At this year’s MASA Distinguished Administrators’ Luncheon, 13 new MASA members were inducted into the Winners’ Circle. These members were honored by the Membership Services Committee for initiating a unique, successful program or implementing an innovative idea that has had a significant, positive impact on their school districts that can be used by other districts across the state. This year’s inductees include:

Richard Weigel, Ypsilanti Public School District, Region 8

Critical Friends Groups

The Critical Friends Groups Program Richard Weigel established Critical Friends Groups at YPS as an approach to professional development, designed to focus on teaching techniques and what will improve student achievement. The CFG has allowed educators to participate in activities that build trust among colleagues; examine student work; discuss research and data as it relates to student learning and teacher practices. Mr. Weigel has enthusiastically tackled the task of curriculum mapping and providing teachers with sample lesson plans that ask “the essential question” and provide for pre and post assessment testing. As a result of the Critical Friends Groups, student test scores are improving and Mr. Weigel’s standard and philosophy that “Failure is Not an Option” is changing the culture from one of complacency or blame regarding poor student achievement to one of taking responsibility. He has begun to line up the arrows so they are pointing in the same direction and to measure everything he does by the question “Will it improve student achievement?” He is also a national trainer for the CFGs and in the summer of 2007, he provided instruction to staff of neighboring school districts, including Ann Arbor and Saline. These schools have adopted and are now using the CFG format for professional development.

Contact Richard Weigel at 734.714.1205 or rweigel@ypsd.org; jhawkins@ypsd.org