March 24, 2022
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” 
– Hellen Keller
EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE THINKS THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT
BEING A BOARD MEMBER IS MORE THAN what it appears to be. WPSBA is offering a free virtual workshop on April 4th (6:30 pm - 8:00 pm) for Prospective Board Members and if you know someone who is running for your BOE, you should encourage them to attend (they can register directly from our website). A panel presentation starring WPSBA Board Members and a retired Superintendent will address roles and responsibilities, communications, and various issues related to school district leadership.
FACTS OF OUR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
A SHORTAGE OF PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH supports during the pandemic can be likened in some ways to the COVID supply-chain issues, reducing the inherently promised support for children even further than the limitations that existed before the pandemic. Another sad reality is that mental health intervention is expensive, however there are a growing number of practitioners working on finding low-cost solutions with a focus on prevention. Teaching others to screen for symptoms through "mental health check-ins" and building resilience are positive steps in normalizing social-emotional learning into our culture.
EASING THE TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROCESS
NYSED HAS PROPOSED MODIFYING TEACHER certification requirements to streamline the process and hopefully increase the number of educators in NY. Easier to use pathways to certification completion should increase the number who are successfully certified, although does not address the issue of who enters teacher education. Potentially eliminating the multi-part performance assessment, plus reducing the cost factor involved, will hopefully help address the teacher shortage plaguing New York.
Bump up WPSBA Weekly Budget Spreadsheet to the top of your weekend reading list
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