MASA eUpdate

This week's edition of the "Henton Headlines" features a call to mentors to ensure their mentees are registered for MASA’s Great Start Cohort, and an invitation to share summer adventure photos! Read the full post here!

On Thursday, June 19, we honor Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and celebrates Black freedom and resilience. We encourage all school leaders to reflect on this history and continue fostering inclusive, equitable learning communities.

MASA offices will be closed on June 19 in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.

All members received an email notification about their 2025-26 membership renewal on Friday, June 5. Be sure to search for the email with the subject line, "Explore MASA’s New Website & Renew Your Membership!"

Access your membership invoice following these steps:

• Logging into your Member Compass profile
• Navigate to your open invoices under Account History
• Payment Options!
• Click "View & Print" to pay by check
• Click the blue "PAY" button to pay electronically. NOTE: After you click the blue PAY button you can share that link directly with your accounts payable staff member, if needed.
  View instructional images on how to access your direct payment link!
• Be sure to update your contact information under "Profile."
• Once complete - you're all set! Welcome back!

If you need to change your membership category or AASA/CEC membership, please contact members@mnasa.org. Thank you for continuing your membership with MASA in 2025-26!

This session was held on June 16 at 10 am via Zoom

Presenter: Valerie Dosland, MASA Lobbyist

Session Slides

Session Recording

A special thank you to MASBO and Executive Director Connie Nordquist for partnering with MASA to host these sessions for both our associations!

Seven Full-Day Sessions

July 2025 - April 2026

Registration is now open for the 2025-26 MASA Great Start Cohort for new superintendents and administrators! Great Start Cohort members will have the opportunity to meet other new leaders, receive information from seasoned leaders, and develop practical skills designed to help them be successful in the first year of their new position. Whether participants are first-time superintendents or experienced superintendents new to Minnesota, this seven-session workshop series is a wonderful opportunity to address the challenges of a new superintendency together with others in similar situations.

If you are aware of any new superintendents or administrators in your region, encourage them to register!

The Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership is leading our state’s participation in the Next Phase of Dual Enrollment Policy national cohort. As part of this work, they are developing a proposed statewide vision for dual enrollment and are seeking broad input in this process.

On behalf of the Minnesota Next Phase Dual Enrollment Planning Team, you are invited to participate in a 15-minute survey about your thoughts on dual enrollment in Minnesota. The results of this survey will be used to help inform this important work. Please note that MSBA will be sharing this survey with their school board members.

Survey Information & Deadline

Please complete the survey prior to Monday, July 7 at 4:00 pm by clicking here. The survey is being hosted and collected through the planning team’s partner, the University of Minnesota. All responses are anonymous.

As MASA prepares for next year’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy and Great Start Cohort, we want to ensure these experiences truly support the needs of future superintendents. As a currently serving superintendent, your perspective is invaluable.

What knowledge, skills, and experiences do you believe are most important for future colleagues as they prepare to step into the superintendent role?

We recognize that no program can fully prepare someone for every challenge of the superintendency—but with your feedback, we can shape learning experiences that are meaningful, relevant, and grounded in the realities of the work. Please take a moment to share your thoughts here.

MASA is accepting nominations for the 2026 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year! This award honors outstanding leadership among active Minnesota public school superintendents and selects our state’s candidate for the AASA National Superintendent of the Year. The national winner will be announced at the AASA National Conference on Education, February 12–14, 2026, in Nashville. Nominations are open through August 31, 2025, with applications due by September 22, 2025. Learn more about eligibility, selection criteria, and how to submit a nomination on the MASA website: https://www.mnasa.org/superintendent-of-the-year.

This award is proudly sponsored by ATSR.

Applications are now open for the 2025-26 Minnesota Aspiring Superintendents Academy. Proudly sponsored by Sourcewell, this program is designed for educators across the state who are considering the superintendency as a possible next step in their career path. The program provides a comprehensive experience that covers a wide range of topics, including leadership development, communication, school board relationships, decision-making, community engagement, interviewing and contract negotiation, and much more. The program is facilitated by experienced administrators and experts, providing participants with the skills and knowledge needed to lead a school district.

The program will take place across five two-day sessions from October 2025 to April 2026, in Little Canada. Space will be limited. The cost to participate is $1,250. Please note that this is NOT a licensure program. Full information and application can be found here: www.mnasa.org/aspiring-superintendents-academy. Application deadline: August 1, 2025

Take a look at our promotional video with testimonials from successful academy graduates – and be sure to share the flyer!

Do you know someone who should attend this academy? Be sure to share this information with them!

During the legislative session, MASA will be sending out weekly and special updates to members via email. If you missed an update we will be compiling them on the MASA website here: www.mnasa.org/legislative-updates.

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.

Use AI to turn student performance data into clear action for next year. Follow the steps below to find the three most important patterns buried in your end-of-year data. Read the post here!

Gruvy Education is a Premier Partner with MASA.

View upcoming events from AASA here! Items include:

• Identify, Strategize, Execute: Addressing Top Superintendent Challenges in 1 Hour
• School Law Under the Microscope: Outcomes of the U.S. Supreme Court Decisions Affecting K-12 Education
• Real Skills for Real Life Summit
• And more!

CoSN recently published a resource for school leaders on “The Future of Work” which is a supplement to the CoSN 2025 Driving K-12 Innovation Report. As the world we are living in today and the world our students will be living in tomorrow rapidly changes, the priorities for what and how students learn must also change and adapt. CoSN’s 2025 Future of Work Report underscores the transformative impact that AI has and will continue to have on what the Future of Work looks like. Read the full post here!

Episode 19: Implementing a Five Phase Strategic Planning Process

Listen here!

In this episode, Bob McDowell spends time with Dr. Kristine Flesher, superintendent of Orono Public Schools, learning about her experience of implementing a five-phase strategic planning process. The process includes a pre-planning phase, stakeholder input, core team planning, implementation, and process monitoring. Dr. Flesher describes the phases in detail and shares “Aha” moments. She further shares the importance of communication, including all voices, and finding the right facilitator for the community. Dr. Flesher also talks about the need for data points beyond academic measures, such as measuring connectedness and belonging.

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, "Demographics of Scarcity" online at: https://www.mnasa.org/school-tax-strategies.

Communicating how school funding works in Minnesota is no small task—especially with many districts facing tough budgeting decisions. To help, we’ve partnered with Captivate Media + Consulting to create a free video that clearly explains school funding and why so many districts are experiencing financial challenges. A statewide version of the video is available for any district to use at no cost. Watch the video and request a free download here: https://captivatemedia.us/mnschoolfunding/. Captivate Media + Consulting is a proud MASA Business Partner at the Leader Level.

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!

Don't have a subscription yet? Join today: https://jobsitemnasa.org/.

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!

View the full eUpdate here!

members@mnasa.org | www.mnasa.org

P.O. Box 427, Medford, MN 55049

(651) 645-6272

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