The content from this post comes from Dr. Whitehead's weekly email.

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 this is out of my realm. The opinions contained herein are my own.

Please feel free to reach out if you have ideas on topics and resources. This week’s emails include links to information on:

Everyone:
The Relationship Between Special Education Placement and High School Outcomes

Special Education & 504 Case Law:
Child Find & LRE

Special Education:
Improving Outcomes for Native American Students With Disabilities While Respecting and Honoring Native Culture

OSPI:
December Updates
OSPI Fall Virtual 504 Training Handout

Upcoming Classes and Events

• Washington SEL Institute
• Call for Presenters: SLP Conference
• Computer Science: Senate Bill 5088     

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Welcome to 2023. I Am So Glad to See You!

This past year is one that provided me with a variety of opportunities to learn, grow and become a better person and principal. As we turn the page on 2022, I want to encourage you to reflect on the positive memories of the year. It is important to honor your incredible work to support your staff, students, and families you serve through this school year. Even when exhausted, you continue to inspire and motivate your staff. If no one has told you lately, I want you to know you are doing a phenomenal job. I hope you find this month’s newsletter full of simple ideas to help bring laughter and joy to your work. Feel free to reach out to me if I can do anything to support your work or be a sounding board as you maneuver through these unchartered waters. Find me on Twitter @sholtys. Cheers to 2023 and this fantastic world of principaling.

January Days to Celebrate

Jan 3 | National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day | Pick up some of these chocolates after Christmas on sale for this day, or January 3 is also National Drinking Straw Day. Have you thought about providing staff with environmentally friendly straws? Include a note or sign, “Taking Care of You and our Environment Today”.

Jan 4 | National Spaghetti Day (It’s what is for dinner) AND it is also National Trivia Day. Game time for everyone. Think Kahoot or random email trivia.

Jan 5 | National Bird Day | Is your school mascot a bird? You could really do so many fun things with this one. And it is also National Whipped Cream Day. Bring in the desserts for an afternoon snack to which you could add whip cream. (Ice cream, cookies, angel food cake, shakes, floats, and fruit). Deliver via room services to your staff for an added bonus.

Jan 7 (Saturday) | National Play Outside Day | Encourage your students, families, and staff to enjoy the outdoors this weekend.

Jan 9 | National Apricot Day (one of my favorite dehydrated fruits) and National Clean Your Desk Day | This would be appreciated by so many families and custodians especially.

Jan 13 | National Rubber Ducky Day | Purchase a variety of rubber duckies and place a number on the bottom of each. The number will correlate to a gift box full of simple and inexpensive prizes OR you could choose National Sticker Day–Put positive stickers around the school.

Jan 18 | National Thesaurus Day | Have a few fun words listed in the staff room and have staff come up with synonyms and antonyms as part of a trivia. It is also National Winnie the Pooh Day. You could easily include some of these classic quotes throughout the day or in announcements: “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”-Christopher Robbin; “After all, one can’t complain. I have my friends.”-Eeyore; “The things that make me different are the things that make me, me.”- Piglet

Jan 19 | National Popcorn Day | A pack of microwave popcorn to help staff “positively popping into 2023.” Or a buffet for a movie night at home with family, including popcorn and candy to help staff balance work and family tonight.

Jan 20 | National DJ Day | Play music throughout today in celebration. I love my Jammy Pack (see picture above). Music lifts everyone’s spirit. Shout out to Allyson Apsey, who introduced me to the pack! It is a game changer, people.

Jan 24 | National Compliment Day | Provide staff members with a notecard to write a compliment on for co-workers or school volunteers. Connect with families by also sending out appreciation postcards for their never-ending support of the school (Don’t forget your PTO).

Jan 27 | National Chocolate Cake Day | This is an easy one; go to the local bakery and pick one up.

Jan 30 | National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day | Oh my, this should be so much fun!! Wrap a special treat in bubble wrap for staff. Or create a stress relief kit with bubble wrap and a few other items (ibuprofen, a gift card for class coverage/recess duty, stress balls, breath mints, etc).

Jan 31 | National Hot Chocolate Day | Easy one!! And it is also National Plan for Vacation Day, which would be a great question for staff today. Use a poster in the staff room and ask, “Where would you like to go on vacation?” Provide staff with post-its to write their answers and place them under the question.

Cindy is in her 23rd year as a school administrator. She is currently the principal of Kelso Virtual Academy and Loowit Alternative High School within the Kelso School District in Kelso, Washington. Cindy has been recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals as the 2021 National Digital Principal of the Year. She has two teenagers and has been married to her husband, Leszek for 23 years. Find her on Twitter @sholtys.

OSPI and the TPEP Steering Committee have proposed a new rule to make changes to the evaluation timeline for principals and assistant principals.

From the CR-102 (rulemaking) form: 

Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules:
OSPI is proposing to establish a timeline and defined process for professional performance evaluations of certificated principals and assistant principals. The proposal would require evaluations and summative conferences be conducted by the evaluator prior to June 1 of the school year of which the evaluation is made. The proposed timeline would apply to both focused and comprehensive evaluations for principals and assistant principals. The proposal is intended to ensure that principals and assistant principals receive timely feedback as well as indications of their employment status.

Reasons supporting proposal:
In collaboration with the Teacher and Principal Evaluation Program (TPEP) Steering Committee*, this proposal supports growth and development for all principals and assistant principals by requiring evaluations and summative conferences occur in a timely manner. Unlike teacher evaluations, whose evaluation timeline is established by collective bargaining agreements, principal and assistant principal evaluations might not be completed in a  manner or on a timeline that allows a principal/assistant principal to improve their practice or to seek another position.

*The TPEP Steering Committee includes the following: Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP), Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), Washington Education Association (WEA), Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA), and Washington State Parent Teacher Association (WSPTA), as well as OSPI.

You can make public comment during the January 5th, 3:00 pm Zoom hearing, or email written contents to Katie Taylor, OSPI's Director of Educator Effectiveness, by January 5th. 

The content from this post comes from Dr. Whitehead's weekly email.

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 this is out of my realm. The opinions contained herein are my own.

Please feel free to reach out if you have ideas on topics and resources. This week’s emails include links to information on:

Everyone:
Paraeducators and Students Eligible for Receive Special Education Services

504:
Accommodations for ADHD
Accommodations for Dyslexia

Special Education & 504 Case Law:
IDEA issues during the extended pandemic period and warranting special consideration of districts’ FAPE obligation

Special Education:
Activities, reports, and grant packages

OSPI:
Request to Fully Fund Special Education

Upcoming Classes and Events

• Call for Presenters: SLP Conference
• Computer Science: Senate Bill 5088     

Meridian's 2022 Winter Wishes Video

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AWSP's 2016 Winter Wishes Video

From Dan, Samuel and the team at Disability Roadmap Project:

When AWSP came on board as a funding partner for the Disability Roadmap Project, you helped spark the beginning of what has turned into an astounding journey of visibility and impact.  Thanks to your early support, the short My Disability Roadmap film has reached millions through the 2022 New York Times publication. We are deepening the film’s themes through “Our Disability Roadmap,” a free, yearlong series of educational webinars featuring Samuel’s extended conversations with his mentors about transitioning to adulthood. The film has been nominated for a Critics Choice Award, named one of the best short films of the year by Hollywood Reporter, and is currently eligible for Oscars consideration!

We have more exciting work underway to help youth with disabilities find their own road maps to employment, higher education, independent living, friendships, relationships, and every other aspect of healthy, full adult lives.
We will continue to use your support to:

• Create and distribute a feature-length film building on the themes and interviews present in the short (for 2024 release).
• Develop a companion educational and outreach campaign that will amplify the significance of the film as it is shown in communities, classrooms, and living rooms.
• Expand the “Our Disability Roadmap” webinar series and our screening/discussion events.
  Continue to collaborate with and employ people with disabilities, who make up the majority of our production and outreach crew.

Thanks to your support, the Disability Roadmap Project will continue to impact young adults with disabilities. their families, and the culture at large for years to come.

I recently attended the Learning and the Brain — “Teaching Struggling Brains” Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, with several of my staff. Led by some of the most respected researchers currently practicing in the United States, these three days were packed with big learnings and takeaways to support our work with students. The ability of these researchers to speak to educators in a manner that was understandable and applicable to our educational world was one of the most impressive aspects of this research-based conference.

Jessica Minahan, board-certified behavior analyst and educator, shared key insights for the classroom. She shared about the common practice of calming corners and recovery areas that many teachers are utilizing in their classrooms. One of the keys to successful implementation is to remember most students need a break because of the thoughts in their heads. We must make sure the breaks we provide are not opportunities for students to ruminate on their own negative thoughts. Suggestions include providing an activity to help students get out of their negative thoughts by utilizing a “Where’s Waldo?” book, a knock-knock joke book, Sudoku, or a color identification activity. It is critical that if students are stuck on a “negative” idea, we help them change it rather than have a quiet place to continue the negative talk. Minahan also shared about the promising work of biofeedback that will contribute to self-regulation. This includes a watch MIT is developing to work as a “mood ring” to let you and those around you know how regulated you are feeling. 

Another key takeaway was the importance of 15-20 minutes of daily no-electronic quiet time, along with daily reflections of gratitude, to help work through anxiety. Participation in sports, exercising, and adequate sleep protects us from depression. All of these will help us work our way out of the mental health crisis our teens are currently facing (the presenters were unified in their claim that the pandemic was not the original cause of this crisis as it started years before Covid). 

Dennis Shirley and Andy Hargreaves from Boston College challenged educators to continue to help our students turn the light bulbs of learning on. Their premise is, if we can positively engage students, we will increase their well-being AND increase their learning. We must help our students and peers understand that often the obstacles we face in life are the way we eventually find success. Obstacles are not always bad or should be seen as negative. They can surprise us with new learnings about ourselves and even lead us to destinations of success. 

If you ever have the opportunity to attend a Learning and the Brain Conference, I would greatly encourage you to invest your time and resources, and say yes. The tools you gain will improve your professional and personal skillset immediately.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Happy December, friends. I absolutely LOVE the holiday season. This is the month you MUST remember to take care of yourself, 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.

Festivus For the Rest of Us Still Working in Late December

I am a HUGE Seinfeld fan. As evidence, my cats are named Newman and George. This means the week before winter break we are celebrating “Festivus for the Rest of Us” with a variety of staff dress-up days and fun activities to help all of us get through the wild ride. Each day I have specific activities or games to participate in with super cheap prizes I purchase on or around black Friday to save money. Then on the last day, we end with a fun day of trivia and prizes. A few dress-up ideas include: Holiday Sweater Day, Sparkle & Jingle Day, Dress Up as a Package, Holiday Hat Day, Hawaiian Holiday, Crazy Sock Day, Comfy Day, and Red/Green Day. I have played “Find the Elf” where I hide the elf in different locations throughout the school each day and staff email me where it is for an entry into a prize drawing. No matter what it is important to recognize that the week leading up the break can be difficult for not only our students but our staff. Every chance you have to support staff this week will support their ability to finish strong.

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December Days to Remember

December 1 | “National Christmas Lights Day” | Surprise students and staff when they walk into your office and staff room with lights. There are battery-operated lights to help you spruce up areas without needing a nearby plug-in. December 1 is also “National Eat a Red Apple Day” –Think an apple a day keeps the doctor away during cold season. AND also National Pie Day. So many individual little pies to have available for staff and bring around in your treat cart for an afternoon snack.

December 2 | “National Mutt Day” | Encourage staff to post and share pictures of their pets.

December 3 | “National Play Outside Day” celebrated on the first Saturday in December. This is a great message to send to your students and staff to get outside and enjoy the day. Make an intentional effort to disconnect from your technology.

December 4 | “National Cookie Day” | This could be one of the easiest days to plan and one that would be guaranteed to be remembered. This is a SUNDAY but — on Friday pass out pre-made cookie dough to your staff. Let them know that you want to provide them with the opportunity to begin to make family memories this weekend.

December 7 | I want to combine a couple of days here. “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day” and “National Letter Writing Day” in my mind can beautifully intertwine. December 7 is such an important day in our history and if we can have students write a quick note to former service members (local VFW, Legion or retirement centers) on behalf of the legacy of the veterans who lost their life on that day could be very powerful.

December 8 | “National Brownie Day” | Little Debbie Brownies with a sticker that says “Happy National Brownie Day — It is a true treat to work with you.”

December 9 | “National Pastry Day” | A quick trip to the bakery department will help you with this. Choose a variety of pastry treats available as you go throughout your school with a “treat wagon,” or this would be a great time to provide a dessert room delivery service for your staff. And as a bonus, Dec 9 is also “Christmas Card Day." Provide each staff member with either a Christmas/Holiday Card from you or give them one to use that already has a stamp on the envelope for them to send. Another idea that I will be using this year is to have several Christmas Cards out for my staff to sign to wish various district employees a Merry Christmas. (Food Service Supervisor, Transportation, Maintenance, Human Resources). Let’s not forget about the people who do so much for our students and school.

December 12 | “National Poinsettia Day” | Purchase small poinsettias to decorate classrooms and office spaces. Need some team collaboration opportunities? Well, December 12 is also Gingerbread House Day!! If you have a staff meeting, have a team competition, or leave a couple of kits out in the lunch room and encourage staff to build them. Have a competition between your different lunches.

December 14 | “Monkey Day” | Enjoy some monkey business today and start off with a breakfast of muffins, bananas, and coffee for staff. Have a few games in the staff room to play during lunch time such as Barrel of Monkeys.

December 15 | It’s another cupcake celebration day with “National Cupcake Day” this is for every flavor of cupcakes so you know how this works. Pick some up, and maybe have some sprinkles or toppings available for staff to add. December 15 is also *“International Tea Day” *borrow a few water-warming pots and have a tea bar available for this cold winter day.

December 16 | “National Chocolate Covered Anything Day” | You can rent a chocolate fountain and provide staff with a variety of treats to dip OR purchase a variety of chocolate-covered items such as raisins, pretzels, almonds, doughnuts, cupcakes, brownies, ice cream, the list could go on and on. I CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS DAY. As a Friday, if you are in need of a themed dress-up day? December 16 is also “National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.”

December 19 | “National Hard Candy Day” | As staff leave for winter break, give them a roll of Life Savers candies. Thank them for being a “Life Saver” during this ever-crazy season.

December 20 | “Game Day” | What a great time to bring in some board games for staff to play during lunchtime or to have game time with students during lunch.

Cindy is in her 23rd year as a school administrator. She is currently the principal of Kelso Virtual Academy and Loowit Alternative High School within the Kelso School District in Kelso, Washington. Cindy has been recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals as the 2021 National Digital Principal of the Year. She has two teenagers and has been married to her husband, Leszek for 23 years.

This will be my last AWSP School Safety Blog. I am retiring as of December 31, 2022. I have been involved in K-12 education since…. well, let’s just say it’s been a long time. It has been a fulfilling, powerful journey. It has been interesting, as well.  A recent conversation underscores just a part of what has made it interesting.

It was during a meeting. A colleague from across the state noted that it seemed to them that, with all our work on school safety, we really haven’t made much progress. We are still dealing with many of the same issues year after year.

I had a “Yes, but…” moment. 

Back in the day, about the only safety-related thing schools did was to have a fire drill now and then. There were bullies around, but schools were much less involved in stopping bullying; discipline, perhaps, but no anti-bullying programs. Weapons in school? (Does that include my Boy Scout knife?) The list goes on and on. 

 Things changed. Local, regional, national, and world events took place which impacted everything we do, both in school and out. Our overall, national climate and culture changed. Politics changed. Technologies changed the way we do and see things; they changed the way our young people interact with the world and with one another. COVID changed things in ways we were not prepared for. And throughout all of this change, our understanding of how all of this affects our youth also changed. We do not live in not the same world in which most of us grew up.

In terms of school safety, and in light of all these changes, we talk about prevention, mitigation, protection, response, and recovery. I often add that the one critical component which is alluded to but needs to be stated aloud, is awareness. We can’t prevent, mitigate, protect, respond, or recover if we are not aware of the threats and hazards, the risks of our new ways of life. I suspect that therein lies the basis for my colleague’s comment. Experiences over recent years – decades – have increased our awareness of the dangers our schools face every day.

There is one more component to mention, as well. It’s the “shiny whistle” factor. Each new awareness and each new research finding often leads to “the solution.” Do this and all will be fine – or at least begin to get better. As a result, schools are called on to train on this; implement that. Buy this; use that. The shiny whistles change frequently. It also comes with a cost, but that cost is not (adequately) funded. This is not to say that these shiny whistles are not useful, and excellent often. It is to say that they are many, overlapping, varied, expensive, etc. They are also soon overshadowed by the next, new, shiny whistle.

Back to the “Yes, but…”  It sometimes does feel like we haven’t made much progress around school safety. But we have. We are much more aware. We have a much better understanding of issues, risks, threats, and hazards. We are approaching – approaching – a better understanding that none of those things occur in a silo, that they are all interconnected in one way or another. As a result, we are becoming ever more prepared to handle previously unknown situations and issues. The work does not stop, however. It will never be done. We will never be done. 

But the work of school safety is in good hands. Excellent hands. Thank you for all that you do every day to keep our students and staff safe.

As 2022 comes to a close, I will say goodbye for now. Please find time to take care of yourself and your loved ones. Enjoy the holiday season ahead of us. And plan for a joyful, peaceful 2023 New Year. 

Aloha pumehana! A hui ho!

A message from Dr. Phillip Ballinger re: UW Presidential Scholars Nomination/Opportunity:

Dear Colleague,

Some of our young people in Washington amaze us by their commitment and work to serve others and their communities. Sometimes these students do not show up on high school 'radars' that traditionally focus on the highest competitive academics, athletic achievement, or relative social popularity. And yet, some of our most promising young people are quietly doing astonishing things to help others and their communities. We want to identify and recognize these vital future community builders and leaders in Washington!

Four years ago, former Alaska Airlines CEO Bill Ayer and his wife Pamela endowed an initiative and scholarship at the University of Washington to support finding these often-unheralded young people and keep them in Washington State. I am now looking across Washington for students who already demonstrate striking, self-initiated, and persistent engagement and leadership within their communities to address needs they have encountered or experienced. This program -- with its associated major four-year scholarship -- is called 'the Presidential Scholars Initiative' at the University of Washington. In short, we would bring these students to the UW on a near full-tuition scholarship as well as mentor them in developing their leadership potential.

I am identifying these students 'organically' by communicating with leaders around the state -- mayors of our towns and cities, directors of not-for-profit organizations, superintendents and principals of school districts and schools, religious leaders, and service-oriented organizations (Rotary Clubs, etc.). We do not use an application process to select the Scholars -- in fact, future Presidential Scholars will have no clue that we know about them and their marvelous work and accomplishments in their communities. This recognition and scholarship will come to them as a total surprise and through public recognition. We will tell their stories and emphasize the values they exemplify -- values that are of great importance to our society and to the University.

So far, our Presidential Scholars have come from the following communities: Bellevue, Connell, East Wenatchee, Ephrata, Fife, Goldendale, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Stevens, Medical Lake, Mount Vernon, North Bend, Oak Harbor, Olympia, Quilcene, Redmond, Seattle, Selah, Spokane, Tacoma, Toppenish, Tukwila, Vancouver, Wapato, and Yakima.

Here's some information about the Presidential Scholars Initiative and some of its students.

What can you do to support this initiative and its students? First, help identify such students. You can find information-sharing links here:

To share the name of an outstanding student with us, please use this link.

To share the name and any supportive documents with us (optional), please use this link (requires a Google sign-in).

Typically, recommended students are high school seniors, residents of Washington, and applicants for admission to the University of Washington.  Information about students should be shared as soon as possible but not later than January 15th.

Second, please share my message to you with those in your community who may have an interest in this initiative.

I invite you to e-mail me, or to meet with me via Zoom or by phone to discuss the Presidential Scholars Initiative and students in your community. Let's identify, celebrate, and develop these astonishing community-focused young people in our midst.

The content from this post comes from Dr. Whitehead's weekly email.

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 this is out of my realm. The opinions contained herein are my own.

Check out our SLP conference call for presenters below. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone interested. Please feel free to reach out if you have ideas on topics and resources. This week’s emails include links to information on:

Everyone:
5 Tips for Teacher Collaboration when Students Struggle

504:
9 Reasons a Student Might Refuse an Accommodation

Special Education & 504 Case Law:
Child find and both procedural and substantive dimensions of FAPE. New for November: the second court decision has a piece about bullying.

Special Education:
Technical Assistance #5 Revised
OSERS Letter

OSPI:
Request to Fully Fund Special Education
Restraint and Isolation Gathering
Safety Net
November Update

Upcoming Classes and Events

• Call for Presenters: SLP Conference
• Computer Science: Senate Bill 5088     

Did I get your attention with my last blog, “Let’s Rethink Improving Instruction?” I hope so. It has conjured up a wide array of emotions, but most importantly, it stirred long-overdue discussions about a system that needs to be addressed. What system? The working conditions of our principals and assistant principals.

For starters, let me be clear. I believe in the power of improving instruction. I believe our system improved 12 years ago with the statewide implementation of TPEP. I believe teachers and principals have journeyed through powerful conversations to improve student outcomes. I believe that leaders across the state have worked diligently to create systems to support improving instruction and cycles of feedback. 

I also believe that our principals and assistant principals assigned to the teacher evaluation process believe wholeheartedly in the power of being in the classroom and engaging in an ongoing relationship of two-way professional growth. I believe our members would love to be able to engage more in such relationships and conversations.

The point I was trying to make in my previous blog was not to minimize the decade-plus of work by leaders throughout the state who’ve developed and nurtured TPEP systems. It was not to say classroom observations and clinical supervision don’t work. It was not to say that principals don’t want to be in classrooms; it was simply to say that they often can't under their current contexts, expectations, and working conditions. 

Why can’t they? Because during the last fifteen years of adding more to their “Instructional Leadership” plates, we’ve done nothing to reduce the expectations on their “Management” plates. The workload, expectations, and working conditions have grown to be exponentially unrealistic, untenable, and frankly, driving great leaders out of the profession. That was my point, that is my fear, and that is our reality.

Something has to change in what we expect of our leaders, how we support our leaders, or perhaps, how we even define our leaders. Under the current circumstances in our schools, is it fair or realistic to expect our leaders to both “manage the building” and “lead instructional improvements?” Is it time for us to reconsider those expectations? Is it time to consider preparing different tracks for future school leaders? Is it time for us to consider new roles in school leadership? Is it time for us to rethink how we improve learning?

We can’t sit back and do nothing. The point of my blog was to raise awareness of the elephant in the room. Twelve years ago, there was no Snapchat or TikTok, Instagram had just started, and Facebook and Twitter were much more about social networking than what’s become social media today. Twelve years ago, vaping wasn’t as rampant and widespread as it is today. Twelve years ago, there were fewer unfunded mandates, and school principals didn’t feel the realities of their job 24/7 like many do today. If we want principals and assistant principals to be the “Instructional Leaders” as originally designed, then we must address the laundry list of barriers that prevent their ability to consistently and meaningfully get into classrooms. We must address their working conditions.

I’m hoping we can all come together to think differently about what we expect of our school leaders. Let’s stop pretending they can do it all and instead focus on improving their working conditions and expectations so they can be the best for their students, schools, and communities. We have incredibly intelligent school leaders across the entire system, so let’s come together to rethink how we, as a system, are improving learning.

Want some ideas?

• Reduce the number of “direct reports” required of principals (the number of people they are required to evaluate).

• Increase the prototypical funding model generating more administrators.

• Promote creative options for Focused Evaluations.

• Work with Higher Education to create two tracks for school leadership: Principal as Instructional Leader and Principal as Organizational Leader.

• Work with the WEA to pilot some Peer to Peer professional growth models.

• Reduce the amount of state and district reporting/administrative duties required of principals.

• Increase protections, improve due process rights, and provide authority for principals to address poor instruction.

• Create a workgroup of principals from around the state to address state and district student discipline policies.

• Other ideas?

It’s open enrollment time for school employees through the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB). Open enrollment takes place from October 31 through November 21, 2022. Enrollments, changes, and premiums are effective January 1, 2023. 

This is your chance to change your medical, dental, or vision plans. All of the information you need can be found on the Health Care Authority website. 

Open enrollment is your chance to:

• Change your medical, dental, or vision plans.

• Add or remove a dependent.
  Note: If you enroll a dependent, you must provide proof of your dependent's eligibility with your enrollment form before we can enroll them. Check the list of acceptable documents.

• Reattest to the spouse or state-registered domestic partner coverage premium surcharge.

• Enroll in a Medical Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Limited Purpose FSA, and the Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP). You must enroll again in these benefits every year you want to participate.

• Waive your enrollment (employees only) in medical coverage, if you have other employer-based group medical coverage, a TRICARE plan, or Medicare. Note: You may waive enrollment in SEBB medical to enroll in PEBB medical only if you are also enrolled in PEBB dental. By doing so, you also waive enrollment in SEBB dental and vision.

• Enroll in medical coverage, if you previously waived SEBB medical for other employer-based group medical, a TRICARE plan, or Medicare. (Employees only)

Not making changes for 2023?

• If you do not want to make any changes and your health plans are still available in your county for 2023, you do not need to take any action. However, if you cover a spouse or state-registered domestic partner in 2023, you may need to reattest to the spouse or state-registered domestic partner coverage premium surcharge.

• Current FSA and DCAP enrollees, you will need to enroll again each year you want these benefits.

If you have questions about open enrollment, please contact your school district payroll or benefits office.

Belongingness is a big deal for every individual. When people feel like they belong to a place or group, they express, share, contribute, and give their best.  Students are not exempt from this.  Students can give their best when they feel they belong to their school, classroom, playground, sports team, band, cheerleaders club, music, or other clubs or groups. That means the first and most important step that we must take is to create an environment of belongingness for ALL students in all spaces of our schools.

The cafeteria is a favorite place for students, and most students dream of buying lunch. It is a place where they interact with their peers, socialize, and reset physically and mentally for the second half of the school. The food they eat in the cafeteria significantly affects how they learn in the afternoon. Many students don’t always enjoy the food provided in school cafeterias, and a good quantity ends up in the waste bins.    

One of the reasons why students do not like the food provided in the cafeteria is because it doesn’t reflect their cultural practices. Students from different ethnicities eat foods they have been eating since childhood. The food offered in school cafeterias is predominantly American and is not everyone’s preferred option. Without many choices, students adapt and buy the food if they want to eat or bring lunch from home. Students who bring lunch every day are subject to teasing by peers. That is why some students do not open boxes and eat their food during lunch. This is a big inequity issue.

Students have restrictions on many things, such as vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher, Jain, etc. By not providing options to buy meals that meet the dietary needs of all students, cafeterias are excluding students. By not providing culturally responsive meals to students who have restrictions due to religious and cultural reasons, cafeterias are excluding students. Additionally, some students will finish their elementary education with an “unfulfilled dream of buying lunch in the cafeteria.” 

Teachers use Universal Design Learning Strategies in the classrooms to create an opportunity to learn according to their learning styles; it is important that cafeterias provide meal options to students based on their dietary needs due to health and religious and cultural reasons. This helps to create a belongingness environment for ALL students in cafeterias, another learning space for students, teachers, and adults. 

In my third year as the principal at Sunnyside Elementary in the Marysville School District, my goals for my students are to have a voice and to feel a sense of belonging and connection to their school. With those goals in mind, I initiated a student council, that would be voted by and would represent our student body, which consists of 480 Kindergarten -5th-grade students. During the voting process, for grades 2^nd-5^th, a google doc along with a Flip Grid video was created for students to vote. For the Kindergarten and 1^stgrade students, a paper ballot was created. While tallying the votes from the kindergarteners (appropriately circled in the crayon), I encountered a “WOW” moment. I realized as I was looking at the student pictures, the span of students with some marginalized diversity. Of the 25 fifth-grade students who took a risk in running for the student council, 2 of them are labeled Multi-Lingual Learners, 3 of them have the label of Special Education, 7 of them have received support through our Language Assistance Program, 11 of them are students of color, and 13 of them identify as girls.                                                    

As a principal, I realized that somewhere within the work of focusing on equity, learning gaps, social-emotional learning, and everyday life as a fifth grader, post-Covid, these students somehow found their voice and a sense of belonging.  These students, for many reasons, have been excluded as a result of their diversity, but somehow, someway, they found a way to not only belong but to have a voice and the strength within themselves to take a risk to make a change. I am so proud of them!  

The content from this post comes from Dr. Whitehead's weekly email.

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 this is out of my realm. The opinions contained herein are my own.

Check out our SLP conference call for presenters below. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone interested. Please feel free to reach out if you have ideas on topics and resources. This week’s emails include links to information on:

Everyone:

The Paraeducator’s Role

504:

Accommodations

Special Education & 504 Case Law:

Child find and both procedural and substantive dimensions of FAPE—New for November- the second court decision has a piece about bullying. 

Special Education:

The IEP Team

Memorandum from Feds: Special Education Teacher Requirements (this will be impactful)

OSPI:

Life Skills Grant form package 761

Special Education Updates

Upcoming Classes and Events

• Call for Presenters: SLP Conference
• Computer Science: Senate Bill 5088

November is National Native American Heritage Month. From all of us at AWSP, Cispus, AWSL, and Outdoor Schools Washington, we thank you for sharing your stories and allowing us to embrace your culture. 

Our AWSP/Foundation office is in Olympia on the territories of the Stl’pulmsh (Cowlitz), Nisqually, and Squaxin tribes. The recognized treaty is the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854. The language spoken is Twulshootsee (Lushootseed), Nisqually, and Coast Salish.

AWSP and its members proudly oversee the outdoor Cispus Learning Center located in Randle, WA, on the lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians, Qw­­ῡlh-hwai-pῡm (Klickitat), and Stl’pulmsh (Cowlitz). The Cession 458 Treaty recognizes this location. 

We, as an organization, have been honored to serve and learn from our tribal partners throughout Washington state. With principals in every school, we work to engage in every community of tribes across Washington. Honoring their culture and history, we have more work to do and welcome shared opportunities.

Every year over the last decade, I’ve been invited to share in the annual Huckleberry events of the Nisqually and Puyallup tribes. They come to Cispus, allowing us to host their week-long traditions and include our team in the festivities. The biggest thing I’ve learned with my co-workers is that taking time to listen to stories, share those stories with others, and give honor is essential. These acts are our way of reconciliation; for too long, tribes held close to their history for fear of its acceptance and fear of the effort to erase it from others. To reverse that mindset and share about their past is difficult and uncomfortable but necessary. Hanford Mccloud from Nisqually told me that a new guard within the tribes is coming across Washington. It is time for everyone to embrace together their story, and their language, before it is lost.

Curious about the Native lands of Washington? The Native Land app helps map indigenous territories, treaties, and languages across the globe. Check it out!

A Cedar Tree in the Forest

This photo shows the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Cispus Center, and Nisqually Tribe working to collect old-growth cedar for ceremonial carvings, creating canoes, paddles, and baskets. These classes occur for youth during the annual huckleberry camp at the Cispus Center.

Pictured from left: Wayne Lloyd, Nisqually Building Director; Hanford Mccloud, Nisqually 6^thCouncil Member; Keith Brent, Nisqually Senior Project Manager; and Nikia Hernandez, GPNF - Forest Ranger. 

It’s November. It’s dark and rainy. Elections are coming up. Daylight Savings Time is ending. Veterans’ Day is approaching. Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Let’s go there now.

• For having and maintaining comprehensive safety plans – Salamat po!
• For addressing bullying and harassment – Merci!
• For practicing monthly drills – Arigato!
• For coordinating with your 1^st responders – Danke!
• For participating in the Great ShakeOut –  Dhanyavaad!
• For making sure you have a hazmat-free environment – Toda!
• For all your behavioral health work – Cam on!
• For addressing cyber-safety – Gracias!
• For school bus safety – Mahalo!
• For your Threat Assessment teams – Grazie!
• For keeping weapons out of your schools – Spasibo!
• For increased gang activity awareness – Ah’hee’
• For planning for intruders and potential shooters – Asante!
• For keeping your families in the communications loop – Go raibh maith agat!
  

For everything else you do to keep your students safe, a world of thanks!

Thank you very much.