Access the archives of our free e-newsletter, Just for the ASKing!, by focus area.

Closing of School Checklist - Opening of School Checklist - Instructional Leadership - Creating a Culture for Learning - Best Practice in Instruction - Making Assessment a Learning Experience - Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners - Motivational/Thought Provoking

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You may also access our Just for the ASKing! archives organized by chronological order.

Closing of School Checklist

The Closing of School Checklist: For six years, the most popular issue of Just for the ASKing! has been The Opening of School Checklist; it was first published in July 2005 and is updated and published each July. During the past year, e-newsletter subscribers have expressed an interest in a Closing of School Checklist. As a result of those requests, we are providing you a list of suggested tasks that can help you to end the school year on a positive note. The ideas presented are based on personal experiences as well as input from building administrators and other school personnel. We know that not all suggestions will apply to all schools, but those that do not apply may cause you to think of others we neglected to include. In addition to specific tasks to be accomplished as the school year ends, we are including some guiding principles to consider as the school year ends.

Opening of School Checklist

The Opening of School Checklist: By far the most popular issue of Just for the ASKing!, this issue breaks down everything that needs to happen before students arrive for the first day of school. Download and print the seven-page template for a great way to keep track of tasks, persons responsible, and deadlines. The checklist is organized by tasks that focus on teachers, students, parents, and the building.

Instructional Leadership

• Conferences That Make a Difference
• Data beyond the Test
• Dropouts: Our Ultimate Left Behind Children
• Hot Topics
• It’s All about Relationships
• Just ASK the Kids!
• Lesson Plans for Principals
• Maximizing Resources as an Instructional Leader
• Meaningful and Valuable Faculty Meetings
• Recognition and Appreciation
• See and Be Seen: The Importance of High Visibility
• Students in the Driver's Seat
• Success Factors in Diverse Schools
• Summertime…and the Livin’ Is Easy… Or Is It?
• Supporting New Teachers
• Supporting Teachers as School Opens
• Sustainability: How Schools Keep Their Focus
• Talking Out of School: Conversations with Successful Leaders
• The Forgotten R
• The Power of the Team
• The Power of Walk-Throughs
• The Principal as Leader for Change
• Top Ten Tips for Achieving and Maintaining Your AYP
• Unlocking Potential
• We Are All in This Together

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Creating a Culture for Learning

• Building Strong School Cultures: Signs of Progress
• Collaboration: An Essential Key to Student Success
• Common Assessments: Uncommon Results
• Creating a Culture for Learning
• Developing Teacher Leaders
• Just ASK’s Non-Negotiables for Creating a Culture for Learning
• It Is All about Relationships
• Parents as Partners
• Recognition and Appreciation
• See and Be Seen: The Importance of High Visibility
• Send Me in Coach!
• Success Factors in Diverse Schools
• Successful Cultures for Learning
• The Art of Collaboration
• The Greatest Generation Is… All of Them!
• The Power of the Team
• We Are All in This Together
• Whatever It Takes

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Best Practice in Instruction

• Are We Having Fun Yet?
• Bright Ideas and Timely Reminders
• Chaotic Situations
• Closing the Achievement Gap
• Differentiation of Instruction
• Don't Jump to Conclusions
• Dropouts: Our Ultimate Left Behind Children
• Engaging Experiences
• Fostering Student Resilience
• Framing the Learning
• It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
• Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines
• Peeks into Powerful Pedagogy
• Resistant and Reluctant Learners
• Response to Intervention (RtI): An IDEA Whose Time Has Come
• See the Forest AND the Trees
• Setting Students Up for Success: Filling in the Blanks
• Smooth Sailing
• Social Security
• Stop! ... In the Name of Learning!
• The Homework Dilemma
• Time: We Have to Spend It Wisely
• Unlocking Potential
• When Students Already Know the Content
• When Students Don't Learn

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Making Assessment a Learning Experience

• Assessment and Grading: Point/Counterpoint
• Assessment and Grading: Point/Counterpoint II
• Common Assessments: Uncommon Results
• Growth-Producing Feedback
• It’s a Feedback World
• Making the Case for Standards-Based Grading
• Moving Out of the Assessment Dark Ages
• Rethinking Assessment Practices
• The Homework Dilemma
• When Students Don't Learn

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Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners

• Chaotic Situations
• Closing the Achievement Gap
• Differentiation of Instruction
• Don't Jump to Conclusions
• Dropouts: Our Ultimate Left Behind Children
• Fostering Student Resilience
• Resistant and Reluctant Learners
• Response to Intervention (RtI): An IDEA Whose Time Has Come
• Success Factors in Diverse Schools
• Unlocking Potential
• When Students Already Know the Content
• When Students Don't Learn

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Motivational/Thought-Provoking

• Are You Making Progress?
• Celebrating What's Right About Our Schools
• Collective Wisdom
• Happy New Year!
• Hot Topics
• How Are You Dealing with Your Potholes?
• On My Mind
• Peeks into Powerful Pedagogy
• Recognition and Appreciation
• Signs of the Times: Are You Paying Attention?
• Smooth Sailing
• Social Justice
• Social Security
• Summertime… And the Livin’ Is Easy… Or Is It?
• Supporting Teachers as School Opens
• The Forgotten R
• The Power of a Positive Attitude
• There Is No Magic Bullet, But …
• Tomorrow Is Today
• Tough Questions
• What I Know for Sure
• Where Do You Stand?

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