Our Mission, Our North Star: Leading, Advocating, and Connecting

Thank you for your support and well wishes as I transition into my new role as Executive Director of MASA. I loved the superintendency. All of it. This is the only position I was interested in because of the opportunity to serve you and, in turn, your students and communities. That is meaningful to me. I knew I would like this job. I love it even more than I thought I would.

I also want to thank my predecessor, friend, and mentor, Dr. Deb Henton. Her outstanding leadership strengthened our organization. I am grateful for her investment in our collective leadership!

Just as you did when you started in your district leadership roles, I am leaning into our MASA strategic plan, thinking deeply about our mission, and how to make those words visible.

Our mission is “As advocates of a world-class education for Minnesota’s learners, MASA’s members serve as the leading voice for public education, shape and influence the State and National education agenda, and empower leaders through high-quality professional learning, services, and support.”

The mission has three distinct components: serving as the leading voice of public education, shaping the state and federal education agendas, and providing high-quality professional learning, services, and support.

As we strive to be the leading voice of public education, MASA members live this out in many ways:

• Serving on the Governor’s statewide safety council — the only professional educational organization asked to participate.
• Leading the discussions about artificial intelligence and screen time, its positive and negative impacts, and how we intentionally and responsibly manage its use in education.
• Skillfully articulating the adverse impact of Operation Metro Surge and increased federal immigration enforcement on students, families, schools, and communities throughout Minnesota.
• Ensuring Greater Minnesota school leaders’ voices are amplified so statewide decision-makers understand how policy affects small, rural school districts as well as our metro colleagues.
• Supporting the Permanent School Trust Fund constitutional amendment and the Minnesota Kids Rise initiative to impact work in every school community and celebrate the important role of public education across Minnesota. 

Shaping the state and federal education agendas is hard, long-term work. This means relentlessly advocating for legislative positions that may take years to pass. Some examples include: 

• Indexing the basic formula to inflation — this was on our platform for years before it finally came to fruition.
• MASA Days at the Capitol and member testimony in legislative committees.
• Federal advocacy trips to bring our voices to Washington, D.C.
• Leadership of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education and Compensatory Task Force.

We work hard to empower leaders through high-quality professional learning, services, and support. This work includes but is not limited to:

• Fall and spring MASA conferences.
• Aspiring Superintendents Academy, Great Start, and the Advanced Leadership Academy cohorts.
• Virtual sessions like those we’ve recently held focused on the anonymous reporting system requirement and MSHSL online student eligibility.
• Weekly eUpdates that include resources and professional reading recommendations.
• Attending regional meetings in person and online.
• Mentoring programs for all district leaders in a role for the first time.
• Professional assistance team support.

We all know that highly successful organizations relentlessly focus on their mission. They consistently review how their work aligns with it and track progress — both quantitative and qualitative — toward it. Your MASA team uses the mission as our North Star and will center it in our service to you.

MASA is you. You will get out of this organization what you put into it. Some say that district-level leadership and the superintendency are lonely jobs. I never felt that way because I chose to be connected through MASA. You can too.

I am here to assist you with any issue  — big or small. Please call or text me at (952) 715-8737 or by email at matt.hillmann@mnasa.org. I stand ready to be your cheerleader, advocate, and thought partner as you do good things for kids!