Dear Colleagues,
Greetings,
A little light is shining at the end of this long tunnel! Hard to believe we are in March 2021! We still need to stay the course, but vaccines are happening for educators and soon we will be moving towards a "new normal", which will include more students back in our buildings. We know at MSAA that these changes will require an enormous amount of work from each of you and the staff in your buildings. We are here for you at MSAA; even if just to vent, do not hesitate to reach out. Or make sure you take advantage of our Ring Central Gatherings to tap into your colleagues for ideas and strategies. (See below for the Ring Central Gatherings)
Some important events and programs to call your attention to. Below you will find information on the Massachusetts Student Council Virtual Conference and an NAESP survey for you to share your best practices with colleagues across the country. Also, there is an upcoming webinar from the Massachusetts School Counselors Association on March 23rd. And finally, you will find a message from one of our many great sponsors regarding their program Jostens Pix.
Given the news as of late I have included two articles regarding literature choices and racism as well as a podcast series offered by the Wallace Foundation on SEL.
Be on the lookout for the upcoming MSAA Matters issue in which we will share our notes from our meeting with Commissioner Jeff Riley which took place on Thursday, March 11th.
Massachusetts Student Council Annual Conference
Student Council Registration Is Open!
Virtual MASC Annual Conference
“Spreading the Magic of Student Council”
April 9, 2021 7:00pm-8:30pm
April 10, 2021 9:30am-4:30pm
Conference Registration
· $10 per student/adviser
· No limit to the number of registrants per school
· School registration must be submitted by the Student Council Adviser
· Deadline: March 29, 2021
Click here to register
Student-Led Workshop Application
· One workshop proposal may be submitted per school
Click here to apply
A Two-Day Virtual Event Including:
Keynote Speaker Jake Kefler
Student-Led Workshops
Adviser Workshops
State Officer Elections
Student Roundtables
Award Presentations
Pre-Conference Events
MASC Summer Conference Reunion
Questions:
Please contact State Director Paul Branagan (pbranagan@middleboro.k12.ma.us) or MSAA Student Council Liaison Peter Smith (psmith@msaa.net).
National Association for Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
NAESP is engaged in conversations at the national level around best practices and strategies to reopen and keep open schools. We recognize that the reopening landscape varies greatly: some schools have been open since the beginning of the school year, while others have yet to reopen.
Regardless of your school’s reopening status, NAESP wants to hear from you about what’s working and if you have strategies you are using that other principals might find useful. Like all K-12 issues, it’s critical for the principal voice to be heard as part of reopening conversations.
To that end, NAESP is collecting best practices and strategies from our members to learn more about how they are navigating these issues at the school level. Please take a few moments to take this survey and share your best practices with colleagues across the country.
Message from Executive Director, Bob Bardwell from the Massachusetts School Counselors Association upcoming Webinar March 23rd Read below for more details
School Counselors, School Social Workers, School Adjustment Counselors, & School Psychologists: Which one, for what, and why?
Do you know the difference between these four educational support personnel? Do you know the role, the training and certification, and expectations and outcomes for each of these roles? Are you confused about what you can and cannot have each educator do? Join us for an informative and educational discussion about these four unique roles in K-12 schools to better understand and utilize education support personnel.
The panel will consist of April Megginson, certified school counselor & Assistant Professor Bridgewater State University, Matthew DuBois, School Psychologist, Public Schools of Brookline and Lecturer, Northeastern University, Carmen Lopez, Adjustment Counselor, Gerena Community School, Springfield, Ben Shore, School Social Worker, Billerica Memorial High School and Arria Coburn, Principal, The Springfield Renaissance School.
The objective of this program is to provide an opportunity for superintendents, school administrators (principals), special education administrators, school committee members, school counselors, school adjustment counselors, school social workers and school psychologists to better understand the various roles of school support personnel and how we are different but also how we support one another, in particular the students and families with which we work.
This FREE webinar will take place on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 from 3:30 - 4:30 via zoom. Pre-registration is required here. This promises to be a robust and engaging discussion.
Please direct any questions pertaining to this event to Bob Bardwell, Executive DIrector, Massachusetts School Counselors Association.
Bob Bardwell,
Director of School Counseling & School-to-Career Coordinator
Monson High School
55 Margaret Street
Monson, MA 01057
Message from Jostens regarding Jostens PIX
Has your experience working with your school’s portrait photographer this year been challenging?
We know that this year has been frustrating, managing so many things that are out of our control, and we think that School Picture Day shouldn’t be one of them. It should be a day that you, your staff and your students smile. Jostens seems to have found a way to do that!
Jostens, one of our trusted partners and a name so many of you already trust in yearbooks, rings, caps & gowns, diplomas, etc. has expanded their photography division, Jostens Pix, to Massachusetts.
- No handling money or packages at school. All sales go direct from the consumer and all packages are delivered directly to homes.
- No waiting weeks for your portraits. They’re uploaded directly to your website in 3-5 days.
- No ridiculous prices or complicated package pricing. Cost to the consumer as little as $5/photo sheet. Period. Free digital image with all orders over $25.
If you are in need of an alternative to your current photography situation or are just curious about options, please sign up for one of JostensPix webinars.
No pressure; just some relief from unnecessary stress when you choose to work with Jostens.
Jostens will provide details, answer all questions and concerns. Please mark your calendars and register today.
WEBINAR DATES:
March 19TH at 7:30 AM. Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUtdOmurzopHtapH1SGeayTIDdoWKmXiI58
March 25th at 4:00 PM. Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0pdOuorjkjG9Oe_P32zYcM1zGzuERr5BrL
(After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Please save it to your calendar.)
We encourage you to SHARE this invitation with anyone that might be interested to learn more on how they can save their school staff time and their families money.
PS: Here are video links if you can spare a minute.
TESTIMONIALS, please click here: https://app.frame.io/presentations/dbbcb473-729d-45d2-91bc-eab6e151cf09
OVERVIEW of the JostensPix process (1 minute, 40 seconds long), please click here: https://youtu.be/dfmFz02Hxrc
Our Jostens Representative Chris Spelman has agreed to be our point person specifically for photography needs. You can call him directly 888.345.9725 if you have any questions. He and the entire Massachusetts Jostens team are here for you: Tara Anderson, Justyn Faber, Ryan Ford, Craig Johnson, Corey LaRoche, Mike Lenfest, Dan McLaughlin, Chris Spelman & Kate Toman.
Reminders:
Think of your teachers who may be deserving of...
DESE Teacher of the Year 2022 (All paperwork due March 22nd)
DESE is committed to celebrating educators who embed and prioritize culturally responsive and sustaining practices into their classrooms. The Teacher of the Year models what exemplary teaching looks like for Massachusetts educators. An essential element of exemplary teaching is a focus on culturally responsive teaching. So, if CRT is a central focus of your teaching practice, throw your hat in the ring for Teacher of the Year!
Apply Here
This year, preference will be given to elementary teachers who consistently:
- Build deep, meaningful relationships with students,
- Believe in empowering students through evidence-based instruction, such as early literacy practices,
- Reflect on their own practice,
- Affirm students’ identities and work towards removing inequities,
- Believe that teaching is an aMAzing profession,
Every Teacher of the Year starts their journey by completing the application. How do you use asset-based practices that explicitly affirm the cultural identities of students, families, and communities?
Being Teacher of the Year is a chance to help share your “Aha!” moments, spread your learning, and continue building your culturally responsive teaching practices. Get ahead of the March 22nd deadline and apply today.
Closing Message from Bill Gaine
On behalf of MSAA and Executive Director, Bill Gaine: Stay safe, stay strong, and take time for yourself.
Warm Regards,
Beth
Beth Wittcoff
MSAA Assistant Executive Director
MSAA Matters Newsletter
Middle Level and Elementary Committee Liaison
Ring Central Gatherings
