Teachers’ Perceptions of Principal Leadership Practices That Influence Teacher Turnover

Teacher turnover is associated with administrative leadership; however, there is an empirical gap in the practices that principals enact that influence teacher turnover. This article uses in-depth case studies and interviews with 32 teachers across two high-turnover and two low turnover middle schools in one large urban public school district to examine teachers’ perceptions of principals’ leadership practices. When compared to principals leading high-turnover schools, we found three common practices that characterized principals of low-turnover schools: (a) recognizing teachers as knowledgeable contributors, (b) clearly communicating the school’s vision around high-quality teaching, and (c) centering student learning.

The Feasibility of a School Nurse–Led Mindfulness Program

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a school nurse–led mindfulness program in a public school. Elementary students in an urban public school system are exposed to many stressors including poverty, family disturbances, and mental health conflicts. Previous research suggests that mindfulness interventions given by teachers promote prosocial behavior and stress reduction; however, there are no studies that have determined whether the school nurse could lead the program. A pre- to posttest design was employed using school-aged children enrolled in the fourth grade who were administered a mindfulness program. The participants were assessed for emotional states before and after the intervention. A total of 12 students completed the intervention. Students found the mindfulness program to be helpful, and the school nurse may be able to successfully complete the intervention. With appropriate planning, school nurses may be able to successfully implement the mindfulness curriculum in an urban public school.

Pilot program for test-based SARS-CoV-2 screening and environmental monitoring in an urban public school district

Importance. Scalable programs for school-based SARS-CoV-2 testing and surveillance are needed to guide in-person learning practices and inform risk assessments in K-12 settings. Objectives. To characterize SARS-CoV-2 infections in staff and students in an urban public school setting and evaluate test-based strategies to support ongoing risk assessment and mitigation for K-12 in-person learning. Design, Setting, and Participants. The pilot program engaged three schools for weekly saliva PCR testing of staff and students participating in in-person learning over a 5-week period. Wastewater, air, and surface samples were collected weekly and tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA to determine surrogacy for case detection and interrogate transmission risk of in-building activities. Main Outcomes and Measures. SARS-CoV-2 detection in saliva and environmental samples and risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results. 2,885 supervised self-collected saliva samples were tested from 773 asymptomatic staff and students during November and December, 2020. 46 cases (22 students, 24 staff) were detected, representing a 5.8- and 2.5-fold increase in case detection rates among students and staff, respectively, compared to conventional reporting mechanisms. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in wastewater samples from all pilot schools, as well as in air samples collected from two choir rooms. Sequencing of 21 viral genomes in saliva specimens demonstrated minimal clustering associated with one school. Geographic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 cases reported district-wide demonstrated higher community risk in zip codes proximal to the pilot schools. Conclusions and Relevance. Weekly screening of asymptomatic staff and students by saliva PCR testing dramatically increased SARS-CoV-2 case detection in an urban public-school setting, exceeding infection rates reported at the county level. Experiences differed among schools, and virus sequencing and geographic analyses suggest a dynamic interplay of school-based and community-derived transmission risk. Environmental testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in air and surface samples enabled real-time risk assessment of in-school activities and allowed for interventions in choir classes. Wastewater testing demonstrated the utility of school building-level SARS-CoV-2 surveillance. Collectively, these findings provide insight into the performance and community value of test-based SARS-CoV-2 screening and surveillance strategies in the K-12 educational setting.

A Genre-Literature Review Investigation: Improving Black & Brown Men Recruitment and Retention Rates in the Grow Your Own Program and College of Education Partners

Researchers for several years have investigated effective ways to increase the recruitment and retention rates of minority educators, specifically black-and-brown men. Without question, schools need this teaching population, particularly in urban public-school settings. Scholars assert that minority learners’ educational outcomes improve when they engage and interact with men of color (Burchinal, McCartney, Steinberg, Crosnoe, Friedman, McLoyd, & Pianta, 2011). Also, every student benefit from having more diversity in the classroom (Delpit, 2011; Foster, 2018). Researchers have indicated several effective ways to successfully recruit and transition these students from teaching programs into schoolhouses. Through qualitative and ethnographic data collection, scholars assert that effective intervention strategies and relational social and cultural connective approaches improve these teaching students’ chances of becoming effective classroom practitioners. The genre-literature review captures the importance of Grow Your Own and its partners, such as Northeastern Illinois, the University of Illinois at the Chicago Campus (UIC), and Chicago State University. The injection of responsive measures and approaches into their teaching programs will continue to advance men of color students’ pre-professional outcomes entering and succeeding in the teaching profession.

Experiences of School Nurses Caring for Newly Arrived Immigrant and Refugee Children

Newly arrived immigrant and refugee children are faced with significant physical and mental health issues and often rely on school nurses for care and connection to healthcare. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore urban public school nurses’ experiences caring for newly arrived children. Data were collected through one-time in-depth semistructured interviews with school nurses ( n = 20). Three relational themes were identified: (1) Trials and Triumphs: Telling Stories About Newly Arrived Children; (2) Walk a Mile in My Shoes; and, (3) Being a Trusted Health Navigator. The Role of School Nurses in the Context of Trauma emerged as the constitutive pattern. The current study enhances our understanding of the unique role played by school nurses as they address the profound needs of newly arrived children and their families, many of whom have survived trauma and face a number of barriers to accessing care.

Parent Engagement Through Abriendo Caminos/Opening Pathways

“Abriendo Caminos/Opening Pathways for Students of Color Into the Teaching Profession: Giving Back to the Community Through Teaching,” funded by an educational improvement grant, was designed to address the teacher shortage and demographic diversity gap between students and teachers in a largely urban public school district in the Southwestern United States. The research team at a large, minority-serving public research institution set to address the teacher shortage and diversity gap in three distinct ways—research, recruitment, and registration/retention—with a strong parental engagement component in every stage. Research shows that the engagement of multicultural families/families of color in schools and surrounding community initiatives may more expediently and reliably translate into improved student educational outcomes than does that involvement focused largely on their children's performance in school. This chapter delineates practical hands-on methods to develop stronger parent partnerships using a social justice lens.