AWSP Blog

I love APRIL. Spring time brings crazy scheduling for the Cromwell Family. Cooper, is playing baseball on two teams, and Kenzi, is preparing for high school graduation. We are taking time to enjoy these precious moments with our children along with the later sunsets, the blooming flowers (even though it brings out my husband's allergies), the birds in the morning, smell of fresh bark, and evenings on my deck. All of those signs of spring make me smile. However, April brings with it a new level of exhaustion for educators. This is the month you need to not feel guilty about shutting down your phone for an evening or weekend. Go for a walk, turn the music up a bit louder on your drive to and from work, get a massage, AND treat yourself to some me time. April is when we are starting to see the finish line for this school year so fill YOUR bucket because you can't take care of others if you don't have anything to give from. I hope you find this edition of my newsletter helpful to bring laughter and joy to your work. Feel free to reach out to me if I can do anything to support your work or be a sounding board for ideas. You got this.

What are you doing for MLK Day this year? How are you creating light for others? What is your school doing to make sure everyone belongs and feels humanity? If you don't have your MLK Day celebration plans already, or even if you do and would like to supplement them, I would highly advise you to check out the I AM | WE ARE program James and the AWSL team put together. There's a version for elementary and secondary. Both versions include the keynote address, an implementation guide, and discussion questions.

What is the "Devious Lick Challenge"? It is a challenge on TikTok, where students are encouraged to take something from their school; these items may include the bathroom sink, a soap dispenser, or even a teacher's desk. Schools have tried a multitude of ways to stop students, yet this challenge is just as popular today as ever. Clearly, many solutions aren't working. So what is the solution?

October is full of many events, happenings, and holidays that are woven into our schools' fabric. Homecomings, spirit days, and Halloween festivities take shape and create a sense of camaraderie, connection, and even fun for students and the community. One tricky aspect of navigating dress-up days and even Halloween festivities: being aware, sensitive, and mindful of cultural appropriation. As you consider your school's community and cultural context, what shifts can be made to ensure dress-up days become opportunities for fun and unity rather than opportunities for pain and harm?

I love February!! There are so many great things about this month that makes it special. February is the month of love, a new term, my daughter's birthday and It is finally starting to stay light a bit longer on my drive home. (YAHOO to all of them). February is a time for magical learning in the classroom when our students begin to hit their stride and "get it". All of our hard work is paying off and we are seeing the fruits of our labor. Each and every day educators are making a difference in the lives of students and staff. Your never ending belief in those you serve is a true game changer. You are an inspiration and your community is better off because you are taking care of the future. I hope you find this newsletter full of easy to use ideas to bring joy, laughter and support to your team. February celebrations seem to all revolve around food so you may want to purchase some Pepto-Bismol and monitor your daily steps. As always feel free to reach out to me if I can support your work. We are in this together no matter the distance between our zip codes.