AWSP Blog

AWSP is closed for snow today (February 11), as are many districts across the state. FYI, we typically follow the Olympia School District for closures or late starts. Some of us are still checking email.

The session is still flowing toward cut off dates, when an observer can then more closely focus on what would appear to be potential ‘rocks’. Also, energies can be directed more specifically to advance critical bills that have survived the first cut. As a reminder, the cut off dates are: February 22 for policy bills and March 1 for fiscal bills.

Last session, the Legislature created the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB). The SEBB will help ensure K-12 employees get the affordable, high-quality benefits they deserve. Washington state public employees have long been the beneficiary of a great health benefits program through the PEBB, and it's great to see similar benefits coming to school employees across the state.

Welcome to another episode of AWSP News, where we discuss delivering AWSP News to you through rain, sleet, or snow, African American History Month, our Future Educators Month and Future School Leaders Day workshop, revisit the Give 'Em Your Keys campaign, update you on what's happening with the Legislature, discuss our "Day on the Hill" and your advocacy, thank partners Capturing Kids' Hearts and Freshgrade, remind you to register for summer conference and a couple awards to nominate someone for, Ron's departure and hiring his replacement, and some contract negotiation resources for you on our website.

Dr. Karen Burke (Vice President of Data and Academic Planning) and Pam Allyn (Senior Vice President, Innovation and Development), both from Scholastic, drop by our studio to talk about K-12 literacy and what principals can do to promote schoolwide literacy efforts. Lots of great advice and takeaways in this episode.