MASA... "On the Road" w/ Charlie: RTTT Opinions needed

This is a message to the members of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) from Charlie Kyte, Executive Director.

On The Road With Charlie - December 10, 2009 from MASA on Vimeo.

The video and audio podcast above are each 5-6 minutes long.  Just click to play.  Give the video about 45 seconds to load.

RACE TO THE TOP GRANT FEEDBACK:

 Many of you participated in the MDE webinars over the last two days.  There are also many meetings being hosted around the state.  I’d like to know your thoughts on if your District might participate or not.  We are also interested in if your local teachers union is inclined to ‘sign on’.

 I have a number of meetings coming up on this subject and your feedback would be invaluable.  E-mail me at ckyte@mnasa.org.

 FEDERAL STIMULUS STATE STABILIZATION FUNDING… CORRECTING MY MISINTERPRETATION:

 I was mistaken in the way that the Federal Stimulus State Stabilization money was scheduled to replace state level funding in Minnesota.  Perhaps many of you have a similar misunderstanding.  I thought that the state aid to schools was reduced in each of the two years of the biennium with federal stimulus money replacing the state funding reduction.  

 In fact the state aid reduction was only for the 2009-10 year and the state aid level returns to the original amount in 2010-11.  Although a District can draw off their federal stimulus money over 2 years, it may be wiser to draw it all in this current year.

 Because the state aid is only reduced in the 1st year of the biennium and restored in the second year, we have a much smaller 'cliff' in our funding after 2011 than I originally thought."

 VACANCIES AND YOUR INTEREST:

 We are starting to see a number of good vacancies being posted.  The search firms will be asking people like me about who may be interested in certain positions.

 If you are interested in a possible career move, quietly let me know (ckyte@mnasa.org).  Also let me know if you have geographical limits and the size of District you are interested in.  I will do all I can to help you in a search for a better position.

 WORKING WITH THE MEDIA… A FEW TIPS:

 A media saying:  “Bad news is Good!  Good news is bad!  No news is really bad!

 The news cycle is no longer weekly, daily or even the 6 o’clock TV news.  It is right now and there are many technological ways in which news can spread instantly.  Thus you need to be prepared to provide a report at a minutes notice.

 Don’t wait until you have all the facts.  If a reporter is asking you a question answer it with the facts that you have and tell them you are still gathering information.

Never say 'no comment'.  While we usually advise you to listen to your attorney, when they tell you to say 'no comment' you do so at your own peril.  Either give a response or refer the reporter to someone like me who can give a more general response.

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