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MESPA Institute 2012 keynote speakers: (l-r) Salome Thomas-El, Mark Fenton, Jim Winter (Wavelength), and Roger Aronson..


MESPA Institute 2012: Healthy Hearts, Healthy Minds, February 1-3. 
Three days of professional development on the principals' role in increasing student learning and effective school leadership through health.
Salome Thomas-EL -- world-renowned principal, educator, motivator and author of I Choose to Stay -- on The Immortality of Influence. Book sale with author signing: $15 each, checks payable to MESPA or cash.
Mark Fenton -- national public health consultant, host of America's Walking on PBS, and associate professor at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy -- on How to Create a Healthy School starting with the principal.
Jim Winter -- certified laughter leader, president of Wavelength Inc., award winning actor, staff developer, and former high school English teacher -- on The "Sense" of Humor.  
Roger Aronson -- MESPA legal and legislative counsel, and highly
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"Principals love to feed kids." Support our 2012 MESPA Institute Service Project. Plan to donate $ for foodshelves during Institute: a way for principals to support student health and give back to your communities statewide.
regarded school law expert -- on the Legislative Health of MN Education with key MN education legislators Rep. Sondra Erickson, Sen. Gen Olson, and Rep. Mindy Greiling. 
Register online today!


Three-Minute Walkthrough, Phase 2: Feb. 27.
You took the MESPA Three Minute Walkthrough seminar with Kathy Larson -- and are using the process to provide an audit: reflective information to guide teachers toward a continuous improvement cycle. But can we learn more from the data? Can we use the walkthrough to:
  • target and witness growth over time?
  • measure and tie growth to school-wide and district-wide plans, budgets, and prerogatives?
Three Minute Walkthrough, Phase 2, uses the Cooperative Feedback mechanism to provide a dynamic learning model, noticing growth as it happens. The principal becomes an active witness providing teachers with a way of looking at their work.


Find your copy of the 2012 MESPA Legislative Priorities brochure -- with talking
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points for each priority, in the MESPA Legislative Advocacy Center. MESPA will support Minnesota Education by promoting the following five priorities to the Minnesota Legislature. 
  • Fulltime licensed principal at each school site.
  • Adequate sustainable funding.
  • High-quality aligned system age 3 - grade 3, including all-day kindergarten.
  • Professional development for principals.
  • Maintaining the current principal evaluation statute.

Let's invest in Minnesota together. Use the latest Bits'n Pieces talking points when speaking in your communities this winter.  This compilation of facts and resources is provided for principals to better discuss the status and needs of education: including Just the Facts on Bragging Rights, Grading Schools, Compare and Contrast (worldwide), Education and Globalization, Likelihood of Employment, Values and Variables, On the Brain, and Reaching Out -- PLUS Quotes and Quotables on School Funding, Charters, Traditional Schools, Leadership,
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and The Future.
Did you know that worldwide:
  • The U.S. ranks 15th in reading, 23rd in science and 31st in math.
  • Kids in the U.S. have about 25 fewer days of instruction than South Korea and a few more than Finland.
  • There are lower academic requirements for teachers in the U.S. than in Finland.
  • The turnover among U.S. teachers is roughly 7 times higher than it is for Finnish teachers.
  • American classroom populations are far more diverse in language, ethnic origins and family income level than their South Korean or Finnish counterparts.
  • 20% of U.S. children live in poverty.

“How to Work Less, Produce More, and Still Get the Job Done in a Sensible School Week”: June 14-15.
Work beyond administrivia!  If you wanted to spend your days putting out fires, you would have become a firefighter instead of a school principal. What if you could trim 20 hours off your work week AND multiply your time in classrooms by 500%?  Led by Malachi Pancoast, President, The Breakthrough Coach, this is one of the most practical -- and liberating -- programs you will ever attend.


“Working
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Less? Producing More? What’s Next?”

for experienced teams:
June 13.

Did you attend the two-day Breakthrough Coach management development seminar and are you well-situated using the program? Attend this special Day 3 seminar for graduate teams from the two-day Breakthrough Coach seminar -- who are ready to expand their understanding and application of TBC's Management Methodology™.


MESPA Colleague to Colleague:   Join our statewide principal professional forum and check out the newest conversations:  Video teleconferencing and telepresence; Reading textbook evaluation; Pencil vs. online for MCA; RtI observation; Keyboarding; Tier One checklist; Crisis plans; Departmentalizing intermediate grades; Lowering preschool/ECFE costs; Kindergarten specials; Written procedures for administrator absences; Social Emotional Learning programs; Vertical teaming in PLCs; Principal professional growth process; Math interventions.  Read and track your colleagues' ideas, or add to the conversations. Click on the link above to join the flow -- quick and on-line.


MN Bullying Prevention Initiative & Bookstore
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Why attend MESPA Institute 2012?
Click on the arrow to hear from Dawn!


Exercise at Institute: 6:15-7 a.m.
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Yoga, Boot Camp, Walk-N-Talk!


Principal Evaluation Resources
Top performing principals contribute to top student results. Check out the MN Principal Evaluation Model and other Principal Evaluation Resources.


NAESP 2012 Elections
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Zone 7 Director Candidate: Dr. Steven Geis



Science and Math Principal of the Year
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Gretchen Peel, Weaver Lake, Osseo


Nat'l Outstanding Assistant Principal
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National Distinguished Principal
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Joan Franks, Minnesota's 2011 National Distinguished Principal, tolls the bell of education in Washington, D.C.


MN School of Excellence Validations
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Bendix Elementary
Chatfield Elementary
Dowling Environmental
Raven Stream Elementary
Woodland Elementary


Reduced fee: MESPA members!
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Order before March 31
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Discounted shipping on all orders!


Abe Across America!
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Chart a Course for Academic Success!
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High Impact, Low Cost Education Solutions: Save 20% through Feb.!


Lexia Reading, the technology-based, award-winning reading program
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PreK-3 grades: Get all your students to learn to read!

Grades 4-12:
Help those students who are having difficulty with their reading skills.


MESPA Newsclips
Current education news: read stories culled daily from media sources across the state.


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Education Blogs
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Principals' Office:  NAESP

Dangerously Irrelevant:  Technology, leadership, and the future of our schools

Educational Topics
:  Dorschner


Premier:
  Blue Cross Blue Shield of MN
  Hazelden
  Horace Mann 
  Lifetouch
  MN College Savings Plan 
  Target
  TIES
Champion:
 
Lexia Learning
  Scholastic
  Study Island
  United Way
  VIRCO
Star: 
  First Tech/Promethean  
  Zaner-Bloser


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