The Bev Gladder Mentorship Award was created to recognize educators who have demonstrated a commitment to mentorship by providing support to new and aspiring administrators.  Now is the time to nominate that special colleague!

To be eligible, nominees must be current COSA members.  For information on the nominating process, click here .  Nomination letters must arrive at the COSA office no later than Friday, April 30.

The winner of the 2010 Bev Gladder Award will be honored at the Annual COSA Conference in Seaside, June 23-25. 

For questions or more information, please contact COSA staff member, Nancy Moen.

The 36th Annual COSA Professional Development Conference at Seaside, set for June 23-25, will focus some of Oregon’s most successful evidence-based practices.  This means that in addition to an outstanding roster of keynote presenters – including Chip Heath (best-selling co-author of Made to Stick and Switch), Oregon-favorite Bob Eaker (PLCs and data), and Education Trust senior advisor Paul Ruiz – Oregon school leaders will be on center stage in Seaside.  Register today.

School or districts that have programs which show evidence of closing the achievement gap, increasing graduation rates, improving school climate, or improving student performance in a particular curricular area or with a particular sub-group, are encouraged to respond to a one-page, online Main Conference (June 24-25) RFP. 

Schools or districts that have programs which have had success in using evidence-based practices for identification or intervention, in increasing student behavioral health, or in planning for transition and graduation, are encouraged to respond to a one-page, online Special Education Pre-Conference (June 23) RFP. 

The RFP response deadline is March 24.

Three compelling pre-conference opportunities are offered on Wednesday, June 23:

• “Communication is a Contact Sport” and “Made to Stick Strategies” with official “Made to Stick” Trainer Kelly Decker
• “Doing What It Takes to Improve Writing Throughout Your School and District” with Janel Keating
• Special Education Pre-Conference featuring Andrea Hungerford and Suzy Harris

Space is limited for the pre-conferences on communication and writing, so be sure to register right away.

The National Distinguished Principal Award (NDP) recognizes elementary principals who set high standards for instruction, student achievement, character, and climate in their school.  Each year, a winner is selected to represent Oregon for the national award.  Last year’s winner was Pam Zaklan, from the Medford School District.  It is now time to select this year’s winner.

As one of four states selected for Scaling-Up Technical Assistance, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) will be collaborating with Oregon’s school districts and ESDs in implementing the initiatives of Positive Behavior Supports (PBS), Response to Intervention (RTI), and Effective Behavioral and Instructional Support Systems (EBISS). The K-12 Literacy Framework is the newest addition to this project.

Oregon voters gave a resounding "Yes" to funding for schools and other vital services Tuesday, passing Measures 66 and 67 by margins of about 54 to 46 percent.  The individual and corporate income tax measures provide $733 million for schools and other vital services in this 2009-11 biennium.

Marian Young, Director of Human Resources, at the Parkrose School District, is the 2010 recipient of the OACOA Achievement of Excellence Award.  She has served in her current job since 2003.

She is currently developing four specific projects for the Parkrose School District.  The first is a new certified staff evaluation system of performance review, which she is working collaboratively on with the staff, administration and the teacher’s association.  It will be based on Oregon State Standards, Charlotte Danielson’s performance model, and the district’s Power Standards and Professional Development.

OASSA  is currently seeking nominations for Oregon’s principal of the year.  The award, sponsored by NASSP and MetLife, is given each year to an outstanding middle and high school principal. 

To increase participation, OASSA and COSA have shortened the process for the initial round of judging only.  In this way, it is possible to nominate a colleague without their knowledge.  Nominees or nominators should complete all parts of the application except the three essay questions.  The winner will then complete that portion of the application, to be submitted to NASSP.

Julie Lafayette, assistant principal of Taft 7-12 School, has been selected as the Oregon Assistant Principal of the Year.  With an enrollment of 716, the rural school in Lincoln County had faced some behavioral and achievement challenges in past years.

Now in her third year at Taft, Lafayette has helped to lead the school toward a proficiency-based system to increase student achievement.  The school has also implemented a Positive Behavior System (PBS) plan.  The combination, along with collaboration from staff, has resulted in a huge decrease in referrals and gain in attendance at the school.   Under the PBS plan, the number of students at Taft needing credit recovery decreased more than 80 percent.

School district leaders from throughout Oregon have the opportunity to learn from the remarkable success story of the Norfolk, Va., Public Schools at the OACOA/OASE Winter Conference, January 29-30, at Salishan.  A team from Norfolk will be on hand to share their “Journey to World Class” via a keynote and breakout sessions.  Register for the conference today.

With just days remaining until ballots are "dropped" in the mail, the campaigns surrounding Measures 66 and 67 are hitting high gear. 

The measures, scheduled for the January 26 ballot, would provide $733 million for Oregon schools, healthcare, public safety and services for seniors and the disadvantaged.  Revenue from the corporate and personal income tax measures is already included in the 2009-11 state budget.  The 2009 legislature cut education, human services, public safety and other state programs by nearly $2 billion; if the measures are defeated, another $733 million would need to be cut from the state budget, including an estimated $285 million from K-12 budgets.

Do you know of a central office administrator who is exceptionally worthy of recognition?  Consider nominating that person for the OACOA Achievement of Excellence Award, which annually recognizes an outstanding central office administrator.  There are many types of central office administrators, but all are eligible, as long as they are active COSA members.

The December state revenue forecast, released this morning by the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, is down slightly compared to the September forecast, leaving state reserves at $312.4 million – “right on the cusp,” according to Senior Economist Josh Harwood, of the state’s having sufficient resources to transfer an anticipated $200 million in funding to schools.  That transfer, which would be triggered if state reserves stand at $300 million or more in June, would result in K-12 biennial funding of $6.0 billion for 2009-11, rather than the $5.8 billion currently allocated.

Dr. Paula Radich, Superintendent of Newberg School District, has been named the 2010 Oregon Superintendent of the Year.  She was honored Saturday at the annual Oregon School Boards Association convention in Portland. 

Radich has served as CEO of the district, which serves 5,200 students in thirteen schools, since 1999.  Under her leadership, Newberg High School has been transformed from a traditional, single community high school into four small high schools.  She was instrumental in expanding community college opportunities for Newberg students, and, due in large part to her efforts, the establishment of a Portland Community College Newberg Service Center opening in September 2010.

Are you willing, over breakfast or lunch, to spend 20 minutes to help colleagues understand the role and importance of the school principal?  If so, then OESPA is more than willing to pay for your meal.

The COSA Board has adopted a resolution supporting a "yes" vote on ballot measures 66 and 67.  The measures, scheduled for the January 26 ballot, would provide $733 million for Oregon schools, healthcare, public safety and services for seniors and the disadvantaged.

Revenue from the corporate and personal income tax measures is already included in the 2009-11 state budget.  The legislature cut education, human services, public safety and other state programs by nearly $2 billion; if the measures are defeated, another $733 would need to be cut from the state budget, including an estimated $285 million from K-12 budgets.

COSA has developed a set of resources school leaders can access to learn more about the measures, as well as share information with local audiences:

• COSA Board Resolution on Measures 66 & 67
• Impacts of Reduced State Funding on Oregon Schools
• Revenue Package Facts, Scripted Presentation (PowerPoint 2003)
• Revenue Package Facts, Scripted Presentation (PowerPoint 2007) 
• How will Measures 66 & 67 affect school funding? (MS Word 2003)
• How will Measures 66 & 67 affect school funding? (MS Word 2007)
• What happens if the ballot measures are defeated?
• OCPP Measure 67 Flow Chart: Which businesses will pay tax?

Are you looking for an opportunity to recognize that hard-working individual in your school—your assistant principal?  The Assistant Principal of the Year Award, sponsored by NASSP and Virco, provides the means to do that.  Your candidate should meet the following criteria to be eligible:

• Must be a current member of OASSA and NASSP.
• Must have been an assistant principal at a middle or high school for a minimum of two years.
• Must currently be an active assistant principal.

COSA Board members, and state and national award-winning principals and assistant principals gained coaching skills this week as they prepared to serve as mentors to new principals and assistant principals.  (COSA mentors pictured here include:  back row: Mike Scott, Doug Kartub, John O’Neill, Tim Larkin, Randy Trani, Shari Furtwangler, Jim Keegan, Michael Johnson, Bryan Starr;  front row: Mike Donnelly, Amy Tiger, Carol O’Connor, Karen Luckhuaupt, Cindy Quintanilla, Jan Miner, Jani Hale, Suzanne Dalton.)

Compared to the close-of-legislative-session forecast just two months ago, Oregon general fund and lottery revenues are projected to decline $182 million, state economist Tom Pitiowsky reported today. Get the complete September state revenue forecast here.

The state's reserves now stand at about $315 million, down from nearly $500 million at the close of the session.  For schools, $200 million of the $6.0 billion in funding promised for 2009-11 is contingent on state reserves remaining above $300 million. "We are now at the tipping point," COSA Executive Director Kent Hunsaker said.

Each year, the Oregon Association of School Executives (OASE) recognizes a school district for its innovative and effective curriculum through the Excellence in Curriculum Leadership Award.  The award is announced each November at the Oregon School Boards Association Conference. 

OASE is now seeking nominations for this year’s award.  The project must be submitted by an active OASE member to COSA staff member, Nancy Moen, by September 30.

Congratulations to South Lane School District for its winning entry last year.  A complete list of past recipients is also available.

It is that time of year to consider nominating an outstanding colleague for the 2010 Superintendent of the Year.  The award is presented annually at the Oregon School Board Association’s annual convention in November and at the OASE/OACOA Winter Conference in January.