NEWASA (Northeast Washington Association of School Administrators) is a regional component of the statewide Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA). NEWASA's membership includes superintendents and other administrators in central office and building management positions. Members are enrolled from Adams, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties.
NEWASA activities include monthly professional development at NEWESD 101 and an annual awards program recognizing community volunteers for their service to local schools.
Schedule: NEWASA general membership meetings in
2022-23 are scheduled on:
September 15, October 20 and December 1, 2022; January 19, February 16, March 16 and May 18, 2023.
NEWASA's 2022-23 leadership team includes:
President: Suzanne Schmick, St. John Endicott School District (right in photo)
President-elect: Ben Ferney, Cheney School District
Past-president: Travis Hanson, Deer Park School District (left in photo)
Secretary-Treasurer: Robert Roettger, NEWESD 101
WASA Board representative: Jake Dingman, Oakesdale School District
The famous NEWASA gavel ... NEWASA’s ceremonial gavel dates to 1996-97 when Rich McBride, right, then superintendent of the Newport School District, served as association president.
McBride asked students in a Newport career and technical education class to create something distinctive he could pass on to future NEWASA presidents.
Their creation was a one-of-a-kind wood gavel measuring 22 inches long by eight inches high. The first official hand-off occurred in May 1997 when McBride presented the gavel to his presidential successor, Chewelah School District Superintendent Marcia (Costello) Fromhold.
The tradition has continued. Every May, the last item of business at the last meeting of the year is a ceremonial passing of the gavel between the outgoing and incoming presidents. Today, the gavel is engraved with the names of the last 24 NEWASA presidents. With room for 14 additional names, the gavel will not be retired until 2034, when the incoming president will be tasked with starting a new tradition – or constructing a new gavel.
For more information on NEWASA: (509) 789-3540