Area 6 Blog

AREA 6

3/23/2017

Good Morning WACA Area 6,

I can't believe it has already been a week since our great conference in Vancouver. I am still going through my paperwork and notes trying to make sure I remember all the great ideas I heard.

Please make sure to complete the survey at http://www.wacaonline.org/
Your feedback will help make our conference even better. Thanks for taking the time to complete the survey.

Mark your calendar for next year's conference: March 14, 15, 16 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, WA. Tune in to Leadership!

Lastly, Stefani Tweedy from Zillah make a group Facebook page for us to share ideas, events, speakers and more. Follow this link to join the WACA Area 6 group. https://www.facebook.com/waca6/

That is it for now. Please contact me if you want to be removed from this email list.
Have a GREAT spring break!

Almost waca time

3/10/2017

Good Morning WACA Area Six Folks -
🚣🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟

March is here and that means its time to GO FISHING FOR SOME GOOD IDEAS!

If you are staying at the Hilton Hotel all rooms have complimentary basic internet. If you want to stay an extra night (Friday night, after the conference ends), you can reserve the extra night at the same conference rate. This is subject to availability.

The hotel offers parking at $6 per night. There are only 100 spots in the parking garage, so it is first come, first served. Please consider carpooling from your school or area. There is additional secure parking across the street for $8 per day, however the lot is locked up at 10 pm nightly.

There will be coffee, tea and water available at the conference and a soda machine.

If you are a presenter, first THANK YOU for your time and talent. Second, you cannot hang anything on the walls. All presentation rooms will have a ledge that materials can be set on, perhaps on a tri-fold board.

Make sure you bring contact information for vendors and a little extra cash for our WACA Store - there will be some resources and hard to find items that you will want to take home with you.

Friday of the conference is school colors day. Show your school pride on Friday.

As always if you do not want to receive these emails please let me know with a quick reply and I will take you off the email list. If you know of anyone that should be receiving these emails and is not - please let me know so I can contact them.

If you have any questions or comments please email me!

I'm excited to see you in less than two weeks!

Susie Bennett
Leadership Teacher/District Culture Coordinator
Selah Middle School
Cultivating Life-Long Learners

Hi

2/15/2017

Good morning!

How about that snow!? Wow! Some of us were hit harder than others, but never fear, WACA is almost here (not sure how snow and WACA go together, but….)

A few items for WACA.

PRESENTERS NEEDED

Please consider presenting! I know you are doing some incredible things at your school.   Please share with the rest of us. Your presentations are what make this conference especially great. Favorite lessons or activities. Successful projects in your school. Cool assembly ideas. You can sign up for a short Meet the Pros session (10 min) or a longer Breakout Session (50 min).   You pick!

Here is the link to the presentation form.

http://www.wacaonline.org/presenters.html

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

The registration for the conference is going great! If you haven’t registered, you still can. I was asked to mention that there might be a slight delay in hotel reservations while the Hilton straightens out their reservations roster this weekend. But you should be able to register both for the conference and the hotel on Monday, using the wacaonline.org site. And don’t forget about the pre-con sessions.. Here is the link to the registration form.

http://www.wacaonline.org/conference-2017.html

Some “nuts and bolts” about the Hilton Hotel if you are staying there:

·         All rooms have complimentary basic internet.

·         If you want to stay an extra night (Friday night, after the conference ends), you can reserve the extra night at the same conference rate. This is subject to availability.

·         The hotel offers parking, at $6 per night. But… there are only 100 spots in the parking garage, so it’s “first come, first served”. And please consider carpooling to make the resources stretch further.

·         There is also a parking garage across the street ($8/day). It is a secure lot; that’s good. But because it is secured, it is locked at 10pm each night.

·

Lastly, Stefani Tweety at Zillah Middle School will be hosting a screening of the documentary Finding Kind. This free Mother-Daughter event is open to the whole valley and will take place at 6:30 p.m. on February 21st in the Zillah Middle School Commons. Check out the attached flyer for more details.

In the coming weeks, expect another email with more detailed information regarding in the conference – conference nuts and bolts, and other tips for enjoying the week.

I hope you’re looking forward to the conference! It is such a great time for us to gather with colleagues in our field and learn new ideas.

If you have ANY questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m happy to help!

Susie Bennett
Leadership Teacher/District Culture Coordinator
Selah Middle School
Cultivating Life-Long Learners

2017 Update

2/3/2017

Hello WACA Area 6!

Isn't it wonderful to see the sun again? I know it is cold, but I'll take that as long as the sun is out.

A few items for WACA.

PRESENTERS NEEDED
We are in our final push for presenters since the conference is next month. I know you are doing some incredible things in your school. Please share with the rest of us. Your presentations is what makes this conference especially great. There are also two different ways to present, 50 minutes or 10 minute meet the pros style. You pick!
Here is the link to the presentation form.
http://www.wacaonline.org/presenters.html

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
The registration for the conference is going great! We have hundreds of people from all over the state already signed up to attend, but we expect even more. So, don't delay. Get registered. Here is the link to the registration form.
http://www.wacaonline.org/conference-2017.html

NOT WACA BUSINESS
One great thing I love about WACA is a chance to network with other leadership enthusiasts like you and share great things that are going on in our region. In that vein, I wanted to share with you an exciting opportunity that is being coordinated by the Yakima School District. This April 80 student from Japan will come to our area to experience American culture, go to school and more. This program is called the Yamate Japanese Exchange. Kirstin Fitterer from the Yakima School District is coordinating housing for these student throughout the Valley. If you are interested in the program and want more information on how to host student in your area, please follow this link.
https://www.yakimaschools.org/Page/1498

Thanks for your time! Enjoy the sunshine!

WACA con 2017

1/20/2017

Happy Last Day of the Semester to WACA Area 6,

Today is the last day of the semester in Selah. As my classes switch and I prepare to welcome new students on Monday, I'm thinking ahead to the WACA conference in March and looking forward to getting some new ideas. I hope you are too. So here you go, all the information you need to attend WACA and fill your boat with ideas.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS:
Some of you have planned ahead and have already reserved a room in our block at the Vancouver Hilton! While this is fantastic, we also need you to register for the conference. Our block is filling up quickly, and if you have reserved a room but have NOT registered for the conference by February 1st, we will have to cancel your hotel reservation to make room for others who have already registered for the conference. If you have registered for the conference AND reserved a hotel room, you are all set and thank you!

If you are staying at the Vancouver Hilton, we have 100 reserved parking spots, but the will cost $6 a night (this is a reduced conference rate). We encourage you to carpool with others from your area! There is also parking near the Hilton (across the street) for $8.00 per day. Remember that we also have rooms available at the Comfort Inn, which is just a 5 minute drive from the conference. The rooms at this newly remodeled hotel are priced at $107 per night and they provide a free continental breakfast. So you can have free first breakfast before you show up for second breakfast at the conference.

REGISTRATION AND THE WACA WEBSITE:
Remember that registration is all online at our WACA website: wacaonline.org. If you are going to pay with a credit card, please have it ready when you register. You WILL be asked to enter the card number when you register. Also, if you notice any technical issues on the WACA
website, please let our technology expert, Ryan Healy know! There are links all over the website to request help. If you can’t find a link, you can reach Ryan at ryan_healy@ycs.wednet.edu

PRESENTERS:
Our area is full of Leadership talent! This year, I’m challenging you to step up and share some of your great ideas with your colleagues! We’re always looking for presenters and you even have the choice of a short meet the pro’s session (10 minute presentation repeated several times in a small group), or a longer 50-minute presentation (will present once). Think about the great things you do and what you might share with others, then sign up to present. The presenter application is on the WACA website (wacaonline.org).

PRE-CONFERENCE:
If you register to attend one of our 4 amazing pre-con sessions, we really need you to attend the one you sign up for! Our speakers plan for the registration numbers we provide them so please don’t switch sessions at the last minute.

DIETARY NEEDS:
If you are a vegetarian, gluten-free, or have a food allergy/restriction, please let me (your area representative) know. We will try to accommodate as best we can for those of you with specific needs. Please be patient, though, and understand that we might not be able to meet the individual needs of 350 people!

WACA BOOKSTORE:
Do you have books, tools, manipulatives, etc. that you find especially useful in your classroom? We’re always open to suggestions of what to stock in our WACA store and would love to stock up on items that have worked for you! Let your area representative know if you have any suggestions. Remember, we will have some pretty great Leadership swag available for purchase in the store as well.

Can't wait to see you all at WACA 2017!

MIddle Level Friends

1/14/2017

Good Morning WACA Middle School Advisors,

Happy New Year! I know we are all off to a snowy start to 2017. As I am writing, the snow is coming down in Selah. I have one item of information and one question for you.

First, Selah is hosting the Middle Level Regional leadership conference on Wednesday, February 8th at the Selah Civic Center. You and your students are definitely invited to attend. This would be a great chance to encourage your 6th and 7th grade leaders to start thinking about becoming the leaders of your school as the 8th grade students start thinking about high school. 5th-8th grade students are welcome to attend. I've attached the invite letter, flyer and registration information. If you can't access them, here is the link http://awsleaders.org/mlr
You will also be receiving this through the regular mail too. I hope you can join us!

Second, I have a question. Do you have a middle school schedule that you really love? We are in our second year of being middle school after being a junior high for many years. We wonder if there is a more effective schedule out there for 6-8 grade. Our principal and counselor would love some new ideas. Could you please email me if you have some scheduling ideas and I will put our counselors in touch with you.

That is it for now. Stay tuned for a WACA update soon.

Enjoy the snow!

-Susie

Happy November

11/17/2016

Happy November Area 6!

I am grateful to be in such a wonderful area of the state with exceptional educators like you making a difference each day. I've attached a lesson that was written by one of our 8th grade leadership classes. It is a simple lesson on gratitude that we are doing during our Advisory class on Monday. Enjoy!

Below are the details about the WACA conference in March plus a few other items. I encourage you to sign up for a hotel room and register for the conference as soon as possible. The conference content is looking fantastic!

-Susie
Details and Registration for WACA 2017:
Dates: March 15-17, 2017

Location: Vancouver Convention Center at the Hilton in downtown Vancouver

Registration: online at wacaonline.org and will be open on October 3rd

This year the registration form will include meal options for vegetarian, gluten-free, and lactose-free. Please mark your selection accurately as you will be provided with the meals you selected at the conference.

PRE-CON:
Don’t forget to sign up for pre-con! For just a small additional registration cost ($45) you will have the opportunity to attend one of four amazing pre-con sessions. Lunch will also be provided. Options are:

SESSION 1:
ASB Finance "Up Close," Presented by Marty Fortin, AWSP
Marty Fortin is considered one of the foremost experts on ASB law at best practices for schools in the State of Washington. He will bring his extensive knowledge and experience to this pre-conference offering. Click on the link on the WACA website for a brief synopsis of the topics to be covered.

SESSION 2:
Leadership Class Lessons & Resources, Presented by Susan Fortin, AWSP & Joe Fenbert, AWSP
Participate in hands-on activities and lessons that focus on leadership skills for life. Add these lessons to your leadership toolkit to use in class, retreats, after-school programs, advisory programs and more.

SESSION 3:
Character Strong, Presented By John Norlin - Director of Student Leadership and Community Involvement K-12 Sumner School District
This session will take you through an example year long plan to intentionally build character and a positive climate throughout your student body, staff, and community! Learn about instructional content, resources, activities, and strategies to make this happen. Bring your calendars, computers, and ideas of what you are doing at your school!

SESSION 4:
Engage. Captivate. Inspire., Presented By Scott Bachovich - Youth Motivational Speaker. http://scottbackovich.com/

Presenters: We need you!
We are always looking for people to share their ideas! So many of you have great ideas; now I encourage you to share them through a 10 minute meet the pro’s session or a 50 minute presentation.

This year we are especially hoping to add presentations that might be of interest to administrators and secretaries. If you are interested in presenting, but aren’t sure about a topic, please contact me!

Hall of Fame and Advisor of the Year Nominations:
Hall of Fame and Advisor of the Year nominations are available online now at wacaonline.org! Remember that we count on you for these nominations, so be sure to get yours in by December 1st.

If you are no longer working with leadership please let me know who I should be sending these emails to. Or if there is someone who should be added to my email contacts, please let me know.

September 27th, 2016

9/27/2016

Hi All,

I forgot to mention that AWSL (Association of Washington Student Leaders http://awsleaders.org/) is sponsoring a middle level leadership conference next week on Wednesday, October 5th. We are hosting it right here at Selah Middle School. The following schools are already signed up.

Zillah MS
Sierra Vista MS
East Valley Central MS
Harrison MS
Franklin MS
Washington MS

It is not too late to sign up. In fact, I am just doing my paperwork today. :)
I've attached the registration information. I hope you can join us.

hello area 6!

9/22/2016

I hope your school year has gotten off to a great start! While you’ve hopefully enjoyed a well-deserved restful weekend, your WACA board had a chance to meet and work on planning our 2017 conference!

If you haven’t heard the great news yet, WACA 2017 is being held in Vancouver, WA! I am so excited to visit this awesome region and hope to have GREAT representation from Area 6!

Details and Registration for WACA 2017:
Dates: March 15-17, 2017

Location: Vancouver Convention Center at the Hilton in downtown Vancouver

Registration: online at wacaonline.org and will be open on October 3rd

This year the registration form will include meal options for vegetarian, gluten-free, and lactose-free. Please mark your selection accurately as you will be provided with the meals you selected at the conference.

PRE-CON:
Don’t forget to sign up for pre-con! For just a small additional registration cost ($45) you will have the opportunity to attend one of four amazing pre-con sessions. Lunch will also be provided. Options are:
SESSION 1:
ASB Finance "Up Close," Presented by Marty Fortin, AWSP
Marty Fortin is considered one of the foremost experts on ASB law at best practices for schools in the State of Washington. He will bring his extensive knowledge and experience to this pre-conference offering. Click on the link on the WACA website for a brief synopsis of the topics to be covered.

SESSION 2:
Leadership Class Lessons & Resources, Presented by Susan Fortin, AWSP & Joe Fenbert, AWSP
Participate in hands-on activities and lessons that focus on leadership skills for life. Add these lessons to your leadership toolkit to use in class, retreats, after-school programs, advisory programs and more.

SESSION 3:
Character Strong, Presented By John Norlin - Director of Student Leadership and Community Involvement K-12 Sumner School District
This session will take you through an example year long plan to intentionally build character and a positive climate throughout your student body, staff, and community! Learn about instructional content, resources, activities, and strategies to make this happen. Bring your calendars, computers, and ideas of what you are doing at your school!

SESSION 4:
Engage. Captivate. Inspire., Presented By Scott Bachovich - Youth Motivational Speaker. http://scottbackovich.com/

Presenters: We need you!
We are always looking for people to share their ideas! So many of you have great ideas; now I encourage you to share them through a 10 minute meet the pro’s session or a 50 minute presentation.
This year we are especially hoping to add presentations that might be of interest to administrators and secretaries. If you are interested in presenting, but aren’t sure about a topic, please contact me!

Hall of Fame and Advisor of the Year Nominations:
Hall of Fame and Advisor of the Year nominations are available online now at wacaonline.org! Remember that we count on you for these nominations, so be sure to get yours in by December 1st.

If you are no longer working with leadership please let me know who I should be sending these emails to. Or if there is someone who should be added to my email contacts, please let me know.

Thanks for sticking with me through this long email and have a wonderful day!

enjoy your summer

6/7/2016

Greetings WACA Area 6!

I hope you are enjoying the final, busy days of the 15-16 school year. I'm sitting here at school having just finished our end of the year party, then taking some time to get my report card comments ready. Wow! I know your final few days will be full ones too. Take time to enjoy the moment and the joy you see on the faces of your students. That makes it all worth it.

Two items are attached to this email.
1. Selah Middle School is hosting a middle level fall leadership conference October 5th sponsored by AWSL. Check it out. I hope some area 6 middle schools can join us.

2. I had my leadership students write a letter to our incoming 6th graders. I've attached the directions. Feel free to modify it for your school.

Have a wonderful and restful summer. Looking forward to being in touch next fall!

Susie Bennett
Leadership Teacher/District Culture Coordinator
Selah Middle School
Cultivating Life-Long Learners