MASA eUpdate

This week's edition of the "Henton Headlines" features information about literacy aid and superintendent attrition data! Read the full post here.

Elections will be opening the week of March 24 for all eligible voting members! We are pleased to announce the four candidates for MASA President-Elect.

• Mr. Todd Holthaus, Superintendent, Hills-Beaver Creek Schools
• Dr. Chris Mills, Superintendent, Thief River Falls Public Schools
• Dr. Laurie Putnam, Superintendent, St. Cloud Area School District
• Mr. Rick Sansted, Superintendent, Alexandria Public Schools

The President-Elect serves one year, followed by one year as President and one year as Past President. The President-Elect alternates between Regions 1-8 and Region 9 every other year.

Learn more about your President Elect candidates here: https://www.mnasa.org/president-elect-candidates.html.

Issued March 6, 2025

Today, President Trump signed a long-awaited Executive Order directing the U.S. Department of Education to take steps to close their federal agency “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.” The EO does not direct Congress to take action to close the Department of Education. Without 60 votes in the Senate, which would require bipartisan agreement in the Senate, there will be no closure of the U.S. Department of Education. Read the full post here!

Sponsored by Cuningham | presented at the 2025 MASA Fall Conference

MASA’s Richard Green Scholars Program honors the scholarly work and professional development of Minnesota school leaders through the award of an annual recognition for the research, writing, and presentation of one paper reflecting the practice of excellent school leadership.

• Dr. Kristin Dehmer, Assistant Superintendent, Business and Administrative Services, Moorhead Area Public Schools

Dr. Dehmer’s dissertation is titled, “The Relationship Between Mentorship, Career Pathways and Success in the Superintendency: A Comparative Study of Men and Women Educational Leaders in Minnesota.” You can read it here!

A full news release will be published on the MASA website and shared via social media soon!

Congratulations to all of our recently announced award recipients. Read more about them here: www.mnasa.org/2025-awards.

MASA/MASE Spring Pre-Conference Workshop

Wednesday, March 19 | 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Minneapolis Marriott NW, Brooklyn Park

The 2025 Minnesota CTO Clinic is your opportunity to connect with education technology leaders and explore the latest in AI and cybersecurity. Join us on Wednesday, March 19, at the Minneapolis Marriott Northwest in Brooklyn Park for an insightful, hands-on workshop featuring Diane Doersch, CoSN Chair, and a nationally recognized expert in technology leadership. View the informational flyer here!

Topics:

• Artificial Intelligence – Let’s Talk

• Cybersecurity in Education

• Vendor Connections & Interactive Learning

View the Full Schedule & Registration Info: www.mnasa.org/cto-clinic. Please share this workshop information with members of your technology leadership teams.

Presented by Rich Sheridan, Author

Facilitated by Bill Sommers

Friday, March 14 | 2:30 – 4:00 pm Central Time

Hosted via Zoom | Add to your calendar

No fee for MASA members to attend!

Change is hard, but great leadership requires it. Join Rich Sheridan, author of Chief Joy Officer, as he shares his personal journey to leading with joy—and the profound impact it had on his team.

Audience members will learn how to:

• Lead with joy

• Take concrete steps to elevate the human energy in your organization

• Change how you and your team see the role of a leader

• Turn your organization around to one that embraces action instead of meetings

Full information: https://www.mnasa.org/lead-with-joy-sheridan.html

Region 9 members are invited to join MASA and AMSD for a day of advocacy at the capitol on Monday, March 24. Call ahead to schedule appointments with legislators as their schedules fill up weeks in advance. Also, invite others from your school district to join you in this day of advocacy for our students and our schools.

Please RSVP by March 18 to AMSD Office Manager Kimberly Jansa at kjansa@amsd.org if you plan to join us. Full information and schedule can be found at www.mnasa.org/amsd-masa-capitol.

More than 300 of your colleagues have already registered. Will you join them?

Click here to register for the conference!
*Sneak Peak* Check out a preview of our breakout sessions!

A special thank you to our conference sponsors!

Nexus Solutions | Conference Lanyards

InGensa, Inc. | Morning and Dessert Break Refreshment Stations

All attendees to the 2025 spring conference must agree to abide by MASA's new Code of Conduct. Agreement to this Code is required as part of event registration. Note: As of Feb. 20, our exhibit hall booths have sold out!

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 members are invited save the dates for a series of virtual legislative updates from MASA Lobbyist Valerie Dosland during the 2025 Minnesota Legislative Session! We are happy to partner again with the Minnesota Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) for these sessions.

All sessions will be held virtually from 12:30 - 1:30 pm from January to May, 2025!. You can find the dates and zoom access to the webinars online at www.mnasa.org/legislative-webinars.

Business Partner Level: Key Level

Industry: Insurance & Risk Management
Why do you partner with MASA? At Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA), our team is dedicated to assisting school districts and their leaders in developing long-term strategies that not only mitigate risk but also support all staff and ultimately benefit the communities they serve. Whether it's identifying improved benefits options for employees or providing user-friendly cyber resources to enhance school security, MMA is committed to being a trusted partner in finding solutions and educating leaders about trends that can impact their bottom line.

MASA Member Contact
Jodi Kelly
Client Advisor
jodi.kelly@marshmma.com | 763-548-8817
www.marshmma.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.

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, "Managing Critical Events" online at: www.mnasa.org/school-tax-elections.

Tuesday, April 1st, 2025

10 am - 4 pm | Eden Prairie, MN

Register here | Read more here!

The Minnesota Educator Career Expo is open to all licensed teachers, specialists (special education teachers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, etc.), and administrators or those who expect to be professionally licensed by the fall of 2025.

• Graduates seeking first positions in school districts, charter schools, and other public agencies.
• Experienced Teachers and Administrative Personnel who want to change school systems or relocate to other communities.
• School Administrators who want to recruit qualified candidates for classroom, special education, support staff, and administrative positions.

You have likely heard about a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), distributed by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on February 14, 2025, that communicated a change in the agency’s interpretation of federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), along with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) and the Office of Attorney General Keith Ellison, is assessing the legal and practical implications of this directive... Read the full message here.

The recent Presidential Executive Order, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports, regarding student-athletes raised questions as to how to follow the order while also complying with the Minnesota Human Rights Act. A joint letter was issued to the Attorney General's office seeking clarity. On February 20, Attorney General Keith Ellison issued this opinion. The AG’s opinion makes it clear that, at this time, Minnesota’s laws are what school districts and the MSHSL must follow.

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/.

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.

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!

Facilitated by Dr. Stacie Stanley, Superintendent, Edina Public Schools
March 14, 2025 | 8 - 9 am | 8 - 9 am via Zoom
Next sessions is open to MASA members only

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. 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.

Facilitated by Dr. Bernadeia Johnson
Next Session: March 18 | 8 - 9 am via Zoom

Register for all the remaining sessions here: https://forms.gle/8BWUYsurXL2TouvD7

MASA members and our fellow educational leaders are invited to join the 2024-25 Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Leadership 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.

MASA is pleased to introduce our LGBTQ+ leadership group facilitated by Dr. Teri Staloch, Superintendent of Robbinsdale Area Schools and Nik Lightfood, Assistant Superintendent, Hopkins Public Schools. The goal of this group is to provide a confidential, supportive space for LGBTQ+ school administrators to connect, share their unique experiences, and engage in meaningful discussions. The group sessions will not be recorded. We welcome all MASA and non-member central office administrator level staff and higher to participate in these virtual sessions!

Meetings will be held virtually via Zoom on the third Thursday of each month from 11 a.m. to noon, with the exception of the February and March dates. Full information and all meeting dates can be found at www.mnasa.org/lgbtq-leadership-group.

Facilitated by Dr. Michael Thomas
Next Session: March 25, 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 MASA members only. Full session schedule and information can be found at www.mnasa.org/professional-dialogue-sessions.

members@mnasa.org | www.mnasa.org

P.O. Box 427, Medford, MN 55049

(651) 645-6272

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