May is Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The intention of Mental Health Awareness Month is to raise awareness of trauma and the impact mental health can have on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of children, families, and communities and to increase the public's knowledge that effective services and support are available. To learn more about school based mental health research, technical assistance, and to find local resources, visit the University of Washington’s School Mental Health, Research and Training (SMART) Center website.
National Foster Care Month
May is National Foster Care Month, a month to acknowledge children who are or have been in foster care and the professionals and members of the community who work to support them. Why is it important to recognize students in foster care? Students in foster care face numerous challenges in their educational careers. As highly mobile youth, they have lower graduation rates, attendance, and academic scores and higher discipline, mobility, and disability rates. Approximately one-third of students in foster care receive special education services. Recognizing students in foster care gives us the opportunity to learn more about how we can better support them and to gear our thinking towards creating systemic change that will provide them with better opportunities and foundations for success. Please join us in celebrating National Foster Care Month. For additional information and resources, you can visit the National Foster Care Month website.
Legislative Round Up
Please follow this link to view the 2023 Special Education Legislative Summary. The summary will highlight new bills and budget provisos that directly impact special education services.
Contact David.Green@k12.wa.us with questions about the legislative session, bills, and provisos.
OSPI Team Member Spotlight, Paula Kitzke
What are your favorite things about the work you do at OSPI?
Collegiality is the driver of my appreciation for working at OSPI as our division embraces a collective responsibility for our work. Striving to make a meaningful impact on education is evidenced in our day-to-day operations and individual capacities. I bring unique experiences and perspectives to the table having worked across the country in multiple dimensions of education including school districts, higher education, and state government. Those opportunities support my work with a focus on students with disabilities in non-traditional settings including alternative learning environments, online programs, charter schools, youth re-engagement programs, students who are incarcerated, and the state tribal education compact schools. My gratitude for working with and learning from agency colleagues extends beyond the division as I liaise with the OSPI multilingual education program, the institutional education program, and the Office of Native Education.
What have you learned from your work in the field?
I believe an unspoken bond among educators connects us to making a heartfelt commitment to doing the work. Building and sustaining relationships with an openness to learn and a willingness to serve with integrity are key to successful efforts. It is challenging work to be able to have difficult conversations where all parties can leave the conversation and walk away feeling good. Early in my career, I absorbed and retained the importance of listening and listening some more along with exercising a sense of humor. Throughout my tenure in the field of special education, I have continued to seek more challenging projects for the advancement of special education for students and their families and for professional growth.
How do you like to spend your time when you are not working?
I am a voracious reader and explore several genres including biographies, history, fictional mystery, and action. Old cemeteries along the way call me to stop for a visit to roam and learn and as a spectator of sporting events, I typically prefer to root for the underdog! Participating as a tourist in Washington never wanes and dancing in the kitchen with my husband is a treat.
Teacher Appreciation Week
Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated during the first full week of May each year. In 2023, it’s May 8–12. This weeklong event provides us with the opportunity to recognize the contributions teachers make to our lives. We are grateful to have this opportunity to thank the educators across our state and to celebrate all they do for the students and families of Washington. To learn more about Teacher Appreciation Day and Week, read the White House Proclamation on National Teacher Appreciation Day and Week.
Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) – May 23–24 Meeting
The Washington State Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) will be conducting an in-person, open to the public meeting May 23 & 24, 2023 at the Washington State School for the Blind, 2214 E. 13th St., Vancouver WA. The meeting will be offered virtually. Both days will begin at 8:30 am and end at 4:30 pm. The meeting is open to members of the public who have an interest in Washington special education services. If you would like to attend virtually, the link is here. There is no pre-registration. The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the SEAC web page two weeks prior to the meeting.
Public Comment is scheduled for 30 minutes, beginning at 11:30 on Tuesday, May 23. The public can make comment either in person, virtually, or via email and only during this designated time. If you would like to email your public comment prior to the meeting, send to speced@k12.wa.us. The agenda will move forward to the next item on the agenda once interested parties have an opportunity to make comment.
An in-person Community Forum will be conducted from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the Washington State School for the Blind, 2214 E. 13th St., Vancouver, WA. The Community Forum will be in person and will not include a virtual option.
Captioning will be provided for the SEAC meeting for participants joining virtually. If you need other accommodations, such as a language interpreter, please email your request to speced@k12.wa.us no later than Friday, May 12, 2023. Please note that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require OSPI to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.
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