Students Take the Lead in Creating a Candidate Forum for the Next Superintendent of Washington State Schools

Upcoming LEVinar: Addressing the Impact of the Opioid Crisis on Washington Schools and Communities

Washington state had the nation’s largest increase of overdose deaths between 2022-23, a 28% increase — totaling 3,024 deaths, with the vast majority coming from opioids and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.

In our free webinar on Thursday, May 23 at 12:30 pm, we will hear from a statewide panel on the scale and impact of the opioid crisis on our communities and schools, legislation that came out of the 2024 Washington state Legislative Session to tackle deaths, how this legislation will be implemented, and how local communities and tribes are working with their government and healthcare agencies, as well as schools, to combat this epidemic.

Podcast Episode: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah on the Power of Student Voice

In this episode of Putting Students First, we interview Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, New York Times bestselling author and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University, who discusses whether you can be a fan of consumer sports like the NFL and still criticize them, how we can disrupt America’s systemic racism, unchecked capitalism, and mass incarceration, and why it’s important to value and respect the leadership of our youth.

You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, or Spreaker.

August 9 Day of Learning for Educators: Setting Up and Starting the School Year Effectively

LEV is co-sponsoring a Day of Learning on August 9 at Green River College in Auburn for educators to give them tools to effectively begin the school year, with a focus on brain science and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). The morning keynote is John Medina, author of the bestselling Brain Rules book series, and the afternoon keynote is David Lewis, affiliate professor at the University of Washington who created the Department of Behavioral Health at Seattle Public Schools.

LEVinar Recording: Do Smartphones Belong in K-12 Classrooms?

Smartphone bans in K-12 schools are part of a growing trend. The U.S. Surgeon General has issued an advisory sounding the alarm about social media and youth mental health. And UNESCO — the United Nations education, science, and culture agency — has recently come out urging a ban on cell phones in schools globally.

In this webinar, we explore the impact of smartphones on student mental health, learn from a school district in Washington state that has enacted a smartphone ban, and answer your questions.

Panelists:

• Maria De Luna, a student at Bethel Virtual Academy in the Bethel School District and a member of the Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL)
• Pradyu Kandala, a student at Eastlake High School in the Lake Washington School District and a member of the Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL)
• Brooke Brown, the 2021 Washington state Teacher of the Year, member of the Washington State Board of Education, and an Instructional Equity Specialist at the Franklin Pierce School District
• Susie Honaker Wirzbicki, School Counselor and Educator at Cedar High School in the Shelton School District and Co-Chair of the Washington School Counselor Association‘s Ethics Committee
• Kelsey Parke, Principal at Kopachuck Middle School in the Peninsula School District
• Kris Hagel, Executive Director of Learning and Innovation at the Peninsula School District
• Dr. Lucía Magis-Weinberg, Assistant Professor in Psychology at the University of Washington and leader of the interACTlab (International Adolescent Connection and Technology Laboratory)