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Mari Lu Martens, principal of Sibley East Elementary Schools (Gaylord and Arlington campuses) in the Sibley East Public Schools, and a member of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA), is Minnesota’s 2013 National Distinguished Principal. MESPA and the National Association of Elementary School Principals present the prestigious award, with corporate sponsorship from VALIC.

“It is about doing things right, and doing the right things,” said Martens. “Collectively all of us are responsible for student achievement, from the nourishment provided by food service, to the Problem Solving Team that is monitoring student progress. At Sibley East we are teachers and learners who continue to define and redefine what we know and are able to do.”


Teacher Evaluation for Principals: begins June 25.

MESPA brings you proven, researched-based strategies and techniques for effectively working
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to improve teaching and learning: a three-part seminar series on Teacher Evaluation for Principals, presented by John F. Eller Ph.D. The series will be held in St. Paul.
Part 1: Evaluating Teachers (June 25)
Part 2: Improving Marginal Teacher Performance (August 19)
Part 3: Dealing with Deficient and Non-Performing Teachers (September 18)


The Breakthrough Coach: June 10-11.
SEMINAR FILLED. WAITING LIST ACCEPTED, ONLY.
Work beyond administrivia!
 
What if you could trim 20 hours off your work week AND multiply your time in classrooms by 500%?  Learn “How to Work Less, Produce More, and Still Get the Job Done in a Sensible School Week” with Malachi Pancoast, President, The Breakthrough Coach. It's one of the most practical -- and liberating -- programs you will ever attend: June 10-11, at the TIES Education Center, St. Paul.


Principals Cognitive
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Coaching
: begins June 13.

Attend the 8-day Principals’ Cognitive Coaching for Leading Professional Learning Communities seminar with Jim Roussin (strategic change consultant and a national trainer for the Center for Cognitive Coaching), and earn 56 CEUs. Why cognitive coaching for principals? It improves teacher evaluation. If you want to see your evaluation efforts support a growth mind-set for teacher learning, use cognitive coaching. 


The Minnesota Principals Academy is pleased to announce a new cohort (beginning Fall 2013) and its new home in the University of Minnesota’s Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development (OLPD) in the College of Education and Human Development. The Minnesota Principals Academy provides leaders of Minnesota schools with knowledge, tools and strategies to create schools where all students graduate college and career ready. Apply today!


MESPA
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supports Minnesota Education
by promoting the following five priorities to the 2013 Minnesota Legislature. 

  • Adequate Sustainable Funding
  • Fulltime Licensed Principal at each school site
  • High-Quality Aligned System Age 3 - Grade 3, including all-day kindergarten and continuing to the early school grades.
  • Teacher Evaluation strategies and techniques that are professional, fair, and doable -- and effectively work to improve teaching and learning.
  • Funding for evidence-based bullying prevention programs that recognize bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person.

Competition, It's Here to Stay.
Public schools as the preferred entryway to future well-being and prosperity was assumed when many of our current school leaders were preparing to become school administrators. For most of those leaders little or no training was required in
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the area of public relations. Yet that has become an increasingly large part of the job for effective superintendents and principals. The facts are:
* Public schools must now compete for the profound privilege of educating Minnesota’s children for the future.
* Today’s educational leaders need to also be public relations leaders for their schools to successfully compete.
Visit InvestMN for nine reminders of ways to improve public relations for your school.


Best Practices: for principals from principals
What are best practice for leadership in the principalship? In your school communities, you, Minnesota's elementary and middle level principals provide: instructional leadership, resource leadership, and school culture leadership. Recently posted on the MESPA Web:
Ranae Case Evenson on Managing Change and School Culture;
Stephanie Flickinger on Growing
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Leaders through PBIS
;

Jeffrey Lund on Efficiency and Productivity through Technology;
Heather Nelson on Peace Education.


MESPA Colleague-to-Colleague
is a web-based forum, your resource for directly asking your peers questions and sharing responses. Check out the newest conversations on: Gifted and Talented Programming; Retirement Parties; Cursive Handwriting; Media Para Ideas; Learning Readiness; MCA FAQ Sheets; Innovative Staff Development; SPED Interview Questions; Kindergarten Graduation; Assessment Support for Classroom Teachers; Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarking; Everyday Formative Math Assessment; ISS and OSS; Goals and Processes for Gathering District Information; Volunteer Background Checks...




MN Bullying Prevention Initiative & Bookstore
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No Bullying, free movie screening 5/8/13.
15% discount through 6/3/13.


Storti on Achievement Gap
View his presentation on Vimeo.


Talking to children about violence
Suggestions from Nat'l. Assn. of School Psychologists, American School Counselor Association, and NAESP -- in wake of the latest violence at the Boston Marathon.


Why MESPA?
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Ask Roger Esser.
“MESPA has always represented to me that unified voice for education and vast resource to principals. I especially enjoy Roger Aronson’s Legislative Updates. Institute provides a much needed mid-year rejuvenation providing opportunities to hear some fantastic speakers and see many colleagues from across the state.” Roger Esser, principal, Pinecrest Elementary, Hastings


NAESP Convention
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MESPA Honors Excellence!
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The Minnesota School of Excellence Program promotes excellence through a rigorous evaluation process that showcases dynamic schools of the 21st century. Seven schools have been endorsed as 2012-2013 MN Schools of Excellence!


Reduced fee: MESPA members!
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DonorsChoose.org
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Connects schools to donors!


Chart a Course for Academic Success!
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Efficacy of Study Island on Study Achievement!


Lexia Reading, the technology-based, award-winning reading program
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Unlimited 1-year access:  $6,800


Storia e-Reader
Scholastic
Download Storia:  free, interactive e-reader App!




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


Education Blogs
Dave Weber

Yong Zhao

Gamification

Principals' Office:  NAESP

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


Show your MESPA pride
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Can't find something on the MESPA Web?
Use Search (left column).
We also have a Search engine on our Members Only Web -- search there for information available only to MESPA members.



Mission: The Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association is dedicated to promoting and improving education for children and youth, strengthening the role as educational leader for elementary and middle level principals, and collaborating with partners in education to assist in achieving these goals.

Leading schools toward excellence through the MESPA vision to be the premiere resource for preparing today's principals for tomorrow and a strong leading voice for public education.

Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association
1667 North Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108
651.999.7310     MN toll free 800.642.6807    
Fax: 651.999.7311     E-mail: mespa@mespa.net