Leveraging Successful Partnerships to Improve Student Success

1. American Association of School Administrators Sharon Adams-Taylor, MA, MPH Leveraging Successful Partnerships to Improve Student Success

2. About AASA • 145-year old association for public school superintendents and other cabinet-level decisionmakers • Affiliates representing 50 states, Canada and overseas educators • AASA has unique access to the gatekeepers of the American public school system

3. Health-Related Issues Facing School Districts

4. Health-Related Issues Facing School Districts • Rising childhood obesity rates • Lack of physical activity • School food environment • Asthma management • Teacher education • Lack of school nurses • Indoor air quality issues • Training and knowledge of staff on IAQ issues • Funding for maintenance and operations

5. Partnerships are Key • Solutions must be multi-faceted and involve a variety of stakeholders • School boards and superintendents know that what happens at school is important, but also realize the importance of family and community

6. State-Level Partnership: Asthma • Leadership Forum on Healthy Students and Healthy Schools: • Indiana • Kentucky • Michigan • Montana • Wisconsin • Each team has diverse membership that works collaboratively at the state-level to engage school leaders in asthma management • With the National School Boards Association

7. Presenters Dr. Michele Spurgeon Hartzel Director of Health & Physical Education/Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, GA Thomas M Langdon, Ed.D. Superintendent Big Rapids Public School, MI

8. Thomas M. Langdon, Ed.D Superintendent Big Rapids Public School, MI Leveraging Successful Partnerships to Improve Student Success

9. Financial Partnership Educational institutions sharing the financial burden in order to free up resources to make schools more healthier for students.

10. The Postulate Through cooperation with other districts, money can be saved and spent in other areas to help promote healthier schools

11. 57 ISDs/580 local school districts ISD Board Members elected by Local Boards Mecosta-Osceola ISD General Education Technology Early Childhood Professional Development Special Education Center Career and Technical Education Service organization designed to diffuse individual district “extreme” cost programming by consolidation What is an ISD/RSA?

12. MOISD Schools • Big Rapids (2300) • Chippewa Hills (2700) • Crossroads Charter Academy (625) • Evart (1150) • Morley-Stanwood (1600) • Reed City (1800)

13. MOP Co-Op Services • Technology • Computer Technicians • Network Technician • Data Coaches • Financial Services • Accounts Receivable & Payable • Budget Development • Maintenance • Boiler Certification • Electrical Certification • General Education • Pupil Accounting • Title I Services • Early Childhood • Literacy Consultant

14. Competing ISD Philosophies • Two Different ISD/RESA Philosophies A: “Here are the services we offer, which ones of these would you like to use?” B: “How can we change to deliver the services you want and need?” • 70% A – 30% B • Economics has magnified the different approaches

15. Needs/Variables: • Resources are shrinking • Internal expertise not keeping pace • Cost for expertise is increasing • Collaboration opportunities are at all time high • How can we increase expertise and share costs without cutting local jobs? • State push for cooperation • Third party or ours?

16. The Particulars • Roadblocks • Timing of districts to join the group • Retirements vary • Job losses • Financial & emotional risk up front

17. Basic Structure • Advisory Council made up of seven board members – one rep for each • Original Cooperative Agreement signed by all School Boards, MOISD, & Charter School (available on-line www.moisd.org) • Advisory Council wrote “policy” and “procedure” manuals (available on-line)

18. Employees • All MOP Co-Op employees – • “At-will” • Built on “Market” value • Local and ISD “contacts/supervisors” • Covers areas of finance, maintenance, technology, and general education • MOISD responsible for unemployment, discipline, payroll, etc.

19. Unforeseen Benefits • Employees stay in unit- Not third party • Expertise assured through economy of scale • Ability to share in emergencies • Cross Training • Program Alignment Thomas M. Langdon, Ed.D.

20. Process • Superintendents/Boards discuss trends/needs • Districts have retirements/movement • Request an employee/part of one • MOP Co-Op Advisory Council recommends direction/hire • MOISD approves hire • Employee works in local district(s) for the MOP Co-Op • Evaluated/supervised cooperatively by both the ISD and the local

21. MOISD Board Role • All employees come through Co-Op • All agreements signed together • MOISD responsible for Unemployment • Shape Co-Op Vision • Approve Policy and Procedure Changes • Approves Annual Budget and Priorities • Promotes MOP Co-Op throughout districts and connections

22. Health Partnership Asthma Partnership Asthma is a serious disease that affects thousands of school children every year

23. The Leadership Forum • AASA/NSBA collaboration (with support from the CDC) to further enhance asthma awareness and promote a better school environment for those students suffering from asthma • This collaboration has been in place for several years and involves several state partners • Logistics

24. Michigan’s Effort • Increased asthma awareness and knowledge for key school personnel through model policies, practices, and procedures • Teamed asthma issues with other health issues such as physical activity, allergies, and environment • Partnerships + resources= policy awareness

25. Our Roadmap for Success • Start at the leadership level • Partnerships (MASA/MASB, etc) aid in creating several venues for communicating with district leaders • Expand on what works • Expand the borders on who can be a spokesperson for health initiatives

26. Points of Pride • Improved partner communication • Adapted to what is already in place, to what is current best practice • We have really started to think outside the box (different people bring different ideas) • Helped each other grow- “Iron sharpens iron”

27. Our Accomplishments • Posted asthma information on several state websites • Distributed more than 300 policy packets to superintendents and school board members • Presented and exhibited at the annual MASA and MASB Conferences

28. Our Message • The seriousness of asthma • The importance of asthma management in schools • The critical need for school nurses and brainstorming on how to make that happen

29. The Forum Provides: • An infrastructure to plan and implement goals and objectives • A venue for open communication and dialogue about system change within districts • A platform to work within and disseminate the most current resources • The Action Planning Worksheet to plan and keep us on task

30. As well as… • Providing ongoing support and guidance • Initiating discussions • Helping us problem solve and see what is and isn’t working in other states

31. Environmental Health Partnership Indoor Air Quality

32. Indoor Air Quality Initiative • Another initiative sponsored by AASA to help provide healthier schools • Symposium held in Washington DC involved hundreds of schools across the USA with leadership teams discussing air quality issues and ways to improve air quality in schools

33. What Has Happened Since the Conference • Webinars • The creation of district action plans • The creation of a district leadership team • Virtual walk-through • Board communication

34. What Will Happen In Future: • School-level teams developed including all stakeholders • New polices and procedure incorporated • No couches!

35. Thanks To: The Mecosta-Osceola ISD for allowing the use of their slides in part of this presentation.

36. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS Contact Information: Thomas M Langdon, Ed.D. Superintendent Big Rapids Public School, MI tlangdon@brps.k12.mi.us