MSA President's Message, May 2024

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Kimberly R. Lane, Ed.D.
President, Magnet Schools of America

America’s students are more socioeconomically and demographically diverse than ever, and our schools are resegregating at alarming rates. I resolutely believe magnet schools grounded in innovation and inclusivity promote school integration while fostering diverse student interaction and providing high-quality academic and non-academic impact for ALL students. As MSA President, I will collaborate with colleagues, membership, and partners to honor the mission and vision of MSA.

May is an eventful month for MSA members. Many districts/schools/leaders/teachers are closing out the ‘23-‘24 school year, commemorating graduations, sending students off to enjoy their summers — or ongoing learning if in a year-round environment, and celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board decision – a seminal decision that guides our daily school integration work while promoting inclusive environments for all students within our magnet programs.

May also begins my tenure as MSA President, 2024 – 2026, and I am honored to champion our important work ahead, like preparing for our Summer Symposia (Denver, July 8 -10 and Baltimore, July 29 -31 – if you haven’t registered, do so here), reviewing the 2020-24 MSA Strategic Plan in preparation for a 2025+ plan, prepping for the 2024 Fall Policy Conference (October 2 – 4), advocating for our policy / legislative agenda, providing high-quality professional learning and technical support, supporting our new (and current) MSAP grantees, among other things. We are thankful for you, our members, as we could not do this work without your commitment and support of the organization and its programs.

I share below what I consider to be key topics of focus during the next two years for MSA advocacy, strategic visioning, and action.

• Be the Voice in national school integration, diversity, equity, and inclusivity conversations
• Widen scope of policy influence, i.e., support state-level advocacy – toolkits for state level advocacy
• Move beyond school integration to classroom integration, becoming a catalyst for honoring students’ passions & interests (innovation & choice; for safe educational spaces (school and classroom climate & culture); and equal contributing members (inclusivity of all students and student groups)
• Develop systemic sustainability supports including magnet teacher certification and developing a research component for the organization
• Allow MSA pillars to provide the foundation for the work of MSA processes & practices
  • Diversity: Inclusivity and equity, integrative practices
  • Innovative Curriculum & PL: Innovative and reformative; transformative student-centric experiences through unique theme-based instructional practices
  • Academic Excellence: Socioemotional & academic teaching and learning – honoring student voice and choice; improved long-term student outcomes goals (their futures – college, work, careers, economic impacts, working in global contexts, etc.)
  • Leadership: Culture and climate – growth and future-leaning mindset, asset-based (rather than deficit-based); personalized learning through a specialized curricular lens takes leadership skills and structures of support
  • Family & Community Partnerships: Communication for/with the community; move away from power-dynamics usually experienced in PTAs, etc., to be move inclusive of all families and encouraging families to be co-creators in our work
• Promote strategic and systemic action built on a foundation of the integrative mission and vision of MSA through innovative, student-centric/choice, and theme-based programming modeling a welcoming and inclusive teaching and learning environment assessable for ALL students and their families, thereby impacting educational opportunities and outcomes that reframes education for district/school/classroom leaders as well as informs policy, advocacy, funding, magnet program implementation and sustainability.

I wish you well wherever you are in your educational journey this year. I look forward to talking with you at our upcoming 2024 events to learn more about you, your classrooms/schools/districts/states and your membership needs. I welcome you to reach out to me directly at krlane@wcpss.net.

Regardless of where you find yourself in the next few months, please find time to rest, reflect and remember that YOU are among friends and colleagues who appreciate the work, dedication, and commitment you bring to the students in your sphere of influence every single day.

Sincerely, THANK YOU for all you do to impact students, families, staff, and the greater community!

Best,
klane

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