We know that trying to fit everything into an elementary school day is a challenge. With limited time in the day, some subjects end up on the back burner, even though the content is vital for students’ future success in school, college, and beyond. 

Kimberley Astle, Associate Director of Elementary Science at OSPI, is currently collecting examples of elementary (K-5) instructional schedules at the classroom, school, and district level that include time allocated for science learning. 

The goal is to understand how teachers, schools, and districts are finding successful ways to organize instructional minutes so that elementary students are provided with the learning time they need for a quality science education.

The information collected will be used to develop a guiding resource illustrating schedule examples and strategies that are working in practice in a variety of contexts.

Please share this survey link to any elementary teachers, coaches, principals, and district leaders who could provide schedule examples.   

We are each other’s best resources! Please share your tried-and-true schedules and watch for additional schedule examples in the near future.

Session Begins!

This year’s legislative session kicked off on Monday, January 9th, and the Capitol was hopping! It was so great to see legislators, staffers, lobbyists, and other people bustling around the buildings and walkways of the Capitol Campus. For the most part, things feel the same as they did in 2020 when legislators last met in person. There are some new security features, such as metal detectors prior to going into the gallery sitting areas of the House and Senate floors, and there are more locked doors in the Cherberg and O’Brien office buildings. But, there are plenty of friendly faces to greet you in hearing rooms or escort you to members’ offices.

Budget

The first part of the week focused on the opening activities of the session, including getting 29 new members sworn in and listening to Governor Inslee’s State of the State Address. Both the Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations Committees begin their committee hearings by listening to testimony about the Governor’s budget. The common theme from education advocates was the need for additional funding for special education and transportation. I submitted written testimony emphasizing the need for additional funding for principal internship and mentorship programs.

Policy Committees

Many committee chairs use the beginning of a long legislative session to hold “work sessions” on various topics so that new members can get up to speed on current issues, reports, or even on the history of bills passed in that area. House Education did just that, holding two different work sessions on the history of K-12 education and funding in our state, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on education. The Washington Joint Legislative Review and Audit Committee (JLARC) presented its preliminary findings on the Racial Equity Effects of Restricting In-Person Learning During the Pandemic. Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education, however, jumped right into bill hearings.

Bills heard this week in Senate Education included bills encouraging bone marrow instruction in schools, lowering the age to enroll in schools to age 6 (from age 8), changing the notification date for nonrenewed contracts to June 1, creating the Purple Star Award, and removing classified staff from the definition of PSES staff to ensure that the enhanced funding to the prototypical model is being spent on these specific certificated staff (nurses, counselors, psychologists, etc.)

Principal Bills

The highlight of the week for AWSP was the Senate Education Committee hearing on Thursday, where our two principal (and assistant principal) bills were heard. Senator Lisa Wellman, who chairs this committee, is the prime sponsor for both bills. SB 5175 would allow districts to offer principals contracts of up to three years. SB 5085 would update the terms of employment for principals and assistant principals to do these things:

• Remove statutory limitations on the scope of collective bargaining for bargaining units containing only supervisors, or principals and assistant principals, or both.

• Require the citation of specific evaluation criteria when transferring a principal or an assistant principal to a subordinate certificated position.

• Require that years of administrator experience count towards total years in future positions when a principal or assistant principal is transferred to a nonadministrative subordinate position.

• Apply employment provisions relating to principals to assistant principals as well.

• Specify that in addition to whether an applicant has ever been placed on administrative leave, a school district employment application may not include a question asking whether the applicant has ever been on a plan of improvement, has ever been under an investigation, or has ever resigned in lieu of termination.

• Require evaluators of principals and assistant principals to receive training in evaluation procedures.

Dr. Scott Seaman and I testified at the Capitol, and a fantastic panel of principals testified remotely. Their stories were powerful, and Senator Wellman wrote to tell me that she is “deeply grateful for our principals and the leadership they provide our schools. The group you had testifying was wonderful.”  

Many thanks to these amazing leaders for their time and expertise in planning and delivering their testimony:

• Heidi Maurer, Principal, Kentlake High School, Kent

• Jason Smith, Principal, Rogers High School, Puyallup

• Dr. Robert Gary, Principal, Madison Middle School, Seattle

• Carlos Gonzalez, Principal, McFarland Middle School, Othello

• Justin Hendrickson, Principal, South Shore K-8 School, Seattle

• Gerrit Kischner, Principal, Thornton Creek Elementary, Seattle

• Brent Osborn, Principal and AWSP President, Lakeside High School, Nine Mile Falls

Watch the hearings on TVW, listen to the audio, or read a transcript. The transcript contains some errors, but it's pretty good.

Bill Tracking

Next week is another busy week with about 15 education bills up for hearing, including a bill that would ensure students receive sufficient time at recess each day (45 minutes) and a bill that would change “emergency expulsion” to “emergency removal.” 

View all the bills I'm tracking.

If you are interested in helping with our advocacy efforts, please reach out to me. Your participation can be as easy as doing an action alert to email your legislators or signing in support of a specific bill. Or, if you feel really passionate about a specific bill, we would love to have you testify. Reach out and let me know. It takes all of us to make an impact!

Renton School District AP focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion and is always student-centered.

OLYMPIA — Jessica Buchan, assistant principal at Renton High School in the Renton School District, was named this year’s Washington State Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year. Buchan will also be recognized at the national level by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), where she will compete with winners from other states for the NASSP’s National Assistant Principal of the Year award, announced in early April.

Buchan has been an assistant principal for six years, serving in that role for the past two years at Renton High School. She believes all teachers have the capability to be master teachers, which grounds her work in teacher observation, feedback cycles, and evaluation. With her International Baccalaureate and AVID background, she knows all students need access to rigorous instruction and the proper support to reach high expectations. 

Taking pride in her instructional leadership, Buchan coaches teachers on a variety of pedological practices. This allows teachers to increase challenges for students and, at the same time, provide support and access for students furthest from educational justice. Buchan values all voices and makes an effort to seek out traditionally underrepresented groups when making decisions, from hourly staff not often present in meetings to parents working multiple jobs who might not be able to attend events or have a presence at the school.

In her time at Renton High School, her leadership helped the school in creating systems and structures to help student achievement and increase student attendance. For example, the amount of students attending 95-100 percent of the time has increased by 20 percent. Not only are more students there, more often, but the ASB has become more representative of student voice and their actions more relevant to the school community.

“When discussing new initiatives, Jessica always brings the discussion back to ‘Is this good for kids?’ If it’s good for kids, it’s hard to go wrong,” said Gioia Pitts, the district’s Chief of Secondary Education. She added, “She is passionate about making a difference in the lives of students. This involves reaching all students, motivating the unmotivated, and building authentic relationships. She never gives up.”

Whether through her instructional leadership skills, her equity-centered leadership focusing on each students’ needs, or her impact on culture, climate, and community, Buchan helps make Renton High School a better place for everyone. Nowhere does this show up more than in her desire to keep what’s best for kids front and center.

“The job of a high school assistant principal is filled with many challenges and rewards. While all school staff work in unison each day to provide students with meaningful education, it is outstanding that Jessica’s hard work in this role as well as her commitment to serving students, families, and staff is being honored by AWSP,” said Dr. Damien Pattenaude, Superintendent of the Renton School District.

Download the press release (PDF). 

For More Information  David Morrill | Communications & Technology Director | (800) 562-6100

Kent School District Principal Grows Distinguished Teachers and a Culture of Hope

OLYMPIA — Dana Stiner, principal at Pine Tree Elementary School in the Kent School District, was named this year’s Washington State Elementary Principal of the Year. Stiner will also be recognized at the national level by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). She will be recognized with winners from other states as one of NAESP’s National Distinguished Principals.

Personable. Trusted. Genuine. These are just a few of the qualities describing Kent School District Principal Dana Stiner. She’s one of those people you wish you could clone – and so are the outcomes of her achievements. 

Dr. Stiner is in her sixth year as principal at Pine Tree Elementary. Before her arrival, the school had four different principals in four years. Turnover was high, student behavior was a challenge, and bullying was on the rise. Dana worked closely with staff to create a plan that included a positive reward system, social skills training, and developing a culture where everyone felt heard. Her team’s work resulted in an environment where students thrived socially and academically and where students looked forward to going each day.

Dr. Stiner’s dedication to knowing each student and staff member individually is part of what lends to the positive culture. Kent School District Executive Director Dr. Christine Avery explains, “Dr. Stiner is a distinguished instructional leader that knows every student by name/strength/need, is in every classroom every day, engages in side-by-side coaching daily with teachers, and has earned the trust and respect of her diverse families and community.” 

Dr. Stiner also knows how to mix learning with fun. For example, she dreamed up the idea of a vending machine for books. Her office manager was able to acquire an old vending machine and convert it to hold books. Now the vending machine has become part of the school’s PBIS reward system. 

When asked about Dr. Stiner, there is no shortage of praise from her team. Dr. Avery writes, “Dana is the most deserving principal for this award because she improves the lives of children every day. She changes the trajectory of a student’s life by growing distinguished teachers and creating a school environment focused on learning, a sense of belonging, hope, and joy. She is relentless on her focus to improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment and thereby achieves closing achievement, opportunity, and equity gaps for her students.”

National Distinguished Principal of the Year Program
Stiner will be honored next fall in Washington D.C. as part of the National Distinguished Principal of the Year program, sponsored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education. All state winners participate in a series of events and activities over the course of two days, culminating in a formal awards banquet. There is no national winner at the elementary level.      

Download the press release (PDF). 

For More Information  David Morrill | Communications & Technology Director | (800) 562-6100

Bethel School District principal is moving the needle on inclusion, collaboration, and test scores.

OLYMPIA — Shannon Leatherwood, principal at Spanaway Middle School in the Bethel School District, was named this year’s Washington State Secondary Principal of the Year. Leatherwood will also be recognized at the national level by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). She will compete with winners from other states for the NASSP National Principal of the Year award.

Leatherwood, in her 12^th year as a principal and fifth at Spanaway Middle School, leads with two principles. First, she is driven by what is best for students. And secondly, she believes if something isn’t sustainable, it’s not worth doing.

A tireless advocate for students, Leatherwood leads by example and serves with her whole heart, creating a culture of inclusivity, support, and pride in students, staff, and community while maintaining a high standard of academic excellence. In her time at Spanaway Middle School, she has built a strong and collaborative leadership team, increased the school's inclusionary practices, created better access to quality learning, improved school and student safety by growing restorative practices and strengthening support systems. This was all done by providing the right professional development for the school’s staff to grow their individual and collective efficacy.

Shannon believes in paying forward what she received as a leader and does so as the president of the Bethel Principal Association, mentoring fellow administrators, serving on district-level committees, and presenting at statewide conferences. She centers her greatest accomplishments around the themes of culture, systems, and learning and believes relationships form the core of culture. It’s those relationships that allowed her staff to embrace collective efficacy on three key messages about their belief in students: “What we’re doing here is important. We believe you can do this. We are not giving up on you.”

The results speak for themselves. In fact, only one of our state’s 541 middle schools saw more growth in their test scores than Spanaway Middle School. For all those reasons and more, Leatherwood is a deserving winner.

“We are so excited to see Shannon recognized as Secondary Principal of the Year for the state. Shannon is an amazing leader who has demonstrated the ability to truly be the learning leader of her school in a way that results in both improved school culture and increased student achievement,” said Brian Lowney, Ph.D., Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools in the Bethel School District. “Shannon is an outstanding representation of the fantastic principals, teachers, and staff who are dedicated to serving the students and families in Bethel.”

Download the press release (PDF). 

For More Information  David Morrill | Communications & Technology Director | (800) 562-6100

Monroe School District AP empowers staff to empower students.

OLYMPIA — Deborah Henderson, assistant principal at Frank Wagner Elementary School in the Monroe School District, was named the 2023 Washington State Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year. In addition, she will represent Washington as our state’s winner of the National Association of Elementary School Principals National (NAESP) Outstanding Assistant Principal award. The NAESP recognizes one winner from each state every year.

In her fourth year as assistant principal at Frank Wagner Elementary, Henderson knows that empowering her staff means empowering her students. With a strong vision for both improving instruction and boosting school culture, she came into her role with a goal to increase professional development for staff in core subject areas. This resulted in happier staff and increased student test results.

Henderson worked with the school’s principal, an instructional coach from the district, and trainers from Columbia University to provide a research-based curriculum and job-embedded professional development. This resulted in teachers knowing what to teach and how to teach it. 

But she didn’t stop there. In her first year working with Principal Hugo Molina, she supported his vision of moving towards an all means all model by revamping the master schedule. Molina writes, “She moved us away from a schedule centered around adult needs and centered the master and daily schedule around student learning.”

Continuing on a path of improving culture and learning, Henderson implemented schoolwide PBIS expectations and strategies that responded to the needs of their student population. Working with a trauma-informed leadership team, they increased staff knowledge and rolled out strategies to all teachers, giving them the support needed to implement them schoolwide consistently. Community satisfaction surveys during COVID showed that her efforts paid off.

Download the press release (PDF). 

For More Information  David Morrill | Communications & Technology Director | (800) 562-6100

Legislative Preview 2023

Buckle up, people! This year’s legislative session begins on Monday! 

This will be a long session lasting 105 days. It is the first year of a two-year biennium where a new operating budget for 2023-2025 and hundreds of bills will be passed. Of our 147 legislators, almost 30 of them are brand new to the Legislature.

Budget

The budget is always top of mind during session. Our state’s economy continues to bring in revenue above projections, but this growth is slowing, and there are concerns about inflation and fear of a recession. Governor Inslee released his budget in mid-December to kick off the budget conversation, but education advocates will push legislators to do more. Inslee’s primary focus for education funding is for additional educator compensation due to inflation, required by statute through an increase in IPD (Implicit Price Deflator). He also included funding for special education, school nutrition costs, outdoor education, teacher residencies, and more. For a complete look at this initial budget, please check out Dan Steele’s This Week in Olympia. Thank you, Dan!

Year of the Principal

We have been referring to this as the “Year of the Principal” (and we always include assistant principals in that!). We feel the momentum for principal support building in our conversations with others about how the system could better support your professional needs. 

We have two bills in the works just to improve the lives of our principals and ​​assistant principals. One clarifies some parts of the evaluation process, and the other provides some job protections. Check out SB 5085 and SB 5175 to learn more. Both bills will be heard by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee next Thursday, January 12 at 1:30 pm. We would love to have everyone sign in with your support or write your legislator about why these bills are so important.

How to Advocate

• Find your legislator’s contact information. 

• Sign in support SB 5085 or SB 5175. 

Bill Tracking List

There have already been a few hundred bills pre-filed, with more to come. Please see this list for all of the education bills I am tracking. I’ll have more next week about key bills for this legislative session.

Thank you for everything you do for students and staff. Reach out to me if you have questions or comments.

The content from this post comes from Dr. Whitehead's weekly email.

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

Please feel free to reach out if you have ideas on topics and resources. This week’s emails include links to information on:

Everyone:
The Relationship Between Special Education Placement and High School Outcomes

Special Education & 504 Case Law:
Child Find & LRE

Special Education:
Improving Outcomes for Native American Students With Disabilities While Respecting and Honoring Native Culture

OSPI:
December Updates
OSPI Fall Virtual 504 Training Handout

Upcoming Classes and Events

• Washington SEL Institute
• Call for Presenters: SLP Conference
• Computer Science: Senate Bill 5088     

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Welcome to 2023. I Am So Glad to See You!

This past year is one that provided me with a variety of opportunities to learn, grow and become a better person and principal. As we turn the page on 2022, I want to encourage you to reflect on the positive memories of the year. It is important to honor your incredible work to support your staff, students, and families you serve through this school year. Even when exhausted, you continue to inspire and motivate your staff. If no one has told you lately, I want you to know you are doing a phenomenal job. I hope you find this month’s newsletter full of simple ideas to help bring laughter and joy to your work. Feel free to reach out to me if I can do anything to support your work or be a sounding board as you maneuver through these unchartered waters. Find me on Twitter @sholtys. Cheers to 2023 and this fantastic world of principaling.

January Days to Celebrate

Jan 3 | National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day | Pick up some of these chocolates after Christmas on sale for this day, or January 3 is also National Drinking Straw Day. Have you thought about providing staff with environmentally friendly straws? Include a note or sign, “Taking Care of You and our Environment Today”.

Jan 4 | National Spaghetti Day (It’s what is for dinner) AND it is also National Trivia Day. Game time for everyone. Think Kahoot or random email trivia.

Jan 5 | National Bird Day | Is your school mascot a bird? You could really do so many fun things with this one. And it is also National Whipped Cream Day. Bring in the desserts for an afternoon snack to which you could add whip cream. (Ice cream, cookies, angel food cake, shakes, floats, and fruit). Deliver via room services to your staff for an added bonus.

Jan 7 (Saturday) | National Play Outside Day | Encourage your students, families, and staff to enjoy the outdoors this weekend.

Jan 9 | National Apricot Day (one of my favorite dehydrated fruits) and National Clean Your Desk Day | This would be appreciated by so many families and custodians especially.

Jan 13 | National Rubber Ducky Day | Purchase a variety of rubber duckies and place a number on the bottom of each. The number will correlate to a gift box full of simple and inexpensive prizes OR you could choose National Sticker Day–Put positive stickers around the school.

Jan 18 | National Thesaurus Day | Have a few fun words listed in the staff room and have staff come up with synonyms and antonyms as part of a trivia. It is also National Winnie the Pooh Day. You could easily include some of these classic quotes throughout the day or in announcements: “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”-Christopher Robbin; “After all, one can’t complain. I have my friends.”-Eeyore; “The things that make me different are the things that make me, me.”- Piglet

Jan 19 | National Popcorn Day | A pack of microwave popcorn to help staff “positively popping into 2023.” Or a buffet for a movie night at home with family, including popcorn and candy to help staff balance work and family tonight.

Jan 20 | National DJ Day | Play music throughout today in celebration. I love my Jammy Pack (see picture above). Music lifts everyone’s spirit. Shout out to Allyson Apsey, who introduced me to the pack! It is a game changer, people.

Jan 24 | National Compliment Day | Provide staff members with a notecard to write a compliment on for co-workers or school volunteers. Connect with families by also sending out appreciation postcards for their never-ending support of the school (Don’t forget your PTO).

Jan 27 | National Chocolate Cake Day | This is an easy one; go to the local bakery and pick one up.

Jan 30 | National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day | Oh my, this should be so much fun!! Wrap a special treat in bubble wrap for staff. Or create a stress relief kit with bubble wrap and a few other items (ibuprofen, a gift card for class coverage/recess duty, stress balls, breath mints, etc).

Jan 31 | National Hot Chocolate Day | Easy one!! And it is also National Plan for Vacation Day, which would be a great question for staff today. Use a poster in the staff room and ask, “Where would you like to go on vacation?” Provide staff with post-its to write their answers and place them under the question.

Cindy is in her 23rd year as a school administrator. She is currently the principal of Kelso Virtual Academy and Loowit Alternative High School within the Kelso School District in Kelso, Washington. Cindy has been recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals as the 2021 National Digital Principal of the Year. She has two teenagers and has been married to her husband, Leszek for 23 years. Find her on Twitter @sholtys.

OSPI and the TPEP Steering Committee have proposed a new rule to make changes to the evaluation timeline for principals and assistant principals.

From the CR-102 (rulemaking) form: 

Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules:
OSPI is proposing to establish a timeline and defined process for professional performance evaluations of certificated principals and assistant principals. The proposal would require evaluations and summative conferences be conducted by the evaluator prior to June 1 of the school year of which the evaluation is made. The proposed timeline would apply to both focused and comprehensive evaluations for principals and assistant principals. The proposal is intended to ensure that principals and assistant principals receive timely feedback as well as indications of their employment status.

Reasons supporting proposal:
In collaboration with the Teacher and Principal Evaluation Program (TPEP) Steering Committee*, this proposal supports growth and development for all principals and assistant principals by requiring evaluations and summative conferences occur in a timely manner. Unlike teacher evaluations, whose evaluation timeline is established by collective bargaining agreements, principal and assistant principal evaluations might not be completed in a  manner or on a timeline that allows a principal/assistant principal to improve their practice or to seek another position.

*The TPEP Steering Committee includes the following: Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP), Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), Washington Education Association (WEA), Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA), and Washington State Parent Teacher Association (WSPTA), as well as OSPI.

You can make public comment during the January 5th, 3:00 pm Zoom hearing, or email written contents to Katie Taylor, OSPI's Director of Educator Effectiveness, by January 5th. 

The content from this post comes from Dr. Whitehead's weekly email.

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

Please feel free to reach out if you have ideas on topics and resources. This week’s emails include links to information on:

Everyone:
Paraeducators and Students Eligible for Receive Special Education Services

504:
Accommodations for ADHD
Accommodations for Dyslexia

Special Education & 504 Case Law:
IDEA issues during the extended pandemic period and warranting special consideration of districts’ FAPE obligation

Special Education:
Activities, reports, and grant packages

OSPI:
Request to Fully Fund Special Education

Upcoming Classes and Events

• Call for Presenters: SLP Conference
• Computer Science: Senate Bill 5088     

Meridian's 2022 Winter Wishes Video

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AWSP's 2016 Winter Wishes Video

From Dan, Samuel and the team at Disability Roadmap Project:

When AWSP came on board as a funding partner for the Disability Roadmap Project, you helped spark the beginning of what has turned into an astounding journey of visibility and impact.  Thanks to your early support, the short My Disability Roadmap film has reached millions through the 2022 New York Times publication. We are deepening the film’s themes through “Our Disability Roadmap,” a free, yearlong series of educational webinars featuring Samuel’s extended conversations with his mentors about transitioning to adulthood. The film has been nominated for a Critics Choice Award, named one of the best short films of the year by Hollywood Reporter, and is currently eligible for Oscars consideration!

We have more exciting work underway to help youth with disabilities find their own road maps to employment, higher education, independent living, friendships, relationships, and every other aspect of healthy, full adult lives.
We will continue to use your support to:

• Create and distribute a feature-length film building on the themes and interviews present in the short (for 2024 release).
• Develop a companion educational and outreach campaign that will amplify the significance of the film as it is shown in communities, classrooms, and living rooms.
• Expand the “Our Disability Roadmap” webinar series and our screening/discussion events.
  Continue to collaborate with and employ people with disabilities, who make up the majority of our production and outreach crew.

Thanks to your support, the Disability Roadmap Project will continue to impact young adults with disabilities. their families, and the culture at large for years to come.

I recently attended the Learning and the Brain — “Teaching Struggling Brains” Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, with several of my staff. Led by some of the most respected researchers currently practicing in the United States, these three days were packed with big learnings and takeaways to support our work with students. The ability of these researchers to speak to educators in a manner that was understandable and applicable to our educational world was one of the most impressive aspects of this research-based conference.

Jessica Minahan, board-certified behavior analyst and educator, shared key insights for the classroom. She shared about the common practice of calming corners and recovery areas that many teachers are utilizing in their classrooms. One of the keys to successful implementation is to remember most students need a break because of the thoughts in their heads. We must make sure the breaks we provide are not opportunities for students to ruminate on their own negative thoughts. Suggestions include providing an activity to help students get out of their negative thoughts by utilizing a “Where’s Waldo?” book, a knock-knock joke book, Sudoku, or a color identification activity. It is critical that if students are stuck on a “negative” idea, we help them change it rather than have a quiet place to continue the negative talk. Minahan also shared about the promising work of biofeedback that will contribute to self-regulation. This includes a watch MIT is developing to work as a “mood ring” to let you and those around you know how regulated you are feeling. 

Another key takeaway was the importance of 15-20 minutes of daily no-electronic quiet time, along with daily reflections of gratitude, to help work through anxiety. Participation in sports, exercising, and adequate sleep protects us from depression. All of these will help us work our way out of the mental health crisis our teens are currently facing (the presenters were unified in their claim that the pandemic was not the original cause of this crisis as it started years before Covid). 

Dennis Shirley and Andy Hargreaves from Boston College challenged educators to continue to help our students turn the light bulbs of learning on. Their premise is, if we can positively engage students, we will increase their well-being AND increase their learning. We must help our students and peers understand that often the obstacles we face in life are the way we eventually find success. Obstacles are not always bad or should be seen as negative. They can surprise us with new learnings about ourselves and even lead us to destinations of success. 

If you ever have the opportunity to attend a Learning and the Brain Conference, I would greatly encourage you to invest your time and resources, and say yes. The tools you gain will improve your professional and personal skillset immediately.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Happy December, friends. I absolutely LOVE the holiday season. This is the month you MUST remember to take care of yourself, have some fun with your family, AND make some unforgettable memories. I find by adding fun activities for my staff, I automatically get an energy boost from their positivity, smiles, and excitement. Research is clear when you help others fill their bucket, YOUR bucket also gets filled. I encourage you to go for it this month and try something new and unique. Your staff will appreciate it, and so will your heart and spirit. Remember to email me or tag me on social media so I can see your creations and celebrations.

Festivus For the Rest of Us Still Working in Late December

I am a HUGE Seinfeld fan. As evidence, my cats are named Newman and George. This means the week before winter break we are celebrating “Festivus for the Rest of Us” with a variety of staff dress-up days and fun activities to help all of us get through the wild ride. Each day I have specific activities or games to participate in with super cheap prizes I purchase on or around black Friday to save money. Then on the last day, we end with a fun day of trivia and prizes. A few dress-up ideas include: Holiday Sweater Day, Sparkle & Jingle Day, Dress Up as a Package, Holiday Hat Day, Hawaiian Holiday, Crazy Sock Day, Comfy Day, and Red/Green Day. I have played “Find the Elf” where I hide the elf in different locations throughout the school each day and staff email me where it is for an entry into a prize drawing. No matter what it is important to recognize that the week leading up the break can be difficult for not only our students but our staff. Every chance you have to support staff this week will support their ability to finish strong.

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December Days to Remember

December 1 | “National Christmas Lights Day” | Surprise students and staff when they walk into your office and staff room with lights. There are battery-operated lights to help you spruce up areas without needing a nearby plug-in. December 1 is also “National Eat a Red Apple Day” –Think an apple a day keeps the doctor away during cold season. AND also National Pie Day. So many individual little pies to have available for staff and bring around in your treat cart for an afternoon snack.

December 2 | “National Mutt Day” | Encourage staff to post and share pictures of their pets.

December 3 | “National Play Outside Day” celebrated on the first Saturday in December. This is a great message to send to your students and staff to get outside and enjoy the day. Make an intentional effort to disconnect from your technology.

December 4 | “National Cookie Day” | This could be one of the easiest days to plan and one that would be guaranteed to be remembered. This is a SUNDAY but — on Friday pass out pre-made cookie dough to your staff. Let them know that you want to provide them with the opportunity to begin to make family memories this weekend.

December 7 | I want to combine a couple of days here. “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day” and “National Letter Writing Day” in my mind can beautifully intertwine. December 7 is such an important day in our history and if we can have students write a quick note to former service members (local VFW, Legion or retirement centers) on behalf of the legacy of the veterans who lost their life on that day could be very powerful.

December 8 | “National Brownie Day” | Little Debbie Brownies with a sticker that says “Happy National Brownie Day — It is a true treat to work with you.”

December 9 | “National Pastry Day” | A quick trip to the bakery department will help you with this. Choose a variety of pastry treats available as you go throughout your school with a “treat wagon,” or this would be a great time to provide a dessert room delivery service for your staff. And as a bonus, Dec 9 is also “Christmas Card Day." Provide each staff member with either a Christmas/Holiday Card from you or give them one to use that already has a stamp on the envelope for them to send. Another idea that I will be using this year is to have several Christmas Cards out for my staff to sign to wish various district employees a Merry Christmas. (Food Service Supervisor, Transportation, Maintenance, Human Resources). Let’s not forget about the people who do so much for our students and school.

December 12 | “National Poinsettia Day” | Purchase small poinsettias to decorate classrooms and office spaces. Need some team collaboration opportunities? Well, December 12 is also Gingerbread House Day!! If you have a staff meeting, have a team competition, or leave a couple of kits out in the lunch room and encourage staff to build them. Have a competition between your different lunches.

December 14 | “Monkey Day” | Enjoy some monkey business today and start off with a breakfast of muffins, bananas, and coffee for staff. Have a few games in the staff room to play during lunch time such as Barrel of Monkeys.

December 15 | It’s another cupcake celebration day with “National Cupcake Day” this is for every flavor of cupcakes so you know how this works. Pick some up, and maybe have some sprinkles or toppings available for staff to add. December 15 is also *“International Tea Day” *borrow a few water-warming pots and have a tea bar available for this cold winter day.

December 16 | “National Chocolate Covered Anything Day” | You can rent a chocolate fountain and provide staff with a variety of treats to dip OR purchase a variety of chocolate-covered items such as raisins, pretzels, almonds, doughnuts, cupcakes, brownies, ice cream, the list could go on and on. I CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS DAY. As a Friday, if you are in need of a themed dress-up day? December 16 is also “National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.”

December 19 | “National Hard Candy Day” | As staff leave for winter break, give them a roll of Life Savers candies. Thank them for being a “Life Saver” during this ever-crazy season.

December 20 | “Game Day” | What a great time to bring in some board games for staff to play during lunchtime or to have game time with students during lunch.

Cindy is in her 23rd year as a school administrator. She is currently the principal of Kelso Virtual Academy and Loowit Alternative High School within the Kelso School District in Kelso, Washington. Cindy has been recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals as the 2021 National Digital Principal of the Year. She has two teenagers and has been married to her husband, Leszek for 23 years.

This will be my last AWSP School Safety Blog. I am retiring as of December 31, 2022. I have been involved in K-12 education since…. well, let’s just say it’s been a long time. It has been a fulfilling, powerful journey. It has been interesting, as well.  A recent conversation underscores just a part of what has made it interesting.

It was during a meeting. A colleague from across the state noted that it seemed to them that, with all our work on school safety, we really haven’t made much progress. We are still dealing with many of the same issues year after year.

I had a “Yes, but…” moment. 

Back in the day, about the only safety-related thing schools did was to have a fire drill now and then. There were bullies around, but schools were much less involved in stopping bullying; discipline, perhaps, but no anti-bullying programs. Weapons in school? (Does that include my Boy Scout knife?) The list goes on and on. 

 Things changed. Local, regional, national, and world events took place which impacted everything we do, both in school and out. Our overall, national climate and culture changed. Politics changed. Technologies changed the way we do and see things; they changed the way our young people interact with the world and with one another. COVID changed things in ways we were not prepared for. And throughout all of this change, our understanding of how all of this affects our youth also changed. We do not live in not the same world in which most of us grew up.

In terms of school safety, and in light of all these changes, we talk about prevention, mitigation, protection, response, and recovery. I often add that the one critical component which is alluded to but needs to be stated aloud, is awareness. We can’t prevent, mitigate, protect, respond, or recover if we are not aware of the threats and hazards, the risks of our new ways of life. I suspect that therein lies the basis for my colleague’s comment. Experiences over recent years – decades – have increased our awareness of the dangers our schools face every day.

There is one more component to mention, as well. It’s the “shiny whistle” factor. Each new awareness and each new research finding often leads to “the solution.” Do this and all will be fine – or at least begin to get better. As a result, schools are called on to train on this; implement that. Buy this; use that. The shiny whistles change frequently. It also comes with a cost, but that cost is not (adequately) funded. This is not to say that these shiny whistles are not useful, and excellent often. It is to say that they are many, overlapping, varied, expensive, etc. They are also soon overshadowed by the next, new, shiny whistle.

Back to the “Yes, but…”  It sometimes does feel like we haven’t made much progress around school safety. But we have. We are much more aware. We have a much better understanding of issues, risks, threats, and hazards. We are approaching – approaching – a better understanding that none of those things occur in a silo, that they are all interconnected in one way or another. As a result, we are becoming ever more prepared to handle previously unknown situations and issues. The work does not stop, however. It will never be done. We will never be done. 

But the work of school safety is in good hands. Excellent hands. Thank you for all that you do every day to keep our students and staff safe.

As 2022 comes to a close, I will say goodbye for now. Please find time to take care of yourself and your loved ones. Enjoy the holiday season ahead of us. And plan for a joyful, peaceful 2023 New Year. 

Aloha pumehana! A hui ho!

A message from Dr. Phillip Ballinger re: UW Presidential Scholars Nomination/Opportunity:

Dear Colleague,

Some of our young people in Washington amaze us by their commitment and work to serve others and their communities. Sometimes these students do not show up on high school 'radars' that traditionally focus on the highest competitive academics, athletic achievement, or relative social popularity. And yet, some of our most promising young people are quietly doing astonishing things to help others and their communities. We want to identify and recognize these vital future community builders and leaders in Washington!

Four years ago, former Alaska Airlines CEO Bill Ayer and his wife Pamela endowed an initiative and scholarship at the University of Washington to support finding these often-unheralded young people and keep them in Washington State. I am now looking across Washington for students who already demonstrate striking, self-initiated, and persistent engagement and leadership within their communities to address needs they have encountered or experienced. This program -- with its associated major four-year scholarship -- is called 'the Presidential Scholars Initiative' at the University of Washington. In short, we would bring these students to the UW on a near full-tuition scholarship as well as mentor them in developing their leadership potential.

I am identifying these students 'organically' by communicating with leaders around the state -- mayors of our towns and cities, directors of not-for-profit organizations, superintendents and principals of school districts and schools, religious leaders, and service-oriented organizations (Rotary Clubs, etc.). We do not use an application process to select the Scholars -- in fact, future Presidential Scholars will have no clue that we know about them and their marvelous work and accomplishments in their communities. This recognition and scholarship will come to them as a total surprise and through public recognition. We will tell their stories and emphasize the values they exemplify -- values that are of great importance to our society and to the University.

So far, our Presidential Scholars have come from the following communities: Bellevue, Connell, East Wenatchee, Ephrata, Fife, Goldendale, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Stevens, Medical Lake, Mount Vernon, North Bend, Oak Harbor, Olympia, Quilcene, Redmond, Seattle, Selah, Spokane, Tacoma, Toppenish, Tukwila, Vancouver, Wapato, and Yakima.

Here's some information about the Presidential Scholars Initiative and some of its students.

What can you do to support this initiative and its students? First, help identify such students. You can find information-sharing links here:

To share the name of an outstanding student with us, please use this link.

To share the name and any supportive documents with us (optional), please use this link (requires a Google sign-in).

Typically, recommended students are high school seniors, residents of Washington, and applicants for admission to the University of Washington.  Information about students should be shared as soon as possible but not later than January 15th.

Second, please share my message to you with those in your community who may have an interest in this initiative.

I invite you to e-mail me, or to meet with me via Zoom or by phone to discuss the Presidential Scholars Initiative and students in your community. Let's identify, celebrate, and develop these astonishing community-focused young people in our midst.

The content from this post comes from Dr. Whitehead's weekly email.

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

Check out our SLP conference call for presenters below. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone interested. Please feel free to reach out if you have ideas on topics and resources. This week’s emails include links to information on:

Everyone:
5 Tips for Teacher Collaboration when Students Struggle

504:
9 Reasons a Student Might Refuse an Accommodation

Special Education & 504 Case Law:
Child find and both procedural and substantive dimensions of FAPE. New for November: the second court decision has a piece about bullying.

Special Education:
Technical Assistance #5 Revised
OSERS Letter

OSPI:
Request to Fully Fund Special Education
Restraint and Isolation Gathering
Safety Net
November Update

Upcoming Classes and Events

• Call for Presenters: SLP Conference
• Computer Science: Senate Bill 5088     

Did I get your attention with my last blog, “Let’s Rethink Improving Instruction?” I hope so. It has conjured up a wide array of emotions, but most importantly, it stirred long-overdue discussions about a system that needs to be addressed. What system? The working conditions of our principals and assistant principals.

For starters, let me be clear. I believe in the power of improving instruction. I believe our system improved 12 years ago with the statewide implementation of TPEP. I believe teachers and principals have journeyed through powerful conversations to improve student outcomes. I believe that leaders across the state have worked diligently to create systems to support improving instruction and cycles of feedback. 

I also believe that our principals and assistant principals assigned to the teacher evaluation process believe wholeheartedly in the power of being in the classroom and engaging in an ongoing relationship of two-way professional growth. I believe our members would love to be able to engage more in such relationships and conversations.

The point I was trying to make in my previous blog was not to minimize the decade-plus of work by leaders throughout the state who’ve developed and nurtured TPEP systems. It was not to say classroom observations and clinical supervision don’t work. It was not to say that principals don’t want to be in classrooms; it was simply to say that they often can't under their current contexts, expectations, and working conditions. 

Why can’t they? Because during the last fifteen years of adding more to their “Instructional Leadership” plates, we’ve done nothing to reduce the expectations on their “Management” plates. The workload, expectations, and working conditions have grown to be exponentially unrealistic, untenable, and frankly, driving great leaders out of the profession. That was my point, that is my fear, and that is our reality.

Something has to change in what we expect of our leaders, how we support our leaders, or perhaps, how we even define our leaders. Under the current circumstances in our schools, is it fair or realistic to expect our leaders to both “manage the building” and “lead instructional improvements?” Is it time for us to reconsider those expectations? Is it time to consider preparing different tracks for future school leaders? Is it time for us to consider new roles in school leadership? Is it time for us to rethink how we improve learning?

We can’t sit back and do nothing. The point of my blog was to raise awareness of the elephant in the room. Twelve years ago, there was no Snapchat or TikTok, Instagram had just started, and Facebook and Twitter were much more about social networking than what’s become social media today. Twelve years ago, vaping wasn’t as rampant and widespread as it is today. Twelve years ago, there were fewer unfunded mandates, and school principals didn’t feel the realities of their job 24/7 like many do today. If we want principals and assistant principals to be the “Instructional Leaders” as originally designed, then we must address the laundry list of barriers that prevent their ability to consistently and meaningfully get into classrooms. We must address their working conditions.

I’m hoping we can all come together to think differently about what we expect of our school leaders. Let’s stop pretending they can do it all and instead focus on improving their working conditions and expectations so they can be the best for their students, schools, and communities. We have incredibly intelligent school leaders across the entire system, so let’s come together to rethink how we, as a system, are improving learning.

Want some ideas?

• Reduce the number of “direct reports” required of principals (the number of people they are required to evaluate).

• Increase the prototypical funding model generating more administrators.

• Promote creative options for Focused Evaluations.

• Work with Higher Education to create two tracks for school leadership: Principal as Instructional Leader and Principal as Organizational Leader.

• Work with the WEA to pilot some Peer to Peer professional growth models.

• Reduce the amount of state and district reporting/administrative duties required of principals.

• Increase protections, improve due process rights, and provide authority for principals to address poor instruction.

• Create a workgroup of principals from around the state to address state and district student discipline policies.

• Other ideas?