WA Math 2.0

A consultant reviewing the state's math standards may have said it best last week: it's time for an upgrade.

That's the sentiment offered by Linda Plattner of the independent, Maryland-based educational research firm Strategic Teaching. Speaking before the State Board of Education (SBE), last week, Plattner delivered the draft report on our state's math standards. Given that about 40 percent of Washington's high school students still haven't passed the math WASL, some may have hoped the independent review would indicate the standards are too high.

Quite the contrary, per the new report.

According to the Associated Press' coverage of last week's SBE meeting, the independent reviewers from Strategic Teaching in Maryland found that compared to other high-achieving states and countries, Washington is actually not expecting enough from students when it comes to math.

The state is "on the right path" according to the report, but that adjustments must be made to help prepare students for post-high school success:

"If mathematics is the gateway to student success in higher education and the workplace, Washington is getting too few of its students to and through the door," the report concluded.

In a nutshell, the report suggests Washington state's standards place too great an emphasis on conceptual math and not enough on the mechanics. For example, the report found the standards often require student "understanding" rather than demonstrate they can actually use math to "calculate, estimate or solve" a problem (page 3 of the executive summary).

The researchers make seven recommendations (again, page 3, executive summary) to clarify what is to be expected of students and offers greater guidance to educators about what to teach and when to introduce different math content.

The initial document is being discussed at various SBE meetings around the state this week. AWSP has encouraged its members to attend and voice their concerns about the math issue.

What do you think about the report? Did you participate in any of the focus groups?

Inside the Costume: Mascots Gone Wild!

"So this is what it's like to be Superman," I thought.

Glancing at the array of foam and fur heads on the floor of the Nicholson Pavilion dance studio last Thursday, I started to feel like I had stumbled across some weird cult. Some underground ring of mute, theatrically dressed aliens. ("I've discovered a secret society!")

It was actually just Mascot Training at AWSP's CheerLeadership Camp.

It was incredibly fun to watch the six students from Adna, Eisenhower, Kennewick, Quincy, Mt. Rainier and Toledo high schools assume the roles of Captain Scallywag, The Mighty Cadet, Louie the Lion. Jack the Jackrabbit, Ajax the Ram and Chief Ike, respectively. I'm going to keep their real identities a secret because, apparently, that's part of the fun of being a mascot -- not having anyone know who you might be. Although in the case of the Adna H.S. Pirate (left), senior Jeremy Hubbell admits it doesn't take a lot of detective work to figure it out; the school only has about 200 students.

Heather Meier, a mascot trainer for the National Cheerleaders Association, said some of the participants were a little reluctant, shy even, when she first met them on day one of the camp. But once they donned their gear, it's like they were "completely different people."

Mascots have slowly gained new ground in schools, serving as both cheerleaders and P.R. ambassadors. Professional sports team mascots, like the infamous San Diego Chicken or, more locally, Squatch, the Sonics' mascot, have elevated the role. During last week's training, the mascots not only learned cheer techniques with their cheer squads, but also participate in special mascot classes and leadership training - finding ways to engage students and create a welcoming school culture.

In their mascot classes, they had specific coaching in creating skits and learning pantomime. If you want to be a mascot, mime moves are HUGE. Literally. Performing in front of an audience at a basketball or football game requires exaggerated movements and grand gestures. Some of the more patented moves? Pretending to take a shower, walking on hot sand, putting out fires, moving like a robot and, of course, sword fighting. It also helps if you can dance, and the four guys and two girls who were in class last week did a great job of keeping the beat, despite the heat.

Let's talk about the heat for a moment. Adding the costumes to the mix makes it a pretty sweaty operation. Some of the big giant heads have little fans in them to keep the mascots cool. It works... For about five minutes. Staff encourages them to keep hydrated and has them work without the costume most of the time. (Attention Gatorade marketing department...) The visibility can be poor in some of the costumes, too, so some mascots have an escort, usually another member of the cheer squad, to help them navigate a crowd.

Oh, and there's Do's and Don'ts for being a mascot: Do develop a personality for your mascot. But don't ever, EVER take your head off in public.

Meier, herself a cheer and mascot coach for a school in California, said Washington state's CheerLeadership camps are among the more sought-after among NCA staff because of the specific focus on leadership training and not just cheer technique. She's even thinking about sending her students up here next year, provided funding is available.

And, as in the academic world, there are standards for mascots. After performing a skit, the students were evaluated on various skills they had to incorporate into their performances. The students also critiqued one another and really seemed to enjoy hamming it up even for one another. They hope to start a blog this fall to keep their conversations going about being a mascot and help encourage other students to create mascots for their schools.

All in all, it was a fun day, and a great example of AWSP's Student Leadership office providing students with another fun way to engage in school.

Mascot Camp

Tomorrow, I'm off to the campus of Central Washington University in Ellensburg to sit in on a special training session just for high school mascots. This is a first for our Student Leadership program, which is hosting event in conjunction with our annual CheerLeadership Camp. Nearly 600 students from all over the state are attending this week's session on cheer technique and leadership training.

Although just six students registered for the mascot class, it will be interesting to be a part of the training, led by a member of the National Cheerleadership Association (who, I believe, was herself a former NCAA mascot). This goes beyond fun dance moves and chants. In recent years, mascots have become prominent reps for schools, taking on more of a leadership role. (Did you know, for example, that WSU's own Butch the Cougar won Capital One's National Mascot of the Year? Or that there is a Mascot Hall of Fame? The 2007 Mascot of the Year, MSU's Sparty, is at right.)

Professional sports teams have always relied on their mascots to be goodwill ambassadors. Why not middle and high schools?

The goal of this week's training, according to Susan Fortin, AWSP's director of student leadership programs, is to help these students develop their own leadership skills and find ways to be a positive force at school. Hope to have some photos of the students posted to the site tomorrow or early next week.

Best Schools for the Buck?

The financial magazine Forbes is out with a new ranking of school districts in the U.S.; per-pupil spending from property taxes is the primary focus. (It is Forbes, after all.)

"Best and Worst School Districts for the Buck" focuses on 775 counties that had the highest property tax rates and populations greater than 65,000. That yielded 97 counties where more than 50 percent of per-pupil spending comes from property taxes. Graduation rates and SAT scores were also used as indicators of the school's success.

Critics like Chester E. Finn, Jr. of the Fordham Foundation chided the study's obvious disregard for factors like wealth or parental education that can greatly affect a school -- or student's -- success. (In an e-mail to the Washington Post, Finn called the analysis " just plain dumb.") The study also raises the age-old debate as to whether more money means better schools. According to Forbes writer Christina Settimi's article:

Winners in this rating system are counties whose schools deliver high performance at low cost. The losers spend a lot of money and have little to show for it.

In looking down the list, there were no Washington state districts; most hailed from the east coast or the south. But then, our state dedicates nearly half of its biennial operating budget to education. As local readers may know, property taxes here are supposed to cover local district needs, and can be adjusted through levies.

So is this sort of research helpful or hurtful to the ongoing debate over school funding in America? Or is it just interesting fodder for education bloggers?

Aside: In addition to the full listing of all 97 districts, Forbes includes a slide show with Google maps of the "10 best and 10 worst districts for the buck." (I guess I was expecting actual photos of schools or the communities, not maps.) Interestingly, this same feature also showcases other Forbes slide shows like "The World's Top-Earning Models." For the record, Giselle Bundchen led the list at a cool $33 million. Compare that with Alexandria City, VA, which came in last in the school rankings and spends $11,404 per pupil. Lipstick versus pencils?

Again, it's Forbes.

How Do Great Leaders Get That Way?

Do you know someone who exemplifies outstanding educational leadership? Who mentored you or served as a role model for others? Who typifies the very word "leadership"?

How'd they get that way?

Last week in the Seattle P-I, guest writer and professional accredited coach Maureen Moriarty asks that very question (though slightly more eloquently). In "Workplace Coach: Becoming a great leader depends on skill, not talent," she makes the case that great leaders are not born, but rather made through ongoing professional development and continuous improvement. Her premise: though it may come easier for some than others, leadership is something most people -- even the best of the best -- must continue to work on.

Personal traits like integrity and character are more on the born, not made, side, as well as drive and cognitive/problem-solving ability. However, without experience, training and mentoring, personal traits are not enough. No one is born with a natural ability to effectively lead. Traits like business acumen, coaching/mentoring skills, persuasiveness and emotional intelligence are learned and developed, often over a lifetime.

Moriarty goes on to provide a telling list of characteristics found in most successful leaders today (they are adaptable, they encourage feedback). Although the column may be aimed at the traditional business environment, each of the traits she describes are very applicable to K-12 educational leadership roles.

Beach Bag Blog

The Comp Book will be on vacation next week, so in the spirit of all things summertime, consider today's post the informational equivalent of a beach bag full of water wings, sun screen, flip flops and several good reads. Let's rummage around in that bag and see what we pull up first:

• Susan Kovalik of the Center for Human Brain and Human Learning closed the WASA/AWSP Summer Conference in Spokane Tuesday, and her presentation gave all of the attendees a lot to think about. Some of her better bon mots:
  
• "Everything we do in our buildings should be brain compatible."
  
• "There's a fine line between leader and ringleader."
  
• "We are not born intelligent, only the capacity to be so and every day, our experiences enhance, stifle or diminish our intellectual, social and emotional capacity."
• "We are not our genes, we are our experiences."
• "Socio-political action is the ultimate goal of any classroom."
• "Responsible citizenship begins in kindergarten."
• "When students graduate, are they jury ready? Voter ready? Credit ready? Employer ready?"
  
  
• Granger High Principal Richard Esparza is traveling in China this week with a group of U.S. principals engaged in the College Board's Chinese Bridge Delegation program. You can read his travel blog here.
  
  
• Harris Interactive, a global market research firm, announced the findings of a new national study of middle school students today. Harris polled 1,814 students in grades seven and eight Feb. 14 - March 7, 2007 about problems in their schools, standardized tests and high school course selection. There's lots to be mined in this survey, but perhaps the most intriguing: Nearly half (46 percent) of those student polled said that student behavior is the biggest problem in their schools. Fifty-nine percent said they think their school gives them the right amount of standardized testing, too.
  
  
• The Educational Testing Service unveiled its latest survey of 1,526 adults about No Child Left Behind. Aside from the overall opinions about the nation's schools (which were given a letter grade of "C" by those polled), the research also drilled down on administrators' opinions about the omnibus education law. You can review all of the slides online. Among the key findings:
• 52 percent of public school administrators believe NCLB should be reauthorized with major changes. (Slide 20)
  
• 72 percent of the general public polled said in some cases, schools should be taken over/restructured with new administrators; another 24 percent said it should not happen in any instance. (Slide 29)
  
• 77 percent of administrators said they strongly or somewhat agree more flexibility is needed for English Language Learners; teachers polled the same way, but 67 percent of those who identified as Hispanic agreed, as did 58 percent of the general public. (Slide 32)

OK, now I'm rummaging around deep in the bag...among the random Life Savers, loose Kleenexes and ponytail holders. Here's a few last items of note:

• Jerry Bender, AWSP's director of governmental relations, will enter the blogosphere shortly when he heads to Washington, D.C. later this month for the NAESP/NASSP National Leaders Conference. "Can you blog from your phone?" he asked warily. (Answer: yes, you can.) Stay tuned for that launch.
  
  
• AWSP is still looking for a few new principals and assistant principals to attend the aptly named New Principals' and Assistant Principals' Workshop later in July.
  
  
• Did you know your volunteer parents who run your levy campaigns need to register with the state's Public Disclosure Commission? It's true. Check out the election guidelines for schools and districts.
  
  
• June 28 was comedian Mel Brooks' birthday. (Just thought I would throw that one in. Hey, we're at the bottom of the beach bag -- random things appear!)
  

Time to hit the virtual beach. Have a safe and Happy July Fourth.

Summer Conference Kicks Off in Spokane

And what a great way to start things off. Beautiful summer weather, lots of wonderful pre-conferences and tonight, a friendly reception and dinner in the newly renovated Spokane Convention Center. But the most uplifting moment of the day came when the evening's speaker, Alvin Law, took the stage.

Born without arms (the result of thalidomide use by his birth mother), Law quickly engaged the audience with his witty personality and self-depricating humor.

A native of Yorktown, Saskatchewan, Law was adopted by woman who had already raised two boys but at age 55, opened her home and her heart to him. She was, he noted, "the first person who looked at me and saw a future; everyone else saw a problem." Growing up, his mother (and father) cut him no slack, encouraging him to use his feet and requiring him to complete his chores--mowing the lawn, taking out the trash and vacuuming -- just like his brothers.

Where many are moved to see Law's adaptiveness as "amazing," he reminded the audience that not ever having had arms, he feels completely normal. He drives. He carries his own luggage. He does everything other people with arms and hands do; he just uses his feet. For Law, other people's perceived limitations of him have been the biggest obstacle to overcome -- not the apparent "disability." Law related a story about the time his family attended an grade school open house, in anticipation of his starting school. The principal, sizing up the young Law, dismissed the notion ("He's got no arms!" the principal said. "What do you call that?" he asked Law's parents. "Alvin," his mother replied.). The principal stood fast, insisting the young man would be bullied. His family patiently persisted, insisting Law would handle those situations on his own. Law started school the next day.

Law shared several humorous stories about his experiences growing up in school -- too many to mention here (his book, Alvin's Laws of Life, likely captures many of these gems). An affable, wickedly funny speaker, Law's thoughts on humanity, personal challenge and just plain growing up were thought-provoking and authentic. Here are just a few of the humorous and compelling observations he made during tonight's presentation:

• "Positive attitudes are better than negative attitudes. Duh! Even stupid people know that!"
• "I can teach a child about my life in about 35 seconds. How do I know they've learned it? They change the subject."
• "Kids have an amazing ability to stop looking at what I didn't have."
• "The biggest challenge has not been not having arms. It's been people."
• "It's good to be alive."

Notes on AWSP Board Meeting

Traditionally, the AWSP Board meets in June the Saturday prior to the Summer Conference; this year was no different. Today's board meeting saw the addition of new members, including Cle Elum-Roslyn High Principal Boyd Keyser and Serene Lake Elementary Principal Karen Reid. The board also thanked Lydia Hawk Elementary Principal Paula Quinn for her service to the board as the Association's past president.

Unlike our component board meetings, where elementary, middle and high school principals and assistant principals meet to share best practices, the AWSP board is largely a business meeting. Budgets are reviewed and reports are given on each of the Association's strategic plan goal areas.

Here are some of the more compelling, non-business -related points from today's meeting:

• AWSP passed a resolution in support of the simple majority referendum on the 2007 fall ballot.( Check back for actual text.)
  
• State Board of Education Member Amy Bragdon reported that the SBE is considering adding a high school graduation credit in tribal history. AWSP is appointing a committee to review this proposal.
• AWSP will continue researching the new NAESP E-Knowledege Portal as a member benefit.

Field Trip: Summer Conference in Spokane

I'm headed for Spokane tomorrow for our annual Summer Conference with the Washington Association of School Administrators (also known as WASA or the supes' association). Will do some blogging from the Inland Empire and hope to meet some potential guest bloggers at the event.

Would 'Onboarding' Work for Schools?

There is often a tendency to compare the private sector world with that of public schools, and the comparison is not always fair or accurate. Or feasible. But this article from Business Week suggests a new trend in leadership development could be an exception to that rule.

In the article, executive leadership coaches Marshall Goldsmith and Sue Schaefer discuss the new corporate trend of "onboarding" - helping new executives and their companies prepare for a leadership change. The parallels between prepping a new exec and a new principal are uncanny. Consider this exchange about corporate leaders in the context of bringing on a new administrator:

The old model just doesn't work often enough! Business cannot afford the existing failure rates that result from misaligned expectations. Harvard's Michael Watkins, author of The First 90 Days, has revealed that a staggering 58% of new executives—those hired from the outside—don't succeed in their new position within 18 months. The cost per failure is more than a million dollars.

Companies spend an enormous amount of money recruiting people. While we hear about recruiting costs and the costs of failed executives, we often don't factor in the indirect costs of hiring an executive who becomes toxic to the environment. It can take months—or even years—to rebuild an organization after a particularly negative experience. The higher up the executive, the more costly the "reconstruction" costs. Very high-level negative experiences can definitely damage the company's reputation and stock value.

Again, forget stock value for the moment. Consider instead the implications for a school and district as a result of a leadership change - on the students, staff and community. And the research on successful schools only reinforces the importance of strong principals.

AWSP is working on a new project that might help with the "onboarding" process in schools by developing leadership coaches for members at every step of their career. In fact, the association trained more than 20 skilled, veteran principals to serve as coaches. We hope to have more to share on this project with the start of the new school year.

What do you think? Would "onboarding" work in schools? Does your district already do this?

The Paramount Duty

Educators often cite the language of Washington state's constitution when discussing the funding of public education. But where does that language come from -- and what exactly does the constitution say about funding education?

You'll find it all in Section 1 of Article IX, in the preamble to the education portion of the document, not the preamble to the entire constitution). To wit:

It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.

Bonus trivia question: How many articles are there in the Washington state constitution?

Bonus extended dance remix question: What is the official state amphibian? (Hint: Ask the students at Boston Harbor Elementary in Olympia. They lobbied the Legislature this past session to make it official!)

Raising Green for More Green Time

As mentioned here in previous posts, AWSP has long advocated for the importance of outdoor education and outdoor experiences for years. Now it looks like some bigger players -- including the Walt Disney Co. and Sesame Workshop -- are making outdoor time a major priority.

Washington Post Writer Donna St. George reports in today's paper the corporations will join 40 other civic, governmental and private groups tomorrow in launching a $20 million campaign to to fund 20 initiatives across the country. The goal? To encourage children, quite simply, to go outside and play. St. George writes:

Advocates and researchers have been aware of the downturn in outdoor activity for a long time, and it has been documented by experts such as Sandra Hofferth, a family studies professor at the University of Maryland. From 1997 to 2003, Hofferth found, there was a decline of 50 percent, from 16 to 8 percent, in the proportion of children 9 to 12 who spent time in such outside activities as hiking, walking, fishing, beach play and gardening. Organized sports were not included as an outdoor activity in the study, which was based on detailed time diaries.

Hofferth's study also showed an increase in computer play time for all children and in time spent on television and video games for those ages 9 to 12. And it found increases in sleep time, study time and reading time.

At the National Wildlife Federation, St. George reports, they've started promoting a "green hour," encouraging children to spend at least an hour outside every day. By making it a part of their daily routine, like brushing their teeth, advocates believe the trend data could begin to turn around. From the Post story:

Marguerite Kondracke, president of America's Promise Alliance, which calls itself the nation's largest organization of groups focused on children, said the change in how children spend their leisure time is more dramatic than most people recognize and can lead to problems such as obesity and depression.

"I believe this has happened so gradually," she said, "that we as adults don't realize what's taken place. . . . I think we as a nation need to wake up to this."

What are your schools doing to encourage more outdoor time at school? Has your school ever visited Cispus or Chewelah Peak?

The Kids in the Marketing Department

Here's a fun one for you. The writers and editors of the Washington Post's kids section wanted to see how well a new TV commercial for breakfast cereal scored with its target audience. So they set up a focus group of fourth- and sixth-graders from a local elementary school to write down what they believed was the main idea of the advertisement, what they liked and what they disliked (it might make for a fun WASL prompt someday!). As Art Linkletter warned, kids do say the darndest things.

Presidential Primary Bumps Special Elections for Schools

As you may have heard, Washington state has a new presidential primary date -- Feb. 19. This bumps the Feb. 5 special election date many schools and districts use for bond and levy approval. Seattle-Northwest Securities (SNW), the state's largest financial adviser for school district bond and levy issues, recently issued a handy elections guide outlining the new election and resolution filing dates for 2008.

Incidentally, SNW will co-host its popular School Finance Workshop again Sept. 18 at the Shoreline Center with the help of the Washington School Public Relations Association.

Childhood Obesity Gets Another Champion

Move over Arnold. Make way, Bill Clinton. There's a new force in the fight against childhood obesity.

You may recall earlier this year California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Bill Clinton joined the American Heart Association in the launch of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, an initiative to eliminate childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles among kids.

Well, on Tuesday, June 26, ABC premieres "Shaq's Big Challenge," starring NBA star Shaquille O'Neal in a reality show aimed at combating childhood obesity. According to the show's Web site, O'Neal will "help transform six obese middle school youngsters from Florida into healthy, fit kids - and along the way, demonstrate how other communities nationwide can help fight childhood obesity." The NBA All-Star will serve as the kids' coach and motivator, but they'll also work with Shaq's his own physician and trainer, as well as a nutritionist, a childhood obesity expert from Miami Children's Hospital, Food Network Chef Tyler Florence and Shaq's basketball coach from L.S.U., Dale Brown.

In an April 2006 survey conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 92 percent of all Americans consider childhood obesity to be a serious national problem. Interestingly, the same survey found that parents are less concerned about obesity in their own children:

• Only 41 percent of parents with children under age 18 were very concerned about their children being or becoming obese or seriously overweight.

The show about kids may really be aimed at adults; it will air at 9 p.m. (late on a school night, but it is summer, after all). With one-third of the country's children already obese or at risk for obesity, this new reality show could be the sleeper hit of the summer. It's hard to believe all of this all gets resolved in just six one-hour segments; it took "The Sopranos" six seasons and they're still seeking closure...

Depending on how the show goes, we may need a second helping of "Shaq's Big Challenge." Let's hope everyone who tunes in does so after at least 30 minutes of running, jumping and exercising.

Student Press Bill Moving Ahead in OR

Oregon could be the next state to broaden student media freedoms.

On Monday, the Oregon Senate approved House Bill 3279, and sent it off to Gov. Ted Kulongoski for review and signature. The bill makes students in high schools and higher education institutions responsible for the content of school-sponsored media. Amendments were made in the Senate to soften the measure, stripping out specific protections for student media advisers, restrictions on prior review and language about "public forums."

The Oregon bill was introduced on the heels of Washington state's own House Bill 1307, brought forward this past session by Rep. Dave Upthegrove (D-Des Moines). That bill died in the Senate, though the lawmaker told attendees at a journalism workshop this past May at Central Washington University that he plans to reintroduce the measure again next year -- but may start with a higher ed-only bill.

Where Credit is Due

Last Friday's "Report to Families" by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction suggests that students in the class of 2008 are rising to the challenge of the WASL as a graduation requirement. According to OSPI, 86.8 percent of the class has passed the test in reading and about the same (86.7 percent) did so on the writing exam -- both great numbers to cheer about. Math continues to be the subject of greatest concern, as just 74.3 of next year's graduating seniors have passed the test. The math requirement has been postponed until 2013, during which time the state will be working to review the standards, among other things.

The good news is more resources are being allocated to help those students still needing to get over the bar. The Legislature has allocated $12 million for Promoting Academic Success (PAS), which high schools and districts can use to target those students in need of additional reading, writing or math help.

Is the bar still too high for Washington's high school students? To see what the papers are saying about student progress, you can read this, this, this and this. Oh, and check out this and that, too.

Grad Requirements Translated

The Center for the Improvement for Student Learning (CISL) just completed its translation of the Washington State High School Graduation Requirements into nine different languages, including:

• Spanish
• Tagalog
• Cambodian
• Russian
• Vietnamese
• Korean
• Somali
• Ukrainian

The documents are all available as PDFs that can easily be printed and reproduced.

Commencing with Commencement

Here's a humorous read from a community columnist at the Kitsap Sun newspaper in Bremerton. Guest blogger Rob Woutat delivers a pragmatic virtual commencement address to students in Kitsap County high schools. Among the advice offered:

The further you drift from the protective arms of your parents and your school, the more you’ll have to jack up your skepticism, and the more you’ll recognize that skepticism is a basic survival tool.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt may have had the best approach to giving speeches: "Be sincere. Be brief. Be seated."

Since it's that time of year, tell us what you think makes a great graduation address (high school or college)?

How do you select the speakers at your high school? And for middle and elementary schools: do you hold commencement or transition ceremonies?

At Least They Spelled It Correctly

(Punctuation is another matter.)

Apparently someone walking by the AWSP office in Olympia last night felt strongly about Ms. Hilton's plight. This is the backside of our office sign, which we discovered first thing this morning.

Although the celebrity was released today from the L.A. County jail, I'm not sure we can count on the same person returning to restore our sign to its original condition.

Combatting the Summer Slump

And we're not talking about the Mariners here.

According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, 65 percent of the achievement gap between poor and more affluent students can be attributed to unequal summer learning opportunities during their elementary school years. Their study found that:

On average, children from low-income families lose nearly three months of grade-level equivalency, compared to one month lost by middle-income children when reading and math performance are combined.

What are your schools doing to prevent a summer slump?

By the way, National Summer Learning Day is July 12.

WASL Data

According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), our state's education department, just 85 test score appeals have been filed so far this year. (That's out of 240,000 tests, BTW.) The numbers were released earlier this week as part of an informational event for Washington state media. Of those filed:

• 66 were in math; 12 were granted
• 9 were in reading; 1 was granted
• 10 were in writing; none (0) were granted

There are also about 2,000 students who have applied to submit a collection of evidence, according to Molly O'Connor, the state's assessment communications manager. The collection of evidence is one of the multiple alternatives to the WASL, a means by which high schoolers can demonstrate mastery in the content areas without re-taking the test. Another 85 students have filed their scores on the ACT, PSAT, SAT or ACT as proof of their abilities; 82 filed to use their PSAT scores, one filed to use SAT scores, and two filed to use ACT scores.

FYI, State Superintendent Terry Bergeson will present her "Report to Families" teleconference to the media on Friday, June 8, at which time she will announce the number of sophomores and juniors who passed the WASL in reading, writing and math this year.

Under Pressure

The photos from the Scripps National Spelling Bee do a wonderful job of capturing the emotion associated with this event. As I mentioned in Tuesday's blog, the official Web site has a great collection of trivia and resources about the famous contest. But it's the photos that really captured my attention. Here are a couple of my favorites, courtesy of the Scripps site:

1. This poor little guy. He received the dreaded "ding" of the bell, indicating an incorrect spelling. Not sure if he's near tears or just wincing. Or both. (Cute shot, though.)
   

2. Oh, the agony of a missed word...













And my favorite shot of all that I have seen so far is this one:


3. Forget the pressure of letting yourself down, let alone your school, your family, your city, your state... Consider the plight of the poor student facing THE MEDIA in all of this. The media moat in front of the stage would rival a senate hearing. There's even a priest on hand for this event!

Participation in this event gives students an education in more than just spelling. It gives them a taste of life in the 21st century modern world.

By the way, the winning word, if you don't already know by now, was serrefine. Don't know what it means? Do what my mom always told me to do: look it up!

Where the Jobs Are

More evidence to support the claim that math matters before, during and after high school (and college) graduation. Here are the top jobs for 2006-07 college graduates, and it includes some good news for the education world -- teaching is one of them:

TOP JOBS FOR 2006-07 COLLEGE GRADUATES

Accounting

Consulting

Management trainee

Sales

Finance

Project engineering

Design/construction engineering

Teaching

Software design, development

Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers

Finger Length and SAT Scores?

This just in from the "weird science and education news" department: student finger lengths can be used to predict SAT scores. Really.

As humorist Dave Barry would say, " I am not making this up."

According to research by LiveScience.com, students with ring fingers longer than their index fingers have higher math scores than verbal scores on the college entrance exam. Students with the reverse ratio tended to have higher verbal scores and lower math scores. What's to account for this trend? LiveScience says:

Exposure to testosterone in the womb is said to promote development of areas of the brain often associated with spatial and mathematical skills, he said. That hormone makes the ring finger longer. Estrogen exposure does the same for areas of the brain associated with verbal ability and tends to lengthen the index finger relative to the ring finger.

To test their hypothesis, researchers made photocopies of children's palms and measured the length of their index and ring fingers (using calipers accurate to .01 mm). The researchers then looked at boys' and girls' test scores separately, comparing them to finger-length ratios. In the end, they said they found a clear link between prenatal testosterone exposure (indicated by the finger length) and the higher SAT scores in math. You can read the full story here.

In the interest of full disclosure, LiveScience's hypothesis pans out with this author's own finger-ratio and math scores.

Maybe LiveScience could replicate the study with the WASL?

Is Spelling a Sport?

Like football, track or golf, it requires hours of study, dedication and training. It even has officials! But is spelling a sport?

The people at ESPNTV.com think so, and will be covering the 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee , which begins this Wednesday in Washington, D.C. It's a fun parlor game to debate whether the 286 student spellers qualify as "athletes" or fierce competitors ready to unleash some serious lexicographical jujitsu on one another. As ESPN columnist Mike Golic observed in the network's magazine this week:

"We don't celebrate academic achievement nearly enough in our popular culture. The spelling bee can be an example: Hey. Here's another way to get on TV- use your brain."

Indeed.

If you have a chance, take a quick peek at the Scripps site, which, like any sport, includes lots of fascinating statistics (40 of this year's spellers are only children). They've also created a photo gallery, round results and, of course, study resources. You can also view a list of all of the students participating in this week's event, including four students from Washington state.

Spellings Holds Her Own

Forgot to follow up on U.S. Education Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings' appearance on The Daily Show earlier this week. It takes a confident person to go on a fake news show and pull it off looking relaxed and witty. Say what you will about Spellings, she did both.

You also have to hand it to the show's host, Jon Stewart, to conduct a five minute interview of any substance while talking about No Child Left Behind and the student loan scandal. It's hard to even describe NCLB in five minutes, let alone make it funny.

Not sure if she's just that affable or her handlers prepped her well but she comes off as likable and on point about the graduation rate in this country. Incidentally, according to Stewart, Spellings is the only cabinet level official to accept the invitation to appear on the show. Click here to watch the interview.

Per Pupil Pennies

Does more money = better schools?

That's one of the questions you may ask after reviewing the U.S. Census Bureau's latest report on school funding. According to the numbers bureau, the U.S. spends an average of $8,701 per pupil on education. New York spent the most at $14,119 per student; Utah spent the least at $5,257 per student. These figures are up 5 percent from the previous year, the report indicated.
And Washington? We clock in at $7,560.

Keep in mind these are based on 2004-05 expenditures AND our state just concluded one of its most successful legislative sessions for K-12 education funding. But the findings will likely raise the question as to whether more money is the answer to our education questions. Interestingly, the 10 states with the lowest spending were in the west and south; those with the most were in the northeast.

Overall, the report indicated the U.S. spent $488.5 billion on K-12 in 2004-05. Forty-seven percent of the funds came from the states themselves; another 43.9 percent came from local sources and the remaining 9 percent came from the feds.

The report is 134 pages of dazzling graphs, charts and numbers. If you've nothing else to do over the long weekend, this could be just the ticket...

Play Ball (and Use Math)!

Check out the new Web site launched by the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning or CISL. The online resource is designed to be "a clearinghouse for education research, promising practices and success stories from around the state."

Right now, they have a fun feature on using baseball to engage kids in math.

The Route to a Diploma

OSPI just posted an updated flyer on the WASL and high school graduation that reflects the changes put in place by the Legislature this past session. The state is also working on a comprehensive FAQ document that incorporates questions from the field about alternative routes to the Certificate, course credits, etc. The Tacoma News Tribune covered some of these questions in a recent article, as well.

[Contractually Binding] Boogie Fever

Students attending Ballard High's prom in Seattle this year will have to sign contracts if they want to cut a rug.

That's according to a story published in last week's Seattle Weekly ("Getting Your Freak On Just Got Harder") detailing the difficult, if somewhat awkward, task of policing student dance moves. Apparently two years ago, the issue generated enough of a ruckus that administrators had to develop a containment strategy of sorts. Student leaders were tapped to tackle the problem. Their solution: adopting a 45-degree rule - no torsos bent more than 45 degrees perpendicular to the ground. The plan was scrapped after a year.

(Maybe Seattle's own Apolo Ohno -- the latest Dancing with the Stars champ -- could teach them a thing or two? Then again, even some of his dance moves might find him escorted off the gym floor...)

Now it's prom season, so Ballard and two other high schools are trying a more traditional American approach: signing contracts. This year's prom-goers at Ballard must sign contracts promising to abide by dance guidelines. Break the contract, and they have to shuffle off to Buffalo. (Or home, preferably.)

So what's the right solution? How are your high schools handling this issue -- or is it even an issue in your school or district?

Spellings on The Daily Show

Much to the delight of bloggers and pundits everywhere, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings is scheduled to appear on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart tonight...

Who Wants to be a Principal?

Fortunately, many educators still do. But a rash of news coverage questions why anyone would.

This is the time of year many administrators start thinking about the coming school year and must indicate their desire to stay in their current positions, change buildings, change grade levels, move into the central office or retire altogether. (In some cases, the district rearranges the players...)

Yesterday, AWSP was interviewed by The Olympian and KOMO Radio about the turnover in the principalship, particularly at the high school level. Although we don't keep stats on the changes, we do track the position changes for our own employment postings. Extremely long hours, coupled with high pressure and complex demands make that leadership position particularly demanding and subject to greater scrutiny -- and turnover. Then Newsweek hit the newsstands today with its annual "America's Best High Schools" feature.

In addition to stories about some great high schools around the country, the magazine takes a moment to examine the school leaders at work in these schools and acknowledges some of these same challenges. Be sure to check out "The Principal Principle" and the rest of the special issue. Then tell us what you think!

Is there more pressure on high school administrators? Or is the job of the principal generally just getting tougher?

Incidentally, 19 high schools from our state made the magazine's list of the top 5 percent (1,253) in the country.

Technorati Profile

School Finance

The Center for Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) released a new publication today offering insights into school finance as part of its School Finance Redesign Project. This four-year effort, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, commissioned 30 nationally renowned scholars to write papers based on the following question:

"How can resources help schools achieve the higher level of student performance that state and national education standards now demand?"

You can read the papers here. The CRPE is housed in the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington in Seattle.

First Amendment in Schools

Last Friday's "First Amendment on Campus" event at Central Washington University in Ellensburg reaffirmed AWSP's commitment to helping principals better understand student press legal issues.

Sponsored by a grant from the Washington Journalism Education Association, this day-long workshop offered session tracks for advisers, journalism teachers and administrators primarily focused on the legal aspects of student media. A morning session given by school law attorney Cliff Foster gave a thoughtful (and at times, humorous) overview of the legal landscape regarding landmark student press cases ranging from Tinker v. Des Moines to Bethel, Hazelwood and the currently pending Frederick v. Morse (aka "Bong Hits 4 Jesus"). The Student Press Law Center's Mike Hiestand also presented a short session on student press pitfalls--copyright infringement, libel/slander, invasion of privacy--all good information for advisers and administrators alike. Over lunch, State Rep. Dave Upthegrove (D-Des Moines) offered his reflections on the defeat of HB 1307 this past session, indicating he might run the measure again next year. Only this time, he may just focus on collegiate press, working to make changes incrementally.

1307 enacted into law. It should be noted that Perhaps the day's most significant discussions took place after lunch, when Upthegrove and Foster joined attendees in an open discussion about a variety of school law/First Amendment issues, including student press. It was clear from the comments of those present that administrators are perceived as controlling when it comes to student press -- and that many still want to see administrators removed from the editorial process. (It should be noted that AWSP will be meeting with representatives from the WJEA soon to identify ways our two organizations can work together to help advisers and administrators better understand the issues facing each group, and in the process, further strengthen our state's many fine journalism programs.)

In concluding, Foster challenged the audience to consider the following questions:

1. In instances of student press, who is accountable to whom?
   
2. Who gets to decide what the paper will be?
   
3. What type of lesson are we teaching students [through activities on student papers]?
   

By removing administrators from the review process, "Are we really creating a model that mimics the real world?" Foster asked. What do you think?

Principals and School Media

What is the role of school administrators in relation to student press? Do student journalists have the same rights as professionals?

Those are just some of the questions likely to be raised at tomorrow's First Amendment on Campus Workshop at Central Washington University in Ellensburg. AWSP was actively involved in discussions this past session over HB1307, a bill that would have removed principal oversight from student media. Although 1307 died this session in Washington, it may be resurrected next year. A similar measure has also been introduced and is pending in the Oregon State Legislature.

More from Ellensburg tomorrow.

Sam Cooke Was Wrong*

Math and science have been the media darlings of late, but two reports being released today may temporarily shift the focus to history and civics.

The results of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the federal government's measure of public school achievement, indicate test scores are up for fourth-graders and 12th-graders in U.S. history and civics. Because testing varies from state to state (our WASLTAKS in Texas), the NAEP is considered "the nation's report card" because it tests a random sample of students nationwide in a variety of subjects at different grade levels.

According to the reports, the percentage of fourth-graders who met basic standard on the assessment rose last year from 64 percent in 1994 to 70 percent last year. In civics, the jump went from 69 percent in 1998 to 73 percent last year. High school students fared well in history, too: 61 percent of 12th-graders scored at or above basic, up from 55 percent in 2001. Interestingly, the National Assessment Governing Board, which conducts the regular test sampling of schools in the U.S., noted that on other tests in the same time period, "in reading, math, science and civics--results have indicated flat or declining performance."

Teachers of history and civics have long battled over what students should know, and the latest NAEP results will no doubt fuel that fire. Although the scores are up, it is interesting to see just what students were and weren't able to correctly identify or describe. Here's a snippet of how test-takers fared. In U.S. history:

• 35 percent of fourth-graders explained how two inventions changed life in the U.S.
• 1 percent of eighth-graders explained how the fall of the Berlin Wall affected foreign policy
• 36 identified immigration pattern and explained its causes.
  

Aside from giving radio DJs (and bloggers) something to ponder, what should we make of these results? Are they cause for celebration or more careful consideration?

(*"What a Wonderful World" - Sam Cooke)

The Silent Epidemic - Update

U.S. Senator Patty Murray just sent an e-mail blast about that new Ed Week graduation rate database. Murray's message said the new data supports her PASS (Pathways for All Students to Succeed) legislation, designed to help increase graduation rates by "providing critical resources including literacy and math coaches, additional academic and career counselors, and grants to fund innovative reform in high schools across the country." It would also help improve the accuracy of high school graduation rates across the country, according to Murray's release.

"It's clear that students and schools need more support toward academic success and that's what my bill will provide. By targeting reading, math and academic planning, the PASS Act gives high schools the resources and support they need to help more students graduate prepared for college, work and citizenship," said Murray.

You can read more on this on the senator's Web site.

The Silent Epidemic

It's almost June, so naturally, there's a lot of chatter right now about graduation and, perhaps more importantly, graduation rates. Consider last Thursday's news about a new national database promising the first accurate look at states' graduation rates.

Compiled by the national education magazine, Education Week, this online map allows users to generate a PDF report of any school district in the country using a street address. The site tabulates graduation data for school systems by tracking the size of a high school class from the fall of freshman year to graduation day. The data shows that about one-third of all high school students do not graduate within four years, and that 50 percent of all dropouts nationwide are from a small group of mainly urban high schools. Here's the map I generated locally for the Olympia School District. The program allows you to compare districts across the state and the nation and breaks down at what point in the progression (ninth-grade, 10th-grade, etc.) students exit the system.

Generating real numbers about graduation is something that may continue to garner attention, particularly heading into the 2008 election where groups like the Broad/Gates Foundations' "Ed in '08" campaign is making education a policy priority.

And of all the groups you'd least expect (but in a weird way, might hope) pay attention to this national problem, MTV recently aired a documentary and launched a co-branded Web site about dropouts in America. "The Dropout Chronicles" debuted on May 9 and follows three high school students in their progression toward this American rite of passage. MTV is well-known among its target audiences for reality shows like "The Real World" where groups of college-age men and women are thrown together in not-so-real-world housing (a fully furnished loft on the Seattle waterfront for college students?).

If "The Dropout Chronicles" doesn't sugarcoat things, it could be one way to reach kids already tuned into this channel about a very real topic.

Of Rock Stars, Robots and Students

Saw two interesting K-12-related stories on Tuesday. Both involved great kids. Both involved rock stars (well, one rock star and one scientist being treated like a rock star). And both showed how motivated students can be when they find their groove.

Story 1: Pop star Fergie visited Seattle's Franklin High on Tuesday to give a free one-hour concert. Students there entered a fashion contest sponsored by the singer's cell phone sponsor. The challenge: Demonstrate their fashion style using cell phone photos the cell company representatives uploaded to the Web. Visual scanning software assigned points based on how closely they captured Fergie's style. Apparently Franklin's students are more fashion forward than any other high school in the country, thus the visit!

Story 2: NBC Nightly News showed how 8,000+ students from across the country (and across gender, ethnicity and income levels) used their passion for science and engineering in the FIRST Robotics Competition. Student teams build using robots they created to advance through a series of competitions. The program was created by Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway scooter. According to NBC's Bob Faw:

The assembled brainiacs treat organizer Kamen like a rock star because he believes that's exactly how the country should treat them.

"What we have to do is have them develop a passion and excitement to excel at things besides bouncing a ball," Kamen says. "You're a winner because of this experience."

Not sure we'll see Fergie and Dean join up any time soon, although that could be interesting! Nevertheless, two very different approaches to inspiring young people's creativity.

Veto Update

On Tuesday, Gov. Gregoire wielded her veto pen over what became known as "the WASL bill" this past legislative session. ESSB 6023 delays until 2013 a requirement that high school students pass the math and science WASL exams in order to graduate. The four sections she eliminated would have established end-of-course exams (section 9), regional appeals at the ESD level (section 10), a special exemption for ELL students (section 11) and an emergency clause (section 13) requiring an immediate effect. In her weekly newsletter to state employees this week, she noted:

“We must improve math and science teaching and learning, but we cannot penalize students when the system has failed them,” said Gov. Gregoire. “This bill extends to 2013 the deadline for students to meet the state math and science standards through the WASL or an approved alternative for high school graduation.”

You may recall reading here last week that AWSP sent a letter to Gov. Gregoire urging her veto of sections 2, 6 and 10. While the Association agreed with the vetoes that were enacted, we believe several of the the issues in section 2 (including the ability for students to access alternative assessments like the SAT, ACT and AP tests after just one attempt at the WASL) run counter to the state's education reform efforts. We also anticipate these issues will resurface in the 2008 legislative session. In the meantime...

High school administrators: How are you explaining the impact of this legislation to your students and their parents? How about staff?

Pro Dev for Principals

I'm enjoying some great conversation with the AWSP and WSPEF board members this morning in Bellevue. Today, we're talking about principal professional development needs. The question our Director of Professional Development, Terry Barber, raised in conversation with the board was:

What kinds of professional development should AWSP offer that we are not currently providing?

Most everyone around the table agreed it should take at least two tracks: inspirational (workshops helping principals reflect on their role as leaders, balancing work/life demands) and technical (workshops tailored to specific leadership skills and issues). What kind of instructional leadership training do you look for? What programs would you take time out of your building to attend?

Beating the Odds

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) concluded in its recent report that very few schools "beat the odds" on the 10th-grade WASL last spring, but several performed "below expectations. Last year, the Legislature tasked WSIPP with conducting several WASL-related studies. This latest report reflects their efforts to identify schools that "beat the odds," meaning schools whose students did better on the WASL than expected, given their demographics. Only 8 out of 309 schools included in the analysis beat the odds in reading and writing; 13 out of 303 schools did it in math.

So what does this all mean? Well, since the actual and predicted met standard rates were higher for schools in reading and writing, it seems to confirm what we already know: there is a problem with math. But the main finding, as researchers noted, was the disappointing realization that very few schools beat the odds given their students' demographics.

Friedman on Skills

Digging through the inbox this morning and found a list of skill sets New York Times writer Thomas Friedman referenced at this year's NASSP Convention in Las Vegas. Friedman is, of course, the author of the popular book, "The World is Flat." Might make good fodder for remarks at graduations later this spring...

9 Skill Sets for Jobs that Can’t be Outsourced

1. Be great collaborators

2. Be great synthesizers

3. Be great leveragers

4. Be great explainers

5. Be great adaptors

6. Do anything green (environmental)

7. Be great calculators

8. Be great localizers

9. Be passionate personalizers

AWSP Requests Section Veto of WASL Bill

Last week, AWSP Executive Director Gary Kipp sent a letter to Gov. Gregoire asking her to veto three sections of ESSB 6023, the WASL and high school graduation bill. The governor has 20 days from the time the bill was signed (excluding Sundays) to take action on the measure. That means we'll likely see something take place on or before May 15.

From AWSP's perspective, the bill now before the governor represents a substantial weakening of the diploma and the graduation requirements. The association is supportive of the proposed delay in the math and science WASL as a grad requirement, but has serious concerns about the other major elements of this bill, including:

• SECTION 2 - Would allow students to use assessments that are not aligned with state standards (e.g., ACT, SAT, AP) to demonstrate proof of skills.
  
• SECTION 6 - Restricts access to the alternatives to only those students with a 3.2 GPA or higher and directs the State Board of Education to examine the use of norm references tests as a means of alternative assessment.
  
• SECTION 10 - Allows ESDs to review student appeals based on pre-ed reform measures of success (e.g., attendance/seat time).
  

In the letter, AWSP also requested a veto of section 9 of HB 1051, granting certificates of academic completion to those students who complete all graduation requirements but for the WASL. It is not a diploma. As Kipp wrote in his letter:

"While we appreciate the Legislature's efforts to ensure all students are recognized, the certificate of academic completion is a poor substitute for the skills represented by earning a high school diploma."

The governor has indicated her concerns about the measure, so she might make some changes with her veto pen (section only; there is no line-item veto). We will be anxious to see how things play out as May 15 approaches.

iPods, Cell Phones in School

Today's News Tribune reports the Federal Way School District is considering a ban on the use of all cell phones and music devices (e.g., iPods). According to the article, a draft put forward by district principals falls short of banning electronic devices from elementary, middle and high school campuses. So far the district's five high school principals are recommending the devices not be in sight or operated during school hours, the paper noted. In neighboring districts, the policies range from allowing them (with the threat of removal if they're found to be disruptive) to only allowing them at the high school.

From the principal's perspective, when is this technology appropriate for students to have in school? How does your school handle the use of cell phones? And are cell phones different from iPods or other MP3 players? Should there be separate policies for these devices?

And how can schools use iPods to enhance the educational process?

Vicki and Ed

There are two new names in the education wing of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In case you missed it, they've hired Portland Public Schools Chief Vicki Phillips as its new director of U.S. education programs. According to the press release, Phillips will "complete the school year in Portland and begin work at the foundation August 1, overseeing and expanding upon more than $3.4 billion in strategic education investments and partnerships."

Then there's this Ed guy -- although in searching their Web site, I see Ed's not really a guy. It's a campaign. The "Ed in '08" campaign is an effort to make public education a major policy focus of the 2008 presidential election. According to the site, B&MGF is partnering with the Eli and Edyth Broad Foundation to put $60 million toward the "Strong American Schools" effort...

Washington Scholars Day

Yesterday, AWSP and the Higher Education Coordinating Board hosted its annual celebration of Washington Scholars here in Olympia. It was a big day for us and for all of our guests -- more than 500 people!

This event draws principals, students and families from all over the state, many of whom have never been to Olympia or the capitol campus before. So the staff at AWSP and the HEC Board try to make the event extra special by allowing students access to the House chambers in the morning for a recognition ceremony. (Seeing all those students in the seats that were just last week occupied by legislators was pretty amazing!)

Attendees then got to participate in one of five breakout sessions on state government, the Supreme Court, lobbying, the attorney general's office and PR and the media. This gave the Scholars, and their families, a chance to learn more about the Legislature and related careers.

In the afternoon, everyone was treated to a luncheon at Saint Martin's University, courtesy of our partner, Comcast. Gov. Gregoire made time in her amazingly busy schedule to stop by and offer her congratulations, and incoming WSU President Dr. Elson Floyd provided some inspiring and humorous keynote remarks. And there was time for plenty of pictures, like Willapa Valley Principal Rob Friese (right) with his daughter, Chelsi, who was a 2007 Washington Scholar.

Being around all of those students and proud parents reminded me how special this time of year is for schools, when we celebrate our successes and the promise these young people hold.

TVW covered the morning program, the panel on PR and media and the luncheon. You can listen to the events on their Web site or watch for it to be rebroadcast on your local cable station.

Coaches for Principals

Tiger Woods has a coach. Several, in fact.

And nobody bats an eye when he or other athletes call in specialists to help improve their skills. Ditto for many CEOs of today's Fortune 500 companies.

Why should school principals be any different?

That's the stigma AWSP hopes to break with the development of a new coaching program just for school principals. Yesterday, about 20 veteran (and mostly retired) principals from around the state gathered in Renton to help the Association flesh out what this might look like. This year, AWSP received a grant from The Boeing Company to conduct a needs assessment for this project and conduct some preliminary training of coaches.

Right now, AWSP provides varying levels of service to administrators, including:

• The Assessor/Mentor Program: Available to principals in the first three years of their principalship, participants receive two days of intense one-on-one skills evaluation with a trained assessor at no cost to them (thanks to continued support from the Washington State Legislature).
  
• School Improvement Assistance: Principals involved in OSPI's school improvement program receive targeted leadership training and assistance from AWSP.
  
• Coaching Triage: Principals who call AWSP's office in need of career guidance and support as a result of an incident or specific action.
  

In the coming months, AWSP Executive Director Gary Kipp and Principal Leadership Development Director Don Rash will be working to develop a pilot program that makes available coaching services to all members, at all stages of their careers, who want to take their skills and abilities to the next level.

"We see the work AWSP is doing is just so critical," said Anne Marie Tripps, project director for Seattle University's Program for New Principals, and one of Monday's Coaching Summit participants.

One of the questions asked at the summit was, "What are the essential skills for all coaches?" What do you think? What does it take to be a leadership coach for a school principal? And would you like to have a coach?

Podcasting for Principals

I'm spending today in the company of several communications professionals from the Puget Sound region to learn more about podcasting. Like the blog, podcasting is another way for AWSP to share information, news and stories with our members. Stay tuned!

Green is the New Black

Seems like you can't recycle a magazine or a newspaper today that doesn't mention the environment or the "green" movement. Time, Newsweek -- even Sports Illustrated published a special issue this March on sports and global warming. And today you might have seen the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's feature on Islandwood, a Bainbridge Island outdoor camp.

Clearly green is the new black. And that might be a good thing for today's students, more and more of whom would rather hang out indoors or don't have a safe option outside. In his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, author Richard Louv details a whole generation of children for whom playing outside is neither an option nor an interest. Or both, in some cases. His premise is simple: children today have little free time, and what they do have is structured (piano lessons, little league, karate, etc.). As a result, kids are losing touch with the natural world - and the long-term effects could have big implications for us all.

If, indeed, green is the new black, then AWSP was wearing green long before it became fashionable. For decades, AWSP has provided elementary, middle and high schools students from all across the state with outdoor learning experiences at Cispus Outdoor Learning Center, and more recently at the new Chewelah Peak Learning Center near Spokane. At both centers, classroom teachers guide their students in lessons that apply traditional indoor lessons in the non-traditional outdoor classroom. For some kids, it's a better way to tackle issues like math and science. For others, it's more about connecting with each other and the world around them.

The cost? About $70 a student for a week's worth of bugs, trails, critters, mud and fun. And that learning stuff, too.

Note: If you are an AWSP member and are interested in reviewing this book for an upcoming issue of The Principal News magazine, please e-mail me.