1. education
2. school

Notes from the CEO Bill Sims
September 04, 2013
Bill’s Notes – Insight Online
You may have seen the press release and article on our website about my pending departure
from the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools at the end of the calendar year. After seven
years at the helm, it’s time for me to move on to other enterprises and for the Alliance to feel
the energy and ideas from new leadership. I’ve taken this decision after thorough consultation
with the Ohio Alliance’s Board of Directors and complete confidence that the Ohio Alliance is
well-positioned to continue its important role in support of the charter school community in
Inside this issue
• Notes from the CEO Bill
Sims
• How Children Succeed
• Analysis of 2013 School
Performance Data
• Charter School Law Register Now!
• TEACHER DAY - New This
Year at the OAPCS 7th Annual
State Charter School
Conference
• The Greatest State
Conference Ever! Registration open for the 7th
Annual OAPCS State
Conference
• Calendar Tips & Tricks
• Reminders for New Teachers
• Advertise with Your Charter
Community!
• iPad Workshop for
Administrators
• WE'RE IN YOUR
SCHOOLS!
• ESCCO/ASCD Affordable
Ohio.
It’s important to know that the Ohio Alliance draws it support not only from school members and associate members
(non-profit and for-profit organizations) but also from generous state and national philanthropic foundations that believe
in us and our work including The Walton Family Foundation, The Lovett and Ruth Peters Foundation, the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation, The Nord Family Foundation, The William Holden Jennings Foundation, The Cleveland
Foundation, The Sherwick Foundation, The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, The Ohio Grantmakers Forum
(Philanthropy Ohio), the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and the Fisher Fund of California.
The staff at the Ohio Alliance is one of the most highly qualified and professional groups of individuals I’ve ever had the
privilege of working with and it will continue to fuel the workings of this organization well beyond my departure from the
Alliance. As I said in our press release:
“I’m very proud of the progress Ohio has made with school choice and the way the charter school community has come
together, committing itself to providing quality public school options for Ohio’s students and parents. The Ohio Alliance
serves thousands of folks in the community with our technical support, workshops, and conferences, all run by the
dedicated staff in our Center for Charter School Quality.”
“Ohio is a state with a rich history of leadership in public education. But resting on one’s laurels can be a trap. Charter
schools are an important and innovative piece of education reform in the state and nation and it will be important moving
forward for traditional district schools and charters to appreciate each other’s potential in effecting critical reforms and
keeping pace with technological innovation."
“The new millennium brings a whole new set of educative challenges that require leadership courage and a willingness
to change. With the rate at which technological change drives the way we function socially and economically, keeping
pace with these factors in our educational system will be a critical challenge for our schools, our colleges of education,
our state department of education and our corporate communities. Ohio will have to meet the rapidly changing
educational requirements that this generation of students (and the next) will have to have to be successful in the twentyfirst century. Charter schools have the agility to meet these persistent challenges.”
Enough said for now. I’m sure I’ll have more to say in the coming weeks and months and I will certainly look forward to
seeing all of you at our next state charter school conference in November!
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How Children Succeed
I recently had the privilege of attending a two-day meeting with Paul Tough, a Canadian-American writer who has
authored a book called, How Children Succeed.Mr. Tough writes frequently on education issues for, among others,
the New York Times Magazine and New York Magazine.
I mention this because the premise of his book, backed by considerable research, reckons that the biggest factors in
determining how (well) children succeed correlate less with what we know as raw intelligence or IQ and more with noncognitive character traits such as self confidence, perseverance, self control and “grit.” This is important research and not
just for teachers but for parents to know and understand as well.
The book offers essential insights into how we as parents can maximize prospects for our progeny but also suggests
PD Opportunities
• Value Added Regional
Trainings
significant implications for our pre-school and K-12 classrooms if our goal is to ensure successful outcomes for our
students. It’s hard to read the book and not come away with the feeling that these precepts are very common sensible.
In any event, in the never-ending stream of education literature, every once in a while there is a gem that sheds new light
on what we are trying to accomplish and I thought you might be interested in this discovery if you haven’t already
uncovered it.
--Bill Sims
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Articles of Interest...
May 2013 Edition of the Ides of
ODE
Analysis of 2013 School Performance Data
OAPCS will be analyzing the 2013 school performance data and communicating results of these analyses widely. Watch
for our Press Release and for updated Data Visualizations on our Ohioscope Data Dashboard.
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Charter School Law - Register Now!
Contact Us
When: September 20, 2013, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Ohio Alliance for Public
Charter Schools
33 N. Third Street,
Suite 600
Office: (614) 744-2266
Fax: (614) 744-2255
www.oapcs.org
Where: The Conference Center at OCLC
6565 Kilgour Place
Dublin, Ohio 43017
Gain a better understanding of some of the most complex legal issues facing Ohio’s community schools from attorneys
who practice in the area of charter school law. Topics will include:
Board Governance Issues
Human Resources
Hot Topics in Student Discipline
Quick Links
Sunshine Laws and Public Records
Litigation and Insurance
Social Media
Special Education
For more information or to register, click here
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TEACHER DAY - New This Year at the OAPCS 7th Annual State
Charter School Conference
The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools is pleased to be hosting a “Teacher Day” at this year’s annual state
conference in November at Kalahari Resort in Sandusky. This year’s Teacher Day will be Friday November 15 and will
run concurrently with the regular conference programming.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to put a great deal of focus this year on teachers attending our state conference”
said Bill Sims, President and CEO of OAPCS. “These folks are the backbone of everything we are trying to accomplish,
so it just makes sense to give them an entire day of sessions and activities focused around their needs and challenges.
There will still be regular programming that day for all other attendees but our goal is to celebrate and recognize the work
of our teachers.” Sims added.
Events
Advocacy
Quality Values and Principles
Over fifteen breakout sessions especially designed for teachers will be presented on Teacher Day. There will also be a
special Teacher Convocation and networking opportunities. Awards will be presented during Teacher Day as well.
Several schools are using this opportunity to provide professional development hours by sending multiple teachers to this
event. One day passes are available for teachers.
Don’t miss this great opportunity to “Educate, Collaborate and Celebrate” with our charter school teachers. Early bird
pricing ends August 31 so don’t delay.
Contact Ashley Wilson with any registration questions.
Click here to register
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The Greatest State Conference Ever! - Registration open for the 7th
Annual OAPCS State Conference
The Early Bird registration rate has been extended until Friday, September
6.
Register NOW to save! Click HERE
Attendee Registration - Click Here
Exhibitor Registration - Click Here
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Calendar Tips & Tricks
By Bob Green, OAPCS Coordinator of Information Technology
The Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS) made the switch to Google Apps for Education (GAFE) six
months ago and we have not looked back. The switch from our previous e-mail and calendar solution has allowed us to
reduce cost, directing these funds to other areas of the organization but more importantly it has allowed us to collaborate
and leverage the power of mobility at levels we did not previously have with our former solution. As with any major
system change there were road bumps along the way. OAPCS adapted to these road bumps and have emerged with a
suite of applications that position us to always be in communication and collaborating no matter our location.
In an office of people working on a variety of projects and moving in multiple directions on any given day the calendar
reigns supreme. The calendar feature found within GAFE has many hidden features that can be used by the end user to
configure their calendar in a way that works best for them. Here are my top six features:
1.
Event Reminders - Reminders for events can occur through e-mail, a pop-up notification or a text
message. I use text message reminders as my phone is a device that I always have with me. A multitude of
event reminders can be added to the individual event as a way to remind a person of the event.
2.
New/Changed/Cancelled/Event Responses - These notifications can occur through an e-mail and or a text
message. As my day begins and I get into my work, I depend on these notifications via text message as a way to stay
ahead of my schedule and be aware of any changes that occur.
3.
Maps - Did you know that if you put an address in the WHERE field for a meeting you can then access that
information via your phone and have it give you directions via Google Maps? This has been a time saver for me as it
allows me to press a few buttons and have the GPS ready to go as I head out to a school.
4.
Resources - If you are using GAFE within your organization you can also have your GAFE admin create
resources that can be reserved for use during the meeting. At OAPCS we have created resource entries for our two
conference rooms and the projector.
5.
Attachments (Google Lab Feature) - You can also attach a Google Doc or upload a document to a
calendar event. We use Google Docs for our Center for Charter School Quality Meetings (CCSQ) and it allows us quick
access to the agenda for the meeting from a central location.
6.
Google Labs - Google Labs can be considered a playground for new features that may or may not make it
into the default system. You should proceed with caution here as they may disappear at any time.
The calendar function within GAFE is quite powerful and feature rich. It plays nicely with the many flavors of operating
systems out there and is web based allowing for access from any location. It also plays nice with the various mobile
operating system platforms that are on the market. Interested in learning more about GAFE take a look at Google Apps
User Group.
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Reminders for New Teachers
By Chad Michael, OAPCS Data Support Specialist
To be a graduate with a teaching degree is very exciting especially when it leads to your first position in a classroom.
Ohio’s charter schools are always very happy to have such talented educators leading innovation and molding future
talents in our students. This year new teachers are heading to the classrooms amidst many new changes; let’s not forget
the basics of a successful classroom. Having sound routines and procedures allows for new teachers to be the best they
can be and fosters growth for the teachers and students alike.
Remember, you haven’t spent much time with your students to earn their confidence therefore you’re going to be tested.
When the inevitable happens, a student tries to shock you; a talk back and disrespects you, interrupts you, ignores you, or
misbehaves three feet in front of you then:
Build Rapport: The better you know your students the better equipped you are to handle difficult behavior
problems. Be sure to build positive behavior influencing relationships.
Wait Time: Your first reaction to misbehavior should be no reaction. Don’t rush over and put a stop to it.
Don’t lose control and do not show any sign of frustration.
Disappointment: Never show your class that you are hurt due to their misbehavior. Remember, they are a
direct reflection of you as you set the tone for how they should act. Keep your cool, show the student you
are in complete control at all times.
Follow Through: Do as you say and say as you do! Do not give an student empty threats.
Lose the Battle: It is instinct to want to win every battle with a student but you must resist the urge to
lecture or scold. This can be a large waste of everyone’s time and ultimately when you are calm and do not
engage you will win over their hearts and minds.
Handle It Yourself: Often when a problem arises, it is natural to seek the help of another teacher or the
principal; that takes all power away from you as a disciplinarian. To be viewed as a leader worth following,
you must be the one your students answer to for their decisions.
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Advertise with Your Charter Community!
Dear Charter School Community Member,
On behalf of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools, I’d like to invite you to advertise in our 2013-2014 Charter
School Directory and 7th Annual OAPCS State Conference Program Guide. The Directory and Conference Program
Guide will both be available at our 7th Annual OAPCS State Conference held November 14-15, 2013 at the Kalahari
Resort in Sandusky, Ohio.
The OAPCS Charter School Directory is published annually as a benefit to our members and as a useful tool for the
greater charter school community. Once finished, the directory is provided to each of our members for free and made
available for purchase by all. This directory is also a popular resource at the ODE and among State Legislators, Sponsors
and Educational Service Centers. It is the most up-to-date demographic resource on Ohio Community Schools available
anywhere.
The 7th Annual OAPCS State Charter School Conference Program Guide is freely distributed to each attendee at the
conference. It is designed to help plan for the conference breakout sessions by providing summary information about the
sessions, presenters, and speakers.
By purchasing an ad in the 2013-2014 Charter School Directory or 7th Annual OAPCS State Conference Program Guide
your school or company will have an entire year’s worth of exposure to parents and policy, school and management
leaders.
Members of the OAPCS will receive a free black and white quarter page ad in the 2013-2014 Charter School Directory,
plus discounted prices for advertising in the 7th Annual OAPCS State Conference Program Guide.*
Create a significant presence for your organization in these two widely distributed publications that will find their way
into state conference packets, the offices of the Ohio Department of Education, and the Statehouse of Ohio, to say nothing
of parents in search of a school choice.
For purchasing an ad in both the 2013-2014 Charter School Directory and 7th Annual OAPCS State Conference Program
Guide you receive $100 off of the total cost. **
For example:
Purchased half page Directory ad – B&W = $425
Purchased quarter page Program ad = $400
Total $825 minus $100 discount: Final Total $725
*You must be a member prior to purchasing ads to gain member benefits.
**This offer excludes the free ad offered to our members. You must purchase an ad in both publications for the
discount to take effect.
Click here for the order form and pricing.
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iPad Workshop for Administrators
Seating Limited to 25 - Sign Up Now!
Details:
Date: October 17, 2013
Location: The Conference Center at OCLC, 6600 Kilgour Place, Dublin, Ohio 43017
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Rate: $195 member/$295 non-member
For details, including a full agenda, please visit iPad Workshop
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WE'RE IN YOUR SCHOOLS!
The OAPCS Performance Management Team is focused on helping Ohio’s charters become more data-driven.
This year we’ve worked closely with eight charters. They’ve implemented our customized web-based data management
system Illuminate Data and AssessmentTMalong with the teacher-led process of Data Teams.
We are ready to sign additional partners for the 2013-2014!! Contracts can begin as early as March.
To learn more, please contact Jesse Truett at [email protected] or 614-744-2266 ext. 212.
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ESCCO/ASCD Affordable PD Opportunities
We’ve teamed with the ESC of Central Ohio and ASCD to offer very low-cost online professional development courses.
Over 114 different courses are available via ASCD’s modules, covering a wide variety of topics.
Click here to read more.
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Value Added Regional Trainings
Leading the Access, Interpretation, and Analysis of Teacher Value Added Reports sessions will be held across the state
from late September through mid November. Register in STARS at https://safe.ode.state.oh.us/portal (Search key word
"value-added" to find the sessions more easily). Registrations are limited to 75 people per workshop. Also, if your school
would like to discuss value added training needs, please contact Marianne Lombardo at (614) 744-2266 ext. 201.
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