Dear Colleagues,
Happy belated Principals' Day this past Saturday, May 1st. I know some of you were recognized on Friday and others on Monday. It is a well-deserved day dedicated to you and I hope you enjoyed the recognition!
We also know that being a Principal, Assistant Principal, Director or an other administrator role is more challenging than ever. You continue to be bombarded with new issues to deal with on an almost daily basis. The tragic shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr., another black man killed by a police bullet in Elizabethtown, North Carolina; the unimaginable and horrific, international pandemic crisis in India; the state legislative attacks on our transgender youth; the continuing attacks on our AAPI community and reuniting children with their families at our southern border make for unsettling and challenging times to be a leader and navigating how to approach these events with staff and students, many of whom are directly impacted by these events. Please know MSAA is here to support you in any way that we can.
To that end we are sharing a very timely video produced by Newton North Principal, Henry Turner and Kathy Lopes, Newton's Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. This well-done video will provide you with guidance on strategies to employ when discussing these kinds of issues in the nation and world. A huge thank you to both Henry and Kathy for taking the lead on this critical issue and modeling how to handle these situations. See the Latest Articles, Videos, Websites in this Edition.
We know this week you are immersed in Teacher Appreciation Week and we hope that the week is going well. I have shared an article from Ed Week which speaks to what teachers really want from their principal to show appreciation. Speaking of showing Teachers’ appreciation, consider encouraging a teacher leader in your building to enroll in our Leadership Licensure Program (LLP). More information and the link to the LLP webpage is below.
Additionally, please note the upcoming MSAA/MIAA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Symposium on May 13th. Details are below the LLP information. There are some great speakers slated and the morning should prove to be well worth your time.
On a final note, if you are a PK- 3 principal don't forget to register for the DESE/MSAA/MAECTE joint convening on Thursday, May 27th from 3:00-4:30, with keynote speaker, Dr. Nicole Christian- Brathwaite. The session will include a 60-minute presentation with Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite focused on trauma-informed practices for students, staff, principals, and families, followed by breakout sessions in which principals can connect and network with each other. Register
Videos/Articles
The video is a must watch by Newton North High School Principal and MSAA Board member Henry Turner, and Kathy Lopes, Newton's Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The video addresses how to speak about recent national racial incidents.
I have shared five articles. The first article from Ed Week is how teachers want to be appreciated. The second article is from NAESP on why principals should decide how relief spending should be spent in their schools. The third article is from the Washington Post on how children view their parents work, having seen it first hand from home. Very interesting conclusions and studies. The fourth article also from Ed Week, is about assistant principals: it speaks to the importance of our APs, and how they are overlooked or undervalued. The fifth article is from the Wallace Foundation and it too speaks to the role of Assistant Principals advancing school leadership.
Leadership Licensure Program (LLP)
Sometimes we take for granted that all members of MSAA are thoroughly versed in the myriad, and high-quality activities and programs offered by the Association. We sometimes forget the inevitable changes that occur in our membership, leaders shifting positions within their districts or moving to a new district - in our profession, change is a given!
We want to ensure that you are up to date on all of our programs and initiatives, so we are highlighting our Leadership Licensure Program (LLP) this month. It is one of our most powerful programs.
LLP is a one year DESE approved program that fulfills all the requirements for an educator to obtain their Principal/Assistant Principal licensure. LLP has been in existence for 15 years and we have successfully graduated between twenty-nine to forty graduates in any given year. Our graduates consistently tell us it has a been a life changing experience for them.
The instructors of our LLP courses are either retired or practicing Superintendents and Principals. All are, or have been, long time successful leaders in their districts. The course of studies is delivered in the summer and on weekends (1 per month) beginning in June and ending in May the following year. Instructors come from our partner, Teachers21, a highly respected and renowned local organization for high quality professional development.
Our state also requires the successful completion of the Massachusetts Performance Assessment for Leaders (MAPAL) prior to granting the initial certification for the principalship. LLP has embedded the requirements of MAPAL into the content of the courses, as much as possible. In addition, LLP provides training in the completion of MAPAL and one-to-one advisory regarding the process. Our graduates far exceed the passing rate of the state average for other programs on the MAPAL.
LLP is provided by MSAA as an alternative to longer graduate programs. We not only provide PDPs that help with lane changes, we also partner with Fitchburg State University to offer a CAGS Program and in the future a Masters in Leadership Program. Our graduates rave to us about how inspirational their experiences were and how LLP so positively impacted all aspects of their leadership. Currently, LLP graduates serve in leadership roles from the Berkshires to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
Please consider who in your building is that standout teacher leader(s) and encourage them to pursue their licensure in administration! Our LLP is the premiere program in the Commonwealth - we need to support our future leaders! Here is the link to the LLP website at www.leadershiplicensure.org. We count on our current leaders to encourage and support their teacher-leaders to take that next step.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA), and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) will host their 4th Annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Symposium on Thursday, May 13, 2021 from 9am till 12:30pm.
The mission of the DEIC is to foster diversity among our member schools, athletic directors, coaches, and student athletes by promoting inclusiveness, awareness, and acceptance. Our theme for the Symposium is “Using Your Voice, Making the Choice, Being the Change” and the targeted audience is school administrators, teachers, athletic directors, guidance counselors, and other school staff. This year we want to celebrate the success of DEI efforts while recognizing the dire need for continued work in these arenas. Given the current state of our country, the promotion of social justice and inclusion has never been more important.
We have an outstanding program planned for May 13th. Ron Walker, Executive Director of the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (COSEBOC) will open with the Keynote address. Presentation topics to follow will include: Phil Fogelman, Education Director, Anti-Defamation League, New England – “Equity with Intentionality,” Jeff Perrotti, Founding Director, DESE Safe Schools Program – “Promoting Resilience and Healthy Outcomes for Transgender Students,” Catherine Wong, Director of Equity Implementation for Leadership Brainery – “ Asian American Youth and the Model Minority Myth; Removing the Shroud of Silence”, and co-presenters Kathy Lopes, Newton Public Schools Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Henry Turner, Newton North High School Principal – “Fostering an Anti-Racist School Culture.”
Please join us on May 13th for an exceptional day of DEI programming. The work continues!
Closing Message from Bill Gaine
On behalf of MSAA and Executive Director, Bill Gaine: Stay safe, stay strong, and take time for yourself.
Warm Regards,
Beth
Beth Wittcoff
MSAA Assistant Executive Director
MSAA Matters Newsletter
Middle Level and Elementary Committee Liaison
Ring Central Gatherings
