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This issue of the MCESA Principal Link is intended to support you, the principal, in your work as Instructional Learner. We hope the content is helpful and empowers you to tackle your toughest challenges.
If you want to know more about any of the content or want support implementing any of the strategies listed below, just let us know! You can get anything you need at MCESA by emailing info@mcesa.maricopa.gov.
COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR PARENTS AND STUDENTS ON FACEBOOK
Educators are busy. Parents are busy. Let's not even get started on how busy educators that are parents are! Point is, we need efficient and effective ways to convey our messages. The "good old days" of the paper newsletter pinned to the backpacks are long gone. If you want to get your message out, you have to put your messages where your parents are- and your parents are most likely on Facebook.
Consider the following data:
A great Facebook page is filled with relevant photos, videos, and calendar events. The not-so-great pages are rarely updated, void of photos, and lacking basic school information. Make yours great and keep the majority of your parents up-to-date.
If you want to see some great examples of school Facebook pages, check these out:
If you are looking to increase your professional social media presence, check out our upcoming free webinar on Twitter for School Leaders.
PREPARING FOR THE AZMERIT TALK WITH PARENTS
 Expect More Arizona is doing a great job educating parents about AzMERIT. In fact, if you do a web search for AzMERIT, the Expect More Arizona site will pop up on the first page. They have done an outstanding job of providing parents with resources and important facts about AzMERIT and what it means for children.
Your parents MAY be better informed about AzMERIT than your teachers.
So what should you know that they know?
Teachers should be prepared to answer the following questions:
- What are the most important topics my child will be learning this year?
- Can I review an example of my child’s work? Is this example satisfactory? How can it be improved?
- Is my child on track to be successful in this class? Is he or she prepared for next year, for college and career?
- What resources are available if my child needs additional help or wants to learn more about a subject?
Teachers have access to excellent Parent Guides for every grade level. The Parent Guides are available here.
Principals should be prepared to answer questions about students’ scores. Most experts speculate that scores may be lower than scores from AIMS. Expect More AZ has prepared the following talking points to help parents understand:
- Test scores will be reported differently from the AIMS test.
- Test scores may be lower than what you’ve seen previously because the new tests set a higher benchmark for student success.
- Students and teachers will both need time to adjust to the new assessments. But with time and with our support, we know Arizona students will do well.
Other helpful resources:
Expect More Arizona AzMERIT Webinar: What Do the New AzMERIT Test Results Mean for My Child
ASBA Archived Webinar: What to Expect from AzMERIT and Upcoming Policy Items to be Addressed
Expect Arizona Top Frequently Asked Questions- Assessment
Having information available to your parents is the best way to ensure your community stays informed and remains supportive of your good work. Expect More Arizona has done a terrific job of equipping us all with this important effort.
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
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Leadership Un-Conference: Instructional Leadership
Designed for school-level leaders, the un-conference provides an opportunity for principals to learn strategies from each other on how to make time for instructional leadership.
September 14, 2:00-4:00 pm.
Register for free here
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Twitter for School Leaders Webinar
Twitter is an essential 21st Century communication tool. Join our free webinar and learn how to use Twitter to:
- Follow trending education news;
- Follow trending community news;
- Post school event information;
- Post urgent school information;
- Develop professional networks.
Online November 3, 4:00 pm
Register for free here
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