tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41033501491793973322024-03-04T22:39:48.098-08:00Education is My JourneySharing educational, inspirational information with fellow educators for the betterment of the students, staff and communities we serve.Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-65297322595326707472017-10-19T08:03:00.000-07:002017-10-19T08:03:04.044-07:00Staying Positive This Time of Year!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I was thinking about my next blog, I came across an article that seemed to fit the many topics running through my head. The article is linked </span><a href="http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/oct17/vol59/num10/10-Ways-to-Get-Your-Mojo-Back.aspx" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for your reading pleasure. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-f8d8301c-3526-f68a-f8e8-3fa21eff27a5" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">October is a month when so many things converge on teachers and administrators. Grading periods are coming to a close, parent teacher conferences fill the hallways after hours, value-added data is released for buildings, and the light of day gets shorter and shorter. All of these things may make October a LONG month for educators. Fashioned from the article above, here are my top 10 ways to stay positive during this time. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Find strength in students: After celebrating both muffins with moms and donuts with dads this month, the excitement that fills the building when families are engaged is uplifting. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn something new: I am working on a new way to share information with staff, parents, and the community. I recently joined a group of 6th graders for a lesson on using Screencastify, and I am excited to try out my new learning!</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pull out the instructional stops: I am reading 3 books right now, thinking about leading and learning in new and engaging ways to prevent plateaus. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="216" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/dMaX_jMDko1rDXXCzlwc02-cXrn7ib6eZyFv1c3yV5rbqfj7WW4XqK0NhQp5E5dPa8ea3WKZoFuMhj3mYsnjgHX391o6pL8_7XTl1Tw-SyKaaxkfCabtcrTreNRZXnvXHM_hMw9t" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="145" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="214" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3g5yxNCpzET10OUmT11TrOPRKHv7BoOTHtQF-Gt9yPvLPpbtId9-XBjFA-JmZiU9Dj28SJPGn2nQ5qWixkoIXw72-nOjfhBr318Tiz33Q8wCY51GE7bdybfhKydZJO1iYTfkhzU3" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="139" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="214" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_oFaiQwm2Jsoui0Sa_2VXjJiHiDMAmpRkQAKKEnXllQTObb5C1MbJVfIAc57Sou714r5N4-Nm15t76IJ571il7aZ_0-0AJwWikCBP6PRlrgcNP546IA-ep0fKwCE8zXPFSo-l9cJ" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="142" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Battle your boredom: When we get the chance to exercise our professional freedoms, we feel energized to focus on priorities. Personalizing PD pathways for teachers has been invigorating as a leader. Giving teachers the control of their learning has not only battled our “PD boredom” as leaders, but has made collaborative learning from each other a priority!</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find your tribe: I am so blessed to be a part of Ohio School Leadership Institute Cohort 32 this year. With the support of BASA and The Center for Creative Leadership, we have formed a “tribe” of lead learners, exploring and developing our leadership styles together. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hit pause and reflect: Have you ever completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Questionnaire? If not, I would highly suggest it! As part of OSLI Cohort 32, I completed this survey at the 1st part of our leadership institute. The results have allowed me to “pause and reflect” on my </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">preferences and how those preferences impact my personal and professional decisions. My MBTI profile is included below. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="112" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/y8P5mSjjqJY7TLjbY5TnZH7CKQNkkV2pBgbuaBXnGreVbUlpae9Yb3Wvj7NamkVeDd5WHTwX29zXXHB0aWEVXqaiUTOipdRcQQwp7_u2hGC8Js6ecG32XgvYxKHdpiefW1OIBFoy" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="223" /></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Never let your flame go out: I am more excited to be a superintendent today than I was when I took this job 4 years ago. As I continue to grow as a lead learner, I am excited to “flex” my leadership styles to fit the needs of the person and the situation. Each time we “flex” our skills, we add fuel to our professional fires. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take a hike: I just completed the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Half Marathon. Enjoying the weather, taking time for my own health, celebrating children champions, and running with friends helps me find balance. Don’t forget to take time for yourself and your family and friends. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have coffee with a mentor: I am blessed with several trusted colleagues and mentors both locally and through state and regional organizations. Picking up the phone, carpooling to a conference, or arranging an early money coffee stop, all to connect with a mentor, should not be overlooked. It is nice to check your thinking, seek advice, or share innovative ideas with those you trust to counter the blues we sometimes feel this time of year. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Resist the isolation: I am so hopeful for education in Ohio as superintendents across the state have come together in the last year to collectively tell our stories. This “movement” has resulted in the introduction of a School DeRegulation Bill from Senator Huffman. For the first time in several years, I can feel the landscape of education changing, with a focus on local control, all because we have collectively stood together. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take time this month to focus on the positives and counter the energy drain that hits all of us this time of year. Our students, buildings, and communities need us!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yours in Education, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Lobster; font-size: 24pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Prohaska Sig-03.png" height="74" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PGNZU71FC3PKB1UEO_Q7iAvn4HZLA_3hybaxv8SrAaFDPbsyGDKk0VIueL67401ziwpi3uuyifx54WonDuQ57cHDCiwg3EII5dgs4Wsxlz1CasSdQEElvlHxb6aMp4xEb1YXYldR" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="220" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent</span></div>
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Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-78566385717204095212017-09-05T10:51:00.001-07:002017-09-05T10:51:08.072-07:00We are Human Systems - Opening message 17.18<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Each year since I have become a superintendent (August 2014), the importance of opening day has grown. This is the one day that I stress about more than anything else throughout the year. This day unleashes the energy that feeds the culture and behaviors of the district and sets the stage for the year to come. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-e80c9f4a-5329-a636-a9d8-3a36504e54ca" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last year in the opening message I referenced Urban Meyer's book Above the Line and it’s core principle, The R Factor, which is applicable year after year. And yes, even as a Michigan fan, I can bring myself to say that :) </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The R factor is a simple equation that says </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="ERO.jpg" height="213" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WWq8WsG7WM80k_uaHAD3SmPxhd2gnFnaLA6nRrsZzvIgJ5JOKJlQ9SpASMAza5djxfP4aXuqi5ik8MsfbYx_u6x-OiUo4HAq8i8tWTcAxaxHYhMNSg20iXBJa163wovjjJ3vIZAq" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: 2pt solid #000000; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before the opening of this year, the administrative team and I had the pleasure of hearing Tim Kight, the developer of R Factor, again and then completed his train the trainer workshop. During that professional development, Tim said something that really resonated with me and seemed to be the missing puzzle piece to the 2017.18 opening message. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tim Kight put what we do as educators into perspective when he said “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are human systems first and education systems second”. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what does that really mean? Whether you are in Mechanicsburg or any other school district, it means that what we do is not grounded in the words on paper that make up our goals, our vision statements and our core beliefs. It means that what we do as educators begins with the core beliefs that rest on our hearts. Let me say that again, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">what we do as educators begins with the core beliefs we have for our students that rest on our hearts. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’s the beauty of R Factor and E+R=O. This equation is not something new, it’s merely a tool that will help us stay focused on our why, which is what rests on our hearts. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg has opened the last few years with a hashtag. The hashtag is a way for us to consistently keep our priority at the forefront of what we do and allows us to tell our story of education in Mechanicsburg. If we don’t tell our story, someone else will do it for us. Don’t leave that to chance!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 18pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#KnowOurWhy </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Knowing our why comes right back around to the notion that we do what we do because of the beliefs that rest on our hearts. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tim Kight also talked about the notion of the edge, which is where the average version of ourselves, meets the best version of ourselves. I was really intrigued by the notion of this edge because I wake up each day hoping to bring the best version of myself to this district and to my family. I wake up each day with the intention to be the best version of myself but that is not always easy. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why isn’t it easy? In order to break through the edge, to be the best versions of ourselves, we must develop skills that we don’t have the talent for. </span></div>
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<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; width: 468pt;"><colgroup><col width="*"></col><col width="*"></col><col width="*"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 0pt;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; padding: 5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lesser Version of You</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-left: solid #000000 1pt; border-right: solid #ff0000 2.25pt; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; padding: 5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Average Version of You</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tapping into maximizing natural gifts and talents; build skill and talent and then push through the edge. Can’t negate having to work to your limits. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Comfort Zone - No Growth</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talent Zone</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1pt; border-left: solid #ff0000 2.25pt; border-right: solid #000000 1pt; border-top: solid #000000 1pt; padding: 5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Best Version of You</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elite</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” (journey to elite)</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is learned behavior and not attributed to your natural talent</span></div>
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</tbody></table>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The best version of ourselves takes work beyond our talents and requires 5 important things. The best version of ourselves requires us to lead with our hearts first rather than rely on talent alone.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Breakthrough happens when we:</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Embrace productive discomfort, </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Give relentless effort, </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use mistakes as an opportunity to begin again, </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Defeat Fear, & lastly breakthrough happens when we </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Believe! </span></div>
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</ul>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If those 5 things don’t describe the staff of Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools and educators in general, I don’t know what does. As educators we are working on the best versions of ourselves every day!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With this opening blog in the books, I am so glad that opening day has come and gone and we can begin this school year together, knowing that student success rests on our hearts. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for taking a few minutes to read the 2017.18 opening blog. I look forward to sharing our educational journey with your this year as we #KnowOurWhy.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yours in Education, </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Sacramento; font-size: 24pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-71302890322658946902017-03-06T11:01:00.001-08:002017-03-06T11:01:12.722-08:00Professional Fuel or Personal Failure??<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the year moves along quickly with or without us, I am trying hard to schedule time to do the things that keep the discussion of education at the top of the list. It is redundant for me to say that I like to find cross over from personal events to professional learning, but it is what helps me find balance when focusing on priorities. Over the last few months, I have learned what it means to be a gymnastics mom, as my 7 yrs old Brennan competes for the first time as a gymnast. Lots of learning curves for both of us in this latest venture but the biggest take away has to be courage. Courage to have </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">professional/athletic fuel</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rather than live with personal failure. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-228f9fc3-a4fc-8c36-a17c-2abb32f4fdf8" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At this point in the season, Brennan has had modest success in his competitions. Medaling in some events, improving his scores, and working on form. From earlier blogs, you can deduce that Brennan slowing down enough to work on form is a major accomplishment in itself. Two weeks ago, Brennan and his coach decided it was time to “go big” and work on some more advanced elements than he hadn’t attempted in the past. He went big and he went home posting what he coined “not my best day”. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A week later, Brennan and his team were back in competition, and he was nervous to get back out there and “go big” again. But that’s when the connection to education was highlighted. This 7 year old had learned from the failures last weekend, working on his skills at practice, listening to his coaches feedback, and gaining the confidence to try again to show what he could do. Feeling confident, having professional fuel after learning from those failures paid off!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As leaders, educators, and colleagues, are we encouraging our students, teachers, and administrators to take risks? Do we have the relationships, trust, and an environment that encourages risk taking in learning? Are we encouraging students and teachers with feedback that builds their confidence to take risks even after failures? Are we highlighting the learning potential when we fail and responding with reflection and commitment to professional fuel? Are we as individuals taking feedback constructively and using it to try again and improve upon our skills? Do we live by personal failures or professional fuel? Are we truly committed to high expectations for learning, which can only be evident when we continuously seek new and better ways to engage students in the process? What is it worth to you as educators and leaders to take risks, give and get feedback, and build confidence in serving our students at a higher level? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="IMG_1932.JPG" height="261" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/KAtXAp3BPr9v2ch7RhDS9M7OTVztnbrwK7yamDe9uAU0Fpir-QMxONuPCUD8xSnf3X-LuU5sywi6pXilDZE16WV57a1eIPmUcZw0cjUCo3mP_sefiNWOPw6kpy_cCRLQgxG1_aQB" style="border: none; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; transform: rotate(0rad); white-space: normal;" width="349" /></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the smile, posture, and pride of a 7 year old standing atop the podium doesn’t illustrate the power of those qualities, I don’t know what will!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yours in Education, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village SD</span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-29774945936938068742017-01-30T05:50:00.001-08:002017-01-30T05:50:19.078-08:00Mechanicsburg Measures that MatterDear Mechanicsburg Staff, Administration, and Community<br />
<br />
Check out our <a href="http://www.mechanicsburg.k12.oh.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=697447&pageId=26668735" target="_blank">Annual Measures that Matter Report</a>. Measures that Matter is a reflection of the many lens of data that provide a glimpse into the teaching and learning in Mechanicsburg. The report highlights the academic, athletic and artistic accomplishments of our students. Community members can also find important information about finances, safety, and communication within the annual publication. Mechanicsburg strives to prioritize the learning of all students, which would not be possible without the inclusion of the many areas shared throughout this report. Many thanks to our teachers, related staff, administration, and community for helping to make all of these things a success. Mechanicsburg is the "Best Small School in Ohio" because of who we serve!<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
<br />
<br />Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent<br />
Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools<br />
<br />
<br />Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-85705194238974194112016-12-08T08:56:00.001-08:002016-12-08T08:56:42.784-08:00Lego Your Ego<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I read an excerpt of a resignation letter from a local coach earlier this week. That letter referenced a decision that required the coach to set ego aside. I began thinking about this statement “set ego aside” and what it meant for leadership in education. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Setting ego aside is not an easy task, and often requires us as leaders to follow in the footsteps of our predecessors. Why is it hard to follow in those footsteps you ask? Leaders have an intense desire, all of us, to leave our mark on education. Our experiences, content knowledge, and desire to serve others, along with our internal drive, push us to lead. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is often thought, and mistakenly applied, that the ONLY way to leave our mark on a district or building is to do something NEW. But contrary to that instinctual desire, a true leader has the courage to come in to a district, building, or classroom and continue to do the things that were already in place and WORKING! Even though the systems and structures may not be “your idea”, laser like focus on what works is the key to successful leadership. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Set ego aside means the work is not about BEING right. It is is about DOING what is right. Doing with is right is always harder. But leaders are designed and trained to do what is right whether it is popular or not. Doing what is right is for all those around us, but never for us alone. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Setting aside your ego in leadership also means that you have the courage and the patience to listen to and learn from those entrenched in the system. Listening and understanding the emotions tied to each message takes time. As we know, we often sacrifice time when we listen to our egos. If you equip yourself with the skills to listen to others, and then balance it with the knowledge to adjust and refine as necessary, you will leave a mark worth appreciating. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you focused on the right work, for the right reasons? Are you strong enough as a leader to sustain the work of someone else, building upon the successes already in hand? Are you leading to sustain and improve outcomes or are you leading to make a name for yourself? Consider your motives when deciding what your leadership focus will entail. </span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-374db148-df57-961f-4612-4c9c20709508"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be prepared to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Lego your Ego”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools</span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-52712301982524757292016-11-18T06:52:00.003-08:002016-11-18T06:52:26.577-08:00Keep the Rally Rolling<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We know in eduction, in parenting, and in life that important messages may be repeated 10-12 times before their are really heard by others. This blog is similar to a call for action earlier in the year, but the importance of this topic reguires a persistent message. Just like telling my 7 year old son Brennan to throw away his wrappers, I anticiapte "nagging" on this topic until Ohio Superintendent's sit alongside our State Board of Education and legislators to discuss education policy. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On Tuesday November 15, 2016, over 200 superintendents, board members, and administration gathered on the south lawn of the Statehouse. This collective group was not there in protest, spending their time to Blame, Complain, or Defend. We were present physically and emotionally as a sign of support, pledging our time and collective knowledge to bridge the gap between education policy and its impact on the students and communities in Ohio. Our voice was one of support, collaboration, and commitment to finding solutions that embody what is best for the students in Ohio. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5 superintendents from around the state spoke about 3 areas in which we have agreed need our attention and support. These areas are:</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The graduation cliff looming for current juniors around the state as a result of the newly set graduation points on end of course exams. Though Mechanicsburg numbers are much lower (less than 10% deemed at risk for not meeting graduation points next year), at risk numbers around the state are staggering. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ever changing and expanding accountability system in Ohio. Ohio superintendents welcome accountability and high standards for their districts. We are asking for measures that illustrate the successes and growth areas of their districts. However, the current system does not provide us that desired information. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over assessing our students,administering more state level assessments to Ohio students than required by ESSA. Again, Ohio superintendents are not asking to eliminate measures of student learning. We need and use standardized data, allowing us to benchmark our progress across the state and adjust to support student learning as needed. However, we don’t need to test every student every year to analyze data and make adjustments that support student growth and achievement. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This rally, a gathering of collective support, is just the beginning. For substantive change to take effect, we must come together and remain in action as a unit of dedicated district officials. In addition, the need to be at the table must be heard by our legislators and state board of education officials. This is where our work really begins. The rally is the starting point of our efforts to reach out to those charged with enacting legislation and policy. We all must step up and contact our local legislators and state board of education representatives. Offer them our support in discussing educational policy before it is enacted. Pledge to be a part of the solution and a collaborative partner in the legislative process. Commit to working proactively, with purposeful responses to guarantee the outcomes our state deserves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for caring so passionately about the education of our students in Ohio and for using that emotion to foster positive responses and solution minded partnerships across the state!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you live in Champaign County, you can contact the following people to show your support for the involvement of district leadership in closing the education policy gap. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Governor John Kasich</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-3555</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">joe.andrews@governor.ohio.gov</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Press Secretary)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">josie.barga@governor.ohio.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keith Faber, President of the Ohio Senate</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-7584</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">faber@ohiosenate.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andrew Brenner, House Chair of Education</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 644-6711</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">andrew.brenner@ohiohouse.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cliff Rosenberger, Speaker of the House</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-3506</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rep91@ohiohouse.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keith Faber, District 12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-7584</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">faber@ohiosenate.gov</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A. Nino Vitale, House Representative District 85</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-1507</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nino.vitale@ohiohouse.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tom Gunlock, Appointed President of Ohio Board of Education</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(937) 291-6318</span></div>
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<a href="mailto:tom.Gunlock@education.ohio.gov" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tom.Gunlock@education.ohio.gov</span></a></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paolo De Maria, Superintendent of Public Instruction</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(877) 644-6338</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">superintendent@eeducation.ohio.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ann E. Jacobs, Lima District 1 School Board Rep.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(419) 229-9800 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ann.Jacobs@education.ohio.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From around the state, access your state board of education representative at </span><a href="http://education.ohio.gov/State-Board/State-Board-Members" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://education.ohio.gov/State-Board/State-Board-Members</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ; State Senators at </span><a href="http://www.senate.state.oh.us/index#" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.senate.state.oh.us/index#</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ; and House Representatives at </span><a href="http://www.ohiohouse.gov/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.ohiohouse.gov/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your Partner in Education, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools</span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-14362116995305487352016-09-27T10:35:00.003-07:002016-09-27T10:38:23.740-07:00A Call to Action - The state of education in Ohio<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the season</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when many districts are preparing and delivering their “State of the Schools Address”, we must talk about the state of education in Ohio. There is research from leading educators like Douglas Reeves that urges leaders to find their focus, concentrating on just a few priorities. Within that focus, leaders must put aside the elements they cannot control (like poverty, ethnicity, home environment, etc.) and commit to the responses that are within their control. Tim Kight and the R Factor illustrate what it means to have above the line responses. With that being said, Mechanicsburg has taken the position that we would not belabor the things that come from ODE and the legislature that were outside our control. We would take the new requirements/changes in practice, figure out how they fit in our system of teaching and learning, and continue to do what is best for kids. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, we have a unique opportunity in front of us now with the authorization on Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). As educational leaders and advocates, we have the chance to make our voices heard around several key issues - assessment, accountability, and teacher evaluation. If we want Ohio to take advantage of the local control given to states in ESSA, we must communicate that need to those making policy. We must do so early, often, and in detail. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is time for Ohio to go back to the federal minimums required in assessment. Allow districts to continue to use their internal measures for growth and achievement and assess students/grades/subjects across the state only at the required grades in ESSA. Urge legislators to listen and act, as our juniors and seniors over the next two years are facing a grave graduation situation. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is time to have an accountability system that is stable and allows for apples to apples comparisons of data from year to year. Districts want accountability, but in saying that, our students deserve an accountability system that ACTUALLY produces adjustments in instruction aimed at increasing growth and achievement. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is time to embrace teacher evaluation as a crucial piece of feedback for growth, taking away student growth requirements that make teacher evaluation more about a high stakes gotcha than feedback that improves practice. Administrators and teachers are having powerful conversations around the teacher performance side of the evaluation tool. Let’s put our focus where it is making a difference. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we want education to align to the educational model we know produces higher levels of student growth and achievement, we must seize the moment. Our students, our teachers, and our communities need there to be action! </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The list below contains all the necessary contact information for the those that represent Champaign County and/or Ohio’s important political offices. Share your talking points with these individuals and let our voices be heard for the sake of the students and communities we serve. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Prohaska Sig (LT BLUE).jpg" height="109" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/jhFNYl-idPRj-Hfq2rr4UF1-Vg7weSLES1XpQ98nUkmP-kSxVVqBoiJe1i9EGmR0Wp13DUZmfRdyzRsvRD4JXgy-mPjgP_9_qzHprIVl0Y_6aQ_bFwewY0W3jY6OaHH5oRp485vm" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="321" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent of Schools</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Contact information:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Governor John Kasich</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-3555</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">joe.andrews@governor.ohio.gov</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Press Secretary)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">josie.barga@governor.ohio.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keith Faber, President of the Ohio Senate</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-7584</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">faber@ohiosenate.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andrew Brenner, House Chair of Education</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 644-6711</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">andrew.brenner@ohiohouse.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cliff Rosenberger, Speaker of the House</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-3506</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rep91@ohiohouse.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keith Faber, District 12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-7584</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">faber@ohiosenate.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A. Nino Vitale, House Representative District 85</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(614) 466-1507</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nino.vitale@ohiohouse.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tom Gunlock, Appointed President of Ohio Board of Education</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(937) 291-6318</span></div>
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<a href="mailto:tom.Gunlock@education.ohio.gov" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tom.Gunlock@education.ohio.gov</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paolo De Maria, Superintendent of Public Instruction</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(877) 644-6338</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">superintendent@eeducation.ohio.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ann E. Jacobs, Lima District 1 School Board Rep.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(419) 229-9800 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ann.Jacobs@education.ohio.gov</span></div>
<br />Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-24327910953766367792016-09-15T07:18:00.002-07:002016-09-15T07:18:54.887-07:00Press Release - District Report Card<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>In an effort to communicate on multiple fronts, I have included the press release related to our state issued report card below. With the authorization of ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) at the federal level, we have an opportunity to refocus and create a stable and equitable assessment and accountability system in the state of Ohio. It is time for communities, district and building leaders, and boards of education to voice their concerns and bring solutions to the table. The staggering number of Ds and Fs across the state are not indicative of our education system. Students and teachers have not declined at such a rapid rate. Don't let this moment for change pass us by in Ohio. Make your voice heard! </b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The 2015-16 State Report Card should be released at some point today and will be covered by multiple media outlets over the next week or so. This year’s report card contains numerous changes including overall component grades for report card sections. The 2015-16 report card results are generated from a new assessment system, which is the 3rd assessment system in three years. What you may notice is that our ratings have declined in some areas. To an extent, this was to be expected with so much change in the measurement system for us and districts across the state. </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The new assessment system is built on more rigorous standards and increased performance targets for students. The accountability elements of the report card will challenge districts to meet those high standards for student growth and achievement. However, adjustments to these higher standards will not happen overnight and reduced scores are more the norm than an anomaly throughout the state. Though the state issued report card is an important part of the data we use to inform instruction, it is only one of the many measures that matter. </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Regardless of any changes to the state’s accountability measures, we are prepared to use this data to reflect on student instruction and implement instructional practices that will best meet the needs of all our students. As we analyze what we know about students from a variety of measures, it is evident that students in Mechanicsburg Schools continue to grow as well rounded students. We continue to have strong teachers, capable students, and a supportive community. </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>In the meantime, our district leaders, alongside administrators from across the state, will persist in advocating for a more consistent accountability system. This stability is necessary to allow our teachers and administrators to do what they do best for students day in and day out. </i></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at </span><a href="mailto:prohaskad@mcburg.org" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">prohaskad@mcburg.org</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or Mary J Huffman at </span><a href="mailto:huffmanm@mcburg.org" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">huffmanm@mcburg.org</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> should you want to discuss the report card further. </span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Sincerely, </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><img alt="Prohaska Sig-03.png" height="63" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/9EguI3bngim5jjI7mNOxblcTUyLO0KP_fGt_uVr6BOInbRi4rrjoYmbgUEXE6dqUJ6WVakp2Y3noGYyH6oP9yu7YS3mv9bt2XqKQAzjKl_A1K3dC5bxeP72OavgHDjqXzqTBxObk" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="184" /></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools</i></span></div>
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Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-1564895458629977982016-08-25T05:08:00.000-07:002016-08-25T05:08:09.798-07:002016.17 Opening Day Message <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Welcome to the 2016.17 school year. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Myself and some of the administrative team in Mechanicsburg have previewed the concept of Event + Response = Outcomes, that is best known from Urban Meyer’s book Above the Line. For those of you that know me, even a Michigan fan can appreciate a book that references the buckeyes. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The E+R=O process begins with the 20 square feet of the organization’s culture and strategy that each of us owns. Within this 20 square feet, you choose how you will think, interact, and behave in order to prioritize the learning of students. These responses place us either above the line or below the line. But wherever we choose to fall, our responses do have an impact on our students, our grade level team or our department, our own professional development, our building and ultimately the district at large. This is both a powerful and scary notion.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What our team wants to stress throughout the year, is that when you feel the weight of that 20 square feet, you are still in the driver’s seat and we are here to lift you up. Through our use of formative assessments, strategies for instruction, intervention and extension, knowledge of content standards, experience with state assessments, and collaboration with our TBTs and BLTs, we will determine the outcomes for our students. Our above the line responses to events such as less than desirable state assessments results, online testing, etc, do have the largest impact on what happens in classrooms, buildings, and across the district. This impact is even bigger than our students home environment and socioeconomic status. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we move through the school year, we will begin with a deep dive into our district, building, and student data. It won’t take long to see that our data includes strengths, patterns and trends, and most importantly opportunities for adult action. Remember that “great moments are born from great opportunity”. All these events and ultimately our responses are crucial to where we must end up at the end of the 2016.17 school year......higher student growth and achievement outcomes. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To define this year and our conscious efforts to manage our responses, the hashtag #LeadLikeaLifeguard seems most appropriate. Dr. Reeves, a leading researcher and author, challenges educators to think about themselves as lifeguards. Lifeguards have just a handful of priorities that they must remain focused on. Like lifeguards, we are faced with many distractions and much is at stake if we don’t keep focused on those priorities. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All of us</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> must commit to leading like a lifeguard in our classrooms, departments, and buildings. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LgxasrauNIMhdCEAEKFAFUNGJkvc-ucFK5B9yVze8yW9Iu1yma0qKdW7EQH1iv5M9lGCoBepbeIxqO-DTyaMvLLj9NZQVp2xlaZUVOyhVpqEltFCQVU30TpiLPiMuB9Tku8YFFQ0O4x0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="33" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LgxasrauNIMhdCEAEKFAFUNGJkvc-ucFK5B9yVze8yW9Iu1yma0qKdW7EQH1iv5M9lGCoBepbeIxqO-DTyaMvLLj9NZQVp2xlaZUVOyhVpqEltFCQVU30TpiLPiMuB9Tku8YFFQ0O4x0" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f2e8173f-c198-33a4-7dc3-d52357116f71"><img height="141" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/9-pn22zSzBbt7heERZie9gXiJM7gAESl8nmP0ikzfeV04JHxh7O2nFMRAFUgSgHGqVjyA0WZ97cs4GHY_YnGIDr8DJrfmw2C-R7PHxxCaUfuuXZDwKZH6gD74XwRPHr2uvI1Dy89X7WM" width="200" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 25.76px;">I know the work is hard, the reflection on adult strategies is often emotional, but most importantly, I know your commitment to leading like a lifeguard will be genuine and heartfelt. Thank you for your service to our students and community. I wish all of you a wonderful school year. On behalf of myself, the board of education, and the administrative team, welcome back. </span></span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-49674702404116642812016-08-11T12:27:00.001-07:002016-08-11T12:27:16.869-07:00Is summer over already?<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Welcome back to 2016.17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Mid- August approaches you must be asking yourselves “Is summer over already?”. Though the county fair and a few weeks of summer vacation remain, the start of the 2016.17 school year is just around the corner. Whether you stayed local, traveled, or worked this summer, I hope you as educators have been able to spend quality time with family and friends. I have spent the majority of my weekends and evenings at the ballpark, enjoying great baseball and softball with Alden, Avery and Brennan. Their adventures and antics translate into family memories that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Great times with family and friends will help all of us find purpose as we reflect and plan for the work we will do for students when we return in August. That work is important, challenging, and ever changing!</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-dab3f9f8-7b0c-75ea-b7c4-23a740fbbd1d" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I write this post, schools all across the state and nation pour over student data from last year. Test data is just one piece of information that we use to inform our purpose. Though the data may not be as strong as we are accustomed to, it is crucial to remember that this </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“event”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and our </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">response</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the data will determine our</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> outcomes</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This is called the R Factor: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">E + R = O</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We must take the time and invest the energy to guarantee the outcomes our students and community deserve. After all, our #1 goal is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prioritizing the learning of ALL students</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. As a district, our </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“above the line” responses</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will impact student achievement and growth. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Cabin Condensed'; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As an administrative team and in many buildings, we will be talking about Above the Line by Urban Meyer and discussing its implications for our organization. There will be more entries to follow, that is for sure! Good luck to those opening school and let it be another great year. </span></div>
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Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-10499161028862333312016-02-01T11:08:00.000-08:002016-02-01T11:08:18.721-08:00Halfway Where?<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halfway Where?</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-610cc43d-9e3a-971b-998c-7d45d4cd7fd1" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are so many life experiences to choose from as I look for a personal connection in this edition of my superintendent’s blog. After setting aside my vanity :), I’ve decided to go for it and share with you my 40th birthday as the personal connection to what is going on in our educational lives. At the time that this blog will be published, I will have just celebrated my 40th birthday. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I could look at this moment as a signal that “it’s all downhill from here” or I could look at my 40th birthday as an opportunity. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is the opportunity to think about what is really working in my life and make an effort to continue those practices, Family, Faith, and Friends. It is also the time to think about the things that have happened in those first 40 years that could have gone better and devise a specific plan to remedy those items on the list.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I share with you my personal connection, we are at the halfway point to the 2015-2016 school year. We have just received our 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee Fall administration scores, completed winter benchmarking using NWEA MAP, ended the 2nd quarter, and awarded high school class credit for block classes. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This marks a time when we as educators should look at what we are currently doing to benefit students and maintain the pace to keep those great practices moving forward. But at this halfway point, we also have the opportunity for reflection. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We should be reflecting on the data with the sincere belief that we have the time and the skills to improve upon the results. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We must rely on our teams, colleagues, and support staff to generate ideas, share the workload, and foster the energy needed for the work ahead. I believe we have the good fortune, with half the school year still in front of us, to make an impact on the academic achievement and growth of students. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s sometimes hard to seize this moment, as we tend to get stuck on the things that aren’t working. It is hard to believe in ourselves and know that significant growth can still take place. But think back, we have been here before and we have done TREMENDOUS things. As educators we have to extend ourselves some grace, erase the missteps, and believe that what we do from here on out CAN and WILL make a difference like it has in the recent past. Our team of staff, parents, and students can accomplish amazing things.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take what you currently know about your students in stride, adjust your adult practices intentionally, and make the impact our students and community deserve. I believe in our students and I believe in all of you!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent of Schools</span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-66148838748838170012015-10-22T08:22:00.003-07:002015-10-22T08:22:35.514-07:00The Power of the Hashtag<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">To open the 2015-2016 school year, I unveiled a hashtag for the purpose of documenting our district’s never ending adventure race. This inspiration came from the work of Robyn Benincasa, and her presentation to school leaders at a Battelle for Kids event. </span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #663399; font-family: Arial; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#Ordinary</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #663399; font-family: Arial; font-size: 40px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Extraordinary</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Embedded in this hashtag is the belief that success comes from groups of ordinary people (teachers, students, bus drivers, secretaries, custodians, parents, food service, building aides, maintenance, and administrators) coming together to do extraordinary things. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-ce994586-9022-928c-a714-5b484316e7f1" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Those who spend enough time with me know that “I love it when a plan comes together”. Yes, I did grow up wanting to be the newest member of the A-TEAM led by Hannibal Smith. But I digress, what I am trying to illustrate is how representative the hashtag has been since the halls filled with staff and students in late August. Here are just a few ordinary yet extraordinary examples: </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The elementary, in conjunction with the PTO, hosted a Donuts with Dad and Muffins with Mom event. During these two events, we welcomed over 700 people into the building to enjoy special time with those we cherish the most, the students! The gathering of dads, uncles, moms, aunts, grandparents, and siblings was an extraordinary display of school spirit and support. #OrdinaryisExtraordinary</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The district recently suffered the loss of a student. The outpouring of support for the family and the community was reassuring during a difficult time. One ordinary team in particular exemplified what extraordinary acts can do for others. One by one, the High School football team paid their respects to the family and then gathered together outside the funeral home. The team prayed together before heading their separate ways. In this moment, a bunch of ordinary HS students came together with their coaches to show strength and compassion to another in need. #OrdinaryisExtraordinary</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The district was honored to have Dr. Doug Reeves with us at the beginning of October. During his time in the district, Dr. Reeves commented several times on how refreshing it was to be around educators that genuinely liked each other and liked what they did. His research supports that strong teams, groups of ordinary people, coming together for the purposes of student learning, will have a positive impact on achievement and growth. His observations only solidify that we have the team composition for what #OrdinaryisExtraordinary embraces. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Mechanicsburg HS Boys Golf Team made it to the state playoffs for the first time since 1991. In order to make it there as a team, the number 3 -5 golfers had to post some of their personal best scores. These boys, freshman up through seniors, had to come together as individual golfers to tackle one of the most difficult courses in Ohio. As a collection of ordinary HS golfers, these young men did an extraordinary thing and made an appearance at the state tournament when few believed it was possible. #OrdinaryisExtraordinary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools has created a compass that will no doubt lead to another successful adventure race. We are a group of ordinary teachers, leaders, parents, students, and community members that are gathering together to do extraordinary things in the service of student </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">learning. I love it when a plan comes together!</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<img height="256px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/HrRdAeS-zK38THLksTxS8MLuDcko--Ti9qAbXARpSDvMVfVKpXZIA010S7ox9plqUPawQpUyHGF7WZyXV-B9Zrodti4CrI7NYbO_quz6U5Jyq3KatTS1DonKDYllhjrzc02lz9Hc" style="border: none; line-height: 22.08px; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="343px;" /></div>
<br />Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-9929357697836072612015-06-01T03:57:00.003-07:002015-06-01T03:57:21.420-07:00Time flies when you are having fun!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is has been some time since I have sat down to craft a superintendent’s blog. Not sure what has transpired between then and now, but I can tell you I have enjoyed every second of it. I find it hard to believe that yesterday marked the first graduating class of my superintendency. It seems like just last week I was stressing over my opening day remarks. Fast forward 38 weeks, we are at the end of very successful school year. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what are some of the markers of success that we have seen this year? Though we don’t have test scores in hand to judge the achievement and growth of our students, our hallways were filled with successes each and every day this year. From artwork to student papers, data charts, trophies and awards, newspaper articles, and class constitutions, we can easily see the learning taking place within our walls. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our Vocational Agriculture “Department” opened a green house, repaired community tractors and other equipment, and saw many successes at the state level. The Art Department hosted several community events, showcasing and selling framed works of art along with earning several awards at the OHC Fine Arts Festival. Our newest addition to the course catalog, Zulama, has been a hit with students, and numbers indicate it is continuing to grow next year. Our math classrooms explored deep learning through questioning and used TenMarks to prepare students for new online assessments. “Google is a Go” in the district, with the Middle School Staff and Mr. Griffith leading the charge. We have set ourselves apart from those around us with the infusion of technology in our classrooms. Students read and wrote at a higher rate, with many of our grade levels writing research papers to end the school year. 4th grade students used the pen to gather a host of Ohio made products for another successful wax museum. 5th grade students spent the last day of school playing board games they designed around their most recent book studies. And in the interest of my every long to do list, these are just the tip of iceberg when it comes to the learning I have witnessed this year. Learning is Fun around here no doubt!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to the successes of the 2014-15 school year, teams are already planning for additional fun in learning next year. Our High School is embarking on a building wide book study, including all students and teaching staff. What a great way to learn alongside each other! Teachers have donated their summer hours to additional professional development in differentiation, Orton-Gillingham, technology, and gifted education to name just a few. Already off to a great start for 2015-16 and it is only June 1!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I could not have asked for a more successful 1st year. I feel very fortunate to have learned along a phenomenal administrative team and to have had the support of a tremendous board of education and staff. Parents and the surrounding community have added to the quality of the school year and I only see that relationship growing in years to come. Time to close the books on 2014-15 and gear up for the fun that awaits in 2015-16. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent</span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-33166698798993830702015-03-19T08:20:00.004-07:002015-03-19T08:20:44.222-07:00Still Feeling Like a Newbie!?!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most new teacher training programs include a discussion around the phases of first year teaching. Though this is a crucial conversation in the development and support of new teachers, it is applicable no matter how long you have been an educator. Why am I making this connection? If you are in education or follow educational changes through various media outlets, it is apparent that education is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not stagnant</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Education policy, instructional programs, technology innovation, content, and clientele are changing at a rapid rate. If you are doing the right work as an educator, you should ALWAYS feel like a new teacher. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-9b5f5ff6-329e-a52f-b275-69f1599ca6d1" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The phases of teaching include anticipation, survival, rejuvenation, and reflection before repeating the phases again and again each year. At this point in the year (March) we are leaving disillusionment and embarking on the rejuvenation phase of the school year. It is important as lead learners in the district (administrators and principals) to take note of these phases and</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> support the staff</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> accordingly. </span></div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xF7tsAEFqEacUN50OH62xyjgjcEZibdh6h0iGVV_HBKOsJjfDXziGC7rWMQZqbwYVSQjneVnru_YTUcNh0idy3kgo5g5bB2ix2vUZbV9NpU5fyhEOvOl0OBm26uDDKLe7ZfERi0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xF7tsAEFqEacUN50OH62xyjgjcEZibdh6h0iGVV_HBKOsJjfDXziGC7rWMQZqbwYVSQjneVnru_YTUcNh0idy3kgo5g5bB2ix2vUZbV9NpU5fyhEOvOl0OBm26uDDKLe7ZfERi0" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="220px;" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What exactly do we mean when we say “disillusionment”? Disillusionment occurs when the high expectations educators set for themselves this time of year are not fully met. It occurs when student progress stalls or takes less than a straight path to success. Disillusionment happens when the best planned instructional lessons don’t execute as hoped. The work asked of educators is robust and as the novelty of the year wears off, principals may see more referrals to the office, increased absences, disorganization, missed timelines, and lack of engagement just to name a few. As a superintendent or central office administrator, we see priority lists getting longer rather than shorter, communication breakdowns hamper progress, increased concerns elevate from the building level, missed opportunities to build relationships, and wavering in the implementation of monitoring of initiatives. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These examples are just that, examples that can be applied to any district and building across the nation this time of year. What will end up defining districts will be the individual responses of the lead learners in those institutions. How we do this will define our school year, our building and our classrooms. Our approaches can speed up or slow down the progression towards the last two phases. This is not the time to place blame, show frustration, or run and hide. This is the time for us as leaders to stand tall, continue to offer support, foster the engagement, seek out and rely on our trusted colleagues, and walk together toward the times of rejuvenation and reflection. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As an Ohio educator you have weathered the storm of a brutal winter, administered Next Generation Assessments for the first time, taught under new learning standards, worked with parents to understand the changes in Ohio’s education system, and supported students instructionally and socially. Be proud of where you are at this point in time, embrace the rejuvenation that accompanies spring weather and build on the excitement that accompanies the anticipation of planning for another successful year of school. Together we can accomplish so much for the students and community we serve!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yours in Education,</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Superintendent</span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-5172216928857566532015-02-18T06:59:00.000-08:002015-02-18T06:59:52.260-08:00Mechanicsburg Launches Online Testing<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Ohio begins their new state assessments this week, there are many things that we are anticipating to learn as educators. Up to this point, we have made many assumptions as to what it will be like for our students to test online. Intentionally, we have placed each testing unit on it’s own day to be sure we are not asking too much of students. We have tried our best to test in the morning, to assign students to devices they have used all year, and to keep classroom locations stable. We have taken the 20 day testing window and spread the units for all grades across that time frame. From the outside looking in, 20 days seems like a long span to complete testing. Unfortunately, multiple classes and units at each grade level have made this venture more difficult than anticipated. After the first administration cycle is over, we will refine our schedules as needed to protect the conditions that will best help students show what they know. However, we must first administer the assessments in order to make educated adjustments. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-da793c26-9d2c-2ebf-d8ab-c8feee0cbf61" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is important to remember that the new state assessments our children are about to take are not common core. With the controversy surrounding the common core standards, the distinction that online assessments are just a measure of the curriculum is important to make clear. Just because online assessments measure Ohio’s new learning standards, the assumption shouldn’t be made that online assessment practices are faulty (that is assuming you as a reader have concerns regarding common core). Over the last several years, students and teachers have had more experience with online tools in the classroom and in everyday life, so the transition to online assessments is not out of line regardless of the content being measured. We began online testing in Mechanicsburg 5 years ago, administering online ACT end of course assessments at the high school in English, Mathematics, and Science. These online assessments are now second nature for our HS students, who adjusted to online assessments much quicker than we did as the adults monitoring the assessment periods. They are also second nature for our teachers who would hate to give them up now.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there are/were flaws in the “old” testing system as well. Only now that “new” assessments are upon us, does the “old” Ohio Achievement Assessment (OAA) system seem more suited for education. The OAAs were a one time snapshot of what students have learned over an entire year. Each assessment was 2.5 hours long, rather than broken down into units of shorter length. Assessments data was not available to districts until well into summer, also not optimal for planning for the next school year . Not to mention that at some grade levels, students were proficient when earning only 40-50% of the total raw points on the assessment. That is not anywhere close to the standard we set for everyday mastering of the curriculum in our classrooms. It is often hard to look back to where we have been, but over time, we adjusted, accommodated, and used the state data system as one measure of what we do for students. We are more than qualified to use the same process again at this point time. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All that being said, are there potential flaws in the timing or transition to common core, online assessments, and teacher/principal evaluation based on student data? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes there are flaws.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As mentioned earlier, the scheduling of multiple units across districts in a 20 day timeframe is more daunting than anticipated. Linking teacher evaluation to new assessments/platforms, is not something we support at the district level. We </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WANT</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> our teachers to step outside the box and take risks in learning. We </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">KNOW</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that often times the failures teach us more in the long run. However, I understand the anxiety that accompanies these “high stakes” tests. With that being said, the Ohio General Assembly passed House Bill 487 in the spring of 2014 that provides for a one year “safe harbor” for districts and teachers as Ohio transitions to new tests for the 2014-2015 school year. This “safe harbor” will hopefully set some minds at ease as testing launches. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is other pending legislation that may reduce the amount of new assessments presented to our students, which may be contrary to our daily work depending on the final bill language. Our instruction each day is preparing students for assessments, as our instruction is aligned to the content standards measured on state assessments. Many districts, Mechanicsburg leading the way, have local practices in place to assess student learning on a regular basis in order to adjust instruction accordingly. Why would the state want to limit our local district time engaging in practices that have moved the district from continuous improvement to high performing? State assessments are just one lens of data that we consider when planning, adjusting, and delivering instruction to students. Issues with the state testing system should tie our hands at the local level.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we approach our first day of online testing, here are some things to remember:</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Each day students participate in aligned instruction, we are preparing them to be successful during online testing.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teachers have taken risks and taught outside of their comfort level in transition to the new learning standards. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our excitement and comfort working in the new assessment system will transfer and support student learning.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are all in this together and just like the old proficiency and achievement systems, it will get “easier” over time.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We get to choose how we respond to changes at the state level and how we advocate for our district. While we wait to see how things shake out in legislation, we have chosen to practice, study, collaborate, and explore online assessment practices and aligned instruction. Those choices are the ones to remember during testing as they do serve students well. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are the “Best Small School in Ohio” for several reasons, believe in it!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska, Superintendent</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools</span>Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-77669182062800249772015-01-05T12:03:00.002-08:002015-01-05T12:06:12.130-08:00It is just winter time in Ohio!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-66e9d4e7-bbb0-42df-7058-e9e9e95f9b9f" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the news of upcoming snow and cold temperatures, it is time to brace ourselves for another winter season in Ohio. I have written previously about transparency in my thinking. Winter decision making is just another area for transparency with students, families, staff and the Mechanicsburg community. Student safety is ALWAYS our priority when making decisions about winter weather. Staff safety, building operations, and proper functioning of equipment (i.e buses and heating) are also critical factors to consider when considering a delay or cancellation of school or a school sponsored event. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg collaborates with transportation, maintenance, and area school districts when considering a delay or cancellation. We are very fortunate in Mechanicsburg to have close working relationships with Transportation Directors and other Administrators from Champaign, Clark, Union, and Madison Counties. These relationships allow us to reach out and discuss conditions in surrounding areas that may impact our ability to safely transport students to school. The more information we have, the more confident we can be in our decisions, especially when they involve the safety of students. The roads are assessed daily when bad weather threatens. A delay or cancellation should be called before the first bus route departs for the high school, but as conditions change, that timing is not set in stone. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Snowy, icy, and drifting road conditions are one thing, but delays for temperature are more subjective. The district considers actual temperature, wind speed, and total time outside in determining delays and closures. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Because of the number of student riders and those transported by parents, we are fortunate that the majority of our kids do not walk to school. With that being said, we will be working with community and school organizations to provide extra hats and gloves for students that are without the proper winter gear throughout the season. Our buses wait a little longer for students at each stop during extremely cold weather. Students that arrive to school early are brought into the building to ensure their safety. For these reasons, we think it is better to continue instruction for students and provide a warm, safe environment including breakfast and lunch for our students whenever possible. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I appreciate the care and concern that both our staff and community take in an effort to put student safety first. Wishing you all a memorable winter. Dress warm, be safe, and enjoy the spectacular views that accompany the winter season!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Superintendent of Schools</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools</span></div>
<br />Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-6644996820418121042014-12-17T06:27:00.002-08:002014-12-17T06:31:50.366-08:00Grappling with Changes in Education<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Happy Monkey'; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grappling with the Changes in Education</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-b1d8260d-58a5-5a94-3f07-0c09641ffcd3" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has been quite some time since I have taken to blogging about education. I remember thinking and saying that I would have more time after the November 4, 2014 levy campaign ended, but here it is December 16th and I am just now getting random thoughts onto “paper”. For those of you in the moment with me, you can identify with the speed at which time has passed. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is centered around grapplers - otherwise known as wrestlers. I have recently been introduced to wrestling with my youngest child. He is the one I referred to in an earlier blog as a mix of Pig-Pen and Denise the Menace. Brennan has been “grappling” for just a few weeks now. He is learning a progression of moves, starting with neutral position and building to several other moves of which I don’t know the technical name. So why does my son’s grappling really matter? There are several connections to education that I want to share.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In his quest to become a grappler, Brennan has been scaffolded in the learning process. He did not go to practice on the first day and get tossed to the ground, face shoved to the mat by a fellow wrestler. He is being taught step by step how to approach wrestling, learning one small move at time. Boy did it seem like an eternity to get him to understand that grapplers don’t stand tall, they have to get low! From there they worked on making a move and wrapping low around the opponent's legs. It goes on and on until last night when they finally sequenced a series of smaller moves introduced over time. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Ohio’s new learning standards face off with our students in the circle, we as their coaches scaffold their learning as they grapple with the new content, strategies, and methods entwined in the new standards. We as educators have to plan for that teaching, plan how we will introduce the hierarchy of content and have a vision for what it looks like as a final product. This takes time and experience, which we will all gain together as the years go on. In the meantime, we have to show ourselves some grace, make decisions based on what we know right now, and be willing to continue to grow our knowledge base as we move forward. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brennan’s experience as a grappler is supported by several knowledgeable wrestling coaches, student models, as well as many helpful parents. Each session, wrestlers watch as moves are demonstrated in the center of the circle by older wrestlers in the Marysville program. They are then asked to practice those moves around the circle under the watchful eyes of the coaches. After several attempts, reteaching, and more modeling, the boys are sent off to grapple with the new move. The coaches, parents, and older wrestlers actively monitor the practice and give individual feedback to boys as needed. At the end of practice, Brennan leaves there knowing exactly what he was suppose to learn that night because he can reproduce the moves when showing and explaining it to his siblings. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I watch practice after practice, it is like I am smack dab in the middle of any classroom in Mechanicsburg. We have worked so hard to master the notion of gradual release in the learning process. Teachers begin each lesson with an “I can statement” to anchor the learning for the day. From there, teachers introduce content, model, practice, reteach, and provide feedback to students. These best practices are evident in the weekly lesson plans we review as an administrative team. Principals are reinforcing these practices during OTES evaluations. It is the expectation not the exception that students leave class being able to explain the daily learning target(s). </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week, Brennan must have been tossed to the ground 20 times. Each time, I winced at his 45 pound little body bouncing off the mat. But on the ride home, we talked about his partner and the mismatch in size (probably a good 15 lbs). Rather than looking at the situation as a no win match, we talked about what he could have done to prolong the eventual toss to the mat. Brennan came up with the solutions, not of all which would be legal I’m sure! Doesn’t matter. He was learning as a result. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With our students facing online testing and new state standards, we must model for them the reflective process. Students need the opportunity to discuss what they are learning about themselves, to problem solve, and to experiment with their strategies for learning. This requires us to intentionally provide them opportunities for testing online and then time afterwards to share what worked, what didn’t, and what can be done differently next time. Online assessments (online anything) are the platform that our students will soon know as customary. We must decide what can we do to make the customary comfortable in the limited time we have with them each day. We have to allow them to grapple with the unknown now, in order to get them to that level of success later.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many of the “moves” in education this school year are new. As educators, teaching teams, and buildings we must commit to “grappling”, scaffolding the learning of these new educational “moves” and gradually releasing teachers and students to learn, problem solve, and reflect. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love to learn from others, so if something strikes a chord with you, please share!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Superintendent of Schools</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg EVSD</span>Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-294087848841960512014-10-30T11:02:00.000-07:002014-10-30T11:02:05.415-07:00Ohio’s New Assessments<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-c71e7e97-6238-20a6-d1f6-a1fdc1c66755" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As you know, Mechanicsburg had a Waiver Day/Professional Development Day on Monday October 27, 2014. During this time, the teachers attended sessions focusing on Ohio’s New Learning Standards in English Language Arts and Math, as well as preparing for Online Assessments in all content areas. It was a jam-packed day of learning. Boy were our brains exhausted! </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With Ohio moving to new learning standards and state assessments this year, teachers spent time understanding the features of online testing, exploring practice questions and watching tutorials to assist in preparing students for new/revised content and online testing. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-right: -27pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parents can access the following sites to explore what online testing includes as well as practice at home. </span></div>
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<a href="http://practice.parcc.testnav.com/#" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://practice.parcc.testnav.com/#</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(English Language Arts)</span></div>
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<a href="http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Science and Social Studies)</span></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There have been many changes in testing for this school year. Instead of taking OAAs this year, students are now taking Ohio’s Next Generation Assessments (except for 3rd grade which will still take a paper pencil reading OAA in the fall). These assessments are all online. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is a list of this year’s Next Generation Assessments</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 3: ELA and Math</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 4: ELA, Math and Social Studies</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 5: ELA, Math and Science</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 6: ELA, Math and Social Studies</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 7: ELA and Math</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 8: ELA, Math and Science (Algebra 1 if enrolled in course at Bunsold)</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 9: If currently enrolled in the following courses - Algebra 1, Geometry, English 9, </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">English 10, Physical Science, American History, U.S. Government</span></div>
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</ul>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">OGTs (Ohio Graduation Tests) not the Next Generation of Assessments are in effect for students in 10th-12th grade unless they are currently taking American History and/or US Government. Those students currently enrolled in American History and/or US Government will take the Next Generation Assessments in those courses this school year. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Next Generation of Assessments consist of two sections taken at different times during the school year. Individual grade levels and buildings will be sharing those exact dates with you as testing times approach. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg is preparing for Ohio’s New Learning Standards and Next Generation Assessments in a variety of ways. This is a learning experience for all of us and a challenge that we are prepared to address. You may see changes in how students take classroom assessments, taking online tests created by the teacher to become more familiar with the skills of online testing. There will be changes in the timing of when content is presented to better match the timelines for each section of the test. Our students are also using devices more frequently in the classroom to increase their comfort and skill level in demonstrating learning via technology. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The more practice your children have in “dragging and dropping” answers using the cursor, typing answers in sentences, scrolling and highlighting words on the screen, and completing online tables, the more comfortable they will be when they take the new state assessments. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please feel free to talk with your classroom teachers, building principals, or myself if you would like to know more about online state testing. Our hope is to keep you informed so that you can talk with your children about online testing and help us in preparing them for testing this year!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Superintendent of Schools</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Raleway; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools</span>Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-19140979190748549952014-10-01T06:40:00.000-07:002014-10-01T07:22:29.455-07:00Do you like Pickles? Get your jars ready!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Supt Blog Vol. 1 No. 4</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-a658506c-cbef-49fe-634e-6d5d8256ed77" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I would suggest taking a few minutes to check out the Empty Pickle Jar video. Whether or not you are an avid follower of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simple Truths</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> messages, this one is worth watching, re-watching, and reflecting on as an mother (parent), spouse, leader, and educator. We recently watched this video as an administrative team. During that activity, the administrative team was asked to write their priorities on a golf ball. What are the major things in your life? Family, Friends, Church, and Community. The BIG things in life! </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From there, we talked about the pebbles in the jar. The pebbles are the things that matter to us at our place of work - the students, the instruction, the programs, the families, and the community we serve. The pebbles fill in around the golf balls and help us feel whole, give us a focus for our work, and provide us with feedback on our worth as educators. With golf ball and pebbles in place, one may say the jar is full. But as the video goes on, we see that there is always room for sand.....pesky sand. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sand is what bogs us down, gets in the cracks, and even fills up the jar leaving less room for pebbles and golf balls. Sand represents the trivial things that won’t help us shine the pebbles or drive the golf balls in our lives. As the video shows, if begin with sand in our jar, we won’t be able to add the golf balls and pebbles later. You have to START with the golf balls. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We cannot be lead learners, coaches, spouses, parents, friends, mentors, and team members if we don’t know what our golf balls and pebbles symbolize. We have to embrace the big things, the critical elements of focus, address the sand that fills in the cracks, and then brush away the excess sand that may bog us down. As administrative team members, we must help each other when we focus more on the sand and less on the pebbles. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is a challenge to let go of sand even as it slips through our hands because little grains are ALWAYS left behind. However, our strength and impact comes when we stand up at the tee and drive the golf ball down the fairway.....Or if you play more like me, when we take the time to find it in the trees and toss it back into the fairway.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-60998337001804753892014-08-28T05:52:00.001-07:002014-08-28T05:52:53.852-07:00Do you have your clean slate?<br />
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<a 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548ULRlh5ouDa3DQt6Va1GJplXLFNOn6tFZWPVy0y2eOC3aPmdzNRFJDNAHtafzSHSgUwG/IYYVUyx6LnsokZBo2VsL43B73zQulcaUb/q0DAL2Azr6bMmtDGUvua2uV5wFeyqi223xc2/4SPzXfnjcetFZ6TH+y570Pqna7VHzlnhMjAbtQ+NuIANKOeDtC97V7U3SNmtMUzrG9zWOqQJYanAjCsnWt35FT/h7vnnfRYt8kkDRVxAA2k0A700pi6WlqRadqC0jqFpGSaWQWRwD5HvAMsNRfcXUPwnWp1p1T0g6wR2TyJ95kxlLudgukEPFB8JWvSV0fhCL9LH67fFCn0vCzF0rKZVDgceuhw7Tgmmn1cf7LlzSdhfBI+KVtyRho5tQbppXNpIPcoDytn5Qpw/SNpc01aZMCNvRaFq7s1Dm1qZgGTNRbTkVLlUO05I3x+USqxIlVnUkWZTmqDZV6AaqubL5FjKlty48VFjClHqRyXFidxwUR0lOPtQmZceCStaqWExuV16p6lQvslle8Xr4bK9wqHUcwFsY2XbxqT1LOWuIixw3RSNswvBowHQcG1pkMx3hS+R/TLZrE2En4SDoluHmkktcBnShpXe0rdrZZWSsdHI1r2OFHNcKgjrCl6tcdbYtV9w5hs9oLHNe3BzXBwO4tNQc96vMcpuj/ANK/+E/wXhawckkbquscpjP6OXpM7n+c3vvKutNav2mxm7aInMGQf5zH9jxhXbTPqUOOPl6beo4e3yj6dhtdpbLZ3Es5lrSS0t6Qc80oaHIjFXVoL8mg+aZ9ELmkD0cdS6W0H+TQfNM+iFLTorTe97T70rzluOFk7ZfdGqtJ44KtHlvOFlzzl90eWCq7rPHsRy9Z/NP+9MvenjrTmuw48UMGvH2KToqASzRxuNGue1pO4E4nLcSjl7d8L91EsHMWCBpFHFnOO7ZOlj2Vp3JZNNU0k2y1wNndJ+9fAA9VrivdaKAAYBUtbNO01iElei2ZsHYC3mj3XnOKPdvb4q1iP2IWfrto3ymw2iICpMZc0fts6Tf5mhczSmvH2rrRcu606N8ntdohpQRyODR+wTeZs+KWqJZdXXxZ4zm4HsXWWjfxUfyG+4Lk6Y4Gi6x0b+Jj+Q33BIT0ntVXLyenY+yb3xKrAOOCrT5eD8JYuyb3xKrieOAjl6r+SV48i35A759/0WL1+Usf4Zafkj6bV5HIr+QO+ff9Fi2zWPRPldmks5eWc4ALwFSKEHLbkpd+OJnDER+OXi0cfemltFcTuRpn62/+EP6kx/Iyw/7t/wDBH9ShxR02X8U2404+1AJUi1suvc2tbri2u+hIqozlCKwDIotoOBUp6i2jJHTTyhpUixWdKTZipoeTmoFnU1qq58kcpMRUyIAqBC7jgKVe7OO5HJkgcCm1JtQnHdx7EnOUx6uNiKdsvW0XpKWzStmgeWPbgCNo3EZEYZFWroLldjNG22N0btskQLmHrLPOb3XkWDkisrmNPP2jEA4c3tHyFo3KTqjFo18AifJIJQ8nnLpoWFlKXWj4ylvWmbDG/S9dE6YgtTb9nlZINt04j5Tc294Um02dkjSyRrXscKOa4VBG4g5rmDRulJLO5ssLix7Mi3DbiDhi07RkumtF2vnoYpaU5yNr6br7Qae1S6sGf5YmJjlR3KLqw2wTDm68zKC5laksLaXmVJxpUEdR20JV2aB/JoPmo/ohaNy4uAskJIFedpUitAWOrT0BbzoH8mg+aj+gEUw44plvEeOFc8uhwsnbL/61VgfUceKtHl482ydsvujVUx7ANvZ4KHH1cf8AJP8AvRb54+9TdEuIfeGBbiNlDlv7V5rjifs8FbfJRq8yWxTPeAedlaCMDejiIN3HK84uB6gEUxYpvbUN71e0zz1kE72PjutN4OrjdGLml3nAjGq5xmfM+R0pa8SOcZKhrsHE3q9xXU0MQa0NaA1rQAABQADIAbk9NPTyYe+I3PhH0dahLFHIMnsa8djgD9apPlv0fzdtjmA6M0Yr1viN01/dMavRV1y5aM5ywNmAxgkBPyJOgR6xYe5JWzV7qTChpnYEdS610b+Jj+Q33BcjPOfZxsXXOjfxMfyG+4JDLpo1tVHL2fhLF8mb3wqqwrU5fPPsfyZvfEqoDuOAoc3U/wAkr45E/wDL3fPv+ixbjpvSjLLA+eQOLGCpuirsSBgCRvWmciP+Xu+ff9Fi9nlNP+GWr5LfptVnbjnWKJ/p4/8Ae7Yfi2j+G3+tIeV+wfFtH8Nv9aoonjgIQNOPsUbcsdTkO0hKHSPeMnOc4VzoSTj1qKHIkorlx7EKmChSAnBRrRkVIco1oyRvTyiJUixWdQ1nKltKhwKUqywv5HaVIiOKitRKowtG0kyEYDFZI73dajRuTg9FOzTqPUDTAtdggkBq4MEcnVJGA11RsrSo6iEDX7VBukoWtD+bljJdG8iox85rhXI0HYQM8jQ+qOuE+jpC6EhzHefG/wAx9NuHmu/aHfXJWlo7lpsjgOehnidtu3ZGA9TrwcfVU7ddclb11Z4ujOR20F7RaJoWxg9Iwl73uG4XmtDe3Gm4q5YIgxrWtFGtAaANgAoB6FoM3LBYAKgTuO4RgH+ZwC1HWLlkmkaWWWIQVwMjnCR9P2BQNaes1QrOLH/1SOW/TIkmiszDXmgXSUyvvpdb2hoJ/fCtbQLv/Fgz/FRj+Rq5hkkvhznEucakuJqSTjVxzJJ2q19Hcr8EUMbDZ5SWMaw0czEtaBhUoxw5om9rW4brrfqfDpERiV8jObLiOaLRW9StbzT8ULWoOSKy4/DWmmQ6UePdcUV3LVZx/tpvWZ4pRy02f9Wm9Znim4a2+G3M6LpHkjskcMjxNaSWMc4VcylWgkV6GS2jULRTrLZ44XZtja5wq43XPqSG1NKXq7Nq1SXllszgWmzTEOBBF5mIOe1Oby02c/7ab1meKcETirO4SuWjT0tmhgZBK+KSR7nXo3FrrsbaEVGwl7fQqkOt9vphbLT/ABX+K9DlC1vbpG0RyNY6OONly68gm8XEuOGFKXR3LUSFDHJeZvOp4XhyJawy2htpitEr5Xscx7TI4uN1wLSATsBaPWW/ay6N8psk8H6SNzR1OIN09zqHuXOnJ3rWNG2p0rmOkY+MxlrCAaktIOO677VZB5brP+qzeszxU7dFLx26tKjnk0Nag0yIpRde6N/Ex/Ib7guT9O2hk080kTSxkkj3ta6hLA8k3cMMKq3IOWiJrGNbZpataGmrm40ABIIP1KIUxWrXe5D5fT07F8mb3wqqAeMVsuvWth0jKx90sbGHXWuINL1KkUyrdbhUrWaI5c1oteZhe/ImT+D3fPv+jGtx09oltrs8lnkc5rZAASwgOFCDhUEbNypTk+5Q2aOhfDJE6RpffbcLRQkAOrU45BbSOWyz/q03rM8VO3ZjyU7IiZSjyNWP9PavWj/60h5GLH+ntXrR/wDWo399dn/VpvWZ4pDy22f9Wm9ZninBEYf6Vlr5oNlgtr7PE57mNawgyEFxvNBNS0Aexa84r3NetPtt9sfaGMcxrmsAa4gkXWgY0wWvuKhz2iO7gJxUa0HBHk6lFmyRtSAFiRYrOgWEqWXVUKJSGlQyvHKQxyfI9BbtWVUMtcitKxryChApzQiJhLqnVwQQlqjKYHealYAhR7UVlCisxoSN9PQitdXs9yEG7/qSNNOAjOY2W0dSR4LaZ7PFOZx1IdoOJ2+hEx+G3sUQHKii7U+/TgI0mpS6hWPwKb1hLNsRPsJ2GKc04hNfTBOjxRafAjWkkokYSNFE5nGSMpkRgSOKde4wQn8ZIpHkwrGrAeMElUaFKFeSkobii0QwuSSFMqseUaaMco8+SI4oEpwRtWOQViRKrNjoyjgqOxGBUKWgau1OzQmuTqqGcwK0J5QmOTryKTA1U5CvJ7XIpMCtPanxuOz60NhSByKTCczpZZpGmo+9RmS0xGYRGzDajKaSLGC0obsqJzZRjx9aE404+1ExHJpFKJXNTa1RBlx4ouEa070rsQUgKxhx7USY4YIkDVjUrHUQmeBnpHOQy5YXIpoQkpNyYHLCUNHJhKbfSOci0Qa5yY8ppcmucjWKsJTC5KSmEovEEJQJURzkGQqWtYDWJFilq9LS8LY5XNaaijTkW0JaC4UI2OqO5R48SA0VJyAxJ7AF1dZyxuTWg9TR9Sl2edrccKnMgAV9GzFRKtacREuUp9FzxgGSCZgOALontB7CW4oM1lkZ57HsyIvNLa1rTMbaO9B3LrsWxu8LR9buT2zW55l52SOQ7GuaGHIVNWOOQ9gGxETSfTnpzC3AggjAg4EHcRsKUuG0q1ouRg3+la4+brkGG/TdePRBG+ndsW56P1Ijs0dyzPhZ0rx52N04e265pbKRIznAa1oRdHxa4orNJc8CUbx6U5j11FpSwOnhMT3wAObQlkL2nKhLaS1btyNQtOm5I7NIOnaZL9AL7RjUbTfc6uFB2DfioROKVKROrhtSFy6V0NqtBZoeZiEQY4OZKebN+Rjr1WF7pC670siTtpRD/sdYRQNs8ZbUmge5gbljQE1dnj1orOGXOLQcTQkDAmhoOoqRFZ3uwDHHsaT9S6OZqfYB5sN3b0ZZB7A6lN4pikdqhYi4uLCTWvSe54B3ta8lraVwoMEVnBZz1DYZSSBFIaDGkbjQCmJoMApJ0FajlZbSeyCT+ldGaP0PZoB8GxtTmTQkipNMes8UC9GORowqKUpu4CFem/XMrNVbcQHCx2qn/Hkr6LtadalWXU+3vwbY7QPlxuZ7XgBdJ8+3f7UonG/2qVp6aJ9udP7utJDHyV2eV9le/pYJ0PJxpNxoLK4dbnsaPa5dFG0DekE7RgKIn61f1QDuSvSWfNx76c6K9imWbkft7sXOs8fbI5x/lYVegtA3pOfbvCLfXqoW28lNvjD3O5ktaCatkcagbhcqtKtFmLAbx20FBnvzoRTDZtXVk72va5pODgWnsIotKOoFnMrXl5o3o3RcyFKEm50nVbn+0UY3wTEx2+FK6J1etNpFYY7zTWhc9kYdTO7fcL1NpGSmu1HtwaH8yC0kAXZGPPSywYSV0HovR0NnFI6ZUJoKnLaMsvanSaNsziCYoiRvaN9d29Ex09tOddKamWyztc6aK41rQ68XdEgmnROROVR1hD1X1StWkHPbZ2tNwAuL3XQA4kAVpngfQuibboWySscx8MRa7MBobXtLaEoWidX7HZg4RQQtvgB3QqXAVoDWuGKLRgnfPhSM/JPpQEgQMdSmLZo6OrtbeIOHWB3oM3JXpFrS4xt+S1xc4nHDBtBlmSBiMcV0RGY20utYKCgo0CgGwUyHUi+VDejT4XNTuTu1gMLhdvEijmSVq00OAaTSu00R9C8mFrtLqNoxuZe9hawY0oQ6jq0xwBqujfKm7wmm0jehGKd+VT6H5FzHXnp43VDh0G1zyxe00PWMl6bOSeJpJE8gOxzSGuGBwrdOFaHLtqrCdaRvQpLQEX+OrTDycRbLRP6Yx/6li23nkqlHZDxQU8FIsRc8FOBSrEDgU4FYsQOCcCsWIFBSgrFiByULFiDKparFiDKparFiDKrFixBiyqxYgyqwlYsQJVJVYsQYkWLECEpKrFiBKpCVixAhKRYsQIsWLEH/2Q==" style="height: 185px; margin-top: 0px; width: 247px;" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was my pleasure to open the 2014-2015 school year on August 18th. We celebrated many things including 10 new staff members, 9 internal shifts, positive preliminary district data, and revamped district initiatives. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My welcome back message centered around the theme - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>clean slate</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This is not the traditional clean slate - erase the old and start fresh. Its the type of clean slate that lets us ride the tide of change and reinvent ourselves, building upon the things that work while starting fresh in areas that need refinement. This reinvention allows the border or frame of the slate to embody our great skills, work, and talents, while the center of the slate is our new opportunity for growth and professional risk. This is what we do as educators, continually reflect on how to make the good even better. Working tirelessly to leave our mark on the hearts and minds of our students, families, and community. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm energized with the opportunity a clean slate presents. I control what is written on my slate as the Superintendent of Mechanicsburg Schools. My actions, my communication, my leadership, and my commitment to students will dictate the words and images that will symbolize who I am as an educator in Mechanicsburg. When I reflect back on this year, I want those words to characterize Mechanicsburg’s #1 priority - Achievement of all students as well as the district’s other goals. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jim Mahoney, Executive Director of Battelle for Kids, recently wrote about “August and September as the season of hope”. You can find his blog </span><a href="http://blog.battelleforkids.org/blog/2014/8/18/the-season-of-hope.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This blog reinforces our notion of the clean slate, rewinding the clock to continue what works, all the while adding in the new things that will move the hands of time. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As educators and leaders, we should challenge ourselves and our staff to find our voice, craft our message, and continue to impact students positively each and every day. We should also model for others the true spirit of a clean slate. The events of previous school years, the disagreements, the miscommunications </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are in the past!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> If we commit to a clean slate, we have to commit to leaving those things behind in the chalk dust. If we carry them forward, we only limit the fresh space we have to reinvent ourselves and craft our new message. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take the challenge. Don’t limit your potential! Rewind only to pull forward what will have a positive impact on what you do!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely, </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Superintendent</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools</span><br />
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Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-52291975479412353382014-08-22T07:31:00.004-07:002014-08-22T07:31:52.243-07:00Required District Posting - Please Read<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Federal Court Instructs Ohio Districts to Post Information for Parents </strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Concerning Data Release</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A U.S. District Court has ordered that 2013-2014 school year records from the Ohio Department of Education’s Educational Management Information System be turned over to Disability Rights Ohio as part of an ongoing lawsuit.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, families of students whose data will be released must be notified and given the opportunity to object. The court is instructing all local education agencies to post notice about this opportunity to object on their district websites and in a central location, accessible to the public, in each building that is open to the public.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>A copy of the notice – which includes instructions on how parents may object to the data release – can be found </strong><a href="http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Parents/Parents-News/Notice-to-Parents-from-Federal-Court-about-the-Rel/274-2_notice.pdf.aspx" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>. The court must receive objections no later than <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1076187689" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sept. 12</span></span>.</strong></span></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Students’ names, addresses and social security numbers are</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><u style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">not</u><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">part of the information to be released. Ohio is one of only three states that do not allow their departments of education to collect this data, to protect student privacy.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Data to be released for each student include student ID number, school name, grade, gender, race, age and disability category. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The records also reveal student performance on the state’s Ohio Achievement Assessments and Ohio Graduation Tests, as well as tests related to Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Student suspensions and expulsions also are listed.</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The data is subject to a protective order, which means Disability Rights Ohio cannot publicize it. </b></span></span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-15658833161838322302014-08-12T11:39:00.000-07:002014-08-12T11:39:07.289-07:00Making Personal Connections<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has been 8 days since I became the superintendent of “The Best Small School in Ohio”. I have learned so much each day. Some of those things have NOTHING to do with education but have EVERYTHING to do with supporting the district in fulfilling our educational vision. Each day I have made a personal connection with someone on staff or in the community. Asking about their new baby, checking in on the aging parent, visiting the fair, wondering about summer vacations or sharing stories about my own family adventures.....believe me with 3 children we have many especially since our youngest is a mix of Pig-Pen and Denise the Menace :) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="297px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/754unHqBR8RpYHCfBhOMfI7hTFX9VJVeouosoRS2SAYY2vOJWGi4gSLWV2mzHoUWMr51mfDEwiIpEVqlEgQVU0h8sh4p3pd3nah6Uisz62RwMfEzqApAc5B1i50hx6f_Fg" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="275px;" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="297px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/V44DjTBJu7hBq4NCLPRAWXGTNd1MwCLO4CgZ9s2YczlT4rdsekeQCnq0P7emjGP-EFEd94M3u32loTw4iRyKtk6Ow1YWNIc2uUFBZAfoB4c8lkk4hNCOj3zBcEuzS9Lmkg" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="297px;" /></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-25be34ff-cb7c-e01d-953a-bec431cddf28" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have met with the Mechanicsburg Public Library, Bicentennial Committee for the Village, and new teachers to the district as well as every supervisor, director, or administrator in the district. Busy but important work!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is not something that I am trying to do but something I want to do. I am many things in addition to the district’s superintendent. I am a mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, runner, gardener, and shoe lover. When we can connect with each other, share a piece of our lives outside of the job, we are more likely to build the trust needed to do the important work ahead of us inside our profession. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“When you care about others, you are CONNECTED, which builds trust.” -Ken Blanchard </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I look forward to the connections that I will make as the superintendent of schools in Mechanicsburg. I challenge the administrative team, teachers, and support staff to go out on a limb and do the same. The gain is worth the risk we take when we open ourselves up to others. </span></div>
Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-53831484373620258582014-08-03T17:44:00.003-07:002014-08-03T17:44:47.431-07:00Meet the Superintendent<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hello and welcome back to the 2014-2015 school year. This is my first official message as the Superintendent of Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools. For many of you, this introduction is not needed as I have spent the last 7 years navigating teaching and learning alongside a dedicated and talented staff. However, I feel it is important to build trust and understanding during times of change, which will come as we all learn more about each other. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-1fe3d914-9e77-f4ab-3e06-3f86c14d11e6" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My name is Danielle Prohaska and I became the superintendent of schools effective August 1, 2014. On this journey to becoming superintendent of schools, I have had the good fortune to have studied and learned from three different but talented and experienced superintendents along the way. Each leader brought strengths and successes to the district which I will strive to capture as my tenure in the district grows. In addition to working with knowledgeable superintendents, I have grown alongside several administrators who have been instrumental in the success of our district. Additional partners include the Board of Education, PTO, Public Library, Battelle for Kids, BASA, and Madison Champaign County Curriculum Directors. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I began my educational career as a speech pathologist for Triad and Mechanicsburg Schools in 2001. From there I spent a brief time in Marysville as speech pathologist working with students with Autism before coming back to Mechanicsburg as the Director of Teaching and Learning. I have 3 wonderful children ages 10, 9 and 5 and a very kind husband. I enjoy watching and playing sports with my family, gardening, and running. I am blessed with a strong network of family and friends. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since 2007, the district has been VERY busy refining instructional practices, managing finances, and responding to changes in state legislation. If I listed it all, you would never read another message from me again!! This year will be just as exciting, opening a “new” middle school, piloting one to one Chromebooks in 6th and 7th grade, staggering the student start date K-5th grade to better assist student transition and assessment, and taking online assessments to measure student growth. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our efforts will continue to reinforce 4 critical questions we began asking ourselves five years ago:</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do we want students to know and be able to do?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How will we know they are learning?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How will we respond when they don’t get it?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What will we do for those who already get it?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the year begins, I do not claim to have all the answers. However, I do promise to:</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Always put kids first </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask the right questions and search out the information that is needed </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make decisions based on the most accurate and timely data that is available</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Communicate, Communicate, Communicate</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Listen first</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be kind to myself and those around me as we learn and grow together</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Continue the excitement and passion for education that is the tradition at Mechanicsburg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please understand that I have an open door policy and welcome your conversation and feedback. I look forward to seeing teaching and learning in action in the classroom and watching our students and community grow as a result. Follow me on Twitter @DanielleMProhas and my blog McBurg.org/SuperBlog for important updates and trends in local and state education and additional ways to connect with me. Also contact me at </span><a href="mailto:superintendent@mcburg.org" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">superintendent@mcburg.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yours in Education, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle Prohaska</span></div>
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Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-33901948488152763502014-07-14T13:59:00.002-07:002014-07-14T13:59:31.926-07:00What can we learn when we unplug?<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of my favorite questions to ask potential candidates during the interview process is how they find balance between their personal and professional lives. As the next superintendent of Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools (17 days and counting down) and a mother to 3 children under the age of 10, balance is something I work very hard to find and maintain. I owe that to both my job and my family and I strive to model it for those around me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In preparation for the new position, I decided to unplug from work, spend time with family and friends, catch up on some unfinished projects, and recharge for August 1st. I spent a fabulous week in the Traverse City Michigan area and as I reflect on our fun, I found some important lessons to pass along. Modeling reflection along with the balance I mentioned earlier, is something I hope will characterize my leadership.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#1 BMX bike racing with the kids. This is something we had not done before. But instead of just watching, I strapped on a helmet and rode the course along side my kids. How could I challenge my kids to do something new and different if I weren't willing to do it too. As a bystander, we miss out on far too much, failing realize that we my have hidden talents or passions because we are too afraid to try something new. As an educator and leader, I shouldn't ask for things that I myself am not able to model. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My kids LOVED racing. They rode and rode until their little legs couldn't pedal fast enough to get up the hills. I LOVED racing. We raced, laughed, watched more skilled racers and studied their patterns of riding. Education is a race, but if we all strap on helmets, study the practices of highly effective schools and ride the course together, I have no doubt we will all be better for it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#2 4th of July Race. My sister in law has started running and wanted to run a 4K on July 4th. I decided to run also, as I find balance through running. Some may say I am a competitive person, and that's not a total lie :) So, as the race started, I set my target on a runner up ahead and used him to keep pace through the course. As we got closer to the finish line, I began to close the gap on my target up ahead. I ended up finishing 2nd in my age bracket and was mad that I didn't run faster and close the gap sooner....yes the competitive side of me. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But think about it. In education we have to set targets for our students, buildings, and districts and then have laser like focus on those targets. Even with a 2nd place finish, I could have run faster down the incline, lengthened my stride more, and pushed harder at the end. I want to model the attitude and mindset that there is always room for improvement or refinement in our educational practices and building operations. We owe that to our students, families, and community and just as importantly to ourselves. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#3 Goldfish at the fair. My youngest approaches EVERYTHING he does with enthusiasm and 110% commitment. He decided to try to the goldfish toss, tossing a ping pong ball into small fish bowls to win a free fish. He used every ticket he had, adjusting the arch on his toss and the angle of his body position over and over again, getting closer with each attempt. In the end, he never made a ping pong ball in the bowl. He lipped it in and out, hit the edge, and had some roll off the rim. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And then it happened, the kind girl behind the table REWARDED HIS EFFORT and gave him not one but TWO fish! She saw his commitment and rewarded his growth rather than his mastery of the task and she MADE his year. For a boy that loves everything, he is over the moon for these two goldfish.......as an aside the fish traveled 7 hrs home in a solo cup and now have a lovely Sponge Bob Pineapple Home :) We should all learn from the girl behind the goldfish stand. Reward the growth of your students, educators and administrators for growth is just as important as mastery. Growth sets the stage for future learning and eventual mastery, continued commitment, and excitement for learning and doing new things!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#4 The Blue Angels. On July 5th, we sat along Traverse City Bay and watched the Blue Angels fly. If you have watched the Blue Angels in person before, you know that you see the planes before you can hear them roar by. You have to rely on anticipation and vision to predict where the jets will pass by next. In the journey we call education, you have to have vision, anticipate trends in education and make adjustment before the "noise" is heard. Once the noise settles in, we have missed the opportunity to impact education for the betterment of students. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am so excited to lead a district that has vision. Mechanicsburg set out on a course of assessment practices, data analysis, systematic intervention, and formative instruction long before the 3rd grade guarantee or OTES came into effect. It is that continued vision and anticipation to adjust to the changing landscape of education that will allow us to impact the lives of our students. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope that those of you charged with leadership in your grade level teams, buildings, and districts have a chance to unplug, reflect and recharge for the important work that lies ahead in education. </span></span>Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103350149179397332.post-5392779288269871022014-03-25T18:27:00.005-07:002014-05-21T06:21:48.296-07:00OTES and OPES "Re-calibration"<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<b>Updates from ODE on credentialing procedures</b></div>
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Teacher and principal evaluator training for “re-calibrating” credentials is delayed</h1>
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Training and tests will be available in June, rather than mid-May as previously announced, for educators who need to update their credentials as evaluators for the Ohio Teacher or Principal Evaluation Systems. The <a href="http://www.niet.org/" style="color: #2d81c2; text-decoration: none;">National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET)</a>, which will administer the re-calibration process, will send notification of the training’s opening date to evaluators who have valid email addresses in the institute’s registration system.<br /><br />Successful re-calibration is required every two years to maintain credentialed evaluator status. Re-calibration requires teacher evaluators to take three hours of online training and principal evaluators to take two hours of online training. Both teacher and principal evaluators also need to pass the appropriate tests. More information is available on the<a href="http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Teaching/Educator-Evaluation-System/District-Educator-Evaluation-Systems/Teacher-Evaluation-Training" style="color: #2d81c2; text-decoration: none;">department’s website</a>.</div>
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Mechanicsburg Superintendenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10487037457231086879noreply@blogger.com0