New Superintendents Seminar Series: Are you a first or second year superintendent? This professional development was designed just for you. Do not miss the opportunity to: • Sharpen your skills – The five sessions in a professional network will focus on negotiations, personnel issues, board/superintendent relations, board governance, contract, evaluation, values and ethics, budget development, cultural proficiency, community relations, balance and the role of the superintendent in LCAP, LCFF, Professional Learning Communities, program development and digital literacy. • Develop lasting relationships – Meet in a cohort of new superintendent colleagues from throughout California. • Connect with success – The current and former superintendents who serve as presenters and mentors want to assist you in making an impact. • Ensure effectiveness – Enhance your skills so that a productive first and second year builds toward a career of success. Testimonies from the 2016-17 cohort of new superintendents: “Thank you for all your support and the excellent content in the new superintendent series this year. I have found the content provided to be relevant and inspiring. It has been especially helpful to have opportunities to network with peers experiencing similar challenges and successes, as well as forging connections with experienced superintendents, willing to share their wisdom and hard-won insight. Thank you both for designing a professional learning experience that so effectively meets the needs of new superintendents.” Randy Haggard, Yosemite USD “The connections I am making with other superintendents will be lifetime, beneficial relationships. We are able to help each other through the challenges that superintendents face. Leading the Leaders provides the structure to learn and grow in our new roles as superintendents. The knowledge we gain can be applied as soon as we return to our districts.” Maura Murabito, La Puente Valley • Session dates: July 21-22, Sept. 22-23, Jan. 23, 2018 (before the Superintendents’ Symposium in Monterey), March 9-10 and April 20-21. • Register today at http://www.cvent.com/d65qdxq. • Contact seminar series co-chairs for additional information: John Roach, [email protected] or Trudy Arriaga, [email protected]. Power Dynamics and School Culture Much of the conflict that arises in schools has nothing to do with academics – especially in this age of highly charged social structures for kids. Deliberately providing staff and students with tools to use to mitigate conflict and maintain the dignity of themselves and their peers will go a long way, both in and out of the classroom, toward providing an overall positive school culture. So where do we start? School leaders are at the heart of if and how power struggles exist in schools. When school leaders tackle power struggles head on, teachers are better equipped and students benefit greatly. The path for this work is laid out in the book entitled, From Power Struggles to Conflict Resolution: Transform Your School’s Culture Today, written by Janice Case. Our one-day workshop provides school leaders with the opportunity to: Assess their school’s culture around power struggles and their own capacity to lead the learning on this topic. Practice the skills needed to mitigate power struggles. Devise a deliberate plan for professional growth with school staff and students to tackle power struggles when they occur. Collaborate with other school leaders around the critical element of culture. There is no doubt that school culture impacts student achievement – this is your opportunity to ensure that the impact in your school is positive. School leaders at all levels, including aspiring leaders, assistant principals, principals, and district staff are encouraged to register. Our upcoming workshop dates are Oct. 17 in the ACSA Sacramento office and Oct. 19 in the ACSA Ontario office. Janice Case is a former special education teacher and middle and high school principal. Case currently coordinates the efforts of the National ACSA is proud to announce the launch of the latest feature addition to the ACSA AMS - a fully personalized Member Profile. This profile went live on July 1, and is available for use now. Our public ACSA website already provides a wide variety of information about ACSA, and the many ways we serve our members, and by extension, the 6.2 million school children in California. Each ACSA member now has a secure member profile listing that will allow them personalized access to our website and the many benefits provided by their membership.