Fostering a literacy-rich environment begins with school leadership. School administrators provide direction and guidance in communities worldwide, setting both the standards to which teachers aspire and the goals for students to meet. But what does it mean for a school administrator to be a literacy leader? How can teachers help administrators embrace this role? How does the school environment change when administrators lead the charge for literacy? We will explore these points and more during this month’s #ILAchat.
ILA’s 2017 What’s Hot in Literacy report uncovered some interesting findings. Respondents found the topic of School Administrators as Literacy Leaders to be not at all hot and of middling importance. However, Literacy in Resource-Limited Settings ranked high as important and somewhat hot, suggesting that members of the global community feel their leaders should act to help ensure all students obtain the literacy resources they need to succeed. Furthermore, Teacher Professional Learning and Development ranked as extremely important, but it was not a hot topic among respondents. It makes us wonder: If School Administrators as Literacy Leaders were a more valued topic, would Teacher Professional Learning and Development be a hotter topic?
Join this month’s #ILAchat hosted by Superintendents Glenn Robbins (@glennr1809) and Randy Ziegenfuss (@ziegeran) to discuss the value of administrators as literacy leaders in your community and school.
Glenn Robbins is Superintendent of Tabernacle Schools located in Tabernacle, NJ. He is a member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals and winner of the National Digital Principal of the Year Award for his advocacy for the power of technology as a learning tool. Additionally, he is a recipient of the Student Voice Award and a BAM Educator’s Voice Award. He is also a devoted husband and father.
Randy Ziegenfuss is currently serving as Superintendent of the Salisbury Township School District located in Allentown, PA. Randy is a former classroom teacher and is currently teaching at Moravian College as a clinical adjunct professor of education. He has been recognized as Outstanding District Administrator for the State of Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania School Library Association and as Outstanding Leader of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association for Educational Communications and Technology. He has also directed and produced many theater productions.
Join us Thursday, April 13, at 8:00p.m. ET., and follow #ILAchat and @ILAToday to join the conversation!
Clare Maloney is an intern at the International Literacy Association. She is currently seeking a BA in English from the University of Delaware.