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By: Lori Lynass Ed.D
Executive Director of Sound Supports, a state and national leader in training and technical assistance for Positive Behavior Intervention Supports implementation.
As schools prepare for the start of a new school year, there is no better time to focus on staff and student social and emotional wellness. Using a Culturally Responsive Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (CR-MTSS) framework, the emphasis should start with whole school prevention efforts and on the systems needed to deliver these supports. It is key to remember that Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports focuses on everyone in the building, so we are prioritizing wellness for staff, families and students. While schools are likely feeling the pressure to make up academic losses that students may have experienced due to COVID, the research tells us that we must attend to their social-emotional needs first.
Consider organizing your efforts across these areas: establish predictable environments, invest in relationship building, integrate social-emotional learning into daily routines and academic content and put students at the center.
Continue reading this article..
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The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has amended its absence rules in support of the implementation of HB 1834 (2022) - Concerning student excused absences for mental health reasons.
When will more guidance be available?
OSPI will publish comprehensive written guidance addressing common questions and recommended practices in August in preparation for the 2022-23 school year.
Washington State School Directors Association updated Policy & Procedure (3122) - Excused and Unexcused Absences to reflect the changes in the rule. Find more information here about accessing Washington State School Directors Association model policy for your district.
Leadership Team Activities to Try
Do you want your team to take a deeper look at attendance, school refusal, and mental health? We’ve crafted activities that take 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 90 minutes for you! Take a look at data, toolkits, reflection questions, and more. Check out this month’s Care Package.
Self Paced Online Course: School Refusal to Reengagement
School Refusal to Reengagement: Supporting Your School Team's Journey, taught by Dorothy Bearson, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Nationally Certified School Psychologist School Reengagement Specialist of Brooks Powers in partnership with Sound Supports.
- This self-paced online course will define levels of school refusal, and how to support student re-engagement from a systems framework.
- The course identifies specific strategies and practices for school personnel to increase their intentional approach to increase student engagement
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Tools for Addressing Anxiety, Depression and Behavior
Seattle Children's Hospital developed the Fast Approach Skills Training (FAST) resources for brief, evidence-based behavioral approaches for youth and families with common mental health concerns.These tools are specifically created for use in schools and other non-long-term-treatment settings.
Along with the downloadable handouts and workbooks, you'll also find on-demand video training modules for support.
You'll find:
FAST-A for Anxiety, FAST-B for Behavior, FAST-D for Depression, FAST-P for Parenting Teens, FAST-T for Trauma, FAST-S for Safety
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Engage and Reengage Students with School Connectedness
Research shows that young people who feel connected to their school are more likely to have better academic achievement, including higher grades and test scores, have better school attendance, and stay in school longer; they are also less likely to engage in many risk behaviors, including early sexual initiation, alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, and violence and gang involvement.
Fostering school connectedness is a high-leverage, school-wide activity that will increase your student’s attendance, engagement and reengagement as we enter into the 2023 school year.
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Toolkit: Resources for Engaging Families and the Community as Partners in Education
By: Mona Halcomb, Native Student Success Program Supervisor, mona.halcomb@k12.wa.us
Watching the evening news may impact some families differently than others. As a Native American woman, watching the recent events about the Pope apologizing to Indigenous Groups in Canada about residential schools brought up painful conversations with my family – see video here.
As you may know, the United States shares a similar history. A recent report was released regarding Native American Boarding Schools and the content may be triggering. You can read the report: Burial sites found at 53 Native American boarding schools. The investigation found that from 1819 to 1969, the federal Indian boarding school system was comprised of more than 400 schools across 37 states.
The good work you are doing for reengagement considering these stories is even more critical. Starting from a place of acknowledging, healing, and co-creating safe and inviting places of learning will reengage our youth and families. Here are some resources I hope you will find helpful in your efforts. Continue reading...
The following principles guide OSPI's attendance supports and programming:
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Attendance is foundational to student learning; it is a stepping stone and necessary precursor to engagement and mastery
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Absences tell us when a student has not accessed or had the opportunity to engage in instruction
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Absences are a research-based early warning indicator; along with course performance
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Absences can reflect inequities that are caused by or perpetuated by our systems
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Absences can signal when a student or family might need more support
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Absences are a signal to which we should respond with supportive curiosity about why students are not attending
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Students and families are our best partners to understand the barriers to attendance and how to increase engagement
Do you have feedback on these principles? Did we miss something? What could we communicate better? Send us your feedback at Attendance@k12.wa.us.
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Start the year off strong with an attendance awareness campaign! Find messaging, resources, and toolkits on Attendance Works’s campaign website.
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Check out the Attendance Works “Showing Up Matters for R.E.A.L.” Toolkit, which provides suggested messaging to students, parents, and caregivers that demonstrate why attendance at school is important
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Find the 2022 Campaign Key Messages here.
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Register here for the August 3 webinar: “Ensuring a Welcoming Healthy Start to School” Wed. Aug. 3, 12pm – 1:30pm PST
STAY TUNED! OSPI & ESDs are developing a Washington Attendance Awareness Toolkit for school districts to adapt with poster and door hanger templates, social media messages, and other resources. Sign up for the OSPI Attendance Newsletter to receive these updates.
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As schools, districts and communities prepare for the next school year, gathering data from students and families is a powerful way to understand what supports attendance & engagement and what influences absences & disengagement in your schools.
Check out these tools for collecting student & community voice:
Regular Attendance on OSPI Report Card
Looking for attendance data? Did you know that OSPI publishes chronic absence data on the Report Card annually? Find the Regular Attendance data disaggregated by race/ethnicity, grade, and student group for your school or district here.
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Safety & Security Staffing Data Now Available
Data collected under Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 28A.320.1241 on the number of safety and security staff working in schools and districts is now available. 856 total safety and security staff are employed in 125 districts across the state. Of these 856 staff, 76.5% are district employees, 19.5% are SROs, and 4% are private security. You can download the complete data set from the OSPI school safety center.
Youth Safety & Wellbeing Helpline
Washington State is working to create a youth safety and well-being helpline available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to address a spectrum of youth safety & well-being concerns and connect youth with appropriate resources.
This survey is intended to help gather youth feedback on this new helpline. We aim to gain input from youth on the branding and marketing of the helpline, and glean insight on how we can create something that resonates with youth. This survey is the first in a series of two surveys.
Please share with youth and community in your network. The first survey will run from July 11 through August 5. You’re welcome to refer them to the Tipline inbox for any questions: tipline@atg.wa.gov
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National Immunization Awareness Month
(NIAM) is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. Use these resources to assist you in communicating to parents, guardians and families about vaccinations during August and throughout the year.
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International Youth Day: August 12
The theme this year is Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages and it is all about amplifying the message that action is needed across all generations to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind.
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World Humanitarian Day: August 19
Humanitarian aid workers are some of the most heroic and honorable people alive, putting themselves in harm's way to help alleviate the suffering of strangers. World Humanitarian Day is a reminder of how many lives have been lost in the name of this valiant cause, as well as a celebration of the workers currently doing this necessary but often, dangerous work.
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ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.
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