LEADERSHIP MEMO
April/May/June
Team,
Greetings and Happy April to you! Following a very "interesting" winter season it is nice to say we are finally experiencing the benefits of spring. I'm hoping that each of you had the opportunity to spend some quality time with your loved ones over the recent spring break-even though it goes by too quickly the memories created during these periods of down time are to be cherished and remembered.
As we enter the final portion of the school year, let's continue to recognize all of the great things happening within your buildings while also acknowledging the huge amount work that goes into the running of daily school operations. You and your teams have done a tremendous job up to this point in the year building staff capacity and elevating student success! Currently, you are immersed in preparations for end of year activities and celebrations and recognitions of student achievements in the myriad areas and programs you and your teams provide to enhance student connectedness and engagement. All of this is being done while you are also preparing for the pressures of standardized testing, working to continue your focus on delivering high quality instruction and maintaining safe and positive environments for students and adults. This is no small feat, and you and your teams should be proud of what you have accomplished and are continuing to accomplish as we move forward this spring!
In conclusion, I continue to be so incredibly proud to call you teammates and to support the work each of you do on behalf of your students and communities. I will continue to state emphatically that YOU and YOUR LEADERSHIP are VALUED and APPRECIATED! Have a great spring and, as always, feel free to contact me with thoughts or ideas regarding how we can better serve you as our members.
Always remember that YOU make a difference!
Sincerely,
Chris
443-545-9988
Dear Colleagues,
As we enter the final stretch of the school year, this season calls for both reflection and intentional focus. Across Maryland, our middle and high school leaders are navigating one of the most demanding times of the year—balancing instruction, assessment, staffing, student needs, and end-of-year celebrations.
Even within this complexity, our purpose remains clear: to develop people, build strong systems, and maintain an unwavering focus on high-quality teaching and learning.
This is also a season of celebration—honoring milestones, recognizing growth, and watching our students take their next steps—while also reminding us to take care of ourselves as leaders so we can continue to lead with strength, clarity, and purpose.
This spring, I have had the opportunity to engage in several meaningful professional learning experiences, including the Assistant Principal and Aspiring Leaders Conference, the Women’s Leadership Conference, and continued participation in the Maryland School Leadership Academy through MSDE and WestEd. These experiences have reinforced the importance of leadership development, connection, and the collective responsibility we carry as secondary school leaders.
Through my continued participation in the State Superintendent’s Principal Advisory Council with Dr. Carey Wright, MASSP remains committed to ensuring that principal voice is not only present—but influential—in state-level decision-making. Our next meeting in May will continue to elevate the realities, challenges, and successes of secondary school leadership.
Several key priorities continue to shape our work moving forward. Instructional coaching is being elevated as a primary lever for improving teacher practice and student outcomes. For this work to be effective, it must be embedded within the daily life of our schools—not isolated within a single role. Leaders should consider how existing structures, including lead teachers and career ladder roles, are being used to support ongoing, standards-aligned instructional improvement.
At the same time, a continued emphasis on strong Tier I instruction remains essential. Instruction aligned to standards and supported by high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) provides the strongest foundation for student success. This requires thoughtful planning, clear expectations for rigor, and ensuring that all students consistently have access to grade-level content.
The transition to a new state testing platform also presents important considerations. This shift requires attention to technology readiness, student familiarity with the platform, and alignment between daily instruction and assessment expectations so students are able to fully demonstrate their learning.
We are also preparing for upcoming changes to the Maryland School Report Card and accountability system, including a move to a 1–4 performance scale, a greater emphasis on student growth, increased attention to lowest-performing student groups, and stronger alignment to college and career readiness indicators. With a new model anticipated in 2027, the steps we take now to align instruction and supports will have lasting impact.
As clarity continues to emerge around community school funding, the focus must remain on strategic alignment and measurable impact. The question is not simply how funds are spent, but how effectively resources are connected to student needs, instructional priorities, and school improvement goals. This work creates opportunities to strengthen attendance, engagement, mental health supports, and extended learning.
In addition, the development of a state toolkit for conditionally licensed teachers represents an important step in supporting and retaining educators, particularly in high-need content areas. Strong onboarding, targeted support, and ongoing development remain critical components of this work.
As you navigate the final months of the school year, remain grounded in your purpose. Your leadership—often carried out quietly and behind the scenes—continues to make a meaningful difference for students, staff, and communities.
Keep building.
Keep leading.
Keep taking the next right step—even when the work feels heavy.
And most importantly, never lose sight of why we do this work.
We do it for our students.
Thank you for your leadership, your voice, and your unwavering commitment to Maryland’s schools. I am honored to serve alongside each of you.
With gratitude and pride,
Kris R. Hemstetter
President, Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals
2025 Maryland State High School Principal of the Year
khemstetter@kent.k12.md.us
Our Assistant Principal and Aspiring Leader Conference held on February 24 and Second Annual MASSP Women's Leadership Conference on March 19, at the Maritime Conference Center were a huge success! We grew attendance for both conferences, heard fantastic keynotes presented by Dr. Sonja Santelises and Dr. Monica Goldson respectively, offered many high-quality concurrent breakout sessions and had informative and insightful panels to end each event. We also offered breakfast and lunch as a part of registrations. We are happy to report the feedback for both opportunities has been highly positive and the energy during each event was off the charts! Thank you to our conference planning teams and all who attended!
Help spread the word about the benefits of being a member of MASSP!
As you know, there are many benefits to being a member of MASSP including professional growth opportunities, chances to extend leadership, attendance at conferences, networking with colleagues from across the state and affiliation with NASSP and access to national level resources, programs, and materials. In addition, our advocacy work ensures secondary level administrators have a voice at the state and national levels. Please feel free to refer inquiries to Beth Megonigal, Membership Coordinator, at emegonigal@mdmassp.org. Here are links you can share with prospective members as well:
- Membership Benefits: https://mdmassp.org/membership-benefits/
- Membership Application: https://members.mdmassp.org/application-to-join
We are only as strong as an organization as each of you and we welcome more members to make us even better!
The Maryland State House is active with a number of pieces of pertinent legislation. Please see updates provided by our State Coordinator Linda Chandler at our March 21st Executive Board Meeting: State Coordinator Linda Chandler Advocacy Updates, 3-21-26. Many thanks to Linda for tracking legislation and keeping us up to date on what is happening in Annapolis!
How will you plan on taking time to recognize and celebrate the many great things happening in your classrooms, schools and communities? Never hesitate to celebrate!
Here is the link to access all information related to Maryland State Board of Education meetings including agendas, minutes and videos: MD State Board Meeting Agendas Minutes and Videos
Here is the link to the April MASC Bulletin: MASC April 2026 Bulletin | Smore Newsletters for Education
Contact us or visit the MASSP website
Thank you to our MASSP Partners
MASSP Partners:
AIM Institute
American College of Education (ACE)
Avalon
EPI
Grand Canyon University
eDoctrina
Imagine Learning
Josten's
Lifetouch
Maryland Non-Profit Partners:
Arts Education for Maryland Schools (AEMS)
Council of Educational, Administrative, Supervisory Organizations of Maryland (CEASOM)
Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC)
Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS)
Special Olympics Maryland
