A Quick Update on H1N1

If you have access to a television, radio, newspaper, Internet connection or, well, any conscious human being, you probably know that swine flu has (probably) hit Washington state.

The Department of Health has identified six suspected swine flu (H1N1) cases in our state. One of those cases involves a student at Madrona K-8 in Seattle. The child's mother chose to keep him home from school when he became ill (good job, mom!). As a precaution, however, Seattle Public Schools and Seattle/King County Public Health decided to close the school through Wednesday, May 6.

"While this is a time to prepare, it’s not time to panic," warned Supt. Randy Dorn in a statement released this afternoon. We couldn't agree more. Most likely, principals and assistant principals are responding to a high degree of anxiety (and maybe a bit of panic) in their school communities.

Need some level-headed conversation about swine flu? Education Week will be hosting a live chat tomorrow, 12-1 p.m. PST (3-4 p.m. EST), on "Helping Schools Plan and Respond." The chat will feature Massie Ritsch, deputy assistant secretary for external affairs and outreach, U.S. Department of Education, and Jeanne McCann, managing editor at edweek.org. If you are interested in participating in this chat, click here.

In the meantime, if you have sample letters or advice you are willing to share with fellow principals, please send them to jennifer@awsp.org ... or just post a comment here!

Preparedness for Swine Flu

Lots of headlines about swine flu lately...giving us all pause to consider, Are we prepared for a pandemic?

According to the Washington State Department of Health, there are no known cases of swine flu in Washington. However, as a precautionary measure, the state will be receiving antiviral medication for about 230,000 people from the federal Strategic National Stockpile.

For helpful resources, check out these links:

Preparing Schools for Swine Flu (OSPI)
Swine Flu Information and Resources (WSSDA)
Swine Flu Information for Washington State (Washington State Department of Health)
Swine Flu Guidance for Schools (U.S. Department of Education)
Swine Influenza (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Celebrating Our Principals of the Year

“None of us is as smart as all of us.”

Those words of wisdom come from Kennewick's Bruce Cannard, who was recently named the state’s top elementary school principal of the year.

Bruce was selected as the 2009 Washington State Distinguished Principal by AWSP and its elementary component board, the Elementary School Principals Association of Washington.

For Bruce, it's all about the power of collaboration. Since stepping into the principalship at Edison Elementary—a school with a large number of English language learners and a high level of poverty—he has built relationships among colleagues, students and parents. Known for his strong rapport with Edison students, Bruce is often spotted joining students for a chat over a brown-bag lunch, or practicing his Spanish skills to make a new student feel welcome, or getting a laugh out of the students as his alter ego, Bernard. Congratulations, Bruce!

Congratulations also to the Association's other Administrators of 2009, who were named earlier this year:

High School Principal of the Year: Aaron Leavell, Bremerton High, Bremerton SD
Every decision he makes, says Aaron, “has students at the center of it.” Leavell’s dedication to student achievement touches young people who otherwise may have given up on their education. He has established several programs to provide individualized learning, including a full-time online academy for students struggling with credit recovery, a center for students who have children or hold jobs during the school day, and a program for students with severe behavioral problems.

Middle Level Principal of the Year: Christine Lynch, Shaw Middle, Spokane PS
Christine is known throughout the school for bringing passion and purpose to her job as principal, which, she says, is “the best job in the world.” She has rallied the Shaw community to take collective responsibility for its students’ success. Supported by this sense of partnership, she is committed to making her motto—powerful instruction for all students—a reality. Says Christine, “I could never do this work alone."

Assistant Principal of the Year: Mike O'Donnell, Cle Elum-Roslyn High (Cle Elum-Roslyn SD)
Mike has fostered a culture in which students are empowered—and expected—to perform to their potential. His development of a student achievement database has allowed staff to gather, organize and share assessment data. With the database in place, the school has seen increased dialogue between students, advisers, teachers and parents. He also implemented a new program that links the earning of academic credit to attendance, yielding a 62 percent decrease in tardies and absences in just one year. Mike was a one of three national finalists
for the 2009 NASSP/Virco National Assistant Principal of the Year Award!

Relationship-Based or Technology-Based: Is It One or the Other?

Having just recently returned from the 2009 NAESP Annual Convention in New Orleans, my mind is racing. And it's not from too many beignets!

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend a pre-conference workshop on "Relationship-Centered Leadership." The presenter, Tom Wojick of The Renewal Group, explored the power of strong relationships with students, staff and faculty. His discussion of emotional and social intelligence clearly resonated with workshop attendees, who were eager to apply his insights to their work in schools.

The following morning, keynote speaker Ian Jukes officially kicked off the convention, delivering a rapid-fire presentation on the exponential growth of technology. His phrase, "Info-Whelming," certainly hit the nail on the head. As attendees left the presentation, I overheard many describing the information as "scary," "daunting" and even "painful."

On Saturday, former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell (Ret.) knocked our socks off with a presentation that brought attendees to their feet. In his address, Gen. Powell called for young children to get "more lap-top time"—not more time on their computers, but more time "on the laps" of families members who care for them. At the core of his remarks was a focus on relationships between children and parents, family members, principals, teachers and mentors.

And, finally, on Sunday, I attended a breakout session by Matthew Hayden, elementary/technology teacher, Bristol Township SD (Levittown, PA). Hayden did a nice job of answering the question, "OK, I realize technology is changing the classroom—but how is that relevant to me and what can I do about it?"

With each day of the conference, it became more apparent that we all are trying to reconcile the implications of technology with human relationships. Can an education leader value technology and relationships equally? Or does technology result in a "disembodied" education for a children?

In a breakout session, Jukes offered this thought: "If you are an educator who can be replaced by a computer, then you deserve to be replaced by a computer." In other words, technology is a great tool—but it is not a substitute for human-based teaching and learning.