The focus on instructional leadership has reached a crescendo with the waivers for No Child Left Behind (2002). The leadership of the principal is known to be a key factor in supporting student achievement; however, recruitment and retention of administrators in rural areas of the Midwest is very difficult. This survey research study explored the recruitment and retention strategies, as well as factors influencing the loss or retention of quality administrators reported by Midwest superintendents. The themes that emerged as successful recruitment strategies included ‘growing your own’ as the number one method of recruiting and retaining rural school administrators, salaries/benefits depending on location, emphasizing positive working conditions and climate/culture, and providing quality professional development. Retention strategies that worked well for rural schools were an emphasis on a positive school culture and climate, investment in professional development, and use of technology for mentoring along with increased benefits.
Objectives Scleroderma (SSc)-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a major cause of mortality in SSc patients and represents an important diagnostic and therapeutic target. Our aims were to evaluate the relationship between echocardiogram-derived right heart hemodynamics and “gold standard” right heart catheterization (RHC) measurements in a scleroderma population, and investigate whether this relationship is modified by a subset of pulmonary hypertension. Methods We performed right heart catheterization and echocardiography on the same day, with pulmonary function testing in 21 consecutive subjects (age 57 ± 10, 81% female) with scleroderma and pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension. Results RHC measures including PA systolic and mean pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) correlated strongly with echo-derived data. RHC-derived pulmonary vascular resistance was negatively associated with RV systolic performance as measured by tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE, rho −0.70, p < 0.001), tissue Doppler tricuspid s’ velocity (rho −0.68, p 0.002), and RV fractional area change (rho −0.78, p < 0.001). Correlations with TAPSE and s’ velocity were strengthened when FVC%/DLCO% ≥ 1.6 used to identify pure PAH phenotypes in SSc. Bland-Altman analyses demonstrated strong agreement between RHC and echo-derived hemodynamic measures. Conclusions Our findings suggest that echocardiography may play a clinical role in identifying pulmonary hypertension and RV dysfunction non-invasively, particularly in a subset of SSc patients stratified by pulmonary function testing. This method may establish specific disease phenotypes with differential cardiovascular impact and prove useful as a marker of disease progression/risk stratification in SSC patients that warrants further investigation in larger cohorts.
The four-day school week is a concept that has been utilized in rural schools for decades to respond to budgetary shortfalls. There has been little peer-reviewed research on the four-day school week that has focused on the perception of parents who live in school districts that have recently switched to the four-day model. This study collects data from 584 parents in three rural Missouri school districts that have transitioned to the four-day school week within the last year. Quantitative statistical analysis identifies significant differences in the perceptions of parents classified by the age of children, special education identification, and free and reduced lunch status. Strong parental support for the four-day school week was identified in all demographic areas investigated; however, families with only elementary aged children and families with students receiving special education services were less supportive than other groups.
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The purpose of this study was to identify areas in which educational leadership could aid in preparing general education teachers to educate children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). A needs assessment was conducted through a case study in a rural Missouri school district to identify the level of efficacy noted by teachers of various experience levels. Pre-service preparation and provided professional development were examined to identify ways in which educational leaders could further the knowledge base and effectiveness of general education teachers to teach students with ASD.
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