February 23rd EditionAWSA Update
Governor, State Superintendent Introduce Get Kids Ahead InitiativeAll public and independent charter schools will soon have access to increased funding to help build a comprehensive school mental health system: a continuum of services and supports to promote student and staff mental health through the Get Kids Ahead Initiative. This initiative is not a competitive grant program. All public school districts and independent charter schools are eligible, and each district will receive a per-pupil allocation ranging from the minimum award of $10,000 to much higher awards for districts with large student populations. Read More Key Legal Considerations Regarding Student and Staff ‘Speech’ in an Election YearLeading up to the spring school board elections and into the fall mid-term elections, students and staff are likely to engage in the political process to some extent. Reflecting the country, many school districts are currently polarized with respect to politics. There are likely students and staff who are passionate about politics, and that passion may impact the school district. A brief overview of key legal considerations will help building administrators navigate issues involving student and staff speech during the election year. Read More Legal Authority and Best Practices for School SearchesAssistant State Attorney General Annie Jay recently taped this 40-minute video on school searches. The video provides legal background information, example cases, and contact information for follow-up questions. AWSA 2022 Board of Directors ElectionThe AWSA Board of Directors election will be held electronically from April 15-April 30, 2022. This year, Directors will be elected from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12. Members of each of these regions will be emailed a notification on April 15th with a link to an online ballot listing the candidate(s) for that region. As part of its succession planning, the Board has recruited candidates in each region. Read More Are You Retiring This Year?If you are retiring this year, please let us know by sending an email to [email protected]. We’d like to include you in our recognition announcement and also share with you information about retired membership with AWSA. February 9th EditionAWSA UpdateAddressing Staff Shortages in Pupil Services and Special Education
Anyone who works in public education is aware of the staffing shortages across our state and country. This article highlights resources to attract and retain pupil services and special education staff at the state and local levels, including state and federal grant programs. Read More Powerful Practices Highlighted Through National TourAs President of NASSP this year, Wisconsin's Gregg Wieczorek is touring schools in every state to highlight powerful practices that we can all learn and benefit from. This is Gregg's latest blog post from his most recent segment of the tour. Gregg will present on these powerful practices at this week's Middle and High School Principals' Convention in Green Bay.
Important School Safety ResourcesThe Department of Justice’s Office of School Safety has developed the Speak Out Speak Up (SUSO) Resource Center. The SUSO Resource Center provides Critical Incident Response Support, Threat Assessment Consultation, School Safety Guidance, and, Threat Reporting. Susan Whitstone from the Office of School Safety recently recorded this 20-minute video highlighting these resources.
DHS Releases Updated COVID GuidanceLast week, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services(DHS) released updates to their Guidelines for the Prevention, Investigation, and Control of COVID-19 Outbreaks in K-12 Schools in Wisconsin, and this summary of the key takeaways and updates to the guidance. In conjunction with this release, DPI’s COVID-19 Infection Control and Mitigation Measures for Wisconsin Schools 2021/2022 has also been updated and posted. Questions concerning updated guidance can be directed to:
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