..

MASA Points of Pride: 2005-06

The Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA) serves nearly 1,000 public school superintendents and their first-line assistants in 581 school districts. MASA helps the leaders of Michigan’s most important public institutions get better results for more than 1.6 million students. We do so by using teamwork and by building bridges that result in collaborative relationships focused on student achievement. MASA members and staff are proud of our most recent efforts to ensure the success of Michigan’s valuable school leaders during challenging times.

Professional Engagement
MASA works to enhance the effectiveness of Michigan’s top school administrators.

• Member leadership continued to grow, along with improved MASA staff support, resulting in a stronger MASA Council and an enriched conference format.
• MASA completed its first comprehensive Member Survey in nine years, soliciting feedback from more than 470 members and allowing us to more effectively target and plan services and address issues for the coming year.
• The Michigan Institute for Educational Management (MIEM) completed its 25th year of serving school personnel throughout Michigan.
  • Produced and distributed a 2005-2006 Annual Calendar of Events. This coupled with the monthly MIEM Connection was well received and a new edition will be developed for the 2006-2007 school year.
  • Held three successful stand-alone conferences; the annual Facilities Conference, Support Staff Conference, and Technology Conference.
  • Welcomed more then 5,000 participants to MIEM-sponsored activities during the school year, awarding SB-CEU’s or certification credits to the vast majority.
  • Successfully collaborated with, sponsored, and helped facilitate a variety of services for MASA, MSBO, Michigan ASCD, MASSP, MASB, MLI, MDE, and a variety of consultants and presenters. MIEM also helped plan the Michigan School Testing Conference in Ann Arbor for the first time this year.
  • Increased its involvement with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) by continuing to work with the OEAA on a combined format for training related to MEAP and MI ACCESS.
    • Planned and implemented regional workshops all over the state.
    • Co-sponsored with the Office of School Improvement events to roll out the School Improvement Framework. Partnered with MDE to serve over 1,500 educators with this initiative alone during the past year, with plans to continue this effort for 2006-2007.
    • New efforts with MDE include being the fiscal agent for the Long Range Technology Plan, the Conference on Best Practices for High Schools, and the Network of Michigan Educators.
  • Continued its role as fiscal agent for the LEADing the Future Gates Foundation Project. MIEM also became the fiscal agent for the Partners in Learning MI LIFE Project, funded by Microsoft through MDE. Partners in Learning is projected to run for at least three years at more than $3 million with a focus on leadership.
  • Began to explore alternative methods, like Webinars, to deliver information to members and participants. Broadcasted a very well attended and received Webinar about School Safety Legislation in late January with over 600 participants enrolled. MIEM will expand this vehicle during the coming year.
• Participation in MASA and MAISA Conferences remained strong, adding more services and features and earning positive evaluations of those conferences.
• MASA launched The Courageous Journey voluntary certification endorsement program at the MASA Mid-Winter Conference in January. The first full cohort was filled with a diverse cross-section of Michigan superintendents, and a waiting list was started for the second cohort.
• MASA continued to develop relationships with MDE and the other school management associations to enact authorizing legislation for reinstating Michigan’s Administrator Certification program. This legislation would also call for standards and a process for MDE/State Board authorization of special Administrator Certification Endorsement programs through the professional associations.
• MASA has added or improved member communications to meet members’ needs:
  • MASA Leader, formerly the Fortnighter, has a new look and a new focus. The publication still highlights members in the news, provides legislative updates, and covers MASA initiatives. However, it now offers more news on policy, research and tools designed to help school leaders more effectively do their jobs and raise student achievement in their communities.
  • Legislative Updates posted weekly while in session
  • Legislative Action Network allows members to more easily let their voices be heard on critical public policy issues.
  • Improved Newsclipping services targeted specifically to the interests of school leaders.
  • Michigan EduSource serves as a central clearinghouse for educational resources.

Legislative Leadership
MASA staff helps school leaders respond to challenges and directly influence education policy at the State and Federal Level.

• MASA continues to promote quality and equity of funding among Michigan’s districts.
• MASA was a leader in introducing and advocating for legislation to address the out of control legacy costs for Michigan school districts.
• MASA and MAISA formed a strong response to High School reform legislation efforts, which resulted in more rigorous graduation requirements while maintaining flexibility for individual students.
• MASA’s grassroots leadership rallied many of the 10,000 participants of Michigan’s June 2006 rally in support of public school funding—the largest ever largest citizen rally for public education.
• MASA lobbyist and leaders assisted in challenging and slowing the Student Safety legislation and the release of the Criminal Sexual Conduct list and worked to fix the legislation to “get it right.”
• MASA launched the Legislative Action Network, a grassroots advocacy tool aimed at leveraging the impact MASA members can have on the legislative process.
• School Administrator Political Action Committee (SAPAC) membership and contribution rates remained strong.
• MASA’s legislative efforts became more inclusive, focusing on grassroots leadership and increased engagement with key legislators relative to specific legislation.

Member Recognition and Support
MASA staff provides support and encouragement to administrators, and recognizes members’ success in meeting students’ needs.

• MASA board, council, directors and staff facilitated a smooth leadership transition between former director Michael Flanagan and new executive William Mayes.
• MASA re-aligned responsibilities to match the unique capacities of its energetic and effective staff team.
• MASA renewed its customer focus, and with the help of the 2006 Member Survey, will stay committed to flexibility and responsiveness in meeting member needs.
• MASA leadership provided more focused contract assistance, and expanded the dialogue with our attorney, Tom Derderian.
• MASA continues to support members on contract issues and board relations during challenging times, through:
  • Proactive support—a partnership with the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB); a New Superintendents’ Conference, Mentorship Program improvements, a Model Contract, program speakers featuring legal advice, and Continuing Conversations.
  • Responsive support—Crisis Management and Legal Counseling in times of impasse.
• MASA offered improved services to first-year superintendents through a variety of means:
  • Letters/emails providing support and encouragement from MASA directors.
  • New Mentor Toolkit, filled with practical tips and resources for both new superintendents and their mentors as they work together for a successful first year on the job.
  • New Mentor Toolkit Participant program in which MASA collaborates with approved organizations or individuals who offer professional services designed to support superintendents during their first years of service. First year Participants include the Summit Series (mentoring workshops), AASA, (New Superintendents E-Journal,) and Educational Research Services (Superintendent’s Briefing Book).
• Continued recognition of high-quality leaders across Michigan through our Awards Programs:
  • Superintendent of the Year
  • Champion for Children
  • Hall of Fame
  • Winners’ Circle
• Launched a Sponsor Exhibit Show at Fall Conference, producing more revenue to offset costs and facilitating member access to new and innovative educational resources.

Educational Leadership
MASA is a broker for leadership among other education associations and groups.

• MASA forms coalitions and affiliations that add value to the organization and its members:
  • Executive Director continues to participate in discussions with key stakeholders around insurance and retirement benefits.
  • Directors and staff played key rolls in the discussion around High School Reform.
  • Executive Director is a member of the Education Alliance of Michigan, and serves on a number of boards with interconnected interests with superintendents.
  • Participates as a member of the K-16 Coalition for Michigan’s Future.
  • Collaborates with our neighbors in the Michigan Educational Leadership Group (MELG), which includes MASB, MSBO, and MASSP.
  • Teamed up with Michigan Virtual University to use the Michigan LearnPort technology in expanding professional development opportunities for members.
  • MASA and MAISA assist in the coordination and implementation of various statewide technology initiatives.
  • Continued its partnership with the WMU Wallace Grant Project and the MDE/Microsoft MI LIFE Project, with MASA and MAISA staff playing key roles in both projects, which focus on leadership development around the principles of data-based decision making, balanced leadership, and implementation of the new Michigan School Improvement Framework.
  • Supported the data-based decision-making efforts of MAISA, MSPRA and MILAF this year by collecting, disseminating and reporting data through our partnership with K-12 Insights (Zarca Interactive).
• MASA continues to serve as the operational umbrella for organizations such as MAISA, MIEM, Michigan Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (MASCD), and the Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA).
• MASA worked with the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators to develop Standards of Ethics for Professional Practice in the Superintendency.
• MASA modeled sound fiscal management in doing more with less, by cutting costs, finding new revenue streams, and protecting a healthy fund balance.
• MASA and MIEM supported additional student interns….walking our talk about educating tomorrow’s leaders.

Education acronym directory: a directory to the partner organizations referenced above.

AASA - American Association of School Administrators
MAISA - Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators
MASA - Michigan Association of School Administrators
MASB - Michigan Association of School Boards
Michigan ASCD - Michigan Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
MASSP - Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals
MDE - Michigan Department of Education
MEAP - Michigan Educational Assessment Program
MELG - Michigan Educational Leadership Group
MI-Access - Michigan's Alternate Assessment Program
MIEM - Michigan Institute for Educational Management
MLI - Michigan Leadership Institute
MSBO - Michigan School Business Officials
MSPRA - Michigan School Public Relations Association
OEAA - Office of Education Assessment and Accountability