to impact some districts more than others. Eighteen (18) school districts in

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The Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca school district appears to be unique regarding superintendent turnover. This Otoe County school district has had only three superintendents in the past 72 years: Don Craig (1949-1977), Ed Johnson (1977 -2001), and Brad Buller (2001-2021). This fall, David Kraus is the new Syracuse Superintendent. Our research department staff knows of no other school district matching that longevity in superintendents. If any of our readers know of a district, please let us know. The New Year At the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, there are 244 PK-12 Nebraska public school districts. Thirty-nine (39) new superintendents or interim superintendents lead school districts across Nebraska. The rate of turnover in the state is 16% this year, down from 18.9% in 2020-21. The 2021-22 rate matches the average annual turnover for superintendents in Nebraska since 2000-01. The 2021-22 turnover rate also matches the yearly turnover rate reported by AASA in its 2006 State of the Superintendency study, which reported the average turnover for superintendents nationally at 1416%. The median tenure-in-position during the 2021-2022 school year will be four years. The average tenure-in-position for the state at the start of the new year will be 4.9 years. This mark is slightly better than the three years in the current position from The Broad Center study for the nation's largest school districts. The backgrounds of the new superintendents for 2021-22: 5 - from other superintendent positions; 23 - from principal roles; 4 - from positions in central offices, as an ESU administrator, or school director positions; and 7 - came from outside of PK-12 education. The seven coming from outside of education previously served as superintendents and are returning to the profession. Of 39 changes in superintendent status from a year ago, we have 28 noted as retiring. This number represents about 11% of those who were in top leadership positions last year. The AASA Decennial Superintendent Survey indicates 40.5% of the superintendents nationally intended to leave the superintendency within five years. The 11% retirement rate

T RE NDS IN S UPE RINT E NDENCY would seem to track closely with the national number. And, considering seven former superintendents who were out of education last year are returning for 2021-22, the retirement rate does not seem significant. The remaining changes in superintendents resulted from four moving to other superintendent positions in-state and two accepting out-of-state superintendencies. Four departing superintendents are moving on to different educational leadership positions, and one is moving into a leadership role outside of education. Of note is five first-year execs serving on an interim basis at the start of this school term. Twentyseven superintendents in year one are assuming a public school superintendent's position for the first time, and 102 of 244 (41.8%) superintendent positions will reflect three years or less tenure in the same district, inclusive of the 2021-22 school year. The Veterans Over the past 12 years, Nebraska has averaged about four superintendents who served 20 years or more in the same school district. This year we again have four. Jon Cerny continues to lead the pack by starting his 29th year as the Bancroft-Rosalie Public Schools Superintendent. Robert Hanzlik is next in line with 22 years leading the Stuart School District. Jeff Anderson of Fullerton has 21 years in the same school system, and Mark Aten has 20 years in Overton. For purposes of this article, the veteran level is reached with the 15th year in the superintendency. Those who have been on the job between 15 and 19 years in the same district include Greg Sjuts, Humphrey at 19 years. At 18 years are Del Dack, Paxton; Terry Haack, Bennington; and David Spencer, South Platte. Kevin Wingard, Milford; and Amy Shane, O'Neill are at 17 years; Holly Herzberg, Hampton, and Margaret Sandoz, Niobrara, are at 16 years. Newcomers this year to the veterans' list include Shawn Scott, Adams Central; Jon Davis, Alma; and Rich Hasty, Plattsmouth with 15 years. We have five on-deck for veteran status with 14 years, four with 13 years, and nine with 12 years. The Super Supes Our Super Supes category looks at total tenure in the profession from multiple districts. There are now just two experienced superintendents who have chalked up at least 30 years of administrative service in various districts. And, just two more have at least 25 years of total experience as superintendents. The 30+ Super Supes include Steve Joel, 36 years, in Kansas schools, Beatrice, Grand Island, and Lincoln and Dan Hoesing, who has 31 years in Ansley, Laurel-Concord (with combinations at Coleridge, Wynot, and Newcastle), Alliance, and Schuyler.

Those supes with 25+ years include Jon Cerny (29 at Bancroft-Rosalie) and John Hakonson (26 at Newcastle, Blue Hill, Sidney, and Lexington). Nine more superintendents have 20 years or more, including some who have served multiple districts. Because tenure in multiple districts can be more challenging to track, please let us know if your name has been left off this list. Service Unit Directors In 2011, the originator of this report, Dr. Jim Ossian, started tracking Educational Service Unit (ESU) administrators in this annual article. This group of educational leaders provides invaluable assistance to PK-12 school districts in their service areas ranging from staff development to technology. Functioning within each district's central office administration are ESU18 (Lincoln Public Schools) and ESU19 (Omaha Public Schools). Paul Calvert now ranks as the senior member of this group of leaders as he begins his 13th year at ESU 15 (Trenton). Other ESU administrators and their years at the helm include Ted DeTurk, ESU 2 (Fremont); Larianne Polk, ESU 7 (Columbus); and Dan Schnoes, ESU 3 (suburban Omaha), each with eight years. In their sixth year as ESU administrators are Geraldine Erickson at ESU 17 (Ainsworth), Brenda McNiff at ESU 5 (Beatrice), and Deb Paulman at ESU 16 (Ogallala). ESU Administrators Bill Heimann, ESU 1 (Wakefield); Gregg Robke, ESU 4 (Auburn); and Greg Barnes, ESU 11 (Holdrege) all have five years leading their units. Melissa Wheelock, ESU 10 (Kearney), will be starting her fourth year. And John Skretta, ESU 6 (Milford), Corey Dahl, ESU 8 (Neligh), and Drew Harris, ESU 9 (Hastings), are entering their third year in the head post. Laura Barrett at ESU 13 (Scottsbluff) will be the only new leader among the ESUs. Kraig Lofquist, ESU Coordinating Commission CEO, is starting his third year but has served as an administrator within the ESU system for twelve years. Women Superintendents A final scan of superintendents looks at the state's progress concerning gender equity with the superintendency. While the AASA 2020 Decennial Study shows the percentage of female superintendents in the nation at 26.7%, Nebraska trails that number with 15.3% of the state's top educational leaders being female. The three women mentioned earlier, Amy Shane, Holly Herzberg, and Margaret Sandoz, lead this group.

Continued on page 24 >>

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T RE N D S I N S U PER I NTEND ENC Y Other Nebraska female superintendents in the fall 2021 group and the number of years in their current districts include Dana Wiseman, Sutton (14 yrs.); Amy Malander, Central Valley (12 yrs.); Beth Johnsen, Conestoga (10 yrs.); Jane Davis, Hershey and Jami Jo Thompson, Norfolk (9 yrs.); Melissa Poloncic, Douglas County West, and Kathy Urbanek, Mitchell (8 yrs.); Stacie Hardy, Omaha Nation, and Lori Liggett, Gordon-Rushville (7 yrs.). Tawana Grover, Grand Island, begins her sixth year; and Nicole Hardwick, Boone Central, is starting her fifth year. Cheryl Logan, Omaha; Heather Nebesniak, Ord; Stephanie Kaczor, Riverside/Spalding; Julie Otero, South Central; and Evelyn Brown, Banner County are beginning year four. Dawn Lewis is starting her third year at Arlington, and Ginger Meyer, Chadron, Allison Pritchard, Elba, and Shanna Gannon, Shelton, will begin year two in their respective districts. Starting in new school systems this fall will be veteran superintendents Jamie Isom, Keya Paha; Lynn Johnson, Raymond Central; Lindsay Beaudette, LyonsDecatur, and Angela Simpson, Cozad. Jacqueline Anderson, Dundy County; Nicole Regan, Gering; Kim Beran, High Plains;

and Jess Bland, Oakland-Craig; are all seasoned educators taking over superintendent positions for the first time this fall. Despite the slow progress towards gender equity in superintendents' roles, ESU administrators represent women well. Of the 17 ESU leaders, eight are female. This group includes the administrators mentioned earlier and Sarah Salem in Lincoln, and Connie Wickham in Omaha. They serve on the ESU Coordinating Council for their respective school districts. The result is 47% of ESU administrators are women. Hopefully, the number of women administrators continues to grow, so perhaps someday, we no longer see a need for this section of the report. Finally, it should be noted The American Superintendent: 2020 Decennial Study reported the number one activity in which superintendents plan to engage when leaving the profession is to enjoy more leisure time. As a couple of retired superintendents, we have to say this is an admirable plan for retirement. Our only suggestion is for each of you to enjoy more leisure time in the coming year before you retire. ■

Selected Historical Nebraska Public School District Superintendent Data Item

1979-80

2000-01

2011-12

2021-22

School Districts

317

275

249

244

Number of Superintendents

317

261

238

242

Median Tenure *

3.97

3.74

3.37

4

Average Tenure*

6.16

6.36

5.24

4.90

Supt in Year 1

56

52

41

39

Percent Turnover

17.7

18.9

16.3

16.0

Supt with 20+ Years Tenure

10

15

22

4

Women Superintendents

2

8

5

31

*Exclusive of 2021-22

Nebraska School Safety and Security Summit 24

NCSA TODAY FALL 2021

October 19 and/or 20, 2021 Younes Conference Center Kearney, NE Visit ncsa.org for more information and to register

NC S A REP ORT

Carol Young, left, retired on August 31 after serving as NCSA’s Executive Administrative Assistant since 2007. Young is pictured next to her successor, Jen Sylvester, on her last day in the office.

Carol Young Retires after 14 Years with NCSA By Tyler Dahlgren, NCSA Communications Specialist

Nebraska Fall Ed Tech Conference 2021

Since 2007, Carol Young has been the first face visitors see when walking through the doors of the NCSA Offices. Always smiling, and holding all the answers, her friendly demeanor and welcoming personality were mainstays in the building, appreciated by members and cherished by the rest of the staff. Young retired on August 31 after 14 years as Executive Administrative Assistant. “Carol was such a valuable part of our association, and we were so fortunate to have her here at NCSA for such a long period of time,” said Executive Director Dr. Mike Dulaney “Her contributions were unmatched and she played an important part in the daily operations of our organization.” Carol spent her last week on the job teaching her successor, Jen Sylvester, the many ins and outs of the position. Wellwishes and congratulations came pouring in on social media on August 31, a reflection of the impact Young had on so many of NCSA’s members across the state. “I know our staff, our members, and the many visitors who walk through NCSA’s doors every day will miss her presence at the front desk,” Dulaney added.

November 1, 2021 Younes Conference Center Kearney, NE

Conference Highlights • • • •

Take The Random Out of Random Acts of Kindness with Sam Stecher Longer hands-on sessions Poster sessions Shorter sessions

Registration is now open! Visit fall.netasite.org for more information and to register.

Congratulations Carol, and thank you for everything! ■

FALL 2021 NCSA TODAY

25

CALENDAR OF EVENTS SEPTEMBER September 22

School Law Update – Holiday Inn – Kearney, NE

September 29

Activities Director Workshop – NCSA Offices – Lincoln, NE (9:00-12:00)

OCTOBER October 12-13

Labor Relations – Cornhusker Marriott – Lincoln, NE

October 19-20

Safety and Security Conference – Younes Conf. Center – Kearney, NE

NOVEMBER November 1

NE Fall Ed Tech Conference – Younes Conf. Center – Kearney, NE

November 3

Emerging Superintendents Workshop – NCSA Offices – Lincoln, NE

November 17-19

State Education Conference – CHI Center – Omaha, NE

DECEMBER December 1

Legislative Preview – Cornhusker Marriott – Lincoln, NE

December 9-10

State Principals Conference – Cornhusker Marriott – Lincoln, NE

*Region meeting dates can be found on the NCSA website.

NATIONAL CONVENTION DATES ASBO – October 13-16, 2021 – Milwaukee, WI

ASCD – March 18-21, 2022 – Chicago, IL

AASA – February 14-16, 2022 – Nashville, TN

NAESP – July 15-17, 2021 – Louisville, KY

2021 Labor Relations October 12-13, 2021

Cornhusker Marriott - Lincoln Conference Highlights

Preconference: The ABCs of Negotiations with The Perry Law Firm Keynote: Show Up and Shine with Kent Julian Session Topics include: • Creating Culture for Success • School Finance/ESSERs Funding • EHA Update • Workplace Hiring, Evaluations and Discipline • Teacher Certification of Classified Employees • Teacher Shortage • Public Complaints about Employees • FMLA and FLSA at Board Meetings • Reductions in Force • Avoiding Common Personnel Mistakes • And More!

Visit ncsa.org for more information and to register

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Boyd Jones Construction Emily Bannick ebannick@boydjones.biz 950 So. 10th Street, Ste. 100 Omaha, NE 68108 402-553-1804 boydjones.biz Cognia Shannon Vogler shannon.vogler@cognia.org 9115 Westside Parkway Alpharetta, GA 30009 888-413-3669 Ext. 5801 cognia.org D.A. Davidson & Co. Paul Grieger pgrieger@dadco.com 450 Regency Parkway, Ste. 400 Omaha, NE 68114 800-942-7557 davidsoncompanies.com/ficm DLR Group Curtis Johnson cjohnson@dlrgroup.com 6457 Frances Street, Ste 200 Omaha, NE 68106 402-393-4100 dlrgroup.com

Modern Images Bradley Cooper brad@champshots.com 13436 So. 217th Street Gretna, NE 68028 402-991-7786 misportsphotography.com

TeamMates Mentoring Program Beth Roberts broberts@teammates.org 6801 “O” Street Lincoln, NE 68510 877-531-8326 teammates.org

BRONZE SPONSORSHIP SEAM (Secure Enterprise Asset Management, Inc.) Levi Hentges levi@seamservices.com 3101 N 1st Ave Sioux Falls, SD 57104 605-274-7326 www.SeamServices.com

University of Nebraska High School Shauna Benjamin-Brice highschool@nebraska.edu 206 South 13th Street, Ste 800 P.O. Box 880226 Lincoln, NE 68588 402-472-1922 highschool.nebraska.edu

LongLife Insurance Greg Long longlife.insurance18@gmail.com P.O. Box 296 Gretna, NE 68028 402-440-9633

Nebraska Council of School Administrators 455 S 11th Street, Suite A • Lincoln, NE 68508-2105

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