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  • Happy Holidays and Office Closure

    Caroline Brumfield, Graphic Design & Marketing Manager, AWSP
    Dec 18, 2023
    2023 has been a great year thanks to all of you! We hope that you are able to truly rest and enjoy the holidays during the next couple of weeks. Please note that the AWSP office will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 19 at noon through Tuesday, Jan. 2.
  • School Celebration Newsletter | December 2023 Edition

    Cindy Sholtys-Cromwell, Principal, Loowit High School and Kelso Virtual Academy (K-12), Kelso School District
    Nov 27, 2023
    Happy December friends. I absolutely LOVE the holiday season. This is the month you MUST remember to take care of you, 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 @sholtys
  • Announcing the 2024 Principals and Assistant Principals of the Year!

    David Morrill, Communications & Technology Director, AWSP
    Nov 13, 2023
    The Association of Washington School Principals is pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of the Washington State Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year awards: Dr. William Jackson, Secondary Principal of the Year; Heidi Fagerness, Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year; Cathy Sork, Elementary Principal of the Year; and Dr. Nick Davies, Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year. These distinguished leaders epitomize excellence in educational leadership within the state, serving as exemplary leaders for their peers, students, and communities.
  • October Elementary Grade-level Leadership Committee Meeting Recap

    Kim Doughty, Elementary GLLC Chair-Elect and Principal, Peter G. Schmidt Elementary, Tumwater School District
    Nov 13, 2023
    Hello, fellow school leaders. We recently wrapped up a great two-day meeting at the Crowne Plaza in SeaTac, WA, where the Elementary Grade-Level Leadership Committee came together for some meaningful discussions and shared experiences. What truly struck a chord with us was our conversation about hope. We discussed our roles in nurturing hope within our schools, and it was heartening to hear that for many of us, the support of this group had been instrumental in their journey as principals. It truly underscored the significance of our shared mission and the power of collective support.
  • How Would You Improve TPEP? Share Your Thoughts With Us!

    Jack Arend, Deputy Director, AWSP
    Nov 13, 2023
    AWSP and WASA are excited to share the latest opportunity for our two associations to partner in support of Washington’s education leaders and the students we serve. We want to hear your thoughts and suggestions about TPEP! AWSP and WASA are privileged to hold seats on the OSPI TPEP Steering Committee. To ensure we accurately articulate the desires of our members relating to evaluating teachers, principals, and assistant principals, both associations are launching the Thought Exchange prompt to gather ideas and suggestions from you:
  • AWSP News for November: Closing Out Principals Month, Giving Gratitude, and Our 2024 Legislative Platform

    David Morrill, Communications & Technology Director, AWSP
    Nov 07, 2023
    As we close out National Principals Month, I have a few updates to share with you. First, I want to say thank you to all the amazing principals and APs who engaged with us on social media and through email during this month celebrating YOU. As a refresher, our prompts were:
  • School Celebration Newsletter | November 2023 Edition

    Cindy Sholtys-Cromwell, Principal, Loowit High School and Kelso Virtual Academy (K-12), Kelso School District
    Oct 31, 2023
    As you can probably tell I LOVE to celebrate and show appreciation for people in my life. I believe passionately it is critical to have a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving. November is the perfect month to spend time thinking of the things or people that make you smile. Thank YOU for supporting me by reading this newsletter and sending me your pictures or email about how you are implementing the ideas.
  • "We Won an Emmy!" Celebrating the Habibs and Observing Disability Employment Awareness Month

    Ashley Barker, Inclusion Director & Next Level Leaders Program Lead, AWSP
    Oct 09, 2023
    School leaders, what if one of your students said, “We won an Emmy!”? Our ultimate goal as inclusive educational leaders is to have all of our students achieve at high levels. For Samuel Habib, an Emmy was never his end goal; he set out to document his life story so others can see the daily struggle, perseverance, and payoff for our students with disabilities when they are encouraged, supported, included, and advocated for. In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, I encourage each of us to learn more about Samuel and your own staff and students with disabilities' journey. As you identify the barriers your students and staff face in your school and district, think about how you and other school leaders can use your privilege, title, and opportunity to remove some of those barriers. What can I (we) do to support and advocate for students and staff with disabilities? How can I (we) elevate their story of perseverance to pave the way and model for others?
  • AWSP & WASA's Strategic Collaboration

    Dr. Scott Seaman, Executive Director, AWSP
    Oct 06, 2023
    Back in June, we gathered a small cadre of principals, superintendents, and staff members from AWSP and WASA to begin to identify short-term and long-term solutions to the leadership crisis in our state. We must do something to reverse the course of high turnover rates, small candidate pools, and decreased job satisfaction. While the focus of this committee is starting with easing the pressure on principals, it is much larger in scale. It’s about the entire leadership pipeline in our K12 educational system. If we want great future superintendents, we must cultivate and support future and current school leaders.
  • School Celebration Newsletter | October 2023 Edition

    Cindy Sholtys-Cromwell, Principal, Loowit High School and Kelso Virtual Academy (K-12), Kelso School District
    Sep 25, 2023
    There are so many wonderful things I associate with October. The change of leaves, the final harvest from our garden, my son's birthday, and Friday night lights, just to name a few. October is when the school year becomes real for our staff and students. The novelty of the start has worn off, and it's fast and furious every day for our team. It is a month when you must do something to celebrate your staff. This month's newsletter is loaded with a ton of ideas to help you achieve this. Check out the details of October 4, as it is becoming one of my favorite days of the year, but then again, anything to do with tacos makes my heart happy. I also want to challenge YOU to put something on the calendar this month that will bring you joy. Maybe it will be coffee with a friend, a spa treatment, or going out for dessert with your partner. Do something intentional this month to bring joy to your heart. I believe in you!

Like to Write?

We're always looking for guest contributions. If you have a passion to write and things to share, email David about a guest post or a role as a recurring guest blogger. 


For More Information 

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

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