June 2nd Edition
The AWSA Update Bulletin is ending the school year with
the four most-read articles of 2020-21.
Pain, Promise, and the Path to Racial Justice (July 2020)
By Jim Lynch and Joe Schroeder, AWSA
Race is a social construct. The genome has been mapped, and we know that our species share 99.9% of our DNA with one another.1
That “social construct” has very real meaning in our country. Babies who are black and white are born with the same amazing potential. However, based solely on the social construct of race, we can predict wide disparities for people of color in education, criminal justice, health, and poverty. And, here in Wisconsin, we have some of the widest disparities in the nation.
Read more.
Coaching Emotional Resilience: How Will We Bounce Back? (April 2020)
by Tammy Gibbons, AWSA Director of Professional Development
“How you interpret and make sense of events is a juncture point where emotional resilience increases or depletes. You make the choice about what story to tell. When you tell empowering stories, your optimism may expand and optimism is a key trait of resilient people.” -- Elena Aguilar
Just a few short months ago, I received the news that my children had a sibling born. My husband and I are in our 50’s, adopted our two children in 2017 and now found ourselves at a juncture we knew may come. Ultimately, we made the painful decision that while we would love to continue to adopt more children, it simply isn’t the best decision long term for this child or our own.
Read more.
12 Things School Leaders Should Stop Doing Today (July 2020)
by Jimmy Casas
A couple of weeks ago I was part of a group discussion where a building principal shared that he had been called to the superintendent’s office. You could tell by the tone in his voice that he was a bit nervous about why his superintendent had requested the meeting. He shared that it wasn’t the first time he had been called in to have “a talk.”
Read more.
School-Based Mental Health Services for Students in Remote, In-Person and Blended Learning (July 2020)
by Tim Peerenboom, School Psychology Consultant on Student Services, Prevention and Wellness Team
Prior to school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing evidence was making two things clear. First, is that Wisconsin students are in crisis. According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), nearly 60% of high school students reported experiencing depression, anxiety, self-harm, or suicidal ideation. Second, is that schools are uniquely positioned and thus increasingly being relied upon to provide mental health services for school-aged youth.
Read more.
2021 Elementary Principals Convention
The 2021 Elementary Principals Convention will take place from October 13-15, 2021 at the KI Center in Green Bay. Brad Gustafson and Jennifer Abrams will present our keynote sessions and the convention will feature over twenty sessions focused on Elementary Leadership.
Click for more information.
