Informer The

BACK TO SCHOOL 2010

NEWS & VIEWS YOU CAN USE

Facilitating Communication
Among Our Members http://www.masfps.org

Michigan Association of State and Federal Program Specialists

Retirements affecting schools

ou may be wondering what happened
to everyone. Many school districts find
themselves in unfamiliar and uncomfortable
territory as the reality of the statewide early
retirement incentive sets in.
Some are probably better prepared than
others to make the transition, but many educators
have expressed the need to learn new things, take on
new assignments, and fill gaps left by the departure of
experienced personnel. To make matters worse, there is
seemingly no room for error given the climate of small
budgets, high stakes, increased scrutiny, and political
rhetoric.
This is especially true in the area of state and federal
programs, where at the MAS/FPS Fall Director’s The theme for the Fall Institute is ESEA: A Tapestry of Change.
Bootcamp there were a wide array of new Title I directors Keynote presentations will include Darcy Hutchins and Tim Skubick
on September 29; Zollie Stevenson and Bruce Hunter on September
and other participants from large, small, urban, rural, 30; and Willard Daggett October 1!
and suburban areas across Michigan. In the midst of
more and new reporting and monitoring requirements, a
significant rise in student achievement proficiency targets, and ESEA reauthorization,
we find ourselves with fewer resources and less–experienced staff to accomplish goals
In this
and meet deadlines. edition
Do not panic. You are not alone. You will come through this stronger than ever.
These sentiments will appear trite to a seasoned professional like you. Indeed, if
(the news
you haven’t stopped reading by now, the only thing more surprising is that these & views)
sentiments are true.
1. Retirements affecting
There are easy things you can do to navigate these challenging times and deliver schools
successful programs to at–risk students.
2. Changes to the MEAP
When you have a report due in MEGS and the person who monitored that program
3. Letter from the
has retired, you may feel lost. Okay, look for the folder. No problem; check for both President, Michele
paper and digital versions. Look for documentation of procedures on completing Burley

the report. Even when you can’t find any of it, all is not lost. Look at the report in 4. Fall Institute
Information
last year’s application on MEGS. Work backward from
last year’s report to reverse engineer the process needed See Retire On Page 2
Retire From Page 1
to produce it. Learn the data you need
to complete the report, what kinds of
analysis or calculations you need to
perform, and think about whom in your
school district would have—or could—get
those data. Check with teachers or other
staff in the program. Check with the
building principal. Check with technology
staff. Making these connections will
strengthen the program and also facilitate
compliance in general.
Reach out to other state and federal
programs professionals to ask how
they handle a situation or document
compliance with a certain regulation
or grant requirement. The MAS/FPS
list–serve has been active lately with
conversations about documenting
monthly effort of split–funded staff.
Many people asked questions and shared
Often truisms turn out to be true, explaining why
we don’t call them falsisms.
sample documents in an effort to transfer
professional knowledge. The tone was
supportive and open. It was great to see
and be a part of the conversation. I would
expect a lot more of this kind of activity
this year and encourage everyone to ask a similar challenges, our community
question, offer a response, or tell another of professionals appears ready to
about this great resource for MAS/FPS
members.
As you are getting a handle on how
much that person who retired actually
did and start delegating responsibilities
to new people, now is the perfect time
to take some steps that will help your
office and school district through future
transitions and meet current and
impending compliance requirements.
Start making charts of programs,
responsibilities, and workflows. Creating
and having a picture of all the grants
and personnel involved will bring a
sense of order to what may feel like a
Michigan Association State and Federal Program Specialists n The Informer n September 2010 n 2
very new, chaotic situation. When you
do have to start over, or do something The Informer
new, write down all the steps involved Michigan Association of State and
Federal Program Specialists
including data sources, stakeholders,
and calculations. Creating this kind of
compliance metadata (documentation
about how you document compliance)
serves two important purposes. First, it
establishes a record of “how to” for the
day–to–day tasks that could be used
to train new staff or weather future
turnover of personnel. Second, audits
The Informer is a publication
of federal programs are becoming of MAS/FPS. The information
contained within aims at
increasingly less like true/false tests informing the school and
and more like short answer tests. The community members about
events both past and future
renewed emphasis on transparency and within the organization’s
community.
monitoring at both Federal and State
levels means that it is not enough to get President:
Michele Burley
the right answer; we now have to show
President–Elect:
our work to demonstrate how we got the Tom Reeder
answer right. It’s like algebra all over
Immediate Past President:
again. Paula Daniels
Often truisms
Secretary:
turn out to be Willye Pigott
true, explaining Treasurer:
why we don’t Sam Ewing
call them falsisms. Successfully dealing Executive Secretary:
with the impact of early retirement Sara Shriver
in our districts and across the state The Informer Editor:
Rick Heitmeyer
will help our profession to become
better. Because we’re all dealing with
Mission:
both offer and receive guidance and
“Empowering
mentoring. In addition, we have good leaders to
resources for sharing information and
building relationships, both requisites implement
for increasing our capacity to do more
and better work. Finally, it’s probably
effective State
a good thing that we are forced to and Federal
deal with this new reality as it is
providing an opportunity for those of programs to
us left to revisit systemic functions
and transform our operations to
increase
better achieve our goals and meet our student
compliance obligations.
ÖÖMax Fulkerson achievement.”
Lansing School District
Congressional Representative, District 8
 Give me one reason to stay …
t is my honor to serve as President of MAS/FPS
for the 2010-2011 school
year. As the MAS/FPS mission
indicates, this organization
is dedicated to “empowering
leaders to implement effective State
and Federal Programs to increase
student achievement.”
Each and every day, educators
across our state strive to intervene Message from
when students struggle with the President
learning. Our mission is to utilize
state/federal programs as part of that intervention.
The song performed by Tracy Chapman, “Give Me One
Reason,” comes to mind when I think about what we
are trying to do. A line in that song goes something
like this: “Give me one reason to stay here, and I’ll
turn right back around…” While that song really is not
referring to educational issues, I can’t help but make a
connection to students. We know that due to a variety
of reasons, students may stray away from what it is
they need to do to learn, study, and thus achieve. It is
my belief that practitioners across the state of Michigan
work to not only use “research-based strategies”, but
they also are employing methods to give kids good
reasons to “turn right back around”, and to get them
pointed in the right direction.
MAS/FPS has been in existence for over 40 years,
and has provided over time, many institutes, boot
camps, and information for the benefit of its members.
The dollars dedicated to school districts for the
purpose of supporting students who may be at-risk of
achieving high standards come with “strings attached.”
Sets of guidelines and requirements must be
communicated, universally understood, and followed.
With increased membership involvement, the
network of support will be fostered and strengthened
throughout this school year.
Our schools will be facing challenges in
understanding and responding to a new and ever-
changing educational climate. We need to address
the implementation of National Core Standards,
Race to the Top, as well as various state/federal laws
relative to education, and to do so within the context
of Michigan’s uncertain economic picture. My belief
that with MAS/FPS reaching out to its members,
our schools will be able to effectively weather these
challenges.
I encourage you to take advantage of the MAS/
FPS network of support—through its membership
listserve, The Infomer, boot camps, institutes, and
more! Please take time to connect with your MAS/
FPS representatives and officers, as well as with other
members throughout this year. When great minds
put their heads together—exciting things can and will
happen. The power of collaboration is a cornerstone
quality of MAS/FPS. I have no doubt Michigan’s
students will benefit and excel if we can “give them
a good reason to stay here” through the effective
implement of state and federal programs.
Have a great year!
ÖÖMichele Burley, Superintendent
Escanaba Area Public Schools

Advice for future MEAP writing tests

In 2010 MEAP writing tests will include informational writing for the first time. This year fourth graders will be
required to do comparative writing as part of their grade four MEAP Writing Test. Seventh graders will be
required to produce a piece of Cause and Effect writing. In the future any organizational pattern could be tested.
They include: sequential; compare/contrast; descriptive; question/answer; problem/solution;
definition; persuasive.
We will need to focus on teaching these writing patterns for future tests. We need to teach students how to
recognize these patterns and specific strategies for writing with these structures in all content areas.
ÖÖSharon Spencer, President
Blueprints for Communication

Michigan Association State and Federal Program Specialists n The Informer n September 2010 n 3
 Michigan Association of State
and Federal Program Specialists

Fall Directors’

ESEA: A Tapestry of Change

The 41st Annual MAS/FPS Fall Directors’ Institute

Boyne Mountain Resort

Boyne Falls, Michigan
September 29 – October 1, 2010
Click to register: http://guest.cvent.com/i.aspx?5S%2cM3%2c020d4192-b0fc-49eb-94b5-db307c771b00

Michigan Association State and Federal Program Specialists n The Informer n September 2010 n 4