These emails are sent out weekly to leaders in special education and Section 504.. Each email contains tips and resources on a variety of topics that are meant to keep you informed and up-to-date.. Please consult your district attorney if you are looking for legal advice, as that is out of my realm.

From conversations with fellow educators at all levels and all parts of the state – and even colleagues around the country, it feels like that same flip has been occurring in schools just about everywhere. Calls, emails, texts, and other communications have been filled with stories of bullying, mental health concerns, threats – real and virtual. Coming back to school, while still dealing with our traumatic, disruptive COVID experience, has been challenging for students, staff, and families.

The U.S. Department of Education recently released this new resource on supporting child and student social, emotional, behavioral and mental health during the ongoing COVID-19 era.  This resource highlights seven key challenges to providing school- or program-based mental health support across early childhood, K–12 schools, and higher education settings, and presents seven corresponding recommendations. It also includes many real-world examples of how the recommendations are being put into action by schools, communities, and states across the country.

Tim Garchow, Executive Director of the Washington State School Directors'  Association, thanks principals for the enormous amount of work and dedication displayed while navigating the challenges of this year. "Our children are lucky to have you, and so are the rest of us."

These emails are sent out weekly to leaders in special education and Section 504.. Each email contains tips and resources on a variety of topics that are meant to keep you informed and up-to-date.. Please consult your district attorney if you are looking for legal advice, as that is out of my realm.

From how many classrooms have unfilled substitute positions, to how many students you’ll need to contact trace and quarantine, to dealing with out-of-character student behavior, to keeping up the morale of your teaching staff, to standing in the gap of conflicting beliefs with parents, etc., your daily routine is relentless and like drinking from a fire hose. We’ve heard from our members that working 70-80 hours per week, including Saturday and Sunday, is more of a norm than an exception. That pace is unrealistic, unhealthy, and has to stop before you collapse and give up. So, what do we do? While we fight for system changes, we encourage you to fight for yourself. Get networked now. Do it for yourself and do it for your colleagues. We can’t afford to not have Every Principal Networked Now.

In a recent conversation with Sue Anderson, Director of OSPI’s Educator Effectiveness, she reminded me of the required Fall and early Winter TPEP dates. Sue has been a school leader and certainly understands the demands placed on principals and assistant principals. With the frenetic pace school leaders are keeping, they may think they are behind, or missing important TPEP timelines. Here is some quick info for you as you continue to plan out your observation and evaluation schedules. Take a deep breath, you have plenty of time to complete any TPEP requirements.

These emails are sent out weekly to leaders in special education and Section 504.. Each email contains tips and resources on a variety of topics that are meant to keep you informed and up-to-date.. Please consult your district attorney if you are looking for legal advice, as that is out of my realm.

In the middle of National Principals Month and an ongoing pandemic, Almira Principal Kelsey Hoppe's just got a lot tougher. Earlier this week, we heard the somber news from the town of Almira, where their school recently burned to the ground. Home to about 300 residents, this farming community’s school served 118 K–8 students. We don’t need to tell you the importance of school within a community, especially a small community like Almira where many of the students are the 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th generation family members to have attended the school. It’s just hard to fathom that kind of loss.

Help is on the way! Did you know that the Office of System and School Improvement has monthly themes? AWSP is working hard to align much of our communication around these same themes and The theme for October is Culturally Responsive Positive Behavior Interventions and supports.

These emails are sent out weekly to leaders in special education and Section 504.. Each email contains tips and resources on a variety of topics that are meant to keep you informed and up-to-date.. Please consult your district attorney if you are looking for legal advice, as that is out of my realm.

In this edition of AWSP News, we discuss the kick off to National Principals Month, one of the most challenging years in your careers, getting connected with colleagues in one of our many different professional networks, the unfortunate TikTok trend happening this year, AWSP’s third annual WELL Summit, Fall AWSP Regional Meetings, a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, and a message from AWSP Past President Cameron Grow.

If you’ve never met Cameron but you’ve watched Ted Lasso, you’ve basically met Cameron. His leadership is all about the power of the positive and building relationships. I can’t speak to his biscuit skills, but the belief in people and bringing out their best…that’s all there. I had the chance to visit him at Lincoln Middle School in Pullman for this Fast Five video on creating a positive staff culture a few years back. Even with just a few students and staff around, the sense of family, belonging, and love is palpable. It’s something you feel as soon as you walk in – this is a place people love to be. Read our interview with AWSP Past President Cameron Grow.

October is full of many events, happenings, and holidays that are woven into our schools' fabric. Homecomings, spirit days, and Halloween festivities take shape and create a sense of camaraderie, connection, and even fun for students and the community. One tricky aspect of navigating dress-up days and even Halloween festivities: being aware, sensitive, and mindful of cultural appropriation. As you consider your school's community and cultural context, what shifts can be made to ensure dress-up days become opportunities for fun and unity rather than opportunities for pain and harm?

October is National Principals Month, but you might not be feeling much love lately. This is not an easy time to be a principal. We've always said the job was incredibly challenging but the most rewarding job in the world. The work you've done just to open the doors this year for kids to be back is nothing short of inspirational. Your leadership matters now more than ever, and every...single...day. Thank you for everything you do for your students, staff, and communities. Each and every day, we celebrate you. This month especially, remember you are truly a super star.

This content is emailed weekly to leaders in special education and Section 504. Each newsletter contains tips and resources on a variety of topics that are meant to keep you informed and up to date. Please consult your district attorney if you are looking for legal advice.

Disability History and Awareness Month (RCW 28A.230.158) takes place during October to increase awareness, respect, and acceptance for people with disabilities, and to bring a greater sense of pride to people with disabilities. All Washington public schools are required to conduct or promote educational activities that provide instruction, awareness, and understanding of disability history and people with disabilities. The activities may include, but not be limited to, school assemblies or guest speaker presentations.

At the moment, it seems like “school safety” – one issue or another – is on top of everyone’s mind. Many of us have been hearing about ‘devious licks’ and ‘COVID assassins’ challenges, Twitch Hate Raids, an inordinate number of fights, more Threat Assessments than usual, serious mental health challenges for students and staff, lack of staffing for almost everything, and more. Knowing that you probably won’t have the time to read a long blog post, I will be as succinct as possible in sharing some school safety updates and resources.

It is no secret that although we are all excited to have students back in our schools, the consistent message coming from principals and assistant principals across the state is that this year is quickly proving to be even more challenging than last year. We want you to know that we hear you and that we are here for you. The layers of school leadership right now are massively complex and challenging.

Believe me, we understand. The last thing you need right now is to deal with a destructive and disappointing trend among students across the country. If you haven’t heard, one of the things trending on social media giant TikTok is essentially a string of school thefts and vandalisms. It is the last thing you need on top of your already heaping plates. I’m ticked just hearing about it, so I can only imagine your frustrations.