Dr. Mona M. Johnson, Executive Director System Pathways Olympic Educational Service District 114

For more than two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken education leaders, teachers, and school systems on a professional roller coaster ride. With very little notice, educators across the United States had to shutter school doors, move into isolation and quarantine, establish universal approaches to virtual learning, and devise innovative ways students could continue to access meals the school usually provides. They've had to learn and implement unparalleled public health mitigation strategies, and continuously reinvent day-to-day operational practices. Many districts closed and reopened classrooms several times and erected hybrid learning structures in the interest of reducing student and staff exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

During these years, K–12 educators worked tirelessly and were challenged in countless ways while living the frontline experience of responding to the global pandemic. Each has felt—and may continue to feel—wounded and weary. And leaders and teachers ran this gamut while navigating changing circumstances in their personal lives, too, which were often difficult.

"Teaching through the pandemic has been traumatic. Schools must now prioritize organizational well-being."

Trauma—For Individuals and Systems

The reality is the pandemic affected many school leaders, teachers, and other professionals within the K–12 landscape in ways that can be considered traumatic. Trauma is defined as, "an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual's functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being" (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2022). By this definition, coping with this global pandemic has been traumatic for many people, most certainly including educators. And just like individuals, organizational systems can be affected by prolonged harmful or threatening circumstances—and the experience of COVID-19 has been traumatic to schools and districts throughout our country (and across the world). Two-and-a-half years in, the effects of this pandemic are taking a heavy toll on educators and on the schools they work in. Continue reading here…

Winter Season

Arlie Neskahi, Diné Nation

Arlie Neskahi and our Office of Native Education, remind us all the importance of tradition with the turning of the season.

In our Indigenous Nations across the lands, the Winter season has always been a holy time. Many sacred ceremonies that could not be held during the summer season arise and sacred helpers and caregivers visit the People in their smokehouses, longhouses, dance grounds, hogans, pit houses, kivas and innumerable ceremonial centers. The daylight hours give way to longer nights, and it is a time of great prayers, healing and energy given to help bring about the “renewal” of the coming Spring. In many tribes it is time to tell Creation Stories which are not allowed during the summer months.

In my life, I have gathered many memories and gifts. Like, as a young man I went on my first hunts with my father and older brothers. Warm summer days had given way to the increasing chill, frost, and later ice and snow. Early in the dark before dawn we would rise, leaving the warmth of our house as our ancestors did to take the Hunt. Continue reading...

Social Emotional Learning 

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is broadly understood as a process through which individuals build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and in life.

Below are several Washington-developed resources available for implementation and updates on the program.

• Social Emotional Learning Pathways
• SEL Standards Adoption Letter
• SEL Standards, Benchmarks & Indicators
• SEL Implementation Guide
• SEL Learning Activities

Staff Wellness: Communal Care and Systems Level Care

Bridget Underdahl, Program Supervisor for Project AWARE, speaks on building educator wellness into schools MTSS structure. How might a district start or continue to build their capacity and protocols around educator wellness through a systems lens? What are the do’s and don’ts of this work and what resources are available? Please check out 

Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress in the K-12 Workforce

Educators working environment is students learning environment. In 2021, the Washington State Legislature passed SHB1363: Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress in the K-12 Workforce. SHB1363 directs districts to adopt a policy and procedures to take meaningful steps in supporting staff’s health and well-being.  

To help districts implement WSSDA policy and procedure 5515, OSPI and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation partnered to provide free resources and an online assessment.  

Alliance for Healthier Generation School Wellness Committee Toolkit

This guide was created as a resource for school wellness committees to convene, plan and implement their action plans. The tools and other tips contained in this toolkit are meant to coordinate with other Healthy Schools Program resources and technical assistance provided by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Education Celebrations

Special Education Day - Dec. 2nd

A day to celebrate accomplishments, teachers, administrators, students and parents. Special Education Day marks the anniversary of the nation's first federal special education law--signed by President Gerald Ford on December 2, 1975. OSPI's Special Education Resource Library is intended to provide guidance and professional development resources on behalf of students with disabilities.

Computer Science Education Week -  Starts on Dec. 5th 

Computer Science Education Week is an annual call to action to inspire K-12 students to learn computer science, advocate for equity, and celebrate the contributions of students, teachers, and partners to the field. Feel free tor review the 2020-21 K–12 Computer Science Education Data Summary Report! This report responds to HB 1577, requiring OSPI to post computer science data.