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:

Howard Hyde, Evart Public Schools, Region 3

Responsible Thinking Process

The Responsible Thinking Process or RTP, founded by Arizona’s Dr. Ed Ford, has been transforming the Evart Public School system for over ten years. All K-12 staff, teachers, administrators, and students have been trained in the Responsible Thinking Process to great success. Staff and students work together to improve the learning environment. When students choose to go to the RTP room, they must complete a plan of improvement and renegotiate their way back into the classroom. This teaches students about the democratic process of choices, consequences, communications, negotiations, and consistency. Mr. Hyde has been a consistent advocate for the RTP program through economic downturns, retirements of staff, and the changeover of administration and Board members. The commitment to RTP has solidified a successful program that is in-grained throughout the system. Evart Schools has hosted the Responsible Thinking Process Summer Conference for the state of Michigan for the past three years. This program has “transformed” the Evart Public Schools. Student surveys have pointed to an overwhelming appreciation and an increase of mutual respect between students and staff. Gross misconduct behavior has been virtually eliminated throughout the district. When students are empowered to be in charge of their own behavior, attitudes and actions change. Now teachers can teach, students can learn, and administrators can spend time in the classrooms throughout the district.