MSA Superintendent of the Year

Overview

MAGNET MANIA OVERVIEW

MSA announces “Magnet Mania,” our Superintendent of the Year tournament, launching in February in conjunction with National Magnet Schools Month. The tournament is intended to be a fun, lighthearted opportunity for MSA member districts to promote their accomplishments related to each of the five pillars of magnet schools.

The tournament bracket has been released. You can download it here. Head-to-head matchups were generated randomly in a drawing with MSA CEO Ramin Taheri.

The tournament will take place from the first week of February 2024 through the middle of April 2024, culminating with the winner being announced at the National Conference on Magnet Schools in New York City the week of April 16-20.

The district whose superintendent wins the Magnet Mania tournament will receive $2,500, the runner-up district will receive $500, and more prizes will be available throughout the tournament.

For membership inquiries, please email membership@magnet.edu.

Guidelines

Magnet Mania is MSA’s new Superintendent of the Year contest designed to increase the visibility of our members and magnet schools across the country. The competition will be a bracket-style tournament starting in February and ending in April at our national conference.

ELIGIBILITY

All MSA district members will be automatically included unless they opt out of the competition.

CONTEST RULES

  • Match-ups for the first round will be randomly generated.
  • Depending on the total number of participating districts, one or more rounds may include byes, meaning that some districts may not be required to participate in some rounds.
  • During the first week of each round, each district will be required to submit to MSA:
    • One video, no longer than 30 seconds, highlighting the work of the district on the pillar relevant to the round. The video can, but need not, include the superintendent.
    • One description, no longer than 500 words, explaining the accomplishments of the district related to the pillar relevant to the round.
    • Note that MSA reserves the right to use all or only a portion of this description for the purposes of the competition.
    • At least three high-resolution photos.
      • (NOTE: the district must obtain waivers or permission from all people, including students, depicted in the photos. Photos and videos will become the property of MSA.)
  • In addition to submitting the materials to MSA for social media, districts are encouraged to promote their accomplishments relevant to the round through their own communications channels, including social media, newsletters, emails, etc. All social media posts should tag MSA (@magnetschlsMSA) and use the hashtags #magnetmania and #soy24.

SCHEDULE

ROUND 1: DIVERSITY

This round will take place the weeks of February 4-10 and February 11-17.

Reminder: Voting will occur during the second week of each round. Voting will be open to the public.

ROUND 2: INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This round will take place the weeks of February 18-24 and February 25-March 2.

Reminder: Voting will occur during the second week of each round. Voting will be open to the public.

ROUND 3: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

This round will take place the weeks of March 3-9 and March 10-16.

Reminder: Voting will occur during the second week of each round. Voting will be open to the public.

ROUND 4: FAMILY & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

This round will take place the weeks of March 17-23 and March 24-30.

Reminder: Voting will occur during the second week of each round. Voting will be open to the public.

ROUND 5: LEADERSHIP

This round will take place the weeks of March 31-April 6 and April 7-13.

Reminder: Voting will occur during the second week of each round. Voting will be open to the public.

VOTING PROCESS

  • Voting will occur during the second week of each round. Voting will be open to the public. MSA will promote the voting period through its own communications channels (e.g., social media, Magnet Minute) and each district is encouraged to promote the voting period as well.
  • Vote tallies will not be made public. MSA will announce the winners of each match-up on Thursday of the second week of each round, except for the final round.

PRIZES & RECOGNITION

  • Superintendents advancing to the final round will be invited to participate in a panel discussion at MSA 2024.
  • The SOY will receive a commemorative trophy or plaque.
  • The SOY’s district will receive a cash prize of $2,500 from MSA.
  • The runner-up’s district will receive a cash prize of $500 from MSA.
  • Additional prizes will be available throughout the tournament, such as cash prizes for the top vote-getter in each round or for the most-viewed video, etc., to be determined at MSA’s discretion.

FAQs

Q: When does the contest start and end?

A: The contest begins the first week of February and ends at the MSA Annual Conference in April.

 

Q: Who is eligible for the contest?

A: All MSA district members will be automatically included unless they opt out of the competition.

 

Q: Is MSA providing a media kit with hashtags, messages, etc. to help with engagement and voting?

A: Yes, MSA has this dedicated webpage with more details about the competition’s guidelines and rules. We will also release a toolkit to help spread the word on your social channels.

 

Q: Does Magnet Mania take the place of the application-based process for Superintendent of the Year? 

A: Yes, it will take the place of the application-based award.

 

Q: What is the expectation in terms of district-based involvement?

A: During the first week of each round, each district will be required to submit to MSA:

  • One video, no longer than 30 seconds, highlighting the work of the district on the pillar relevant to the round. The video can, but need not, include the superintendent.
  • One description, no longer than 500 words, explaining the accomplishments of the district related to the pillar relevant to the round.
    At least three high-resolution photos. (NOTE: the district must obtain waivers or permission from all people, including students, depicted in the photos. Photos and videos will become the property of MSA.).
  • In addition to submitting the materials to MSA for social media, districts are encouraged to promote their accomplishments relevant to the round through their own communications channels, including social media, newsletters, emails, etc. All social media posts should tag MSA (@magnetschlsMSA) and use the hashtags #magnetmania and #soy24.

 

Q: Will all districts in the competition participate in each round until eliminated?

A: Not necessarily. Because there may be an uneven number of participating districts, the tournament may include byes, meaning that some districts may not be required to participate in some rounds. These assignments will be generated randomly. 

 

Q: Who receives the cash prize?

A: The cash prize for the winner, the runner-up, and the additional prizes during each round will go to the district, not to the superintendent personally. The winning superintendent will receive a trophy/plaque and will be recognized at MSA 2024.

Previous Winners

2023 Superintendent of the Year ◊ Kurt S. Browning

Kurt S. Browning

Pasco County Schools, Florida

Awarded Magnet School Superintendent of the Year, Superintendent Browning has been – and continues to be – the driving force behind the transformation in Pasco County Schools. He has been remarkably effective in implementing innovative magnets in place at all grade levels and in every area of the school district. Perhaps most important, he has provided the appropriate support to ensure quality, equity, and success.

2022 Superintendent of the Year ◊ Cathy Q. Moore

2022 Superintendent of the Year, Cathy Q. Moore, Wake County Public School System, North Carolina

Cathy Q. Moore

Wake County Public School System, North Carolina

This annual award recognizes the important work of leadership within our school districts to keep magnet schools a priority in the portfolio of school choice options.

Cathy Moore has been superintendent of Wake County Public School System for the past 3.5 years. The strongest recognition of Superintendent Moore’s commitment to students, staff, families, and community partners occurred in 2018 when the local Board of Education’s changed her contract from an annual renewal to a rolling two-year contract. In 2019 and again in November 2021, the BOE extended her contract for two additional years. The BOE noted that this move was done to [publicly demonstrate their support and confidence in Cathy Moore’s leadership.

2020 Superintendent of the Year ◊ Dr. Michael A. Grego

2020-2021 Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Michael A. Grego, Pinellas County Schools, Florida

Dr. Michael A. Grego

Pinellas County Schools, Florida

This annual award recognizes the important work of leadership within our school districts to keep magnet schools a priority in the portfolio of school choice options. This year’s winner – Superintendent Dr. Grego’s dynamic and visionary leadership has led to record graduation rates, monumental school improvement, and successful efforts to narrow the achievement gap.

2019 Superintendent of the Year ◊ Warren Drake

2019 Superintendent of the Year, Warren Drake, East Baton Rouge Parish School System, Louisiana

2019 Superintendent of the Year, Warren Drake, East Baton Rouge Parish School System, Louisiana

Warren Drake

East Baton Rouge Parish School System, Louisiana

This annual award recognizes the important work of leadership within our school districts to keep magnet schools a priority in the portfolio of school choice options. This year’s winner – Superintendent Warren Drake – recognizes the importance of school choice and the role of magnet programs in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. He has supported the expansion of magnet schools and increased the number of seats where possible to ensure parents are provided with additional choice options.

Mr. Drake has been continuously praised for his efforts to expand theme-based programs in his school district. During the 2017-2018 academic year, Woodlawn Middle and High School launched new magnet programs focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The district also secured a $15 million STEM-based grant from the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) under Mr. Drake’s leadership.

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System has 28 programs serving students from three years old to high school seniors. The programs were instrumental in helping the school district achieve unitary status in 2007, which ended one of the longest-running desegregation cases in the United States.

2018 Superintendent of the Year ◊ Dr. Stephen Hefner

Dr. Stephen Hefner

School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties, South Carolina

This annual award recognizes the important work of leadership within our school districts to keep magnet schools a priority in the portfolio of school choice options. Dr. Hefner’s unyielding focus on expanding school choice by creating magnet options in District Five has been the catalyst for school improvement districtwide. Spanning nearly 30 years, Dr. Hefner has facilitated the creation of numerous magnet schools and programs in two South Carolina districts, many of which have been recognized by Magnet Schools of America as Schools of Excellence and Schools of Distinction and achieved designation as Nationally Certified Magnet Schools. In District Five, Dr. Hefner has also helped school leaders secure two multi-million dollar federal Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP) grants, including a $10.3 million grant in 2013 and a $13.7 million grant announced last fall.

Learn how to become a Nationally Certified Magnet School

Raise the level of performance consistent throughout school districts nationwide and creates a platform from which all magnet schools can flourish. Magnet Schools of America’s national certification process is designed to recognize the hard work of the best magnet schools in the nation and to help them as they grow.

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