Call for Presenters at the 2024 WSSDA Annual Conference

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School directors, board-superintendent teams, student leaders, educators, and subject-matter experts are all invited to submit breakout session proposals to share their experiences and voices with conference attendees. Not every presenter has to be an “expert” or have all the solutions, as long as what…

Perspective—WSSDA’s 2024 Conference Theme

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The theme of WSSDA’s 2024 annual conference, “Perspective,” invites us to embark on a profound exploration of the many lenses through which we perceive the world. In the realm of education, where our communities (and our boards) encompass a wide array of voices, navigating…

WSSDA Begins Search for New Executive Director

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The Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) has begun looking for a successor to Tim Garchow, who will resign from the executive director position on June 30, 2024. Garchow has accepted a role with the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) as their new assistant executive…

Improving the school finance system in Washington state: Why, when, and how?

Written by David S. Knight, an associate professor of education finance and policy at the University of Washington. This article appeared in the Winter 2023 issue of WSSDA Direct. Visit wssda.org/direct to see all the latest issues of WSSDA’s newsmagazine. Our state’s K-12 school system provides excellent…

To Protect its Youth, a City Transforms Virtually Overnight

During the summer, most schools across the country stand silent at night while their students are on break. But in Tacoma Public Schools, when the sun went down, its schools became the favorite hangout spot of kids across the city. Last summer, every weeknight…

Scholarship, transformation, student voice, and more in the latest issue of WSSDA Direct

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The feature stories of this issue focus on the public education finance system of Washington state and a remarkable paradigm shift in the community of Tacoma for safeguarding their youth with summer programming. Read all about it in our latest issue of WSSDA’s Direct…

Newest Members of the WSSDA Board of Directors

Four school directors began 2024 as the newest members of the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) Board of Directors. A fifth person was appointed later and a new president and president-elect were sworn in at the WSSDA Annual Conference. The elected board members…

WSSDA PLATFORM REVISION WINDOW OPEN MARCH 11 THROUGH APRIL 8

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Every school board has the opportunity to propose a revision, retirement, or addition to WSSDA’s platform of 225 positions from March 11 through April 8, 2024. Boards will vote on whether or not to adopt proposals at WSSDA’s annual General Assembly in the fall….

Leadership Development Specialist Position Available at WSSDA

WSSDA is looking for somebody passionate about fostering leadership and driving positive developments in public education. They need to thrive in a collaborative environment and relish the opportunity to use their skills to benefit our locally elected school boards. In fact, school board experience…

Prosser School District to Host In-Person Board Boot Camp February 24

The Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) will offer Board Boot Camp in Prosser on February 24. Board Boot Camp is foundational for any school board member. Participants will hear from trainers with extensive school board experience as they cover many of the basics…