OASSP / OMLEA

Chris LeGrande, OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director

OASSP membership continues to grow during the 2023-2024 membership year, with 885 individuals who have joined our association. This represents an increase of 42 members since the last update given to the CCOSA Executive Committee in February. We are working diligently to top the 900 membership mark to ensure CCOSA meets its goal of over 3,100 active members.

During the week of March 10-13, OASSP President Melissa Barlow, Yukon High School; NASSP State Coordinator Eric Fox, Jenks High School; and OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director Chris LeGrande joined over 400 school leaders and state directors in Washington, D.C., for the annual National School Leaders Advocacy Conference. The event was jointly hosted by NAESP and NASSP. Our contingent of Oklahoma school leaders also included OAESP Executive Director Glen Abshere, NAESP State Representative and Federal Relations Officer Andrea Sifers, Fort Gibson; OAESP President Traci Newell, Elgin; and OAESP President-Elect Tara Burnett, Woodward. We conducted successful meetings with five of the seven Oklahoma congressional offices highlighted by Java with James, a monthly coffee meet and greet hosted by Senator James Lankford. The three-day conference included sessions on addressing educator shortages; advocating for school safety, mental health, and violence prevention; planning state advocacy days and campaigns; and crafting personalized stories to share with legislators. The concluding conference session was a keynote presentation from the United States Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona.

The information from the training sessions was put into practice as school leaders converged on Capitol Hill on day three to make

Oassp Update

their voices heard loud and clear. Your Oklahoma team advocated for flat funding for Title programs, legislation addressing the mental health of students and staff, and incentives to strengthen the teacher/principal pipeline. A special thank you to CCOSA Education Policy & Research Analyst Dr. Jeanene Barnett and administrative assistant Jennifer Knight for scheduling meetings with our congressional members.

During the week of April 3-6, 2024, Ashley Mackey, Assistant Principal at Deer Creek High School and 2023-2024 OASSP Assistant Principal of the Year, traveled to Washington, D.C., for a leadership event sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. NASSP’s Trailblazing Leadership Week saluted and celebrated all 2024 State Assistant Principals of the Year as well as the National Honor Society’s Student Scholarship Finalists. Activities included professional learning sessions, networking opportunities with peers from across the country, and participation in recognition ceremonies.

As an assistant principal for the past two years at Deer Creek High School, Mackey has played an instrumental role in the research and development of the Deer Creek Transition Center for students with special needs. She has also implemented the “Bright Idea” award in which a staff member is recognized weekly for an innovative teaching strategy that positively affects student achievement. Ashley will also be recognized as the Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year at the CCOSA Summer Leadership Conference in June 2024.

Elections for OASSP PresidentElect are underway, and nominees include Joe Ballard, Principal of Poteau High School; and David Chandler, Principal of Buses, Norman Public Schools. Current President Melissa Barlow will present the winner to membership for approval at the OASSP Business Meeting Breakfast on June 14 during the CCOSA Summer Leadership Conference. ■