WSASP Recognizes November as Native American Heritage Month. Below are some resources that you can use to create a culturally sustaining classroom, not only for November, but all year round. (List curated by OSPI SEL Department) 

• The Value of Culture-based Education for Native American Students (Cicero)

• Tips for Teaching about Native Peoples (Burke Museum)

• Empowering Indigenous voices during Native American Heritage Month (Microsoft)

• Native American Heritage Month Selected Resources for Teachers (Library of Congress)

There are many ways to celebrate and honor National Native American Heritage Month. Here are a few suggestions:

• Learn about the federally recognized tribes nearest to your school district and Tribal Consultation (OSPI).

• Attend a Since Time Immemorial introductory training through OSPI's Office of Native Education.

• Review lessons and watch videos from the Pacific Northwest history and culture series from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.

• Check out When We Were Alone, a children’s book by David A. Robertson, which tells the story of a grandmother who survived residential school. You can watch and listen along on YouTube as well.

WSASP recognizes that October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. We have identified the following resources to help members learn more about this as well as to share with your school communities:

• DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH -October 2023 - National Today

WSASP recognizes that October is ADHD Awareness Month. We have identified the following resources to help members learn more about this as well as to share with your school communities.

• ADHD Awareness Month 2023 - Awareness Days Events Calendar 2023
• https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-adhd

WSASP recognizes that October 10th is World Mental Health Day. We have identified the following resource to help members learn more about this as well as to share with your school communities:

• WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY - October 10, 2023 - National Today

WSASP recognizes Indigenous People's Day on October 9, 2023. 

WSASP acknowledges the commitment of all Pacific Northwest Tribes to the resurgence of their traditional ways and their respect and protection of all peoples, not only those who are living, but also those who have gone before and who are yet to be born. We pay our respect to the elders both past and present and to a valued resource the Tribes have defined as their children. They are the Tribes' future. They are the future for us all. We raise our hands to all sovereign Tribes who have stewarded these beautiful lands throughout the generations. We ask each of you to show gratitude to the Tribal Nations where you are currently located.

Further reading:

• NASP: Centering Indigenous and Oppressed Voices in School Psychology Teaching and Practice
• NASP: Effective Service Delivery for Indigenous Children and Youth

WSASP recognizes that the first full week of October is Mental Illness Awareness Week. We have identified the following resources to help members learn more about this as well as to share with your school communities:

• Mental Illness Awareness Week | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

WSASP recognizes that September 15-October 15 is Latinx Heritage Month. We have identified the following resources to help members learn more about this as well as to share with your school communities:

• https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
• Spanish Mental Health Resource Center | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)
• Back to School Toolkit Spanish Download | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)
• BIPOC's Mental Health Mez | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)

WSASP recognizes that September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We have identified the following resources to help members learn more about this as well as to share with your school communities:

• Suicide Prevention Month | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
• The Trevor Project | For Young LGBTQ Lives

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is collaborating with the Washington State Association of School Psychologists (WSASP) as well as the Washington School Counselors Association (WSCA) and the School Nurse Organization of Washington (SNOW) on guidance pertaining to the coordination of 504 plans following the statewide implementation of the ASCA model for school counselors. This implementation precludes school counselors from coordinating 504 plans, particularly the clerical duties associated with the work. OSPI has already made statements that the nature of this recommendation indicates that this work is equally inappropriate for other education staff associates (ESAs), whose skills and qualifications are best  utilized in non-clerical duties.

WSASP has been made aware of concerns from our members that school administrators may transfer work from school counselors to school psychologists or other ESAs. We believe that all ESAsare trained to provide specialized services to our students. We are working with OSPI on guidance to support appropriate implementation of changing responsibilities, which we hope will clearly indicate that no ESA should be assigned to clerical duties associated with 504 plans. This guidance should be released this fall, but we wanted to issue a statement about this work to keep our membership informed.

We have confirmed with Dr. Tania May at OSPI that staff who are paid fully from categorical special education dollars cannot be assigned to coordinate 504 plans, as this is not part of IDEA. For those who are funded in this way, this is one point you may leverage in your advocacy work if you are being impacted by the policy change. We are sharing the WSASP Advocacy Tool Kit which is filled with information to help guide local advocacy efforts that may parallel the state level advocacy we are engaged in with OSPI. We must remember that OSPI will offer guidance, not mandates, and that we are a local control state. This may result in the need for local advocacy, for which these tools can support your work.

As previously acknowledged by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the Washington State Association of School Psychologists (WSASP) condemns, on the strongest possible terms, the totally unacceptable and harmful incident that occurred on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, in the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center. This extremely disturbing event directly affected NASP President Dr. Celeste Malone, her friends, colleagues, and family, and by extension the Black community and our own membership. 

We recognize that Hyatt staff have been meeting with Dr. Malone and issued a formal apology. We support the requests from NASP and ask that the Hyatt follows through on its promises. Click here to read the letter sent to Hyatt corporate staff by WSASP President Carrie Suchy.