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 | | P. Fred Storti, MESPA Executive Director |
September 2008 --
Report from MESPA Executive Director P. Fred Storti
MESPA is here for you!
National Leader’s Conference
President Dick Oscarson, NAESP State Representative Jean Clark, along with four high school principals and I met with nine out of our 10 Minnesota Congress members on July 24. The “Hill Visit” was in conjunction with the National Leaders Conference, an annual collaboration between NAESP (National Association of Elementary School Principals) and NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals). The consensus on the hill was that there would be no changes with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) until the spring of 2009. As of this writing, Congress has slipped to a 14 percent approval rating. However, there was optimism on the hill that with a new administration, there will be positive changes for the federal role in public education.
Colleague to Colleague Discussion Forum
One of the tools we have worked on over the summer to assist with problem solving and resources is the Colleague to Colleague discussion board which will be rolled out on September 5. As peers, you are one another’s best source for information and problem solving for the many issues we face daily in the principalship. MESPA Colleague to Colleague is a statewide on-line forum for MESPA members in a secure, confidential discussion board on our Web site. In each Friday MESPA E-News, we will print the questions posted weekly so that all members will know the latest concerns and issues. Look to Colleague to Colleague to help you find solutions and share resources.
Legislative Candidate Survey
Again this election year MESPA, in collaboration with the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, and the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, will be facilitating a brief legislative candidate survey on issues important to our members. The survey was sent out in August to 286 legislative candidates. Results will be posted on the MESPA Web site in the Advocacy Center. Hopefully survey results will help with more informed voting on educational issues. Your contributions to the Elementary Principals Action Committee (EPAC) make this project possible.
Emerging Leaders Conference
Another collaboration of MESPA, the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, and the Minnesota Association of School Administrators will be the Emerging Leaders Conference to be held on Thursday, March 26, 2009. This joint association seminar is for education leaders who are considering a career change: teachers who want to be leaders; practicing principals who want a different level of leadership; curriculum leaders; special education leaders. More information will be coming soon.
NAESP Standards – What Principals Should Know and Be Able to Do
NAESP has revised the research-based standards “Leading Learning Communities: What Principals Should Know and Be Able To Do” and all NAESP members will receive a copy of the revised standards book this fall. This excellent document is the framework for our MESPA professional development and our Minnesota School of Excellence Program. It offers many applications for new and veteran principals, as well as another good reason to join NAESP!
Leadership Conference Going Green
As we gear up for our 35th annual MESPA Leadership Conference at Breezy Point (near Pequot Lakes) on September 21-22, we are excited about our plan to better use technology and minimize our carbon footprint. All MESPA board members, including division presidents, and president-elects, statewide committee chairs and committee members (potentially 144 MESPA leaders) are asked to bring their laptops; we will provide the needed connection to our enhanced Web site at www.mespa.net. The MESPA Leaders and Advocacy Centers in Members Only have been uploaded with all needed strategic planning documents that will help us move forward in our five strategic goals. Post-conference results and action plans will be posted in the Leaders Center.
Division News on the MESPA Web Site
Another technology tool is the directory information that can be found on the MESPA Web site at www.mespa.net. Last spring, you (our membership) overwhelmingly supported the conversion of the previously printed MESPA Leadership Directory to our new Web version. For contact information for our statewide leaders, go to About MESPA. For contact information for your MESPA division leaders and committee representatives, as well as all members of your division, go to MESPA Division News and click on your division. Another way to go green and use our enhanced Web site.
Membership Needs Assessment Coming in October
MESPA is a responsive, grassroots association that needs your input to make us even more effective in service delivery, cooperation, and collaboration. Our Board and leadership team will be fine-tuning a Membership Needs Assessment, which will be coming to you in October. Aligned with our five strategic goals, this needs assessment should prove to be a powerful metric that will help sharpen our multiple foci. We need your active involvement and feedback!
Have a Great Start to the Year
Great principals not only have high expectations for their students and staff, but also high expectations for themselves! Have a great start to the school year and please know that MESPA is here to serve you!
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