AWSP Blog

Introducing the "Washington Schools on the Rise" award by AWSL/AWSP! This award celebrates schools where students and adults collaborate to improve culture and amplify student voice. AWSP and its Foundation support these schools with resources and opportunities. These schools foster inclusive and equitable environments. Know a school on the rise? Nominate them today and honor their commitment to excellence in education!

Session has concluded and the Governor has acted. Here is brief summary of pension, health care, and other legislation that will impact school districts, present staff, and future retirees. The work to implement the changes continues.

HearMeWA is on schedule to soft launch on April 30, 2024. At that time, the program will go live. The HearMeWA.org website will include information on how youth can submit tips via app, text, chat, web-form, and phone call. We will be piloting a best practices toolkit and developing a marketing toolkit during this time.

The walkie crackled, “Sky’s mother is in the office.” I pushed the button, “Copy. I’ll be right down.” I signaled to the teacher I would be back. She continued to watch Sky as he was starting to right the chairs he had thrown. As I walked, I repeated my mantra for hard family meetings: “be credible, be a partner, show love.”

Elementary School was extremely challenging for me. I was a square peg trying to fit into a round hole and it wasn’t working. When I think about those early years, I felt tremendous embarrassment that I would be “found out.” I struggled in all basic education skills. I couldn’t read or spell basic words, math was impossible and don’t get me started on science. I was a latchkey kid from a broken home in a small rural town. I was different, and I felt it.