Principals' Office

Tomorrow’s Leaders

NAESP's executive director Gail Connelly announced the launch of the National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS) at the Opening General Session during NAESP's annual convention. Connelly was joined onstage for the announcement of this new program by Gerald Tirozzi, the executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Connelly and Tirozzi presented the first NEHS charter to Shepardson Elementary School, where NAESP President Mary Kay Sommers is principal.

"Whole child development is imperative for our schools to be successful," said Connelly. "The National Elementary Honor Society is a great way for schools to focus on this development and to recognize our young students for their accomplishments in leadership and service. We are excited about providing schools with the opportunity to participate in such a prestigious program and to help develop our nation's future leaders."

NASSP administers the National Honor Society™ (NHS) and the National Junior Honor Society™ (NJHS) and the NEHS was created to help schools give students in grades 4-6 national recognition for their accomplishments.

"The National Honor Society and the National Junior Honor Society have done a tremendous job of giving outstanding students the recognition they deserve for excellence in some of the most important aspects of their lives," said Tirozzi. "We are confident that the National Elementary Honor Society will enrich the education and the educational experience of younger students as well."

Incidentally, a study commissioned by the Girl Scouts of the USA found that young people ranked "being a leader" behind other goals such as "fitting in," "making a lot of money" and "helping animals or the environment." The results were published in a recent issue of The Washington Post. What do you think? How important is it for students to see themselves as leaders? How do these findings measure up to the leadership potential among students at your school? What can schools do to increase leadership skills in their students?

We’re Back!

The Principals’ Office took a brief hiatus during this year’s annual convention and exposition in Nashville. We had a terrific time meeting and talking with principals from across the country and abroad. If you haven’t done so already, please check out NAESP’s Convention News Online (http://web.naesp.org/convNews/) to read some terrific articles on convention speakers and events, posts from guest blogger David Hanson (from North Dakota), and to browse through a photo gallery of convention attendees and speakers. 

NAESP's 88th Annual Convention and Exposition, April 2-6, 2009, will be the place for principals to start building everything from learning communities to neighborhood communities in New Orleans. You can find out more info about next year's convention at www.naesp.org.

Countdown to Convention

It’s true what they say—time really does fly when you’re having fun. Here at headquarters, we’re all having fun gearing up for NAESP’s 87th Annual Convention & Exposition in Nashville, which is less than one week away.

What should you do now to ensure that you get the best out of Convention? Use the Convention itinerary tracker to plan your schedule before you arrive. You can find sessions on topics ranging from school policies, teacher recruitment, meeting AYP, or bully prevention by going to the Convention Web page and clicking on the Itinerary Planner on the left side of the screen. The planner allows you to search for sessions by track, speaker, or format.

Leadership and Learning for the Next Generation

NAESP’s 87th Annual Convention and Exposition is just four weeks away. Elementary and middle school principals from across the country (and abroad) will travel to Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center (April 4-8) to network, learn, and lead.

This year’s convention will feature dynamic keynote speakers: Daniel Pink, an expert on innovation and competition and author of A Whole New Mind (Sat., April 5 at 3:30 p.m.); political pundits James Carville & Mary Matalin (Sun., April 6 at 1:00 p.m.); and Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, Lt. Col. and founder of Educational Achievement Services Inc. (Mon., April 7 at 3:30 p.m.). Former Nashville mayor Bill Purcell will also lead the Diversity Forum, a panel of leaders reflecting on the challenges of serving diverse learning communities (Sat., April 5 at 12:30 p.m.).

Other highlights include sessions covering issues important to principals, including No Child Left Behind, school leadership, and early childhood education; and the presentation of NAESP’s second annual Principal’s Read Aloud Award, which was created to recognize and support quality children’s books and encourage principals to read to children.

For more information on this year’s convention, visit www.naesp.org.

NAESP’s Statement on the President’s Budget Request for FY09

Our nation’s schools are faced with unprecedented challenges, and educators are working to create and maintain effective learning communities to help children reach their highest potential. However, the Fiscal Year 2009 budget proposal that President Bush delivered to Congress this week fails to adequately fund essential programs to prepare the nation’s students for the bright futures that they deserve.

President Bush’s final budget request calls for $59.2 billion for federal education programs—which represents a cut in total spending— and seeks to eliminate funding for 47 programs and to freeze funding for many others.

Read NAESP’s reaction to the President's budget and full budget analysis.   

The Principals Have Decided …

The winner of NAESP’s second annual Principal’s Read Aloud Award is Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type (written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin). Over 900 principals from across the country voted for Click, Clack, Moo, a charming tale about Farmer Brown and his barn full of literate cows.

The Principal's Read Aloud Award program recognizes quality children’s books and encourages principals to read aloud to their students. The presentation of the Read Aloud Award will be made during NAESP’s Annual Convention and Exposition in Nashville on Monday, April 7 at 10 a.m.

To begin the selection process for the 2009 award, NAESP is asking members to nominate a favorite title. If you have a book that you have enjoyed reading to children, please submit the title, author/illustrator, and publisher along with your name to childrensbookaward@naesp.org. We are looking for books that are currently in print and therefore readily available to our members. We look forward to honoring great children’s books and appreciat e your participation in the process.

NAESP’s Position on “Highly Qualified” Principals

Over the last few weeks, there have been a number of articles published on the issue of “highly qualified” or “highly effective” principals, including a December 12 article (“Policy Focus Turning to Principal Quality”) in Education Week. NAESP opposes the establishment of a federal definition of a “highly qualified” or “highly effective” principal (or any similar definition). Listing criteria in federal law would, we believe, lead to judging principal quality fully or in large part on the basis of test scores. The best way for the federal government to help create and maintain excellent principals is to require states and districts to provide principals with high-quality ongoing professional development, beginning with mentoring in the early years and lasting throughout a principal’s career, and to provide funds to help states in that work.

NAESP supports the authorization of funds for an independently designed and implemented program of voluntary national certification for principals. We believe the model of the board certification program for teachers established by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an excellent one, and would like for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to create and implement it.

NAESP’s ESEA reauthorization recommendations detail what the Association believes should be changed to make ESEA more effective and less punitive on the nation’s schools, including ensuring that schools are well-staffed by well-qualified professionals.

Bringing Ideas to Life

Every year, NAESP publishes the latest edition of Ideas that Work, a collection of ideas that shares some of the best practices and tips from the current year’s National Distinguished Principals. Their ideas for staff motivation, student recognition, curriculum innovations, school climate, and parent involvement will help you set up new programs in your school without having to reinvent the wheel. 

In the December 2007 issue of Communicator, NAESP Executive Director Gail Connelly writes, “As leaders we have to sift, sort, coach, and create a process to determine which ideas get the time, attention, and funding needed to bring them to full life and make them fly.” What are some of your own ideas that that have proved successful over the years? Which ideas from the Ideas that Work series stand out the most for you?

Principals Promote Reading

What do a wide-mouthed frog, a friendly fish, a kid who loves sweets, Farmer Brown, and Dogzilla have in common? They are characters in the five books that are finalists for the 2008 NAESP Principal’s Read Aloud Award.

Read the five nominated books out loud to your students and vote for the one you think should be honored with the award. The National Principals Resource Center offers all five titles at reasonable rates—buy them for your school library if you don’t already have them. 

Once you’ve read each book, go to http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/4282g2d84e to vote. There will be a presentation to the winning author in April 2008 during NAESP’s Annual Convention and Exposition in Nashville.

NAESP is also taking nominations for the 2009 award. If you have a book you have enjoyed reading to children, submit your name and the title, author/illustrator, and publisher of a book currently in print and readily available to childrensbookaward@naesp.org.

Principals Are on YouTube

School principals are in the blogosphere, they’re podcasting, and now they’re on YouTube. Four NAESP members are featured on YouTube in a 60-second public service announcement discussing the future of schools and the Vision 2021 initiative. You can access the video on the YouTube Web site by typing “NAESP” into the search engine.

YouTube is just two years old but continues to be a favorite site for sharing and viewing short video clips and has even made a mark in the political arena. Earlier this year, CNN aired a presidential debate and candidates answered questions submitted by YouTube users.

According to Nielsen/NetRatings, nearly 100 million video clips are viewed daily on YouTube and the site averages nearly 20 million visitors per month. Now we can add school principals to the list!

Happy Anniversary!

The Principals’ Office turns 1 today. During the past year we have covered topics like the reauthorization of ESEA, the future of schools and education, and educating the whole child—which have garnered close to 30,000 visitors and many insightful comments. In the year ahead, you can look forward to more engaging posts that connect you with your colleagues.

Since its debut, the Principals’ Office has been joined by NAESP state affiliate blogs from Texas, North Dakota, and Washington. Here’s to another year in the blogosphere.

Simply the Best!

NAESP, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education, held its annual National Distinguished Principals program last Thursday and Friday and it was a great success. Sixty-one outstanding elementary and middle school principals from schools across the nation and abroad were honored at the Capitol Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.

During the program, principals described how receiving the award has positively impacted them in their communities. It was such a treat to hear them discuss their commitment to their schools and communities and it’s great for them to receive the recognition they deserve. Several principals were interviewed during the program by their local TV news affiliates and many others have been featured in their local newspapers. (Some of the articles can be read on the NAESP Web site at http://www.naesp.org/ContentLoad.do?contentId=1724.)

A black-tie awards banquet on Friday capped the two-day event. Gail Connelly, NAESP’s executive director, and Ray Simon, the deputy secretary for the Department of Education, thanked the principals for their tremendous dedication to their schools and communities. Congrats to the 2007 Class of National Distinguished Principals. Simply the best!

Proud to be a Principal

As we mentioned earlier this week, NAESP is running a Proud to be a Principal campaign through November 15. But we want to hear from you. Tell us, and your colleagues, why you’re proud to be in a profession that impacts millions of students, thousands of teachers, and hundreds of communities.

Trumpet your successes and your role as a school leader and share your proud to be a principal moment here on the Principals’ Office. If you want to learn more about the campaign or listen to a Proud to be a Principal sound byte, featuring NAESP's executive director Gail Connelly, visit www.naesp.org.

Proud to be a Principal

NAESP invites you to let everyone know that you’re PROUD TO BE A PRINCIPAL! From October 1—November 15, 2007, we encourage you to trumpet your successes and your role as a school leader. You play an important role in your community and the lives of the children you serve. Now is your time to shine! To get you started, below is a copy of the Principals’ Creed. So stand tall, say the Principals’ Creed aloud, and let everyone know how proud you are to be a principal.

Principals’ Creed 
We are dedicated to ensuring that every child in America
receives a quality education.
We care about our country by caring deeply about its children.

We believe that no barrier should separate a child
from the best education a school can offer...
that neither race nor sex nor ethnic heritage nor geography
nor social or economic status
may be used to deny a child the opportunity to acquire
a solid foundation in reading, writing, and mathematics...
in critical thinking...and in the values of friendship,
compassion, honesty, and self-esteem,

We accept the challenge of the research showing that
quality education in every school depends on the
expertise, dedication, and leadership of the principal of that school.

New Team in Place

July 1 marked the beginning of the 2007-2008 term for NAESP’s newly elected board members. New president Mary Kay Sommers of Fort Collins, Colorado, will lead the team, which includes Nancy Davenport as president-elect, and newcomers Linda Chamberlin as Zone 3 director, J. Edward Pollard Jr. as Zone 4 director, Juli Mary Kwikkel as Zone 6 director, and Mark Terry as the Foundation director for middle-level schools. We’re excited to have these accomplished principals on the NAESP Board of Directors and look forward to what they have in store for the next three years.

Welcome!

Share the Dream

NAESP, in partnership with the MetLife Foundation, offers Sharing the Dream grants, which help principals fund parent and community engagement efforts in their schools. Since 2004, grants have been allocated to principals and their schools throughout the nation to develop projects that improve their relationships with parents, create a welcoming school climate, and connect students and families with needed resources.

Last year, 30 principals were awarded with grants. This year’s deadline for applications is June 8. Use this opportunity to further engage your school with the community. Applications are available at http://www.naesp.org/client_files/SharingtheDreamApp2007.pdf.

What? No Rain in Seattle for Two Days?

Thousands of principals have soared to Seattle this week for NAESP’s 86th Annual Convention and Exposition and for two days straight, they’ve been welcomed with sunny skies and unusually warm temperatures. But alas, this is Seattle and the raindrops are expected later today. But the principals have plenty of exciting sessions to choose from indoors in the Washington State Convention & Trade Center. For the latest on what’s happening at this year’s Convention, visit Convention News Online at http://web.naesp.org/convNews/ to read about sessions and events. And for a real treat, read blogs from Jan Borelli, principal of Westwood Elementary School in Oklahoma, and Tracy Latimer, an aspiring principal at Eisenberg Elementary School in Nevada. NAESP's Convention will continue through April 2.

Soar to Seattle

In less than two weeks, thousands of principals will “Soar to Seattle” for NAESP’s 86th Annual Convention and Exposition (March 29-April 2) at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Some of the highlights of this year’s Convention include keynote speakers Jonathan Kozol, Marian Wright Edelman, and Erin Gruwell; the presentation of NAESP’s inaugural Read Aloud Award; the release of NAESP’s 2007 fundraising survey results; and sessions on issues important to principals, including No Child Left Behind, school leadership, interpreting data, early childhood education, and technology. For further information about the Convention, visit www.naesp.org

We Have a Winner!

NAESP created the Read Aloud Award this year to recognize and support quality children’s books, develop a love of reading within students, and encourage principals to read to children. Principals from across the country voted for their favorite book from a list of nominated titles and (drum roll please)…NAESP’s inaugural Read Aloud Award goes to The True Story of the Three Little Pigs! (written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith), a memorable parody of the fairy tale, "The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf," told from the perspective of Alexander T. Wolf.

The presentation of the Read Aloud Award will be made during NAESP's Annual Convention and Exposition in Seattle on March 31 at 10 a.m.