AWSP Blog

February 27 is the deadline for all bills from fiscal committees to have passed out of committee. Attention then focuses on floor action. All bills will have until March 10 to clear their chamber of origin.

Two important legislative cut-off dates are February 20 and February 27. The first date is when all policy bills have to have been heard by a committee(s) and the latter date is the similar deadline for all bills from fiscal committees.

Prior to the first major cutoff date of the 2015 legislative session, 32 bills moved out of the House Education Committee. Five bills that continue to churn through the process important to principals include:

Way to go, Bethel! So inspiring to hear a principal (along with teachers and central office leaders) remind us of the power of vertical alignment, powerful instruction, and communication and collaboration with families in leading to positive outcomes for students. It’s so refreshing to hear their honest acknowledgement of the challenges at first – for everyone, including students. Yet, students today are being touted as “engineers” who are “farther ahead” than they have previously been in their mathematics learning. It’s noted that, “kids love the challenge,” and are willing to tackle work they may not know how to take on at the outset. Now that’s a skill that will help them be college and career ready!

The beauty of the democratic system is that citizens have access to their political leaders. And often, those leaders listen and respond. This has certainly been the case in addressing the lack of substitute teachers for school districts. But, this only occurs if and when legislators hear from those in their communities. (See remarks below on SB 5148 for an important opportunity to be heard.)

Monday, the House Education Committee held a public hearing on two bills of importance to principals state wide

Lesson Purpose: To identify with a tree using the senses of touch, sight, hearing and smell.

Q. Our Middle School conducted a fundraiser under ASB. Now they would like to donate $500 of the $12,000 raised to Homeless Backpacks (nonprofit). They would note it in their minutes. Will that be sufficient since they didn’t raise it under Private Purpose Trust (6000) account?

The availability of substitute teachers is a real problem for school districts across the state. The good news is that legislators have clearly heard from their school leaders in their legislative districts about the need to expand the pool of those eligible to substitute. There is also data from a recent survey that further expresses the need.

Encourage students to be on the lookout for environmental articles in magazines or newspapers. When they bring them in, select one and duplicate as many as needed. Distribute copies to students. Instruct the students to read the selection very carefully. On a clean sheet of paper have them write the following...