Welcome back Alaskan Admins!
I hope everyone’s school year has started smoothly, with many opportunities to rebuild those positive relationships from last year. Preparing for an impactful inservice, connecting with staff and training up new teachers, which led into welcoming back students and kicking off the new school year–these are monumental pieces that I know each of you poured your heart and soul into. Thank you for the hard work. Your professional, positive focus has set the path for a successful and impactful school year.
Allow me to take a moment to welcome everyone to the 2024-25 school year. Your students, staff and community are fortunate to have you leading their schools. Thank you for your commitment to being the best leader you can be this year.
Here in Ketchikan, we were faced with a landslide to begin our school year. Many of you have dealt with tragedies in your communities, so you understand the impact. These moments force us to step back and take stock of the positive things in our lives. Gratitude is an essential component of a healthy human, and we don’t have to wait for tragedies to practice this. Consider ways to incorporate thankfulness and other mindfulness techniques into your lives, and possibly your school, as we enter this school year.
Wishing everyone a wonderful year filled with positive relationships and powerful learning experiences. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if I, or other board members, can support in any way.
Rick Dormer
AASSP President
Principal, Ketchikan High School
September Marks the Start of a New School Year, and Advocacy Efforts
As we step into September and the new school year is in full swing, I sincerely hope your semester is off to a fantastic start!
Your leadership sets the tone for your entire school, and your work is critical in shaping a bright future for Alaska’s students.
While it may seem early, now is the perfect time to build vital relationships with your legislators and legislative candidates. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to reach out and introduce yourself as an invaluable resource on education within their district.
This initial connection isn’t about diving into our legislative priorities yet—it’s about positioning yourself as a knowledgeable point of contact for any education-related questions they may have as the legislative session approaches. A simple invite to visit your school could be a game-changer, giving them a firsthand glimpse into the fantastic work happening in your building.
**Remember, many legislators may have yet to set foot in a school since their own graduation, so this can be a powerful way to highlight the importance of public education.
Here are a few steps to get started:
1. Gather Contact Information
You can collect email addresses for legislative offices, or you can call their offices directly. Contact information for Senators can be found here, and Representatives here.
2. Plan Your Visit Itinerary
Consider making their visit engaging and memorable with ideas like:
- Having them shadow you during daily activities
- Hosting a meeting with your school’s administrative team
- Inviting them to read school announcements or lead the Pledge of Allegiance
- Asking them to read a book to students
- Engaging students in a discussion on the role of a legislator or how a bill becomes law
- Attending an after-school activity like a band concert, science fair, or tutoring session
- Joining an all-school assembly
- Recording a back-to-school message or weekly announcement
I would appreciate it if you could schedule some one-on-one time to discuss challenges or share ideas. You can use ACSA’s Joint Position Statements as a guide to help steer the conversation.
Please note that your legislators might not be able to visit your school in-person, due to their busy schedules. As an alternative, you can offer them a virtual tour of the school via Zoom. During a virtual tour they can meet with you and your leadership team, as well as visit classrooms and talk with students. It is important that your legislator makes a connection with you and your school.
As the legislative session draws nearer, ACSA will organize constituent meetings to facilitate your ongoing discussions with elected policymakers. We want to ensure those meetings build on relationships you’ve already established and do not serve as your first point of contact.
If you need help identifying your legislators, you can use the legislator-by-district document to find the representatives for your school or contact us for assistance.
This upcoming legislative session will place a major emphasis on education, so let’s start our advocacy efforts now to ensure we’re prepared to champion the best interests of Alaska’s students.
Lastly, I’m excited to see you all at the 58th Annual Alaska Principals’ Conference, which will be held September 27-28 in Anchorage. If you haven’t registered yet, please do so today!
Remember, your principal associations, AAESP and AASSP, and ACSA, are here to support you every step of the way, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything.
Together, we are making a difference!
Be well,
Dr. Lisa S. Parady
Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals
Email: alaskaprincipal@alaskaacsa.org
Website: alaskaprincipal.org
Location: 234 Gold Street, Juneau, AK, USA
Phone: 907-586-9702
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaskaprincipals