ACSA Executive Director Bob Wells


Assistant Executive Director, Communications Julie White


Editor Susan Davis


Board of Directors President


Alice Petrossian


President-Elect David Gomez


Vice President Marc Ecker


Vice President for Legislative Action Lisa Gonzales


Past President Bob Noyes


Directors


Tom Armelino, Aaron Benton, Todd Cherland, Carl Christensen, Pat Crowder, Randall Delling, Rod Federwisch, Susan Gilmore, Diane Gischel-Lingo, Julianne Hoefer, Darrien Johnson, Barry Kayrell, John Keiter, Ofelia Lariviere, Belen Magers, Robert Phillips, Ralph Porras, Joan Rosas, Judi Rossi, Mary Sieu, John Snavely, Teresa Williams


Editorial Office 1029 J Street, Suite 500 Sacramento, CA 95814


(916) 444-3216 or (800) 608-ACSA www.acsa.org


Advertising Office


Diana Granger (530) 642-0111


Subscription Information (650) 692-4300 or (800) 608-ACSA


Leadership magazine (ISSN 1531-3174) is published bi-monthly in September/October, November/December, January/February, March/ April and May/June by the Asso ciation of Califor- nia School Admin istrators, 1575 Bayshore Hwy., Burlingame, CA 94010. (USPS 282-740) Annual subscription: $60, single copies; $12 (includes state tax). Subscriptions outside the U.S. add $20 ($80 total). Periodical postage paid at Burlingame, California and additional post offices. Articles and advertisements are the expressions of the author(s) and advertisers and are not statements of policy or endorsements of ACSA. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Leadership magazine, ACSA, 1575 Bayshore Hwy., Burlingame, CA 94010.


To our readers


Families and communities are also part of the solution for closing the gap


Dear Colleague: Two recent studies have found that while the achievement gap be-


tween white and black students has narrowed significantly over the past few decades in our nation, the gap in standardized test scores between rich and poor students has grown by about 40 percent since the 1960s. Understanding that a lack of family resources places so many stu-


dents at a disadvantage, educators are finding ways to fill the void. For example, schools with linked services, also known as community


schools, are supporting student success by offering physical and mental health services, after-school and summer programs, and family engagement and support services (page 28). You will be hearing more in the coming months about ACSA’s outreach to groups sup- porting this concept. We have long known that families and communities are key to student success, and


schools are just a part of the solution to bridging the achievement gap. In this issue of Lead- ership magazine you will find articles about building trust with parents of students in spe- cial education; creating opportunities for low-income students to engage in civic learning and make their voices heard; and creating Gay Straight Alliances to make schools safer and more inclusive.


Celebrating all school leaders Great leaders are at the heart of these efforts, and some of the greatest leaders in our


schools today are women. ACSA’s Women’s Leadership Network is helping these women connect and learn from each other in a supportive networking environment. Read about three outstanding female principals who participated in the first-ever Women in School Leadership Forum last fall in San Diego on page 8. Of course, all of ACSA’s school leaders deserve to be celebrated, and columnist George


Manthey reminds us why: “As leaders, we have little control over who our students are and what they bring to school with them. But we can influence who they become by creating schools with high collective efficacy. … That’s a school where the best teachers will demand to be on the leadership team. And where leadership, by definition, is strong.” I am grateful to all of California’s school leaders, working every day to make our schools


better places for students to learn and grow. Sincerely,


Alice Petrossian ACSA President


March/April 2012


7


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