Coming Tuesday: OSPI videoconference on stimulus funds
Looking for details on how Washington schools will benefit from the federal stimulus package? The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction will hold a video conference via the K-20 Network this Tuesday (Feb. 24) to update the education community on what's been learned so far. The video conference will take place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Educational Service District sites will be interactive, while other sites will have an opportunity to pose questions by e-mail. Materials will be posted on the OSPI Web site by noon Tuesday.

Other resources for stimulus package information
WSSDA has posted a Web page offering a series of links to more information about the stimulus package, which we are updating as additional details become available. Learn more here…

FRN takes on education funding, No Child Left Behind
A number of school directors in the WSSDA Federal Relations Network were in the other Washington at just the right time earlier this month, visiting Capitol Hill as lawmakers wrangled over a compromise stimulus package. FRN members had an opportunity to visit with the state's Congressional delegation to discuss the importance of funding education and fixing the No Child Left Behind Act. See our story – with links to a podcast interview with WSSDA FRN Chair Patty Wood – on the WSSDA Web site.

WSSDA Workshop this Saturday
A reminder – the first WSSDA Workshop on "Engaging the Community during Challenging Economic Times" will be held this Saturday (Feb. 28) at the WSSDA Conference Center in Olympia (the workshop will also be offered March 14 in Spokane). This interactive session is specifically designed to help you create a plan for communicating with your community about the difficult budget decisions you face in this era of economic turmoil. The registration deadline for Saturday's workshop is Tuesday, so sign up today!

WSSDA explores possible Washington Lighthouse Project
Earlier this month WSSDA held an informational meeting with school directors and superintendents to discuss the possibility of establishing a Washington Lighthouse Project. Based on the Iowa School Board Association's Lighthouse Study, the project could provide proven training that links school board leadership to improved student learning. The WSSDA Board of Directors will decide in the next few weeks whether WSSDA moves forward with this initiative. Click here for more information.

Regional Meetings spring forward March 10
The schedule for WSSDA's Spring Regional Meetings is firmed up and online registration is now available. We're actually getting a jump on spring this year, with the first meeting scheduled for March 10 in Marysville, followed by Centralia (3/11), University Place (3/17), Sequim (3/21), Orondo (4/15), Vancouver (4/22), Pullman (4/27), Reardan (4/28), Kettle Falls (4/29), Prosser (4/29) and Toppenish (4/30). Details and online registration are available on the WSSDA Web site. Check the dates and be sure to attend a Regional Meeting near you.

WIAA Update
In our last Boardcast we noted the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is considering nearly two dozen amendments to the WIAA Handbook, amendments that will be acted on by the WIAA Representative Assembly in April. WSSDA's Interscholastic Activities Committee has weighed in with its recommendations for those amendments, with about half the proposals receiving the IAC's endorsement. A full list of the amendments and the IAC's positions is available here.

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