Dr. Jana Hennen-Burr, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for Elk River Area School District, has been named an Outstanding Central Office Leader by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA).
Dr. Hennen-Burr will be honored for exhibiting a willingness to risk, possessing strong communications skills, being a progressive change agent and having high expectations for self and others at a statewide recognition ceremony to be held at the MASA/MASE Spring Conference, March 12-13, 2015, at the Minneapolis Marriott Northwest in Brooklyn Park.
Dr. Hennen-Burr has demonstrated exemplary professional and organizational leadership. Under her leadership, district test scores have shown steady improvement, narrowing the achievement gap. Dr. Hennen-Burr’s dedication and perseverance has lead to the implementation of all-day kindergarten, online learning options, College in the Schools and AVID, Professional Learning Communities (PLC), and two STEM magnet schools. As an advocate of personal development and professional growth, Dr. Hennen-Burr supports her educational leaders through conversations and dialogues during principal meetings, clustered strategic planning, and quality training for successful implementation and sustainability of initiatives.
In a letter of nomination for Dr. Hennen-Burr, Elk River Area School District Superintendent Mark Bezek wrote, “Jana is well-respected and well-known within the Elk River Schools community. She is optimistic, has an innate sense of purpose, a natural ability to lead, and a heartfelt commitment to education.”
Dr. Hennen-Burr has served the Elk River Area School District for nearly twenty years. Dr. Hennen-Burr’s holds a doctorate in education from Hamline University, a master’s degree in special education, a superintendent license, and a bachelor’s degree in special education from St. Cloud State University.
Each year, MASA recognizes members for their contribution to public education. MASA is a professional organization of Minnesota’s school leaders whose members include over 900 public education and non-public superintendents, directors of special education, curriculum and technology leaders, other central office administrators, service providers, business partners and retirees.