MAPLE’s Roles

As part of our Advocacy role, we have hosted an annual conference for South Dakota educators with the help of a variety of conference partners. We are currently planning for our 20th annual Systems Change Conference scheduled for October 9-11, 2019 in Chamberlain, SD

MAPLE has also provided professional development to educators in our role as Service Provider. In past years, we have provided Principal Academies and a variety of NASSP leadership development programs for school leaders and leadership teams in South Dakota. We continue to conduct an annual Aspiring School Leaders Program in conjunction with the South Dakota Department of Education and the School Administrators of South Dakota, both of which are partners in our alliance.

In relation to the role of Research and Development, MAPLE has assisted K-12 schools with understanding and utilizing student achievement data to improve student learning. Especially in the early days of NCLB, MAPLE was instrumental in conducting data retreats and teaching schools processes so they could conduct their own.

The MAPLE Board meets three to four times a year and these meetings serve as a cornerstone of our Clearinghouse role. By engaging in dialogue around educational issues as well as sharing organizational updates with each other, members of the alliance have come to value these meetings as a safe forum to exchange information, opportunities, and challenges.