AWSP Blog

In this episode of AWSP News, we discuss Principal Relationships, Chad Prewitt, one of the winners of this year’s Handy Award, another great year of professional learning events designed just for you, Principals of Literacy, Summer Conference 2020, our online resources and videos, our revised Networked Improvement Community Grants, a bill removing the personal and philosophical option to exempt children from the MMR vaccine, the Mental Health Initiative and The Main Idea.

In 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed a bill that removes the personal and philosophical option to exempt children from the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine required for school and child care entry. It also requires employees and volunteers at child care centers to provide immunization records indicating they have received the MMR vaccine, proof of immunity or a medical exemption. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on May 10, 2019, and goes into effect on July 28, 2019.

The new school year begins, and planning to ensure that each school is the safest possible continues! Here are OSPI's September Super Seven School Safety Starter Suggestions to help kick of the new year.

Through the magic of "Twitterverse", I stumbled across this blog post by Chris Lehman from a number of years ago. It is a letter to all young teachers thinking about leaving the profession. As I read the letter, I couldn't help but think what it would read like if I removed the word "teacher" and instead used "school leader". Applicable? Yes. Moving? Yes. Great read? Heck yes!

Summer camp is not extra

Do you view kids at risk or at hope? Is every adult in your building a treasure hunter? Do you have any idea what we're talking about? In this episode of AWSP TV, Scott Seaman sits down with Rick Miller, founder and CEO of Kids at Hope and Professor of Practice and Clinical Director at Arizona State University. Watch our show to learn more about Kids at Hope as a program and about the science of hope.

This blog’s title comes from a recent National Geographic article describing the magazine’s investigation into its historical arc-of-reporting on people of color in the U.S. and abroad. The patience and time dedicated by the editor-in-chief to curate and dissect how the magazine treated issues of race is a helpful model for school systems. In order to serve our students and facilitate honest and open dialogue, we too must examine and reconcile with our own long-standing cultural narratives and how certain students are adversely impacted by the educational systems we lead.

This month, AWSP released an initial rollout of the AWSP Leadership Framework 3.0. AWSP is looking for districts from all nine ESDs who are willing to “test-drive” and review this draft by Feb. 1, 2020, to provide feedback that will inform the final version. The final version will be implemented statewide during the 2020-21 school year. If you are interested in becoming a Framework Feedback district, contact us by Nov. 1. Framework Feedback districts will receive a complimentary print copy of the Framework 3.0 draft for each administrator.

For decades, thousands of children and adults around the state have been going to Cispus Learning Center in Randle, WA. But did you know about our facility in eastern Washington? Located outside of Spokane, Chewelah Peak Learning Center offers outdoor learning, leadership training and an affordable retreat center for youth groups or hobbyists; a perfect place to reflect, re-focus and re-energize.

In our annual Summer Conference Luncheon special edition of AWSP News, we highlight three of our Principals of the Year and are back with everyone's favorite segment, our celebrity interview where we ask, "who's your favorite principal?" Thanks to the Seattle Mariners organization and Manager Scott Servais for this All-Star edition.