Mike Lubelfeld's Blog

#112LEADS #UNFINISHED #UNLEARN

Category: Uncategorized

Reflections from Montgomery – A Superintendent’s Notes

September 19, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Understanding Defining Moments in History

Montgomery, Alabama | September 17-19, 2024
Fall Symposium of the National Superintendents RoundtableCover of briefing book

As a proud member of the National Superintendents Roundtable (NSR), I looked forward to our fall conference in Montgomery, Alabama. With a mission focused on “Leadership for Just and Humane Schools,” the NSR, alongside the Schlecty Superintendent Leadership Network, brings together 85 superintendents committed to advocating for the future of public education. This conference emphasized the significance of civics education—an essential component for understanding our nation’s complex history.

Our host, Dr. Melvin Brown, Superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools, welcomed us to a city steeped in both the legacy of the Confederacy and the Civil Rights Movement. Montgomery, a city of contrasts, was the perfect setting for

Superintendent Roundtable Members Panel

Panel of Members – Discussion

exploring the contradictions and realities of American history. Here, in a school system serving 26,000 students, we confronted the unresolved tension between the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education and the lived experience of desegregation, which for Montgomery, only began in earnest during the 1970s. While the law declared the end of segregation, reality played out differently, and the deep divides of the past remained unresolved for decades.

As a lifelong advocate for student voice, choice, and empowerment, I found myself reflecting deeply on the impact of these historical legacies on today’s education system. Our schools are, and must always be, for students—no exceptions.

Three Profound Sites of American History

The heart of this symposium was our visit to three deeply impactful historical monuments:

The Freedom Monument Sculpture Park (April 2024)
The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration (2018)
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice (2018)

In front of Freedom Monument Sculpture Park Wall of NamesThese landmarks tell an unfiltered story of America, starting from pre-Columbian history through the African and African American experiences. They challenged us to reckon with the harsh truths of slavery, systemic racism, and the ongoing consequences of mass incarceration.

The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), founded by Bryan Stevenson, operates the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice. EJI has been at the forefront of documenting the intersection of racial injustice, from slavery to modern-day inequalities. Learning about their work and walking through these spaces was emotionally overwhelming yet essential.

At the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, we were immediately faced with the brutality of colonialism. I found myself reflecting on the devastating impact European exploration and colonization had on both Indigenous and African peoples. Walking through this park, located by the serene Alabama River, was a stark contrast to the brutality it documented. I realized how disconnected my previous understanding of history had been, shaped largely by sanitized textbooks that glossed over the horrors of our past.

The Domestic Slave Trade and Unseen Realities

One of the most startling realizations during this trip was learning about the domestic slave trade that thrived in the United States after the transatlantic trade was abolished in 1808. I hadn’t fully grasped how the demand for enslaved labor

Sculpture

Depiction of bondage and suffering

persisted, especially in building the Southern railway systems. As a history teacher, I taught about slavery—but never truly taught about it. Now, I find myself asking: What is my obligation as an educator to teach authentic and real history?

Equally disturbing was the realization of how deeply Northern banks profited from the Southern economy, showing that slavery wasn’t just a Southern institution—it was an American one.

Emancipation and Its Complex Legacy

The common narrative we often hear is that the Emancipation Proclamation freed the enslaved. Yet, in reality, the Proclamation only declared freedom for those enslaved in Confederate states still rebelling against the Union in 1863. It took the 13th Amendment, ratified in December 1865, to legally end slavery in the United States. The legacy of that struggle, from Reconstruction to Jim Crow, has left a profound and lasting impact on our nation’s journey toward racial equality.

The visit to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice was perhaps the most sobering of all. Walking through the steel monuments bearing the names of over 4,400 lynching victims, I was confronted with a history I hadn’t fully absorbed before. The legacy of racial violence and terror extends far beyond what many of us learned in school, and the psychological damage it inflicted is immeasurable.

Close Up

Victims of lynching from one county

Personal Reflection and Call to Action

This journey wasn’t just an opportunity to learn—it was a moral reckoning. I’ve often said that students have only one chance to experience the grade they’re in, and it’s our duty to make their time with us meaningful. Now that I’ve confronted these truths, I have to ask myself: What will I do with this knowledge?

What will I do?
What will you do?
More importantly, what will **we** do, now that we know?

As educators and leaders, it’s our responsibility to empower our students, activate their voices, and offer them choice, agency, and engagement. If we’re to inspire, innovate, and engage, we must do so with a full understanding of where we’ve been as a nation and where we need to go.

I encourage all who read this to visit Montgomery, Alabama.

Our nation’s future depends on it.

Close up of monument quote

Quote on the monument of remembrance

Community Collaboration Marker - Communities are coming to terms with their history

Memorial to victim of lynching – part of community awareness project

Generative AI in NSSD112 – #112Leads

June 16, 2024 / / 0 Comments

AI Generated Image after running my blog post through Chat GPT 4o

In our school district, since November 2023, and with a great deal of energy and purpose since the CoSN national conference in April 2024, we have been on a “vision quest” with Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. The potential revolutionary changes for teachers and students alike have inspired teams of administrators and teachers in the exploration, research, implementation, study, review, and implementation of GEN AI into our professional practice!

In this blog post, I’m sharing an AI produced (and human edited) executive summary of the District 112 Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guidance Document and Plans shared with the Board of Education in May and June 2024.

What follows the executive summary is an information blog post further illustrating our “why” in terms of deep study of how GEN AI will support our vision to Inspire, Innovate, and Engage for each child – and each staff member – EVERY day! The blog post is entitled, Embracing the Future: Integrating Generative AI in North Shore School District 112

First, here is an Executive Summary:

North Shore School District 112 (Illinois) Generative Artificial Intelligence Guidance and PlansGenerative Artificial Intelligence Guidance and Plans

Introduction
North Shore School District 112 is at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge technologies to enhance educational outcomes and operational efficiencies. The “Generative Artificial Intelligence Background, Guidance, Plans” document outlines the strategic approach to piloting Magic School AI in our district, providing a roadmap for successful implementation.

Key Objectives
The primary objectives of integrating Generative AI in our district include:
1. **Personalized Learning**: Leveraging AI to tailor educational content and experiences to meet the unique needs of each student, thereby improving engagement and academic performance.
2. **Operational Efficiency**: Streamlining administrative tasks and processes to allow educators to focus more on instruction and less on bureaucracy.
3. **Data-Driven Decision Making**: Utilizing AI to analyze vast amounts of data, providing insights that drive informed decision-making and strategic planning.

Implementation Strategy
1. **Pilot Program**: The initial phase involves piloting Magic School AI in select classrooms to evaluate its effectiveness and gather feedback from educators and students.
2. **Professional Development**: Providing comprehensive training for teachers and staff to ensure they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively use AI tools.
3. **Stakeholder Engagement**: Engaging with students, parents, and the community to build support and ensure transparency throughout the implementation process.

Benefits
1. **Enhanced Learning Experiences**: AI can create customized lesson plans, provide real-time feedback, and suggest resources tailored to each student’s learning style and pace.
2. **Increased Efficiency**: Automation of routine tasks such as grading and attendance tracking frees up valuable time for educators to focus on teaching and mentorship.
3. **Improved Outcomes**: Data-driven insights help identify areas for improvement, monitor student progress, and develop targeted interventions to support student success.

 

Challenges and Mitigation
1. **Data Privacy**: Ensuring the security and privacy of student data is paramount. Strict protocols and compliance with relevant regulations are in place.
2. **Equity and Access**: Addressing potential disparities in access to technology and ensuring all students benefit from AI integration.
3. **Change Management**: Managing the transition and ensuring all stakeholders are adequately supported through continuous communication and training.

Conclusion
The integration of Generative AI in North Shore School District 112 represents a significant step towards modernizing our educational approach. By embracing this technology, we aim to create a more personalized, efficient, and data-driven educational environment that prepares our students for the future. This pilot program is just the beginning of our journey towards transforming education through innovation.

With that background, I share the following blog post which further illustrates our “why” for deep exploration of GEN AI tools for our 500 staff members and nearly 4000 students in grades PK-8 in Highland Park & Highwood Illinois.

Embracing the Future:

Integrating Generative AI in North Shore School District 112

In our rapidly evolving educational landscape, the integration of cutting-edge technologies is no longer optional but essential. At North Shore School District 112, we are pioneering the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance both educational outcomes and operational efficiencies. As we pilot Magic School AI in our district, I want to share insights into how this innovative technology is transforming our schools. As of this writing, we have 252 users who have generated 3,817 uses of Magic School AI tools since May! – SINCE MAY 13, 2024 – There is interest here 

As a public school superintendent with a passion for educational leadership and teacher practices, my focus has always been on driving change and growth. Our recent work on “Generative Artificial Intelligence Background, Guidance, Plans” highlights the potential of AI to revolutionize our approach to teaching and learning.

WHY?? Enhancing Educational Outcomes

Generative AI offers a myriad of opportunities to personalize learning. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI can tailor educational content to meet the unique needs of each student. This aligns perfectly with the strategies outlined in my upcoming book, *Leading for Tomorrow’s Schools Today*, where Nick Polyak and I emphasize the importance of individualized learning pathways. Truly creating opportunities for each child every day is more within our grasp, I strongly believe, with GEN AI tools than ever before. This is not just “ed tech” or a “cool suite of tools” – this is revolutionary change in our time.

For instance, Magic School AI can help create customized lesson plans, provide real-time feedback, and even suggest resources that align with each student’s learning style and pace. This not only improves student engagement but also empowers our educators to focus more on instruction and less on administrative tasks. With Magic Student (with great data privacy guardrails and nearly total control by teachers), students can get book lists, engage with historical figures, and much, much more. It’s not going to do their work for them – it’s going to help them do their work better!

GEN AI helps with Operational Efficiencies

Beyond the classroom, Generative AI can streamline various administrative processes. From automating routine tasks to improving data management, AI helps our district operate more efficiently. This aligns with the holistic approach I advocate in sessions like “Creating and Sustaining a Mentally Healthy Community,” where effective use of data and technology supports the overall well-being of our students, staff, and community. All that we do, and all that we have done, align with ways to support teachers, educational support staff, administrators, families, and at the core, students.

Building on Success

North Shore School District 112 has a history of success, and integrating AI is a natural next step. Over the past six years, our district has achieved remarkable milestones, thanks to the dedication of our staff and the support of our community. The adoption of AI technologies will build on these successes, ensuring we continue to lead in educational innovation. We cannot wait to see the results of this pilot (May – September) with professional development opportunities this summer and fall! Based on input we’ll determine our next steps!

We encourage educators to explore and experiment with GEN AI tools in their lives too (we encourage taking advantage of Khanmigo – free to every teacher/educator in the US – thank you Sal Khan!, ChatGPT – thanks to Open AI there are free versions with tremendous capabilities, Microsoft’s co-pilot, Google’s Gemini, Latimer offers a diverse AI tool, and much, much more. Our point, safety and legal concerns are addressed by Magic School AI – which is why we are in full pilot implementation mode. There are other really cool tools that we support reviewing, using, checking out, etc. as humanity itself is embracing the advent of this strange, new, powerful technology reality.

Collaboration and Continuous Learning

Our journey with AI is collaborative. By involving teachers, students, and the community in this pilot program, we ensure that the implementation is both effective and sustainable. This approach reflects the principles I discussed in my newest publication, *The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself*, which emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptation.

Looking Ahead

As we move forward, I am excited about the possibilities that Generative AI brings to our district. This pilot program is just the beginning. By embracing these technologies, we are preparing our students for a future where digital literacy and technological proficiency are paramount.

I look forward to sharing more updates as we continue this journey. Together, we are shaping the future of education, one innovative step at a  time!!

An AI Generated Image relating to North Shore School District 112

Thoughts on Systems Leadership – Each Child Every Day

March 27, 2024 / / 0 Comments

To be accurate, it’s been a while since last I posted, December 23. It’s been a “full” few months in the district, and I had a bout of “writer’s block,” addressing and dealing with a host of challenges that “are what they are”.  Thankfully with a powerful Board of Education, a Leadership Team that is world class, and about 500 teachers and educational support staff I would work with anywhere and any time, we are leading and learning in District 112 each day!

Periodically I integrate writing about “what a superintendent actually does” to leadership philosophy, to what’s really going on in the District; in this blog post, the spirit has again moved me to write, to share my thoughts, learnings, observations, and calls to action! Thanks for reading the post, as always, comments and questions are welcomed!!

March 2024 — Dr. Michael Fullan is one of my “edu heroes,” I have been learning from him for decades; I have been reading his work and making every effort to apply his findings to my leadership work. Recently, at a professional learning academy, I had the good fortune to re-read Nuance, Fullan’s 2019 book about “Why Some Leaders Succeed, and Others Fail,” I had the good fortune to attend a virtual live webinar session he led! For this blog post, I’m sharing some major takeaways and a call to action for all of us to find the “canary children”” and hear their voices, give them agency, and help change conditions so that they may find success.

From Nuance, on page 109 in chapter 5, Fullan shares an adaptation from Rebecca Wells, 2018 “Canary Child: A Catalyst for Deep Learning.”

“Canaries and students, it turns out, are not too dissimilar in how they show their distress. Canaries ruffle their feathers, hide their heads beneath their wings, and jump to other perches in their cage to try and escape unfavorable conditions. How many students, unable to follow the learning, falling behind, disinterested and disempowered, will also ruffle their feathers and create a scene, or hide away quietly, hoping not to be noticed?”

Perhaps you know about “canaries in the coal mine” — it can be a matter of life and death if a canary shows distress in the coal mine – it’s a sense of urgency for change in a coal mine if a canary shows distress. Why is it not always a call to action or a sense of urgency when our students are like canaries – in distress – calling out for help, illustrating a need for change or different approaches?

As Dr. Fullan passionately claims, Fullan believes this is our clarion call for action – NOW – for the betterment of our schools, communities, society, and even humanity.

So what do we do about this? How do we change? Will everyone jump to action and heed the call for urgency? An airline pilot strives for 100% perfection in terms of safe take-off and landing – they don’t accept a “C” (70%) or a “3” approaching standards … so why, in our “assessment obsessed” industry/profession – do we not actually change so that we can have greater success/competency/literacy/etc.?

The Canary Children essay deeply moved and impacted the academy’s leaders, central office, and principal-level leaders. We are all moved as we dive into and reflect on culture, student-centered equity, systems leadership, instruction, and change.

Often, we educational leaders show great aptitude and success in managing change – think about the pandemic … we managed change and responded to the crises associated with the pandemic. In some areas, we did see leaders who mastered change, whose leadership created conditions for lasting, adaptive change. However, most of our experiences, in general, reflected change management. Fullan highlighted the nuance and differences between change management and managing change.

Dr. Donna Leak, an Illinois superintendent and another presenter at the academy, called upon us to analyze and address the “Intentional Adult Behavior to Ensure Student Success.” Zandra Jo Galván, a California superintendent and another presenter at the academy, shared her district’s three guiding principles: culture, academics, and community. These exemplary leaders use their leadership and guiding principles to find and intervene for their canary children in their district. They are setting leadership conditions that align with Fullan’s global call for leadership and action. As a complement to Fullan’s talk, John Malloy, another amazing superintendent, shared that systems change is not only imperative but also possible. Malloy shares the following regarding what Systemic Commitments Have.

They have the following characteristics:

● Evidence-based

● Driven by data that sets the parameters for any collaborative work

● Coherent and focused, not simply another initiative

● Developed through a collaborative process

● Measurement systems are in place

● A monitoring process is determined

● Communication is ongoing

● Learning and improvement are supported through Effective protocols, practices, and processes.

● All students are served, especially those who need us the most.

So if we know that leaders are taking positive proactive and reactive steps to manage change and master change. Why are there still canary children, and what will you do about it in your school system? In our 2021 book, the Unfinished Leader: A School Leadership Framework for Growth & Development, Polyak, Caposey, and I lay out a six-lens frame to help create the conditions needed for each child every day and for each staff member every day.

We suggest that leading with the frames of equity and empathy, followed by adaptive leadership and the development of others (and yourself) with lenses and frames of communication and change – “don’t fear change, don’t let others hold you back, and don’t let others hold your organization back” define what it means to be unfinished — and this is related to and tied to the messages of Leak, Galván, Malloy and Fullan from this academy – and the messages complement the efforts we as systems leaders can use to find and treat the canaries!

In District 112, Highland Park & Highwood, IL, where I proudly serve as the superintendent of schools, we have canary children, and we won’t rest until we amend our conditions so that their voice and agency is acknowledged and heard and seen and addressed.  I opened this year’s all-staff convocation with a clarion call of my own regarding the annual Student Engagement Survey. Annually, for the past six consecutive years, we administer the student engagement survey to all children in grades 3-8 in English and Spanish. Principals and their school leadership teams are required/expected to meet, review the data, and plan action steps with and for the students to make improvements. Our data is clear, coherent, and, in some ways, sobering. Until we master “satisfaction” and “engagement,” two of the dimensions that are reported in a 3×3 grid, we will know we have work to do. The students clearly communicate with us — we have pockets of extremely high satisfaction and engagement and low pockets. The difference in the results can be mapped back to systems leadership.

Leak, Galván, Malloy, and Fullan clearly illustrate in their workshop sessions that the critical ingredients in systems change and improvement lie in internal systems.

Dr. Malloy shared a compelling “why” for the impressive and impactful leadership in his school district right now — what are the employers of our students seeking? Our mission in public schooling is to prepare children for life, college, and career — do our assessment systems reflect life, college, and career? Should they? Can they?

Malloy shares a list from Linked In 2023 of the most “in demand” skills employers seek for our students — in what ways are your systems aligned with outcomes like these?

The 2023 Most In-Demand Skills

1. Management

2. Communication

3. Customer service

4. Leadership

5. Sales

6. Project management

7. Research

8. Analytical skills

9. Marketing

10. Teamwork

Fullan is a prolific student of leadership and success – his resume is impressive, and his books are real, with case studies illustrating success and meaningful work on behalf of and for humanity. I am moved, even at this late stage of my career, which invigorates me, quite frankly!

Fullan identifies the Six C’s – Global Competencies – In many districts, including mine, we see these in portraits of learners and graduates.

Like Nick Polyak and I write in the Unlearning Leader, Fullan calls for changing the structure of “factory schools” designed and imagined 200 years ago. Many systems are doing this. Galván removed “cemetery rows” of desks and replaced them with collaboration tables. There are many examples of this in the profession. Lead, take the courageous step to create conditions where the  “grammar of schooling,” as Fullan says, can be rewritten.

In general and with a broad brush, the basic system of schooling can be defined loosely by,

Teacher Isolation, Individualism, Passive Students, Batching of students, lack of time, school isolation, system demands (current Systems) Obviously – there are exceptions to this – but the central tendency is as listed above and based upon Fullan’s (and my own) observations and experiences over decades of work in leadership.

So – how to change? One idea, proffered by Dr. Fullan himself, is to look at seven keys on one keychain, as he describes, that are elements of the new culture (that we can create to replace the old “grammar of schooling”. These are belongingness, global competencies, relationships (well-being), pedagogy (learning), world of work, leadership, and AI (artificial intelligence). Dr. Fullan passionately describes changing the primary driver of change from external (state/province) to internal (local system).

So, in closing, I write this blog as the spirit moves me after an inspiring leadership academy where some amazing leaders, in the field and in the know, caused me to think – and will continue to guide my work in creating conditions for each child every day with supports in place for each staff member!

At the core, we should all learn more about “Deep Learning” and the 6cs from our spirit coach, Dr. Michael Fullan!! As a refresher, the 6cs are:

Character & Compassion

Citizenship

Collaboration

Communication

Creativity

Critical Thinking

Please join me on my clarion call to action to heal the canaries in our classrooms!

Part 4 of 4 – Final Reflections from Conference on Education – A Nation at Risk

August 7, 2023 / / 0 Comments

In this fourth of four blog posts illustrating forty years of educational reforms in the United States since the publication of A Nation at Risk in 1983, I am proud to reinforce some of what I knew, know, and plan to do! The report gave a start to decades of educational reforms that helped to cause a national obsession with standardized test results. Some of the momentum has been great in terms of causing an awareness of what it means for a school system to educate each child every day — some of the momentum has been horrible in terms of causing people who score “less than proficient” to be looked upon as illiterate.

So … in a nation where soundbites rule and folks no longer read a lot of content, except for readers of this blog – of course! On a five-point scale, for example, in Illinois, at the end of year high stakes assessment, students who score a 4 or a 5 are labeled “proficient,” and anyone with a 3, a 2, or a 1 is NOT. And if you are NOT proficient, the narrative calls for you and for your school to become failures.

I know this sounds kind of dramatic, and I know it sounds overly simplified — and it is –, but that’s what 40 years of “reforms” and an obsession with standardized test scores to rate and rank the nation’s public schools have yielded. Make no mistake, I am all for accountability, and I preside over a public school district where I want each

Worthy of review and discussion especially 40 years past the “reform” movement …

child to be proficient in all of the standards (knowledge, skills, performance indicators). I absolutely understand the need for academic measures to show the public they are getting a positive return on their investment of public tax dollars, and in my district, I’m proud to report that they are.

My issues are that one score at one point in time does not accurately reflect or show the actual quality of education of the school or of the district. The child with a score of 3 (in the above example), for example, and clarity – is literate. He can read. He can compute. He is somewhere behind the “proficient” rating put upon him by the state … and in the 50 different states, there are different measuring sticks for proficiency… what else have I learned about 40 years of reform? It’s not been equally implemented. It’s not been equitably implemented; it’s not been fairly implemented.

Instead of “A Nation at Risk,” – they might have been more accurate if they entitled the report “50 states do public education differently, and we have no idea if the nation is at risk” …Our nation might have been at risk, it might be at risk today – I’m not fully qualified to make that assessment nor can I declaratively make that conclusion, I can, though, indicate that my local public school district is NOT at risk. We have work to do, and we are committed to continuous improvement. We rely on measures of culture, satisfaction, customer service, financial responsibility, student learning, and student growth, among others, to assess our successes and our needs for improvement.

Solutions we discussed and that were presented by professor.

I do question the “proficiency” rates and the complete “wall” between a 3 and a 4 in the end-of-year Illinois test. We do all we can each day for each child to get our students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet and exceed the standards set. Thanks to input and, dialogue, and intellectual discourse with leaders all across the United States, including from the District of Columbia, CA, IL, OH, IN, TX, MI, PA, MD, NY, CO, & AZ, my thinking was challenged and my analyses of the past forty years of American education in the United States was enhanced.

We talked about “the science of reading”, various political groups engaged in local school board elections, the existence of school boards themselves, local control issues, state issues, civil rights issues, and much, much more! Some among us called for a “Marshall Plan” for public education to restore the prestige and invest in getting more teachers (and educational support personnel and administrators) into classrooms, schools, and districts. We discussed the structure of education itself, the roles of state and federal, and local governments, and the pros and cons of each.

Let’s all remember that in the United States of America, we have the most patents in the world, we have the largest economy in the world, and we have the strongest military in the world. With 90% of students in our public schools, clearly, our Nation is NOT at risk due to the public schools. One could surmise that in the forty years since A Nation at Risk, we have learned much, and we are successful in many areas.

I strongly believe it’s time to change the narrative that the USA is at risk due to the public schools. In contrast, we’re doing so well BECAUSE of the nation’s public schools. I also believe it is time for us all to accept that it’s statistically impossible for “all” to be “proficient” on a bell-shaped curve – with 50 as “normal,” there will always be less than and more than. It is time to develop a more realistic accountability system that means more than “average” or “beyond or below”.

Finally, I thank the National Superintendent Roundtable for convening us so thoughtfully, so provocatively, and so meaningfully as we ponder the past forty years in US public education – and as we forecast the next decades. Our nation and our world have endured powerful changes due to public education. Let’s commit to sharing the correct narrative, and let’s believe in each child every day with rigor and high expectations, and high standards. Let’s measure what we’re actually doing and let’s get it right in the next 40 years!

Part 3 of 4- Reflections from National Conference about 40 Years since A Nation at Risk

August 4, 2023 / / 0 Comments

This is another in a series of reflections from my engagement in the National Superintendents Roundtable national conference in Los Angeles, California, in July 2023. We focused on Forty Years since A Nation at Risk: What Have We Learned. In this third post in the series, I share reflections from another person in the mix and at the tables in 1983. Christopher Cross, former assistant secretary of education (among other notable accomplishments), shared enlightening insights about this report, the politics of the time, and much more! In order for us to best contemplate What We Learned and where we go from here, it’s incumbent upon us leaders to learn from the sources at the time! Chris did not disappoint; just like Jim Harvey, his insights were exceptional. Complemented by Audrey Amrein-Beardsley’s recap of history over the past few decades, the learning and convening at the National Superintendents Roundtable was nothing less than exceptional.

During our time, we also toured the President Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum – wow is all I can say – it was a true treat. After I share reflections and notes from Christopher Cross, I share a collection of images from the Libary & Museum tour.

Christopher Cross – author, scholar, former assistant secretary of Education – incredible speaker

Cross was there when the US Department of Health, Education, & Welfare (HEW) split up to form the new US Department of Education. In the US, Cross shared, there actually was a US Department of Education briefly in 1860, then it folded into the US Department of the Interior, and in the 1950s, education went into HEW until the 1976 presidential election, where Jimmy Carter created the US Department of Education. Carter also received the National Education Association’s (NEA) 1st ever endorsement for the presidency. These were chaotic times in the US – Vietnam War, Watergate, Energy Crisis, Economy, and more. Carter created the US Department of Energy, and he also created the US Department of Education. In 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected president, and part of his platform was to abolish the US Department of Education. Instead, the commission he created wrote “A Nation at Risk,” … and here we are 40 years later.

Cross shared how the Secretary of Education, Terrell “Ted” Bell, got education into the national spotlight. This was a cry for reform, a cry for greater finance for education, and a cry to get attention for education in general. There were concerns about the quality of the nation’s educators, the teaching force, and the preparation at the nation’s education colleges, and there were no aligned standards or state reporting systems at that time. Cross was the assistant secretary of education, and the NCES, the National Center for Education Statistics, was under his supervision at that time. Prior to what was called the “Wall Chart,” the only data nationally reviewed was SAT and ACT data. Per Cross, with this renewed focus on multiple data points, states could no longer hide from dealing with the issues that were typically hidden (poor student performance in various groups, gaps, etc.). Please note that this report was only 8 years after Public Law 94-142 was put into place, making it the law of the land to educate children with disabilities. Cross called for us convened together to put forth a clarion call for a new commission. Forty years after the publication of A Nation at Risk, it’s time for us to reflect on the learnings at scale and focus forward.

Many of the issues we face today in 2023 include:

  • COVID learning losses/interruptions in learning
  • Racial achievement gaps
  • Local Control Issues
  • Views against liberal arts & higher education (teacher shortage)
  • Actual enrollment declines
  • Reliance (over-reliance) on local property taxes for funding
  • Khan Academy and all that it represents – free access for all 24/7
  • A I and the tidal waves related to this
  • Adequate measures of quality indicators or lack thereof
  • And a whole lot more …

Cross and Harvey are GOLD STANDARD American historians, political people, and scholars! Their perspectives were off-the-charts impactful. Their candor, humor, reflections, recollections, and calls to action were superb.

Cross allowed us to hold discussions on the framework of education itself, reform or advancement from the past forty years, legislative advocacy and partnership needs, contemplation for creating a new task force, commission, redefinition of the purpose of public education, and more. Representing California, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Texas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Colorado, Arizona, and the District of Columbia (and all points in between), we had deep discussions and reflections on the multitude of lessons learned since A Nation at Risk was published.

In the next post, the final one from this series and this conference, I’ll make final reflections, recap some other major reforms sparked by this 1983 publication, and look toward the future of education here in District 112 and beyond!

Below I share a collection of images from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Libary & Museum tour

Reflections from Bottle School Trip – Guatemala 2023 July

July 28, 2023 / / 4 Comments

Bottle School Project with Hug it Forward

Reflections from  Tecpan, Guatemala

July 2023
Wrapping up an incredibly meaningful experience with my son in Guatemala! We finished tying up the 10,000 bottles filled with inorganic trash in the three classrooms we helped complete in the elementary (K-6) school in Zaculeu, Tecpan, Guatemala! The 400 students in grades K-6 now have three more elementary classrooms for education. One day we or someone will build a middle school, grades 7-9, so that these kids can continue their education. Currently, about 15-20 students are able to continue to middle school from the community.
——
Think about that for a minute or two……. Trips like this, service like this, and experiences like this help to illustrate how education, economics, politics, geo-global politics, etc., all intersect to create or stifle opportunity. Trips like this give me context, perspective, hope, and love.
———
Thanks to Hug it Forward and Serve the World Today, my son and I got to join some amazing people from across the United States and from France and Guatemala to make change in our world – to do good with other good people – to build a school alongside people in a community who seek partnership, support partnership and work alongside in partnership! The bottle school project confronts many challenges, including trash/environment, community development/involvement, investment in often forgotten people, education – space, opportunity, function & hope, economic development, and migration policies (and more).
————-

From the Hug it Forward Website

From their materials:
“Hug it Forward works to support and empower communities in Guatemala to build Bottle Schools: schools built using plastic soda bottles stuffed with inorganic trash. Entire communities come together to make the dream of educational opportunity a reality by upcycling “waste” to build their own bottle school.
  • This school infrastructure project will be accomplished thanks to funds provided by Hug it Forward’s donors and with the collaboration of community members. The municipality and the PTA (parent-teacher organization in the community) work jointly with students’ families in order to provide all the manual labor required for the construction, as well as a three-classroom bottle school requires over 10,000 bottles—children in the community are responsible for collecting the majority of these and stuffing them with trash to make “eco-bricks.” This gives them pride and a true sense of ownership in the school.
  • The school is built in Zaculeu, located in the municipality of Tecpan, Guatemala, Chimaltenango. Zaculeu means “White Land.” People in Zaculeu grow their own corn, beans, coffee, and a lot of different kinds of vegetables and fruits, especially snow peas, corn, and beans. This project of which we are a part, will benefit 386+ students, 13 teaching staff members, and 600 families in the area.
  • The members of the community are indigenous Mayan people who speak Kaqchikel.
  • The signs are in their mother tongue, Spanish and English.
——————
We built walls out of bottles in three classrooms. We expanded the educational footprint in the community and we supported ecological awareness and recycling on a grand scale. We played with the children, we spoke with the community elders, we visited homes of the members of the community.

Before bottle walls are constructed

A bottle wall before it’s covered with plaster and used as insulation – construction in process

—————-
We immersed ourselves in Mayan culture, Guatemalan culture, we learned Guatemalan and Mayan history and politics and immigration perspectives first hand.

Park of the Cross, beautiful view of Agua Volcano (dormant)

——————-
We learned, we served, we experienced, we helped, we hugged, and we leave better people than when we arrived as we have new friends, new world views, and we now have a community with greater educational opportunities.
As I have stated, words and even pictures alone cannot fully illustrate the power and intensity of this trip and its set of experiences. I encourage you to consider attending a Hug it Forward service trip. Thanks for reading, as always, I welcome comments!
It is an honor to try to make the world a better place through service, family, spirit, and hands on learning. We leave Guatemala mentally, spiritually, emotional fulfilled. We brought good, we received good, and our little efforts will lead to generational change.
——
As we come home, we aim to extend the learning, feelings, doings, beings illustrated herein and live as best we can sharing good wherever we can.
As I prepare for another school year, I am recharged, refreshed, revised, and wholly energized to support and facilitate change. I am committed to supporting administrators so that they may create optimal conditions for teachers and staff, so that they may create the environment for “each child every day” where all means all and where, in North Shore School District 112, #112Leads, we inspire, engage and empower every day!

12 Minute Podcast – What is on the Ballot? #112Leads Long Range Planning

November 6, 2022 / / 0 Comments

North Shore School District 112 has faced aging facilities since its inception as a school district in 1993. Over the past several years, the Board has closed schools, reduced the number of employees, and focused on efficient operations while still keeping education as the #1 priority area. Surviving the recent worldwide global pandemic as well as the recent political upheavals nationally, regionally, and locally, the District keeps its eyes on addressing its present so that it may create its future for the 3900 students and the tens of thousands of residents impacted by its operations.

In this episode of the District 112 Podcast, Lighthouse 112, the focus is on the “why” and the “what” for the November 8 ballot – there is a referendum/ballot question for the voters to decide upon a request for $114,400,000 in bond authority to modernize, upgrade, and renovate five elementary schools and provide enhanced physical security for all campuses.

Tómese 12 minutos para aprender para qué sirve el referéndum, ¿cómo hemos llegado hasta aquí? ¿Qué estamos haciendo?

El Distrito Escolar 112 de North Shore se ha enfrentado a instalaciones envejecidas desde su creación como distrito escolar en 1993. En los últimos años, la Junta ha cerrado escuelas, reducido el número de empleados y se ha centrado en operaciones eficientes sin dejar de mantener la educación como el #Área prioritaria nº 1. Sobreviviendo a la reciente pandemia mundial, así como a las recientes convulsiones políticas a nivel nacional, regional y local, el Distrito mantiene sus ojos en abordar su presente para poder crear su futuro para los 3900 estudiantes y las decenas de miles de residentes afectados por sus operaciones.

En este episodio de Lighthouse 112, la atención se centra en el “por qué” y el “qué” para la boleta electoral del 8 de noviembre – hay un referéndum / pregunta de la boleta para que los votantes decidan sobre una solicitud de $ 114,400,000 en la autoridad de bonos para modernizar, actualizar y renovar cinco escuelas primarias y proporcionar una mayor seguridad física para todos los campus.

Long Range Planning — Coming Closer to Recommendations! Equity –#112Leads

October 5, 2018 / / 4 Comments

The quote from Theodore Roosevelt captures the spirit of the opportunities we have in North Shore School District 112 at this time! We have the opportunity to do what we can (make changes to improve educational outcomes, facilities, and equity one step at a time), with what we have (accumulated fund balance savings as well as a limited bond issue paid for out of operation funds) where we are (in 2018 with 10 schools in operation for 3852 students grades PK-8).

Our Long Range Planning Process, documented and archived at the Long Range Plan Web Page shows a rich, dynamic, changing process where extensive and expansive community engagement, information review and analysis, historic and political and sociological impact study and review, and of course, financial impact analysis are about to yield a plan that will provide dramatic and profound impact on learning for more than half of our nearly 4000 students in grades PK-8 in a short period of time.

North Shore School District 112 was reluctantly created after the consolidation of three historic local school districts in 1993. In 2018, 25 years since the creation of the District, it is time for us to rise above historic disagreements, factual and mythological concerns, and other issues that have led to paralysis instead of progress.   ALL students matter, ALL schools matter, and ALL neighborhoods matter!

Our Long Range Plan is focused on equitable access to educational opportunities for ALL students every day with support for our teachers in modernized learning facilities designed to support learning and growth and social/emotional learning for ALL.

The revised, updated, draft Long Range Plan (to be formally recommended to the Board of Education at the October 23, 2018, Regular Board meeting) calls for the following:

  • Major renovations at Northwood Middle School (build out for up to 600 students)
  • Major renovations at Edgewood Middle School (build out for up to 950 students)
  • Budget dependent — major renovations at Red Oak Elementary School (closing and absorbing Sherwood Elementary School) build out for around 615 students.
  • Use of up to 75% of the $49,000,000 fund balance (savings account)
  • Use of up to $55,000,000 in Alternative Revenue Bonds (paid for over 20 years at $4,000,000 a year)
  • Still spend $3,000,000 a year from operations budget on school upgrades, repairs and modernization over time.

In the four years’ worth of this phase of the plan’s construction all of our school buildings will not be equal in terms of enrollment (nor have they ever been), we will start to achieve equitable facilities starting with both middle schools (where all children will attend) and possibly at one of our elementary schools (with an additional school closure). Over time we will continue to do what we can with what we have where we are (and will be).

During our work and our recent study, we’ve talked a great deal about Equity and Equality …What is equity? Why is equity preferred to equality?

Sharing some materials related to equity/equality from Illinois education leaders Julie Schmidt & Lori James-Gross:

Over the last several years, the discussion of equality versus equity has been at the forefront of our reform work in Illinois. As a result, the development of the New Accountability Model, the Evidence Based Funding Model, and the writing of the ESSA Plan occurred with practitioners at the table. To further the conversation of equity, it becomes the work of district/school leadership to ensure that expenditure of funds is distributed equitably within the district and across all buildings….to address student performance through an equity lens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Embedding the Slide Deck with background information from the presentation shared at the October 4, 2018, Long Range Planning Committee Meeting:

Long Range Planning In NSSD112 — #112Leads

September 1, 2018 / / 0 Comments

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
– Helen Keller

In the school district where I serve as the superintendent of schools, North Shore School District 112, serving the people of Highland Park, Highwood, and the Town of Ft. Sheridan in northeast Illinois, I have the challenge of leading a Long Range Planning Process. Some would say this process started in the 1990s — others would say it’s never been quite refined or finished, and still others would say a recent iteration almost tore the communities apart.

So a little history and connection … on July 1, 1993 two

educational firsts took place (I’m sure there were more than two, but the two about which I will refer are related to this post). One of the firsts that took effect on July 1, 1993 was the “birth” of North Shore School District 112 ; the other was the official start of my career in public education & public service. I became a middle school teacher at Blackhawk Middle School in Bensenville, IL. Since 1993 my current school district has been in service, and since 1993 I have been in service as a teacher and educational leader.

I first joined the North Shore School District in 1997, and then after four positions (teacher, associate principal, principal, assistant superintendent) and 13 years, I  left to become a superintendent in two other Chicago area public elementary school districts. This year on July 1st I returned as the superintendent of schools here in D112! My journey brings me back to an historic and proud school district in need of vision, guidance, and direction. The past eight years in this school district have been quite difficult. Academic achievement ratings have plummeted, physical facilities conditions have deteriorated, morale and climate have suffered and two of the district’s schools were closed. Long successful systems and structures fell apart and around 700 students left the system and were not replaced. When I left there were 4600 students and today we have just under 3900.

The Board of Education selected me for this post last December with the expectation I would execute policy, vision, mission, and planning. The Board has bestowed upon me the great gift of leadership and the great challenge of leadership. Together with the Board we will lead the district back to a position of greatness and leadership. Over the past few years the district has drifted off course and has, in many, many ways, lost its way.

So the challenges before the community and me and the Board of Education are to identify, define, recommend, reflect upon, plan, and act on a Long-Range Plan. The exciting part is that predecessor boards and administrators and community groups have done a great deal of work that provides a foundation for my administration’s planning! The focus on “reconfiguration” and a failed referendum campaign took the eyes off of many necessary systems and nearly broke the communities apart emotionally.

In the 62 calendar days since I became the superintendent of schools, I have been engaged in many transition activities that include the commissioning of and meeting of the Superintendent’s Long-Range Planning Committee. In one of our communication videos, https://youtu.be/nDZpdp5V4MA, the Future Starts Now, I share that I am called back to this school district for change leadership, change management, and change for and on behalf of ALL students and staff. I’m humbled to have the opportunity to right many wrongs and steer the ship of education on a new and right course for the next years, decades, scores, and beyond.

 

In the video and other communications, I also reference the Long-Range Planning process and the synthesis of the old ideas and realities and the new ideas and realities … we are not recreating the wheel so to speak. We are taking the work and input of the groups past and conducting community engagement of the group present to recommend a new plan. For our school district it’s time to UNLEARN.

On September 12, 2018, from 5:30pm-7:30pm, at Red Oak School, the Long-Range Planning Committee will reconvene for the purposes of learning about the funding and finance plans for the reconfiguration and renovation of our schools and district as well as for the chance to learn the findings of the 2nd ThoughtExchange and the Fako telephone survey.

 

We are NOT going to ask for a Referendum to raise money to pay for long overdue improvements to our schools. Instead, my team and I will show how the last 7 years of austerity have actually turned to good in terms of positioning us for the present and future. On September 24th the committee will meet to discuss and review the potential dissolution of assets (real property, historic work, land, etc.) as well as the potential curation of assets moving forward.

Briefly the District operated 12 schools in 2017-18, 10 schools this year, in 2018-19, and we’re set to operate 9 schools in 2019-20. My recommendation will reflect building on to a new location for our 225 student early childhood center (with room to expand the early learning offerings for our three and four year old students). It will also recommend establishing a new location for the Operations & Maintenance & Transportation Department (currently housed in a trailer and a warehouse in the parking lot of one of our schools) and the various administration departments housed in non-collaborative silos in our 90 year old building.

In addition, I will make recommendations for expenditures in a coherent and reasoned manner for schools as well as suggest potential boundary changes as we contemplate sticking with 9 schools or moving to some iteration of an 8 or even 7 school model.

I anticipate sharing greater detail with the planned changes on the 12th, the 24th as the final meeting of this input group which will take place on October 4th where they will refine the plans and ideas and make their advice to me in preparation for my report to the Board of Education at the October 23, 2018, board meeting.

Ideally the Long Range Plan will be approved at the November 27, 2018, board meeting. The future is now indeed! Stay tuned for more updates! Stay informed to know what’s happening!

Inspire…Innovate…Engage

 

 

© 2025 Mike Lubelfeld's Blog

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑

Skip to toolbar