Their Secret Life | The Present Prevention Challenge
By: Janna Payne Sells

"It's my job to be in your business, I am your mother."

Those were my mother's exact words after she found a notebook full of handwritten letters (pre-digital footprint) that I haphazardly threw into our family's wood burning fireplace. Fire is a funny thing. It can completely destroy evidence or leave it untouched; it all depends on the flame and oxygen flow. As you've already figured out, that fire I tried to use to destroy evidence of my unhealthy adolescent behavior didn't work. My mother was standing in front of me with all my secrets in her hand. My heart was racing. My words were fierce. My mind was blurred with questions — Had she read it? How fast can I grab it and run? Has she no boundaries? She has totally invaded my privacy. I'm going to be grounded forever. Please don't tell Daddy.

That was my junior year of high school. I think. Possibly younger.

I was the oldest daughter of two married, college-educated, Christian, hard-working, middle-class parents. For me it was a phase. For three of my classmates it was a death sentence. For some of my family it is a daily battle. For two of my friends it changed their lives forever.

Alcohol and drug addiction do not discriminate. Your children are not immune and if you think they've never tested, you're dangerously ignorant.

My career started in an elementary classroom, progressed into a building leadership position, and that grew me into a district leadership position. That district position changed my life forever. It immersed me into a space in education I had previously never understood. This experience rerooted my compelling why. My official role was MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) Coordinator. That's a fancy acronym that basically means I help coach support systems for students who have academic, behavior, and social emotional needs.

I cannot count the children (5th–12th grade) and parents that I talked to about alcohol and drug use. Then it seemed to be part of the job. It wasn't until this year that I realized for many of these kids this is NOT a phase. These kids are NOT okay. We have to make changes! How do we do that?

I began drafting the following personal convictions and questions around drug and alcohol use in young adolescents and teens based off my personal experience:

1. These children do not own their privacy. Why are we not in their business?
2. Your socio-economic status, race, or religious or athletic affiliation does not protect your child. Why are we ignoring the most at-risk?
3. Children today have access to much more deadly toxicity levels. How did we get here?
4. DARE doesn't work. How do we really work on prevention?

I am here to challenge you in a #presentprevention movement. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or mentor, it is OUR JOB TO BE IN THEIR BUSINESS. We could spend hours discussing brain development and the physical need for adult guidance in young adolescents and teens, but we'll leave it with — they don't have the capacity to make good decisions. Be present. Don't discriminate. Don't be the adult that has to say, "If only I could turn back time and not miss the warning signs." Don't pretend your kid is immune. Take an active role. Your business is their business.

Did you know?

"Kids with at least 5 positive adult relationships outside their parents are 90% less likely to end up with a juvenile delinquency record."

William Lassiter, NC Department of Public Safety

I wish I could promise that your presence will prevent dangerous behavior with absolute certainty, but I can't. Unfortunately, even with the most present parents, some of our children slip through. What I can promise is that your presence will drastically reduce the odds.

Accept the #presentprevention challenge by becoming knowledgeable of the signs that are hidden in plain sight. Complete the following checklist.

1. Thoroughly perform routine bedroom checks.
2. Talk eye to eye with your child and their friends.
3. Collect their phones or devices at night.
4. Monitor their online and digital activity.
5. Stay abreast of the trends.

Remember, their business is your job. Do you suspect your child is abusing drugs or alcohol? It is important to trust your gut, closely monitor your child's behavior and understand that privacy does not become the priority over ensuring their safety.

Here are some tips and resources that may help you through the challenge.

Tips for bedroom checks:

• Don't overlook the obvious — paraphernalia, pro-drug-use swag, bottles, caps, posters, etc.
• Drawers. Inside is a good start, but don't forget to check the bottoms and backs.
• Vents. Pull them out and clean them out.
• Bottle & fake cans. Smell and taste. Don't forget to check the bottoms. Kids can order water bottles that hide drugs online.
• Shoes. Not just the toes, but under the soles.
• Closets. Clothes, totes, the back corners and back of shelves.
• The bed. Between mattresses. Inside pillows. The box spring. Headboards and footboards.
• Behind mirrors and posters.
• Inside lamps.
• Small boxes and cases. Examples: jewelry boxes, pencil boxes, make-up, CD & DVD cases, etc.
• Inside or between books. Flip through the pages.
• Inside ceiling panels.
• Inside computers or speaker systems.
• On the top of bookshelves, vanities, or high shelves.
• The gap between the bottom drawer and the floor.

Tips for phone checks:

• Check accounts that delete communication and evidence (e.g., Snapchat).
• Look for hidden apps like the following: AppLock, Vault, Vaulty, SpyCalc, Hide It Pro, CoverMe, Secret Photo Vault, Secret Calculator, Calculator Photo Vault.
• Talk to your children about digital dangers.
• Charge your children's phones in your room at night.

Tips for behavior checks:
Remember to use your nose, look them in the eye, and monitor their behavior.

• Shifts in mood, motivation, and/or personality
• Change in relationships with close friends and/or family
• Avoid eye contact
• Locked doors
• Secret phone use
• Excessive gum, mints, or candies
• Energy swings (very active followed by long rest periods)
• Leaves or disappears for random reasons
• Overuse of eye drops
• Poor hygiene or appearance: smoke, cleanliness, track marks, messy hair
• Weight fluctuation
• More frequent sickness

Other resources: Hidden in Plain Sight, How to Spot the Signs, How to Search a Room, Signs of Teen Drug Use

Are you or someone you love impacted by addiction? Do you need support?

Please Contact Us:
Info@EBIntervention.org
https://ebintervention.org/
(615) 482-1831

Effective Leadership: It is as E–z as 1-2-3…
Written By: Amy Rhyne

What makes a leader effective?

The title "leader" does not automatically make one effective. However, we have all witnessed how this mindset has led to a negative impact on many systems within educational institutions everywhere. Effective leaders lead from the heart, with a willingness to serve and continuously learn alongside those they are responsible for supporting, coaching, and evaluating. Creating a system where there is an individual "Marge in Charge" for the sole purpose of evaluating those within the system will undermine the leader's efforts and result in negative outcomes.

Fortunately, becoming an effective leader is as E–z as 1-2-3!

1. Examine the Environment

You cannot lead people you do not know or are not willing to get to know. As a leader, it is essential that you take time at least annually (more frequently if possible) to ask what is working and not working from those on the front lines completing the daily work, as well as those supporting your system. Furthermore, it is essential to involve a variety of stakeholder voices: administrators, teachers, staff, students, parents, and even community members. Once the feedback has been collected, take time to begin making process improvements based on the overall vision, mission, and priorities of the group. Creating a positive culture begins with getting to know the priorities of your stakeholders, with the intention of creating an environment where everyone feels welcome and safe. Be mindful… most people see through a phony! Collecting the information for the sake of creating a positive self-image, rather than process improvement, is dangerous and will backfire every time.

2. Exemplify Energy and Excitement

One thing to note about the title "leader" is the root word "lead" definitely holds true in most settings. Energy and apathy are both contagious! If a leader is full of energy and excitement, most others follow. Similarly, if a leader makes excuses, is not fully engaged or committed, he/she will find the same character seeping out of those within the system. Effective leaders must observe stakeholders and recognize that, in most cases, it is your daily mirror. "Attitude reflects leadership." Take time to reflect and adjust based on what you see in the mirror. There will be times the image you see is ugly. We all have ugly moments. What matters most is how we respond when we recognize we are part of the problem. Learn from it, admit when you own it, and improve it. Never quit during the tough times, because it is never going to be easy. Rewarding, yes. Easy, no.

3. Establish Buy In – Engage and Encourage Everyone at Every Level

One key thing to realize is that leaders exist at every level, far beyond the Superintendent and Principal. Teachers are leaders of their classroom system. Students are leaders of their learning. Each level should treat those they lead accordingly. Take the time to meet people where they are, celebrating their strengths and coaching their gaps to afford them the opportunity to become great. Simply put, an effective leader grows leaders! It is not about what leaders do to, or for, those in the system that matters most. Instead, it is what they do alongside or with them, supporting the individual growth. A leader's main purpose should be to encourage and celebrate the successes and accomplishments of those they are supporting, coaching, and evaluating every step of the way! Take time for a genuine heartfelt thank you for individuals and stakeholders.

A servant leader is the one responsible for holding the spotlight, not the one in front of it.

As a leader, my goal has always been to leave a place better than I might have entered it and know in my heart that those I have had the honor to support and coach no longer need me. It was my job to hold the spotlight, rather than stand out in front of it. Even during these very trying times, whether in person, virtual, or hybrid, I have learned these same values hold true for effective leaders across our state and beyond.

Stick together! Be a present guide, so that no one feels alone in this uncharted territory. And don't forget to check your mirror!

7 Essential Components of a Math Curriculum
Written By: Allison Kiser

A friend and colleague of mine recently asked me a great question: If you had extra money as a school to invest in teaching math, what would you buy?

Her question forced me to think and reflect about math curriculum and instruction. What would I buy that would help teachers teach math? What would give the biggest bang for the buck?

My friend asked for my thoughts about a specific program that a teacher at her school wanted to invest in. When I investigated the program, I realized that the program used gimmicks and memorization as a key strategy to teach children how to solve computation problems. It is not an effective way to spend valuable time with students. So I first started thinking about math programs because the teachers at her school were looking into programs.

When I look for a math program for any grade level, I want to see the following components. Unfortunately, I have not yet come across any program that encompasses everything that I want!

1) Number Routines / Number Talks

Students develop computation and reasoning skills by generating and discussing their strategies with each other. This brief instructional routine should be implemented every day to see the greatest gain in number sense.

2) Word Problems

When the math is put in context, students are able to see the connections between the math skills and develop problem-solving and reasoning skills. We need to help students make sense of problems and persevere in solving them (yes, the 1st of the 7 mathematical practices!). I want my students to read a problem and ask themselves questions like: What is the question? What do I need to solve the problem? Does this make sense? I want them to be able to tackle a problem, look for entry points to the solution, and not be intimidated by the structure of the problem. So, we need to give students a lot of supported and independent word problem practice.

3) Inquiry-based Tasks

I love to use a number string or word problem as a jumping-off point for students to investigate patterns, develop rules, prove theories, and add to their math strategy boards and math tool boards. I like my students to feel and play with the math, so I use a lot of different math manipulatives, such as unifix cubes, base-ten blocks, cards, dice, write-on number lines, fraction tiles, measuring devices, balances, rekenreks, counters, money, magnetic ten frames, 2D shape tiles, and Cuisenaire rods. It is so important that students are constantly making connections between concrete, representational, and abstract math. My best math lessons are when students are working with concrete manipulatives, representational drawings or number lines, and abstract symbols throughout the entire lesson and making connections between these components to understand the math concepts.

4) Skill-Specific Math Games

Math games are key! Students can learn and practice the specific concept in an engaging way. If the game is at their level and is fun, the students won't even realize they are learning! You can do a lot with cards and dice (it doesn't have to be a complicated game)! After every game my students play, I have them reflect & connect on the strategies and tools used to play the game, so that I can help make the learning visible to them.

5) Spiral Review

Students need continuous practice of learned concepts. As they gain new learning and understanding throughout the year, students will make connections with old learning. I also want to make sure my students retain their knowledge to build on new concepts. This may look like 5 questions each day of math concepts they have already learned, either as a warm-up, a center, or homework.

6) Math Projects

Math projects are fun and put math in context. It's important for students to apply their knowledge, reasoning, and make connections between interwoven math concepts. Projects can also help students see the answer to the question, "when will we use this in real life?"

7) Formative Assessments

I need data! I make a lot of observational notes about my students' thinking during my math lessons, but I also use exit cards and end-of-unit quizzes. I need to know where the students are in their continuum of understanding of the math concepts at all times. The exit card can simply be 1 question where the student must solve the problem and justify their thinking.

After thinking about these key components of a math program, I returned to my friend's question: If you had extra money as a school to invest in teaching math, what would you buy?

I thought about another friend and colleague of mine, Janna Sells, who says "invest in people over programs." The most important component of math curriculum and instruction is the teacher! So by the end of the conversation, my friend and I were discussing giving the teachers collaborative time to dig into these 7 components and discuss and determine how they fit into their math classrooms. We discussed giving specific math training to teachers on implementing one of these components that they felt they needed more information for better implementation. Let's invest in our teachers and not just quickly buy a math program.

So if you have extra money as a school to invest in teaching math this year, what will you buy?

Do you need support in implementing strong math PLCs in your school? Call us or send us a message. We'll equip you with the tools you need to have strong math teachers without spending a fortune on subpar math curriculums.

Classroom WalkThrough Tools | Does your Leadership Team do their Job?
Written By: Shannan Church

To reach total school improvement you want all arrows moving in the same direction. As instructional leaders in the building, it is our responsibility to set our building up for success. How do we do that? How do we intentionally and strategically align school improvement? After we get them aligned, how do we explicitly communicate the alignment with our staff?

School improvement starts and ends with data. We begin by analyzing universal screening data to write Tier 1 Core Improvement Plans. Then we use those plans to draft our school improvement plans. These school improvement plans should outline the PD needed in order for the teachers to carry them out to fidelity. We provide PD teachers need then we use our classroom walkthrough tool (CWT) to formatively assess and provide growth feedback that helps us determine the effectiveness of our Leadership Team's support.

Questions Playmaker Leaders ask:

Are the Professional Development trainings provided making impact? Do our PLCs produce highly effective teachers using high yield strategies in their classroom that in turn positively impact our data and student achievement/growth?

Easy as 1 – 2 – 3 | Steps Strong Leaders Model

1. Deep Data Analysis | Use this data to drive tier 1 core improvement plans.
2. SIP Alignment | Use Tier 1 Plans to write SIP goals (look for trends). Determine PD needed to carry out your plans.
3. Plan to Action | Provide the PD that is needed over an appropriate period. Use a CWT to measure what your teachers are implementing and where they still need support.

Indicator Categories to Consider:

These are several indicators that we know yield high growth. Please note — only indicators that teachers have received PD on should be on your CWT. This list is not exhaustive.

• Learning targets, posted, and communicated (Do students know their goals and success criteria?)
• Instruction is aligned with standards (Did the PLC collaboratively unpack their content?)
• Data Representation (Grade, Class, Individual Data Notebooks)
• Differentiated Instruction (Scaffolded, Flex Groups, Data Driven, Collaborative Groups)
• Instructional Routines (Literacy and Math)
• Active Student Engagement (Active or Passive learning)

What does a CWT look like, sound like, feel like?

Now that you understand the critical components and compelling why of CWTs you may be asking how do I actually complete these? Here are some rules our team lives by.

1. Walk with a purpose. Are you observing instruction or behavior? Figure out who is completing the CWTs. If you are completing behavior walks, this should be completed by the administration and counselors in your school. If you are completing instructional walks, this should be completed by the administration and coaches in your building.
2. Inter-rater reliability matters. At the beginning of each you review your indicators as a leadership team. Discuss quality measures and non-examples. It's a great idea to complete paired walks the first couple weeks. This will create unbiased, equitable marks and feedback throughout the building.
3. Frequency over duration. Each member of your leadership team should complete a minimum of 5 walks per week. These are quick shots. Create a schedule for who is walking where each week. Only stay in the classroom 3–5 minutes per walk.
4. Feedback feeds back. Teachers crave positive feedback and constructive feedback. Create a system for yourself. Every time you complete a walk pick out something positive and then grow your teacher with a "have you thought about" idea.
5. PLCs are the lifeblood. Leadership Teams should make a standing agenda item to discuss/review the classroom walk data during their weekly leadership PLC and collaboratively design PLC agendas that support and grow teachers based on CWT data.

Do you need help aligning school improvement at your school? We are here to help — send us your needs at info@i-leadr.com.

Do you need help designing your own classroom walkthrough tool on a limited budget? We'll help you make one for free that will collect your data and represent it in easy-to-use charts for your leadership PLCs and teacher PLCs. Reach out to us at info@i-leadr.com.

My Secret Life

A True Story to Engage and Supervise Your Child or Student
Written By: Adam Simon — EB Intervention Team

Addiction was not a very important conversation in my family until it was about me. No one would have ever believed that I would end up looking at a seven year prison sentence at 22 years old from where I came from. I had a wonderful life.

I often hear that addicts have something really wrong in their lives or something missing that causes a life of ruin to take place. We hear many uninformed well meaning people share that the breakdown of the family unit, godlessness, or childhood trauma is to blame for the plight of the addict. They could not have helped it, we often hear. I share my story to poke holes in those narratives of addiction. I have not seen an entity in our society that is more egalitarian than addiction. It is no respecter of race, color, language, gender or socio economic background. It will consume and destroy the lives of those it afflicts. It is a rapacious creditor to all those who are involved with the one afflicted.

My parents are some of the most incredible Christians I have ever met. They have been engaged in a loving marriage for over 42 years. Many of our family friends have a sort of jesting jealousy towards the love affair and relationship they have. They raised us in a faithful home where love and forgiveness were the keystones of my childhood. Our parents read us the bible and prayed with us daily. We were a family that ate meals together at a round wooden table with our assigned seats every dinner throughout my childhood. My sister and I were loved fully and often overfed, as I like to say. We won the ovarian lottery. My family was often referred to as The Cleavers. We were raised in a small one red light town in Tennessee, where my family was well known and of the top 2% of wealth in our area. We seemingly had a life that would create a safeguard from the darkness of the world. Not you, right?

I was 12 years old the first time I grabbed my first bottle of alcohol and started my journey towards drug addiction and alcoholism. Within six months of my first drink I had gotten drunk alone and begun to smoke weed, inhale synthetic and designer drugs, and found pharmaceutical means of self medicating. At 16 it was cocaine and by 18 I had found methamphetamine. I was arrested the first time in a 3rd world country when I was 17 and had participated in a myriad of local, state, federal and international felonious acts as a result of my drug addiction. During this period, I still excelled in academics, athletics and frequented church and church events. I was able to recover quickly and utilize very small amounts of time and money to engage and to grow my addiction.

Addiction is often not a relevant issue in many communities until it's your child or someone you love. It often only takes a certain family to highlight the nature of addiction. It's important to understand that in many communities kids like me will start their journey this year. However, there is hope in this process. We can and we do recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. Our engagement and supervision in our kids lives are of the utmost value.

3 Simple Steps to Engage and Supervise Your Child or Student

1. There are many different applications and services available. A few top rated apps are called Bark, Qustudio, and WebWatcher. Your kids will revolt at the mention of this application, however it is vital for you to understand about their life online. It will give you a more accurate picture of where they are.
2. Take a look at all of their friends and the places they frequent. A real strict assessment of the places and people in your kids life is paramount. You need to know the influences in their lives. It's very important to not dismiss family. Family often lends itself to the most access available for your kids.
3. Schedule regular time to be with each of your kids. This time should not be family time. Spend time individually with each one of your kids on a regular basis. So often I counsel kids to reach out and sit down with their parents and share openly and honestly, and they don't know how to do that. It must become a necessity in your lives. Sit down, ask your child how they are doing and then just listen.

To read and learn more from the EB Intervention Team, click here.

Do you or someone else you love suffer from drug or alcohol addiction? Do you need support?

Please Contact Us:
Info@EBIntervention.org
https://ebintervention.org/
(615) 482-1831

MTSS | Beyond the Textbook
Written By: Janna Sells

What is MTSS? The implementation of raising student achievement in the classroom. How teachers, schools and educators can use leadership, data, communication and collaboration to improve student performance.

Are you sick of feeling the MTSS implementation burnout? Has MTSS become a four letter word where you serve? Tired of the theory not matching practice? We were too. Welcome to our roadshow. A group of educators who were charged with the job of making MTSS work to close gaps and raise student achievement. In our journey we've uncovered the tools needed to build an effective 3 Tiered Model. Let us start off by first saying, it was not easy. We made tons of mistakes, but we eventually got it right.

5 Critical Components of MTSS

There are 5 critical components, or pillars, that have to be carefully and thoughtfully crafted prior to implementation of MTSS. Without these 5 essential inputs, an MTSS model is simply impossible.

1) It all begins with LEADERSHIP

Leadership knowledge and reinforcement are the driving force behind a strong implementation model.

• Leaders equip themselves with the knowledge they need to lead teachers through implementation
• Leaders LEAD MTSS PLCs — know the data, lead the discussion, and equip teachers
• Leaders help align the arrows between the work teachers are doing in PLCs to their School Improvement Plan
• Leaders are active problem-solvers and strong advocates who support teachers so they may best serve students

2) Clear and consistent COMMUNICATION & COLLABORATION

More times than we are excited to admit, we've coached and supported sites with the best implementation intentions, but they failed because of the lack of clear communication. Knowing when and how to say the right things can make or break the culture around implementation. It's equally important that you bring teacher leaders in with you as you build your MTSS model. Their boots on the ground feedback is immeasurable and will help you stay ahead of potential threats.

3) Capacity and Infrastructure build sustainability

Invest in your people. Not programs. Work to build capacity in ALL of your staff to create a model that lasts.

• Invest and equip all the people in your building to help them see the strong role they play in the MTSS model.
• It's an all hands on deck approach. Every person in your building should see how their role impacts and aligns the arrows towards total school improvement.

4) Data-based problem-solving

We would never expect a doctor to begin writing a treatment plan for an ill patient without data based indicators suggesting the treatment is exactly what the patient needs. The same is true for educators. To teach without using a data-based, problem solving protocol is malpractice.

5) Data Evaluation drives continuous improvement

• There are many tactical tools to measure whether or not your implementation model is having a positive, negative, or neutral impact on students' growth and achievement.
• It's important that you triangulate your implementation data to get a true measure of impact.
• You must listen to your current indicators and humbly reflect and improve on them until your desired implementation is achieved.
• Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Be present. Be strategic. Be consistent.

A Three-Tiered Approach to Academics, Behavior, and Social Emotional Supports

i-LEADR, Inc. coaches a three-part, three-tiered model. We believe in order to truly serve the whole child, educators must systematically measure the effectiveness of tier 1 core supports in all three areas: academics, behavior, and social emotional.

Once the school begins acting on core areas of concern, they should start to identify students outside and perhaps within those areas who need strategic tier 2 and/or intensive tier 3 supports. Educators should measure the impact of students' response to instruction by using frequent progress monitoring.

The life blood of this model — Professional Learning Communities. None of this work should be done in isolation by a single teacher. These PLCs should be facilitated by a strong leadership team and should be communicated through School Improvement Team work.

Just remember, tradition does not make best practice when it stops being best for kids. Change is hard. Failure is unavoidable. How you rise from your failed attempts will determine the impact and effectiveness of your leadership.

To learn more about how i-LEADR coaches and supports MTSS implementation visit us at https://ileadr.com/service/.