Happy 2021 

January Days of Celebration 

 

Happy New Year! We have been waiting for 2021 for a long, long time now. Let’s kick off this new year school safety blog by considering something you might not expect. Consider this:

For those of you who have known me for a while, you may know that I was an English teacher for years – both English Language Arts and English As a Second Language. I have taught every grade level from K thru graduate level courses. Mainly in secondary classrooms in different places around the country – the world, even. So what? How does that apply to school safety?

Language Arts teachers teach reading. Reading skills apply across all curriculum areas. Math teachers, science teachers, Social Studies teachers, PE teachers, music teachers – all of us – also teach reading by taking basic reading skills and adapting them to specific content areas. Vocabulary. Structures. Rules. We all use them. We build on them. We deepen, sharpen and focus them to meet the needs of each specific subject.

So again…. How does that apply to school safety?

Just as reading lays the groundwork to better access other areas of study, comprehensive school safety planning lays the groundwork to better address all kinds of threats and hazards. And those threats and hazards impact the physical, emotional, psychological, and educational safety and well-being of our students and staff.

We are coming out of one of the most challenging times in our history. We have adapted, sharpened, modified, and focused our work to that environment for the better part of a full year now. We have also worked hard at keeping ourselves, our staffs and our students healthy and safe.

In terms of prevention, mitigation, protection, response and recovery, we are hopefully approaching recovery. Let’s adapt what we have experienced and learned to the next stages of school safety. Your comprehensive school safety plan is your umbrella for covering all the bases, teaching skills, coordinating, collaborating, and adapting to new situations – even new threats and hazards.

You are the “reading teacher” for your comprehensive school safety plan. Revisit your school safety plan. How current is it today? How can we adapt, build on, improve, and strengthen our pre-pandemic plans? What updates are needed for the coming newer normal? What new requirements do we have to meet? What skills do we need to practice, to build on? What else do we need to consider? Who might we have forgotten to include in the process? Are we ready for the next big thing?

Please feel free to let me know what help you need to do this. What issues would you like to see covered in these school safety blogs this year?

We are all in this together.

We all teach reading.

 

Happy Holidays from AWSP

In our final AWSP News episode for 2020, we discuss:

• some of those emails you’ve been getting from us about Cispus,
• impacting your kids with a powerful MLK experience in January,
• our partnership with world-renowned educator, YouTube video sensation and TED talker Shelley Moore for two Leading For Inclusion events,
• some professional advice for you during your Winter Break, and
• our holiday office closure.

Prefer to read the news? Check out the script.

 

Chances are you’ve participated in or at least heard of a white elephant gift exchange. If not, here’s a quick description:

Each person brings a wrapped gift to the exchange and puts it in a centralized location. Guests number off, and Person 1 chooses a gift from the pile to unwrap. Person 2 can either choose a gift from the pile, or steal from Person 1. Person 1 is not allowed to steal the gift back, and must choose a new gift from the pile. Person 3 can choose a gift from the pile, or steal from person 1 or 2. Play continues so forth until all gifts are unwrapped. There are usually pre-agreed upon rules about how many times a gift can be stolen before it is “locked in.” Strategies are developed, alliances are formed, and most of the time everyone leaves the party still friends with each other.

Why is it called a “white elephant” exchange? According to my highly-reliable Google research, the phrase is thought to have originated with the King of Siam, who would give rare albino elephants as “gifts” to people he didn’t like. The white elephants were beautiful, but they were considered sacred and therefore weren’t allowed to work. They had costly upkeep with little return on investment. 

Each year before we close the office for the holidays, our staff holds a white elephant gift exchange, typically at our office or a restaurant. We gather around a table and one by one, choose, open, and steal gifts. We’ve had people bring old mix tapes, creepy bird paintings, and even a full-size family wall portrait. Many people leave the exchange with something cute or fun – silly socks, tasty treats, or new bowls for their kitchen. But undoubtedly someone leaves with something they never expected, never wanted, and aren’t sure what to do with now. They take the gift home awkwardly, vowing to save it and pawn it off on someone at next year’s exchange. 

When you think about it, 2020 has been a white elephant year of sorts. We certainly weren’t expecting it, most of us had no idea what to do with it, and I’m pretty sure we’ve all thought more than once that we wish we could send it back. (Sorry! Leaving unwanted gifts behind at the restaurant is not allowed.) 

Being stuck with it, we’ve had to learn to make the most of it. Over and over again, we’ve overcome hurdles we never imagined having to take on. We’ve pushed forward in supporting each other through the separation, the changes, the loneliness, and the fear of a year full of unknowns. We've worked tirelessly to make this year as "normal" as possible for the people in our lives, quickly adapting as we go. 

Case in point – this year’s AWSP white elephant gift exchange. It won’t be at a restaurant or the office, but we’re holding it over Zoom. It won't be exactly the same, but this is one tradition 2020 isn’t going to take away from us. 

As the pandemic began, 2020’s return on investment seemed quite low. The year brought difficult decisions, financial hardship, anxiety, and sadness to many. But around every turn there have been silver linings to our struggles: Close conversations with our families at home. Intentional video chats with faraway friends. Encouraging cards and messages from coworkers. The opportunity for many of us to be more involved with our kids’ schooling. It is by focusing on these silver linings that we are making the most of 2020 instead of letting 2020 get the best of us.

For what we were gifted unexpectedly, I think we’ve done a pretty good job of finding its hidden value. 

And hey, maybe that creepy bird painting will look okay in the guest room?

 

Each year, the staff at AWSP signs up to sponsor two or three families for the holidays through the Tumwater Lions Club. it's a tradition we look forward to annually as each year draws to a close.

We started our staff tradition about 10 years ago. It used to be that we bought gifts for each other. We'd draw names for a secret Santa exchange, then purchase a surprise gift for the person whose name we chose based on their list of hobbies and interests. While the internal gift exchange was fun, we all agreed that none of us actually needed those gifts, and that the money would be better used shopping for families in need. (We still do a staff white elephant gift exchange just for laughs - more on that in a future blog post!)

The wish lists we receive from the Lions Club are anonymous. Families are organized numerically, and we only find out each student's age, gender, and top three wishes. 

The requests from families are never anything huge. More often than not, the wish lists include basic clothing items, shoes, and a simple toy or two. Some children wish for art supplies, some for books, some for legos. Shopping for these families each year not only serves as a team-building exercise for our staff, but it also reminds us how blessed we are. The holidays have always been a challenge for many families financially and emotionally, but the impact of this year has made it harder for even more families and students than usual. As we gathered up our items for each family, carefully labeling and organizing them, we remembered to be thankful for the little things -- which to some people are actually quite big things.

Sponsoring families for the holidays is just one way we work internally as a staff to build culture, engage the community, and close the gap.

What do you or your team do to give back during the holiday season? We'd love to hear about it! Share with us in a comment below. 

In a recent article published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), author Mica Pollock addresses the topic of hateful speech in schools. She writes, “hate-filled speech has been on the rise as students (and adults) emulate divisive and derogatory language heard in national rhetoric and policy.” 

So how might educators respond to hateful speech?

Pollock suggests that “Educators should never passively tolerate hateful speech. Instead, we forbid threat speech and harassment. We challenge all speech that denigrates or misrepresents ‘types of people.’ We treasure free speech, not as some ‘right’ to disparage others without any consequences but as the ability to discuss ideas. Each of these ways of handling speech is core to an educator's job.” 

What are specific strategies for responding?

Pollock encourages educators to listen, focus on the facts, ask students to use evidence, and to respect privacy. She also says to remember that “your overall task is to support the safety and well-being of the students in your room, along with their learning.” 

She offers several dialogue suggestions in her article and also refers readers to the website #USvsHate for more specific lessons and examples of activities that help students get to know and respect their peers. 

Read more from ASCD.

Need support during COVID-19? Here is a new resource called Washington Listens provided by several partnering agencies in our state. 

Washington Listens is a support line that provides non-clinical support to people who feel sad, anxious, or stressed due to COVID-19. Washington Listens is free and anonymous. Any Washington resident can call and a support specialist will listen and help to guide you to connections within your community. 

How do you access Washington Listens? Call 1-833-681-0211. Washington Listens is staffed Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, check out their website or this fact sheet.

 

The refreshed version of the AWSP Leadership Framework is the perfect tool for your professional growth!  School leaders across Washington state now have access to incredible resources to support their work in each of the eight criteria. On December 1, AWSP launched our Leadership Framework Criterion Resource pages. These pages are housed on our AWSP website and contain everything from current article and blog posts to book recommendations and AWSP video content specific to each criterion. We know that school leaders are always looking for ways to grow their skills and understanding of high-quality leadership. These resource pages will help guide you on your professional growth journey.

Resource pages can be accessed quickly by using our short URLs. For example, Criterion 1 resources are at www.awsp.org/LF1. Criterion 2 resources are at /LF2, and so on.

AWSP will continue to update these pages with additional resources as we receive them. Do you have a great resource that has helped with one or more of the Criteria? We'd love to share it with other members! Send it our way.

 

High school principals have a lot on their minds this month as they work to support teachers and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning and sharing experiences with other principals is valuable while they navigate similar challenges, such as grading, attendance, and planning for graduation. The Chief Education Officer (CEO) Network – a partnership between the Association of Washington Principals (AWSP), Partnership for Learning, Washington Roundtable and Challenge Seattle – brings principals together this school year for monthly virtual workshops and offers access to online curriculum developed by AWSP.

The November CEO Network meeting offered an opportunity for principals connect with one another, as well as engage with representatives from higher education groups and institutions around postsecondary admissions, as well as resources for high school families and counselors.

Julie Garver, director of Academic Affairs and Policy at the Council of Presidents, and Terri Standish-Kuon, president and CEO of Independent Colleges of Washington, emphasized that their member schools want to enroll Washington students. 

Garver and Standish-Kuon discussed the importance of sharing financial aid resources with high school students and families. Filling out a financial aid application, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA), is a key first step for students and families in determining the resources available to them. For example, the Washington College Grant is now available to all eligible families. It can be applied to an apprenticeship, two-year college, or four-year college in Washington. It’s also important for families to document any significant change in income or expenses that may have occurred. 

Representatives from Pacific Lutheran University, St. Martens University, Washington State University, and Western Washington University discussed changes to their admissions processes in response to the pandemic. This includes test-optional pathways for students. Institutions are looking closely at students’ experiences, backgrounds, and service or mission. Letters of recommendation and essays are other ways that admissions offices learn about students. 

Melody Ferguson from Pacific Lutheran University said applying to a college isn’t choosing, but “allowing us to have a longer conversation.” 

When determining student supports, Cezar Mesquita of Western Washington University said the institution identifies social and financial resources that would help students thrive. These supports can be informed by grade trends and class rigor.  

Principals also heard from Randy Spaulding, executive director of the Washington State Board of Education, about high school credit waivers/adjustments, supporting mastery-based learning, how learning standards could reflect ethnic studies and culturally responsive education, and more. 

Resources:

• Information for School Counselors Amid COVID-19 Pandemic (Independent Colleges of Washington) 
• Washington Public Four-Year College & Universities COVID-19 FAQ (Council of Presidents) 
• Financial Aid Offices (Independent Colleges of Washington) 
• Dual Credit Tool (Council of Presidents)
• Reopening Washington Schools 2020: Dual Credit and Postsecondary Planning (OSPI)
• COVID-19 Facts and Resources (Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges) 

 

The Grammarist notes that “hindsight is 20/20 is usually said in answer to an admonishment that [someone] should have known something would happen”, or that we might/could/should have made different decisions earlier on. In hindsight, 2020 has been one tumultuous year! Along with the first US COVID case here in WA last January, we have experienced social, political, economic, and, often, personal disruption during the entirety of 2020.

2020 is quickly winding down. It’s time to allow ourselves time for some much-needed self-care. During all the quarantined hustle and bustle, as you prepare for the holiday season and for 2021, take a deep breath. Look back. Reflect.

• What is working well during the pandemic?
• What have we learned?
• How did you and your staff support one another during this challenging year?
• Who are your community partners and how are you working well together?
• How are your students and their families faring?
• What do you most need as you move forward?

   

  Thank you very much for all that you have done to get your staff, students, families and partners through 2020.

  Relax. Enjoy your own families – as much as possible - during this holiday season.

  See you all again in 2021!

  Happy Holidays,

  Mike

Science says that COVID19 cases are on the rise and spiking across the country. Science also says we should go back into lockdowns and social isolation. Science also says we are close to the release of a new vaccine that might finally bring us some relief. That same science says that we should get kids back in school as soon as humanly possible. But doesn’t that sound like conflicting science? 

Well, it’s not. After countless studies conducted throughout the country studying COVID cases, transmission rates, and symptoms among youth, on top of safe procedures for reopening our schools, the evidence seems to be overwhelming that we need to get our students out of isolation and back into our schools. Schools, like always, are proving to be one the safest places for our kids.

We all know the education system was inequitable before COVID, but those inequities have grown exponentially since we sent everyone home back in March. Compounding the problem is the ongoing battle between state bureaucracy and local control. What do we have now? A mess. Literally thousands of schools all tackling teaching and learning in a different manner. So different that we’ve now added an element of competition putting classified staff against certified, teachers against teachers, buildings against buildings, principals against principals, and districts against districts. If we kind of knew zip code defined access, opportunity, and achievement before; we certainly do now.

As rates of failure soar along with the many factors associated with learning loss (hope, relationships, social/emotional health, mental health, socialization, physical safety, etc.), we need to act with urgency in creating plans to safely get students and adults back into our schools. Again, looking at the research, it can be done and done so in a safe manner for everyone.

Although some kids are finding success in remote learning, I talk to more students, parents, and educators who say otherwise. We can’t even yet comprehend the consequences and long-term impacts of keeping our kids at home. I’m also not sure how we can talk about equity in education while we sit back knowing our most disadvantaged students are falling even further behind.

It’s time for us to act. Let’s replicate the systems put in place across the state and country where schools have opened and done so with remarkable success. Let’s set the bar high for everyone and not let adult needs outweigh the needs of our kids. And, no, this is not a message saying I don’t care about the adults in the system. It’s quite the opposite. The schools and districts that have opened either fully or in some hybrid model have put great systems in place to keep the adults safe. Education is essential which makes educators essential which means ensuring our schools and districts have the resources they need to open now. Our kids can’t wait.

With each passing day gaps are widening, and failure rates are increasing. Many students are losing steam, persistence, and hope. Whether it’s a lack of relationships, consistent access to connectivity, or a myriad of other contributing factors, students are suffering the direct consequences of continued remote learning. Stakeholder groups need to come together soon to put talk of returning into tangible action steps. I realize this is not an easy task before us, but we can’t let excuses prevent us from turning the tide of hopelessness and failure.

In the meantime, what should we do to address the alarming failure rates?

1. Focus on time to build and foster relationships
2. Start measuring student hope and hopelessness
3. Narrow the standards (in other words stop trying to teach all of the stuff we used to teach while in person)
4. Increase the amount of daily “live” contact with kids
5. Reduce the amount of recorded lessons and independent assignments
6. Make a big step toward standards-based grading with a baby step of sound grading practices.
   

We can’t keep trying to shove traditional teaching practices into this virtual reality because it is anything but reality. We have an obligation to look at our delivery and assessment models through a different lens. It’s really not a choice. I’m not sure I can handle one more statement about what the kids are doing or not doing, when I know we carry the responsibility and burden to adapt to their needs. The clock is ticking. We are rapidly approaching the midway point of the school year.