Dear MSAA Leaders,
Happy New Year! I hope this newsletter finds you well, but I know that last week- your first week back was a tough one for many of you. Contact tracing pool testing, who would have ever thought that those phrases would become such an integral part of your lexicon.
This newsletter if filled with a plethora of resources from information on MSAA/MASC awards, the upcoming DEI Summit on Friday, January 21st, Ed Camp on Saturday, February 12th to the PreK-8 Spring Conference on Thursday, March 10th & Friday, March 11th, to outstanding resources on Martin Luther King in observance of the MLK Holiday on Monday, January 17th.
I have also included resources on Black History Month in February and finally I have included a great video on The Women's Suffrage Movement. It is put out by Suffrage100MA. You can learn more about this organization here. The link to the video is in the latest articles/videos/resources section of the Newsletter.
And finally, I have added a new section to the Newsletter, Career Opportunities.
MSSA/MASC Awards
Each year, MSAA/MASC awards are presented to students, advisors, administrators and schools that have made significant contributions to student council activities.
Nominations are currently being accepted online for each of these awards. Please utilize the links below to access the nomination forms and additional award details.
Please note - nominations must be submitted by schools that have registered Student Council as an MSAA Student Activity and are due by February 1, 2022.
Nomination Information:
Administrator of the Year Award
This award is presented to one school administrator in recognition of outstanding support for student council activities.
Henry Sullivan Advisor of the Year Award
This award is presented to one student council advisor in recognition of a commitment to excellence and service to young people in their school.
Top Ten Project Awards
These awards are presented to ten student councils who have submitted one of the ten most outstanding projects during the school year.
Unsung Hero Awards
These awards are presented to one student council member from each region of the state who goes above and beyond the call of duty on a regular basis with little or no recognition.
Massachusetts Partnership for Youth
Massachusetts Partnership continually offers high quality webinars as well as their upcoming Peace Poster contest. Click here to see the upcoming webinars. See below for the link to the Peace Poster Contest.
Mark your calendars for the annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit on Friday, January 21st!
Before we know it the Saturday, February 12th EdCamp at MSAA it will be here, so mark that day in your calendars as well.
Our joint Pre-K Spring Conference with DESE is really coming to life; save the dates of March 10 and 11. Not only will it be timely and relevant, it will just be fun to be together.
DEI Summit Friday, January 21st
Stand Up and Speak Out
The courage to make our communities inclusive for all
The 5th Annual MSAA/MIAA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Summit is scheduled for Friday, January 21, 2022 from 8:30am-12:15pm. This VIRTUAL event with the theme “Stand Up and Speak Out – The courage to make our communities inclusive for all” is intended for students and school personnel from the MSAA and MIAA memberships.
Highlights for the event include:
· Keynote Speakers
· Concurrent Workshop Sessions
· Student and Adult Sessions
· Presentations by DEI Committee members
Registration:
There is no cost to attend the virtual summit and advanced registration is required. Registration details will be emailed to member schools and administrators in the coming weeks.
Questions:
Please contact Michael Rubin (mrubin@miaa.net) or Ethel Kawesa (ekawesa@miaa.net).
For additional information about MSAA/MIAA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives, please click here.
Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice 39th Annual National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest
39th Annual Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest for Fifth Graders
Massachusetts Children’s Alliance (MCA) is excited to announce their partnership with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) as a state manager for the 39th Annual Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest for 5th Graders. This nationwide contest is designed to promote awareness among teachers, parents/guardians and children and engage them in discussions about safety, with this year’s theme being “Bringing Our Missing Children Home”. Submissions are due January 21, 2022. The state-level winner will receive a pizza party for their class, and be eligible for the national prize package which includes a trip to Washington, D.C. for the national winner, his/her teacher, parents/guardians, and the state manager. See Poster Packet for more details (and contact the MCA for a Spanish version).
#MSAA Chat
#MSAAChat is on the second Tuesdays of the month September - June at 8:00 PM. The next chat is Tuesday, February 14th. Thank you to our facilitators: Marty Geoghegan, Bob Silveira, and Brian McCann!
DESE/MSAA/CEI Early Learning Team
2021-2022 Elementary School Principals Networking & Professional Development Series
Matthew Rodriguez from Equity Imperative and his team will deliver 3 professional development sessions (each 2 hours in length) on anti-racist leadership in the early grades. These sessions will be interactive and include whole group and small group discussions. The last session will take place from 3:00-5:00pm on: Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Pre-K-8 Spring Conference Thursday, March 10th and Friday, March 11th
The MSAA is pleased to announce a Spring Conference, jointly sponsored by MSAA, DESE, and CEI, focused on the needs of our PreK-8 membership. This conference was originally scheduled for March of 2020, however, COVID interrupted our plans and canceled the conference. The 2022 Conference concludes our joint year-long professional learning focus on Anti-Racist Leadership in the Early Grades and will bring our middle level partners into this work in a culminating 1 ½ day convening.
We are excited to return to the Devens Common Center in Devens, MA for this 1 1/2 day event scheduled for Thursday, March 10th and Friday, March 11th, 2022. We will kick off the event with Dr. Henry Turner as our opening keynote speaker on Thursday mid-afternoon. On Friday, a keynote presentation will be provided by Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite along with a mother and her daughter to talk about the impact of racism on family, student engagement and social-emotional well-being.
We are excited to offer the opportunity for administrators to provide professional learning to other administrators. Each day will also offer breakout sessions facilitated by current MA administrators. Breakout sessions will be an hour and 15 minutes long. The theme for this year's conference will be Anti-Racist Leadership PreK-8. We are looking for a variety of topics for our break-out sessions that will be of interest to current PreK-8 leaders surrounding the conference theme or other pertinent topics related to social/emotional learning. Please consider submitting a proposal for a breakout session at our Spring Conference! The deadline for proposals is Wednesday, January 22nd. The MSAA Elementary and Middle Level Committees will be in touch with all applicants by Friday, January 24th. To submit your proposal: https://tinyurl.com/2p9eduua
Horace Mann
There is important information below on Horace Mann's Loan forgiveness program.
Current Articles/Videos/Podcasts/Resources
Resources for all levels:
Martin Luther King materials from Learning For Justice.
Video on Women's Suffrage Movement.
Resources for Black History Month
Closing Message from Bob Baldwin
Thank you for making a difference in the lives of ALL children. You are making a difference!
Warm Regards,
Beth
Beth Wittcoff
MSAA Assistant Executive Director
MSAA Matters Newsletter
Middle Level and Elementary Committee Liaison
Ring Central Gatherings
