Upcoming Events

October 9 - 10, 2008
Kansas Superintendent Leadership Summit
Featured Guest: Katie Haycock, The Education Trust

This seminar is an opportunity for all superintendents to engage in a meaningful dialogue about emerging trends in education and the impact of educational leadership on student learning.

Registration is open to ALL superintendents.
To view the agenda and register, click here.

See the Calendar of Events for other upcoming activities.

A message from the 2008-2009 president
Dr. John Morton, Superintendent
Newton Public Schools, USD 373

You may have noticed something dramatically different about our membership flyer this year.  It was predicated upon the results of our KASA Board strategic planning retreat held in conjunction with our KASA Summer Academy and New Superintendents’ Workshop.  Our goal for this year is deceptively simple – proactively position KASA as a viable organization for all of its members in 2008-2009.  So, what does that mean, exactly?  Many of us believe that it is time for KASA to become a leading voice for public education in Kansas.  For far too long, we have been depicted as more of a reactive, complaining group, a subsidiary of USA, but not an entity unto ourselves.I am suggesting and I think the board is as well that we want to work very hard to change that perception this year.  I want to again share the major initiatives which were identified at our retreat and which create a proactive platform for us this year.  They are as follows:

• Develop a process to be more open to innovation and change
• Restructure and refocus our organization
• Prioritize communication efforts to connect with colleagues and the larger educational community
• Become an organization known for solutions and not complaints
• Utilize technology for communicating and connecting
• Hire an executive secretary for KASA
• Redefine our relationship with the Kansas Commissioner of Education
• Create a plan to position KASA as a powerful, unified voice and work the plan
• Develop a posture of influence
• Be known for supporting best administrative practices
• Refine our purpose
• Develop a plan of action
• Identify our mission and vision
• Get the right people to the table
• Develop an optimal structure to create a more effective organization
• Maintain our focus
• Become more inclusive

If you believe that the above listed points constitute a proactive agenda for KASA this year, I urge you to become more involved.  We need to present a forward thinking agenda to our membership and to those entities which we have the potential to impact at the regional, state and national levels.With your help, we can make it happen this year.  Attend the Superintendent Solutions Summit in October.  Share your ideas with your colleagues.  E-mail me with your suggestions, both positive and constructive.  Together, we can make a difference in education in Kansas and, most importantly, for the students we continue to serve.A year from now, I want us to be evaluating our progress in each of the above areas and to be feeling that we have made significant progress in addressing our initiatives.  I will need your help this year to make that scenario a reality in the fall of 2009.

Join me!