Anthony Padrnos Receives Outstanding Central Office Leader Award

February 17, 2023

(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) has named Anthony Padrnos, Executive Director of Technology for Osseo Area Schools, the recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Central Office Leader Award. He received this award for exhibiting a willingness to take risks, possessing strong communications skills, being a progressive change agent, and having high expectations for himself and others. Padrnos will be honored for his leadership, concern for students, and active involvement in professional and community affairs at a statewide recognition ceremony during the MASA/MASE Spring Conference held March 9-10, 2023.

Padrnos has served for five years as the Executive Director of Technology for Osseo Area School. Before Osseo, he was the Director of Technology for Richfield Public Schools. Padrnos began his career at Hopkins Public Schools as a Mathematics Instructor and Digital Content and Integration Specialist. He also served as a Member Rights Specialist with the Hopkins Education Association.

During his tenure with Osseo Area Schools, Padrnos collaboratively led and facilitated instrumental organizational initiatives starting with a complete review and redevelopment of the district’s digital learning plan. This redevelopment included a partnership with the Teaching and Learning Department to revamp professional development, replace personal learning technologies for students, expand the 1:1 personal learning devices access for 21,000 K-12 students, and implement a mobile internet hotspot program to ensure equitable internet access at home. In addition, during the pandemic, Padrnos provided district oversight and leadership to develop the district’s full-time centralized distance learning option for more than 5,000 students. He then led the development of 279Online, Osseo’s full-time certified online school for students K-12, which served 1,000 students in its first year.

Padrnos is an active member of MASA and was one of the original members of the MASA Technology Component Group. He served on the Federal Advocacy and Legislative Committees and is the chair-elect for the Legislative Policy Subcommittee. Padrnos has presented frequently at the MASA fall and spring conferences on a variety of topics, including leading in the digital age, cyber security for non-technical leaders, and technology legal issues.

Beyond MASA, Padrnos collaborated with technology leaders across the state after the TIES organization dissolved to form the Minnesota K-12 Technology Leaders Group. This group serves as a user group for all K-12 technology leaders across Minnesota to connect, collaborate, and exchange ideas to advance education through the use of technology. Padrnos co-chaired the group from 2018-2021 and organized monthly state meetings and technology leadership conferences during that time for the development of K-12 technology leaders.
Padrnos earned an Education Specialist in Educational Administration and a master's degree in Education from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. He received a bachelor's degree in Mathematics Education from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Each year, MASA recognizes members for their contribution to public education. MASA is a professional organization of Minnesota’s school leaders, including superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of special education, and other central office administrators, as well as state department administrators, college and university professors, and other educators throughout Minnesota dedicated to educational leadership for students.

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