Speaking of Leading:
This is a community that values education and where families rally together in good times and bad. The school district has an extremely good board leadership. There was never a reason to leave." 
–Jim Kos, superintendent of Hamilton Community Schools, in the Grand Rapids Press 1.5.08, regarding his impending retirement after 17 years on the job.

2008 MASA Midwinter Conference, 23-25 January
The Art of Possibilities: Leading In A Culture of Change
Take a sneak peak at what's happening in Detroit... More>

Candidates call for change
Proposed solutions for No Child Left Behind range from scrapping it to fixing it... More>

Court revives NEA suit against NCLB
A panel of the court ruled 2-1 that the states were not on clear notice of their potential financial obligations when they agreed to accept federal funding under the NCLB law... More>

This month on Audio Journal Executive Briefing:
Futurist Gary Marxx. Read an excerpt!

Pool's risk-management seminars are back by popular demand! MASB - SEG Property/Casualty Pool is again partnering with McGrath Trainings Systems to offer the seminar, Document, Discipline, Dismiss: Avoid Wrongful Termination. More>

Michigan high schools earn distinction in Best High Schools 2008 Search
Thirteen Michigan high schools earned silver medal distinction in the recent U.S. News & World Report release... More>

2008 Governor's Education Summit
Tuesday, March 4
Did you know that a few years ago 10,000 people worked for IBM in their Chicago office? There used to be a clear sense of schedules, reporting lines and physical space. Today, however, there are only 3,500 people based from Chicago. And, 80% of them work from home... More>

AASA will release 403(b) Toolkit
This month, the AASA Center for System Leadership will release Blueprints: A Guide to Public School Plans 403(b) and 457(b). The toolkit, which will include IRS materials, is designed to help school leaders construct and administer 403(b) retirement plans efficiently and effectively.

IRS Seeks Feedback on 403(b) Materials
The IRS is asking AASA members to review several resources it has created to help school districts comply with the new 403(b) regulations for public school employee retirement plans. The regulations, which take effect on Jan. 1, 2009 , assign full responsibility for administering public school systems’ retirement savings plans to superintendents. Learn more and submit your feedback.

• Audio Journal subscriptions available at no cost
• 2008 Winners’ Circle recipients to be announced at MASA Conference
• MASA retirees to be honored at Midwinter Conference
• Florida Retirees!
  Save this date for the MASEL meeting in Floriday - February 21, 2008
• MASA website upgrade
• Members in the news
  • Cindy Ruble - Lakeview High School wins national recognition
  • Livingston ESA enters new ISD partnership

• Process Mentor Teams support high priority schools

• State Board of Education to seek longer graduation time for dropout prevention programs
• Career and Technical Education to get tougher
• Michigan Teacher of the Year finalist for national recognition

• Economy to collapse in 2053 barring reforms
• Consolidation bill approved by Senate
• "Grading Michigan Schools" radio series archived
• Appeals court affirms denial of school employee unemployment benefits
• High court puts teeth back into State Tenure Commission
• Report gives Michigan C+ for education quality

• Send a teacher to Turkey through the Fulbright Group Project Abroad
• Aspiring Superintendent
  Jan 15 - LCC West
• MASA Midwinter Conference 2008
  Jan 23-25 - Detroit Ren Cen Marriott
• 17th Annual Technology Conference
  Jan 30-Feb 1 - Dearborn Inn
• Making the Commitment to Continuous Improvement
  Feb 5 - NCA Building
• Classroom Assessment
  Feb 5 - Macomb ISD
• School Improvement Workshop for ISDs
  Feb 26 - Kellogg Center (look for more info in February at www.gomiem.org)
• School Improvement Conference
  Apr 6-7 - Lansing Center (look for more info in February at www.gomiem.org)
• Site-Based Professional Development: "On a Shoe String"
  May 7 - Kent ISD
• Superintendents continue to grow through SELF
• START: Superintendents Talking and Reflecting Together

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