Register for the 2024-25 New Superintendents Leadership Academy!
Your first few years as a superintendent require enormous growth as a leader. MASA’s New Superintendents Leadership Academy was created to support superintendents who are new to the position, helping you grow and build new strengths in this tough but rewarding job.
The New Superintendents Leadership Academy offers ten in-depth sessions throughout the year to give you the skills and insight to excel as a superintendent. These sessions bring together experts who have one goal: Preparing you to succeed as a superintendent.
All MASA members who register for the full series will have a mentor coach throughout the year.
Sessions throughout the year focus on:
- Intro to NSLA/Leadership
- Governance and Board Relations
- Personnel and Negotiations
- Finance and Funding
- Teaching and Learning
- Equity and Social Justice Leadership
- Communications and Media
- Legislation, Policy, and Law
- School Safety
- Leadership Revisited
Cost: $2,400 MASA Member / $2,800 Non-Member
Location: MELG Building, Lansing / Virtual*
*Sessions will be held virtually, except for four specific in-person sessions: September (Traverse City @ MASA Fall Conference), November (Lansing), January (Grand Rapids @ MASA Midwinter Conference), and April (Lansing).
For more information, contact Dr. Sarena Shivers at sshivers@gomasa.org.
Welcome, Overview, and Introductions and text and program Overview.
Note: This session will be virtual
This session of the New Superintendents Leadership Academy will be in conjunction with the MASA Fall Conference. The focus of this session will be on building cohesive governance teams and strategies to fostering and developing positive relationships with board members and other key stakeholders.
Note: This session will be in-person at the 2024 Fall Conference
This session will provide for superintendents with a deeper understanding of sound personnel practices, collective bargaining and how to create and maintain effective working relationships with your union leadership.
Note: This session will be virtual.
Money, money, money. Participants in this session will hear top 10 school finance lessons for new superintendents, along with helpful tips from experts on budgeting, school bonds, and securing grant funding.
Note: This session will be in-person
The superintendent is the lead learner in their district. This series will focus on strategies of instructional excellence, educational trends, promising practices and relevant research in teaching and learning for all learners, grades P-20.
Note: This session will be in-person at the 2025 Midwinter Conference
The superintendent plays a crucial role and is responsible for ensuring that their district disrupts and dismantles racial, economic and other social injustices and inequities in their district. It starts with each one of us. This session will provide the basics on how to get started in this important work.
Note: This session will be virtual
This session of the New Superintendents Leadership Academy will focus on communications. Participants will review communication strategies when dealing with social media, the news media, and in a crisis. Participants are encouraged to bring their executive assistants since they are key to successful communication at the district level.
Note: This session will be virtual
Participants will leave this session with an in-depth understanding of policies and administrative regulations. How can the superintendent help their board through policies, establish the direction and structure of the school district? Participants will also receive relevant legal, federal and state legislative updates.
Note: This session will be held in-person with more details to come
This session will ensure new superintendents know and understand some of the key ways in which districts keep staff and students safe. Physical, mental and emotional safety will be explored. We will also ensure our EOPs, threat assessment pratices are in place and other best pratices working with law enforcement and public safety.
Note: This session will be virtual
The superintendent is responsible for and takes care of everyone. But what about the superintendent?? In our last session, we will revisit key leadership takeaways and focus on how to succeed and maintain the superintendency through self-care and building a personal and professional support system.
Note: This session will be in-person