A Short History of K.A.M.S.A

by Chuck Golladay and John Sanborn

The   Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators, or K.A.M.S.A., was founded in 1987 by a group of middle school principals who felt the need to have some camaraderie with administrators who work with 5th through 9th graders. The person who is given credit for starting the "grassroot" organization is Mike Hall, principal of Atwood Middle School, Atwood, Kansas. In September of 1987, Mike sent out a letter to all middle school principals inquiring if there was any interest in a state organization. The first annual meething and constitutional convention was held at Salina South Junior Hight School in Salina, Kansas, on December 11 and 12, 1987. It was at this meeting that the organizational structure was drafted and a Board of Directors was established. At that time the organization was called K.A.M.S.P., or Kansas Association of Middle School Principals. The first Board of Directors met on January 27, 1988, during the U.S.A. Convention in Wichita, Kansas.

Among the early K.A.M.S.A. pioneers who helped Mike Hall establish this organization were Bob Overstreet, Jeff West Middle School, Ozawakie; Monica Davenport, Atchison County-Effingham; Steve Wycoff, Rose Hill Middle School; Francis Karlin, Colby Middle School; Bill Swendson, Herington Middle School and Terry Duntz, Sabetha Middle School.

In the first couple of years, the infant organization had to fight an uphill battle to be recognized by the other well established organizations in the state, such as the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals (K.A.S.S.P.), the Kansas Association of Elementary School Principals (K.A.E.S.P.) and the Kansas Association of Middle Level Educators (K.A.M.L.E.). Understandably this new organization did raise some well founded concerns among the established organizations. There were concerns that K.A.M.S.A., would steal members from their membership rolls, thus weakening their organizations. Others voiced the opinion that middle level administrators' needs were already being met in the K.A.S.S.P., K.A.E.S.P., and K.A.M.L.E.

In May, 1990, U.S.A. (United School Administrators of Kansas) welcomed K.A.M.S.A., as the ninth association to join the umbrella organization. A lot of credit should go to Monica Davenport for her tireless work to help bring about the recognition of K.A.M.S.A. by U.S.A. Since then the organization is continuing to grow as a viable fraternity of school administrators who share a unique set of challenges. At present, K. A. M.S.A. has over 144 members.

In the fall of 1992, K.A.M.S.A. instituted the K.A.M.S.A. Principal of the Year Award. The purpose of the award is to recognize a middle school principal who exemplifies the standards of excellence expected in a Middle School Principal. Candidates for the award are nominated by their middle school peers. A committee, appointed by the President, select the winner. In January, 1994, at the United School Administrators Convention at Wichita, Kansas, Terry Duntz, Sabetha Middle School, became the first recipient of the K.A.M.S.A. Principal of the Year Award. In 1998, K.A.M.S.A. began recognizing Middle School Assistant Principals. The first recipient of the K.A.M.S.A. Assistant Principal of the Year Award was Don Krouse, Paola Middle School.

K.A.M.S.A. PRESIDENTS

·         1988-89 Monica Davenport

·         1989-90 Monica Davenport

·         1990-91 Francis Karlin

·         1991-92 Sue Thompson

·         1992-93 Charlie Bray

·         1993-94 Bob McVicker

·         1994-95 Jerry Pittman

·         1995-96 Chuck Golloday

·         1996-97 Robb Ross

·         1997-98 Marietta Gray

·         1998-99 Rich Shaffer

·         1999-00 John Sanborn

·         2000-01 Don Krouse

·         2001-02 Rick Riffel

·         2002-03 Tod Gordon

·         2003-04 Dave Novack

<< 2004-05 Sue Givens

K.A.M.S.A. PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR

·         1993-94 Terry Duntz
Sabetha Middle School
 

·         1994-95 Steve Woolf
Ottawa Middle School
 

·         1995-96 Bill Scott
Burlington Middle School
 

·         1996-97 Dick McCall
Pratt-Liberty Middle School
 

·         Bob Wilson
Pittsburg Middle School
 

·         1997-98 Curtis Beer
Liberal South Middle School
 

·         1998-99 Lola Lowen
Ell-Saline Jr./Sr. High School
 

·         1999-00 Steve Fleer
Spring Hill Middle School
 

·         2000-01 Ray Tucker
Salina South Middle School
 

·         2001-02 John Sanborn
Chapman Middle School
 

·         2002-03 Barbara Albright
Fort Scott Middle School

K.A.M.S.A. VICE PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR

·         1998-99 Don Krouse
Paola Middle School
 

·         1999-00 Sid Tanner
Liberal South Middle School
 

·         2000-01 Tim Kuhn
Liberty Middle School - Pratt

·         2001-02 Kenny Kellstadt
Anderson County Jr. High
 

·         2002-03 Dan Welch
Osawatomie Middle School