AASA bulletin.

A Supplement to The School Administrator

AASA Offers Urgent Needs Grants

Children and families with urgent academic, health and social service needs in 14 school districts nationwide are benefiting from $2,500 to $5,000 grants awarded by AASA. AASA's Urgent Need Mini-Grant program helps school districts provide basic necessities such as temporary shelter, vision and dental care and utilities to disadvantaged public school children and their families.

"Disadvantaged children in school districts nationwide are experiencing very tough times," said AASA Executive Director Paul Houston. "Their lives are shaped, as never before, by crushing social and economic hardships. School system leaders have no more control over these forces than do the children. Developing a mini-grant program is a wonderful opportunity for AASA to help superintendents address some of their students' immediabe needs."

AASA received a total of 31 grant applications and "each application told a compelling story of need," said AASA Immediate Past President Ben Canada, who developed the original idea for the mini-grant program.

A nine-member committee, comprised of two AASA executive committee members, six AASA committee members and one staff person, reviewed the applications. For more information about and a listing of districts receiving the grants, log on to www.aasa.org and click on News Room.

AASA to Create Urban Superintendents' Guild 

The high turnover rate among urban school superintendents has prompted AASA to create an Urban Superintendents' Guild.

The Guild will evolve from discussions AASA will initiate with sitting urban superintendents. The idea is to gather their thoughts and suggestions for how top-flight educational administrators ought to be trained and recruited into these leadership positions. Eventually, the Guild will build on the expertise of senior superintendents and use them as mentors and recruiters for others considering a move into the urban superintendency.

The work of the Guild will be guided by an AASA advisory committee of current and former urban superintendents and supported by a contribution from The Coca-Cola Company and The Coca-Cola Foundation.

For more information about AASA's Urban Superintendents' Guild, log on to www.aasa.org and click on News Room.

Help Shape AASA

Cast your vote in the AASA Executive Committee election. A Virtual Candidates Forum can be found online at www.aasa.org. Ballots, which were mailed to all voting members, are due back to AASA by March 19. Voting is one way you can help shape your association for the future!

Bill Hill Carries Olympic Torch

AASA President-elect Bill Hill, superintendent of the Deer Valley Unified School District in Phoenix, Ariz., carried the Olympic Torch when the flame passed through Phoenix en route to Salt Lake City for the 2002 Winter Games. Hill was selected as a torchbearer because of his commitment and dedication to public education and children.

Get Networked

One of AASA's primary goals is to facilitate inquiry, problem solving and learning among our membership. One way we are reaching this goal is through our member networks program.

AASA networks are member-driven and issue-focused. Member-driven means that you, our members, create and provide the leadership in each network. Issue-focused means that networks provide a forum for sharing information about specific areas of interest and, as such, serve as resources for targeted professional growth and development.

To learn more about how you can participate in the AASA networks program, log on to www.aasa.org. If you have questions, please e-mail [e-mail] or call AASA's customer service line at 703-875-0748.

AASA Networks -- One More Way We're Enhancing the AASA Experience

AASA's Data-Driven Decision Making Workshops

AASA's Center for Accountability Solutions (CAS) has announced a new two-day workshop for districts interested in learning about the power of data-driven decision making. For the past three years, CAS has supported districts with data-driven decision making. Its new workshop, being held August 1-2 in Denver and September 19-20 in Atlanta, will teach participants how to analyze and interpret performance data, evaluate district data elements, select appropriate indicators of student achievement, increase accountability and create a culture of data-driven inquiry to support and drive district improvement efforts.

These information-packed workshops include large- and small-group discussion, job-alike sharing and time for district teams to begin developing cross-functional cadres and implementation plans.

Through hands-on training in Quality School Portfolio, a free decision support system developed by The National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing (CRESST), participants will learn to disaggregate data to focus interventions and resources where they are most needed, meet reporting requirements and support accountability efforts.

To make the most of this workshop, participating districts are asked, if possible, to bring a team. Former participants have found it most helpful to select a team consisting of at least three of the following: the superintendent, a board member two additional central office staff (generally a technology coordinator and a curriculum coordinator), a principal and a teacher.

See AASA Online at www.aasa.org for more details about CAS, technical support,. site visits and additional workshops. For more information, contact Mike Parker at [phone] or [e-mail].