Michelle Cuka Receives MASE Special Education Administrator of the Year Award
March 10, 2025
The Minnesota Administrators for Special Education (MASE) has named Michelle Cuka, Director of Student Support Services for Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools, as the recipient of the 2025 Special Education Administrator of the Year Award. This award recognizes Cuka’s outstanding leadership, dedication to students with disabilities, and contributions to the field of special education. She will be honored during the MASA/MASE Spring Conference on March 20-21, 2025.
“Michelle works tirelessly to ensure our district’s mission of inspiring and empowering each student to reach their full potential is realized for every student, regardless of challenges that may exist for students. She and her team dedicate themselves to developing high-quality educational experiences that have a profound impact on the lives of our students,” wrote Michael Thomas, Superintendent of Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools in his letter of recommendation. “Her work does not always come easy, but Michelle will not settle for anything less than what is well deserved for our students. We are truly blessed to have Michelle in our district, and I attribute a lot of our success to her efforts."
Cuka has played a pivotal role in expanding inclusive programming within Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools. Under her leadership, the district’s Unified Champion Schools initiative through Special Olympics grew from two to eleven schools within a year, increasing opportunities for students with disabilities to engage with their peers. The district now offers Unified Advisory programs in middle schools, Unified classroom activities in elementary schools, and expanded Unified Physical Education and Family and Consumer Science courses at the high school level. Her leadership has strengthened a culture of inclusion across all grade levels.
In addition to her district-level impact, Cuka has made significant contributions to special education administration by mentoring and developing future leaders. She provides coaching and professional development to special education administrators, supporting them in navigating complex decision-making and student-centered leadership. Her doctoral work includes researching co-teaching as a service delivery model, exploring strategies to enhance instructional effectiveness and student outcomes.
Cuka has been an active member of MASE for many years. She is a graduate of the MASE New Leaders Cohort and has served on multiple committees, including the Strategic Planning Committee, Legislative Committee, Nominations Committee, Organizational Planning Committee, and Membership Committee. She is currently serving her second term as MASE Secretary. Additionally, she is a frequent presenter at MASE conferences and an advocate for special education policy at the state and federal levels.
Beyond MASE, Cuka is a member of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA), the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE). She actively engages in professional learning opportunities, including the National CASE Conference and legislative advocacy efforts. She also serves as an adjunct instructor at St. Thomas University, supporting individuals pursuing licensure in Academic and Behavioral Strategist (ABS) special education.
Cuka earned a specialist degree in Educational Leadership and a master’s degree in Educational Studies/Literacy from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She received a bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Augsburg College, graduating magna cum laude. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University Moorhead, with an expected completion in May 2027. Additionally, she completed the Minnesota Principals Academy Leadership program and holds Crisis Prevention Institute Certification.
“Michelle works tirelessly to ensure our district’s mission of inspiring and empowering each student to reach their full potential is realized for every student, regardless of challenges that may exist for students. She and her team dedicate themselves to developing high-quality educational experiences that have a profound impact on the lives of our students,” wrote Michael Thomas, Superintendent of Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools in his letter of recommendation. “Her work does not always come easy, but Michelle will not settle for anything less than what is well deserved for our students. We are truly blessed to have Michelle in our district, and I attribute a lot of our success to her efforts."
Cuka has played a pivotal role in expanding inclusive programming within Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools. Under her leadership, the district’s Unified Champion Schools initiative through Special Olympics grew from two to eleven schools within a year, increasing opportunities for students with disabilities to engage with their peers. The district now offers Unified Advisory programs in middle schools, Unified classroom activities in elementary schools, and expanded Unified Physical Education and Family and Consumer Science courses at the high school level. Her leadership has strengthened a culture of inclusion across all grade levels.
In addition to her district-level impact, Cuka has made significant contributions to special education administration by mentoring and developing future leaders. She provides coaching and professional development to special education administrators, supporting them in navigating complex decision-making and student-centered leadership. Her doctoral work includes researching co-teaching as a service delivery model, exploring strategies to enhance instructional effectiveness and student outcomes.
Cuka has been an active member of MASE for many years. She is a graduate of the MASE New Leaders Cohort and has served on multiple committees, including the Strategic Planning Committee, Legislative Committee, Nominations Committee, Organizational Planning Committee, and Membership Committee. She is currently serving her second term as MASE Secretary. Additionally, she is a frequent presenter at MASE conferences and an advocate for special education policy at the state and federal levels.
Beyond MASE, Cuka is a member of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA), the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE). She actively engages in professional learning opportunities, including the National CASE Conference and legislative advocacy efforts. She also serves as an adjunct instructor at St. Thomas University, supporting individuals pursuing licensure in Academic and Behavioral Strategist (ABS) special education.
Cuka earned a specialist degree in Educational Leadership and a master’s degree in Educational Studies/Literacy from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She received a bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Augsburg College, graduating magna cum laude. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University Moorhead, with an expected completion in May 2027. Additionally, she completed the Minnesota Principals Academy Leadership program and holds Crisis Prevention Institute Certification.
MASE is a professional association organized to promote programs and services to improve the education of children with disabilities, to foster high quality programs of professional development, and to study problems relating to serving children with disabilities and improving the leadership of administrators for special education. MASE members are administrators for special education in public or private schools, cooperative regional, state and other education administrative units, college and university professors of special education teacher or administrator preparation programs, and administrators, coordinators or consultants for the Minnesota Department of Education.
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