MSHSL News Update: March 22, 2023: https://www.smore.com/a6htpb-mshsl-news?ref=email-content#w-2489237776 Topics: Winter into Spring Together We Make a Difference 23-24 MSHSL Foundation Form B1 and Form B2 Competitive Section Placement Update National High School Hall of Fame’s class of 2023
MSHSL December 1, 2022, Board Meeting InformationThe Minnesota State High School League's Board of Directors will meet on Thursday, December 1, 2022.The agenda will be posted here by the end of the week. Adoption of Programs Task ForceThe Adoption of Programs Task Force, called by the Board of Directors in June of 2022, has further developed the description, application and process for adding activities through an Emerging Status Process. A final draft will be presented to the Board of Directors at its December 1 board meeting for recommended approval. This task force has done excellent work in meeting its purpose of establishing a more clear and data-based approach to adding activities.
With the anticipation of the passage of the Emerging Status Process, it is likely that the Board will consider moving to approve Boys Volleyball for emerging status at the same meeting. Boys Volleyball is currently operating under the direction of the MN Boys Volleyball Association for the current year with approximately 70 teams registered this year. If emerging status is approved, it is likely to be for the 2023-2024 school year. Emerging status would mean that Boys Volleyball would operate for one more year with the season in the spring and the season-ending competition to be operated according to its current rules. It would mean that the teams would register with the MSHSL and students would be held to the eligibility rules the same as other programs. The Board would also have the opportunity to assemble a group to review the most appropriate season for Boys Volleyball to be placed when it comes into full interscholastic status.
Given that emerging status is a part of the Representative Assembly process for adding programs, the proposal for Boys Volleyball to be approved by the Representative Assembly would also be considered an application for emerging status. Therefore, no additional action by the authors of the Representative Assembly proposal would be needed at this time. “Together We Make a Difference” Statewide EventThe seven partner organizations that have called Forbes Solutions to provide regional meetings have also engaged with them to put on the statewide event. Due to the need to obtain funding and the many planning aspects as well as the pre-event activations, it is looking like the event will take place shortly after the turn of the calendar. This provides for effective planning and providing time for our schools to engage with students in planning to attend. Our focus right now is on a school that would have an open building on Friday, January 13. This is the Friday prior to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.MSHSL FoundationFoundation Form AThank you to the 315 schools that submitted an MSHSL Foundation Form A Grant Application. This past September, the MSHSL Foundation Board approved the designation of $700,000 to be allocated to member schools through the Form A Grant process. This process allocates funds based on the unduplicated number of participants who qualify for educational benefits and must be designated to reduce financial barriers to student participation.
On November 8, 2022, the MSHSL Foundation Board approved the Form A Grant Requests. Schools with completed Form A applications and a school board authorization will be receiving their pro-rated allocation. These checks will be mailed during the week of November 28. MSHSL Foundation Form B1 and Form B2The MSHSL Foundation’s Board of Directors also approved a process where schools can apply for transportation reimbursement for the seven regional meetings if they choose. This process has been determined to be Form B1. They approved $25,000 toward this cost and approved $300,000 for Form B2 grants that would be awarded according to the current language for Form B grants. The application forms for both Form B1and B2 will be available next week. The grant requests are due from member schools on January 20 and the remainder of the Form B2 grants will be due on February 15.
MSHSL October 6, 2022, Board Meeting InformationThe Minnesota State High School League's Board of Directors met today. Below is information from the meeting.
Together We Make a DifferenceWhat is Together We Make a Difference? Educational leadership organizations from across the state have committed their support to an action plan that is designed to provide the opportunity for all students to attend school, learn and participate, in safe and respectful environments free from racial, gender and religious harm. The Together initiative is based upon the foundational belief that student participation and elevating their voices in this work is paramount to its success.
What Has Happened? Nearly 1,500 high school students representing 150 MSHSL member schools have attended one of seven regional World Cafés as part of the Together We Make a Difference initiative. Students who attended a regional event participate in activities and/or athletics, are leaders or emerging leaders in their school communities and desire to be a catalyst for positive change. At the World Café regional events, students from different schools engaged with each other and had robust conversations that focused on building camaraderie, removing barriers, and holding themselves and others accountable to high standards of conduct and respect for all.
What Is Next? Students who attended a regional Together We Make a Difference event will be invited to a State Conference to be held in late November/early December in the Twin Cities Metro area. The state conference will be a time when students will analyze and synthesize the data gathered from the regional meetings. The conversations and information created at the state conference will be shared with the sponsoring education associations and partners to be used to formulate a new path forward. MSHSL FoundationOn September 22, 2022, the MSHSL Foundation Board approved the designation of $700,000 to be allocated through the Form A Grant process. The Form A Grant process allocates funds to schools based on the unduplicated number of participants who qualify for educational benefits including free and reduced meals. Activities Administrators have been informed of the process for Form A and are encouraged to complete the MSHSL Foundation Grant A Application and Resolution at this time. Visit mshslfoundation.org for grant application forms and instructions.
Information for Form B will be communicated in mid to late November.
Student Advisory and Leadership Team (SALT) Applications SoughtThe Minnesota State High School League is excited to launch a student advisory and leadership opportunity for juniors and seniors in Minnesota
SALT, the Student Advisory and Leadership Team, will be comprised of up to 20 juniors and seniors from across Minnesota. Activities Directors, we need your help in identifying students who could have a positive impact on this team.
The purposes of SALT are:
Provide student input to League staff and the MSHSL Board of Directors
Communicate needs and challenges facing today’s student participants
Identify best practices for coaches and advisors
Develop leadership skills in Team members
Inspire thoughtful, student-led action that supports the purpose and desired outcomes of the Student Advisory and Leadership Team
Students will complete an online application and you or an administrator from your school will provide a short reference.
Please direct students that match the criteria to this web page.
Connect, the Minnesota State High School League’s monthly online news magazine, will have a slightly different look beginning with the 2022-2023 school year.
While the same great content of Connect is still available each month, the distribution date of the online publication will shift from the first Monday of each month to the final Thursday of each month. This rebranding allows all content to be published on the League’s website in a timely manner throughout the month. If you missed any of that content, it will be available in a monthly wrap-up edition of Connect.
Officiating is one of the primary topics that will take center stage each month during the school year. Look for features, news, interviews and even you-make-the-call types of quizzes. The League is also launching a new tagline during its officials’ recruiting and retaining initiatives: The Game is Calling: Become an Official.
The League looks forward to another year of providing features, news and other information to the Member Schools and their communities via the News portion of the website and the new-look Connect.
MSHSL News: August 24, 2022 Together We Make a Difference | Student Registration InformationPlease see the linked document for information and registration for the upcoming "Together We Make a Difference" regional meetings.
The regional meetings will utilize the World Café process and are designed to engage students and elevate their voice with the goal of creating safe, supportive school environments in which to learn and participate in activities.
The following organizations are proud to partner and support this work:
Minnesota State High School League, Erich Martens, Executive Director
Minnesota Association of School Administrators, Deb Henton, Executive Director
Minnesota School Boards Association, Kirk Schneidawind, Executive Director
Association of Metropolitan School Districts, Scott Croonquist, Executive Director
Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, Bob Driver, Executive Director
Minnesota Interscholastic Activities Administrator Association, Dan Johnson, Executive Director
Minnesota High School Coaches Association, Rick Ringheisen, Executive Director
Minnesota Rural Education Association, Bob Indihar, Executive Director
Minnesota Elementary School Principals Association, Jon Millerhagen, Executive Director
Minnesota Administrators for Special Education, Erin Toninato, Executive Director
Schools for Equity in Education, Brad Lundell, Executive Director
Together We Will Make a Difference
MSHSL News: June 7, 2022 MSHSL Board of Director's Meeting 6/7/22 The MSHSL Board of Directors met today for its final meeting of the 2022-2023 school year. More information from the meeting can be found here:
MSHSL Connect The June issue of Connect is now available.
MSHSL News: May 24, 2022 MSHSL Sports Medicine Advisory Committee Request for Member School Survey Participation We are asking for your assistance in obtaining self-reported information from the families of student-athletes in your school who have had COVID-19 in the past two years to provide information about the effects of long COVID.
The MSHSL continues its partnership with our members of the MSHSL Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and the organizations of its members. Recently, we were approached by Dr. Bill Roberts and his team of researchers at the University of Minnesota in seeking to learn more about the impacts and symptoms of long COVID-19 on high school-aged students.
This research has been vetted and approved by the University of Minnesota's Institutional Review Board.
We are requesting that you:
Use this letter and personalize it for your school and with your signature and send it out to parents of students in your athletic programs this week.
On Tuesday, May 31, the League send a link to you to provide the form that families will be able to complete and submit on their own. At that time, please follow up by distributing the link to be able to have parents complete the form.
We appreciate your assistance in obtaining this critical data as we continue to work together to keep our students safe within their chosen activities.
MSHSL News: May 9, 2022 Required Annual Tasks for Member Schools Four annual tasks for MSHSL Member Schools are now available to complete.
#1 Resolution for Membership - This includes a resolution adopted by your school's governing board. Due July 31, 2022. (This information is available on the Membership page for superintendents/heads of school etc.)
#2 Activity Registration - This includes all of your school's activities for the upcoming year. Each school in a co-op must register for the activity. Due May 27, 2022. This is completed by ADs.
#3 Participation Numbers - All member schools should submit participation numbers for the 2021-2022 year. This is completed by ADs with assistance from others within each school as needed. Due May 27, 2022.
#4 Supply Order - Order fall supply order items. Due July 15, 2022. This is completed by ADs.
School Membership fees for 2022-2023 Initial membership fees for 2022-2023 are as follows:
$100 per school membership fee
$160 per activity fee
$4.60 per student fee
The MSHSL Board will set final membership fees for schools at their August meeting. Schools will be invoiced in August.