June 21, 2023

Dear AFSA Members,

Congratulations and a big round of applause for successfully making it through another school year. I know it wasn’t easy for many of you—and the challenges we face every day seem to keep growing.

I take heart in your triumph over the past few years. Heading into 2022–23, you faced learning loss and the emotional havoc endured by staff and students. But you demonstrated enormous fortitude and did what you do best—you led. If you didn’t love kids, you never could have gone through with it. America’s students are incredibly lucky to have you.

At the national level, AFSA has done its utmost to represent you.

Immediately after the disappointing National Assessment for Education Progress (NAEP) scores, I wrote President Biden expressing our alarm over the results and asking for a meeting to discuss AFSA’s concerns. Sooner than expected, we were invited to the White House to confer over critical challenges facing our schools. Opening that dialogue with the president’s Domestic Policy Council, just prior to the State of the Union address, was a major breakthrough for AFSA and for your voice. Since then, we have had an open channel for input, and we promise to pursue the dialogue over the next few years.

At every step of the way, AFSA has had your concerns and interests at the forefront. To increase your strength, we’ve reinforced alliances with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Committee for Education Funding (CEF).

Legislatively, we’ve continued to fight for you, including by helping to defeat Rep. Chip Roy’s proposed school voucher fund, fighting for resources for school leader-specific professional learning tied to Title II, and calling on the federal government to address the social and emotional well-being of students and staff. We’ve rallied support for you and invited members of Congress to address you. Out of respect for your work, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York welcomed the chance to join AFSA discussions about your concerns on everything from education funding to mental health.

At AFSA’s 16th Triennial Constitutional Convention, you unanimously adopted 13 resolutions addressing the concerns most affecting school leaders today. Immediately after the convention, AFSA formed committees to take those resolutions and put your words into action. I encourage you to look at the resolutions here. During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, those committees addressing Resolutions 8 and 11 offered webinars on educator and student mental health, and provided a list of social/emotional resources for you. This was particularly important considering the stresses flowing from the pandemic and escalating school violence across the nation.

Sadly but importantly, we spent hours counseling local presidents who reported school shootings to us, including those in Baltimore, Denver and St. Louis. Through our close relationship with Dr. David Schonfeld, director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, we were able to offer the benefit of his expertise, counseling and coping strategies to our members and those school districts to help them on their path toward recovery. I was awed by the profound sensitivity with which our local presidents addressed these tragedies.

On a brighter note, this has been a banner year for expanding AFSA, thus strengthening your voice nationally. We founded the Maryland Federation of School Administrators and the Midwest Federation of School Administrators (representing Illinois, Michigan and Missouri). We also chartered new locals:

Rochester Administrators Association, AFSA Local 143, Rochester, Minnesota
Meriden Administrators Association, AFSA Local 144, Meriden, Connecticut
Administrators Association of Chula Vista (AACV), AFSA Local 145, Chula Vista
Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (MCAAP), AFSA Local 146, Montgomery County, Maryland
Fairfax County Federation of Principals, Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 147, Fairfax, Virginia

The AFSA team offered these new members ongoing strategic advice on how to launch their unions, better understand state law regarding collective bargaining, draft bylaws and deal with contract discussions. We provided legal advice to locals, new and old, on matters like attempts to usurp administrative positions.

This year, perhaps more than ever, has demonstrated how important and valuable it is for school leaders to feel and be connected to their colleagues across the country. On that note, I humbly ask that you reach out to school administrators you may know who do not currently have the benefit of AFSA membership and connect them with us. Not only will this help strengthen their voices, it will grow AFSA’s numbers nationally, and make our collective voice more powerful. They can contact us at [email protected].

Amid all you do for our children and schools, you may not recognize the weight of your achievements serving, saving and inspiring our children. Nearly 24 hours a day, as a school leader you are everything to everybody: instructional leaders, budget directors, staff managers, efficiency experts, mentors and peacekeepers. You are truly amazing.

I am honored to represent you and I wish you a restful and rewarding summer. You’ve more than earned it.

Be well, stay well.