Education groups say now is the time for new K-12 funding formula
Washington’s top K-12 education organizations joined together Thursday to make an appeal for overhauling the state’s 30-year-old funding system for public schools. At a press conference in Olympia, WSSDA, WASA, AWSP, WEA and PSE of Washington talked about a joint approach to securing the resources school districts need to fulfill their mission of ensuring that all students are successful. Learn more here.

Thank you, school directors!
January is School Board Recognition Month here in Washington, a time to say thanks to school directors for their service and to underscore the vital role of locally elected school boards in our education governance system. For a copy of Gov. Gregoire’s official proclamation and other information about this important celebration, click here.

One day left to apply for L-WSSDA
School board members — Friday (Jan. 5) is the last day to submit your application for Leadership WSSDA, the association’s premier leadership training program. This rigorous, yearlong program is ideal for board members who want to take their leadership skills to the highest level. Details and an online application form are available on the WSSDA Web site.

WSSDA rings in 2007 with new and updated services
WSSDA is delighted to announce several programs for members and districts this year. Our new Community Engagement Service offers a cost-effective way for districts to collaborate in building community support for their schools. We’ve updated and renewed Members Assisting Peers (MAP), a network of experienced school board members who are available to assist fellow directors with challenging situations and issues of boardsmanship. And we’ve launched our new Superintendent Search Service to assist school boards in recruiting and selecting the chief executive of their districts.

Superintendent Evaluation Workshop set for Jan. 27
There’s still time to sign up for WSSDA’s popular workshop, Board Self-Assessment and Superintendent Evaluation. This one-day session has drawn rave reviews in past years. Don’t miss a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of this critical aspect of district governance. The workshop takes place Saturday, Jan. 27; the registration deadline is Jan. 19. Information and online registration are available on the WSSDA Web site.

Upcoming conferences
The 2007 Legislative Session convenes next Monday, which means the annual WASA/WSSDA Legislative Conference can’t be far behind. This year’s gathering takes place Feb. 25-26 in Olympia, with a full agenda of presentations, networking opportunities and the annual "Day on the Hill." Click here for information and registration. Also, mark your calendars for the 2007 Northwest Conference on Celebrating Educational Opportunities for Diverse Students, April 27-29 at the SeaTac Marriott. Registration information will be coming soon; in the meantime, Jan. 26 is the deadline for districts to submit model programs for possible presentation at the conference.

WSSDA’s legislative reports start Friday
Watch your e-mail inbox for WSSDA’s legislative updates, which will start tomorrow (Friday) with a preview edition of Impact, our weekly report on legislative activities. Monday (the first day of session) will mark the start of our daily legislative updates, which provide a recap of each day’s deliberations on education issues. As a subscriber to this WSSDA ListServ, you’re all set to receive our legislative reports. If you know someone else who’d like to be on the distribution list, just send us an e-mail.

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