K-12 Leadership/Administration

il.text_2.pdf

Home >Education homework help >K-12 Leadership/Administration

270

C H A P T E R

13 Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management

I t’s a busy morning. You are sitting in your office preparing for a walk around the building when individual staff members, in turn seemingly, rush into your office in various states of concern:

■ Your head custodian: “Joe Davis, the afternoon cleanup guy just called in. He can’t come to work today. This is the second time this week!”

■ Your assistant principal: “The toilets in the girls’ restroom on 2 are overflowing, again!” ■ Ms. Albright, the English chairperson: “My request for supplemental readers has been

denied by the superintendent’s office. We need these for our slow readers.” ■ Tina Reyes, your physical education teacher: “We need a bus for the field trip tomorrow.

I forgot to get a requisition last week.” ■ Two interacting department heads: “Why should his department get the extra money? My

budget clearly indicates a greater need!” ■ An assistant superintendent from the district office calls: “The auditors from the state are

here. They will be over in an hour to examine the books on the federal project you have.”

And, so it goes. Building maintenance issues, absent workers, no requisitions, denied fund requests, arguments about the use of available funds, funds spent from a federal project—among any number of other related issues that have to do with proper management of budget and building— cause daily confrontations and require decisions.

Fiscal accounting, budgeting instructional funds, and overseeing the general management of the building are functions of the principalship. To be sure, many of the activities associated with these functions may be delegated. Nevertheless, the ultimate burden for a proper budget, for a fiscal system that withstands audit, and for a building that is clean, safe, and well equipped is the responsibility of the chief executive of the building—the principal.

The principal does not have total control over who determines the monetary needs of all the instructional units, or who fixes the toilets, and the program in general; this falls to the central office, the state, and, sometimes, the federal government. But, it remains the principal’s role to see that all of these things occur in a timely and efficient manner.

ISLLC 3

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

The Principal: Creative Leadership for Excellence in Schools, Eighth Edition, by Gerald C. Ubben, Larry W. Hughes, and Cynthia J. Norris. Published by Pearson. Copyright © 2016 by Pearson Education, Inc.

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 271

Three major financial functions confronting the principal are budgeting, accounting, and auditing. These functions, while they can be reviewed separately, are interrelated. Budgeting is a matter of determining where the collected monies are supposed to be spent, accounting is a writ- ten record of how available monies were spent, and auditing is an examination of whether the monies were spent as they were supposed to be spent.

Budgeting. In the words of Hartman,1 budgeting is the “working tool” in the financial opera- tion of schools. In technical terms, one can say that budgeting is “the statement of the total edu- cational program for a given unit as well as an estimate of resources necessary to carry out the program and the revenues needed to cover those expenditures.”2

Of great importance to the principal is “site-based budgeting.” In decentralized school districts, this requires that decision makers in the school examine the educational program and make priority decisions about the relative need for financial allocations to these programs. Sometimes, the very continuation or staffing of programs is in the balance.

Most districts use variations of site-based budgeting and the latitude that a principal and the staff may have may vary considerably. However, it is the district as a whole that is the beneficiary of aid from the State and collections from local taxes. So, district policy prevails.3

Accounting. An accounting system exposes whether or not the district has the financial resources to meet the objectives of its program. Essentially, an accounting system provides a structure so that all of the fiscal activities of the district—and such units as individual schools or even departments—can be categorized, reported, and importantly, controlled. As income is received, it is allocated to appropriate places (“accounts”) from which it is disbursed according to the budget. The principal or any financial officer can readily know as the year progresses whether the financial resources are sufficient to the budget.

Accurate recording and category assignment is essential to a sound operation. In this way, a written history of the adequacy of the budget is thus available.

Auditing. Auditing is simply a review of the accuracy of the accounting practices in the unit. When public monies are appropriated through taxation or from other sources, it is important that these monies be spent as intended and properly recorded. Annual audits are appropriate. Moreover, whenever a new principal is employed, that principal should insist on an audit of the school budget for which the principal is responsible.

Mistakes get made and the earlier any mistakes are uncovered the better off the school accounting practices will be. That is what an audit is for. Was the money spent as it was supposed to be spent? If not, why not?

As we develop this chapter, we will discuss each of these financial procedures as they confront the principal.

Where Does the Money Come From?

There are five sources of funds to help schools: local taxes; state appropriations; federal, public, and private foundations; and the sales of products such as soft drinks, snacks, and other merchan- dise that the school sponsors. (These sales are major sources for the “activity accounts” that most schools maintain for “extra” expenses.)

ISLLC 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

272 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

Local and state sources are primary. All of the states provide some operating funds and some capital for new buildings and renovations. How much is a matter of state legislative action and funding formulas that vary from state to state. The basic principle here is to provide for a standard of assistance that will meet the so-called basic needs of children in the state, regardless of where they live in that state. State support is never adequate to meet this principle, and local taxes will vary widely depending on the value of the property in the local community. Local units, sometimes, but not always, with the same boundaries as certain civil units such as cities or townships, provide support for the schools through property taxation. There will be a taxation standard that all communities in the state must meet. (Some states—Texas, for example—have school system units that are independent of other civil units. These “independent school districts” have their own taxing authority.)

Private and public foundations will support special projects that an alert principal and pro- fessional staff often can make use of to fund school programs of interest to the foundation. Often, an individual or agency in the central office keeps track of local, state, and national foundations that can be tapped for special projects. Universities, with research and grants offices, may pro- vide assistance here, as will some state departments or agencies of education. The size of the school makes no difference, and for the “right” projects, grants of $5,000 to as high as $50,000 or more have been awarded to teachers and departments for innovative or supplemental pro- grams. Some awards are especially targeted for an identified societal need, such as after-school tutorials or Saturday college preparatory seminars for low-income students, just to identify two popular programs.

Activity funds have various means of support. These are not “regular” district funds and may, in some districts, not even been subject to audit. Some schools support a vast array of activities from marketing products. The sponsored materials that parents, students, or others might be persuaded to buy are many: from soft-drink machines, from the school store of instructional supplies, from candy and snack machines, from T-shirt sales—whatever young people might want or need to purchase. Snack foods and soft-drink sales are coming under fire because of an increasing concern about the obesity of children and poor dietary habits.

The principal must also generally manage the bookkeeping of another source of money—those special accounts generated by school classes, booster clubs, and parent/teacher organizations. This money is kept separate from the activity accounts and is often separately managed by the various treasurers of the groups. But beware! It is real money and the organ- izations are school related, no matter what purpose the funds are raised for. Organizational personnel may change and some treasurers are more competent than others. The school book- keeper and the principal need to be vigilant and oversee these dollars in a manner that will sustain audit.

The availability and munificence of these funding sources varies considerably among schools. (PTA A and private sector A may be much different from PTA B and private sector B.) More affluent school communities are able to provide much more support.

At Sarah’s school, with PTA funds the principal pays for the staff Christmas party at $30 a pop. That would never happen here. Her PTA earned $24,000 at their fall festival. We earned $400. I seek other sources for extra things. I can beg but it is easier to beg for student items than for teacher perks.4

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 273

The Building and Grounds5

Research about first-rate schools has shown two things about resource and facility management. In first-rate schools, resources are allocated to maximally support instructional and curricular improvement. Also, good schools are invariably clean and safe and physically attractive both inside and outside. The schools may not be new or even recently built, but they are well main- tained. Good financial planning and budget are apparent and so is an obvious attention to the impact the physical environment has on school outcomes.

So, two major tasks confront the principal: The first is making sure that funds secured from a variety of sources and for a variety of outcomes are properly accounted for and properly used. The second is ensuring that the building is managed in such a way that it is well equipped and an attractive, safe, and secure place for students and staff. This chapter is about both tasks and com- prises four parts. In the first part, important concepts about financial planning and budgeting are discussed. Much attention is given to ways to engage the staff in fiscal planning that has an impact on the instructional program. In the second part, good accounting and record-keeping practices are examined. The focus of the third part is supplies and equipment management. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the care and safety of the school plant, including a review of custodial schedules.

The Planning and Budgeting Process

There are four sequential steps to the budget development and budget implementation process: program planning and tentative allocation of resources by category; analysis and adoption of a final budget; administration and coordination of the budget, including record keeping; and review and appraisal of budget implementation with regard to the instructional goals of the school pro- gram. The budget process is continuous and cyclical. Figure 13.1 depicts this process.

Responsible financial planning rests on good program planning. It requires, as well, a sub- stantial database about the nature of the student body; population projections and housing pat- terns; estimates of personnel needs; and historical information about average daily attendance (ADA) or average daily membership (ADM), whichever is the basis for the state reimbursement program, and reasonable projections thereof, among other information that would help determine the financial demands of the next fiscal period.

Three Common Budgeting Processes

In site-based decision making, the budgeting process takes on critical importance. Three major techniques for budget development have emerged over the years, any of which may be employed at the site. Two of these clearly are conducive to much staff participation in budget development and implementation. One is such a “mechanical” approach that only minimal staff participation seems needed.

Incremental Budgeting. Incremental budgeting begins with the current year’s budget, and in its pure form it is largely an “add-on” (or “subtract-from”) process. It assumes stasis: stasis in the nature of the needs of the student body, stasis in curriculum organization, and stasis among line

ISLLC 3

ISLLC 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

274 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

items. Within line items there may be shifts in proposed expenditures, to be sure, and staff deci- sions with regard to this one encouraged.

Fundamentally, however, the next school year is assumed to be very much like the current year. Certain fixed charges that can be anticipated may be excluded from building-level plan- ning. That is, the district may do its own projections with regard to such things, for example, as utility bills and uniform maintenance. These will likely remain centralized and accounted for in the district business office.

At the school site, however, the principal will be expected to project needs for the next year on a formula that most often is based on the number of students anticipated to be enrolled. This becomes the primary factor for anticipating the number of teachers needed, supplies required, support staff permitted, among other expenses that go along with an increased or a decreased enrollment. Frequently, the student enrollment figure is based on average daily attendance or average daily membership for the current year and any changes that might be anticipated—for example, new housing starts.

Special requests such as needed building repair or special facilities for special programs and specialized projects housed in the building are usually considered separately. For example, programs funded by outside sources such as the federal government—“Title” programs, voca- tional programs, lunch programs, and the like—are handled separately.

Review and Appraisal

of Fiscal Year’s Activities and

Budget Adequacy

Administration, Coordination, and Record Keeping

Consideration and Adoption of

Final Budget

Planning and Tentative Allocation of

Dollars by Category

2 (Recycle)

FIGURE 13.1 The Cyclical Nature of the Budgeting Process

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 275

When the totals are calculated, preliminary decisions are made with regard to the appro- priation for the school for the next year. This is budget development at its simplest. It is also budget development at its most inadequate, because it assumes that what exists is working well enough. Incremental budgeting does not take into consideration any changes in the nature of the students to be served or changes in instructional technology, for example. It is status-quo driven, and structural, curricular, and instructional innovations are less encouraged than would be desir- able. The amount of money to be spent is viewed as finite and dependent on the school allocation.

Zero-Based Budgeting. At the other end of the budget development continuum is zero-based budgeting. In its purest form, this technique assumes a new year, every year. The school organi- zation is divided into program or budget units. The mere fact that a program was funded during the current year or in previous years is no assurance that it will be funded in subsequent years. The program unit and ultimately program heads are expected to justify their program and the dollars needed to support that program on an annual basis. The budget is “zero” until this is done.

Justifications are made on the basis of curriculum evaluations, demographic realities, research about instructional technology, shifting priorities, identified needs, performance on state tests, and the established school and program goals. One important advantage of zero-based budgeting is that it forces continuous reevaluation of program objectives and needed resources and the establishment of new priorities or reestablishment of existing priorities. A downside is the time-consuming nature of the process, which does not recognize that any school has certain fundamental requirements. Everything is up for grabs. Beware, neophyte principal.

Planning, Programming, Budgeting System. There is a better alternative to either of the two processes just described. At its best, the planning, programming, budgeting system (PPBS) rec- ognizes that there are needs for a consistent base of support and that a per-pupil allotment may best provide for a baseline. That is, there is enough experience in the district to know that irre- spective of individual learner needs, demographic realities, changes in instructional technology, and curriculum revisions, certain per-pupil costs of an education can be anticipated.

Beyond this, however, PPBS begins to take on some of the elements of zero-based budget- ing. Most planners and analysts insert an E between the B and the S to stand for evaluation. The PPBES approach explicitly emphasizes that the goals and processes used to address these goals are subjected to evaluation. We believe this is implicit in a PPBS approach, but if it makes the point more telling, that’s all the better.

The PPBS technique requires the establishment of specific program goals and processes to achieve these goals; projections of needs—students to be served, new technology, and so on; the generation, analysis, and projection of data about program element costs; alternative processes to achieve the goals; other sources of funding; and any additional personnel or additional facilities needed and their costs.

Implementing a Planning, Programming, Budgeting System

At its simplest, PPBS involves five steps:

1. Establishing the general goals to be achieved 2. Identifying the specific objectives that define this goal

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

276 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

3. Developing the program and processes that it is believed will achieve the objectives and goals

4. Establishing the formative and summative evaluation practices 5. Implementing a review and recycle procedure that indicates whether or not, or the degree

to which, the program and processes resulted in the achievement of the objectives and the goals, and if not, helping to determine other procedures, processes, and programs

The PPBS approach is designed to help the school staff decide specifically what is to be accomplished and how to go about it. The focus is on goal accomplishment. When sensitively and sensibly applied, an efficient expenditure of money results.

Too often, educational planning primarily has been concerned with the “inputs” of educa- tion. PPBS differs substantively from other budget-building procedures because PPBS focuses on desired “outputs” of the effort (goals and objectives) and afterwards considers the numbers of staff, books, equipment, and buildings that must be engaged to obtain the desired end.

There are other values to a PPBS plan, however. The process provides much opportunity for staff involvement and staff development about an issue that many may be interested in and all are affected by. At the initial stages, individual departments, teaching teams, grade levels— however, the building is operationally organized—essentially will be engaged in a “work-group” decision process. Later, as tough decisions need to be made, the principal will move to a process of direct decision making, with work-group advice. In all of these instances, good use has been made of the collective wisdom and subject matter expertise of staff to arrive at a budget that all will work hard to implement.

Moreover, as PPBS is implemented, data are being collected about the productivity of distinct elements of the program. As the school enterprise has become more complex and more diversified, and more demanding of public funds, personnel, and time investments, there has been a resultant anxiety about results. There is a pressing desire on the part of the various publics to know more precisely what this investment is producing and where changes should be made. The PPBS technique helps provide this important information and forms a solid basis for gaining public support. Among the outcomes of such a budget development process are a concern for the future and a continuous assessment of current curricular and instructional practices.

Step 1: The Five-Year Plan

The planning process begins with the development of a five-year plan well in advance of any specific budget proposals for the next fiscal year. This is not a document that is developed quickly. The process does provide a good basis for in-service seminars with staff and lends a substantive focus to faculty meetings and workshops held throughout the school year.

The process may begin by organizing the pre-school seminars to focus on planning for the future. Several schoolwide or department sessions are held, at which time the topics to be addressed are often stated: “what a student at the end of grade 6 should know,” “what this school needs is . . ., ” “what the outcomes of the 7–12 social studies program should be,” or any number of other topics that are generative of ideas that focus on curricular or student outcomes.

After the idea gathering, staff members convert the product of these sessions into a series of goals and objectives by a process of synthesizing, summarizing, and combining. Once the staff has refined the statements of objectives and goals, they identify the processes, materials, and

ISLLC 2, 3

ISLLC 1, 3

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 277

personnel that will be necessary to implement these goals and objectives over the next five years. The tentative five-year plan has four major components:

1. A written description of the current state of the discipline. The staff describes, briefly, where the department, or subject matter, or curricular field is at the present time in relation to what the literature and research reveal is the ideal state.

2. Statement of goals, objectives, and the indicators that will be accepted as evidence of achievement of objectives for the department. Although is important to establish objective indicators of achievement, this does not have to be done at this time; it can be done later. A staff could bog down at this point and become fatigued at developing long lists of performance objectives based on lower-level cognitive achievement. The five-year plan is subject to modifications through the formative evaluation that will occur as it unfolds.

3. A list of processes to implement the objectives. 4. A statement of needed equipment, materials, personnel, and other resources supportive of

the processes.

Component 4 is the culmination of the five-year plan development. The plan is subjected to refinement and modification and is ultimately submitted for executive review and discussion. It does not contain any dollar figures at this point. Although care should be taken not to hurry the process, definite time lines must be established for the completion of this process. Otherwise, it may become a cumbersome intellectual exercise that never gets completed.

Step 2: The One-Year Plan

Whereas the five-year plan for the school plots a general direction, the one-year building plan provides budgetary substance. The one-year plan is a proposal that specifically identifies what needs to happen next year if the five-year plan is to be realized. Figure 13.2 provides a suggested format for the one-year plan.

The one-year plan describes equipment needs, supplies, supplementary materials, immedi- ate changes of personnel or addition of personnel, remodeling, and other needed resources. Justification for each specific item is available in the one-year document. This justification need not be elaborate; it is a brief statement about how the budget proposal is consistent with the five- year plan. An additional feature is that the departments or grade levels are asked to list needs in order of priority. If it is necessary to reduce budgets because of insufficient dollars, such cutting begins with lowest priority items in each of the proposals.

Subsequent Steps

The next steps involve submitting the budget and the curriculum proposals of the department or unit to the principal and the administrative staff for approval, or return for clarification or modi- fication. Ultimately, the preparation of a total school budget in summary form is made by the principal and the staff for submission to the central office. Following this, there are negotiations and approvals of the individual school budgets in some form by the ultimate fiscal authority in the school district.

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

278 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

Eventually, an approved budget is returned by the principal to each department or unit—a budget from which requisitions throughout the year will be submitted to the principal and purchase orders issued. Each month a recapitulation of purchases to date is returned to the department.

Expectations and Product

Involvement of instructional staff in budget building does not make the principal’s job any easier. In fact, after going through the initial process, team leaders, department heads, and other instruc- tional staff can be expected to develop formidable and well-conceived arguments in defense of their budgets. Needless to say, however, the principal will be supplied with much of the data needed in order to go to the superintendent or the board of education to justify an adequate budget. Moreover, the central office and the school board will be well informed as to outgo and the reasons behind the outgo.

The budget-building process just described attempts to accomplish three things. First, it gives the appropriate personnel a large measure of authority for initial budget preparation in their areas of instructional expertise. Second, it causes foresighted curriculum planning. Third, it

4. Attach a brief statement describing how this proposed budget is consistent with and supportive of the five-year plan.

Request (indicate after each item which long-term objective it supports)

Estimated Cost

Suggested Source of Supply

Suggested Source of Funds (federal funds, local funds, donation, state experimental funds, etc.)

1. Needed personnel

2. Needed equipment and materials

3. Needed other resources (e.g., travel monies, consultants, etc.)

N.B.: list above in descending order of priority.

Total Requested

Department (or Grade Level):

Fiscal Year:

Prepared by:

Amount Requested:

Amount Allocated:

FIGURE 13.2 The One-Year Plan

ISLLC 6

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 279

provides substantiation to the central office, school board, and the community that tax dollars are being spent in an efficient and effective manner.

Accounting for Financial Resources and Expenditures

Once the budget is built and accepted, good management is required to ensure that the money is spent in a way that is legal and ethical and sustains audit. Three general categories are part of the dollar allocations: capital outlay, long-term and short-term debt payment and interest, and current expenses. These are separate categories and generally cannot be “mixed.” For example, one can- not spend debt service monies for general operating expenses, no matter how great the respective need may be.

The latter category, current expenses, is of greatest concern to the principal, although cer- tain items that appear in a capital outlay account also require consideration. What goes into each of these accounts?

■ Capital Outlay. An item with a life expectancy of more than a year generally goes into a capital outlay account. The account will therefore contain equipment and all permanent additions to the buildings and school site. Plant and site maintenance expenditures are not reported here—only those expenditures that represent an extension to the existing school building and site. Relative permanence is the key determinant.

■ Debt Service. All short- and long-term loans and the repayment of those, including the interest payments, are reported in these accounts.

■ Current Expenses. Current expenses include all expenditures made for things that are consumable during a single fiscal year. These include such expenses as textbooks, sup- plies, and salaries—known as operating expenses. Most often, these expenses can be found in the district budget classified under four categories: instruction, which includes all of the programs—regular, special, and adult; support services, which includes trans- portation, food service, student services, and student activities; nonprogrammed charges, which include any payments to other governmental agencies for services, including rentals; and community services, which include recreation programs and non- public school services.

Accounting for Financial Resources at the School Site

Once the budget is developed and approved, it becomes the responsibility of the principal to see that it is managed properly. Schools are big businesses. In many communities, the school system is the single largest employer of personnel and the largest industry in terms of capital flow. School districts receive and disburse huge amounts of money for a variety of services and mate- rials during the period of a year.

Similarly, at the individual school buildings, principals have the responsibility for admin- istering sizable financial resources—resources that come from the central district office as a result of local, state, and federal support programs, as well as much smaller sums that come from places such as parent–teacher organizations (PTOs), school clubs, and plays. Managing financial resources is a major responsibility of most school principals.

ISLLC 3

ISLLC 1

ISLLC 9, 10

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

280 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

All school systems have a prescribed accounting procedure, and a principal needs to be familiar with it to properly oversee income and expenditures. Figure 13.3 displays a typical array of accounts for a secondary school, and Figure 13.4 is a similar display for an elementary school.

FIGURE 13.3 Outline of Typical Accounts for a Secondary School

General Activity Fund Restricted

INSTRUCTIONAL FEE Combined Studies

Towel Fee Debate Club

INSTRUCTIONAL FEE: ART DECA

INSTRUCTIONAL SHOP French Club

Auto Mechanics German Club

Machine Shop Gymnastics

Wood Shop Home Economics

OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL International Relations Club

Music Key Club

Band Uniforms Leaders’ Club

MERCHANDISING SERVICE Leo Club

Bus Tickets Literary

PROFIT EARNING Magazine

Coke Fund Masquers

Concessions Music: Band

SPECIAL PURPOSE Music: Choir

Hospitality Musical Production

Library National Honor Society

College Credit Course Oak Leaf

Sports Camp Oak Log

Senior Trip Pep Club

Scholarship Red Cross

Science Ski Club

Training & Technology Spanish Club

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Student Council

Anchor Club Tennis Club

Bridge Club TOEC

Class, Junior VICA

Class, Senior

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 281

In general, school principals need to keep a journal of receipts and disbursements and provide proper monitoring of these (see Figure 13.5). The principal may also have federally funded projects located in the building and will be expected to maintain appropriate records for these. Certainly, too, the principal will be responsible for securing supplies and materials, either by requisition from a central warehouse, perhaps using a system of transfer vouchers, or directly from a supplier. Probably most, if not all, of the principal’s accounting responsibilities will occur in the operations (supplies, equipment, etc.) part of the budget. Figure 13.6 displays a purchase requisition flowchart in common use in schools. (Principals usually are not required to account for capital income and expenditures. These accounts are commonly handled in the central office.) In most schools, there will be a clerk on whom will rest the responsibility for keeping the books. Under the principal’s direction, this person will generally make the journal entries and keep the records in order. This does not relieve the principal of executive responsi- bility, however. Regular review is essential, and we recommend an annual independent audit of all records.

For the first few months on the job, the principal is best advised to be involved directly in the accounting process to learn intimately the business side of the enterprise. Proper accounting

FIGURE 13.4 Outline of Typical Internal Ledger Accounts for an Elementary School

MERCHANDISING SERVICE

Bus Tickets

Insurance

Workbooks

PROFIT EARNING

Coke Machine

Pictures

School Store

SPECIAL PURPOSE

Field Trips

Assemblies

Hospitality

Instructional Supplies

ORGANIZATIONS

Faculty Club

Student Council

PTO

Intramural Program

All-School Chorus

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

282 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

FIGURE 13.5 Monthly Report Form

Statement of Receipts and Disbursements

Report for ______________________ 20 _____ Prepared by ___________________ Central Treasurer

CASH ON HAND RECEIPTS BALANCE END ACCOUNT 1ST OF MONTH THIS MONTH TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS OF MONTH

TOTAL $______ $______ $______ $______ $______

Reconciliation of Bank Statement

Bank balance as of $______ Plus deposits not shown on statement $______ Plus other $______ Minus outstanding checks TOTAL $______

$______ Book balance as of $______

$______

and budget procedures are essential to a well-managed school. The accounting system exists so that the school may expend its funds efficiently and in accordance with the plan incorporated in the budget document. It also provides a history of spending and may be used to evaluate how the plan developed in the budget document is proceeding.

Financial resources are always in short supply, and it is not likely that all of the budgetary requests in support of the instructional objectives and school goals can be met in any one year. Thus, it becomes most important for the principal to keep a close record of outgo, making sure that outgo is consistent with the budget plan and that sufficient funds remain for the purchase of high-priority items throughout the school year. It is a sad fact that improper accounting proce- dures have too frequently resulted in an inadequate amount of money in April for the purchase of routine supplies necessary to complete the school year. Under such a system, teachers tend to overpurchase and hoard supplies in their rooms. These practices are neither healthy nor neces- sary in a well-ordered school.

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 283

Is it more than $5.00 and less than $1,000?

Purchase requisition received by principal or dept. head

From Secretaries

Is it coded correctly?

Obtain at least 3 quotations from vendors

Write specifications for item to be

purchased

Signed by principal or department

head

Send original copy to the purchasing department

Record the

purchase

File copy

Match requisition

with copy of purchase

order

Check and code correctly

Yes

Is the item necessary?

If under $5,000.00 If $5,000.00 or over

FIGURE 13.6 Purchase Requisition Flowchart for Principals and Department Heads

Most school districts use an accrual accounting system, which means that as soon as a purchase order is initiated or a requisition for anything is approved, it is encumbered in the

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

284 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

account book. Through such a process, the principal knows immediately how much money remains to be expended in any particular account. Under such a system, it is not likely that finan- cial obligations will be made beyond the actual amount of money available.

Not all faculty and nonacademic personnel will understand the intricacies of the account- ing system, and sometimes individuals on the faculty may view the entire process as a hindrance to the instructional program. Thus, the wise principal will spend some time in faculty and staff meetings generally informing the staff about the reasons why good record-keeping and account- ing procedures are important to an instructional program.

Beyond this, it is the responsibility of the principal to make sure the practices being fol- lowed are, in fact, efficient and do provide for quick delivery of materials and other services to the classroom. It is also the principal’s responsibility to make sure that his or her decision mak- ing, with respect to expenditures, is consistent with the pre-established instructional budget.

Regular Review

Once systemized, the accounting procedures need not absorb a vast amount of time; instead, they will require only regular monitoring by the principal. Care should be taken that materials ordered are received and properly inventoried. Keeping a separate set of books for district funds will provide the principal with a good check on expenditures against the accounts of the school that are kept in the central business office. Mistakes do get made and when this occurs, it is to the principal’s advantage to be aware of the error and be able to rectify it.

In many school systems, the central business office will supply the principal with periodic financial reports in the form of ledger sheet printouts. These can be easily checked against the school’s set of books for accuracy. After reconciliation with the school’s books, these printouts will provide sufficient record of the financial aspect of the educational enterprise.

Activity and Other Funds

As we previously noted, most schools receive and distribute funds other than those disbursed by the district office. Such sources and accounts commonly include PTO funds, classroom accounts, insurance monies, candy sales, athletic funds, club treasuries, petty cash, funds from charity drives, and gifts. Individually, the accounts may be quite small, but collectively they often amount to a considerable sum.

A separate set of books should be maintained for these funds. No less precise book-keeping procedures are required for these than for the district funds. Many states have passed special legislative acts that require the establishment of orderly procedures for the administration of school activity funds. Some states, as well as local school districts, have developed policies and procedures to guide individual schools in such financial accounting. The absence of such policies and guidance in any particular school district is no excuse, however, for a principal to be any less careful—to the contrary, more care is required.

In general, specific procedures must be established to control the collection and disburse- ment of the variety of activity funds. The following procedures provide a good guide:

■ Official receipts should be issued for all money received. ■ All money expended should be expended by check, except for small cash purchases paid

from the petty cash fund.

ISLLC 3

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 285

■ Supporting documents should be kept for all expenditures made. ■ Bank reconciliation statements should be made each month. ■ Monthly and yearly financial statements should be prepared. ■ An audit should be made each year and copies of the audit should be filed with persons

having administrative authority for the school.

Consistent with good financial practice, each group having an account that the school is admin- istering should file a simplified budget indicating anticipated income, anticipated expenditures, and persons designated to approve money to be expended from the account. Further, all school employ- ees who are responsible for handling funds should be bonded, the amount of the bond to be deter- mined by an estimate of the amount of money that the school will manage. Many school districts provide a bond covering all employees in the school system who are responsible for such funds. Whether this is so in any particular district should be verified by the principal.

In some school districts, the principal is required to make a monthly report about the state of the internal funds in the school. Such a report commonly contains specific and general condi- tions of the accounts and expenditures. Regardless of whether this is required by district policy, it is an important procedure to be carried out by the principal and appropriately filed. It provides substantiation of the careful expenditure of funds and will assist in the annual audit. Figure 13.7 illustrates a monthly reporting procedure for an activity account.

The Audit

The internal account books should be audited annually by an external accountant. The product of this audit should be filed with the district office. Do not misunderstand the purpose of the audit— it is not an attack on anyone’s integrity. An audit has two primary purposes: It provides good information for improving accounting procedures, and it protects all of those who have been responsible for handling school funds.

Before accepting the position, the incoming principal should insist on an audit of all funds as a means of being informed about current practices and improving on these as necessary. The audit also establishes the state of the accounts before a person has responsibility for them. It redlines the accounts, and the new principal starts with clean fiscal air. This is essential.

Supplies and Equipment Management

A major responsibility of the principal is securing, making an inventory, and allocating supplies and equipment necessary to the educational program. It is important that adequate quantities of soft goods (supplies) and the appropriate kinds of hard goods (equipment) be provided and avail- able ahead of educational needs and secured in the most economical manner possible. It is equally important that a management system be established that will not require an inordinate amount of supervisory time.

If the school is operating under a budget-development system as described earlier in this chapter, the selection and purchase of needed supplies and equipment in support of educational goals is easily routinized. At most, the task should require a regular review to see that anticipated needs are being met on schedule; estimated costs are remaining within budget; advantage is

ISLLC 3

ISLLC 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

286 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

being taken of the appropriate discounts allowed by suppliers; inventories are adequate; and equipment is being appropriately tagged, recorded, conveniently stored, and used.

Storage and Inventory Control

The daily needs of instructional staff are such that amounts of common educational supplies (art paper, chalk, etc.) can be predicted and kept in sufficient reserve to meet needs for a period of a few months. Responsibility for ensuring that appropriate amounts of day-to-day supplies are

Bank Reconciliation

Add Deposits in transit Other (specify)

Total Deduct

Outstanding checks

Date

School

Bank

Balance per bank statement

Report for month of

Balance per general ledger $ Date

Principal DateSchool Treasurer

FIGURE 13.7 Monthly Financial Report of the School Activity Fund

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 287

available can become that of the school clerk or another designated person. This task need not and should not require much attention by the principal. An inventory control procedure set up by the principal working with a designated individual will permit routine replenishment of supplies. Adequate inventories of educational materials and supplies unique to special aspects of the pro- gram can be maintained by the person who is responsible for that special aspect of the program.

Things break and wear out and disappear. Equipment must be kept in good repair, and staff members should be made aware of their responsibility to report immediately any malfunction of equipment so that necessary action can be taken. Routine ways need to be established to address these realities so that teachers are able to teach and learners are able to learn unencumbered by malfunctioning or missing equipment. The form depicted in Figure 13.8 uses a light touch to get the job done and done quickly.

It’s my task to hammer away at any jobs that need fixing in your room. Is there anything that requires attention?

HI! CLAMOR HERE,

YOUR MAINTENANCE MOLLUSK

Don’t clam up now. We want a smooth-sailing ship.

Please fill out this form and leave at the custodial desk for quick service.

Room: Service Required:

For immediate needs, please call the office.

White: office Pink: staff

FIGURE 13.8 Maintenance Form

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

288 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

Central Warehousing

The responsibilities for supply management in school systems are frequently handled at the central-office level. Even if the principal has a considerable amount of responsibility with respect to supply management, large systems will have a central warehouse from which most supplies and equipment are secured. There is considerable advantage to this because systems can develop standardized lists of materials, with precise specifications.

Certain kinds of educational materials may also be housed centrally in the school district. Materials such as film, filmstrips, audiotapes and videotapes, and compact disks, which have use throughout the system but are not required in any individual unit of study except on an infrequent basis, are often cataloged and housed centrally in the school district. Where this is the case, teach- ers must understand the need for more lead time in requisitioning and securing these for class- room use. This is not to say that last-minute requests should not be acted on to the degree possible. It is an unhealthy school system that is not responsive to an unplanned “teaching moment,” but in general staff should try to anticipate the need for educational materials that are centrally housed.

Safety and Security

Each year it seems another school tragedy appears in the news about an act of violence in our schools. From Columbine to Sandy Hook, major tragedies in our national news, to frequent unpublicized events ranging from a bomb threat from a student trying to avoid taking an exam to a child abduction from a noncustodial parent, our parents and community members are becoming increasingly concerned about the safety and security of our children.

While schools have always prepared for fires and weather-related emergencies, today there are additional specific steps that should be taken in each school to ensure the safety of our chil- dren. However, our schools are public buildings that we want to be community friendly, welcom- ing parents and others into our doors. How can we do both? Here are some suggestions to help you review the safety and security of your building.

School Security Assessment. A step for every school and for you as a new principal in a school should be a school security assessment. Where are your building access points? Where are the places in and around your building that are secluded and not very observable? Do we or should we have video surveillance cameras viewing these areas? Can visitor access be restricted to one door during the day?

Reducing and Controlling Access. When the school day is underway, it may be wise to reduce building access to one door, usually near the office, and use a buzzer system to unlock the door when the visitor has been identified. Some schools restrict access by directing all incoming traffic through a door leading directly into the office. Students and teachers need to be trained not to open side doors to visitors. Once a visitor has reported to the office, require a visitor pass and possibly a quick background check. Internet software is available to add in this process.6

Emergency Plans. Every school should have an emergency plan for fire and weather-related incidents. But what do you do if you have a bomb threat? Do you have an evacuation plan? Where will the children and teachers go for shelter? How will you quickly move that many children in

ISLLC 3, 6

ISLLC 5

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 289

an orderly fashion? What do you do if an armed intruder enters the building? Whom do you need to contact in case of an emergency? Fire, police, central office? Which individuals and what are their phone numbers? How should you communicate with others in the building during an emer- gency? What if there is a power failure during the emergency? These and many more questions need to be addressed in the plan and the plan needs to be updated annually.

Emergency Preparedness Training. An emergency plan is only as good as the people tasked to carry it out. Staff training that involves all adults in the building needs to be conducted every year. Scenarios for different types of emergencies should be practiced, including those that require evacuation or lock-down responses from the children. Emergency plans need to be posted in every classroom, particularly if different adults use the room.

Communicating Safety to Parents and Media. Do you have a plan for how to communicate with parents and the media should a safety crisis ever develop at your school? Parents are not very forgiving is they believe their child is at risk. It is far better to plan for parent communication now rather than when the crisis occurs. What you do not want to have happen is for false rumors to spread and for panic to occur.

Your school should have a communication protocol for use in emergencies. Who is to be the point contact person? Is it you, the principal? Is it your superintendent? Or, do you have a district media person to handle all media communication? Today, social media such as Facebook or Twitter will spread rumors at lightning speed, so you need to be ready. Those same social media tools should be your first line of communication. The initial message of a safety threat at school should come from you. Be prepared to use your school social media accounts to quickly spread the word about what you are doing about the crisis and to reassure parents regarding the safety or status of their children. Chapter 14 on technology discusses in greater depth some of your communication options.

Responding to public media requests from local television, radio, or newspaper reporters will be another aspect of crisis management. If there is time, it is often best to prepare a handout providing some of the demographics about the school, a brief description of the incident and to have a written outline or statement that you plan to use if interviewed. Keep it short. Remember, reporters are often looking only for a sound bite for the evening news.

School Resource Officers (SROs). In light of the tragic violent events resulting in student deaths from school shootings, many schools are adding armed officers to their school staffs. These are sometimes funded within school budgets but are often furnished by the local law enforcement agency. The presence of an SRO in the building is considered a strong deterrent against things that might happen. This individual should become an integral part of any emergency plan. In addition, the SRO can become an integral part of the school staff by becoming the safety eyes and ears focusing on student well-being as well as community behaviors regarding safety issues.7

Care of the School Plant

One thing I always did to encourage a learner-receptive building was to provide for the display of student work—artistic and scholarly—around the building. Another excellent way was to have our head custodian attend staff meetings. He became an important part of the management team and

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

290 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

both offered and received many suggestions that really helped everyone provide a humane physi- cal environment for students and for staff.8

Properly housing the educational program and equipping the school presents some man- agement priorities for the principal. Innovative programs can be housed in traditionally designed buildings. Whether the building represents the latest in school design or reflects architectural thinking in the 1970s, the principal’s responsibility is the same: to ensure the maximum efficient use of the school plant for the educational program. An inefficiently used building, a poorly kept building, a building with unpleasant, colorless rooms, or a poorly maintained site all inhibit the development of a good educational program. These conditions have a negative impact on staff and student morale and productivity.

The principal has two important support groups: classified employees who are assigned to the building (custodians, cleaning personnel, cooks, kitchen personnel, etc.) and the districtwide maintenance department personnel. Working with nonacademic personnel to help them to do their jobs better requires the same kinds of human relations skills as working with academic staff.

Including support staff or, at least, the leaders of the various staff member groups in gen- eral meetings makes good sense. Making attendance voluntary at specialized meetings would also be an important option. The thought is that these people contribute mightily to the operation of an effective school and they often have important substantive suggestions to make to improve the delivery system.

Maintenance and Custodial Schedules

The building and grounds require much attention to create an attractive, safe, learning–living– working environment for students and staff. Many large districts have a director of maintenance and operations whose overall responsibility is to see that skilled persons are employed and deployed to respond to refurbishment and major maintenance needs of all the buildings in the district. However, it is the responsibility of the principal, working with the custodial staff, to iden- tify major needs and to ensure that those are systematically attended to. The day-to-day custodial and light maintenance functions will, even in larger districts, fall to the building custodial staff.

Effective supervision of building maintenance programs need not require an inordinate amount of time and can be regularized through the use of a simple checklist. Such a checklist is shown in Figure 13.9.

The principal and the custodial staff should give particular attention to common internal building flaws: inadequate lighting fixtures, roof or wall leaks, dirt in the corners, broken win- dows, torn sashes, and so on. The entire staff, including instructional personnel, should assist in identifying maintenance needs and reporting them immediately to the office for attention. Many times, annoying maintenance defects are allowed to continue simply because a teacher or another staff member has not reported them, and they have gone unnoticed by the custodial staff. “Call for Clamor” needs to be a part of in-service instruction.

Grounds and Playgrounds. The school site needs to be attractively maintained. The high cost of land often is reflected in small school sites and inadequate play areas. This is true especially in urban areas where children are often most in need of wide open spaces in which to play and experience nature. Size of site need not deter the latter, however. With a little ingenuity, arboreta

ISLLC 3

ISLLC 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 291

U nl

oc k

bu il

di ng

a nd

t ur

n of

f al

ar m

D es

cr ip

ti on

o f

S er

vi ce

F re

q u

en cy

o f

S er

vi ce

7: 00

– 8

:4 5

S w

ee p

al l

en tr

an ce

s an

d pu

t ou

t m

at s

P ol

ic e

en ti

re b

ui ld

in g

P ol

ic e

al l

re st

ro om

s an

d fl

us h

ou t

co m

m od

D ro

p ca

fe te

ri a

ta bl

es d

ow n

D us

t- m

op c

af et

er ia

, f ro

nt a

nd b

ac k

ha ll

B re

C le

an g

la ss

S et

u p

fo r

lu nc

R ep

ol ic

e re

st ro

om s

be fo

re l

un ch

L un

C af

et er

ia d

ut y

D us

t- m

op b

ac k

an d

fr on

t ha

ll s

R ec

he ck

r es

tr oo

m s

an d

cl ea

n w

as h

ar ea

B re

C le

an d

ow ns

ta ir

s lo

un ge

C le

an u

ps ta

ir s

lo un

R ec

he ck

r es

tr oo

m s

an d

cl ea

n w

as h

ar ea

C le

an d

ri nk

in g

fo un

ta in

i n

ca fe

te ri

8: 45

– 9

:0 0 9:

00 –

9 :1

5 9: 15

– 1

0: 00 10

:0 0

– 10

:1 5

10 :1

5 –

10 :3

0 10

:3 0

– 11

:0 0

11 :0

0 –

1: 30 1:

30 –

2 :0

0 2: 00

– 2

:1 5 2:

15 –

3 :3

0 S

ch oo

N am

F IG

U R

E 1

3. 9

D ay

S ch

ed u

le , H

ea d

C u

st od

ia n

: E

le m

en ta

ry S

ch oo

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

292 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

and nature walks can be constructed in the most constricted of places. Effective design will often provide adequate play space. In both instances, however, attention needs to be directed to making the available space attractive and safe.

Frequent inspections are key. Debris-strewn school sites are inexcusable, and unsafe equip- ment is both unconscionable and an issue for litigation in the instance of student or staff injury.

Three types of equipment account for a huge percent of all student injuries: swings and swing sets, climbing bars, and slides. Children are exuberant and like to show their prowess on such things. Most injuries occur from falls from this sort of equipment. The answer? Close super- vision and equipment that is in good repair.

Evaluating the Appearance of the Building and Site

Routine work schedules and well-understood expectations are important to the maintenance of the school plant. Time lines and systematic planning for the completion of major maintenance and repair projects need to be supplemented with daily and weekly time schedules to ensure that routine custodial and maintenance tasks get done.

As for creative use of facilities or use of older buildings—we ask principals annually to tell us what needs to be renovated or built. The renovation funding may come from the district or the campus, and sometimes the funds will be a partnership between the two. Our maintenance depart- ment is blessed with skilled craftsmen who can renovate, and through bond funds, we earmark major new construction—whether it’s a new fine arts wing or a new floor on the gym.9

Regular evaluation of the building’s appearance is important. An example of one district’s evaluation survey can be seen in Figure 13.10. Such survey forms are best developed in concert with the staff so that expectations are clear and standards well understood.

Working with Classified Personnel

Custodians, maintenance personnel, cooks, aides, and secretaries all have important parts to play in the development of the productive learning climate. Frequently, the contributions of these people are not fully recognized. Unless attention is directed to the needs and contributions of support personnel, the risk is that, at best, a wary truce will exist between these personnel and the professional staff.

Evidence of such a situation will be revealed in the not-so-sly digs each will direct at the other in private meetings and in less-than-adequate services being rendered. Paper towel dispens- ers that always seem to be out of towels; corners of the cafeteria left unswept; inordinately long waits for equipment to be delivered or repaired; and any number of other examples that any reader of this book could supply—these occurrences are indicators that all is not well. In some instances, of course, the cause may be a lack of skill or a lack of clear understanding about organizational expectations. If so, the remedy should be quick—either on-the-job training or replacement.

Engaging support personnel in the same kinds of goal-setting and problem-solving activi- ties that have been suggested for the professional staff is necessary. Administration by edict works no better with custodians and maintenance personnel than it does with the certificated

ISLLC 3, 5

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 293

staff. At the beginning of each school year, the principal needs to meet with the custodial staff to chart long-range objectives for building maintenance for the year and to work out a systematic plan for addressing these. Many of the custodial activities will be routine and daily or weekly in nature, of course. Some will not be. Also, the performance of even the routine custodial functions will be affected by such things as special events and even the time of day. Cooperative develop- ment of the work schedule is desirable and will result in the important things getting done, getting done well, and in a timely manner.

Entrances:

Principal: School: Custodian: Date:

S G A P Walks: Floor mats: Door facings: Glass: Transoms: Door tracks:

Offices: Doors: Facings: Walls: Floors: Furniture: Windows: Fixtures: Trash:

Hallways: Floors: Walls: Lights: Water fountains:

Learning Centers: Shelves: Floor: Furniture: Glass: Door:

Classrooms: Door facings: Walls: Lights: Floors: Boards:

S G A PWindows: Furniture: Fixtures: Teacher’s station:

Cafetorium: Floors: Windows: Fixtures: Lights: Fountains: Machines: Doors: Fixtures:

Storerooms: Walls: Tool racks: Supplies: Equipment:

Restrooms: Floors: Walls: Partitions: Windows: Commodes: Urinals: Wash basins: Mirrors: Floor drains: Ventilation: Lights: Furniture:

Garbage Area: Incinerator:

COMMENTS: S — Superior G — Good A — Average P — Poor

FIGURE 13.10 Custodian–Maintenance Survey: Building Inspection Checklist

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

294 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

Selection and Retention of Classified Personnel

The selection, training, and appraisal of support persons are an important managerial task. Yet this has received little attention in professional literature. Improperly trained workers or workers who are unsure of their responsibility—whether in the cafeteria, in the boiler room, or in the principal’s office—are a liability. Similarly, the nonacademic staff member who does not under- stand or particularly like children, while perhaps not common, is also a liability that a school cannot afford.

Personnel policies for the employment, in-service growth, and retention of good nonaca- demic personnel should be developed. Job descriptions, adequate compensation, and other benefits must reflect the school’s interest in maintaining a nonacademic work force of the highest quality.

The standards of employment should not only evidence an interest in appropriate technical competence, but also a realization that most of these personnel will be working with children in some way or another. The latter simply suggests that appropriate attitudes and understandings about young people may be one of the most important employment and retention criteria. Evaluation of performance is essential.

Electronic Help Is Available

Managing the business side of the school is complicated but there are sources of help via elec- tronics. Three such organizations of help to the school management system are the Del School Data Systems, Skyward School Management System, and SunGuard K-12 Education.10

These organizations have an array of packages that permit a district or a school to select components for use in curriculum development, and for student records, scheduling, budgeting, and help with human relations, among other components. Other management systems are avail- able for review to anyone googling “school management software.”

Summary

The subject of this chapter has been threefold: financial support, financial management, and the management of buildings and grounds, including working with noncertificated staff. The alloca- tion of finances, regardless of the source—federal, state, local, or foundation—requires careful planning. Budget development should involve the entire staff and funds allocated to those areas of decided need.

After decisions have been made about the use of available money, it becomes the respon- sibility of the principal to ensure that proper accounting is maintained. Attention must be directed not only to regular district funds but also to the activity fund, privately collected money earned by various school groups, and money from the sale of goods such as soft drinks, snacks, supplies, and so on. There should be regular independent audits of all funds.

How the school looks and how the school is equipped contributes mightily to the attitudes of students and staff. The physical environment of the school grounds influences the learning and teaching environment. The school need not be new—most schools are not—but the school should be clean and all equipment in good repair. Graffiti must be removed and playgrounds must be inspected daily. Children (and teachers) can be taught to pick up litter. Custodians and other

ISLLC 2

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 3 / Fiscal Accounting, Budgeting, and Building Management 295

maintenance and service staff need all the help they can get—and the good principal sees that they get it. Great things will happen when they do.

What a principal can do and cannot do with regard to on-site accounting, reporting, and spending will vary from state to state. Laws and district rules concerning auditing and budgeting differ and principals need to inform themselves well about what these are. But, there are some valuable skills and knowledge to have irrespective of what state or district you are in. This chap- ter has provided a basic outline of the kinds of approaches and applications a principal will need to operate an effective school accounting and budgeting system.

1. Case Studies 3, 6, 9, 20, and 29, found in Appendix A, have financial implications for the principal. Select two of these cases and set forth the processes for resolving the issues in a manner consistent with the concepts expressed in this chapter.

2. Issues of school security permeate Case Studies 10 and 21 found in Appendix A. What actions do you propose to resolve both issues in (a) the short term and (b) the long term?

3. Professional staff complaints about school maintenance continue to reach your desk. These range from class- room cleanliness to malfunctioning toilets. The custo- dial staff complains that teachers leave their rooms in a disorderly mess at the end of the school day. Address these issues. What steps will you take to reduce the implications these complaints have? What might you do to avoid being blindsided by such things?

4. Many states have adopted, or recommend, a specific electronic system such as Dell, Sungard, Skyward, or some other company to assist school financial and cur- riculum management. What does your state do with respect to the electronic systems available? Is there a state-wide preferred or required system? What is required in your school district?

5. What does your state provide in the manner of school- based accounting help? Is there a manual or handbook available? If so, how could you get a copy?

6. Review the ISLLC standards and their functions, espe- cially the functions listed in Standard 8. Which of the standards items relate to the material presented in this chapter? Identify one function that links directly to a concept expressed in this chapter.

A C T I V I T I E S

1. William T., Hartman, School District Budgeting (Reston, VA: Association of School Business Officials, 1999).

2. Gage Encyclopedia of Education, “Public School Budgeting, Accounting and Auditing” (New York, NY: Macmillan, 2004).

3. Most state governing bodies provide regulations and guid- ance in accounting practices in schools. Finance manuals are often available. In Texas, for example, the Texas Education Agency publishes its School Finance Manual, the latest of which is dated 2012–2013. Other states have similar manuals.

4. Dr. Martha Jean Bratton, principal, Christian Berry Elementary School, Knoxville, Tennessee.

5. For a detailed perspective of the school money manage- ment process, go to Internet: http://answers.com/topic/ public-school-budgeting-accounting-and-auditing

6. The website http://www.keepntrack.com/ describes soft- ware designed to run quick security checks on unknown visitors plus print visitor badges and keep track of volun- teers and others who are in the building.

7. The National School Safety and Security Services provide much information regarding emergency planning. The website is http://www.schoolsecurity.org

8. Dr. Susan Wey, former elementary school principal and now central office administrator, Fort Bend (TX) Independent School District.

9. Dr. James Cain, superintendent, Klein (TX) Independent School District.

10. Internet addresses: http://www.Dell.com; http://Skyward. com/page.ashx/products; http://Sungard.com/plus360

E N D N O T E S

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

296 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

Kennedy, M., “Maintenance.” American School & University 80, no. 6 (2008): 16.

Mabry, V., “The Principal’s Role in School Fundraising.” Principal 84 (2005): 51–54.

McNeil, M., “Budgeting, Tax Trims in Conflict.” Education Week 27, no. 22 (2008): 1.

Owing, W. A., and L. S. Kaplan, “School Finance as Investment in Human Capital.” NASSP Bulletin 88, no. 640 (2004): 12–28.

Reyes, Augustina, and Gloria M. Rodriguez, “School Finance: The Russian Novel,” in Current Issues in

School Leadership, ed. Larry W. Hughes (Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 2005).

Snider, J., “Democratize School Budget Data.” Education Week 28, no. 32 (2009): 22–23.

Sorenson, Richardson D., and Lloyd M. Goldsmith, The Principal’s Guide to School Budgeting (Los Angeles, CA: Corwin Press, 2010).

Thompson, David C., And Craig R. Wood., Money and Schools (Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education, 2001).

S E L E C T E D R E A D I N G S

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

297

14 Technology Applications for School Management

J im normally starts his day at about 6:30 a.m. to get some work done before the children begin arriving. As he sat down at his desk, he touched his computer keyboard to activate the screen. It had become almost as automatic as turning on the lights, except his computer stays

on all the time, except weekends. Jim first checked his e-mail for important messages and responded to several. Although he belonged to a number of professional listservs, the filter on his e-mail program filed them automatically so they did not clutter up his incoming e-mail. He reviewed his incoming central-office e-mail, noted that the new budget proposals for next year were to be sent today, and looked to see if any of his staff members had contacted him. He then sent several notes to his secretary to include in the daily e-mail bulletin to teachers. Notices to students were posted on the school Web calendar that appeared on monitors throughout the school but had the added advantage of being accessible to students and parents from home on their media devices.

Jim next opened the school’s website and Facebook page and added school pictures from his smartphone that he had taken the previous day of a fourth-grade performance. He tries to add material for one grade level each day. The school’s Facebook page now receives many more “hits” each day than does their webpage. As the children began to arrive, Jim slipped his smart- phone into his pocket and headed out to the bus and auto arrival lanes to greet students and parents. He relies on his smartphone to inform him via text or voice messages of any critical issues that must be addressed immediately.

C H A P T E R

In a technology-driven society, things change at a faster rate than ever before in history. Educators who are connected use

that technology to maintain relevance in the fast-paced, changing world of education.

—Tom Witby1

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

298 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

Back at his desk after morning announcements, Jim returns to his computer. Touching another key, his daily appointments appeared, and Jim notes that his 8:30 appointment is with the parents of Dan Hoglund. Realizing he needs to review Dan’s case, he returns to his computer, enters the student information system, enters his password, and requests the discipline file for Hoglund. He printed out the dates of incidents of the past year from Dan’s discipline file as well as the detailed reports that had been entered by the counselor at Dan’s suspension several days earlier.

In his few remaining minutes while waiting for the 8:30 conference, Jim makes several edits on the screen to rough drafts of letters his secretary had typed for him the previous day. He does not work this way much anymore, but rather has found that for many shorter letters he can compose more quickly at the keyboard than on his old “yellow pad.”

Later, after his conference with the Hoglunds, Jim returns to his computer and enters into the discipline record a short note indicating the result of Dan’s conference. Jim next loads his electronic spreadsheet into the computer on which he had been preparing his new budget. He enters the several changes he had been contemplating, checked his updated totals, and prints a copy of the revised budget document to share with his department heads in his after- noon meeting.

Continuing his preparation for his afternoon department heads’ meeting, Jim loaded his presentation graphics and spreadsheet programs. He quickly created four bulleted slides to outline his points and found the spreadsheet that contained the data he needed to support his posi- tion. He highlighted the critical numbers and generated several graphs to illustrate findings. He saved them in a file that he could access from the conference room on the interactive whiteboard via the school computer wireless network.

The initial tasks completed, Jim turned to a review of the final draft of the new student handbook. This edition will be published as a Web document, saving the cost of paper printing, making the handbook available to students, parents, and staff at any time, and allowing for more frequent updates when desired. Paper-printed copies will be printed from computer printers on an as-needed basis.

Next Jim grabbed his tablet computer and headed down the hall for a teacher observation. With teacher evaluation software already loaded onto his tablet, Jim checked a few boxes to set up the lesson and then scripted the lesson directly on his screen along with categorizing the scripts for the post observation conference and report for the teacher’s file.

Do Jim’s activities go beyond what you are doing as a teacher or administrator? Every one of the electronic functions identified during Jim’s busy morning is in common use by administra- tors today. Electronic mail, word processing, desktop publishing, smartphone-based daily reminders and calendars, student record systems, spreadsheets, and Web applications, teacher evaluation software, as well as many more useful applications, are available for school princi- pals. The potential saving in time can be great, and the access to more information for more effective administration is tremendous.

National Educational Technology Standards

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) released its new National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Administrators in 2009. These standards are designed to help guide educational leaders in making wise decisions regarding technology

ISLLC 1

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 299

and how it is used in schools. The standards are broadly stated and effectively lay out five areas of concern:

1. Visionary Leadership. Inspire and lead development and implementation of a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology to promote excellence and support transfor- mation throughout the organization.

2. Digital-Age Learning Culture. Create and sustain a dynamic, digital-age learning culture that provides a rigorous, relevant education for all students.

3. Excellence in Professional Practice. Promote an environment of professional learning and innovation that empowers educators to enhance student learning through the infusion of contemporary technologies and digital resources.

4. Systemic Transformation. Provide leadership and management to continuously improve the organization through the effective use of information and technology resources.

5. Digital Citizenship. Model and facilitate understanding of social, ethical and legal issues and responsibilities related to an evolving digital culture.2

This chapter considers these technology standards as a framework for action and suggests actions and cautions to be considered by the school administrator.

Technology Plans

As a visionary educational leader, one of your responsibilities as principal will be the develop- ment of a technology plan with your staff and community. The plan should maximize the use of technology in meeting the administrative needs of your school as well as the curricular and instructional needs.

Technology planning must be a part of the overall school improvement plans; it is not a stand-alone area. It should be based on a vision of what the school community wants the school to be in the future and include a specific set of basic beliefs that have been agreed upon by the school faculty and staff. Figure 14.1 shows a set of basic beliefs from a technology plan for a K–8 elementary school.

Plans should be developed to span a number of years. Five-year plans, annually updated, are commonly used time frames. Topics may include these:

■ Technology integration into instruction ■ Technology integration into school management ■ Teacher, student, and staff training in technology utilization ■ Expected student technology competencies

Technology Culture

What is the culture of your school regarding the use of technology? What values and beliefs are expressed by your faculty through their use of technology? Is technology enthusiastically embraced by almost all your faculty? Maybe not. Is it resisted or ignored by most of your faculty?

ISLLC 1, 11

ISLLC 6

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

300 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

Let’s hope not. The second NETS standard suggests your job is to create “a digital-age learning culture” in your school.

One of the ways to begin to influence a culture is to model the desired behavior and values you wish to be adopted. An educational administrator needs to use the latest technology in front of the staff and encourage them in appropriate use of technology. For principals who are not “techies,” ask a technology coordinator in the school or district to provide some assistance or have a teacher—or in some cases a student—be your technology coach. As in the scenario intro- ducing this chapter, learn to use the technology you wish your teachers to use. In the process, you will find many efficiencies of operation for your own administrative tasks.

Here are some suggestions. School administrators must encourage the use of efficient technologies in the operation of school’s administrative offices. Office workers as well as

FIGURE 14.1 Pi Beta Phi’s Five-Year Technology Plan: Basic Beliefs

In order to accomplish the goal of providing “diverse opportunities for students to learn to live in a rapidly changing and increasingly complex, multicultural society,” technological resources must be utilized. Students must learn how to use the tools of the present to participate effectively in the economy of the future. Our school must identify important technological skills and make certain that our curriculum and instruction allow students to learn and practice those skills, while at the same time learning and practicing traditional academics. Technology provides the current tools that allow people to work, create, and communicate. Pi Beta Phi’s responsibility is to integrate those tools into the larger web of math, language arts, science, social studies, visual arts, music, health, and physical education.

of the curriculum.

and adoption of these resources, the following beliefs will serve as our guide.

— Curriculum and instruction must be continually assessed.

— Technology supports opportunities for significant student achievement.

— All teachers and students need access to computer workstations.

— All students must develop technological competencies.

— All teachers need to utilize appropriate technologies for management and for instruction.

— Students and teachers adapt to change at different rates.

— Technological training should be ongoing in response to assessed individual needs and interests as well as to the identified needs of the school.

— Effective use of worldwide educational resources requires utilization of current and appropriate technology.

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 301

teachers need to have frequent opportunities for development in the use of the latest technol- ogy. This means it is important to provide recent computer models for all administrators, office staff, and teachers, models capable of being networked together from a common server or webtop3 for ease of file sharing and transfer. All users should have access to a good office suite of software such as Microsoft Office4 or webtop software such as Google Docs or its equiva- lent. These office programs include software for word processing, presentation graphics, and spreadsheet capability. A program such as Microsoft’s OneNote5 is a tool to help principals and teachers stay organized.

Communication Using Technology

Technology has dramatically changed our ability to communicate with each other. As school administrators, we have opportunities to stay in touch with parents, students, community, and other professional educators like never before. This section of the chapter identifies many of the tools available—e-mail, webpages, telephone message systems, texting, social networks, blogs, and videocasts to enhance principals’ communication efforts with teachers, students, parents, and community.

School Website

A school website provides an opportunity to present a positive image of the school to the local community and to provide a solid information link to the parents of the children served by the school. It is the face of the school to the outside world; see Figure 14.2.

A good school website can contain a variety of semipermanent items, such as the school’s mission statement; policies, rules, and regulations for the school; and names of the building administrators and staff members, including e-mail addresses and phone numbers. Similar infor- mation can be provided for key district administrators. Information can also be listed about school clubs and other school-related organizations. Parents can be encouraged to communicate with teachers and administrators via e-mail. A principal’s newsletter published on the website on a weekly basis is an excellent way for the principal to keep parents and students informed.6 Remember, however, that not all families have access to the Web, so other communication links must also be used.

The part of the website that contains the following items should be expected to change frequently: school calendar of events for the week, month, and year; classroom news and announcements, including planned activities and homework assignments for each class; special school or classroom projects; breakfast and lunch menus; and educational links that provide resources for students and parents at home. A special page might celebrate school and student successes. Be sure to carefully consider in the school’s technology policy any limits that need to be placed on children’s identities in Web publications.

A faculty member or technology coordinator should be in charge of developing and main- taining the webpage. This person is often called the webmaster. However, all teachers should be taught webpage construction so they can maintain a presence for their classroom, club, or activity. Any materials they develop can be forwarded to the webmaster to integrate into the school site. Special software is available to aid in the construction of multiple-page sites.

ISLLC 7, 8, 10

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

302 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

The school website can also be maintained by a local service provider specializing in school website design and service. Using a standard school template, many companies charge only a small fee to design and maintain a website for a school. These services also bundle pod- casting abilities, blog management, translation services, and other options. The school staff needs only to provide the content.

While websites are now relatively easy to edit, they do not serve well in creating a his- tory for the school because material is usually deleted from the website as new information is added. For material that is relatively permanent every school should have a web-site because it is often the primary communication link with the public. However, the daily or weekly presentation of the ebb and flow of the school can be much more easily presented from one of the social media sites such as Facebook. Your website should provide a link to your school Facebook page.

FIGURE 14.2 Greeneville High School Website. Used by permission Source: Greeneville High School Website.

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 303

Social Media

Facebook, while initially resisted by school administrators as a communication medium, has become mainstream and a major tool for school–home communication. Schools today are report- ing many more contacts on their Facebook page than their website. It is easy to set up grade-level pages and special interest group pages such as a sixth-grade page or a drama club page. Then, using one of your other communication tools, send out a phone announcement to all sixth-grade parents suggesting they go to Facebook and check out the particular page of interest. Parents always want to see if their child is on the school Facebook page this week. Of course, they now look at what else is posted and you have created a new communication link with your parents.

However, a few cautions are in order. Facebook can allow page contributions from anyone. Be sure to limit editing access for your page to a designated school administrator. Comments on the Facebook blog can also be entered by anyone with the risk of an inappropriate comment. The designated administrator of your Facebook page can receive an e-mail notification every time a comment is added to the page and delete it if it is inappropriate. Principals, however, do not report much abuse because comments are not added anonymously, but rather, the name or Facebook name of the sender is recorded with the comment.

Other social media communication tools that are often used with sites posted on your school webpage include YouTube for videos, Twitter, using a school account to which parent and/or teachers sign up with their cell phone numbers to receive short messages (140 characters or less) alerting them to school matters. These messages can range from announcing a school closing, or a late bus returning from a field trip, or a suggestion that the recipient check the school Facebook page for new pictures of a school event.

When using children’s pictures on a website, there are some special rules you must follow. Your school or district should have a student Internet use policy in place.7 It is important to have the parent’s permission before placing a child’s picture on any printed or electronic public document. A good way of handling this is to send home a standard release form to be signed by each parent giving permission to use their child’s picture each year as school begins. You typically can expect to receive these signed release forms back from most of your parents with only a few denying per- mission. This means you only need to keep track of the few denials when posting pictures.

When posting children’s pictures on your webpage, Facebook, or other public Internet location, we suggest you do not include children’s names with any pictures posted on the Web but rather identify them only by class, special group (i.e., chorus), or teacher. If, however, it is important in a posting to identify a child by name, receiving a special award for example, an additional release form giving permission by the parent allowing the name of the child to be used should be procured in advance from the parent. Figure 14.3 is an example of a blanket release form for permission to use a child’s picture on the Internet.

Digital Citizenship

Students and some faculty members need to be taught appropriate social media use in school as well as in their private lives. Many schools have banned student use of social media such as Facebook in school by blocking its use on the school’s computer network and asking students to refrain from using it in school. However, this does not prevent student use from home or in school when they are connected directly through their cell phone provider. Misuse of social media,

ISLLC 7

ISLLC 9

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

304 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

FIGURE 14.3 Release Form for Children’s Pictures on Internet

Internet Use Agreement

I understand and will abide by the (Your school district) Internet Use Agreement. I further understand that any violation of the regulations in the agreement is unethical and may constitute criminal offense. Should I commit any violation, my access privileges may be revoked, school disciplinary action may be taken, and /or appropriate legal action. I also understand that my pictorial may be represented on the Web. Examples (webpages, video- conferencing, and e-mail).

Signature of Student: _________________________________________ Date: ______________

Student’s Name (print): _______________________________________

School: ____________________________________________________

For the Parents or Guardians of a Student User

As parents or guardians of this student, I have read the Internet User Agreement. I understand that this is designed for educational purposes. (Your school district) has taken precautions to eliminate controversial material. However, I also recognize it is impossible for the (Your school district) to restrict access to all controversial materials and I will not hold them responsible for materials acquired on the network. Furthermore, I accept responsibility for supervision if and when my child’s use is not in a school setting.

I hereby give permission for my child to use the Internet and certify that the information contained on this form is correct.

Yes ____________________ No ____________________

I hereby give permission for my child to have pictorial representation on the network. Examples (webpages, video- conferencing, and e-mail)

Yes ____________________ No ____________________

Parent or guardian’s name (print): _______________________________

Signature: __________________________________________________ Date: ______________

For the Sponsoring Teacher of a Student User

I have read the Internet Usage Agreement and agree to promote this agreement with the student. Because the student may use the network for individual work or in context of another class, I cannot be held responsible for the student’s use of the network. As the sponsoring teacher, I do agree to instruct the student on acceptable use of the network and proper network etiquette.

Teacher’s Name (Print): ______________________________________

Signature: __________________________________________________ Date: ______________

Source: Loudon County Schools. Used by permission.

whether it is simply providing too much personal information about one’s self, communicating with strangers, “friending” people you do not know, sexting, or cyberbullying, is inappropriate behavior. Children need to be taught the dangers of misuse and what is appropriate behavior and what is not. Therefore, it is imperative that digital citizenship and the appropriate uses of social media be taught in school each year to each grade level beginning in elementary school.

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 305

There are many websites available on the subject of student use of the Internet and social media as well as supporting curriculum materials.8 One of the very best sites is Common Sense Media.9 They have well-designed free curriculum materials for grades K–12, excellent materials for parent education on digital citizenship for their children, and an excellent professional library for teachers to enhance their skills in teaching about digital literacy.

E-mail

E-mail is a very convenient communication tool for reaching individuals as well as large groups of people both inside and outside the school. Many school announcements to teachers and staff can be quickly and efficiently sent using a listserv (a selected list of e-mail addresses to whom a message can be sent simultaneously). Members of the school community should be able to send e-mails to each other, but their e-mail addresses need to remain private and not be accessible from outside, if at all possible. On the other hand, each teacher and administrator needs to have a public e-mail address that is available to parents and community members.

For e-mail messages to be sent by the school to a portion or all of its community, the school information system (SIS) (discussed later in this chapter) should include e-mail addresses for all stakeholders. A well-designed, in-school e-mail program can tell the system to send a message to all teachers in the middle school or all parents of third-graders—and the system will know exactly who should receive the message.

School administrators also need the ability to terminate a user’s access to the school direc- tory whenever necessary, and the school should be able to choose what information is displayed in the school directory. If student e-mail is not part of the SIS, stand-alone student e-mail systems are available that provide a collection of filtering and monitoring devices to monitor content.

Telephone Message Delivery Systems

In addition to e-mail, a telephone message delivery system that can rapidly “push out” school messages to parents is a valuable tool that gives all parents access to important information via the telephone. Such a system can help families stay informed about school events and can even make a difference in their child’s education, increase attendance, and improve grades. Telephone message delivery systems serve a great variety of school communication needs:

■ School cancellation ■ Bus delay announcements ■ Volunteer opportunities ■ Attendance messages ■ Customized messages ■ Emergency messages such as snow days ■ Reminder of report cards being sent home ■ Reminder for standardized testing day ■ Athletic event announcement ■ Announcements of PTA/PTO meetings ■ Announcements of back-to-school night ■ Rumor abatement

ISLLC 7, 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

306 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

■ Reminder for field trip permission slip ■ Reminder for free or reduced-cost lunch eligibility ■ Reminder for parent—teacher conferences ■ Suggestions that the parent look for new material posted on the school Facebook page

In some schools, many parents are not connected to the Internet, or if they are connected, they do not use it. So even though the Internet, school websites, and social media sites are a quick and easy way to make information available, they need to be supplemented by other communica- tion to reach everyone. Telephone message delivery systems can make sure that everyone gets the message; they add a communication link to the Internet and printed material sent home. Parents are thus informed regardless of their personal situation.

A number of companies known as application service providers (ASPs) market telephone delivery systems for schools. The ones that seem to be providing the better service are those that are Internet based.10 These services are able to push out thousands of phone calls in only a few minutes from their computerized call centers and multiple phone lines. Some of the services they provide include these:

■ Select calling based on information provided by the school district (e.g., Ms. Jones’s fifth- grade class or the families of the boys on the football team)

■ Message translation services for multiple-language transmissions based on the language information provided by the school

■ Two-way communication, by providing response message boxes for faculty and staff ■ Customizable surveys with telephone keypad responses ■ Calls based on a parent-selected time schedule for hard to reach parents ■ Multiple attempts for phones not answered or messages received by answering devices

Instant Messaging (Texting)

The use of the cell phone to send typed messages instead of voice messages has grown greatly. Texting is a quick and efficient way to send brief messages or to carry on a conversation with someone where voice contact is not always appropriate. Young people have become so attracted to texting that its misuse has become a discipline concern in many schools. Student use and control of cell phones is discussed later in this chapter.

As a communication tool, texting offers another legitimate avenue to reach individual parents and others interested in what is happening in school. Often, the person with whom you wish to communicate is not available at the moment you wish to speak to them. Or, you wish to send them a graphic or picture. Texting is great for this one-to-one quick communication.

Telephone and Web-Based School Surveys

Every school administrator needs to know what parents or the local school community thinks about a variety of school issues: It may be a proposed change in the school calendar, it may be a suggested change in the report card, or it may be a question to the parents of eighth-graders about a proposed school trip. A number of software products and services are available to quickly ask and receive answers to such questions. Some are automated telephone surveys that are sent out

ISLLC 8, 11

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 307

through a telephone messaging service like the ones described in the previous section. A survey can be sent out to an audience selected by the school administrator from the school database of phone numbers of parents or other community members. Responses to the questions are returned by touching certain numbers on the phone keypad; responses are recorded and tallied. Obviously the questions for telephone surveys must be simple and short with simple answers. Most of telephone service companies provide this survey option along with their messaging service.

Web-based surveys also provide a way to collect information. Using e-mail addresses of your intended target respondents, software such as InstantSurvey, SurveyMonkey, Phonelink, or your own SIS can broadcast, receive, and tabulate survey data.11

Social and Professional Networks

The development of professional and community networks also contribute to the success of every school administrator. Traditionally, administrators did this by collecting business cards and setting up a contact list, but today there are better ways. Electronic social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn offer personal tools to the school admin- istrator to reach out for information and support in ways not previously obtainable.12 These networks, with members worldwide or local, provide the school administrator with a way to keep in touch with professional friends but also to reach out to contacts not otherwise readily available. This is a different purpose for a social media account than we discussed earlier. It is a personal account dedicated for your own professional growth. For example, LinkedIn, a favorite because it is largely a network of professionals, works like this. When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional expertise and accomplishments. The next step is to begin to form connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you. Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know—linking you to a vast number of qualified professionals and experts. Facebook works in a similar way to LinkedIn, whereas Twitter functions more like texting to all your friends at the same time on a cell phone or computer.

Administrator Education Blogs

A blog (a contraction of the term weblog) is a type of website or part of a website that is usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order.13 Many administrators choose a blog format to communicate with their stakeholders: daily announcements to teachers under a principal-to-teacher blog, daily announcements to students posted on a principal-to-student blog, and announcements to parents and other community mem- bers on a principal-to-parent blog. These blogs can then be posted on the school webpage for the day and archived for future reference. The blog can reference with a hyperlink to other published activities to which the principal wishes to draw attention. For example, the principal may wish to draw attention to audio or video recordings of school events posted as podcasts on the school website or can include a hyperlink embedded in the blog. A number of Internet sites provide the software to help set up and administer a blog.14

Blogs are also extremely beneficial to the administrator as a source of information and professional development. A daily scan of several major education blogs will keep the principal

ISLLC 6, 8, 11

ISLLC 1, 7, 11

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

308 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

current on the day’s news and discussions. Several of the major education news sources provide lists of education blogs, each focusing on a particular theme of current interest to educators. Two current sources of ongoing blogs are ASCD and This Week in Education.15 A particularly impres- sive principal’s blog is maintained by the New Milford High School principal, Eric Sheniger located in Bergen County, New Jersey.16

Twitter

Twitter17 is becoming a networking tool for the school to use both as a parent, teacher, or com- munity contact, as well as a professional development resource for teachers and administrators. For parents, a Twitter account is opened in the name of the school and announced on the school webpage. Parents are encouraged to join as friends (similar to joining a social network such as Facebook) who will receive all school announcements (tweets in the language of Twitter) on their cell phone or computer. Messages are sent in a text form and can be no more than 140 characters in length but often reference a Web address or Facebook page for more information. Twitter is quick and free way to send short announcements and emergency mes- sages to all who have joined. In this way, it is similar to the push-out voice message services discussed earlier. Multiple accounts can be opened to reach special groups. For example, open an account with only teachers and staff as members to use as a school emergency communication or for professional development messages from the principal. It is probably wise to use your school twitter accounts for outgoing messages only and not complicate communication by accepting any incoming Twitter messages.

Twitter is also a way to keep informed as a teacher or principal. Just as in the previous section on blogs, there are many Twitter hashtags or Twitter chats18 that you can join that func- tion like short message blogs or chat rooms focusing on your role as a principal or on specific aspects of your job. In fact, there is such a vast array of options it is wise to select some organ- izing software to help you keep track of those sites you choose to follow.19

Pinterest is an online bulletin board. It is a graphic version of a written blog or a social media site. It is great as a professional development tool allowing teachers or administrators to post lesson ideas showing any visuals they might have developed for their classroom or other content for their children. For administrators, it can be used like Facebook to post pictures of school events as well as informal clips of school activities. Parents always like a glimpse of their children at school.20

Videocasts (Podcasts)

Videocasts (Podcasts) are either audio records or audio/video records (video podcasts) that are posted on the Web to be downloaded for viewing or listening. There are thousands of educa- tional videocasts posted on the Web and available to be downloaded. Many videocasts can be useful for teachers in their classrooms; almost any school subject at every grade level can be found. In addition, many videocasts are excellent staff-development tools to help improve teaching techniques.21

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 309

Locally produced videocasts are often of equal or greater value than these produced else- where. They have many useful purposes in schools when posted on the school’s or teacher’s website. Classroom uses might include teacher lectures recorded for later review by students, student presentations to be viewed by other students or parents, and guest lectures presented to one class and then made available to others.

On the administrative side, videocasts might include performances by student groups, which can be made available to parents and others; the principal’s announcements to teachers; good teacher practices to be shared with other teachers in the building; and professional development events recorded for later reference. All of these are examples of locally recorded events that can be placed on the website for later viewing or listening.

For pre-planned activities, a video camera and a tripod plus video editing software is all that is needed. For ad-hoc opportunities, smartphones generally have good video recording capabilities.22

Education Electronic Newsletters

Important sources of current information useful to school administrators are the electronic newsletters sent out several times each week by professional education organizations. These publications generally scan all of the major education news sources in the United States as well as other English-speaking countries of the world. Articles are selected from these sources and are presented as a brief summary of contents. A hyperlink takes you to the original publication. ASCD SmartBriefs, Education Week Update, and NASSP Principal’s Update are examples of these services.23

Cell Phones

Administrator Smart Phones

The smart phone has become an almost required aid to the busy administrator. Its capabilities as a data source, time saver, and convenience tool for the administrator are virtually unmatched by any other electronic device. Besides being a mobile phone, the smart phone is capable of doing so much more for the administrator who is frequently on the move and not stationed at a desk for much of the day. Several of the school information systems discussed in the following section have mobile applications that allow access to most of a school’s student information system as well as general school information. For example, the principal should have immediately avail- able the school calendar as well as his or her personal calendar. The database with staff and student information, including student pictures, can also be available on the smart phone. E-mail communication is immediately available as is access to the Web.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Student Cell Phones, Tablets, Netbooks, etc.

The growing trend for schools is for every student to have access to a computing device in school. Cell phones labeled as 3G or 4G (third or fourth generation) phones or later are, in fact, small computers with more capacity than many laptops. Tablets such as the iPad have even

ISLLC 7

ISLLC 2, 3, 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

310 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

greater capabilities. The question is, how are we going to treat them? Do we see them as an opportunity or do we see them as a problem? They are in fact both. In the hands of students they need to be controlled, but they also are great instructional tools. Software is now available to allow all of these different computer platforms to talk to each other over a common wireless school network. Each school should have a cell phone or device policy to lay out the framework for their use in and around the school.24 Figure 14.4 illustrates one high school’s student cell phone policy.

Note items 5 and 6 in Figure 14.4. This school actively encourages the appropriate uses of cell phones in many classrooms as learning aids. Remember, cell phones can be used to make calls, text, e-mail, connect with the Internet, take pictures, and make videos. All have instruc- tional value. Some schools are moving to electronic textbooks, replacing paper. The Greenville High School endnote lists some valuable Web locations—ranging from mobile search services from Google and ChaCha to cell phone applications that allow groups of individuals to vote in user-generated polls using mobile phone texting capabilities and an active website posting results. The cell phone becomes an audience response system (ARS), with the phone acting as the clicker device.25 For students who do not have personal cell phones, some schools have negoti- ated with the district provider of staff cell phones to provide the school with several classroom sets of the latest phone technology so that phones are available for classroom use. Or, more and more schools are providing tablets to selected classrooms or schools for all students.

FIGURE 14.4 Greeneville High School Cell Phone Policy

1. Students are not permitted to use or have cell phones in sight from the time they arrive at school until 2:40 p.m.

2. Students are allowed to use their cell phone for reasonable communication purposes in or out of the building after 2:40, unless otherwise designated at specific school functions.

3. The taking of photos or the recording of videos, whether by cell phone or any other device, in places where privacy is a reasonable expectation is strictly prohibited. An incident of this nature could result in a sexual harassment violation.

4. Using cell phone cameras to record altercations on school grounds or at school events is prohibited. In such cases, phones may be confiscated as evidence.

5. Students are allowed to use the cell phones in the classrooms for educational purposes only and must be under the direct supervision of their teacher.

6. Under teacher direction, cell phones are to be placed on student desks in the “off” or “quiet” mode at the beginning of each class period.

Consequences for Cell Phone Policy Violations

1. Violation of the above policy will result in the student’s cell phone being confiscated for seven days.

2. Students may choose to have their cell phone returned before the end of the seven days by paying a twenty dollar (cash only) fine at the end of the school day in the main office.

3. An administrator will be contacted if the student refuses to give up the phone for a violation, or if student turns in a “dummy” phone. The student’s insubordination will result in a level 2 offense.

Source: Used by permission, Greeneville High School Website.

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 311

School Information Systems (SIS)

For many schools, little aggregation of student data takes place. Information from different parts of the school organization is often kept in separate files, redundant, and difficult to share. Schools generally maintain huge amounts of information in areas such as student records, teacher assignment information, student assessment data, transportation information, food service records, library records, school financial data, and special education records. The technologies used to manage these data have often been incompatible, even within the same school or school district. This prevents anyone from really looking at the “big picture” across all the datasets that are part of schools. Software to support a newer concept of file storage and file sharing, called data warehousing, has emerged to aggregate previously stored data from separate data systems using software designed to connect all information and technologies. This new methodology of data warehousing, along with school information systems, is making it possible for schools to develop new analyses and reports that draw from several databases.

A well-designed SIS integrates a wide range of information needs and sources for administrators, teachers, students, and parents. Features can include many of the following: school scheduling, calendars, e-mail, file management, teacher records, medical clinic records, report cards, and customized reports. SIS software systems are available that range from very complex, large-school commercial systems to very inexpensive or free open-access, stand- alone systems.26

An SIS should provide school administrators access to data that are current, and the system should be simple to manage. It should give users ways to self-manage their own data and tasks, which relieve the burden on school administrators and information technology (IT) personnel. A good system should eliminate redundant data entry and other tasks by automating and expedit- ing repetitive processes.

Teachers’ lives can be made simpler by automating routine tasks and giving them tools to make the education process more engaging for students. Grade-book programs integrated with other school records can reduce grading tasks to one entry, thereby eliminating redundancies. Features such as teacher blogs, discussion boards, customizable quiz generator, and the ability to create and track assignments online should be options. Routines can be created that simplify and encourage teachers’ communication with students and parents.

Most students love new technology. Some parts of an SIS can be designed specifically for direct student access to keep them interested in and involved with their own education by allow- ing them to monitor their progress, stay organized, track assignments, and access class resources. Communication with teachers and other students can be expanded through class blogs and discussion groups.

Educators know that parental involvement is a vital factor in student success. Giving parents an easy way to be proactive in their children’s education and involved with the school community will enhance student learning. An SIS can create opportunities for parents to update their personal accounts, including contact information, and to fill in permission slips and other forms online, which also lessens management burdens for schools. Parents can sign up to volunteer for events, view their children’s commitments and assignments, communicate with teachers, and receive progress reports.

An SIS should include specific modules designed for efficient management of school data. Brief descriptions of some key areas follow.

ISLLC 8, 11

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

312 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

Calendars

An SIS must have the capability to create, manage, and share multiple calendars and events with minimal effort. As the school administrator, you may want to maintain a variety of different school-related calendars. Here are five suggestions:

■ A personal calendar that includes all of the appointments and events for which you are specifically responsible. You may wish to maintain this calendar on your smart phone, as did the principal in the opening scenario of this chapter.

■ A school master calendar that includes all special activities that are school related (see Figure 14.6).

FAMILY ACCESS STUDENT ACCESS

APPLICATION NAME ENABLED DISPLAY MESSAGE ENABLED DISPLAY MESSAGE

Edit Academic History NO NO NO NO

Edit Activities YES N/A YES N/A

Edit Attendance YES N/A YES N/A

Edit Discipline YES N/A YES N/A

Edit Educational Milestones NO NO NO NO

Edit E-mail Notifications YES N/A N/A N/A

Edit Food Service NO NO NO NO

Edit Gradebook YES N/A YES N/A

Edit Graduation Requirements NO NO NO NO

Edit Homeroom NO NO NO NO

Edit Message Center YES N/A YES N/A

Edit My Calendar YES N/A YES N/A

Edit Notes NO NO NO NO

Edit Portfolio NO NO NO NO

Edit Pseudo Family Changes YES N/A N/A N/A

Edit Report Cards YES N/A YES N/A

Edit Report Directory NO NO NO NO

Edit Rtl Information NO NO N/A N/A

Edit Schedule YES N/A YES N/A

Edit Skylert YES N/A N/A N/A

Edit Student Information YES N/A YES N/A

Edit Student Services NO NO N/A N/A

Edit Teacher Conferences NO NO N/A N/A

Edit Test Scores YES N/A YES N/A

FIGURE 14.5 Family and Student Access to Student Data

Source: Loudon County Schools from Skyward software.

ISLLC 3

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

N O V E M B E R

1 3

S u

n d

ay T

h u

rs d

E L

E C

T IO

N D

A Y

S tu

de nt

H ol

id ay

N U

T R

IT IO

N D

A Y

W O

R K

S H

O P

M on

d ay

T u

es d

ay W

ed n

es d

ay F

ri d

ay S

at u

rd ay

4 5

6 7

8 9

11 12

13 14

15 16

18 19

20 21

22 23

25 26

27 28

29 30

3: 20

— F

ac ul

ty M

ee ti

3: 20

— F

ac ul

ty M

ee ti

3: 20

— F

ac ul

ty M

ee ti

3: 20

— F

ac ul

ty M

ee ti

M A

K E

-U P

D A

Y F

O R

P IC

T U

R E

S S

T U

D E

N T

S F

R O

M L

IT T

L E

W O

R L

D T

O T

A L

K T

O K

–5 9:

30 –1

2: 00

3: 20

— L

ea de

rs hi

p T

ea m

M ee

ti ng

9: 15

— K

& 1

P ro

gr am

M ar

ty S

il ve

r E

nv ir

on m

en ta

li st

3: 20

— L

ea de

rs hi

p T

ea m

M ee

ti ng

T he

C lu

e T

ha t

T ur

ne d

B lu

e 10

:0 0–

K , 1

st , 2

nd M

ul ti

10 :3

0– 3r

d, 4

th , &

5 th

P ro

gr es

s R

ep or

ts g

o ou

t 8:

30 –1

1: 30

B le

ds oe

— Ij

an i’

s P

ar k

B iv

en s—

A ir

po rt

K in

de rg

ar te

n— “N

ut cr

ac ke

r”

E nd

o f

T hi

rd M

on th

9: 00

2 nd

G ra

de P

la y

K , 1

, 3 , &

M ul

ti -A

ge 9:

15 —

4 &

3 P

ro gr

am M

ar ty

S il

ve r

E nv

ir on

m en

ta li

st 1:

00 2

nd G

ra de

P la

y K

, 4

T H

A N

K S

G IV

IN G

H O

L ID

A Y

E nd

o f

S ix

W ee

ks 9:

15 —

2 &

3 P

ro gr

am M

ar ty

S il

ve r

E nv

ir on

m en

ta li

st 10

:3 0

S in

ge rs

l ea

ve f

or G

at li

nb ur

g 2:

00 S

in ge

rs P

ro gr

am at

G at

li nb

ur g

F IG

U R

E 1

4. 6

S ch

oo l

M as

te r

C al

en d

313

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

314 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

■ A building utilization calendar on which all reservations for public spaces are recorded such as the auditorium, gymnasium, cafeteria, and conference room.

■ A personnel calendar that indicates all the times when someone is not going to be in the building. This type of calendar is valuable when substitutes need to be hired or personnel need to be reassigned. Included would be teachers who will be at a conference or have requested a personal day and the times that administrators will be at meetings away from the school.

■ Individual student calendars indicating homework assignments, test days, special events, etc. See Figure 14.7.

Once created, an entire calendar or a specific event should be able to be shared with an individual or a predefined group. School-related events can be made to automatically appear on the appropriate parties’ calendars. For example, a student’s homework assignments and exams appear immediately on his or her calendar once a teacher has posted the information. Teachers’ calendars can be made to show schoolwide events, along with the many dates teachers must keep track of. Parents can easily see their children’s commitments. All users should be able to subscribe to any particular group’s calendars and determine which events need to be added to their own master calendar. Reminders from the master schedule can be sent prior to any scheduled event.

File Management

An SIS should allow administrators to create common folders and give read-only or read/write access to individual users or groups of users or give privileges based on a user’s role. It should be possible to easily share files with anyone in the system, thereby avoiding multiple copies of the same file. When providing access to student data, remember the restrictions established by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Password control systems can provide access to only those eligible to view certain student documents.

Clinic Records

Student health information and medical records can be a critical part of the information main- tained about students. Often these records are filed away in the school clinic, but in reality they are essential when emergencies arise. School nurses need to manage a variety of medical infor- mation: allergies, immunizations, prescriptions, emergency contact information, insurance, and a log of medication distributions. One of the components of a good school SIS is a retrievable file of student information. Records, of course, must be kept private; allow access only to eligible staff with a password protection system.

Report Generator

The SIS needs to be capable of extracting data from any module in order to generate, publish, and share reports that accurately convey a range of student and school information. The system should be able to track trends and view statistics for individual students, the entire school, or within- population subgroups. It should also filter retrieved data according to specific criteria—date,

ISLLC 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

315

S tu

d en

t: S

h ar

on Y

ar b

ro u

P re

vi ou

s M

on th

ep te

m b

er 2

01 4

S u

n d

ay M

on d

ay T

u es

d ay

W ed

n es

d ay

T h

u rs

d ay

F ri

d ay

1 2 N

o S

ch oo

l 3 p.

1 67

( 1-

21 ;

(8 3)

-1 9

pg 6

4 &

1 (

55 )

N ot

et ak

in g

W or

l (1

00 )

4 C ha

pt er

2 T

es t

00 )

5 D ro

ps i

n th

e B

uc (

83 )

M ul

ti pl

ic at

io n

F a

(1 00

) S

ca le

L ad

de r

B -f

( S

)

6 O pe

ni ng

P ar

ag ra

ec ti

on 1

-2 R

ev i

8 9 W

B 4

-6

( 10

F ol

da bl

e R

ev ie

w (

10 0)

ca le

L ad

de r

E -f

( S

)

p. 2

26 (

6- 23

)

00 )

S ec

ti on

3 -4

E gy

i (8

E ne

rg y

F lo

w W

o (9

1- 4

pg 1

15 &

1 -

( 50

)

A dd

it io

n F

ac ts

Q (

99 )

D ro

ps i

n th

e B

uc (

83 )

2 30

( 15

-2 3)

(9 8)

ll it

er at

io n

A d

00 )

1- 17

p g

92 &

1 -

( 70

) O

pe n

B oo

k M

ul t

( 83

)

V oc

ab ul

ar y

Q ui

z C

um ul

at iv

e C

ha pt

er 3

T es

15 16

C A

P C

oa ch

, p .

(1 00

) P

re po

si ti

on s

( 10

B R

P re

po si

ti on

al (

10 0)

ec ti

on 1

-2 A

nc i

(8 7)

A dd

/S ub

tr ac

t F

r. (

97 )

S ec

ti on

1 E

co sy

: (

73 )

A dd

it io

n Q

ui z

B (

99 )

D ro

ps i

n th

e B

ut (

85 )

M ap

o f

7 B

io m

e; (

10 0)

ec ti

on 3

A nc

ie r

( 80

)

L it

er at

ur e

B oo

k C

on ce

rt B

b S

ca le

22 23

2 52

( 9-

24 ;

(8 0)

rg um

en ta

ti ve

S ec

. 4 -5

R ev

ie w

( 80

)

W B

5 -8

( 95

)

pa ge

s 42

–4 3

W c

( 10

1- 9

pg 5

3 &

1 -7

W B

5 -9

(

10 0)

rg um

en ts

(

85 )

C ha

pt er

5 I

nd ia

(

93 )

A dd

it io

n F

ac ts

Q (

96 )

D ro

ps i

n th

e B

uc (

89 )

1- 14

p g

12 2

& 1

( 71

)

W B

p g

45 -4

6 A

q (8

P ar

ti ci

pa ti

on i

n c

( S

)

O pe

n B

oo k

T es

29 30

✓ S

ho w

A bs

en ce

s/ T

ar di

✓ S

ho w

G ra

de bo

ok A

ss ig

nm en

ts (

G ra

de E

ar ne

d) ✓

S ho

w M

C -M

es sa

ge s

✓ S

ho w

A C

-A ct

iv it

y E

ve nt

s ✓

S ho

w S

T -S

tu de

nt T

es ts

✓

S ho

w L

un ch

M en

F IG

U R

E 1

4. 7

F am

il y

A cc

es s

R ep

or t

S o u rc

e: L

ou do

n C

ou nt

y S

ch oo

ls f

ro m

S ky

w ar

d so

ft w

ar e.

T he

p ur

po se

o f

th is

f am

il y

re po

rt i

s to

i nf

or m

p ar

en ts

o f

th ei

r ch

il d’

s pr

ev io

us m

on th

s as

si gn

m en

ts a

nd t

es ts

w it

h nu

m er

ic g

ra de

s fo

r ea

ch d

ai ly

a ss

ig nm

en t

sh ow

n in

p ar

en th

es es

. A c

ur re

nt m

on th

’s r

ep or

t m

ig ht

l oo

k si

m il

ar b

ut w

it h

te st

a nd

a ss

ig nm

en t

sc or

es n

ot y

et r

ec or

de d.

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

316 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

time, gender, grade level, age, and more. If a report fulfills a requirement for a regulatory organi- zation, it should be possible for it to be customized so that it conforms to specific state reporting requirements. Remember to save the format for reuse next time the same report is needed. Examples of reports an administrator may wish to produce are listed next.

1. Community Parent Profile. This is a summary profile of all the parents of the children in the school, showing the percentage of each educational level, number of single-parent homes, type of occupations, percentage originally from outside the area, number of chil- dren in the family, and so on. Analysis of this type of information is useful in developing a better understanding of a student population and its needs.

2. New Enrollee Analysis. This report consists of a listing of the new enrollments for each year by month, with information regarding each student’s previous school, condition of transfer, and success in your school using grade-point orange (GPA) or test score comparisons.

3. Departing Student Analysis. This is similar to the enrollment analysis. 4. Excessive Absence List. This is a list by name of all students with more than X number of days

absent, showing total days enrolled and days absent. Also, dates and days of the week of each absence are indicated. The report might indicate which absences were not excused and if a disciplinary file, particularly truancy, exists on the student. A cross-check on the attendance of siblings is possible as well. If the list is to be used to contact parents, then their names, phone numbers, and addresses could be included as well to speed the follow-up process.

5. Excessive Tardy Report. This report could be similar to the excessive absence report. It might also be the basis for notification letters sent home using the merge feature on the word processor (part of good information management is keeping parents informed as well).

6. Exceptional Student Report. This is a list by grade and teacher, at the end of each grading period, of all students with a GPA greater than 3.5, 3.0 to 3.5, and less than 1.5. Special notations can be included for those who were not in these categories during the previous reporting period.

7. Proficiency Test Report. This is a list of those students by grade, teacher, and subject area who have not passed certain components of the proficiency test.

8. Student Disciplinary Report. A student disciplinary report can be a list of recent discipli- nary cases by student and offense, or perhaps only a summary report indicating the number of cases, stating offense category and case disposition.

9. Achievement Test Analysis. This is a list of students showing achievement test score gains higher than expected over previous achievement test scores. It is also a list of all students showing achievement test scores lower than expected from previous achievement test scores reported by subject area and teacher.

Scheduling

Although school master schedules are discussed in detail in Chapter 12, they are part of the SIS system. Much of the information needed to construct a master schedule is drawn from the SIS databases. A good scheduling program analyzes available information and determines optimal class times to minimize potential conflicts, while taking into account classroom types, class size limits, student or parent requests, registrations holds, and course prerequisites. A good scheduler also supports irregular timing intervals, one-time class meetings, and holiday or early dismissal

ISLLC 3, 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 317

schedules. The program should be capable of creating schedules that are almost conflict-free with flexible, user-defined constraints for rooms, instructors, and students. Teachers and students should be able to view and print their daily schedules.

Student Records

The student record component of the SIS tracks a wide array of biographical, academic, and personal information in order to gain insight into the strengths, weaknesses, and character of each student in the school. The system should keep detailed records of a student’s academic and per- sonal information, allowing schools to maintain organized historical and current records. Vital information should be trackable from year to year. Access needs to be strictly limited to admin- istrators to ensure that sensitive information is kept private. Demographic data—including ethnic background, languages spoken, and information about legal guardians and siblings—as well as emergency contacts and medical records are necessary to create a full picture of every student.

Report Cards

A report card program is most useful when integrated into the larger SIS. The SIS can be designed to provide opportunity to review, approve, and publish student report cards, progress reports, and transcripts. The software should set up a smooth workflow among administrators, teachers, and parents. Teachers prepare final reports, adding personalized or predefined comments, and send them directly to administrators for review and approval. Upon approval, the reports can be either printed or delivered electronically to parents. A good program will have security—that is, it will control access to sensitive information by determining who can view grades and specify- ing the grade level(s) to which each teacher has access.

Course Management Systems

Another approach to managing teachers’ records is to use a course management system (CMS), which generally includes most of the record components of a grade-book program. A CMS is generally Internet-based software that creates and distributes course content, enabling teachers to extend the classroom beyond its traditional boundaries of time and space. Such a system can be used to supplement conventional courses by making available Web-based materials either posted directly by the teacher or via hyperlinks leading to other Web-based information. A CMS can help to completely organize a conventional course, by managing attendance, accepting completed assignments, administering exams, and providing opportunities for students to communicate remotely with each other or with the teacher via discussion boards, chat rooms, e-mail, and so forth. As students gain more direct access to the Internet via home computers, classroom com- puters, and portable devices such as laptops or cell phones, it is logical to begin to organize instruction directly on the Internet. As the instructional model of the “flipped classroom” gains popularity, the CMS will become even more vital for good classroom management.

Although there are a number of good stand-alone CMS programs on the market, it is extremely desirable to have one that is linked directly with the SIS. A CMS program gives teachers an array of tools designed to lighten their workload. It should make readily available

ISLLC 2, 3

ISLLC 7, 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

318 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

the information teachers need to monitor every student’s academic progress. In fact, the CMS needs to be like a small SIS working on the teachers’ behalf. This program should assist teachers to input and maintain grades, create and manage assignments, record attendance, and track disciplinary issues. It might also produce graphs and charts that allow teachers to identify particular types of students or track overall class performance, and have the capability of posting assignments online for students to download, complete, and return electronically or by hand.

A number of commercial CMS software packages designed for use with K–12 schools are available for purchase, for example, Blackboard Learning System.27 There are, however, a grow- ing number of excellent products that are free, open-source alternatives to Blackboard; Moodle, Claroline, and Sakai Project28 are examples. Even though these programs are in a sense free, they require a level of expertise and support that may not always be available in the local school. As a result, a number of software support service firms offer (for a fee) assistance in training teachers and managing operations for CMS products. A Google search can provide lists of such services.

Other Software Applications for Administrators

Classroom Supervision

The use of technology for teacher supervision has several powerful applications. Classroom observations can be greatly enhanced with software designed to operate on handheld devices such as a tablet computer or a smart phone with fully customized rubrics to meet criteria of indi- vidual school districts. As a teacher is observed in the classroom, class learning time, on-task time, teacher talk, wait time, attention to gender, divergent and nondivergent questioning, as well as questioning based on levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, can be evaluated with easily generated reports. The data allow administrators to create a database of observation results so that specific variables can be evaluated for individual teachers and building-level analysis can be conducted. A variety of software products are on the market to meet the different needs of principals.29

Financial Accounting Systems

Financial accounting is one of the most common applications for computers. With the increasing demand for highly detailed accounting, the computer becomes a natural solution as a highly accurate labor-saving tool. Specialized packages for accounting are available from most compu- ter stores. These packages are generally designed for business use, however. Most often, only the general ledger component is needed for school accounting, and in many cases it can be purchased as a separate component. Simple accounting procedures can also be created from a database management system or formulated on spreadsheet software. (See Figure 14.8.) Many school districts standardize all of their schools on a common financial accounting system. An Internet search reveals many current products.

School Forms—Online Downloading

Many school forms and records can be maintained electronically. All schools have filing cabi- nets full of school forms needed for varying purposes: special education documentation, voca- tional programs, maintenance requests, technology repairs, purchase orders, tardy slips, lesson

ISLLC 2, 6

ISLLC 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 319

plans—the list can go on and on. Several levels of records management are available to the school. Most basic is to make available blank record forms in a portable document format (PDF) of all basic forms by creating a file of master school forms available to all stakeholders. This allows the downloading of any form to a local printer, so all forms will be readily avail- able. If desired, access limits can be placed on the file, making forms available only to appro- priate subgroups.

Electronic Response Forms. An electronic system may allow on-screen completion of a specific school form, printing of the completed form, and electronic return of the completed form to the appropriate location. Examples of such forms are an application for a job, a permission slip for a field trip, and a parent review and update of a child’s personnel information—address, phone, health information, and so on.

FIGURE 14.8 Budget Spreadsheet

DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET, 2014 Mathematics Department Southeast Elementary Month October

BUDGET AREA AND ITEM ALLOWABLE EXP. THIS MONTH

EXP. TO DATE REMAINDER

TEXTS (B-4) Modern Math Math Software Binders 21 @ $10.50 Supplementary Texts

$ 900.00 400.00 220.50 450.00

497.00 497.00

220.50 275.00

403.00 400.00

— 175.00

EQUIPMENT (D-4) Volume Distribution Set (1) Graph Board (multipurpose) (1) Dry Erase Marker Packs (6) Rack of Compasses Rack of Protractors

90.00 65.00 60.00 32.00 35.00

10.00

15.00

90.00

10.00 12.00 15.00

— 65.00 50.00 20.— 20.—

SUPPLEMENTARY (B-6) Universal Encyclopedia of Math (2) Other References

40.00 50.00

40.00 40.00 —

50.00

TECHNOLOGY(D-7) Smart Board 1750.00 1745.00

— 5.00

DISCRETIONARY SUPPLIES 100.00 65.00 35.00

SUBTOTAL $4192.50 $ 562.00 $2969.50 $1223.00

PERSONNEL (A-3) 2 Consultants 2 days each for in-service expenses

2000.00 1000 1000 1000

SUBTOTAL $2000.00

TOTAL $6192.50 $1562.00 $3969.50 $2223.00

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

320 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

ISLLC 8

Records Progress Tracker. When records are being returned electronically by teachers, students, or parents, it is sometimes difficult to determine which records are complete and which are still in process. A tracking system can be added to the electronic record response program to keep track of which records are complete, in process, or have not been activated.

Document Management Systems

Document imaging and management systems, along with document scanning hardware, allow a school to create a computer document file of records it receives as hard copy and retrieve the file on the computer screen. Medical records, parent letters, certificates, and even student art work can be stored in such a system. Document descriptors are entered by which the document can be retrieved, sorted, or selected, just as one would do with a regular electronic database. With today’s cloud technology records can also be stored remotely to provide for safe secure backup. Be sure to uses encrypted technology to ensure the privacy of these data.

Security

Hardware Security

Computer equipment, being expensive but relatively lightweight and compact, is highly vulner- able to theft, particularly in the open setting of a school. Particular caution needs to be taken to reduce this threat. The following actions are recommended to reduce loss:

1. Record all serial numbers on computers and related equipment. This will assist police in their investigation should equipment be stolen. Serial numbers further allow the police to place listings of stolen property in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).

2. Stencil or burn the school name and location on the exterior surface of the computer in plain view. Also place identification markings on an unexposed area of your equipment.

3. For desktop equipment, obtain security anchor pads, if available, from your vendor at the time of purchase, noting that time and effort will be involved in removing a device. This will prevent equipment from disappearing from open offices or classrooms during the day.

4. Be security conscious but be careful not to be so restrictive that it becomes inconvenient to use the equipment.

School Computer Network Security

Five middle school boys are given a group assignment in their social studies class on the Civil War. They are to collaborate on the assignment and produce a collective report on the subject. They decide to use the log-in and password of one of the boys in their group so they can each contribute to the common report. Two of the boys decide to send a very inappropriate e-mail to a girl in their class whom they do not like. They send it from the account of their group member who had volunteered his log-in and password for the social studies project. Several days later, the parents of the girl come to school demanding to know who had sent the letter and that they be punished. None of the five boys would admit to sending the letter. One of the boys said he thought others in the school also had the password for this same account.

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 321

How do you deal with the inappropriate use of the Internet within your school? While this may be in part the responsibility of the IT department in your school district, it is also your problem as school principal. Here are some basic guidelines:

■ Each student should have a user ID and password to be able to access the school network. ■ Students should be taught to keep their log-in information to themselves. ■ New passwords should be created each year with a procedure for changing passwords

during the year to reduce misuse. ■ Teachers should not put students into a situation where log-in names and/or passwords are

ever shared.

The IT department can provide software that will identify multiple log-ins of the same user account as well as time and location information if a rogue account is being used.30

Multichannel Wireless Internet

Wireless Internet connections have become the standard for computer connectivity in schools, particularly with the growing use of mobile devices. Internet security becomes a significant problem. Schools solve part of the problem by having several wireless channels each functioning for a different client group and each with a unique password protection. Some examples are a general channel for general classroom use for students and teachers, a password-protected channel for staff and administrative communication, and a channel for guests. Usage privileges with passwords are given students, staff, and other appropriate individuals that are to be used whenever they sign in to the system.

Building Security

Video surveillance systems are an excellent technology tool to monitor school premises. They are useful in monitoring school grounds 24/7 to aid in the protection of property, and they can help monitor and control student behavior during school hours. The two purposes, however, are differ- ent and generally require very different installations and placements. Of foremost importance is to protect the privacy of students and staff by keeping cameras in public indoor areas like cafeterias, administrative offices, gymnasiums, and outdoor areas like playgrounds and sports fields. The newer video systems feed directly to an Internet site that can be accessed by school officials remotely on mobile devices. This allows school officials and school security officers to monitor school activity while moving throughout the building or even from home for evening or weekend surveillance. It is now common practice to also provide local police and emergency management systems agencies with login information so they can access the system on mobile devices.

There are many factors to consider when setting up a security system in your school. Consider the following questions and factors when setting up security cameras:

■ What types of facilities are you monitoring? ■ What do you consider to be your most pressing security threat? ■ What kind of security do you currently have in place? Does your school district have

security protocol that you must follow?

ISLLC 8

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

322 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

■ Are there problems with crime and violence in your surrounding area? ■ Have you ever wished that you caught a specific incident on camera? ■ Are there areas in your school where students congregate that have caused problems

(e.g., vandalism in schoolyards or on lockers)? ■ Cameras mounted near main entrances and in administrative offices can help you record

visitors as they enter and exit your school. Cameras near exits can also help reduce truancy.

■ Fixed cameras can be strategically placed to protect valuables such as computers, sound equipment, trophies, and books.

■ Outdoor surveillance cameras in parking lots can help protect older students and staff when they are leaving school late or arriving early. These cameras can also discourage break-ins and vandalism during school hours.31

Summary

This chapter presented many of the current applications of technology to school administra- tion. Some of the applications are simply extensions and improvements of existing practices such as computer-based scheduling or student record systems. Others, such as the distribution of mobile devices to students or the use of social networks as communication tools, are rela- tively new phenomena for school administrators. Nothing is changing in education more quickly than the availability and use of technology. New and improved products of both soft- ware and hardware reach the market almost daily. Prices continue to fall while capabilities continue to rise.

Some of the new ideas integrate with educational practice wonderfully, whereas others do not stand the test of time and fade away. The task as a school administrator is to choose wisely, selecting those solutions that will make best use of your time and effort and create the most benefit to the children of each school.

1. Review Case Studies 3, 6, and 9 in Appendix A at the end of this book. Analyze the problems presented and apply the concepts of computer utilization developed in this chapter. How might these problems have been pre- vented if a good computer system had been in place? What approach would you use in addressing the prob- lems identified in these cases? Set forth a strategy to overcome the difficulties faced by the school in each of these cases.

2. What are the greatest impediments to full computeri- zation of schools? Apply the concepts of strategic

planning set forth in Chapter 4 and the ideas on human resources development outlined in Chapter 9 to the impediments you have identified. Outline your plan of action.

3. Turn to the ISLLC standards and review all stand- ards for references to technology. How well are the technology and management performances car- ried out in your school? What would be some ways to improve the management of your school with technology?

A C T I V I T I E S

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

C H A P T E R 1 4 / Technology Applications for School Management 323

1. Tom Whitby is an adjunct professor of education at St. Joseph’s College in New York. He previously spent 34 years as a secondary English teacher in the public school system. He was recognized with an Edublog Award for the Most Influential Educational Twitter Series, #Edchat, which he co-founded. See his blog at http://smartblogs.com/education/2013/10/01/ do-we-really-need-connected-educators-/?utm_source=brief

2. International Society for Technology in Education National Educational Technology Standards (2009): https://www. iste.org/standards/standards-for-administrators

3. A webtop is an operating system that lives on the Internet rather than on your computer. A webtop can also be an online workspace that can be accessed from anywhere you have an Internet connection and Web-enabled devices. All your soft- ware, files, and so forth are there waiting for you, so no mat- ter what computer you are using, you have the same experience and everything you need. No need to buy the lat- est version of anything because it is all hosted on a cloud where the provider takes care of all of that for you. In addi- tion, many webtops support various types of smart phones, so you truly have access from just about anywhere. When you buy a new computer, typically you need software to get things done, which can cost thousands of dollars. Most webt- ops have that software built in and ready to go. It is all hosted online so you do not have to worry about buying the latest version. Most webtops can be run from a less expensive net- book computer. And most have equivalents of the popular office software available; all you have to do is pick your favorite software and go with it. The best part is you are never locked into it, because you can always switch to another.

4. Microsoft Office is a product of Microsoft Corp. 5. OneNote allows you to take notes, then helps you save,

organize, and retrieve notes and information. It includes search tools and a shared notebook that makes working together easier.

6. One good example of a school newsletter is the Eaton Rocketeer; go to http://eatonschool.org/

7. An example of an Internet Use Policy can be found at http:// boardpolicy.net/documents/detail.asp?iFile=7137&iType= 4&iBoard=21

8. http://www.staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/teen-and- young-adult-resources and http://www.intel.com/content/ www/us/en/it-management/intel-it-best-practices/technol- ogy-tips-teen-privacy.html

9. http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators 10. The companies parentlink.net, alertnow.com, schoolreach.

com, and Connect-ED.com are but a few (and their Internet locations) that were application service providers in 2014. A Google search can identify many more.

11. http://twitter.com/; http://www.instantsurvey.com/; http:// www.surveymonkey.com/; http://www.parentlink.net

12. http://www.facebook.com; http://www.teachertube.com/; http://www.linkedin.com/

13. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/blog 14. Edublogs.org is a blog site with limited free services dedi-

cated to educational institutions. Other blog service sites include Blogger, TypePad, WordPress, and LiveJournal.

15. http://www.smartbrief.com; http://scholasticadministrator. typepad.com/

16. http://ericsheninger.com/ 17. Twitter is a free social networking and microblogging serv-

ice that enables its users to send and read other users’ updates known as “tweets.” It can be found at http://twitter.com/

18. Go to Twitter.com and search education. This will give you a long list of people, organizations, or publications to fol- low. Add to the list others that you find from other sources.

19. Diigo.com and Symbaloo.com and TweetDeck.com are examples of companies offering free organizing software to help you keep track of your tweets and many Internet sites you wish to follow.

20. http://www.pinterest.com/ceducators/how-to-pinterest/ 21. YouTube.com or Teachertube.com have become the stand-

ard sites to post videos, with the address to the site posted on your appropriate website.

22. http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/b124b13d#/b124b13d/ 36?ps=86886-0013000000j0L2a-0033000000q5fbF

23. http://www.principals.org/update; http://www.smartbrief. com/news/ascd; http://www.edweek.org

24. Cell use policy: http://ghs.gcschools.net/?PageName=Latest News&Section=Highlights&ItemID=40259&ISrc=School &Itype=Highlights&SchoolID=3092

25. Go to http://images.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/TN/ GreenevilleCity/GreenevilleHigh/Uploads/Documents Categories/Documents/cell%20phones%20activities.pdf

26. Pearson Products is one of the large suppliers of SIS software for any size school with its PowerSchool and PowerTeacher products: http://www.pearsonschoolsystems.com/products/ powerschool/. Another well-known product is Skyward: http://www.skyward.com/Page.ashx/Home

27. http://www.blackboard.com/ 28. http://moodle.org/; http://www.claroline.net/; http://

sakaiproject.org/ 29. Several good sources of teacher observation software

can be found at http://www.ecove.net and http://www. pes-sports.com

30. A variety of software products are available such as Userlock: http://www.isdecisions.com/blog/it-management/ stop-users-sharing-windows-network-login/

31. There are many suppliers of video surveillance systems and the technology changes rapidly. A Google search with con- sideration to your specific needs will produce a number of leads for a vendor.

E N D N O T E S

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

324 P A R T T H R E E / Managing the Organization

Ash, Katie, “Building a District Culture to Foster Innovation.” Education Week (September 30, 2013): http://www. edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/10/02/06el-culture.h33. html?tkn=RVCCDf2WA86z0jshtr6iFv7fE0Y1IKUdJy 3W&cmp=clp-sb-ascd&intc=es

Buck, F., “Saving Time and Paper with Basic Technology.” Principal (January/February 2007): 18–21.

Devaney, Laura, “Leveraging Pinterest for Administrators,” eSchool News (November 1, 2013): http://www. eschoolnews.com/2013/11/01/leveraging-pinterest- administrators-145/?

Garland, Virginia, and Chester Tadeja, Educational Leadership and Technology: Preparing School Administrators for a Digital Age (New York, NY: Routledge, 2013).

Hines, C., S. Edmundson, and G. W. Moore, “The Impact of Technology on High School Principals.” NASSP Bulletin 92, no. 4 (2008): 276–291.

Hollins-Alexander, Sonja, Online Professional Development Through Virtual Learning Communities (Thousand Oaks, CA: Insight Education Group, Inc., Corwin, a Sage Company, 2013).

“How To: Pinterest,” http://www.pinterest.com/ceducators/ how-to-pinterest/

“Moodle MOOC 2: Week 3 Challenges & Best Practices in Moodle Activities,” http://connectededucators.org/

cem2013/moodle-mooc-2-week-3-challenges-best- practices-in-moodle-activities/

Richardson, W., Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Looks for Classrooms (Thousand Oaks, CA: Carwia Press, 2006).

Richardson, W., and R. Mancabelli, “The Ready Write Web: New Tools for a New Generation of Technology.” Principal (January/February 2007): 12–17.

Shoaf, Michael, and Dianna R. Foley, “Crafting a Successful BYOD Policy.” eSchool News (October 15, 2013): http://www.eschoolnews.com/2013/10/15/byod-policy- construction-175/2/

Stansbury, Meris, “10 Must-Watch Videos for flipped Learning.” eSchool News (October 24, 2013): http:// www.eschoolnews.com/2013/10/24/flipped-videos- l e a r n i n g - 1 9 0 / ? p s = 8 6 8 8 6 - 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 j 0 L 2 a - 0033000000q5fbF

“U.S. School District Monitors Kids’ Social Media.” eSchool News (September 20, 2013): http://www.eschoolnews. com/2013/09/20/district-monitor-use-126/2/

Vanderlinde, R., J. van Braak, V. De Windt, J. Tondeur, R. Hermans, and I. Sinnaever, “Technology Curriculum and Planning for Technology in Schools: The Flemish Case.” Tech Trends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning 52, no. 2 (2008): 23–26. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ798648)

S E L E C T E D R E A D I N G S

IS B

N 1

-3 2

3 -2

3 7

0 4

-6

L A W S O N , A P R I L 3 1 3 8 T S

The_Principal_Ch13
The_Principal_Ch14