Massachusetts Elementary School Principals' Association
MESPA Monday Memo
March 20, 2017
Spring is Here! See you at the
MESPA Spring Conference Leading Innovation & Change
March 22-24, 2017
Devens Common Center
Click on cover to see full program.
Conference Tips
- Connect on Twitter during the conference using #Mespachat.

- Bring business cards to enter Exhibitor Raffles and share contact information with colleagues.

- Attire is Business Casual, but bring something nice to wear to Wednesday’s Awards Banquet.

- Bring cash or check for the MESPA Used Book Sale (see below).
From the Executive Director:
What’s Next?  Moving Toward a Unified PK-12 Association

Last week, the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators Association (MSSAA) voted unanimously to “commence formal action to form a new unified K-12 Statewide Administrators Association.”  The formal action will include amending the Articles of Organization and Constitution to include elementary membership and elementary representation on the Board.   The MSSAA Board will vote on these changes in June and a 2/3 membership vote would then be required at their annual meeting on July 27.  If approved, a new “Massachusetts School Administrator Association” (MSAA) would be in place effective August 1st.   

MESPA’s Executive Board and I are confident that this plan is in the best long-term interest of our membership. We will continue working with MSSAA leadership to finalize representation in the new unified association. Based on a preliminary draft, there will be fair representation for elementary principals on the new Board with an opportunity to grow as more of our members become involved. We know that a unified association will provide increased resources for professional learning, as well as a strong voice at the state level. A new Elementary Committee would focus on the needs of elementary principals. The current committee structure used by MSSAA will provide additional new opportunities for members to be involved in shaping the association by serving on committees, including:  Assistant Principals, Teaching & Learning, Educational Policies, Legislative, Middle Level, Urban, and Retired.  

If you want to know more about MESPA’s future, please plan to attend the Annual Meeting Breakfast on Friday, March 24 at the Spring Conference.  We are pleased that MSSAA First Vice President (and President Elect) Mark Wood will join us to greet and speak with our members.   You should also feel free to contact any member of the Board or me with questions of concerns.   We will continue to provide updates to members as this process moves ahead.

Rick Rogers

Used Book Sale at Spring Conference
MESPA has a large collection of professional books accumulated over the years from various workshops and programs we have offered, including current titles and those that are “classics” in the field.  We will be making many of these books available for sale at the Spring Conference.

Look for the tables in the back of the Exhibit Hall.  Bring cash or checks.  All proceeds will go to a special cause – to be announced at the conference.