I had an interesting conversation with a board member last week. As we discussed the events of this past year and all we've learned, she said we really need to take some time to look at the kind of a leader we were, and understand now - what kind of leaders we are. I spent some time thinking about the notion that it's quite possible our leadership style or type evolved over the last year. Certainly, we evolve every year, right? However, leading through a pandemic and through all that the pandemic dealt us - changed leaders. In another board conversation a member told his board…

Family, School and Community Engagement is a critical factor for nearly all educational issues. We've learned a great deal about how to effectively think about, talk about and promote Family and School Engagement to provide opportunities for all and to benefit teachers and students. In an upcoming Journal article, I've written about board members as community and political advocates and specifically about board leadership teams leading from the middle. This responsibility ties community engagement and systemic school improvement to advocacy.

Did you know that you can…

Ohio Department of Health Issues 2021 Prom and Graduation Event Guidance

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio Department of Health recently issued …

The Ohio Department of Education recently published a new resource outlining Remote Learning Pathway Considerations for 2021-2022. It is hoped that the document will be informative and helpful as districts plan for next school year. Click the link above to review the document.

Lawmakers recognize that changes are long overdue for Ohio's current school and district report cards. While work occurs on a report card system to better reflect the important work of schools across the state, House Bill (HB) 200 looks to tackle some of the issues with the current report card structure. We are thankful that HB 200 will make the report more palatable for districts and will…

Last week I had the opportunity to hear Ohio Teacher of the Year, Anthony Coy-Gonzalez speak. He was outstanding. His presentation was about our dreams and our quest for better systems for all of our students. Coy-Gonzalez encouraged the audience to look back to the dreams we once had, or still hold - for ourselves and for our students. He said, "The needs of our students are clear. Our dreams and the work of fulfilling them will be the agents of change for the future of…

The school board and superintendent who trust each other to fulfill their respective roles and functions, and work well together in continuous improvement, lead districts that enjoy higher levels of SA. The work of continuous improvement cannot be done by the board or superintendent alone. It is the strength of the board and superintendent alliance that ultimately defines the success of the district. Where this gets tricky is the alliance - what does it really look like? OSBA consultants are often asked that question.

In terms of accountability and monitoring progress…

Suicide prevention and intervention resources 

From the Ohio Department of Education:

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COSI and WOSU Public Media are…

The events at the United States Capitol have created anxiety for many Americans, not the least of which are our children. Our teachers are now tasked with the notion of how to respond to students about the events that occurred.

As with many other complex issues, teachers and students are…