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PURPOSE
MASE strives to:
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Offer information that is concise, consistent and predictable to support the work you do in your communities
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Streamline our communications and reduce the number of messages in your mailbox
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A message from Erin Toninato,
MASE Executive Director:
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 Thanks for a Great Conference!
What a great few days at the MASE Fall Leadership Conference! It was wonderful to see so many of you at Madden’s—connecting, learning, and recharging with colleagues who truly understand the work.
A huge thank you to our presenters who shared their expertise, to all who attended and brought great energy to the discussions, and to the MASE staff who made it all run so smoothly. Events like this don’t just happen—they happen because of a strong community that shows up. Thank you to MNSELF for the fun evening of Bingo and laughter—your contribution to MASE is so valuable!
Conference Highlights:
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Record attendance and rich discussions around leadership, staffing, and student support
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Practical sessions on funding, compliance, and collaboration
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Engaging keynote speakers who reminded us to lead differently and focus on what’s possible
Both keynote speakers left us with powerful takeaways:
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Kent Julian reminded us to “do the opposite”—to take responsibility for how we respond and create outcomes that move us forward.
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Will Bowen encouraged us to lead complaint-free, transforming frustration into collaboration.
As you head into next week, take one of those messages with you. Try something different. Reframe a challenge. Lead with possibility. That’s how we grow stronger together.
Enjoy the weekend—hope you find a few minutes to rest, reflect, and maybe even laugh about something that went delightfully off-script during the conference.
As always...thanks for all you do!
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Thanks to our exhibitors for bringing information about their services and products to the conference! We enjoyed talking with you!
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✨ Sharing a Glimmer ✨
“We held our Regional Directors Meeting recently. The group is incredible on so many levels. I continue to be inspired and deeply grateful for the incredible work of my colleagues! We are truly better leaders working together!”
From Melissa Hanson, MAWSECO
✨ Bonus Glimmer ✨
We were proud to recognize several award recipients as part of the Fall Leadership Conference. In the first photo, Cherie Johnson accepts the MASE Legacy Award.
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Diane McCarron accepted the MASE Distinguished Service Award.
Share your own “MASE Moments of Awe.” These are the stories—the glimmers—that highlight the beauty and importance of what we do.
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NEW
What You Need to Know about the Federal Government Shutdown and Special Education
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At the MASE Fall Leadership Conference, Cherie Johnson (who serves as CASE Policy and Legislative Chair) and Melissa Schaller (who serves as CASE Liaison for MASE) provided an informative CASE Update about what the government shutdown means for Special Education. Among the highlights:
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Funding has flowed for this school year
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IDEA remains fully intact
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Districts remain obligated to provide FAPE and ensure LRE for all eligible students
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Students continue to receive the services and supports outlined in their IEPs
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Staffing in D.C. is skeletal, making it difficult to get timely federal guidance
Download the PowerPoint presentation to learn more, and to take action. Be assured that MASE and CASE are monitoring and advocating for clarity. We will share updates as they become available.
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Webinar: Elections and Voting Access for
People with Disabilities
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Presented by the Minnesota Council on Disability
Join the Minnesota Council on Disability (MCD) for a virtual Lunch & Learn with Secretary of State Steve Simon and Melanie Hazelip, Voter Outreach Director. They’ll share what Minnesotans need to know about upcoming elections, voter rights, and accessible voting options.
Monday, November 3, 2025 | 12:30–1:15 p.m.
Location: Join the Lunch & Learn on Microsoft Teams
Who can attend: Free and open to the public
Accommodations:
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ASL interpretation and CART captioning will be provided.
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The event will not be recorded.
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For other accommodations or questions, contact Jill Westberry at Jill.Westberry@state.mn.us or call/text 952-737-8695.
Q&A Portion: Send questions in advance by emailing Jill Westberry (Jill.Westberry@state.mn.us) or ask them live during the session.
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Save the Date! MASE Annual Meeting
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Learn what MASE has been working on in the past year—and what our priorities are for the year ahead in this one-hour webinar. This event is open to members and non-members at no cost.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 | 12–1 p.m.
Registration will open next week!
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ONGOING
MASE Membership Renewals
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Thanks to all who have renewed already. We believe we have resolved many of the issues surrounding CEC/CASE membership—but please reach out to us if you are still experiencing problems accessing your national membership(s). Important: If you are part of a district with a central billing office, we need to have your billing contact in our system so that they receive notifications if you have chosen the invoice option for your membership (or for conference and event registration).
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out; staff are all happy to assist!
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NEW
Register Today for Our First SLICE of Collaboration Session!
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Our first SLICE webinar of the 2025-2026 year will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4! The topic for this session is Data Collection. Join us at Noon for informal conversations with your colleagues from across the state. To avoid "Zoom bombing," we do ask that you register in advance—there's no cost. These sessions are open to members only. You'll receive the link to join in your confirmation email. Reminder: You must login to our website to see the registration button for this event.
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Division of Special Education Community Listening Sessions: November Registration Now Open
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The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Division of Special Education invites you to participate in our upcoming virtual community listening sessions. These sessions are part of our Annual Performance Report (APR) process and are an opportunity to share your experiences and insights about transition planning and graduation for students with disabilities.
Each session will be held virtually and is open to families, educators, and community members. We want to hear what’s working well and what could be improved as students prepare to exit high school.
Please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity with families in your district. If you have questions, contact Kirsten Rewey (phone 651-582-8638).
Thank you for your continued support of Minnesota students with disabilities.
Read the Full Update: Oct. 31, 2025
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Help MASE Recognize Outstanding Members
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Each year, MASE provides an opportunity to recognize outstanding members who are dedicated leaders and advocates for children and education communities across the state. We encourage you to consider nominating yourself or a colleague for recognition. Nominate someone who reflects the qualities of a leader committed to education and who is an exemplary representative of MASE. Please remember that anyone can nominate for MASE awards. Please feel free to share award nomination information with your staff and community. Information about each of the awards is linked below:
MASE Award candidates may be self-nominated or nominated by someone else.
Access the award nomination form here.
Nomination deadline is November 28, 2025.
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Advanced Placement (AP) Summit Hosted at MDE—Nov. 6
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Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), in collaboration with the College Board and the Minnesota AP Advisory Council, is hosting a full-day summit to advance access and success in the Advanced Placement (AP) program. Participants will attend breakout sessions on different topics and share ideas with other schools via presentations, a panel, and networking. Districts are encouraged to bring a team, if possible. Intended audience includes superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of curriculum/teaching and learning, principals, assistant principals, school counselors, AP coordinators or AP teachers.
Visit the MDE Calendar to register for this free in-person event. If you have questions, please contact mde.postsecondary@state.mn.us.
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Register for MASE Finance Academy In-Person Session on Nov. 10
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The MASE Finance Academy is geared to current and new Directors of Special Education!
Our all-day in-person sessions will provide an overview and deep dive into special education finance. It will include timely reporting, state and federal aid, tuition billing, third party billing, and much, much more. Participants will dive deep into state reports and interactive budgeting and staffing models. These workshops will include information on how to maximize your revenue to navigate budget cuts.
The first in-person session is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 10 at the Bemidji Area Schools Board Room. Our presenters will be Marcy Doud and Cherie Johnson.
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Register Now for the CASE Conference
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The CASE Conference in Oklahoma City is next week—November 5-7 in Oklahoma City to celebrate 50 years of the IDEA. CASE puts on a great conference and it is well worth your time to attend. If you are interested, you can find registration and hotel information on the CASE website. We would love to have another big group from Minnesota in OKC!
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Although we have provided the names of those who signed up for committees to the respective committee chairs, you are still welcome to sign up for committees for the 2025-26 year! Go to the Member Compass and click on the Profile tab on the left side of the screen.
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NEW
MASE Legislative Advocacy Training | December 18
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Watch for more information soon — save the date!
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CASE/CEC Open Resources:
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Helpful Links
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Click the button above to submit your news and/or job openings! Also, please whitelist info@mnase.org and laurie.pumper@mnase.org to ensure that you receive your newsletter without interruption.
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