 | Mark French, North Suburban Division
 | | Mark French, principal at Rice Lake Elementary, Osseo School District |
In his principalship, French
follows the philosophy of a favorite quote: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you
care.” Cheryl Kortuem, principal
at Crooked Lake Elementary School in the Anoka-Hennepin school district, said,
“Mark always bases his decisions on what is best for students and is an
advocate for all children. He has
provided the changes needed in his schools in order to provide a high
quality-learning environment. Mark
is deserving of this award and is a role model and mentor for his colleagues.”
Among his most significant career
accomplishments, French includes:
--Advocating for the needs of GLBT students, families, and
staff members by writing articles, appearing on television, and speaking at
conferences.
--Being involved in the start-up process for three magnet
school programs in the Saint Paul Public Schools.
--Accompanying five Osseo district 5th graders to
deliver school supplies to an elementary school in Sasabe, Sonora, Mexico.
Three key professional educational
honors French has received include:
Association of Science and
Technology Centers Honor Roll of Teachers Award; PFund Scholarship Award
Recipient for his doctoral program; (King/Schlaak/Degree Award and Senator Paul
Wellstone Memorial Award); appointed by Governor Ventura to the Board of the
Perpich Center for Arts Education.
French also has been active in
MESPA and has served in the following positions:
State Negotiations Committee Chair
(2007 to the present); MESPA representative to the Urban Leadership Academy
(2004 to the present); North Suburban division Negotiations Committee
representative (2005-2007); North Suburban division president (2004-2005);
North Suburban division president-elect (2003-2004); Aspiring Principals’
Seminar co-facilitator (2003-2004); North Suburban division Membership
representative.
MESPA members selected 12
of their peers to receive the 2010 MESPA Division Leadership Achievement Award;
French was nominated by his North Suburban division colleagues, who agree,
“Mark is collaborative, values relationships, has high standards for himself
and others, and continues to learn, grow and hone his leadership skills.”
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