AWSP Blog

This week, we hosted a Zoom on the topic of mental health. Our guests included Representative Lisa Callan who co-chairs the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group (CYBHWG), Representative Carolyn Eslick who is the co-chair for a sub-group of CYBHWG (Youth and Young Adult Continuum of Care), and Representative Monica Stonier who led the efforts last legislative session to pass HB 1225 which established a School Based Health Center Program within the Department of Health.

In this special edition of AWSP News, we discuss the final week of National Principals Month, launching Networking November, our Level-Up Your Leadership Series for Assistant Principals, our “How to Become a Culturally Competent Leader Now” series, AWSL's Fall Conference, Outdoor School experiences for your 5th/6th grade students, feedback on the draft cultural competency, diversity, equity and inclusion educator standards, and how other schools and districts are responding to COVID.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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