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As we step into February, we’re excited to kick off Member Engagement Month—a dedicated time to connect, elevate your voices, and explore new opportunities to shape the future of school leadership across Washington. This month-long campaign is all about strengthening our 51������ community and ensuring that every principal and assistant principal has the resources, support, and platform to make a lasting impact.

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is pleased to announce that high school students Ms. Ashlye Ruth Triebs and Ms. Ellie Xue will join Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell in representing Washington during the 63rd annual USSYP Washington Week, to be held March 1 - 8, 2025. Ashlye Triebs of Vancouver and Ellie Xue of Bellevue were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation that will attend meetings and briefings with senators, the president, a justice of the Supreme Court, leaders of cabinet agencies, and other officials throughout the week. Each delegate will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.

According to Dr. Tina Boogren, a Solution Tree’s research expert, educators are now entering the season of “Finding Balance” – a time to focus on recalibration and renewal over the next 9–10 weeks. With this in mind, this quarter’s “School Celebration Newsletter” is packed with simple, actionable ideas to celebrate your staff while also prioritizing your wellness during this pivotal season. Remember, taking care of yourself is not a luxury – it’s a necessity for sustaining the incredible work you do.

“Who was your favorite principal?” It’s a question I’ve been asking people for decades. Why? Because our school leaders are quite often overlooked and underappreciated. This question, although simple in its form, provides incredibly powerful and complex stories about the important role school leaders play in the lives of students, staff, and school communities.

Throughout his entire K-12 experience, the conversation was never about whether or not he was going to college, but where? It was rarely about his passions, interests, or yet-to-be-unlocked hidden talents, but more about laying the groundwork for college admissions. Will his transcript be good enough? Will his SAT scores be high enough? Will the rest of his high school resume outshine the competition? Will his “post-high school” pursuit satisfy social pressures and expectations?