MASS Awards

AASA National Conference on Education (NCE) Convention Incentive Award

The Montana Association of School Superintendents (MASS) incentive award program is intended to provide a special opportunity for two (2) administrators to attend the AASA NCE for professional development. The convention will be held on February 13-15, 2020 in San Diego. Applications are now open: MASS AASA Convention Incentive Award - Applications are due by September 11, 2019

2018-19 Recipients who attended in Los Angeles:

Casey Klasna and Scott Kinney !

2019 Superintendent of the Year- Rob Watson

Dr. Rob Watson, Superintendent of Bozeman Public Schools, was selected as the 2018 Superintendent of the Year for Montana and honored at the annual Montana Conference of Education Leadership (MCEL) held in Missoula October 17-19, 2018. The award is sponsored by the Montana Association of School Superintendents (MASS).

Dr. Rob Watson has served as the Superintendent of Bozeman Public Schools since 2012. He previously served as Principal of Bozeman High School and as a school administrator in Missoula and Great Falls. He began his career in education as a math and science teacher in Anchorage, Alaska. Dr. Watson was in the inaugural group, joining 27 fellow superintendents from around the country, to achieve American Association of School Administrator National Superintendent Certification. He serves as an administrator representative on state education committees for the Board of Public Education and the Office of Public Instruction. Dr. Watson was also the 2016 recipient of G.V. Erickson Award, an honor given by the School Administrators of Montana (SAM) to the administrator who has made the greatest contribution to the betterment of education in Montana. Dr. Watson believes that providing leadership for the local education community is important in establishing opportunities to help all students succeed.

The Montana Association of School Superintendents (MASS), in collaboration with AASA, annually recognizes and rewards the outstanding leadership of school superintendents. This program seeks to honor those strong Montana school district leaders who work successfully with their entire learning communities to provide the highest quality education that is possible.

Now in its 32ndyear, the National Superintendent of the Year program, sponsored by ARAMARK Education, VALIC and AASA, pays tribute to the talent and vision of the men and women who lead the nation’s public schools. Dr. Watson is eligible for the National Superintendent of the Year Award and will be honored at the AASA National Conference on Education in Los Angeles in February 2019.

SAM and MASS congratulate Dr. Rob Watson for being awarded this prestigious honor.

Regional Superintendents of the Year

Each of the nine MASS regions selects a Regional Superintendent of the Year. Those candidates are then in contention for the Montana Superintendent of the Year Award. The 2019-20 Regional Superintendents of the Year are:

Tony Holecek, MASS Northeast Region

Tom Stack, MASS Western Region

Les Meyer, MASS North Central Region

Jeff Bermes, MASS South Central Region

Alvin Buerkle, MASS South Central Region

Dr. Gregory Dern, MASS Central Region

Scott Chauvet, MASS 4-Rivers Region

Matt Jensen, MASS Northwest Region

Nate Olson, MASS Southeast Region

Craig Mueller, MASS Hi-Line Region

These Regional winners will be presented their awards during the MASS Fall Conference on September 23-24 at the Best Western GranTree Inn in Bozeman, Montana.

For more information on the awards available and the process, please contact

Kimberly Scofield, Director of Member Services and Professional Learning at [email protected] or by phone at 442-2510.