AWSP Blog

Dear High School Principals and Counselors, As we wrap up the 2023-24 school year, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your dedication to guiding and mentoring students as they move beyond high school. From offering dual-credit opportunities to preparing graduates for college-level studies, your schools serve as crucial launching pads into higher education. Your students are our students, and so we write to seek your partnership in these essential last weeks of the school year.

As you think about next school year, and the type of culture and climate you want to push front and center - make sure students are active in the collaboration. "Nothing for us, without us" has been a phrase used by AWSL for years, and now is the time to think about how to weave and incorporate student voice into your practices. Let AWSL support you in this important work. Your students are worth it. Your staff is worth it. Your community is worth it, and YOU are worth it.

OSPI is excited to announce that SchooLinks, Inc., has been selected as the Apparent Successful Bidder for the SB5243 Universal HSBP Platform! Implementation planning will begin once contracts are finalized and will be communicated to school districts in conjunction with the legislative report due Oct. 1, 2024.

Teacher Appreciation Week is not just about saying thank you; it's about showing teachers that their hard work and dedication are valued and appreciated. As principals, we have the privilege and responsibility to create a positive and supportive environment for our teachers to thrive. By implementing some of the ideas shared in this article, we can make this week truly special for our educators.

Welcome to the beautiful month of May. I would say that May is a magical time for the students and staff we serve. It is the final push of knowledge and skills for our students to ensure they are ready to move on to the next grade, level of content or post high school graduation. Our staffs are digging deep this month and truly giving their students everything they have left. They (like us) are exhausted but we are all determined to dig a bit deeper to finish strong. The month of May is full of celebration opportunities for you utilize to celebrate with you staff. Some are ridiculously simple and others will require a bit of prep work. I have no doubt that this month's School Celebration Newsletter has something for everyone.

Walk into Peter G. Schmidt and you automatically belong! You are greeted with all smiles, and it is typical to see the principal, Kim Doughty, walking around the school and checking in with teacher teams. The school has been fully engaged in the AWSP Inclusionary Practices Project and Dr. Shelley Moore for several years and this year they are drilling down and planning for all.

April marks World Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month, emphasizing the significance of embracing and honoring the diverse autistic and neurodiverse members of our school communities, including our school leaders and educators.

William Randolph Hearst Foundation sponsors two high school juniors or seniors from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to attend the United States Senate Youth Program—an all-expense paid, week-long tour of Washington, DC and to receive a $10,000 scholarship.

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) announces that high school students Ms. Gianna Patrice Frank and Ms. Mahika Kavya Malladi joined Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell in representing Washington during the 62nd annual USSYP Washington Week, this past March. Gianna Frank of Marysville and Mahika Malladi of Redmond were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation. Each delegate will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study

The Summer Conference is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2023-2024 school year and gain insights and ideas for creating a hope-filled year ahead! From collaboration with other school leaders across the state to the rich information shared by industry experts, there are a myriad of reasons why Summer Conference is the must-attend event of the season. Need a little help convincing leadership to allow you to attend? Here are a few reasons to bolster your case!