In This Issue...

1. MASS President Message 
2. SAM Executive Director Message
3. SAM Virtual AI 2020
4. SAM LPLP 2020-21 
5. SAM and Affiliate Leadership 2020-21

Upcoming Conferences,   Meetings, & Events

July 27-28, 2020:  SAM Virtual Administrators Institute 2020

July 29, 2020: SAM LPLP Summit

July 29- 30, 2020:  SAM Delegate Assembly - Helena

** View the full SAM Calendar**   

Thank you to this month's featured Business Partners! 

SAM  - Outstanding Progress During Changing Times!

by Kirk Miller, SAM Executive Director

2019-20 has been an outstanding year for your professional association, SAM, with great contributions from over 1080 members insuring progress on our strategic plan and excellent educational opportunities for our Montana children!  The COVID pandemic and issues of discrimination, intolerance and equity have driven the national and state dialogue during the closing quarter of this fiscal year.  Our nation and world are changing, and your SAM organization is creating an atmosphere for these changes to be implemented with the fidelity required and expected for our children.  Attending hundreds of virtual meetings the past 5 months, we are listening to the needs of our members.  Our story of progress is easy to share resulting from the collective energy and effort of administrators all across our state.  I share with you the most recent SAM Update that encapsulates the progress of this year while also points to a very robust agenda for 2020-21, with our administrators and SAM leading the way on numerous efforts to positively impact the education of our Montana students …

SAM was organized as an association for administrators in 1971. It rep­resents the interests, aspirations, and professional leadership of Montana administrators.  Over 1080 members network under six affiliate associations (MASS, MAEMSP, MASSP, MCASE, MACSS, META) to promote GREAT Montana Schools, supporting leader’s passion for providing an outstanding education to Montana's children!

The SAM Strategic Plan 2018-22(adopted by the SAM Board 10/18/18) outlines the benefits being a SAM member affords each education leader through their contributions to the greater good of the education community to inspire our students…

SAM Executive Director’s Strategic Plan Report for 4^th Quarter 2019-20

Leadership Involved in Decisions that Impact Education

• AKA – SAM members working together to literally have a seat at the table (input) on all efforts that impact the education of Montana’s children.
• COVID-19 Information for Schools
• Recruitment and Retention of Quality Educators UpdateMontana Rural Schools Virtual Career Fair – March 13, 2020 – Details
  • RISE4MT Update 1-16-20
  • MT 2018 R&R Study Results, Infographic and Summary implications on future recruitment & retention efforts
  • Educator Recruitment and Retention webpage
  • HB 211 – loan repayment for critical educator shortages. Resources to Implement
• Montana Rural School Virtual Career Fair - March 13, 2020 - Details
• GREAT 2019 released at MCEL 2019, Oct 16-18 in Billings for school district use
• School Safety and MT-PEC Project Safe Schools and Suicide Prevention
• SAM Needs Assessment 2020 Executive Summary and the SAM Needs Assessment Data Disaggregated by Affiliate 2020 provides information for our association’s future professional learning, advocacy and items important to our attention toward.
• Broadband Connectivity Progress, ESH Report and Montana Progress Report, One-Pager 6/8/20
• DPHHS Rules on Healthy Learning Environments in Schools
• Student Data Privacy/Terms of Service META Project – HB 745 – Launch – MTSPA
• SAM Administrator Vacancy Report 2019-20
• 2019-20 Leadership Staffing Report tells the story of efficient, effective administration

Advocacy

• SAM Delegate Assembly 2020Legislative Interim Advocacy – Committees, Upcoming
  • SAM 2019 Advocacy Priorities, Positions, Resolutions Approved 10-18-19
  • Call for Positions and Resolutions, Selecting Delegates
• Federal Advocacy
• SCOTUS consideration of Espinoza vs. MT Dept of Revenue – SCOTUS Blog, MQEC Update, SCOTUS Espinoza Decision 6/30/20

Professional Learning and Services

• Professional learning opportunities for educational leaders aligned with best practices research and innovative strategies.
• The SAM Leaders Professional Learning Program (LPLP) 2019-20 is a best practices professional learning delivery system that personalizes learning for Montana administrators. Over the past 6 years, SAM LPLP has supported 420 administrators in meeting their personalized professional learning needs.  In 2019-20, 90 administrators have joined the LPLP, forming ten Collegial Learning Networks with coach/mentors to personalize a professional learning plan enhancing their ability to serve their students, school and community! See the SAM LPLP 2019-20 Mid Year Executive Summary.  SAM LPLP 2020-21 registration and planning is underway.
• MT-PEC Collaborative Professional Development Flexibility & Efficiency - Framework
• SAM Virtual Administrators Institute 2020 - “Tell Your Story” - School Re-Entry & Recovery After Pandemic Event
• MCEL 2020 planning underway
• SAM annually assists in the operation of 11 conferences creating learning opportunities for our members. See the ‘Professional Learning’ ‘Conferences’ tab on the website.
• SAM Membership     Join Here Benefits    SAM Web Calendar
• SAM Youth Endowment – help a worthy student/family through the Endowment
• SAM and Affiliate Awards – Current Award Opportunities
• SAM developed web-based communication tools for the use of our Members. Click HERE to see the instructions on how to use the E-list tool.  Click DOCUMENT or VIDEO to learn how to use SAM Community Forums.
• Member benefits:  Affiliate regional meetings, SAM Bulletin and weekly SAM Update, colleague networks, state and federal advocacy networks, legal assistance, professional liability insurance, technology embedded solutions including website, cloud-based solutions, use of social media, E-Lists, digital Community Forums to enhance member communication, many more…

Make sure to follow SAM on Twitter @MTEDLeadership & on Facebook at Sam Montana

Thank you SAM members for a great 2019-20.  SAM is ready to continue our collective effort for the greater good of the education community to inspire our students in 2020-21!

The SAM Virtual Administrators Institute is sure to provide great professional learning for you and your admin/teacher teams.  The conference will feature three dynamic keynote presentations by Jamie Vollmer, Hal Bowman, and Paul Andersen and breakout session zones focused on assisting you and your team in planning school re-entry and recovery in the areas of Social, Emotional, & Behavioral; Academic Programming; and Physical & Business Environment. Be sure to check out the draft AGENDA that is posted on the SAM Virtual Administrators Institute webpage!  The conference is scheduled from approximately 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM on July 27th and 28th.  Attendees will participate in live Keynote and Breakout Presentations AND have access to all sessions post-conference.  Click HERE for more information and to register!

 SAM LPLP 2020-21 Launches July 29th at the Virtual LPLP Summit

The official kick-off of the SAM Leaders Professional Learning Program 2020-21 program year is Wednesday, July 29th from 8:00- 11:00 AM during the SAM Virtual LPLP Summit .   

Following a successful 2019-20 year with an all-time high membership record of 1083 SAM members, the 2020-21 SAM membership year is off to a great start.  We are looking forward to another great year!  

As a SAM member, you have access to "member-only" areas of the SAM website.  Our hope is that the SAM website will be your go-to resource for everything happening at SAM and affecting education in Montana. Be sure to visit the website often stay up to date!  You also have access to the SAM communication tools including your affiliate E-List and the SAM Member Community Forums, which provide a way for you to connect to administrators throughout the state.  These tools can be found by clicking on the Member Landing Page under Quick Links.  Log in to your SAM profile for access to password-protected areas of the SAM website.  Please contact the SAM office if you are unable to log in or if we can be of assistance to you. 

SAM and Affiliate Leadership for 2020-21 

Thank you to our SAM and Affiliate Board Members for serving SAMduring the 2020-21 year!

SAM Executive Board

Dale Olinger (Lolo), President
Cal Ketchum (West Valley), President-Elect
Peter Hamilton (Billings), Past President

 Thank you to SAM's Business Partners!  

Please take time to visit their websites.

Montana Big Sky Sponsors

Montana Glacier Sponsors

Infinite Campus is the largest  American-owned student information system        4321 109th Avenue NE Blaine, MN 55449 stephanie.sondrol@infinite  campus.com 763-458-1752	A unique approach to teaching   K-6 math using hands-on,   interactive games  37 E 28th Street Suite 600  New York, NY 10016  719-510-9503  [email protected]	Mileposts™ cloud-based achievement & data management 408 E. Parkcenter Blvd., Ste.300 Boise, ID 83706 [email protected]  208-481-2300
Annuities, life insurance      430 Ryman St., #102 Missoula, MT 59892  [email protected] 406-329-5500	School property & liability insurance 1200 North Montana Ave. Helena. MT. 59601 [email protected] 406-533-1035

Montana Mountain Sponsors

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solutions 34 West 6th Avenue, Suite 2B Helena, MT 59601 [email protected] 406-461-7432	Lowest total operational cost clean buildings  2525 Overland Avenue Billings, MT 59102 [email protected] 800-652-1020	School portraits, yearbooks & sports portraits 2110 Overland Ave., #115A  Billings, MT 59102 [email protected] 800-862-7183
C&C School Accounting Software For Schools In Montana Since 1980 [email protected] (800)-442-6107	Safe, Easily Managed School Networks 106 East Sixth Street, Suite 500 Austin TX 48701 [email protected]  512-904-0544	Auto, homeowners, life insurance and financial services 1 Horace Mann PlazeSpringfield, IL 62715[email protected] 781-364-4996
School Workers’ Compensation & Liability  Coverage PO Box 7029 - Helena, MT 59601 [email protected] Phone: 406-457-4418	College Assistance, Job Skill Training    1956 MT Majo Street   Fort Harrison, MT 59636 [email protected]	A leading provider of comprehensive Custodial, Grounds & Facility Operations and Maintenance services   4702 Western Ave. Suite 101 Knoxville, TN 37921 [email protected]

Connecting Schools, Parents, and Communities through Cloud-Based     Communication Tools                                        218 N. 3rd Ave  Durant, OK 74701 [email protected] 580-931-6894	Professional Learning Organization  1031 N. Academic Way, Ste. 242   Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814 [email protected]                                                      Phone: 208-292-2529	Amanda Burnette                                          3001 Metro Drive, Suite 480 Bloomington, MN. 55425 [email protected]
Professional Preconstruction & Construction Manager Mark Qualman  Billings, MT  [email protected] 406-412-7650	The Great Conversation Series Jamie Vollmer [email protected] 641-472-1558	FICO Rick Ruiz, Business Development 800 7th Ave. North Great Falls, MT. 59911 406-452-0009
Standards-based digital curriculum resources for K–12 classrooms  Emily Keith [email protected] 847-337-9546	K–12 online curriculum and blended learning solutions Michael Bullock [email protected] 480-347-6008

Montana Meadow Sponsors

Maya Burnaugh 3001 Metro Drive, Suite 200 Bloomington, MN. 55425 [email protected]	School Accounting Software 145 Southlake Crest, Suite 1 Polson, MT. 59860 [email protected]   Phone: 800-353-8829	Targeted Professional Development Daniel Sybrant 557 Cow Creek Lane Corvallis, MT  [email protected]  888-413-3669, ext. 5776
Network and Communications Solutions  904 C Avenue Circle, MT 59215 [email protected]   Phone: 406-234-7470	Technology planning, project  & solution  services 2135 Charlotte Street Bozeman MT 59718 [email protected]       406-294-5470	Systems and applications to reduce the financial burden of federal student loans [email protected] 833-468-9666

900 N. Montana Ave. Suite A-4| Helena, MT. 59601| Phone (406)442-2510 | Fax (406)442-2518 

www.sammt.org