The Georgia
Communicator
Conducting Georgia’s Education
Spring 2016
In This Issue...
3-4 GAESP Executive Director
5 GAESP President
6-7 NAESP News
8
News Briefs
9-12 GAESP Happenings
The Georgia
Communicator
Published three times a year by the
Georgia Association of Elementary
School Principals.
Contact:
GAESP
PO Box 6445
Athens, Ga. 30602
Phone: 706-250-4800
www.gael.org
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GAESP
Director
GAESPExec.
Exec.
Director
To All Georgia Elementary Principals:
Is Public Education on the Verge of Extinction?
During the past 10 years the Governor and Legislature cut billions of dollars from public education funding. I
can’t, and you shouldn’t, imagine taking away any additional funding from Georgia public schools. The value
of providing our children with a quality education is priceless.
Information from TRS indicates there are approximately 7,000 fewer certificated people working in public
schools than six years ago. Currently, 40 school systems in Georgia have a school year with less than 180 days
for students and 190 days for teachers. Furlough days are still out there! I am beginning to think that Georgia
politicians don’t care that there are still billions of dollars of austerity cuts. Sadly, I am beginning to think the
amount of money spent on public education in Georgia and the U.S. is comparable to the amounts spent in
underdeveloped countries. Clearly something has to change.
The key to a better Georgia, a better quality of life, lower unemployment, and a better future for Georgia
students is further support of our public schools. We have some of the nation’s best teachers and
administrators. They need our state’s support!
Our issues with Georgia schools lies with parenting and raising young children. Many young children have
lost that thirst and eagerness to learn. Many parents no longer instill an interest in school and stress that
school means everything to young children. As a result, many children have lost that thirst and eagerness to
learn and aren’t interested in school!
A former Georgia governor once said, “Give me a better prisoner and I will give you a better prison.” I say,
give me a better parent and I will get you a better test score. While I say that in jest, my point is low test
scores are not so easily explained by disinterested students, homeless students, hungry students, cold
students, or abused and unwanted students.
Georgia is a poverty state as evidenced by 68% of Georgia’s students being classified as at or below the
poverty level, as measured by eligibility for free and reduced lunch. However, Georgia Public School
educators open their arms and doors to all students! As Paul Harvey once said, “PAGE 2.”
There is still hope!
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GAESP Exec. Director
In spite of all the cuts and reductions, Georgia Public School educators are doing a wonderful job with the
available resources. More miracles happen in public schools every day than anywhere else in this country!
If we can stay positive as leaders, progress can happen. We need to spread the word about the quality of
our work and continue to maintain high expectations for both ourselves and our students.
The 47th annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools published in Fall
2015 found that most of the public believes that standardized test scores are not an accurate way to
evaluate schools. Respondents indicated that instead we should be looking at “student engagement at
schools and whether students feel hopeful about their future. For the 10th year in a row, participants in the
poll said the lack of financial support is the biggest problem facing their local schools. Yes, school is a
“people business”. The results of the poll tell us what we already know, that schools are about a lot more
than assessment scores in the “core” subjects. The curriculum and associated student activities are
designed to teach the history of our democratic and economic systems and develop the knowledge and
skills essential for being a successful and contributing citizen. Students who participate in extracurricular
activities are provided the opportunity to apply and reinforce the knowledge and skills in a real-life setting.
The PDK/Gallup poll tells us what we educators have known for a long time, schools are where we all get
our start. And it takes a lot more than just a test score to determine the success of a school.
Last but not least, this is an election year and you have three primary responsibilities. One, you need be
knowledgeable about the issues and vote. Two, you need to know if your legislator supports public
education. Three, you need to provide him or her with information as to how proposed legislation will
impact your school.
I encourage you to be vocal about the changes you wish to see in Georgia’s public schools. Let your
legislators know how much you value public education and the children you serve. The path to change
begins with just a single step. Let’s take it together!
PS-Our Governor is ready to “sell off” some of our low performing schools to the private charter system
via a proposed constitutional amendment that will allow an Opportunity School District (OSD).
Responsibility for and all funds for low performing schools will be taken from the local school board and
assigned to the OSD. This is the plan if the Governor gets his way on the November 2015 Ballot. I have
mixed feelings about the proposed OSD. I believe if adequate resources and support were provided to low
performing schools, they likely could improve student performance on their own thus eliminating the
need for the OSD. . Furthermore, past history with similar plans in Louisiana and Tennessee has shown
this policy does not work! However, if the constitutional amendment is approved and the OSD is
established, I hope, for the students’ sake, the plan implemented is successful. We will see!
GAESP Executive Director
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Dr. Richard Bazemore
GAESP President
Dear Colleagues,
I hope you have all had some rest and relaxation during your spring break.
It is always a welcome time of the year. I am getting on my soap box for a
minute or two. I received information from the Governor’s Office of Student
Achievement that the GOSA report card will be delayed several days to get
updated information documented. We also have the CCRPI report card out
for our review before it goes public. How many report cards must we have?
We need for the Governor’s office to get on board with the GADOE or vice
versa so there is only one measure we must be accountable to and get the
powers that be to quit changing the target! I know I am preaching to the
choir, but we must take this message to our legislators, it is an election year
for many of them. Enough about this, I just felt we needed to keep this on our
radar as we are ending this school year.
On a more positive note, I want to mention to you some “Unsung Heroes” for GAESP. First, I want to
say thank you to our District Presidents who also serve as our GAESP Board of Directors. Without these
colleagues our association would not be as strong as it is. Our membership this year is 509 with 455 being
members of GAEL. That is 89.7%, which is the highest percentage of all of the GAEL affiliates. Without
all of you we could not be as successful as we are and will continue to be. Another group I want to mention
and thank is our executive board; Amy Duke, President Elect; Shawn Williams, Secretary; Rick Little,
Treasure; Julie Raschen , GAEL Representative and Kimberly Halstead, NAESP Representative. This group is
constantly on call for conducting the business of our association and planning conferences that help us all do
our jobs.
Finally, I want to publicly recognize and thank our Executive Director Hal Beaver. Hal is the MAN!! He
tirelessly is at work for the association. He travels all over our state to attend as many district meetings as
possible. He is always finding speakers for our conferences and usually at a lower cost than they normally
receive. He is certainly the most active Executive Director in our association and I can’t say enough about him
or how much he cares about GAESP.
It is truly a labor of love for Hal because he was once in our position during his career and knows what we do
daily from his personal experience.
Thank you doesn’t seem to be enough for each of you, but I want you to all know what you mean to me both
personally and professionally. I hope for you all a great finish to this school year and some well-deserved time
off this summer. See you all at summer GAEL and again, THANK YOU for being our “Unsung Heroes”!!!
With Warmest Regards,
Dick Bazemore
GAESP President
Principal, T. G. Scott Elementary School
Forsyth, GA
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NAESP News
NAESP News
National Association of Elementary School Principals
Serving all elementary and middle-level principals
Principals Lead Advocacy With Nation's Lawmakers
Last December saw the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a comprehensive law outlining the federal
government’s role in elementary and secondary education. This year, in an effort to ensure principals' voices were heard
in the wake of this important legislation, NAESP hosted its annual National Leaders Conference, March 13-15, bringing
together nearly 200 principals from around the country to our nation’s capital to discuss education policy. Through
innovative advocacy programming and visits to members of Congress, attendees had much to learn from—and share
with—each other and our nation’s lawmakers.
The conference kicked off with an address from deputy assistant secretary for policy and strategic initiatives at the U.S.
Department of Education, Ary Amerikaner, who provided an overview for attendees on what to expect now that ESSA
has passed. She discussed some of the central provisions NAESP had pushed to include that would directly impact
principals, such as the option for states to provide 3 percent of Title II funds specifically for principal support activities.
However, ESSA remains to be implemented, and principals were encouraged to be as involved as possible and
communicate their concerns with lawmakers.
Later, a panel and Q&A session shifted to state and local perspectives on implementing ESSA. Jessah Walker of the
Council of Chief State School Officers, Jared Billings of the National Governors Association, and Dr. S. Dallas Dance,
Baltimore County Public School superintendent, all weighed in on how ESSA will impact principals, and crucially, how
principals can impact ESSA implementation at state and local levels.
Arguably the biggest draw for attendees was the chance to meet lawmakers to discuss their unique and critical perspective
on education in this country. On Tues., March 15, principals visited their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill,
contributing to spirited discussions about the future of ESSA and what it means to them as school leaders. Many were
excited to share their experiences on Twitter with the #NAESPNLC hashtag.
As Congress prepares the FY 2017 budget priorities and begins to align education funding to ESSA programs, principals
urged Congress to fund federal education programs so that schools have the ability to improve instruction and meet the
learning needs of every student. Principals asked Congress to abide by the overall spending levels set forth by the
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and support funding increases for formula grants in the newly-authorized ESSA, such as
Title I and Title II Part A state grants, to help schools meet the needs of disadvantaged students and to strengthen
educator capacity. Principals urged Congress to fund discretionary programs that provide principals with direct
instructional leadership support and a newly-authorized Title IV block grant program that will help schools provide a
well-rounded experience for all students through arts-integration and use of technology, as well as address issues such as
providing school counselors, physical education programs, student mental health services, drug use prevention, and
social and emotional learning.
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NAESP News
Finally, principals advocated to boost funding for Title I programs and Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) to make sure that Congress fulfills its obligation to “fully fund” state grants to help meet the costs
that are associated with educating special needs students.
Representing the GAESP constitutes at the National Leaders conference were: Hal Beaver, Executive Director; Dick
Bazmore, GAESP president; Connie Stovall, GAESP board member, Amy Duke, GAESP president-elect, Jessie Davis,
NAESP Georgia middle school principal representative and Kim Halstead, NAESP Georgia elementary principal
representative. A special thank you goes to VALIC for sponsoring the Zone 7 reception and to Hal Beaver for his
continued and tireless advocacy on behalf of Georgia educators.
Despite the passage of ESSA and the successes that were won, principals’ voices remain important to the implementation
process and will continue to be necessary in advocating for the best interests of students and schools. This year’s
National Leaders Conference provided a unique opportunity for principals to use their voice, and encourage others to do
so during this critical moment for our nation’s education.
NAESP will continue to carry the messages that principals and state level advocates delivered on Capitol Hill throughout
the year. For more information about the 2016 advocacy agenda that was successfully launched, please contact Kelly
Pollitt, Chief Strategist, Policy and Alliances at kpollitt@naesp.org.
Sources:
—Dateline NAESP
__May/June issue of PRINCIPAL
—Kelly D. Pollitt is NAESP’s Chief Strategist, Policy and Alliances
Submitted by:
Dr. Kim Halstead
NAESP State Representative
Principal, Tucker Elementary School
Houston County School System
kimberly.halstead@hcbe.net
478-988-6278 ext. 9
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News Briefs
GAESPBriefs
News
Happenings
Article of Interest:
You will never be able to measure the worth of a teacher by a standardized test score because that’s
not what education is all about. Education is about relationships and knowing your students, not
helping them memorize information long enough to bubble the right answer to a multiple choice
question.
http://www.rockdalecitizen.com/opinion/darrell-huckaby-teachers-worth-not-measured-onstandardized-tests/article_a30dee84-2550-5e24-9ed7-b6b7f61851ae.html?
utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share
Best of the Best Practices
Whether it’s through our National Distinguished Principals program, or the National Outstanding
Principal Award Program, NAESP has countless opportunities to learn from some of the brightest
principals in the country. Key to any great principal is using best practices from the field. Fortunately, many
of these awardees are willing to share their knowledge with the profession. Here are some of their insights:
Parents as Students
Each term, content area teams host a preview night of the upcoming content. During the event, the teacher
instructs parents on some of the key content and/or vocabulary, providing exemplar work samples. Parents
are then equipped with examples so they are more comfortable helping their children with homework
questions. Time is also set aside to teach parents how to read and understand the benchmark and state
assessment results. Information nights are also planned to introduce parents to the various Web-based
programs and Google products that students will use in class.
—Kelli Grimsley Brown, principal of Petal Elementary School in Petal, Mississippi, and 2015 National
Distinguished Principal
DIY Leadership
If you expect your staff and even your students to do their jobs on a day-to-day basis, you have to be willing
to do those jobs yourself. Whether it is making copies, teaching lessons, mopping the cafeteria, or getting
down on the floor to help a student with math manipulatives, it is important to do the jobs you assign. This
will help build strong relationships and you will learn more about the important work students and staff
members do every day.
—Toni Beckler, assistant principal at Woodland Elementary School in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and a
2012-2013 National Outstanding Assistant Principal
Healthy, Local Food
Gladden Middle School is one of 12 schools in Georgia that merges the local farmers/producers with the
School Nutrition Program. Farm to School connects schools (K-12) and local farms with the objectives of
serving healthy meals in school cafeterias; improving student nutrition; providing agriculture, health, and
nutrition education opportunities; and supporting local and regional farmers. In this program, students
grow food in the onsite greenhouse that is served in the cafeteria.
—Ardith M. Bates, principal of Gladden Middle School in Chatsworth, Georgia, and a 2014 National
Distinguished Principal
Reprinted with permission. NAESP
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News Briefs
GAESP
Happenings
Save the date!
Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals
DRIVE-IN CONFERENCE
May 10th
8:45-3:00
Macon, Georgia
Anderson Conference Center
“Best Practices for Better Schools”
PAGE Attorney Margaret Elliott-Ethics in the Schoolhouse
State School Superintendent Richard Woods
Pam Smith, Shaun Owen, Juan-Carlos Aguilar-State Department of Education
New Science and Social Studies Standards
Darrell Huckaby- Author, Educator
National Keynote-Captain Barrington Irving
(he was the first African–American and youngest to fly around the world)
May 10th
Macon, Georgia
Anderson Conference Center
continental breakfast and lunch are included
Doors open at 7:15
Member registration-$80
Non-Member Registration-$90
Georgia Principals-Learners and Leaders
Registration is now on-line
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GAESP Happenings
GAESP Happenings
GAESP Happenings
GAESP visits "Day on The Hill" at The Capitol in Atlanta!
GAESP Happenings
GAESP visits "Day on The Hill" at The Capitol in Atlanta!
State School Superintendent Richard Woods
and GAESP President Dick Bazemore
GAESP Happenings
GAESP Delegates visit our federal
governnment officials in our nation's
capitol of Washington, DC!
State School Superintendent Richard Woods
and GAESP President Dick Bazemore
GAESP Board members: Diamond Jack, Hal Beaver, Connie Daniels, and
Richard Bazemore.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods
and GAESP President Dick Bazemore
GAESP Delegates visit our federal
governnment officials in our nation's
capitol of Washington, DC!
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GAESP Board members: Diamond Jack, Hal Beaver, Connie Daniels, and
Richard Bazemore.
GAESP Board members: Diamond Jack, Hal Beaver, Connie Daniels, and
Richard Bazemore.
L-R: Dr. Dick Bazemore, Dr. Kim Halstead, Hal
Beaver, Senator Johnny Isakson, Dr. Jessie Davis,
Dr. Bob Heaberlin
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L-R: Dr. Jessie Davis, Hal Beaver, Dr. Dick Bazemore, Dr. Bob
Heaberlin, Congressman Lewis, Dr .Kim Halstead, Dr. Amy Duke,
Connie Stovall
GAESP Happenings
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Lead. Learn. Light the Way.
NAESP’s Best Practices for Better Schools Conference™ is the only event where you will find the most
thought-provoking leaders in Pre-K-8 education.
Principals, Assistant Principals, Aspiring Principals, Superintendents, Teacher Leaders, and other key
decision makers will benefit from making valuable connections, learning about current trends in the
education field, and sharing ideas with colleagues from across the country.
The Best Practices for Better Schools Conference™ will be the best three days you’ll spend in 2016.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
DANIEL GOLEMAN, Psychologist & Author
TOPIC: Leadership – The Power of
Emotional Intelligence
DR. RUSS QUAGLIA, President & Founder,
Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations
TOPIC: Principal Voice – The Power to
Listen, Learn, and Lead
DR. PEDRO NOGUERA, Urban Sociologist
TOPIC: Challenging Racial Inequality in Our
Schools
JOIN US IN JULY 6-8, 2016 AT THE BEAUTIFUL GAYLORD NATIONAL HARBOR (JUST OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON, D.C.)
Register today & SAVE at naespconference.org