I’d like to start this blog by sharing three things with you - one you know for sure, and two you probably didn’t. First, it’s Black History Month. You should all know that already. The second thing? To keep my sanity as an educational leader for the last 25 years, I have been an active runner. How those two pieces are connected leads me to the third. My perspective of running was forever changed shortly after 1:00 pm on Feb. 23, 2020, outside the small town of Brunswick, Georgia. Read more.

Working with challenging adult behaviors has similarities to working with behaviors we see in our students. Digging in, getting better at navigating the function of behavior, and hypothesizing what is behind the behaviors can help you support students and staff more calmly and insightfully. I ran across this “All Behavior is Communication” blog post from Lauren Pace (host of the "Rising Lava Parenting" Podcast) as I was looking for resources to help a new school leader navigate some tricky adult behaviors in her school. Although this blog refers to parenting strategies and young children, I think reading, listening, and pondering the basics about behavior as communication has some transferable skills and strategies pertinent to school leadership! Read more.

At the end of January, over 25 educational leaders from K-12 and higher education attended our AWSP Mentor Program Stakeholder’s Convening to learn more about refreshing the AWSP Mentor training program. We asked attendees about their interest in participating on one of the work committees, taking into account the pressures of the current reality in school leadership, particular expertise in mentoring, and knowledge of the supports our school leaders need right now. Read more.

Before the pandemic, addressing principal turnover across the state and country was a top priority for us at AWSP. It was an epidemic before the pandemic. Principal churn is bad for kids. Bad for teachers. Bad for schools and the communities they serve. Again, this was alarming and concerning before the current pandemic. Even more alarming when you consider our schools with the greatest needs are churning building leaders at twice the rate. So, if we really care about equity as a system, why isn’t everyone talking about the direct negative consequences of principal churn on our most disadvantaged students and schools? Read more.

We are sitting at a crucial moment in principal history. Many of you report considering leaving the job and/or barely hanging on despite gallant efforts of perseverance, persistence, and patience. Our team at AWSP has been sharing your stories with the Governor’s Office, legislators, officials from OSPI, the Department of Health, and other agencies and organizations. We basically are shouting from the mountaintops that principals need help and they need it both now, and as we look to redefine what “principaling” looks like in the future. Read more.

Still worried about clock hours and your certification renewal? Many districts are issuing clock hours for teachers and administrators' work each week in PLCs. Work centered around district initiatives, school improvement planning, and instruction can be considered for clock hours. Check with your district’s clock hour committee to see if the work already being done in your schools might be eligible for clock hours. Read more.

Brad Wilson, principal at Chelan High School in the Lake Chelan School District, was named this year’s Washington State Principal of the Year. Every year, the Association of Washington School Principals selects a state winner. Wilson will also be recognized at the national level by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). He will compete with winners from other states for the NASSP’s National Principal of the Year award. Read more.

Megan Mauro, assistant principal at LaVenture Middle School in the Mount Vernon School District, was named this year’s Washington State Assistant Principal of the Year. Every year, the Association of Washington School Principals selects a state winner. Mauro will also be recognized at the national level by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), where she will compete with winners from other states for the NASSP’s National Assistant Principal of the Year award, announced in early April. Read more.

Find yourself frustrated with your current situation as a building level leader? Ever wonder who makes some of these big statewide decisions that impact the work you are doing in your school? Ever consider getting more involved in influencing the P16 education system? How about just getting better connected with other principals and assistant principals from around the state? Well, guess what — it’s easy to get more involved with AWSP, and WE WANT YOU! Read more.