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Dana Stiner, principal at Pine Tree Elementary School in the Kent School District, was named this year’s Washington State Elementary Principal of the Year. Stiner will also be recognized at the national level by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). She will be recognized with winners from other states as one of NAESP’s National Distinguished Principals.

Buckle up, people! This year’s legislative session begins on Monday! This will be a long session lasting 105 days. It is the first year of a two-year biennium where a new operating budget for 2023-2025 and hundreds of bills will be passed. Of our 147 legislators, almost 30 of them are brand new to the Legislature.

Comfortable in her role as an assistant principal, Dickert embodies the ‘bloom where you are planted’ adage. "She effectively accomplishes all the essential duties of a strong instructional leader with grace and humor, and in every interaction communicates her desire and vision for a better future for all,” said Mill Creek Principal Brenda Fuglevand about Dickert. “She maintains an artful balance of attention to high academic standards, respectful and personable interactions, humor, positive presuppositions, and an unwavering focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

It was budget week in the Legislature as both House and Senate Democrats released their supplemental operating budgets. Both budget bills had hearings within hours of their release on Monday, and both were amended within days of these hearings. Budget negotiators from both chambers will now seek to reconcile differences and come to a final budget before “sine die” (the last day of the session), scheduled for March 10.

51������ is looking for an amazing elementary principal to be the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ (NAESP) National Outstanding Assistant Principal honoree from our state. This program promotes excellence in educational leadership and calls attention to the fundamental importance of the assistant principal.