Lock elected to statewide superintendents’ board
Special to Long Beach Breeze
Long Beach School District Superintendent Dr. Talia Lock has been elected to the Mississippi Association of School Superintendents’ (MASS) board of directors. MASS recently approved a new slate of leaders during its summer convention.
With a nineteen-year career invested in public education, Lock will work with fellow directors to build a world-class education system for Mississippi by ensuring that education leaders statewide have access to high-quality, state-of-the-art training and professional development programs.
Celebrating its 55th anniversary, MASS is a nationally-recognized coalition that provides training and mentoring programs for educators throughout Mississippi while advocating for improved public schools. By appointing board members from school districts statewide, MASS ensures that all regions are represented and have a voice in shaping the future of public education in Mississippi.
The board also ensures that MASS remains a strong voice for Mississippi’s public schools through awareness, advocacy and engagement efforts with members of the State Legislature, the Mississippi Department of Education and other groups.
“Dr. Lock’s leadership and expertise are critical in our vision to build a top-tier education system to move Mississippi forward,” said Dr. Phil Burchfield, executive director of MASS. “Our board represents experienced leaders who understand the challenges facing our school districts and the best path forward to improve public schools in Mississippi.”
Board members meet routinely and participate in networking, training and mentoring activities year-round. By proactively engaging with elected officials and policymakers, MASS leaders ensure that the statewide education community has input into legislation that impacts public schools.
Through outreach and coalition-building efforts, MASS has successfully advocated for higher teacher pay, stronger certification standards, improved hiring and recruiting practices, and other strategies to strengthen Mississippi’s teacher workforce.
“MASS has accomplished much since its founding in 1969, and I am honored to support the association’s legacy of service,” said Lock. “There’s a brighter future ahead for Mississippi when we work together to improve public education, and that’s our mission at MASS.”
The Mississippi Association of School Superintendents and the Alliance of Educational Leaders of Mississippi is a non-profit association whose membership is made up of one hundred thirty-nine public school superintendents and more than two thousand public school administrators. Its mission is to provide resources, advocacy, leadership, policy information, training, support, renewal and public relations services that improve the quality of public education.
