MASA eUpdate

This week's edition of the "Henton Headlines" features new MASA surveys, 2024 member demographics, Curriculum Component group request, and cybersecurity incident reporting! Read the full post here.

If you attended the fall conference, you may have already provided your input...but if you did not attend the conference you are invited to participate in our new legislative topics exchange and annual member survey!

After you answer a few demographic questions, you'll be asked to respond to one open-ended question, consider and assign stars to some of the ideas shared by others, and learn what's important to your fellow members.

Your thoughts and stars are confidential. You can come back as often as you'd like to participate and, in fact, we ask that you do come back to star some of the new ideas shared since you first participated. The ratings will help us understand the most important areas to focus on. Thank you in advance for your help and input.

Complete our member survey here!

Participate in the Legislative Exchange here!

Please submit your responses by 11:59 pm on October 11.

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 | 9:00 – 10:00am | Zoom Registration!

Presented by:

Alison Gillespie, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, White Bear Lake Area Schools

Hallie Fox, Educators Thriving

Tiffany Dittrich, President, White Bear Lake Area Educators

In this session, participants explore how White Bear Lake Area Schools used an educator-generated measure of well-being and continuous improvement process to increase principal capacity and staff culture at priority school sites. District and union leaders have since collaborated to drive system-wide improvements to staff culture, well-being, and experiences. Walk away with new ideas and tangible strategies to lead for well-being at school and system levels. The session will be recorded and posted on the Informational Sessions webpage. CEUs will not be issued.

In an effort to help our members organize and manage the day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month demands of leading a school district, we shared this new MASA Superintendent’s Checklist in August. Running from July to March, this monthly checklist serves as a guide to help you navigate through the school year. It includes links to relevant information and supportive resources and is intended to support you in your work. April through June will be shared in March! Please contact Lori Zimmerman (lori.zimmerman@mnasa.org) with comments and suggestions for additional items to include.

Google Sheets Tips

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Thank you to our speakers, breakout session presenters, exhibitors, and attendees of the 2024 MASA Fall Conference at Madden's! The conference evaluation and CEUs were emailed from sara.klecker@mnasa.org on October 2. You can find conference materials here!

A special thank you to our conference sponsors!

Nexus Solutions | Conference Lanyards

Kennedy & Graven, Chartered | Morning Refreshment Stations

Save the date for the 2025 MASA/MASE Spring Conference, March 20-21 at the Minneapolis Marriott Northwest!

Polaris Leadership Award

sponsored by Ehlers

This award recognizes exemplary school leadership and a lifetime of achievement in education.

Dr. Bruce Jensen, Director of School Administrative Services, Northwest Service Cooperative

Read Dr. Jensen's news release here!

Richard Green Scholar Award

sponsored by Cuningham

This award honors the scholarly work and professional development of Minnesota school leaders.

Dr. Jennifer Reichel, Director of Teaching and Learning, Mahtomedi Public Schools

Read Dr. Reichel's news release here!

You are invited to join us virtually on Thursday, November 7 at 10 am for a state of the association, financial report, professional learning update, and legislative outlook. After the MASA Business Meeting adjourns, there will be a brief meeting for the Management Concerned for Public Education (MCPE), MASA's political action committee! Register here!

Are you ready to lead your district into the future? The MASA Advanced Leadership Academy invites superintendents and education leaders to come together to work collaboratively to lead for tomorrow. The theme of the first session, The Future of Education, focuses on adaptability, agility, and visionary planning for the next generation of educational leadership.

What will we do these first two days?

• Embrace change with agility and adaptability
• Engage in scenario planning for future-ready schools
• Dive deeply into future leadership challenges including AI integration, post-pandemic recovery, and more
• Design a visionary 2030 model for your school district
  
• Collaborate with your peers on innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges facing education today

Don’t miss this chance to connect with colleagues, participate in visionary activities, and walk away with actionable insights to lead your district into 2030 and beyond! 19 of your colleagues have already registered - will you join them?

MASA Finance Academy!

Three sessions | November 6 - December 11, 2024 | Quora Education Center
Full information here!

Back by popular demand! In response to feedback from our members and aspiring superintendents, MASA has developed an academy focused on finance topics especially relevant to the superintendency. These three sessions will provide opportunities for reflective leadership and skill development, equipping participants with the tools and strategies needed to succeed in the role of superintendent.

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.

We hope the school year has gotten off to a fabulous start for you and your students! We are excited to welcome you to the MASA Instructional Leaders Networking meetings this year! Facilitated by our Curriculum Component Group representatives to the MASA Board of Directors, Craig Anderson and Vera Weber, we invite you to add the following dates/times to your calendars:

• November 15 - Meeting Link | 1-2 pm | Add to calendar
• January 17 - Meeting Link | 1-2 pm | Add to calendar
• April 25 - Meeting Link | 1-2 pm | Add to calendar

We look forward to meeting together soon and throughout the school year! Please contact Lori Zimmerman with questions.

Business Partner Level: Leader
Industry: Municipal Advisory Firm & Financial Management
Why do you partner with MASA? We are empathetic to the challenges our clients face and love contributing toward improvements in educational opportunities for students throughout the State of Minnesota.

MASA Member Contact:

Jodie Zesbaugh

Senior Municipal Advisor

jzesbaugh@ehlers-inc.com | 651-697-8526

www.ehlers-inc.com

MASA will be featuring our valued business partners in our weekly association eUpdate to all MASA members. We will select a business partner each week to feature in the weekly eUpdate. Thank you for your continued partnership with MASA!

Submit your business information here: https://forms.gle/q9kjUFV3Dv7aQp7F7.

View the full eUpdate here!

Dr. Don Lifto is providing MASA members with 24 referendum strategies under the banner of “School Tax Elections: Winning Strategies in 250 Words.” One strategy will be posted to the MASA website each month.

You can find Don's latest referendum strategy, "​Laying the Foundation, Part 1" online at: www.mnasa.org/school-tax-elections.

Dr. Don Lifto held positions in Minnesota’s public schools for 33 years, the last 25 as a superintendent in rural, suburban, and intermediate districts. During his superintendency, he brought 12 operating or bond proposals forward to the public, 10 of which passed. Lifto completed his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota with a dissertation focused on factors associated with successful and unsuccessful school referenda. Since 2006 he has consulted with school districts on referendum planning and feasibility surveys with Springsted, Baker Tilly, Morris Leatherman, and School Election Strategies. His third book on referendum planning was coauthored with Barb Nicol and can be found here: https://bit.ly/3dBqEzb

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the latest round of funding from the Clean School Bus Rebate Program with up to $965 million available to school districts. Applications for this year’s Clean School Bus Rebate Program are due on the EPA online portal by 4 p.m. EST on January 9, 2025. Read the full news release from September 26 here!

Senator Tina Smith has provided Minnesota Schools with her office’s Grant Letter of Support request form. If you choose to move forward with an application for funding, Sen. Smith will be happy to provide a letter of support. Reach out to Amy Johnson Korba, Managing Outreach Director for Senator Smith, with questions.

You may have seen a familiar face in the September 2024 issue of School Administrator! Dr. Carlondrea Hines, Superintendent of St. Louis Park Public Schools, was featured in AASA's People Watch! You can read the full issue here.

Episode 8: Operationalizing Organizational Culture

Guest: Christine Tucci Osorio, Superintendent, N. St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District

Listen Here | Podcastle Link

Tailored to current and future school leaders, the Rethink Possible podcast delivers relatable and relevant content from superintendents and other education thought partners. Each conversational episode provides solutions to common challenges and opportunities while accommodating the busy lifestyle of today's school leaders. Episodes will be published twice a month!

October is National Retirement Security month, and Horace Mann is hosting educator webinars throughout the month that stress the importance of preparing for retirement income early in an educator’s career. Topics include "Student Loan Solutions" and "Preparing for Retirement Income: Early in your career." Full information can be found here!

On September 25, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, a new resource to help kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media. The toolkit outlines steps school leaders can take to assess and respond to anonymous threats, better prepare for and prevent future threats, and work in coordination with law enforcement and other local partners when threats arise. It is co-sealed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which provided expert feedback on the toolkit’s key principles and strategies. Full information can be found here!

You can find the full information online at: https://events.resultsathand.com/masabp25/2784/registration/1096-Sponsorship-Opportunities!

Need procurement solutions? Please consider checking out our Minnesota School District Purchasing Sites! We have partnered with Sourcewell and Cooperative Purchasing Connection to create two purchasing sites for MASA members! Check them out here!

Facilitated by Dr. Michael Thomas

Seven sessions remaining! | October 2024 - May 2025 | 8 - 9 am via Zoom

Register for all the sessions here | No cost to attend!

MASA members are invited to join us in a series of professional dialogue sessions exploring topics of interest to our currently practicing school administrators. While the topics may be general in nature, the group will specifically address issues of race and culture pertinent to the conversation. Please note that at this time, participation in this series is open to only MASA members. Full session schedule and information can be found at www.mnasa.org/professional-dialogue-sessions.

Facilitated by Dr. Bernadeia Johnson

Eight sessions left! | October 2024 - May 2025 | 8 - 9 am via Zoom
Register for all the sessions here: https://forms.gle/8BWUYsurXL2TouvD7

MASA members and our fellow educational leaders who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are invited to join the 2024-25 BIPOC Affinity Group. If you have any colleagues who would benefit from this group, please encourage them to attend! Full session schedule and information can be found at www.mnasa.org/bipoc.

Facilitated by Dr. Stacie Stanley, Superintendent, Edina Public Schools

Eight more sessions left! | October 2024 to May 2025 | 8 - 9 am via Zoom

Register for all the sessions here: https://forms.gle/X8F15m45oZ6aBdTQ8

If you know of a colleague who would benefit from attending these sessions, please forward this information to them. All individuals who identify as women are encouraged to attend! CEUs have been requested from the Minnesota Board of School Administrators (BOSA). Participants must attend the sessions synchronously to be eligible for CEUs. Full info at the Women's Leadership Network webpage.

The MASA Foundation is pleased to announce the return of the Foundation Endowment Campaign! All proceeds from the campaign go toward achieving the Foundation’s mission of enhancing the leadership development of educational administrators just like you. Can your fellow MASA members count on your support for 2024-25? Full info at www.mnasa.org/donate.

Post unlimited job vacancies, for all levels of positions. The MASA Jobsite Online is well managed with daily attention to detail and customer service. The cost of an annual subscription is less than just a few advertisements placed in the major and local newspapers. Also, the Department of Education recognizes the MASA Jobsite as a valid advertisement when a school district is seeking a variance for a teacher in a specific subject. We currently have 118 districts using the Jobsite and they have posted nearly 2,000 jobs!

members@mnasa.org | www.mnasa.org

P.O. Box 427, Medford, MN 55049

(651) 645-6272

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