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.

A Request Regarding the FAFSA

Education beyond high school — whether that be an apprenticeship, certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree — puts students in the best position to get well-paying jobs and keep those jobs. To make that a reality, we come together to rally behind a shared cause: encouraging students and families to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This revamped financial aid form, the most significant update since the 1980s, promises to expand access to federal Pell Grants and other forms of assistance for thousands of low-income students. Additionally, it unlocks opportunities for the Washington College Grant, among the nation’s most generous state financial aid programs.

Delays and technical issues with the new FAFSA are causing many students to become frustrated and even wait to apply for financial aid and college. As you know, students who delay their education beyond high school are more likely to not go at all, ultimately putting their long-term financial and social stability at risk.

As the U.S. Department of Education continues to work on fixes to the FAFSA and information it shares with colleges and universities, our campuses are working together to help students complete their FAFSAs and pursue their dreams for higher education. Washington’s public and most not-for-profit, private four-year colleges and universities in the state have extended college decision day to June 1, 2024 to provide students more time to navigate the FAFSA process and make informed decisions about where to enroll. Community and technical colleges and other colleges and universities are also:

• Engaging with local high schools on events such as “FAFSA nights”;
• Messaging to students who have applied for college and students who are already enrolled;
• Participating in statewide initiatives to increase FAFSA completion rates; and
• Creating toolkits, webinars, and resource pages to help college financial aid officers navigate the new FAFSA.

Ways to Help as a High School Principal or Counselor

New research from the Gates Foundation, HCM Strategists, and Edge Research shows that students trust their principals, counselors, and teachers. Forbes magazine summed it up this way:

“High school students are more likely to be exposed to positive information about college through school counselors, parents, college web sites and teachers. Whereas non-degree high school graduates [people who graduated from high school but did not pursue a college degree] are more likely to receive mixed messages … In other words, high school students are inside the college information pipeline, engaging primarily with educators who advocate for college degrees.”

As high school principals and counselors, you wield immense influence in shaping students’ educational journeys. We invite you to join us in:

• Letting students know there is a place for them at Washington’s colleges and universities, whether they want to earn a 2-year degree, a 4-year degree, train for a specific career in the skilled trades or become an apprentice. Washington’s community and technical colleges are open-door institutions, which means that applicants are automatically accepted. Through the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program (WAGAP) or other direct admission programs, Washington’s public universities and some private, not-for-profit campuses have seamless pathways to higher education.
• Informing students about the Washington College Grant, one of the most generous and flexible financial aid programs in the country. Students and families can even get an estimate of their potential awards on the Washington Student Achievement Council website.
• Persuading students to complete a FAFSA or WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid, for people who are undocumented or who do not qualify for federal financial aid but may qualify for state aid.) You can find your school’s FAFSA completion rates on the Washington Student Achievement Council’s FAFSA Completion Dashboard.
• Recommending that students and their parents or guardians sign up for the state’s college text messaging service called OtterBot for helpful reminders, resources, and encouragement. Students should text “Hi OtterBot” to 360-928-7281 and parents or guardians should text “Hi OtterBot” to 360-634-0354.
• Encouraging students to stick with it! The U.S. Department of Education is working hard to fix technical issues, and many have been resolved. By completing the FAFSA, students can open the doors to education and training that will improve their economic and social mobility for the rest of their lives.

Thank you for your partnership and your unwavering dedication to the success and well-being of students, now and in the future.

Sincerely,

Ruben Flores, Executive Director of the Council of Presidents
Paul Francis, Executive Director of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Terri Standish-Kuon, President and CEO of Independent Colleges of Washington

The Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL) has had the honor and privilege of partnering with schools to augment their school culture and climate. AWSL has long-standing programs, camps, and workshops where schools load students up and bring them to our regional programs or one of our many summer camp locations. Many people might not know that AWSL will come to you. That's right, we'll bring a personalized program  your school for your students and/or staff! 

Student Voice Summits

One program that has gained steam and momentum has been our Student Voice Summits! These summits have been crafted to lead students through an experience where they recognize and utilize their expertise and 'voice' to address all aspects of their school culture and climate. 

AWSL has used the phrase, "Students are the experts at being students." That phrase has not been used as a cute marketing play; it's been used because it's true. Who better to speak about school policies, initiatives, and all aspects of the school experience than our students? From Kindergarten on up, they know what is working and what isn't working and, when given the opportunity, can provide reasonable and realistic plans to address them. Here's the kicker: magic happens when students get the opportunity to do this work alongside their adults. 

Our Summits Focus on Three Components: Who? What? Now What?

Who:

Building community (and trust) amongst participants is crucial to creating an effective foundation for sharing (for both students and adults). No matter the size of the school, it is easy to settle into "We all know each other." Before participants can get honest about their experiences, taking the time to build a community is necessary. We hope that schools select a diverse group of students and staff to participate. Getting unique perspectives from all pockets and corners of the school is imperative to making positive changes in our schools. 

What:

What do you love? We then begin to organize our work around the "what." Before discussing school growth opportunities, we highlight what students and staff love about their current school environment. If we don't know what is going well, we can't protect, highlight, or ensure it stays positive. 

This year, a student shared that "the school bus" was something they loved about the school experience. They explained that "it was predictable and always on time." There is so much to unpack from one beautiful sentiment. We know that the school bus and driver are the student's connection to the school. We can gather that perhaps that student craves (and needs) predictability and structure, and that bus driver may be one of the most important adults in that student's life. Imagine if we could gather that much data from all our students. It was also illuminating for the other students and staff in the room, who had not thought about the importance of our school buses and their positive impact on students. This led to a beautiful conversation with many "ah-has" and "I never thought about that before" moments. 

Another school this year had students share how the school and staff gave them a home. The intentional actions of the principal gave the students a sense of purpose and pride and how the staff not only saved but changed their lives. Imagine getting that type of feedback from your students. Imagine your community hearing about the positive impact of what is happening in your school. That is the power of these summits. 

After building the love list, let's keep up the momentum. My middle school track coach told our team, "It's one thing to have momentum, but it's another to maintain it." The same is true with positive school culture and climate. The magic comes from asking, "What is the student's role, and what is the adult's role in maintaining the love list?" Students get real and honest and provide incredible action steps they and the adults can COLLABORATIVELY take to create the most incredible school experience for students and adults. 

From there, we pivot and shift our focus to "What is not on our love list but should be?" Much different frame than, "What sucks about our school..." It's framed with love at the center. It's framed by focusing on what is going well and how to work together to push everything we do and what we love about our school. Students and staff get it! These conversations have been powerful and poignant in every school we have been to. Students and staff interact and learn from each other during these conversations, and while yes they are taking part in a summit, they also develop empathy for each other. 

Now What?

So... now what? AWSL then presents our Action Plan to students and staff. Our Action Plan combines the AWSP Framework, Project Planning, Belonging, immediate/short-term/long-term goals, and asking the most critical question, "What does success look like?" If we don't know what success looks like, sounds like, and feels like for students and staff, we may be directing our time and energy in ways that are not conducive to achieving our desired outcomes. Listening to students say, "If we just did this......, it would solve everything." Then, we get to use our adult positionality to work with them to achieve those goals. I have listened to students share how to fix parking lot issues, behavior issues, engagement issues, bullying and harassment issues, belonging and inclusion issues, and how to welcome incoming students holistically. 

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. 

Learn More About AWSL Programs

This year, we want to highlight some creative and thoughtful ways principals can show appreciation for their hardworking teachers. In our pursuit of supporting and uplifting the teaching profession, we've come across a fantastic article filled with innovative ideas for celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week. We believe these ideas can inspire principals to create memorable experiences that acknowledge the dedication and commitment of their staff. Here is one example:

Welcome to May!

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. Let me know if I can support you or ever be a listening voice. You can Find her on Twitter @sholtys. or drop me an email at anytime. I believe in you!!

A Few of My Favorites

May Days to Celebrate 

May 1 | May Day | How about placing a single flower on each staff member’s desk for their Monday morning arrival.

May 3 | National Two Different Colored Shoes Day | This is super simple to pull off. Encourage your staff to wear two different shoes (maybe in your school colors).

May 3 | School Lunch Hero Day | Celebrate your food service workers today. This year reach out to not only the heroes in your own school that help feed your students but also remember those that work behind the scenes delivering and dealing with the ordering of food and processing the paperwork. Encourage students and staff to celebrate this day with cards, signs, notes, and words of thanksgiving.

May 6 | National Beverage Day | Load the refrigerator or your treat cart with beverages for staff.

May 10 | National Clean Up Your Room Day | As we are getting closer to the end of the year feel free to tweak this one and connect it to student lockers and desks. A little pre-cleaning before the end of the year will ease the clean up process for everyone.

May 13 | National Apple Pie Day | Go to the grocery store and purchase individual apple pies for your staff in honor of this day. "You are the 'APPLE' of our eye. Thank you for all you do."

May 14 | National Dance Like a Chicken Day | Have a chicken dance party at lunch, recess, and in bus lines.

May 15 | National Chocolate Chip Day | Super easy alert!! On your way to work pick up chocolate chip cookies.

May 16 | Do Something Good for Your Neighbor Day | Encourage students to do a random act of kindness in celebration of this day all week. Have students take a picture and post their good deed to your school social media sites. This is great PR for your school and is something we should always be modeling as leaders.

May 16 | National Barbecue Day | Purchase bottles of BBQ Sauce and adding a tag that reads “Thank you for being the secret sauce for our students success.”

May 17th | 

National Pick Strawberries Day | Have a variety of strawberry and strawberry flavored items that staff can choose from.

National Pizza Party Day | Ask your PTO to purchase pizza for lunch for staff today.

NASCAR Day | Decorate a table, staff room, or snack wagon with checkered flags. "We Are Zooming Towards the Finish Line." Have chex mix available along with beverages and decorate with hot wheels cars.

National Pack Rat Day | This is a day to encourage students and staff to clean up desks, back packs, school bags, lockers, and that scary staff refrigerator

May 20 | National Be a Millionaire Day | Purchase 100 Grand Candy Bars for today to celebrate.

May 23 | National Lucky Penny Day | Grab a few index cards and tape a penny on each one. Write a note on each one and hand out to your staff. Ideas include- “You are a lucky penny for your students” “Every day we work together I consider myself lucky” “How did I get so lucky to hire you?”

May 24 | National Scavenger Hunt Day and National Escargot Day | So hide a few pictures of Gary the snail from SpongeBob and the staff that find them win a prize.

May 27 | National Grape Popsicle Day | Its been a "grape" of a year. Hand out popsicles this Thursday afternoon.

May 29 | National Paperclip Day | (I know it seems like everything has its own special day right?) Could this be your way to remind staff of a task you need them to work on as we close up the school year? Attach a note to a paper clip that says something like “Happy National Paperclip Day. May this clip be a reminder to submit your supply list to me by the end of the week?” Fill in whatever task or to do item here.

May 31 | National Macaroon Day AND National Smile Day. | Surprise your staff with a tray full of a variety of macaroons and then add notes of appreciation and kindness on post-its in the staff bathrooms and in the staff room that will make them smile and remind them you care.

	Cindy Sholtys-Cromwell
	Principal, Loowit High School and Kelso Virtual Academy (K-12) Kelso School District

Inclusionary Leader Spotlight:

Kim Doughty, Principal Peter G. Schmidt Elementary, Tumwater School District

Leadership Experience: 
Dean of Students/Internship at Washington Middle School in the Olympia School District, Assistant Principal at Hansen Elementary, and Centennial Elementary in the Olympia School District. Kim is currently in her seventh year as principal at Peter G. Schmidt in the Tumwater School District.

Professional Philosophy: 
My professional philosophy revolves around empowerment, advocacy, partnership, and a deep commitment to understanding and supporting every individual student.

"I believe in being the change I wish to see in the world, particularly as a champion for all children. I strive to be a collaborative thought partner for families and staff, working together to create an environment where students' strengths and needs are understood and valued. I am committed to knowing each student deeply, recognizing and naming their unique qualities, and advocating for their holistic development and success."

What has surprised you about your inclusionary journey?
The acceptance of change is for both students and staff. The power that the Inclusion practice has brought to the community. The thought exchange and the willingness to lean in to create this change by the learning community. 

Creative practices for meeting students' needs. All around student growth.

Is there anything you would have done differently?
I hope that I can always get 100% buy-in and true acceptance. I now recognize that some can most fast, while others may need time to adjust. It is important to meet them where they are while supporting the work. I also wish for the perfect world of support (staffing) to help with Inclusion.

What’s next for your school and Inclusion?
To continue moving forward and using Shelley Moore’s amazing resources with all our staff by creating Classroom Profiles of Learners with all staff at the start of the year and building upon that. (For access to all of the Dr. Shelley Moore series, please contact me.)

Leaders may reach out to Kim about inclusionary practices. 

Inclusionary Practices School Spotlight

Walk into Peter G. Schmidt and you automatically belong! Upon walking in, 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 day I visited was no ordinary day at Peter G., as folks fondly call the mid-size elementary school in Tumwater, Washington. There was a special performance and an early release for teacher collaboration; this disruption in routine would be a challenge for any student and even some staff members. However, what is noteworthy is that the staff at Peter G. use this opportunity to ensure that all the students are planned for and included in the school-wide activity. For example, those with special needs were planned for by ensuring they had an active role. One student who found a disruption in the day difficult was fully included and had an active role in the student's performance. If you ask anyone, that is “just how things are done” at Peter. G. 

It’s important to note that the school has been fully engaged in the AWSP Inclusionary Practices Project and Dr. Shelley Moore for its entirety - now in the fourth year. 

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This year has been especially relevant regarding drilling down to the classroom level. The Peter G. team consists of the principal, Kim, and a group of 5th-grade general education and special education team members. The team was made up of:

• 4/5 teacher:  Erin Crabtree
• Special Education Teacher: Sarah Wernke
• PE Teacher:  Carmen Luce
• Special Education Teacher:  Jasmine Stray
• School Psychologist:  Sherri Bentley

As part of this specialized coaching series with Dr. Shelley, they have made it to the fifth "P" phase she describes in her workshops:

• Place
• Presumed Competence
• Proximity and Participation
• Purpose
• Planned For

For these planning sessions, the team is focused on Planning for all. They began working backward from Next Generation Science Standards in order to present it in student-friendly language, highlighting essential vocabulary.

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Universal Design for Learning

When asked by Dr. Moore, “What have you all been trying out?,” the special education teacher created a one-through-five Likert scale for students to identify the “size of the problem” with an accompanying solutions sheet to share with the general education teacher. This strategy was in response to a need for students to begin problem-solving social situations on their own. The general education teachers introduced the concept at their morning meeting with all students.

The team has noticed, since beginning to use this tool, that the students have been reflecting on how their peers are feeling and describing situations that could have been escalated. The team agreed that the tool was great for student reflection and was pleasantly surprised that something created to support one student with special needs has impacted the entire class and provided a baseline for students to communicate a problem in a way that others can easily understand. This is one example of how Universal Design is best practice for all students. Universal Design is a framework used to guide the design of learning environments to ensure they are both accessible and challenging for all students (CAST, 2018).

Later in the session, Dr. Moore asked the team to try a different lesson plan strategy. This planning tool allows students to start a task together and then take ownership of what steps they will take next; ownership is a key element of UDL Practices. 

Dr. Moore explains, “If you all start in the same place, what is being presented will become either a prerequisite skill for some or a connection to previous learning for others,” without decreasing the challenge of the task. 

With every student starting at the “I need to…” stage, students are granted basic and equal access to foundational information for the tasks at hand. Once all students have access to this information, the difficulty level can increase based on student needs and ownership. This creates an opportunity for students to support one another, provides a natural scaffold for students needing more time and support, and a student-driven approach to differentiation by guiding students to independently move forward on tasks in the “I must” level, which is the grade level standard. 

For extension, most students will move on to the “I can” task, giving a few advanced students an opportunity with the “I could” advanced task. See an example of the lesson plan document below.

Dr. Moore emphasized the importance of students starting together and that this lesson design strategy is about what to add rather than what to take away or modify. She reinforces that teacher teams don’t have time to alter the curriculum. Using a continuum like the lesson design template allows all students to participate together and then will enable students to engage at their level. For example, at the beginning of the lesson, when students engage in a Processing task, the work they have to do and the new information has an opportunity to move from short to long-term memory.

April marks World Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month, emphasizing the significance of embracing and honoring the diverse autistic and neurodiverse members of our school communities. Traditionally, our attention gravitates towards students with autism, as childhood autism has been studied more extensively. However, with the prevalence of autism affecting approximately one in 36 students and a rising number of adults aged 25-34 receiving diagnoses, it's essential to recognize that individuals with autism are not only students but also educators within our schools.

These individuals may be formally diagnosed, self-diagnosed due to limited access to evaluations, or unaware of their neurodiversity. Moreover, women and minority populations often face underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis, highlighting the complexities of supporting neurodiverse staff. Nonetheless, creating an inclusive environment where all staff members feel valued and welcomed is paramount.

While we dedicate efforts to brainstorming accommodations for autistic students, it's equally vital to consider accommodations for staff. Implementing universally designed practices benefits not only neurodiverse individuals but also the entire school community, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.

Here are five basic accommodations to implement to best support autistic school leaders and educators this April:

1. Provide Information In Advance

It’s difficult for those with autism to adjust to new information on the fly. While this is sometimes unavoidable in the school environment, providing things like agendas, feedback, and clear expectations to process before discussions or changes can substantially minimize information overload and overstimulation for change or the unknown. 

2. Give Clear Instructions and Reasoning

One huge struggle autistic adults face is frustration due to a lack of understanding in any given situation. When giving instructions or making systemic changes, ADHD and Autism Activist Ellie Midds suggests using a, “what by when and why” process to disseminate information. This helps set clear expectations of what exactly is wanted or what changes are to be made, why they are needed or happening, and the key point- why do you need this information, or why is this change occurring? This information helps build confidence and security around the tasks or changes you assign. 

3. Be Mindful of Planning Time and Breaks

Often, autistic brains need breaks throughout the day to prevent overstimulation and to process what is happening around them. It’s important that when principals and school leaders are creating master schedules to consider their autistic and neurodivergent employees. This could look like evenly spacing out their days with their lunch break and planning time, asking all employees for preferred planning periods and considering them as best as possible, or developing a system to provide sensory breaks for staff if they feel overstimulation happening. 

This also means protecting planning time. That time is key to decompressing from the need to be “on” for students and resetting the flight or fight response that can occur when overstimulation and sensory overload are present. Avoid scheduling meetings and creating expectations around planning time, and just let your staff be. 

4. Set Clear Evaluation Expectations

It’s great that under today’s teacher and principal evaluation frameworks, detailed rubrics lay out expectations for each level of achievement. However, translating this information from the page into the physical classroom could be a challenge for some autistic staff members, as the difference between conceptualizing to implementing practices and what that looks like inside the classroom can be disconnected. Reviewing rubrics and/or creating a supporting document that helps describe what each criterion looks like, sounds like, and feels like can help translate the sometimes ambiguous evaluation wording making it more accessible to our autistic and neurodiverse staff. 

5. Neurodiverse Affirming Attitudes

Many adults are fearful of disclosing their diagnosis to leadership for fear of being ostracized, pitied, or thought of as less than capable; when in reality, our autistic staff members have gifts and strengths that particularly benefit the classroom and school community. From special interests in subject areas to efficient system building and pattern recognition, there is so much our autistic staff members have to offer. We often see positive celebrations over equity, diversity, and inclusion in our school communities that include our autistic students, but autistic adults are overlooked. District and school leadership need to take into account their entire neurodiverse population, including adults, and make their views known that autistic adults are more than welcome in their school communities. Acknowledgment and recognition are key players in creating a space that is neuro-affirming, safe, and supportive for students and staff with autism alike. 

The autism spectrum is just that, a spectrum of strengths and differences that appear in each autistic individual uniquely. It’s important to acknowledge that the spectrum includes school leaders and staff, along with our students in general education, and those who we typically think of as more severely impacted. 

In the past, April was primarily focused on Autism Awareness. However, as more research is done and an understanding of the spectrum is gained, it’s important to include Autism Acceptance in the mix. Our schools have fantastic educators whose brains are wired differently, allowing them to connect with students and content in inimitable ways. Let’s embrace and celebrate those differences by providing accommodations that will enable our autistic educators the same access and opportunities to flourish as their neurotypical counterparts. 

Happy Autism Acceptance Month from the Association of Washington School Principals!

Mahi Malladi

Gianna Frank

Gianna Frank

Mahi Malladi

1. Networking Opportunities: The conference offers a platform for superintendents. principals, vice principals, deans of students, and other school leadership to connect with peers from across the state. These networking opportunities allow for the exchange of ideas, best practices, and strategies for addressing common challenges in school leadership.

2. Professional Development: The sessions and workshops at the AWSP/WASA Summer Conference are designed to provide valuable insights, knowledge, and skills relevant to current educational trends and issues. Attending these sessions can enhance leadership capabilities, improve decision-making skills, and foster innovative approaches to school management.

3. Access to Expertise: The conference brings together experts in various fields related to education, including administration, curriculum development, student support services, and educational technology. By attending, participants gain access to these experts and can benefit from their guidance, advice, and specialized knowledge, including innovative information from our keynote speakers, Lori Hayes, Dr. Chan Hellman, and Dr. Paul Hernandez.

4. Continuing Education Credits: Many sessions at the conference offer continuing education credits, which are essential for maintaining professional certifications and licenses. This provides an added incentive for leadership to support attendance, as it contributes to the ongoing professional development requirements of school administrators.

5. Exposure to Emerging Trends: Educational landscapes are constantly evolving, with new policies, technologies, and methodologies emerging regularly. From AI to legislative updates, attending the AWSP/WASA Summer Conference ensures that school leadership remains informed about these changes, enabling them to adapt strategies and policies accordingly to best serve students and staff.

6. Enhanced School Performance: The knowledge, skills, and strategies acquired at the conference can directly contribute to improved school performance. Whether through implementing innovative and inclusive teaching methods, enhancing student support services, or fostering a positive school culture, the insights gained from the conference can lead to tangible improvements in educational outcomes.

Many school districts have TPEP iGrant 664 funds from OSPI that can be used to pay for AWSP/WASA Summer Conference registration and travel. Check with your district to see if they haven't allocated or spent all their 664 funds for the year. If unused, these funds go back to the state. Using them can remove the financial burden of the conference. Learn more about using 664 funds on OSPI’s TPEP Professional Learning and Training Funding webpage, or learn more and register for Summer Conference. 

Most Importantly: School and district leaders are on the front lines of education. The role of a school leader can become an isolating one, and there are days when it’s easy to lose hope. As Lori Hayes says, this is why it’s so important to gather together with likeminded individuals to “refuel and recharge in order to get back in the trenches and better serve the individuals you have committed your life to serving.” Summer Conference is the exact place to do that. 

Whether you are new to principalship or a veteran in your career, everyone can find benefit in attending the AWSP/WASA Summer Conference. End your 2023-2024 school year filled with hope for the next!

Click here for a sample email to send to your leadership team!

Head on over to our AWSP/WASA Summer Conference page to learn more about the conference and register today.

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!

What: Washington State Schools on the Rise Award

When: Awarded annually at the AWSP Summer Conference

Who: Schools nominated by students and/or principals/assistant principals/superintendents/district office

Why: Recognize schools demonstrating the power of student-adult collaboration on school leadership and the creation of a positive school culture.

Recognition Criteria:

• Established systems demonstrating students and adults collaborating and leading school culture together

• Tangible examples of co-design, collaboration, joint leadership

• Examples of authentic student engagement and elevated student voice

• Examples of schools engaging multiple student voices and perspectives

• Quantitative and/or qualitative data to illustrate the outcomes of student-adult joint leadership

Timeline for Selection:

• Nomination window runs from April 1 - May 31 

• Selection of winners - May 31 - June 7

• Winners announced at SC Luncheon

Apply Now

2024 Session Year-End Report

Though we may not have reached the heights we anticipated yesterday, today is a brand-new day to begin a new climb. ~ Chinonye Chidolue

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin. ~ Mother Teresa 

Session has concluded and the Governor has acted. Below is a 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.

Retirement/Health Related Proposals

SHB 1985: Providing a benefit increase to certain retirees of the public employees' retirement system plan 1 and the teachers' retirement system plan 1.

Comment: This bill provides a one-time 3 percent increase to the retirement benefits of retirees in the Public Employees' Retirement System and the Teachers' Retirement System Plan 1, up to $110 per month effective July 1, 2024. A reminder that last session the Select Committee on Pension Policy was directed to study and recommend an ongoing COLA for plan 1 retirees. Their recommendation must consider employer contribution rate stability and coordinate the effective date with the reduction or elimination of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability. This will be a key focus of their activity during the interim.

The Governor signed the bill. Effective 7/23/2023.

HB 2481: Waiving health benefit premiums in the public employees' benefits board.

Comment: This bill waives the payment of health benefit premiums for the deceased during the month of death for retired participants in the Public Employees' Benefits Board health coverage programs. The dependents/survivors will still be responsible for their share of the premium cost.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

RE: SEBB/PEBB (Budget Provisos)

Section 212 (8)(a) allocates money and directs the Health Care Authority (HCA) to study consolidating the PEBB and SEBB programs. Report due Dec. 1, 2024 which should outline the steps needed to accomplish such a consolidation.

$100,000 is provided to report to the legislature by December 1, 2024, the necessary statutory and program changes required to achieve consolidation of:

• PEBB and SEBB into a single governing board
• The current PEBB non-Medicare and SEBB Active risk pools
• Existing eligibility provisions
• Benefit offerings into more aligned plans

The report should consider:

• Ways to engage with impacted participants
• Options to maintain eligibility
• Options to ensure equity
• Data and findings from previous reports related to consolidation

Section 212(9) directs the HCA to report to the legislature by Dec. 1, 2024, describing options and a recommendation for probable future coverage for approved glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists for the treatment of obesity and weight loss. (The same language is also under SEBB section 213 (2).

Other Areas of Potential Fiscal ($$) Impact and (Often, Unfunded) to Districts:

Below are selected titles and brief summaries of proposed bills that may have potential impact to the business operations of districts. WASA has a more extensive list and explanations.

SHB 1105: Requiring public agencies to provide notice for public comment that includes the last date by which such public comment must be submitted.

Comment: This bill mandates a public agency that is required to solicit public comment for a statutorily specified period of time and provide notice that it is soliciting public comment to include in the notice the first and last date of the comment period and the time by which written public comment may be submitted. • Subjects an agency to civil penalties for failure to include in a notice for public comment the first and last day of the comment period and time by which written comment may be submitted.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

ESHB 1248: Concerning pupil transportation.

Comment: This bill provides that school districts may only enter into, renew, or extend pupil transportation services contracts with private nongovernmental entities that provide employee health and retirement benefits comparable to those received by school employees. • Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to reimburse school districts for increased costs due to providing these benefits and provides a formula for calculating the reimbursement.

The budget included $425,000 solely for supplemental transportation allocations contractor benefits. (Note: This is a one-time allocation. Future continued costs are subject to further appropriations in future budget(s).)

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

E2SHB 1618: Concerning the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse.

Comment: It eliminates the statute of limitations for recovery of damages as a result of childhood sexual abuse for all intentional actions occurring after June 6, 2024.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

SHB 1905: Including protected classes in the Washington equal pay and opportunities act.

Comment: This bill extends the prohibitions on discrimination in wages and career advancement opportunities and the remedies to a person's membership in a protected class. Provides that protected class means a person's age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability.

Signed and effective 7/1/25.

HB 1927: Reducing the number of days that a worker's temporary total disability must continue to receive industrial insurance compensation for the day of an injury and the three-day period following the injury.

Comment: It reduces the number of days – from 14 to 7 – that a temporary total disability must continue to receive workers' compensation time loss benefits for the first three days following the injury.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

HB 2044: An act relating to standardizing limitations on voter-approved property tax levies.

Comment: This bill removes the restriction on levy lid lift funds supplanting existing funds.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

SHB 2127 - 2023-24

Concerning workers' compensation incentives to return to work.

Comment: This bill modifies certain return-to-work policies and reimbursement amounts under the workers' compensation program.

• Increases the maximum amounts of reimbursements paid to employers participating in the Stay at Work Program and Preferred Worker Program by the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I).
• Increases the maximum amount paid to qualifying employers for job modification costs by L&I.
• Allows L&I to authorize payments for basic skills development for qualifying injured workers.

Signed and effective 1/1/25.

HB 2246: Concerning vacation leave accrual for state employees.

Comment: This bill increases the annual cap on the accrual of unused vacation leave for state employees from 240 hours to 280 hours.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

SHB 2381: Increasing eligibility for economy and efficiency flexible school calendar waivers.

Comment: This bill expands eligibility for economy and efficiency waivers to the 180-day school year requirement to school districts with 1000 or fewer students, rather than 500 or fewer students, and increases the cap on the total number of districts that may seek such a waiver from 10 to 30.

• Requires school districts to include the following additional information in the waiver application when explaining the impact on employees in education support positions: expected position and work hour reductions, reductions in force, and the loss of work benefits or eligibility for work benefits.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

E2SSB 5670: Permitting 10^th-grade students to participate in running start in online settings.

Comment: Rising 11^th-grade students may enroll in Running Start for up to ten quarter credits, or the semester equivalent, during the summer academic term. Rising 11th grade students are defined as students who have completed their tenth-grade year and have not yet begun their 11th grade year. Requires school districts to provide information about Running Start enrollment opportunities during the summer academic term.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

ESB 5790: An act relating to bleeding control equipment in schools.

Comment: This bill requires school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools to maintain and make available certain bleeding control equipment and acquire and maintain at least one semiautomatic external defibrillator on each school campus beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

• Specifies that schools must have a certain number of employees trained to use the bleeding control equipment.
• Each school must have a minimum of two employees per school who have completed training on using the bleeding control equipment. If a school has more than 1000 students it must have one trained employee per 500 students. Directs school districts to comply with existing requirements regarding semiautomatic external defibrillators. School districts are encouraged to implement the requirements in this section during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

ESSB 5793: Concerning paid sick leave.

Comment: This bill allows an employee or transportation network company driver to use paid sick leave when their child's school or place of care is closed after the declaration of an emergency.

• Modifies the definition of family member for the purpose of using paid sick leave to include any individual who regularly resides in the employee's home or where the relationship creates an expectation the employee care for the person, and that individual depends on the employee for care, except it does not include an individual who simply resides in the same home with no expectation the employee care for the individual.

• Provides that a child also includes a child's spouse. Requires the Department of Labor and Industries to develop materials and conduct outreach to inform individuals and businesses about the new provisions of the act.

Signed and effective 1/1/25.

SSB 5804: Concerning opioid overdose reversal medication in public schools.

Comment: This bill requires all school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools, not just those with 2000 or more students, to obtain and maintain at least one set of opioid overdose reversal medication doses in each of the public schools and to adopt a related policy.

The Governor signed. Effective 6/6/24.

ESB 5824: Concerning the dissolution of libraries and library districts.

Comment: This bill changes the number of signatures required to file a petition to dissolve a library created by a county, city, or town from 100 taxpayers to 25 percent of qualified electors of that county, city, or town.

• Increases the percentage of voters required to file a petition to dissolve a library district, and consequently a library created by that district, from 10 percent of eligible voters residing outside of incorporated cities or towns to 25 percent of all eligible voters residing in the library district.

• Removes the exclusion of qualified electors residing in incorporated cities or towns within library districts from voting on propositions to dissolve a library district.

• Authorizes a library created by a county, city, town, or library district to also be dissolved by independent action of the legislative body of the governmental unit in which the library is located.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

SB 5883: Concerning the burden of proof for special education due process hearings.

Comment: A school district has the burden of proof, including the burden of persuasion and production, when it is a party to a due process hearing regarding the identification, evaluation, reevaluation, classification, educational placement, disciplinary action, or provision of a free, appropriate public education for a student with a disability. The burden of proof must be met by a preponderance of the evidence. A parent or person in parental relation who seeks tuition reimbursement for a unilateral parental placement has the burden of proof, including the burden of persuasion and production, on the appropriateness of that placement.

Signed and effective 6/6/24.

Concerning Actuarial Funding (UAAL) of State Retirement Systems.

Comment: The State Actuary expects the Plans 1 UAAL will be paid off in FY 2026 for PERS and FY 2023 for TRS, excluding the remaining unfunded cost of benefit improvements. (SHB 1985 will slightly affect the rates and the UAAL: A projected increase of .08% in PERS/SERS, and 0.16% TRS/PERS 1):

The existing minimum UAAL (Unfunded Liability) projected rates and (funded status) are:

A reminder: As a result of passage in 2023 of ESSB 5294, the Select Committee on Pension Policy is directed to study and recommend an ongoing COLA for plan 1 retirees. The recommendation must consider employer contribution rate stability and coordinate the effective date with the reduction or elimination of the unfunded actuarial accrued liability.

One additional positive assist to the budget was adjustments to pension contribution rates. SB 5294, as adopted, reduced contribution rates for the Unfunded Liability in the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) Plan 1 and the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) Plan 1. This is helpful for local governments, including school districts—AND it provides a projected $804 million in savings for the state in 2023–25 (and is projected to grow to $1.9 billion over the next five years). SB 5294 also reduced (from $800 million to $250 million) a scheduled advance payment into the Teacher Retirement System Plan 1. This saved another $550 million.

The Governor signed that bill, effective 7/1/2023.

Other Areas Of Potential Fiscal ($$) Impact And (Often, Unfunded) To Districts Selected Financials

Unless noted otherwise, funds are apportioned for ‘allocation purposes’ only.

Substitute Teachers (2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years): Four (4) days per formula generated staff at $151.86/day.

Fringe benefits/ formula generated staff:

SEBB Insurance Benefit per formula generated staff:

• 2023-2024: $1,100.
• 2024-2025: $1,178

PEBB Insurance Benefit per formula generated staff:

• 2024: $1,145.
• 2025: $1,170

Health care remittance paid to HCA Per FTE:

• $68.41 Sept. 1. 2023
• $80.32 Sept. 1, 2024

What Will The Future Hold?

Predictions are an exercise in fantasy, but what the heck!

1) 2024 will be a presidential election year. Turnout should be high. In Washington State, the race to succeed Governor Inslee will be competitive with the likely candidates to be Attorney General Bob Ferguson and former Congressman/Sheriff Dave Reichert. However, there are other credible candidates running.

2) Filing week for candidates is May 6^th- May 10^th.

3) There will be some expensive races: The Governorship, Attorney General, and others yet to be announced. All House members and half the Senate members will be up for re-election. The 5^th and 6th Congressional districts are also open with credible candidates.

4) There have been a number of retirements of both House and Senate members, as well as a few who have chosen to run for higher or different offices. This means a new slate of legislators who will need education on the issues of import to school and retiree leaders.

5) The recent court-mandated reorganization setting new boundaries for a legislative district in the Yakima Valley has changed a number of boundaries and affected current legislators. It pushes GOP Sen. Nikki Torres of Pasco, the chamber’s lone Republican Latina, out of the 15th District into the neighboring 16th. State law will allow her to finish her term – which runs through 2026 – even though she does not live within the boundaries.

However, she would need to move into the redrawn 15th to seek re-election. Or she could move into the newly drawn 14th district and run this year. A third option is she could challenge fellow Republican Sen. Perry Dozier of Waitsburg who is up for reelection in the 16th district this year.

The new map splits Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. That means Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-East Wenatchee, who represents the 12th District, finds himself in the 7th District now served by Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy.

6) The election may well see a turnout of a more moderate, conservative voter influencing a number of races.

7) The ‘progressive’ wing of the Democrat Party (based in King County) will continue to advocate for socially liberal policies. This has led to the fracturing of unanimity within the caucus as the more moderate Democrats object. The recent scuffles over housing, allowing strikers to receive unemployment payments, and even the move to eliminate natural gas are just a few examples of the D’s losing unanimity. This internal conflict is exploited by the R’s whose positions often are supported by the more moderate D’s. Stay tuned.

8) Some bills that did not pass in 2023 are likely to reappear. (Opinion) These include:

• SB 5978 Re: Authorizing the office of the superintendent of public instruction to function as a guarantor for a county when the county provides a loan to a school district.
  
  
  • This bill would authorize the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to serve as guarantor for a county that has agreed to provide a loan to a school district that is on binding conditions.
  
  
  • As more and more districts experience fiscal challenges, there could be more districts than the current four (4) who are having to take out loans to meet their financial obligations. This bill really is a signal of how serious the problem could become. It did not advance during the 2024 session but was introduced by the Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee who clearly sees a potential need for such a vehicle.
  
  
• SB 5059 Re: Prejudgment Interest. Of concern is that interest in judgments for tortious conduct of public agencies, individuals, and other entities is modified to run from the date on which the cause of action accrues. Interest in judgments for tortious conduct that occurred while a plaintiff was a minor begins to run from the date the action commenced or the date the minor turns 18 years old, whichever is earlier, at the same rates as currently provided in the statute.

Fred Yancey
The Nexus Group LLC

This article is one of three in our "Stories of Hope" series written by outstanding Washington state school leaders. We hope they inspire you! Check out our blog for the other two articles in this series.

2018

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.”  

I opened the office door and saw Sky’s Mom sitting on the bench, clenching her hands together.  She knew from our phone call that he had escalated again and we were not going to be able to get him on the bus, but I knew she didn’t yet know what escalation really meant - tipped tables, thrown chairs, ripped papers, books and crayons scattered across the floor.  I knew this was going to be hard for her to see and started speaking to her as we walked down the hall.  “It’s been a hard day, but we have gotten him to de-escalate and he is working now on cleaning up.”  We got to the room and the tears started.  She had told me at previous meetings, “I’m a cryer.” so I expected this.  I put my arm around her and told her once again that all kinders are working on different things and self-regulation was what he was working on. She kept saying, “I just don’t know what to do.”  I explained to her the calm down strategies we were teaching him and gave her the same materials she could use at home.  By this time Sky and his teacher had put the room back to how it should be, and he was tired and ready to go home.  As she left, she thanked us again and again for helping him and for not giving up and told us she was so happy he was in a place where he was so cared for.  “Be credible, be a partner, show love.”  We hadn’t solved Sky’s issues but we had made a small step forward.  I said good night to the teacher, told her to get some rest and walked back to my office.  I thought about where this mantra came from. 

2017

Sawyer John chose to come into this world in an unexpected manner.  I was at work when I got the text that my sister was in labor.  I told myself to stay calm; he was only 3 weeks and 5 days early and it was going to be fine!  Her first child took 24 hours to make an appearance; I had time to write up notes for my student teacher and then I would leave.  Then I got the next text from my brother-in-law letting me know the baby was breech and they were going into surgery now.  I stuffed my computer in my bag, and as I walked through the office I told my office manager I was leaving for the day.  If I weren’t so panicked I would have laughed at her look of shock at my unusual behavior.  

By the time I reached the hospital, Sawyer had made his appearance, and after the NICU nurse forced him to breathe, he was declared healthy.  After giving his big brother some time to meet him I entered the room and was handed this beautiful baby, with his feet up by his head.  After a traumatic birth, we were told to “just let him uncurl on his own time.” He looked like a little kangaroo in a pouch and I fell in love immediately.  

We soon learned this little boy was going to have a pattern of worrying us for no reason.  During his in-depth physical that afternoon, his parents were told he might have hip dysplasia and he might require skull surgery for prematurely fused skull bones.  We would need to wait and see.  So we waited…and waited…and loved him…and waited…and at his sixth month check up he was once again given a clean bill of health. A few days later, in true Sawyer fashion, he gave us something else to worry about.  A lump suddenly appeared on his neck.  His doctor wanted to see him the next morning.  After that appointment I was told the doctor had used her cell phone to call and get him an appointment at Children's Hospital at 8:30 the next morning to ensure it was not a cardiovascular involved tumor.  As an educator I hear all the time about wait lists to get into Children’s, but I didn’t say this to my sister. I just said how happy I was that he was going to be seen by the best doctors and I was sure he would be fine.  I, however, woke up several times that night, thinking about worst case possibilities, calculating how much leave I had to use, and just worrying in general.  And of course, in true Sawyer fashion, it was not a tumor, but a condition called Torticollis and completely curable through physical therapy.  The next morning started 18 months of physical therapy every Tuesday.  

The next 16 months were spent loving this child while trying to encourage him to suffer through increased tummy time, arguing with him to turn his head a certain way, and him proving how stubborn he could be when he didn’t want to do assigned exercises. He reminded me of me and I loved this time with him!

At 16 months, Sawyer and his mum taught me one of my most valuable lessons as an educator.  It all started with a text from my sister informing me that she was a terrible mother.  I asked her what happened and she sent me a screenshot from his fancy daycare of a three page report card that showed Sawyer being behind in all of his milestones. It was put in his cubby with no explanation or conference with his parents. I looked through it and realized it did not have who evaluated him, what assessments were used, and was mostly incorrect. As an educator, I was appalled.  As an Aunty, I was enraged. Sawyer had failed “pointing in a purposeful way.”  That in itself invalidated the report.  Sawyer had been crawling to the nearest adult, signing “Up please,” pointing to move them to get what he wanted for over a month.  He had earned the nickname, “tiny dictator.”  I tried to point all of this out to his Mum over the next three hours, but she was just too upset to hear why a report card for a 16 month old was ridiculous and that Sawyer was just fine. 

Two days later I got another text from her at work.   This one was a screenshot of a report from the early childhood center where he received physical therapy.  As I read this, I became a bit upset.  I knew who gave him the evaluation, what assessments were used and had no reason to doubt the validity of this report.  It stated that my 16 month old nephew was showing a 7 month delay in expressive language and a 4 month delay in receptive language.  While I had known he was not speaking like his older brother did at this age, I hadn’t mentioned anything to parents because I didn’t want to worry them and I was hoping I was wrong.  This proved I wasn’t, and while it wasn’t the worst thing in the world, being almost half your life behind in something didn’t seem great either.  After the ordeal of the report card, I was sure I would have to leave work and go pick my sister up off the floor. She was going to be devastated.  I called her that afternoon, and was completely unsettled when she started laughing, asking if I had read the description of Sawyer.  I guardedly said yes, feeling way off kilter as her response was the opposite of what I expected.  She went on to read how “while Sawyer is showing a 4 month delay in receptive language, the evaluator who has worked with Sawyer feels like this may be more of him being stubborn, choosing not to follow directions, rather than an actual speech delay.”  

“I love her!  She really knows Sawyer!”  my sister said.  She then went on to say she was going to email out the steps the evaluator gave that we needed to do with Sawyer when we were watching him.  I hung up the phone, feeling completely confused. 

Over the next few days I tried to figure out what caused her to be happy about this second report, why she wasn’t crying like she was with the report card.  I finally decided it came down to three things.  First, there was credibility.  The assessments used were clear and the evaluator was an expert in her field.  Second, there were steps given that would allow Sawyer’s parents to take an active role in his therapy.  Finally, and most importantly, the evaluator “really knew” Sawyer and it was clear she loved working with him.  

2023

It’s been five years since Sawyer’s speech report.  At work, Sky’s family moved out of the district two years ago, but he continues to attend our school on a waiver because his mother “loves our teachers.”  He is in third grade, in class all day and achieving grade level standards.  My stubborn, sassy, loveable nephew has entered kindergarten and has caught up on all of his developmental milestones.  As she deals with all of the day to day challenges and joys that two little boys bring, my sister has forgotten all about the three hour cryfest she had over an invalid report card and the determination that a valid report brought her four years ago, but I remember. I remember this time every time I sit in an IEP meeting where a parent is going to be told their child has a learning “disability,” or when I meet with a parent of a child who is struggling and they say they feel “like a failure.”  I remember it every time I coach a new school psychologist or a first year teacher in how to enter a parent meeting.  I remember that we have to have enough knowledge to show we are credible, present ways in which we can actively partner with parents, and make sure that families need to know we love their child no matter what.  My mantra to great parent partnerships: credibility, partnership and love. And after several years, I believe the greatest of these is love.

This article is one of three in our "Stories of Hope" series written by outstanding Washington state school leaders. We hope they inspire you! Check out our blog for the other two articles in this series.

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. 

I got the message early on that I was different. I vividly remember my 1st grade class performed a play by Beatrix Potter. It seemed like everyone in the class had speaking parts, cool costumes, and fun skits to act out. Not me, I was the fence. That’s right, the fence! I wasn’t even the gate! At least the gate got to swing open. I was forced to stand still and watch everyone else perform. No reading, no moving, just standing still while my classmates performed to a room of proud parents. This might be a bit dramatic, but it was how I remember it. The following year, in 2nd grade, I was identified as being twice exceptional. I had a learning disability, and my IQ was above average. At the time, my school had no idea what to do with me, so they put me on a bus and sent me to a different school that had both special education services and a gifted program, making me feel like an even bigger outcast. 

When I attended elementary school, there was no differentiation. Teachers didn’t pull small groups or reteach concepts that students didn’t master. They taught, we received. We sat in rows, no collaboration, no teamwork, no connections, no explanations, no manipulatives, just drill and kill. I fell further and further behind. This is a huge contrast to where I am now. Now, I hold two master’s degrees (one in multicultural bilingual education and one in educational leadership) and a doctorate in Educational Leadership. I am the proud principal of a Title I school, and I was named a Washington State Principal of the Year. How did that happen? One word, I was taught the power of hope. 

By the time I ended my elementary journey, I had been dismissed from both special education and the gifted program. I wish I could say that I was a proficient student, but I wasn’t even close. I was dismissed because having a disability or being identified as “gifted” in middle school was embarrassing. I wouldn’t have had classes with my friends. I would have had remediation classes that set me behind in graduation requirements. Worse yet, I might have landed in honors classes, and I would have never passed, and everyone would have found out the truth, I wasn’t smart. 

As the years progressed, I became good at compensating and figuring out how to navigate the system. I learned how to take tests and I asked a lot of questions. As my senior year quickly approached, everyone started talking about plans for college. In my family, there wasn’t really another option. If you were successful, you went to college, and built yourself a career. There wasn’t any other option presented to me. I was petrified. I clearly remember the Saturday that I took my SATs. Sweat dripped down my back as I agonized over each question. “Don’t screw this up” played in my mind on repeat. What was even scarier was, what if I passed the SATs and I had to actually go to college? What would I major in? How would I pass and not let my family down? My stress was palatable. 

One year later, I found myself in college studying elementary education. Why? First, I love working with children. Their innocence and imagination inspire me. Second, I couldn’t think of a single thing that I was good at, academically. I thought maybe, just maybe, I could teach little kids their letters and numbers and that I could turn that into a career. Then, I attended “Teaching Math to Elementary Learners.” It rocked my world. Everything we did was hands-on. We used manipulatives, we talked about how and why the math worked. I learned more in that elementary math class than I did my entire life. I learned that I could do the math like everyone else, I just needed a different approach. For the first time in my academic life, I became hopeful. 

The realization that I wasn’t stupid and that I simply learned different, hit me like a ton of bricks. For many, college is about having fun, getting to know who you are and easing into adulthood. Not me. I attacked college. I consumed it. I threw myself into learning and I graduated with honors with my BA in elementary education and a minor in psychology. Teaching Math changed the trajectory of my life. 

After graduating from college in 2000, my fiancé and I moved across the United States to Phoenix, Arizona, where we both became teachers. I had found my passion and I poured everything I had into teaching and loving my students. Often, however, it wasn’t enough. My students struggled and I knew the educational system wasn’t doing enough for them. I met with the superintendent and pleaded my case. I can still remember sitting in the library, looking him dead in the face, and telling him with very loud and boisterous voice, we needed to do better for our kids. My principal was sitting beside me, with complete shock on her face. I made an impression. 

Thankfully, I didn’t lose my job, and this superintendent saw something in me. He tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to join his cabinet which quickly led to me taking on leadership roles throughout the district. For 13 years, he mentored me and showed me the power of hope. He taught me that hope is a skill that can be learned and that everyone deserves it—no exceptions—even administrators who have learning disabilities or swear too much. Through his leadership, caring heart, and dedication to all students, he showed me that all students and staff are capable of success—no exceptions. He allowed us to visualize a better future for everyone. He taught us how to create a path and plan to achieve the work and that when you care enough, you can accomplish anything. His gift to me is endless. 

Now, I strive to share the gift of hope with others. I want my students to visualize their future selves. I want them to imagine what their home and family looks like. What hobbies and recreation activities they enjoy as adults. What education and career path they choose to pursue and how they will give back to their community. When we do this, when we teach kids to time travel to the future, envision what the future holds, and then show them how to create a path towards that vision. We fill them with hope, and there is no better gift than that. 

This article is one of three in our "Stories of Hope" series written by outstanding Washington state school leaders. We hope they inspire you! Check out our blog for the other two articles in this series.

When someone holds onto their hopes and dreams, they possess powerful encouragement that can help them overcome any obstacle in their way. Having a clear vision of what they want to achieve can provide a person with a sense of purpose to fuel determination and inspire perseverance. George Washington Carver once said, “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” This highlights the importance of having a clear goal or dream, as it can provide a person with direction and motivation to push through tough obstacles. With hopes and dreams, individuals can transform their lives and reach the unreachable heights they may have once thought impossible. This is a story of a girl who had such dreams.

This little girl grew up in a small town southeast of Tacoma. Despite their young age, the little girl’s parents showed an unwavering dedication to providing for their family. They worked tirelessly to fashion a quaint, stable home for their young family, even if it meant sacrificing their own wants and needs. When she became school aged, her family moved into a small home in a nice neighborhood. The example set by her parents instilled within her a strong work ethic and a commitment to succeed in life. The little girl knew nothing came easy, and she began approaching life with a positive attitude, where she made the most of opportunities that came her way.   

As the young girl grew up, her parents were determined to provide her and her brother with every opportunity to succeed. They opened doors that were closed for others and constantly talked about hopes and dreams as they emphasized the importance of education. This commitment to success became the little girl’s reality, as she grew up believing that success was built upon hopes and dreams, with a deliberate effort to achieve them. Though they had busy schedules, the little girl’s parents made their children their priority. Her father spent time with them and taught them the important life lessons that would shape them as they grew up. Her father was not just a typical father, but a coach, a disciplinarian, and a compassionate man who was always involved in his children’s lives. No matter what, he was there for her through the good times and tough times. This helped the little girl overcome obstacles and excel.

Indeed, the little girl learned the importance of family from her father, who grew up with six siblings. Her grandfather had passed away at a young age, leaving her father to take on a significant role in the family at the age of 10. This hardship instilled in her father the importance of being a loving and supportive parent. Despite the challenges, her father’s love for her and her brother was strong, and he made sure they were always taken care of. Through her father’s example, the little girl understood the value of family and how it forms an essential part of a person’s identity. She realized that even in difficult times, the love and support of family can make all the difference.

Still, at first, education was not a priority for the little girl, and she struggled to find her place in school. She did enough to get by and stayed unnoticed by teachers and schools, until 7th grade. Seventh grade became a turning point in her life that helped propel her forward and opened doors she never thought were possible, and it came with the support of a champion in the shape of her father. Because despite her initial struggles in school, the little girl’s father had a commitment to her success that changed everything. He recognized her lack of engagement in school, and he refused to let her settle for mediocrity. She was failing most of her classes because of her lack of commitment to hard work and persistence, but with the help of her father, mother, and teachers, they created a plan to get her back on track. From that point on, the little girl’s mindset changed. She began to see how her hopes and dreams were tied to hard work and success. This experience taught the little girl the importance of having a team of people around her who believed in her, even when she didn’t believe in herself. With her newfound commitment to education, the little girl began to have a dream of going to college.

As the little girl grew up, she continued to hold onto her dreams of going to college and serving others. Her parents’ unwavering support and encouragement gave her the confidence she needed to pursue her ambitions. With her family’s support, the little girl began to thrive. She became involved in extracurricular activities and volunteer work in classrooms, which helped her gain valuable skills and gave her a sense of purpose and fulfillment. The little girl became passionate about giving back to others.

As the little girl progressed through school, her parents’ lessons on the importance of teamwork took on a new meaning. She began to excel in sports. By the time the little girl was a senior in high school, she already started to develop a love for soccer, but she never thought it could be her path to college. Her parents, although supportive of her, had no idea how to make college possible, as they were not familiar with the application process. This all changed when a coach recognized her talent and encouraged her to go to college. He worked tirelessly, reaching out to multiple college soccer coaches and arranging for them to come and watch her play. This was the first time the little girl truly believed it might be possible for her dream to become a reality.

The hard work of the little girl’s team paid off, and she was offered a college soccer scholarship. This was significant for the little girl and her family, as no one in their extended family had ever gone to college. This scholarship not only gave her the opportunity to pursue her dream of playing soccer, but it also paved the way for her to earn a college degree in education and pursue her dreams of serving others.

Despite her background and initial struggles in school, this little girl learned that success does not have to be determined by wealth or status. Instead, it can be achieved through hard work, dedication, and perseverance—as long as you have a caring team to support you from the sidelines.

I am this little girl.

Today I am fortunate to have a loving husband and two wonderful boys, and the values that were instilled in me growing up are the same ones that my family believes in today. My husband and I have been married for over 25 years, and both of our boys have followed their dreams while also valuing service to others and prioritizing family.

My parents' commitment to my success has played a huge role in shaping who I am today. They taught me to be resilient and persistent in the face of challenges, and that has helped me to overcome many obstacles throughout my life. As a principal of an amazing school, I am passionate about creating an environment where every student is valued and supported, just as I was.

At our school, we believe in the potential of every student and refuse to give up on anyone. We work hard to remove any barriers to success and hold high expectations for our students. Our staff fosters a culture of hope and possibility, encouraging students to dream big and believe in themselves, just as my father encouraged me.

As I continue to pursue my own dreams, I am also dedicated to empowering those around me to pursue theirs. I understand that building strong relationships is critical to achieving any goal, and I make it a priority to connect with others. As a principal, I recognize the importance of partnering with families to inspire and support their children in achieving their dreams. Drawing upon the lessons I learned from my parents' support, I work to foster strong relationships with families and encourage them to take an active role in their children’s education, providing them guidance and resources needed to succeed.  My hope is to inspire others with the hope and support that my family provided me, and to help them believe that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

Success is not just about achieving a particular goal; it's also about the satisfaction that comes from knowing that you've done all you can to become your best self. As I give back to my community through my work at the school, I hope to inspire others to think big and reach for what feels unreachable. Our school is a place where staff believe in all students and where everyone belongs. A place of hopes and dreams, where doors are wide open, barriers are removed, and student success is an expectation.

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

Are we truly tapping into each student’s fullest potential? We know that every single student has potential for growth and achievement, but it’s not always so clear how to unleash that potential in schools.

Adam Grant’s latest book, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things, has some great ideas for us.

Adam is an organizational psychologist but I chose to summarize this book because his research and ideas have important implications for us in education.

What does Grant suggest we do to bring out the best in students? He has a multi-level approach (and I love that each starts with an S!)

1. SKILLS: Recognize student potential and help students accelerate their achievement by actively teaching them 3 character skills: determination, proactivity, and discipline.
2. SCAFFOLDS: Create the types of scaffolds that help to boost student motivation and support students in overcoming obstacles.
3. SYSTEMS: Build systems in our schools that support teachers in building relationships, supporting individual students, and developing a love of learning in students.

Oh, and by the way, all of the ideas also work to bring out the potential in our teachers and ourselves, too!

Here are my resources for this book:

• My usual 8-page pdf summary with PD ideas, or an html link to read on your phone
• My podcast about the book if you want to hear the main ideas on the go or in the gym

Read to the bottom to see the 2 free workshops I'm co-leading that may be helpful to you, and I'll be back on April 15. 

I Suggest A Coffee Hour With Families To Discuss Character Skills

I have another book for you that highlights character skills.

This one argues that kids are missing what they need most: the character strengths that help them feel purposeful, hopeful, and whole. The culture that surrounds them promised that if they strived for more (better grades, better performance, more accolades, more likes) then they would be happy, but that’s not what ended up happening.

Author, psychologist, and parenting expert Michele Borba, Ed.D. pulls back the curtain on why the current generation of kids is so anxious, depressed, and lonely in her book.

The good news is that Borba believes it’s never too late to teach kids the 7 character skills that actually get kids to thrive. And this teaching can happen in the home and at school.

Click for my 2-page overview, HANDOUT, and discussion questions to use with parents: Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine.

I suggest you hold a coffee hour and share the insights from this book with caregivers and educators alike so together you can help kids thrive while building parent engagement at the same time!

Chapter Chat on Trust & School Climate

Join Kim Marshall and me for a free, online, 1-hour Chapter Chat on our latest Best of Marshall Memo installment on TRUST & SCHOOL CLIMATE

Trust is the secret sauce that helps you build everything in your school. Learn how.

Because of the popularity of the topic, we will be offering it twice, April 11 or May 8. You can register here.

Did you miss last month's book summary? Click here for Support and Retain Educators of Color. I appreciate the concrete ideas leaders can implement now. 

AWSP members, head to this page to access past book summaries.

Jenn David-Lang

The Main Idea Jenn has worked in the field of education for over 25 years. She has had a wide range of experiences in both teaching and administration. She founded and directed Providence Summerbridge, a nonprofit to raise the academic achievement of urban middle school students; she taught both math and English; she provided professional development for teachers; and she has helped to start a number of New York City schools. Jenn received her principal’s certification and Ed.M. from the Bank Street College of Education. Through all of these experiences, she has seen firsthand that principals just don’t have enough time to keep abreast of the latest ideas in education.

It is Officially Spring

I love APRIL. Springtime brings crazy schedules for the Cromwell family. However, I am determined to enjoy these precious moments with my family along with the later sunsets, the blooming flowers, the birds chirping in the morning, and evenings on the back deck. All of these beautiful signs of spring make me smile. This month of April you need not to feel guilty about shutting down your phone for an evening or weekend. Go for a walk, turn the music up a bit louder on your drive to and from work, get a massage, AND treat yourself to some me time. April is when we are starting to see the finish line for this school year, so fill YOUR bucket. I know you will find this edition of the School Celebration Newsletter helpful to bring laughter, joy, and appreciation to your work. As always, feel free to reach out to me @sholtys on Twitter/X if I can do anything to support your work or be a sounding board of ideas. I believe in you!

A Few of My Favorites

April Days to Celebrate

April 2 | (caution on this one) National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day | Purchase Smucker UnCrustables (they are individually wrapped) and add a sticker that says “We All Go Together Like Peanut Butter and Jelly.” Or, for a non-peanut food treat, have student choral responses be Jelly. The principal says peanut butter, and students respond back with Jelly as an attention-getter.

April 3 | National Tweed Day | Can you have a fun tweed dress up day today?

April 4 | National Vitamin C Day | Pick up a box of “Emergen-C” at Costco and share with staff to encourage them to build up their immune system to get through this spring.

April 5 | National Deep Dish Pizza Day | Check with your local pizza restaurants and see if they would be willing to donate a few pizzas to honor your staff. Either treat staff to a pizza lunch or utilize them as prizes for a drawing for dinner.

April 10 | National Siblings Day | Have staff share pictures of themselves with their siblings and post them on a bulletin board or on your school’s media screens. What a great way for your students to get to know the faculty.

April 11 | National Pet Day | Have staff share pictures of their pets. Then have a class competition to see which classroom can match the most staff with their pets.

April 12 | National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day | Ask your PTO or school booster group to make grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch today. April 12 is also National Licorice Day. Have staff vote on preferences for Red Vines vs. Twizzlers?? Or provide licorice in your staff room for a quick snack. Include a note to say, “I am extending a vine to help you pull through the week.”

April 15 | National Laundry Day | Purchase Shout wipes with a sticker or note that says I want to shout out to the world how thankful I am for you. (Shout wipes are a must-have in the Cromwell Household.)

April 17 | National Banana Day | OK, so let me share with you that my grandmother believed in the power of bananas. Those, along with peppermint and honey, could cure just about everything. Bananas have potassium along with a ton of other good-for-you nutrients, and well, they do amazing things for the human body. On this day, I will be providing bananas for every staff member and a note that says, “Have a banana. It cures just about everything." –Grandma Alice.

April 18 | National Animal Cracker Day | Do you remember the red circus boxes of animal crackers? Add a stick on each one that says, “I am thankful you are a part of our circus.”

April 19 | National Garlic Day | Give everyone a bulb of garlic and a pack of tic tacs with a note “I will always have you covered.” Or create a poster in the staff room where staff could share favorite things to use garlic in and for.

April 22 | Earth Day | You got this one. But it is also National Jelly Bean Day, and I love Jelly Bellies. Have a game of Beanboozled available for staff or a beautiful colorful jar of jelly beans available today. Note: there are also small packs of Jelly Bellies available.

April 24 | National Bucket List Day | Create a bucket list board in your staff room. Ask staff to write on a post-it something that is on their bucket list and place it on the board.

April 24 | National Administrative Professionals Day | The most important day of the month to remember.

April 26 | National Pretzel Day | Pretzels in the staff room or handed out in your treat cart with a note “Everywhere I turn I see great things happening in your classroom/school.”

April 30 | National Raisin Day | Create a buffet of different types of raisin products (plain, chocolate covered, yogurt covered, oatmeal raisin cookies, etc). Add signs that say, “We are ‘raisin’ up great leaders at (your school).”

	Cindy Sholtys-Cromwell
	Principal, Loowit High School and Kelso Virtual Academy (K-12) Kelso School District

I recently read a passage from The Greatness Guide by Robin Sharma. In it, he states,

Being a leader isn’t about being liked, it is about doing what’s right. 

He goes on to say, 

Leaders fearlessly make tough calls. They speak their truth. They run their own race, making the right decisions and worrying little about public opinion. They are courage in action. 

It seems lonely, but it's also the only thing that makes sense to me lately.

I’ve realized that in the world of leadership, the path less traveled is often paved with tough decisions and unwavering values. It's not about being everyone's favorite, and being kind doesn’t make you weak. Leadership is about making decisions that, while they may not please everyone, are in the best interest of students, staff, community, and the mission at hand.

As leaders, we must embrace the reality that not everyone will like us or agree with our decisions, and that's okay. It’s not a popularity contest. It’s about integrity, courage, and standing firm to your convictions, even when people oppose you.

As leaders, we make difficult choices, we communicate openly and honestly, and we must lead by example. It has to be about fostering an environment where respect is earned through actions, not through seeking approval. Although we may not be able to please everyone, we can hopefully earn their respect through consistency, transparency, and unwavering commitment to bettering those we serve. 

I know my challenges aren't unique, and I'm not the only one with doubt. I also know my skills, experiences, and unique qualities contribute to the diverse fabric of our team, and I'm grateful for that. In the end, I would rather do what's right than be liked. Especially, if doing what's right is what's good for kids. Is that so bad?