Erin Werra

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Erin Werra

• 10 Districts with Awesome Brands

  These 10 school districts identified why their district is awesome, then structured everything they do around it to produce a noteworthy brand.

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• 10 Do's and Don'ts for Effective Teacher Mentorship

  Looking to boost teacher retention, build a strong school culture, and contribute to new teachers' professional growth? Learn 10 tips for improving your teacher mentorship program.

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• 10 New Year's Resolutions for School Leaders

  A collection of initiatives (and supporting materials) to consider after the clock strikes midnight.

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• 10 Ways to Get Cameras on During Remote Learning

  Without demanding, begging, or adding rules.

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• 13 Ways to Measure Edtech Support

  The ways edtech partners show up to support you matters. Here are 13 non-negotiable support must-haves for your next edtech partnership.

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• 20 Things We'll Be Into This Decade

  A mix of perennial and emerging topics we’re looking forward to witnessing as time marches on.

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• 25 Edtech Acronyms Defined

  Let this glossary help you make sense of the edtech alphabet soup.

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• 3 Contradictions Between Research and Practice

  Schools (and vendors) love to tout research-based solutions, processes, and practices. But is “research-based” really all it’s cracked up to be?

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• 3 Conversations to Follow in 2018

  Goodbye, 2017! The new year sets the stage for fresh ideas. Here are three topics sure to make an impact in 2018.

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• 3 Conversations to Follow in 2019

  What’s on the horizon for the New Year? We’re keeping a weather eye on boosting computer science for early learners, digital badging for PD, and the future of hiring.

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• 3 Conversations to Follow in 2020

  As we welcome a brand-new year and decade, we'll explore the connection between technology and soft skills, ransomware, and measuring software efficacy.

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• 3 Conversations to Follow in 2021

  Goodbye 2020. Let’s prepare for whatever comes next

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• 3 Conversations to Follow in 2023

  Let’s make it a year of sustainable progress recouping relationship losses, solidifying school culture that builds loyalty, and securing schools.

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• 3 Conversations to Follow in 2025

  Each year we predict big topics for the following year in K12 schools. This year, changes to the DOE, increased parent engagement, and academic recovery.

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• 3 Skills Students Need from the School Business office

  The skills at work in your school business office are in short supply outside it. How can the SBO help?

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• 3 Steps for Building an Awesome Brand

  Ace school branding, with bonus advice from the superintendent who (literally) wrote the book on it.

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• 3 Top-Tier RTI Districts

  Response to Intervention has been around for a while and is widely recognized, but not every implementation is created equal. Three districts with strong RTI programs share what works, what didn’t, and how they keep the momentum going strong.

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• 3 Traits of Interoperable Edtech Systems

  How can you tell if a new edtech solution will be a good fit for your interoperability strategy?

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• 3 Ways for Students to Steal Your Password

  Kids are craftier than ever these days, but with a little awareness you can stay one step ahead. Featured: Three 1-Minute Security Drill videos.

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• 3 Ways to Keep Your Credit Cards Out of The News

  How can administrators stay vigilant against all types of fraud? By being good stewards of reimbursement approvals. Here's how.

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• 3 Ways Virtual Onboarding Strengthened One Team

  If onboarding a new employee from afar sounds like a nightmare, read on to discover the hidden benefits.

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• 4 Critical Components of K12 Data Solutions

  Look for these four non-negotiables when purchasing your next school data solution.

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• 4 Paths to Safer Schools

  Without a foolproof formula for school safety, how do you tackle such a serious topic? Find action items in four areas of opportunity, including advice from a lieutenant who works in a school district.

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• 4 Paths to Student Accountability

  Explore four strategies to maximize students' opportunities to develop accountability, practice self-management, and gain essential skills they’ll use long after they graduate.

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• 4 Strategies to Manage Educator Empathy

  Empathetic educators focus so much on keeping their spirits up to care for others—the quick refill cycle can lead to burnout. Here's how to stay healthy.

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• 4 Ways to Build a Better Schedule

  Scheduling is one of the most time-consuming yet rewarding tasks in school operations. These student-centered and flexible scheduling methods are trending up.

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• 4 Ways to Enrich Your School Business Office

  Make a few tweaks and watch your team thrive like never before. 

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• 4 Ways to Improve the Substitute Teaching Experience

  How do you attract and keep good substitute teachers in your classrooms? By adjusting your processes to deliver a better experience, of course!

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• 5 Good Things the Pandemic Revealed in Schools

  Celebrate the wins.

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• 5 Great Education Debates

  Let's explore both sides of a handful of education's perennial debates.

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• 5 Tactics Radio Gives Us for Loud and Clear Communication

  What can “radio talk” protocol teach us about quality communication? Turns out, a lot! Here are 5 takeaways from this tried and true method.

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• 5 Tech-Friendly ESSA Plans

  Which states have the clearest plans to fuel innovation in teaching and learning in the years to come? These five ESSA plans stand out from the rest.

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• 5 Ways Good EdTech Puts People First

  If sifting through edtech specs feels a bit cold, warm up with these user-centric traits.

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• 5 Ways to Track SEL Efforts

  How do you measure the important business of social-emotional growth and wellbeing without falling back on emojis and sticker charts? Here are five data-driven strategies for social-emotional learning in your district.

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• 6 Creativity Blockers and Their Antidotes

  Good news: a few leadership tweaks and the spark of creativity burns brighter than ever. 

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• 6 Edtech Tools Schools Used to Navigate a Pandemic

  These six tools have proven useful—and the good news is, you may already have them.

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• 6 Roles Technology Can Play in the Hiring Process

  These six tools, from emerging tech to tried-and-true strategies, can save time and effort in the recruiting process.

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• 6 Surefire Cures for Initiative Fatigue

  Or, how to keep your eyes on the prize and refrain from chasing the latest, shiniest trend.

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• 7 News Literacy Strategies for All Ages

  How do we build a healthy skepticism to navigate the Internet’s endless content offerings? Most importantly, how do we share our strategies with students?

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• 7 Resolutions for Edtech in 2025

  Something about a new year guides us to envision improvement. These strategies can help edtech excellence emerge.

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• 8 Great Data-Sharing Districts

  Data shapes the day-to-day operations of schools. How can you improve and clarify the conversation? Check out 8 great examples of data visibility.

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• 9 Donations Schools Love but Communities Forget About

  Looking for ideas to share with families? Look no further.

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• A Rural Internet Glossary

  There are no simple answers for rural connectivity. For families looking for options, learning some baseline lingo can help guide the way.

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• Admin Assistants are the K12 MVP

  The pillars of the district call the main office home.

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• AI Friends and SEL Deserts: Kids Need Nuanced Human Connection More Than Ever

  Or, “the price you pay for community is annoyance.”

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• An Intro to Single Sign On Security

  Ever wondered how this super convenient feature protects your district? Let’s explore SAML and SSO.

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• Appreciating Educators Builds a Strong School Culture

  Although ways we show appreciation can be full of feeling, respect is the name of the game!

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• Arena Scheduling from Home

  Even if remote learning is a contingency, it’s wise to plan ahead for remote options—including arena scheduling.

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• Authenticity and Your School Culture

  Is your school climate feeling a little stifled? Practicing authenticity can help.

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• Automate Absenteeism Letters and Keep Kids Learning

  Missing a few faces in the classrooms of your school? It’s time to make attendance reminders easier.

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• Budget Entry Made Easier

  This is how easy it could be to import your budget into your ERP system.

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• Changing Your School Brand and Other Misfortunes

  Rebranding always feels like an uphill battle. A few strategies can help the process along.

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• Common School-Related Dreams and What They May Mean

  Learn more about the symbols your subconscious offers as you sleep.

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• Could Virtual Options Double Parent Participation?

  Zoom fatigue is real, but one thing’s for sure: Virtual options are a win for parent/teacher conferences.

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• Data Legislation in Review via the Data Quality Campaign

  Anticipating a wave of legislation designed to keep humanity safe from AI, let’s take a look back on years of K12 data legislation.

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• District Decisions Supported by Data

  Making high-level decisions is tough, but district leaders can rely on data visualization to support the process.

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• Ditch Passwords and Use Passphrases

  “Passphrase? Is that the same as a password?” Not quite! Find out why you should be using passphrases in this quick, shareable pitch.

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• DIY K12 PD with Badge List

  It’s a whole new world in K12 schools. Have you changed your PD plan yet?

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• Does Your Pre-Hire Process Shine?

  Are applicants following a well-marked, automated path to hiring success? Analyze your application process to see where improvement is needed.

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• Empathy: A New E for STEAM

  Empathy is the secret to UX success and can be taught and practiced! Bonus: Behavior improvement and soft skills galore

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• End of the Year in the School Business Office

  A high-level look at the multi-step process SBOs use to end the year—and how a great ERP can help.

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• Erasing Friday: What a 4-Day School Week Might Mean for Your District

  What does the data say about four days in school instead of five?

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• Evaluate Edtech Use and Save Thousands

  Take back your district’s share of the billion-dollar edtech industry. 

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• Financial Literacy Equals Freedom: Your School Business Office Can Help

  How school business offices can lead the way to students’ achieving financial literacy.

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• Future-Ready Students Seek Credentials

  As students work toward a brighter future, which credentials can help? And how can schools support them?

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• Get Your Board On Board

  Behind just about every public school district is an elected school board. Here are a few considerations to cultivate harmony.

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• Hanging Out with the Chrome Squad

  Royse City ISD’s Connected for Learning (C4L) leader Cody Holt and his student-led IT team, the Chrome Squad, share their story about the difference they’ve made in their district and beyond.

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• High-Tech HR: One-Way Video Interviews

  Imagine interviewing every single applicant while speeding up the first-round process. Unbelievable? Believe it! Here's how.

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• How Are You Attracting and Retaining Teachers of Color?

  Automating your applicant tracking eases the effects of covert biases and provides an attractive applicant experience.

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• How Assessment Squelches the Summer Slide

  COVID-19 followed immediately by a couple months off has the potential to make the summer extra slide-y. Assessment to the rescue.

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• How Data Standards Safeguard School Data from Ransomware

  Data standards make life easier in many ways—one of the most valuable is protecting school networks and data.

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• How Edtech Can Help Recruit and Retain Substitutes

  Learn three ways good edtech can help your district become a destination for substitute teachers and staff.

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• How eLearning Can Empower Kids

  Learning doesn’t stop. But it will be different, and that’s okay.

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• How Maslow's Inspiration Informs K12 Leadership

  How self-actualization happens in the Siksika tribe, whose way of life inspired Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

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• How Much Should ChatGPT Know About Your District?

  When asked, artificial intelligence made it clear: Don’t trust me.

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• How School Culture Slays Chronic Absenteeism

  Chronic absenteeism is extra sad since ideally students create their own great place to learn. The cycle of belonging and esteem gives us clues we need to get kids to school.

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• How Stock Responses Can Improve Parent Communications

  Won't stock responses limit participation? Not exactly. Be strategic to encourage productive conversations.

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• How the Pareto Principle Shows Up in K12 Schools

  The 80/20 rule with roots in Italian land ownership proves useful when prioritizing tasks in a high-energy, high-demand role like K12 educators have.

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• How to Increase Engagement at All Corners of Your School Culture

  Parents, families, and the broader community are all part of school culture, and making sure they’re engaged and invested can lead to great outcomes for students. Check out these tips for small yet impactful ways to increase community and parent engagement.

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• How to Prepare Students for the Jobs of Tomorrow

  The workforce is changing—how do we manage the gap between today’s skills and the impossible to predict future? 

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• How to Spot (and Stop) AI in the Wild

  So why DO so many people fall for AI images and posts? Explore the uncanny signs something is less-than-human—and sharpen your media literacy.

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• Increase Engagement and Equity with SIS Translation

  And with built-in tools, it's as easy as pie.

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• Infographic: Replenishing Empathy 10 Ways

  Folks in education have a superhuman demand for relationship-building. Here are 10 ways to stay strong and healthy.

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• Intervention Needs an Abundance Mindset

  Take stock of the tools we already have to make intervention a success.

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• Introducing the EdLeader Personality Test

  We've assembled the first ever personality test designed specifically for educational leaders. What's your archetype?

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• Is Automation Right for K12 Schools?

  Does automation have a role to play in education, and the enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform?

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• Is This the End of Grades?

  Classrooms, schools, and districts are abandoning the traditional method of grading with letters and percentages. Find out why and learn what's next for gauging student success. 

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• Keeping Top Teachers in the Classroom

  Are teachers left with little choice but to “outgrow” the classroom to pursue admin roles? Find out how to identify and invest in your district’s future leaders.

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• Kids' Digital Citizenship Skills are Non-Negotiable

  How do schools prepare digital natives for the world wide web? These inalienable rights can help guide the conversation.

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• Leading Different Generations in a School District

  Leading multiple generations is all about striking balance between recognizing (and celebrating) differences and keeping all people focused on the same goals, regardless of age or experience. 

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• Let's Talk About Educational Data Analytics

  What happens between data and decisions? Analysis.

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• Make Your Data Work for You

  A wealth of data becomes actionable in 4 steps.

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• Making Data Work for People

  Data is only as good as the insight it leads to and the headaches it prevents.

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• Making Plans for Virtual School? You're Not Alone.

  Planning ahead can make all the difference for students, families, and equity.

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• Maslow and the Modern Learning Environment

  What can psychology tell us about creating a motivating learning environment? Explore the connections between Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs and students' needs in classrooms and schools.

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• Maximize Classroom Space for Maximum Comfort

  Space has always been at a premium, but with a little design thinking leaders can break out of the box.

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• Maximize Effort by Minimizing Measurement

  As the current year wraps up, leaders have one eye on the finish line and the other on what's coming next. A shift in perspective can help.

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• Measuring Edtech ROI Vol. 5: Data Paints a Better Picture

  What do you do with all the data you’re gathering on your new edtech solution? Use data visualizations to tell your story to any audience.

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• Metacognition is the Superpower Kids Need for the Future

  How can educators help kids navigate a new normal with AI? Thinking about thinking can help.

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• Midyear 2020 Conversations Check-In

  A year like none other.

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• Midyear Check-In: 2018 Conversation Topics

  We've been closely following 3 key education topics in 2018. See what the past six months have revealed and what to keep an eye on in the second half of the year.

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• Midyear Check-In: 2021 Conversations

  How's the year going so far? Let's check in on our three important conversation topics for 2021.

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• Midyear Check-in: 2023 Conversations

  What kind of progress are we seeing in recouping learning losses, stemming staff burnout, and keeping school networks secure? Let’s find out.

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• Midyear Check-In: 2024 Conversations

  Each year we predict the top newsmakers in K12 schools. The 2024 conversations: behavior crises, cybersecurity roles, and of course our friend AI.

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• Midyear Check-in: Conversations to Follow in 2019

  How's the year going so far? Let's check in on our three important conversation topics for 2019.

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• Mobile Education Tug of War

  Technology has evolved the modern workplaces for maximum flexibility.  But is blurring the boundaries of classroom learning healthy for students (and teachers)? 

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• Motivation vs Determination and How to Capture Both

  Learn the difference between them and how to master both, then strike the right balance to see professional (and student!) growth soar.

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• Not New in 2022: Ransomware Threats

  Schools face plenty of dangers and threats, from pandemics to budget cuts, but ransomware may be one of the most pernicious, transcendent, and frightening—and it’s not going away.

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• One-Page Pitch: Data Security

  The Advancing K12 One-Page Pitch Series aims to help team members lead from within. This month's topic: data security.

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• One-Page Pitch: Digital Badging

  The Advancing K12 One-Page Pitch Series is designed to help you lead from within. Our inaugural pitch: Digital badging for professional development!

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• One-Page Pitch: How Attendance Letters Improve Absenteeism

  Chronic absenteesim continues to challenge schools and families. This pitch outlines why automated attendance letters work to turn the tides.

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• One-Page Pitch: Why Try a Tardy Kiosk?

  The Advancing K12 One-Page Pitch Series aims to help team members lead from within. This month's topic: tardy kiosks.

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• Pandemic-Era Attendance

  Can we see the impact of COVID on student attendance right now?

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• Pandemic-Era Safety and Security in School Buildings

  COVID-19 has changed the way schools operate. Here’s how school administrators are protecting their communities.

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• Payroll Encumbrances Made Easier

  Does your ERP forecast your payroll encumbrances? If not, it should.

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• Play-Based Learning All Grown Up

  Two teachers explain why play is the most essential skill a student can learn.

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• Playing Catch-Up with Student Behavior

  Small acts add up for healthier students—and better behavior.

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• Proactive Mental Health in K12 Schools

  What if mental health isn't something anyone gave students, but rather a practice schools can inspire within students?

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• Productive PD: Building a Growth Mindset from Burnout

  The best time to do better is when you're already doing well. PD is no different!

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• Progress is Not Linear

  A lesson that most definitely translates to the professional world.

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• Project-Based Learning is a Perfect Developmental Match for Teens

  Adults, we’re witnessing a revolution.

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• Reading Automaticity is the Hidden STEM Superpower Kids Need

  It’s not mathletes vs. bookworms: STEM and reading are not mutually exclusive.

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• Recognize These 5 Phishing Email Patterns

  Use pattern recognition to identify and stop phishing attacks in your district.

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• Record Health Data Using Your SIS

  Looking for a way to keep health data records? Your solution may already be at your fingertips. 

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• Red Flags or Gold Stars: Flipping the Script on Behavior Tracking

  Your SIS can shift behavior tracking from disciplinary action to the entire spectrum of student behavior, social-emotional learning, and whole-child wellness.

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• Rethinking Credentials for Careers of the Future

  First comes K12, then comes college, then comes career—right? 🤔

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• Rethinking the Traditional School Schedule

  As we gaze into the future of K12 education, what scheduling changes do we see budding? How do these changes affect kids?

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• Return Joy to Teaching and Learning with Thoughtful AI PD

  AI can be a TA, but never a teacher. So how can educators truly harness the power of AI?

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• School Librarians Make a Difference

  Librarians provide additional opportunity to support students with positive adult relationships, share representation, and bridge tech skills.

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• Secrets to K12 Communication, as Told by Two Pros

  Learn tips and tools of the trade from communication directors Gregg Gutschow and Sarah O’Donnell, who both serve school districts in Central Wisconsin. 

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• Should School Districts Ban Apps?

  It’s in the news, let’s talk about it: Should schools ban certain applications?

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• Should Your School Use a Crisis Text Line?

  May is mental health month, but students struggle all year round. Here’s how technology can play a role in compassionate care.

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• Silence is Not Stagnant—It's Power

  Harness the power of silence in a loud world.

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• So You Want to Become a Superintendent

  If you’re aiming for district leadership, you'll shift from do-er to planner. Here's how.

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• Soft Skills Strengthen STEM Success

  Graduates who practice these 5 skills enjoy a leg-up in their post-grad pursuits.

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• Sowing the Seeds of a Solid Summer

  We all know about the summer slide. What can teachers do now to nudge children to retain knowledge?

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• Storing Data in the SBO

  How can your ERP solution support record retention compliance?

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• Student Success Tracking: Essential Tasks, Automated

  How can educational data analytics streamline student success tracking?

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• Summertime Fraud Watch: 10 Ways to Stay Vigilant

  Keep your school business office safe from bad actors within and outside the district.

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• Talking to Parents About Digital Citizenship

  Parents may have various qualms about technology. Most of them boil down to one thing: protecting kids. Digital citizenship skills can help.

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• Teach Your Community About Your School Culture

  Your communication strategy can help them capture the school spirit you have in mind.

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• Teaching in the Trees: Public School Meets Waldorf

  Listen to two teachers capturing creative aspects of Waldorf education in a public school, incorporating movement, artistry, choice, the outdoors, and more.

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• Tell Me Something Good

  Just four words might turn the tide of school culture.

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• The 3 Leading Causes of EdTech Breakups

  When you stop and look around, how many of your edtech partnerships are still fulfilling? Here are some common reasons why they fail and some ideas to turn them around before it's too late. 

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• The 5 Assumptions We Make About Teachers (And Why They're Not Right)

  "In it for life" and other myths society believes about teaching.

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• The 5 Most Popular Articles of 2017

  This year, Advancing K12 readers were all in on school PR, data stewardship, and the ever-expanding role schools play in our children's lives. Here are the five most-read posts of 2017.

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• The 5-Step EdTech Integration Checklist

  Here's a customizable template of the five main tasks leaders can follow to start an interoperability journey.

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• The 6-Step Fraud Test

  Few things can be more devastating to a school district than a major fraud scandal. In this article, we explore six areas worthy of the occasional audit.

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• The Attendance Nudge

  By analyzing studies conducted in school districts using attendance letters, we can learn the best ways to nudge parents into becoming attendance allies fighting chronic absenteesim.

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• The Cost of Proactive vs. Reactive Data Security

  Investing in K12 data security pays off. Here’s how to stretch your dollar.

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• The Evolution of eLearning

  The rise and fall of learning outside the four walls of a classroom.

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• The Gold Standard for School Budgets

  Budgets: A necessary task, or an art form?

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• The Hidden Costs of Poor Edtech Support

  Take a deeper look at what your SIS offers. Is everything you need included?

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• The Literal Payoff Academic Stamina Gives Us, According to Research

  Superintendents and their teams strategize supports for students’ mental energy—could it work?

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• The Perils and Promise of K12 Crowdfunding

  What if you could skip the sales and go directly to donations for classroom supplies, edtech, or other initiatives?

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• The Points Are Made Up and the Grades Don't Matter

  Three reasons traditional letter grades are flawed 🤝 a handful of alternative strategies to measure progress 

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• The Pros and Cons of Live Gradebooks

  Is it good for teachers and students to report and see grades in real time?

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• The Quest for Parent Portal Buy-In

  Parent portals give teachers a central location to manage communication. But do parents really log in to continue the conversation? If not, how can teachers and school leaders encourage them to do so?

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• The Right Fit: SEL and Technology

  Social-emotional learning and technology: Two inescapable topics in education today. But how do the two overlap to improve outcomes for students?

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• The Road to Connected Schools

  Broadband is a necessity for learning in a digital world, but remote, rural schools are being left in the dust. Read on for an examination of progress made and ongoing opportunities on the horizon.

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• The State of K12 Coding

  Computer science is rapidly growing—and we're making progress. Check out this recap and learn about bringing the Hour of Code to your school.

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• The True Cost of a K12 Data Breach

  Monetary costs are only a fraction.

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• The Two Kinds of Time You'll Spend in a K12 Career

  Examining both ends of the K12 spectrum and a kaleidoscope of time in between.

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• The Ups and Downs of Girls in STEM

  Statistically it’s a slog, but how do girls really feel about their prospects in science? One high schooler has her sights set on pre-med and explains her view in contrast to trends.

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• The Yin and Yang of Augmented Reality

  Augmented reality: trendy or troubling? Let’s take a look at the potential for AR in education and the potential pitfalls it poses.

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• Top 10 Reasons Students Need to Study Shakespeare

  We heard Shakespeare is slated to be (or not to be) the next cursive writing debate. You bet we have thoughts.

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• Top 4 Midyear Tasks in the School Business Office

  As the new year starts, the SBO is knee-deep, smack-dab in the middle of theirs. Let's take a peek behind the scenes.

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• Top 6 Content Literacy Skills K12 Admins Shouldn't Ignore

  Content creation is more than just kids playing on phones. Learning the components can lead to student success. Here’s how.

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• Trick Kids into Learning: 3 Strategies for Student Agency

  How do we shift student attitudes toward their education from obligation to privilege?

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• Two Words to Strengthen Your School Culture

  And they are… 🥁

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• Use Predictive Education Insights to Improve Student Growth

  When data automation works in educators’ favor, they can predict student outcomes.

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• Use SIS & ERP Data to Pay Teachers More

  How to use data you already have to make the case to stakeholders on the board and beyond.

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• Use STEAM to Shift the Math Anxiety Paradigm

  It’s not only what we teach, it’s how we teach it.

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• Use Task-Based Permission to Tighten Edtech Security

  How system admins assign permissions makes a big difference in keeping data secure. 

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• Want More STEM Grads? End Math Tracking

  Schools are passing over a population of potential STEM workers. There must be a better way.

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• We Have the Tools; Let's Keep Our Talent

  Use a clever mix of tools and talent to retain great educators.

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• What Do We Really Know About Screen Time?

  What used to be a matter of parenting opinion has moved into the realm of vocational requirement. We know kids are going to be using screens in and out of classrooms. So where can we draw the line between enough and too much?

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• What is Arena Scheduling?

  If you're looking to increase student engagement, accountability, time management, and much more, why not give arena scheduling a try?

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• What is Decaying Average?

  When it comes to standards-based grading, what's the best way to measure growth and proficiency? Many districts are turning to the Decaying Average for a more complete picture.

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• What is Whole-Child Education?

  Schools are nurturing multiple facets of child development. But how does whole-child education work?

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• What K12 Leaders Can Learn from 80s Movies

  Mentors and nemeses, time travel and teamwork—what can you learn from '80's flicks?

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• What K12 Leaders Can Learn from Chefs

  Looking for wisdom in unusual places? Look no further than your local restaurant kitchen.

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• What K12 Leaders Can Learn from Late Night TV

  Night owls appreciate long-running hosts and a solid, familiar format. What can you learn from late night shows?

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• What K12 Leaders Can Learn from Movie Monsters

  It was a dark and stormy school year…

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• What K12 Leaders Can Learn from Saturday Morning Cartoons

  Saturday morning used to represent golden hours of freedom and indulgence for kids. What can you learn from the heyday of kid freedom?

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• What Keeps Boys from Reading and Girls from STEM? Stereotypes.

  To graduate more successful students, we need zero-tolerance for bias of all sorts in the classroom.

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• What Research Says About AI and the Future of Work

  How do we prepare students for future jobs that don't exist yet?

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• What School Choice Means for Edubranding

  In the age of choice, what can educational leaders do to turn their schools and districts into desirable destinations for families and job candidates?

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• When Your Team Struggles with Working from Home

  Troubleshooting and coaching the challenges of the new normal: remote work.

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• Who is Responsible for Mental Health?

  Staff responsibilities overlap, data goes unanalyzed, and students (or teachers) line up at overwhelmed counselors’ doors. How do schools address mental health? A school psychologist and social worker describe their team's approach.

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• Who Wants to be the Next K12 Leader?

  Refine your strategies for identifying and nurturing the future leaders in your district.

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• Why Are We So Worried About AI in Schools?

  AI can’t be avoided—and the good news is, it’s not all that novel. Let’s explore the pros and cons of embracing AI in schools.

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• Why Can't We Get Teacher Evals Right?

  What does the research say about teacher evaluation, and what are some of the most common takeaways from recent studies?

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• Why Edtech Choices Matter So Much

  Educators have had no choice but to lean hard on technology in 2020. What have we learned about edtech choices and their impact on a generation of students?

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• Why Emotional IQ Skills Are Essential for Students

  One of the most impactful ways to improve job performance is to brush up on emotional intelligence. What if we gave kids a jump on it?

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• Your District Needs an Advisory Panel (Here's Why)

  Looking to better engage with your community while boosting school culture? Try setting up an advisory panel.

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• Your Ultimate Guide to Edtech ROI

  Measuring edtech ROI is easier than you think—it just requires patience and strategy to capture the data you need. Let’s dive in!

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• Your Video Guide to Edtech ROI, Vol. 2

  What kind of data can you use to make a solid decision about your next edtech purchase?Let's explore five types of data.

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• Your Video Guide to Edtech ROI: Vol. 4

  Take your ROI measurement to the next level with the combined power of data and user feedback.

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• Your Video Guide to Measuring Edtech ROI

  Set the stage to measure the return on investment for pricey edtech. Learn how in this video.

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• Your Video Guide to Measuring ROI: Vol. 3

  Signs your solution is worth its salt: Great data for goal-setting and progress monitoring.

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• Youth Activism in Schools

  The next generation of heroes is walking the halls of schools today, and you’re uniquely poised to help them along.

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