WASA–December HOTLINE by WASA

wasa Hotline December 2013

STAY CURRENT:

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2104 Superintendent of the Year Announced.... 2 Upcoming Professional Development Events.... 3 Superintendents Component Meeting............... 3 Nominations Sought for 2014–15 WASA President-Elect.................................................. 3 Upcoming Region Events.................................. 4 Basic Education Compliance............................. 4 Are You Connected........................................... 4 Legislative Conference...................................... 5 ERNN Annual Conference.................................. 5 Save the Date.................................................... 5 WASA Board of Directors' Vacant Positions..... 5 AASA National Conference on Education.......... 6 Small Schools Conference................................ 6 Slice of Washington.......................................... 6 AWSP/WASA Summer Conference................... 7 Want to Share a Slice........................................ 7 Perceptions Survey of High Stakes Testing....... 7 The Real Focus.................................................. 7 The Nexus Group on Our Side........................... 8 Welcome New Members................................... 8 AASA’s Call to Action........................................ 9 Warm Holiday Wishes from Olympia................ 9

From the Executive Director

ear Colleagues:

During the past few months, I’ve had several opportunities to be in the field with WASA members. Much of that time, I was participating in regional meetings, but some of the interactions came through district visits like the one to Evergreen Public School’s Bill Keim WASA Executive Henrietta Lacks (HeLa) High School, which is highlighted in this Director issue of Hotline. As your WASA Executive Director, both types of involvement are extremely valuable in helping me better understand the work and challenges faced by our members. The opportunities to meet with groups of WASA members are well structured through ESD and WASA regional meetings. While I have an official liaison relationship with three ESD regions, it’s my goal to attend meetings in all of the nine ESDs. So far I’ve made it to all but two, so I’m well on the way to achieving that goal. I look forward to those opportunities to hear directly from members and to share about the work of their association. Visits to individual districts are a little less structured as part of our regular business cycle, so I would appreciate your assistance in helping me schedule them. A focus for me with my district visits this year, is to develop a better understanding of the many innovative programs that are offered around the state. HeLa High School is an excellent example of such innovation. Developing a list of innovative programs is one of our staff tasks related to the current WASA goals. Having such information compiled Discussing schoolwork at HeLa High School. in a central location could be very helpful in the policy arena. Beyond the value of such lists, though, I gain so much from seeing and hearing about the programs first hand. These experiences make it much easier to speak with authority about the creative work occurring every day in school districts across the state.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICE 360.489.3641 / 360.352.2043 (fax) • Bill Keim bkeim@wasa-oly.org Executive Director • Marilee Jensen mjensen@wasa-oly.org Executive Assistant

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & MEMBERSHIP SERVICES 360.489.3640 / 360.352.6873 (fax) • Mack Armstrong marmstrong@wasa-oly.org Assistant Executive Director • Jamie Chylinski jchylinski@wasa-oly.org Professional Development Coordinator • Anne Morris amorris@wasa-oly.org Professional Development/Membership Assistant

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 360.489.3642 • Dan Steele dsteele@wasa-oly.org Assistant Executive Director • Sheila Chard schard@wasa-oly.org Administrative Assistant

CAREER & CONTRACT SERVICES 360.489.3653 • John Dekker jdekker@wasa-oly.org Assistant Executive Director

ACCOUNTING 360.489.3643 / 360.352.2043 (fax) • Eve Johnson ejohnson@wasa-oly.org Accountant

COMMUNICATIONS & WEBSITE 360.489.3645 • Claire Beagle cbeagle@wasa-oly.org Communications Specialist

GENERAL INFORMATION 360.943.5717 / 800.859.9272

2013–14 WASA OFFICERS

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I would like to request your help in first gathering information about innovative program(s) in your district; and then, assisting me when possible in arranging visits to your district to see the program(s) in action. Hopefully, sending us the information won’t represent much extra work for you. I assume you already have some written description or district newsletter article that you could email to me. As time allows during my travels around the state, I may contact you to see if a district visit can be scheduled. I appreciate your assistance with this request and even more for the great work you’re doing on behalf of Washington’s students. Regards, Bill Keim

2014 Superintendent of the Year Announced On November 22, Dr. Edward Lee Vargas received top honor as the 2014 Superintendent of the Year at the Superintendents Component meeting in Bellevue. This program is designed to recognize the outstanding leadership of active, front-line superintendents. Selection is based on the following criteria: leadership for learning, communication, professionalism, and community involvement.

Dr. Edward Lee Vargas, Washington State 2014 Superintendent of the Year

“I am very grateful and tremendously honored to have been selected as Washington’s 2014 Superintendent of the Year, for I am among an outstanding group of fellow superintendents currently serving the educational needs of the students and families in Washington State. Leadership is a team sport, and this would not have been possible without the exemplary teamwork of our school board, leadership team, classroom teachers, support staff, district partners, and our entire school community that has made my work as their superintendent a privilege, joy, and a tremendous source of pride. This honor is really about all of us in the Kent School District and reflects the hard work and dedication of many in our community.” Vargas will be a finalist for the National Superintendent of the Year award, to be announced at the AASA National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tennessee in February 2014.

President: Michael Nelson, Enumclaw President-elect: Michelle Price, Moses Lake Past president: Paul Sturm, Pullman Secretary: Howard King, Elma Treasurer: David Peterson, North Mason

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Upon hearing about the award, Dr. Vargas stated:

Upcoming Professional Development Events For more information, visit www.wasa-oly.org/Events

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR 2014–15 WASA PRESIDENT-ELECT

January 24–25, 2014...............ERNN Annual Conference.................................... Olympia Red Lion January 26–27, 2014...............WASA/WSSDA/WASBO Legislative Conference.... Olympia Red Lion February 13–15, 2014.............AASA National Conference.................................. Nashville, TN March 10–11, 2014.................WASA Small Schools Conference....................... Yakima Convention Center May 4–6, 2014.........................WASA Superintendent Workshop....................... Campbell’s Resort, Chelan June 29–July 1, 2014...............AWSP/WASA Summer Conference..................... Spokane Convention Center July 28–29, 2014.....................WASA New Superintendent Workshop............... WASA Office August 7–8, 2014....................WASA/OSPI Special Education Workshop.......... Tacoma Convention Center October 2014...........................Washington Educators’ Conference.................... Location TBD

Superintendents Component Meeting Recap November 22, 2013 | Bellevue

The Superintendents Component meeting was held in conjunction with the annual WSSDA Conference in Bellevue. Edward Lee Vargas was announced as Washington State’s 2014 Superintendent of the Year and a candidate for AASA’s National Superintendent of the Year award. WASA’s Assistant Executive Director Dan Steele provided a short legislative report on hot issues, including: 2013–15 operating budget, class size reduction, instructional hours increase, and WASA’s 2014 Legislative Platform. The WASA Executives then led group discussions and asked for guidance on key education issues such as statewide collective bargaining, implementing a system of regional cost of living adjustments, and the Teacher/Principal Evaluation Process.

Paul Sturm, WASA Past President, is seeking nominees for WASA President-elect for 2014–15. Nominees must presently serve as an administrator on the west side of Washington. Nominations can be made by regions, components, individuals, or self-nominations. The deadline to submit nominations is Wednesday, January 22, 2014. All nominees will be placed on a primary ballot. The two candidates with the highest votes will become finalists for the president-elect election. The final two candidates will campaign with an emailed brochure followed by a speech at the 2014 AWSP/WASA Summer Conference. Electronic ballots will be emailed in early August 2014. Please direct questions and forward nominations to Paul Sturm, Pullman School District Superintendent, at 509.332.3581 or psturm@psd267.org, to Bill Keim, WASA Executive Director, at 800.859.9272, and bkeim@wasaoly.org.

Groups of six to eight members gathered in circles and held conversations regarding each topic. Some ideas heard were: • “Cost of living is complicated because of equity. What if a teacher moved or commuted in/out of the district?” • “We need to form a working group on TRI-days.” • “Do we want the state to take control of our district?” • On regional pay: “There are examples that have been in play for a long time. Look at the military. They receive base pay, then are compensated for specialties, job location, and incentives.” Comments from the meeting will help frame conversations, including the upcoming legislative session. A complete summary of group discussions are available on the WASA website at www.wasa-oly.org.

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BASIC EDUCATION COMPLIANCE The Washington State Board of Education (SBE) recently updated their website with BEA Compliance for Instructional Hours information, along with a letter from the Executive Director and a frequently asked questions document addressing top questions on the issue. For more information, go to: www.sbe.wa.gov/compliance. php#.UpOUlsSkrvY

ARE YOU CONNECTED WITH WASA? Are you a Facebook or Twitter user? WASA’s social media efforts are ramping up in activity, and we don’t want you to miss out!

@wasa_oly

Washington Association of School Administrators

Upcoming Region Events—November and December Many WASA regions conduct monthly gatherings and/or provide activity reports in conjunction with ESD meetings (not listed below). REGION 101 December 5, 9:30 a.m. January 16, 9:30 a.m.

PRESIDENT—MARCUS MORGAN General Member Meeting, ESD 101 Regal Center General Member Meeting, ESD 101 Regal Center

REGION 105 December 12, 8–11:30 a.m. January 16, 8–11:30 a.m.

PRESIDENT—MARK FLATAU General Member Meeting, Topic: Legislation, ESD 105, Yakima General Member Meeting, Topic: Technology in Classroom, ESD 105, Yakima

REGION 109 December 3, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. January 30, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

PRESIDENT—KEN HOOVER General Member Meeting, Topic: 1080-Hours Requirement, Community Resource Center (CRC), Gardner Room A, 3900 Broadway, Everett General Member Meeting, Topic: Student Assessments to Drive Change, Community Resource Center (CRC), Gardner Room B, 3900 Broadway, Everett

REGION 110 December 13, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

PRESIDENT—LARRY FRANCOIS General Member Meeting, Topic: WASA Legislative Update With Dan Steele and Governor’s Legislative Affairs and Policy Office Update With Marcie Maxwell, Puget Sound ESD, Renton

REGION 111 December 13, 7:30 a.m. January 10, 7:30 a.m.

PRESIDENT—CHRYS SWEETING General Member Meeting, Topic: Professional Ethics, Fife District Office #417, Fife General Member Meeting, Fife District Office #417, Fife

REGION 112 January 17, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. January 17, 12–1 p.m.

PRESIDENT—JERRY LEWIS General Member Meeting, ESD 112 Vancouver WASA Community of Practice Meeting, ESD 112, Vancouver

REGION 113 January 22, 12–1:30 p.m.

PRESIDENT—TOM OPSTAD General Member Meeting, ESD 113, Room Pac/GH/T, Tumwater

REGION 114 January 31, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

PRESIDENT—KANDY RITTER General Member Meeting, ESD 114, Room 202, Bremerton

REGION 123 January 9, 12–2 p.m.

PRESIDENT—GLENDA CLOUD General Member Meeting, Topic: Legislative Discussion With Dan Steele, Red Lion, Pasco

REGION 171 PRESIDENT—ROB MANAHAN December 12, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m. General Member Meeting, North Central ESD, Wenatchee January 16, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m. General Member Meeting, North Central ESD, Wenatchee

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May

2014 SAVE THE DATE!

WASA/WSSDA/WASBO Legislative Conference January 26–27 | Red Lion Hotel and Day on the Hill, Olympia

Ample basic education funding, new education policy changes, TPEP implementation, Common Core, and Smarter Balanced Assessment infusion, 24-credit graduation standards, 1080-hours implementation, full-day Kindergarten, and capitol project construction support, each present significant challenges to schools and school districts. The combination of two or more such challenges could present an overwhelming task for district leadership. This year’s WASA/WSSDA/WASBO Legislative Conference promises to be informative and engaging for your district administrators and school directors. Speakers include Governor Jay Inslee (invited), Superintendent Randy Dorn with an update on OSPI efforts, a panel of experts who will speak on critical issues, and an update on McCleary v. State. Attendees will have opportunity to meet with legislative representatives for purposeful engagement.

2014 WASA Superintendent Workshop May 4–6, 2014 Campbell’s Resort, Chelan The workshop provides a powerful forum for superintendents to share and learn from each other. Action-oriented sessions provide methods for implementing proactive decision making to support the needs of Washington school districts and students.

For our Day on the Hill, the Columbia Room on the Capitol Campus will serve as a “home base,” where we’ll host a brief morning kick-off and a closing ceremony. It will be open all morning for networking and sharing feedback from your appointments with legislators.

WASA BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ VACANT POSITIONS

Visit www.wasa-oly.org/Leg14 for conference details. Register and make your housing reservations now. Housing for this event fills quickly!

WASA is seeking nominations for the following Board of Directors’ leadership positions. Terms begin July 1, 2014. 1. Superintendents Component Chair-elect, 2-year commitment 2. Instructional Program Administrators Component (IPAC) Chair-elect, 2-year commitment 3. Business and Personnel Administrators (BPAC) Component Chair, 2-year commitment

ERNN Annual Conference

January 24–25, 2014 | Red Lion Hotel, Olympia Register now for the 2014 Employee Relations & Negotiations Network Conference being held January 24–25 at the Olympia Red Lion Hotel. Registration and conference information is available at www.wasa-oly.org/ERNN14.

If you are interested in one of these positions or nominating someone, please contact Bill Keim at bkeim@wasa-oly.org for more information.

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Slice f Washington

Evolve Your Perspective at the AASA National Conference

Focus on Innovation

Henrietta Lacks (HeLa) High School is a brand new facility that opened August 2013. Partnered with health care institutions, HeLa is a small school that provides hands-on experience with bioscience and healthcare. The school prepares students for a career in nursing, pharmacy, primary care, and the growing field of health informatics. HeLa offers basic core classes like a traditional high school—Math, Science, English, Social Studies— as well as elective classes of Music, P.E., Digital Arts, and Medical Foundations. Classrooms include a mock pharmacy, lab space, and an operational nurses station with beds occupied by SimMan–a computer simulated patient. Teachers program SimMan with symptoms, so students can practice how to correctly diagnose and administer treatments. What innovative school programs are in your district? Your fellow members want to know! Contact cbeagle@wasa-oly.org and share a Slice of Washington.

FEBRUARY 13–15, 2014 NASHVILLE, TN Presented by AASA

Location: Music City Center, Nashville Date: February 13–15, 2014 Content: • Common Core Standards • Superintendent Partnerships • Innovations in District Management • Governance and Executive Leadership • Student Achievement and Accountability Register at: http://nce.aasa.org

In conjunction with the AASA National Conference on Education, you are invited to attend the 2014 Northwest Reception. Location: Omni Nashville Hotel Date: Friday, February 14, 2014 Time: 5–7 p.m. Hosted by: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska School Administrator Associations

WASA Small Schools Conference March 10–11, 2014 | Yakima Convention Center

This year’s conference boasts some exciting changes for participants. Concurrent sessions have been replaced by facilitated workgroups for attendee engagement. The focus will be on education reforms and the challenges of implementation. We’re excited to launch a conference mobile app for access of all conference information on hand-held devices. Topics to be addressed during these sessions include dealing with poverty in small districts, generating high-performance schools, attending to school leadership to implement education reforms with greater collaboration, how current systems effectively address multiple reforms, and maintaining leadership viability. Time will be provided for like-size school districts to discuss and share issues. Registration opens December 16. Register early and plan to join your colleagues for strategies to address critical education reforms during these challenging times. Visit www.wasa-oly.org/SmallSchools14 for housing and other conference information that will be updated regularly.

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Slice WANT TO f SHARE A SLICE? Washington

Make Spokane Your Summer Destination AWSP/WASA Summer Conference | June 29–July 1 | Spokane Convention Center

Focus on Innovation

Planning teams are diligently working to specify content, highlight critical topic sessions, and determine general session speakers. A conference theme will be released soon. A Call for Presenters will be posted in January 2014 for your consideration to present. Given the very popular and well-attended 2013 conference, you will want to be in Spokane this summer! The conference will coincide with Hoopfest, the Spokane 3-on-3 basketball tournament, so housing will be tight. Make your reservations now. Visit www.wasa-oly.org/Summer14 for reservations and housing information.

The Real Focus

My Focus On Education Experience I am just shy of two months on the job, and boy, it’s been a whirlwind. My first weeks at WASA were spent as an information sponge; soaking in the endless list of acronyms, Legislative Platforms, budget discussions, and the current issues facing education. I was lucky that November was Focus on Education month. Finally, I was able to step outside the office and inside a school. I could see our members in action and build a visual library. What I didn’t expect, was how real the Focus on Education experience was for me as the WASA Communications Specialist, mother, and voter. The elementary school visits were an absolute joy. You couldn’t help but smile ear to ear moving from class to class. Second graders at Westwood Elementary in the Enumclaw School District (SD) were learning about weather the day of my tour. The teacher was using a Promethean digital board—an absolute asset for every classroom the district. She played and paused a video as needed to discuss topics and wrote digitally on her presentation. Students at Nelson Elementary School in the Bethel School District (SD) were so concentrated on their work, they hardly even noticed when Mike Nelson quizzes Southwood Elementary kindergarden students my group walked into their classes. Every student I walked up to was able to articulate what their teachers expected of them and explain why each lesson was important—even first graders. As I watched each teacher guide her students, I became excited and proud to have my toddlers soon become students in Washington’s public schools. My tour group was amazed at the innovative teaching styles in action at Frontier Middle School in the Bethel SD. We watched a 6th grade math class tackle complex fraction problems. The students solved the same equation on personal (continued on page 8)

We know your hard work happens 365 days out of the year. We encourge school districts to host school tours, reach out to the community, and highlight the tremendous work in your schools.

Be featured in Slice of Washington and on our website. Send us past pictures, materials, experiences, and information about future events. Contact Claire Beagle at cbeagle@ wasa-oly.org or 360.489.3645 for more details.

PERCEPTIONS SURVEY OF HIGH STAKES TESTING You and your district are invited to take a short, anonymous survey on high stakes testing. This study is one of the very first statewide surveys in Washington since NCLB waivers were granted! It is a very timely topic in the state. Rachel Osborn is an administrator in the North Kitsap School District and conducting this Institutional Review Board approved study as part of her doctoral dissertation. Her goal is 300 administrator responses and 300 teacher responses. You are welcome to forward the link to others in Washington State. Administrators: If you would like to participate in the study, click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ AdministratorPerception SurveyHighStakesTesting

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white boards and then collaborated and troubleshot until their answers aligned. The teacher was remarkable, walking the students through each step—I even learned something. Active New WASA Members As of December 2013 Region 101 Kim A. Fox, Spokane PS Shawn Jordan, Spokane PS Region 105 Tricia D. Anderson, Granger SD Samuel J. Ramirez, Sunnyside SD Brian Hart, Sunnyside SD Larry Davison, Toppenish SD Heidi Hellner-Gomez, Sunnyside SD Chris Anderson, Sunnyside SD Cody Gardiner, Sunnyside SD Region 108 Steve Morse, Bellingham PS Region 109 Georgia Lindquist, Everett PS Donneta Spath, Marysville SD Ruth Peckarsky, Mukilteo SD Christine Clausen, Everett PS Cinco Matthias Delgado, Marysville SD Region 110 Deborah Holcomb, Highline SD Stacey McCrath, Lake Washington SD Julia H. Trembath-Neuberger, Northshore SD Amanda Irtz Summers, Shoreline SD Anzara Miller, Shoreline SD Jenniffer Reinig, Highline SD Lorraine Michelle, Issaquah SD Catherine Carbone Rogers, Highline SD Duggan Harman, Highline SD Don Waring, Highline SD Razak Garoui, Kent SD

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In the Bethel SD at Graham-Kapowsin High School, I watched The Show, a wonderful student produced video bulletin. The video was not flawless—student anchors stumbled, audio fluctuated, and transitions between scenes were rough— yet it was absolutely perfect. It was an inventive example of learning in action. Students actively participate and critique how to improve themselves. Many, many, many thanks to Bethel SD, Enumclaw SD, and Evergreen Public Schools. You invited me into your educational homes to experience what is happening across our state: our educators’ wonderful work to mold tomorrow’s workforce. These tours made me realize that our school system should be everyone’s interest and focus, not just parents. The eager kindergartners I met will one day find jobs and contribute to our economy. One of those 6th graders might become a chemist, or one of those high school students will be the next producer of a local television station. Now, I challenge each of you: How can you get more folks into your schools? Let’s get Mr. and Mrs. Smith to realize their focus should be on education 365 days out of the year. Claire Beagle Communications Specialist

The Nexus Group on Our Side Pension and Health Benefits Consultants

For over twenty years, district and school building administrators’ interests in retirement and health benefit issues were represented by John Kvamme. Following his well-deserved retirement after the 2013 Legislative Session, WASA and AWSP joined together to attempt to fill his big shoes. After a long search process, we are pleased to announce that we have contracted with The Nexus Group. They specialize in issue advocacy and public affairs strategic consulting. They bring over 70 years of experience in issues relating to regulation, education, taxation, appropriations, government operations, and other related topics. Scott D. Nelson and Fred R. Yancey are the principal consultants for Nexus. Nelson has over 35 years of experience in government relations–serving as a lobbyist, political consultant, and public affairs specialist in Washington State, Washington, DC, and over 30 states across the country. He has been a registered lobbyist in Washington since 1985.

Scott Nelson

Fred Yancey visits the WASA office.

Fred Yancey retired from a career in public education in Washington State. He served as a superintendent, elementary, middle, and high school principal, program administrator, and classroom teacher in districts located on both sides of the state. Yancey specializes in the areas of budgeting and taxation, pensions, public education, finance, and other related areas. In over ten years with

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Nexus, he has built a depth of research expertise in appropriations, taxation, and regulatory matters. Yancey will be WASA’s main point of contact and will serve as the Pension & Health Benefits Liaison to the Board of Directors and the Legislation & Finance Committee. The retirement and health benefits landscape has been rapidly changing. Efforts to move state pensions to a 401K type (defined contribution vs. defined benefit) system and attempts to reduce funding for health benefits continue to gain momentum. As legislators are becoming increasingly more aggressive in their assault on public retirement systems and public employee health benefits, WASA and AWSP are pleased to have The Nexus Group advocating on behalf of our members.

Call to Action

Comment on Proposed Changes to IDEA MOE Calculation The U.S. Department of Education proposes to amend regulations under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These regulations govern the Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities program. The Secretary seeks public comment on proposed amendments to the regulation regarding local maintenance of effort to clarify existing policy and make other related changes. The new federal regulations do not provide any flexibility to districts in light of the increased hardships they face in maintaining special education funding. Instead, USED has determined that if a district fails to maintain local special education funding in one school year, the district must continue to strive to maintain the same funding levels in subsequent years or pay back part of their federal funds. The proposed regulations also mandate that a district cannot be eligible for federal IDEA funds unless they submit a budget pledging the same special education funding level as the previous year. AASA prepared comments at http://bit.ly/1b0LEkx, and asks members to cut, paste, and personalize any details about how districts would benefit from additional flexibility to reduce mandated special education spending levels. Please submit comments by December 1 to http://1.usa.gov/1aTtXHc. 

Active New WASA Members As of December 2013 Region 111 David Hammond, Bethel SD Laurie Dent, Sumner SD Lisa Reaugh, Peninsula SD Region 112 Peter M. Tarzian, Mount Pleasant SD Rodne J. McHattie, Longview PS Sue Steinbrenner, Evergreen PS–Vancouver Region 113 Jennifer Brotherton, Tumwater SD Doris Bolender, Southside SD Nancee Alvord, Tumwater SD Donna Morey, Tumwater SD Region 114 Lisa D. Roberts, North Mason SD Region 171 Kenneth Erik Swanson, Omak SD Catherine L. Nelson, Waterville SD Cora Nordby, Mansfield SD Do you know someone who wants to join WASA? Tell them to visit online and sign up today!

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