This information is updated each Thursday.

November 27, 2020

MASA is inviting proposals for future Master Classes.

We know our members are busier than ever. We also know that our members are learners, and value the opportunity to enhance personal and professional skills. MASA is offering a number of shorter workshops that we are calling our Master Classes. A master class is an opportunity offered by an expert presenter to learners of advanced skill in a particular profession or discipline. MASA’s master classes will be held virtually every few weeks or so and will feature presentations that address the expressed needs and interests of our members.

Anyone who is interested in presenting a master class is invited to submit a proposal by clicking here. This brief proposal form takes only a few minutes to complete. This is an ongoing invitation, so there is no deadline for submissions, but please send an email to Jeanna Vohnoutka (jeanna.vohnoutka@mnasa.org) so our staff will know you have submitted your proposal.

Some things to note:
Topics can be any subject that would interest educational leaders.
Sessions are short, 90 minutes at most.
Because we offer the sessions at no charge to our members, presenters are not compensated.
Sessions are presented virtually using Zoom.

Thank you for considering a presentation.  Your willingness to share your work is a great gift to your colleagues!

• Austin Public Schools

• Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Public Schools

• Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial Schools

• Le Sueur-Henderson Public School District

• Marshall Public Schools

• Mesabi East School District

• Renville County West Public Schools

Understanding why we all feel so terrible and what to do about it
presented by Dr. Kaz Nelson, University of Minnesota

Click Here for Updates

(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) has named Dr. Wayne Kazmierczak, Superintendent of the White Bear Lake Area Schools (WBLAS), the 2021 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year. As the Minnesota honoree, Dr. Kazmierczak is a candidate among other state recipients for National Superintendent of the Year, to be announced during the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Conference on Education hosted virtually on February 18-19, 2021. Dr. Kazmierczak was selected for this honor by a panel of representatives from a variety of Minnesota education organizations. Nominees are evaluated on how each candidate demonstrates leadership for learning, communication skills, professionalism, and community involvement. Read More

Graciously Sponsored by ATS&R

Social Emotional Learning Focusing on the Total Child

Information and registration: https://nce.aasa.org/

Are your professional learning communities (PLCs) feeling a little flat? Do your meetings lean heavy on the professional and light on the community? Do you want to review or catch-up on the PLC series on building and sustaining a collaborative culture that was presented last year? This workshop series is for PLC facilitators who want to add meaning and purpose to their current PLCs to help move teaching and learning further. Each session will focus on essential elements of the PLC process including the four critical questions that guide the work of PLCs and explore the implications of those elements on the school setting (in-person, hybrid, and online). During each session, participants will have the opportunity to share local practices and network with each other.

Audience:  PLC facilitators, Q Comp coordinators, and administrators (We highly recommend the full team of PLC facilitators attend.)

View Here

To Our MASA Member Superintendents Who are Women —

We hope you are all well and navigating these challenging days. Our schools need excellent leadership regardless of the circumstances and we know you are up to the challenge!  We would like to invite you to consider an opportunity from AASA to enhance your leadership skills and network with other leaders who are women from throughout the US. Please review the invitation below and consider participating in AASA's 2020 National Women’s Leadership Consortium.

The invitation includes the schedule — a mix of virtual and “in-person” meetings — as well as the registration link. We know you will find this experience to be personally valuable and career-enhancing.

The October 28 – 30, 2020, session will be held in our nation’s capital, Washington D.C., and will include wellness activities. Imagine exercising with colleagues in early morning or evening in front of the Lincoln Memorial! We will continue our discussion of bias as we learn from Smithsonian leaders engaged in the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. A deep dive into leading for innovation in a digital age is planned for the October meeting.

Thank you for considering this opportunity!

David Law, JD, MASA President, and Superintendent, Anoka-Hennepin School District
Deb Henton, EdD, Executive Director, Minnesota Association of School Administrators

For more information View Here

Questions? Contact Valerie Truesdale, AASA assistant executive director, at 703.774.6930 or vtruesdale@aasa.org

Ready to register? View Here 

(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) has named Dr. Kim Hiel, Superintendent of Fridley Public Schools, the 2020 Richard Green Scholar. Dr. Hiel will present a paper,
“The Influence of Society’s Perceptions and Stereotypes on African American Women Administrators’ Leadership Practices” at the MASA Fall Conference, September 28-29. Press Release

Graciously Sponsored by Cuningham Group

(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) has named Dr. Jeffrey Olson, Interim Executive Director of the Minnesota Valley Education District, the recipient of the 2020 MASA Polaris Leadership Award. Dr. Olson will be honored for his exemplary school leadership and a lifetime of achievement in education and the wider community at a statewide recognition ceremony at the 2020 MASA Fall Conference, September 28-29. Press Release

ICYMI: MASA Executive Director Deb Henton and MSBA Executive Director Kirk Schneidawind’s op-ed that was published in the Star Tribune on August 31. It appeared in the newspaper edition on September 1

Public schools always rise to the challenge:

https://www.startribune.com/public-schools-always-rise-to-the-challenge/572278482/

Find all of the superintendent district changes for the 2020-2021 school year.

View Here

This policy replaces the current MSBA-MASA Model Policy 522 (Student Sex Nondiscrimination) and the accompanying form. In addition to adopting the new policy, school districts are encouraged to revise MSBA-MASA Model Policy 422—Policies Incorporated by Reference—to include this new policy. 
View Here

or new, newer, and aspiring superintendents

The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA)

In response to feedback from our members and our colleagues aspiring to the superintendency, MASA has developed an academy with finance topics especially relevant to the practice of the superintendency.  Three sessions throughout the year will provide reflective leadership and skill development leading to development in the excellent practice of the school superintendency.

These sessions will be integrated with the MASA Great Start sessions and will be offered with the gracious support of Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors.  If you are already registered for the Great Start Cohort, there is no need to register for this academy as it is included in the Great Start Cohort experience.
 

Registration is extremely limited for this academy; we suggest you register as soon as possible.

To register, please View Here

Contingent plans are in place depending on the circumstances of COVID-19; including a different venue with fewer attendees and social distancing or offering the workshop via ZOOM. 

Contingent plans are in place depending on the circumstances of COVID-19; including a different venue with fewer attendees and social distancing or offering the workshop via ZOOM.