Message from FADSS CEO Bill Montford |
|
Together We Are Stronger in Representing Florida's Public Education System
With the 2022 Legislative Session in full swing, the number and frequency of committee meetings has increased. So, too, have FADSS requests to superintendents to share your knowledge and experiences at key committee meetings.
As the education leaders in your communities, your first-hand knowledge and ability to advocate for school districts is crucial to accurately communicate the needs and challenges facing public education. Thus, a vital component of FADSS legislative advocacy is ensuring that House and Senate leaders are kept abreast of the challenges and issues facing Florida school districts.
In order to do this, FADSS often calls upon Florida superintendents to share their insight and expertise at legislative committee meetings. This is particularly important as new legislation, as well as changes to current legislation, is being considered by legislators.
FADSS will continue to keep superintendents updated and informed as we progress through the legislative process, and we welcome ongoing communication from superintendents on issues school districts are facing. Together we are better and stronger in representing Florida’s public education system.
Thank you for your continued commitment to public education and service to your communities.
Yours in Education,
Bill Montford
|
|
"We must remember that intelligence is not enough.
Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.
The complete education gives one not only power of concentration,
but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate."
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
|
|
Superintendent Spotlight:
Up Close with Pinellas County Schools
Superintendent Dr. Michael Grego
|
|
Over your 42-year career in Florida public education you have held positions at the school level (teacher, department head, coach), district level (director, assistant superintendent, superintendent) and state (interim chancellor).
Why is public education so important to you and our communities?
I have been blessed throughout my career to be part of the most important and noble profession. Every position has been incredibly rewarding and each has brought unique opportunities for me to work with dedicated professional educators to serve the students across the state of Florida. We all have the power to impact the lives of others, but outside of family, teachers have the greatest influence on the life of a child. As a profession, we not only accept the responsibility to transform lives, but we welcome it as we are truly changemakers for our community.
What is an innovative/impactful initiative in your school district that you are most proud of during your tenure as a superintendent?
I am incredibly proud of the work that Pinellas County Schools has done over the last ten years. From our graduation rates, early literacy, Elevating Excellence, College and Career Centers, technology devices for every student or new/renovated buildings through our capital investments, innovation is now a part of our way of work. So, what brings me the greatest joy is knowing that our district has created the culture and systemic practices for implementation and successful execution of large initiatives that impact the outcomes of our students. I know this way of work will continue and sustain. That is the true definition of impact.
You recently announced that you will be retiring at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. What do you attribute your accomplishments as a superintendent and what insight would you share with education leaders seeking to become a Florida district school superintendent?
The building of a strong team along with the ability to listen and work collaboratively for continuous improvement toward shared goals is the key. In reflection over my last ten years, strong leadership at the classroom, department, school and district is what created the trajectory for increased outcomes. I recently shared with the leaders in Pinellas County Schools the lessons I have learned from them, that I believe are key for anyone aspiring to a superintendency:
- Strong leadership does not allow the noise of the day, month or year to deter from the primary mission and desired outcomes or accomplishment.
- Strong leadership owns the outcomes, the work and the monitoring to get there.
- Strong leadership works each day as if there is no tomorrow.
- Strong leadership aims for 100% when working in education.
- Strong leadership sets goals that are bold, audacious, ones that push everyone’s belief if it is possible.
You have received numerous awards recognizing you as a Superintendent of the Year (SOTY) including: 2017 Florida Art Education Association SOTY, 2017 National School Foundation Association SOTY, 2018 Florida SOTY, 2019 Florida Music Education Association SOTY, and 2021 Magnet Schools of America SOTY to name just a few. Of all the SOTY awards you have received – is there one that stands out as most meaningful and why?
Any award presented to a superintendent is simply a reflection on the amazing team working each day on behalf of students. For this reason, I am exceptionally proud of each honor that has been bestowed upon Pinellas County Schools. Whether it be our visual and performing arts, gifted education, magnet programs or AVID demonstration sites (just to name a few), it is about the opportunities and access the district works tirelessly to provide our students and families.
Outside of being a superintendent, what is something that your colleagues may not know about you that you would like to share.
Music education is deeply personal to me. I have always wanted to play musical instruments. When I was in third grade, I desperately wanted to play the drums. I was told that I had to earn the right to learn this musical instrument by increasing my academic levels. There is no doubt in my mind that countless other children have been told the same thing. I proved my gatekeepers wrong. My ability to read and my number sense dramatically improved alongside my passion and love of learning music. I could visualize half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes and was quickly able to translate that into mathematical concepts in the classroom, putting me well ahead of many of my classmates.
I truly believe that music education enhances and supports academic growth and performance. This is why I have been such a vocal advocate for visual and performing arts as critical components to a high-quality education.
|
|
Getting to Know Dr. Grego
Favorite quote:
"We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need to do this. Whether we do it or not must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we have not done it so far." ~ Ron Edmonds
Book you are currently reading:
The Greatest Coach Ever: Timeless Wisdom and Insights of John Wooden (The Heart of a Coach Series) by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Individual you admire most for their positive impact on public education:
Dr. Earl Lennard, former superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools, greatly impacted my career and life. He had this way about him, that had the uncanny ability to make you feel at ease, while pushing you to realize the potential within you. No matter his position or title, the way he led and built a foundation of positive relationships that was not just about the outcome, but was about how we succeed together.
He worked hard to lay a strong foundation for so many to grow our potential. He pushed me to be more, to never stop growing and learning. There are eight key lessons he taught me about being a leader are:
-
People make the difference, he used to say everything else is low bid.
- Everyone and every position matters. Respect all people. The higher your rank or position the humbler you need to become.
- Regularly walk the administrative building.
-
Being there is one of the most important gifts you can provide. People value your presence as a leader.
- When you believe you’ve done your best try to improve on it. And then when you improve on it, try to improve again and again.
-
Don’t be afraid to take risks and push yourself, your school and the district.
-
You can’t be a leader without encountering challenges and difficult situations.
-
If you’re going to lead, demand excellence in all you do and all who work with you.
|
|
Dr. Grego sharing the spotlight with his team as the recipient of the 2018 Florida Superintendent
of the Year.
|
|
Dr. Grego is a strong supporter of the arts. noting: "I truly believe that music education enhances and supports academic growth and performance."
|
|
Dr. Grego and 2022 Florida Teacher of the Year and Pinellas County Schools teacher Sara Painter. |
|
Another Way Laws Are Made
By Brian Moore, FADSS General Counsel
Besides the work of the Florida Legislature, there is another type of legislation that FADSS staff tries to monitor – agency rulemaking. This occurs when the law enacts big ideas but then leaves it to state agencies (or school boards) to fill-in the details. The law may say that the Department of Education shall adopt standards for instructional materials or school boards shall adopt policies for the safe transportation of children within the district. These laws are carried out through the rulemaking process.
The Department of Education maintains a webpage showing all of the current rules being considered or getting ready for consideration by the State Board of Education. You can access this page here. This page shows rules currently in the development phase and those that are set to go before the State Board for approval at an upcoming State Board meeting.
FADSS is represented by a superintendent at every State Board of Education meeting, and our comments are often directed at some of the issues being addressed at that meeting through rulemaking. For example, Sam Himmel, our current President, will be speaking at the next State Board meeting on February 9, 2022. At that meeting, the State Board will consider an amendment to Rule 6A-1.09422, which addresses standardized assessments required for graduation. The current rule applies new standards to those students who entered 9th grade in the 2018-19 school year (this year’s graduating class), including the elimination or change of certain concordant score requirements. The proposed change to the rule would push those new standards back a year so that this year’s seniors, who missed several testing and instructional opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, would have the same options available to them as previous graduating classes. Several superintendents specifically requested this change, and the State Board hopefully will approve it on February 9, 2022.
With State Board rulemaking taking place all year long and often involving complicated topics best understood by subject-area experts, it would be wise for each superintendent to periodically monitor the Department’s website and share any thoughts or concerns with FADSS staff or the Department directly.
|
|
CEOLDP Update
FADSS is looking forward to welcoming a new cohort of superintendents to the Chief Executive Officer Leadership Development Program (CEOLDP). Phase I, the content, knowledge, and skill development phase, will take place at Eckerd College February 2-4. The yearlong Phase II competency acquisition phase will begin the middle of February. This year we have 28 superintendents, both elected and appointed, who will be undertaking this rigorous program. FADSS looks forward to supporting these superintendents in this process as they work in their districts with both internal and external stakeholders on their Leadership Challenge.
More information on the CEOLDP and other available training can be found on the FADSS website under the Training tab and any training questions can be directed to Katrina Figgett.
|
|
District Student Wellbeing Services Reflection Tool
Chiefs For Change released a helpful resource that school districts can use to assess and better support students’ wellbeing amid the pandemic.
The District Student Wellbeing Services Reflection Tool is grounded in the 10-point framework developed by The Coalition to Advance Future Student Success, a group of 12 leading education organizations committed to working together to reopen, recover, and rebuild schools. The tool is designed to help school systems assess and strengthen services and partnerships that support students’ mental, physical, and emotional health.
You can access the toolkit HERE.
|
|
News You Can Use
Source: Jill Barshay | The Hechinger Report | January 17, 2022
Source: Jenee Henry Wood and Joel Rose | The74million.org | January 20, 2022
|
|
District Participation Requested for Penn State Study on School Emergency Preparedness
FADSS has received a request for participation in a national survey on school emergency preparedness conducted by Pennsylvania State University as part of a graduate studies program. The intention of this survey is to investigate the use of emergency operation and student-family reunification plans in schools and district office buildings in the United States.
This survey is intended to be filled out by the building employee who is responsible for the building’s emergency preparedness and for it to be filled out by each campus site in a school district. The survey and more information can be found at HERE.
Questions can be directed to:
Graduate Student. The Pennsylvania State University
Learning, Design, & Technology (Ph.D. program)
College of Education
|
|
Save the Date:
FADSS 2022 Spring Leadership Conference
April 13 - 15, 2022
Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
Superintendent registration coming soon!
|
|
FADSS 2021 - 2022 Annual Business Partners |
|
Be sure to follow FADSS on Twitter [@PublicSchoolSup] and tag FADSS in your district tweets so we can share the great stories and happenings in Florida public schools across our state!
|
|
Florida Association of District School Superintendents
208 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
850.577.5784
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
