School Principals Advocate on Capitol Hill

Washington state delegation participates in NAESP’s National Leaders Conference

OLYMPIA—A delegation of school principals from Washington state recently joined elementary and middle-level educators and leaders from across the country in the nation’s capital during the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ National Leaders Conference (July 14-16, 2010). The delegation from the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP) advocated for new policies that will give principals — the primary catalysts for shaping long-term school improvement — the tools they need to function as effective school leaders.
 
Members of the group included: Dwight Cooper, principal of Reardan Elementary (Reardan-Edwall SD); Rex Larson, principal of Gause Elementary (Washougal SD); Katie Leid, principal of Dayton Elementary/Middle (Dayton SD); Jill Massa, principal of Warden Elementary (Warden SD); Vinh Lan Nguyen, principal of Orchards Elementary (Evergreen PS); and Brian Pickard, principal of South Colby
Elementary (South Kitsap SD). Jerry Bender, AWSP’s director of governmental affairs, accompanied the group.

The principals took the critical needs of Washington state schools directly to several lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including Sen. Patty Murray, Sen. Maria Cantwell, Rep. Brian Baird, Rep. Doc Hastings and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

In advocating for K-12 education, the group made recommendations regarding the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). They also called on Congress to provide new policies that strengthen professional development for principals and include standards for comprehensive early childhood programs, as well as new policies to support high-quality leadership mentoring programs that instill standards of performance in the principalship.

“As they make decisions that will shape the future of this nation, it is critical for our legislators to understand how policies and legislation affect kids and educators back home in Washington state,” said Warden Elementary Principal Jill Massa. “While working hard on education issues such as the reauthorization of ESEA, legislators appreciate hearing real stories about student struggles and student success. Like the other principals in our delegation, I was honored to share stories from the classrooms and hallways of my school.” 

For more information about the National Leaders Conference, please visit www.naesp.org/NLC.aspx.

About the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP)
The Association of Washington School Principals is a professional association serving principals, assistant principals and principals in training. Formed in 1972, the Association now includes more than 3,400 members from public and private elementary, middle and high schools statewide. It is governed by a board of practicing principals composed of members drawn from three grade-specific boards representing the elementary, middle and high school levels. The mission of AWSP is to support principals and assistant principals and the principalship in the education of all students. For more information on the Association, visit the AWSP Web site at www.awsp.org.

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