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COSA is proud to offer its members a range of resources from scholarship and award opportunities to helpful guides for relevant issues administrators are dealing with every day. If you have a resource to share or have an idea about how COSA can continue to serve its members, we want to hear from you. Contact Nicole Harvey at nicole@cosa.k12.or.us

Legal & Contracts
Equity Toolkit
Awards
Scholarships
Jerome Colonna Mentorship Program
Resources and Newsletters

Legal & Contracts

Contract Review

COSA members often benefit from having COSA review their employment contracts with districts.  At a member's request, COSA staff will review employment contracts for individual administrators and provide recommendations.  Reviews analyze contract terms and provide recommendations on specific areas. Of late, potentially disadvantageous termination clauses have been an area of focus. To request a contract review, please contact Krista Parent.

Legal Assistance

Professional advice and legal services are available to all active COSA members on matters relating to their employment and professional assignments.

Additional legal assistance is available to members who belong to one of COSA’s national affiliates — the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), or the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Members seeking these services must contact the COSA Executive Director or his/her designee (503-581-3141).

What Assistance is Available?

  • Legal assistance from COSA’s attorney.  With the approval of the Executive Director or his/her designee, each COSA Active member is eligible for two hours of counsel with COSA’s attorney plus up to $1,000 of assistance from COSA’s attorney or an attorney approved by the COSA Executive Director.
  • Confidential counsel furnished by COSA staff or members identified by the COSA staff.

Legal Support Through National Associations

COSA members who belong to the following national associations are eligible for legal assistance (above that provided by COSA).

  • AASA -- One thousand dollars for each year of consecutive membership up to $10,000. ($700 deductible)
  • NAESP -- One thousand dollars for each year of consecutive membership up to $10,000. ($500 deductible)
  • NASSP -- One thousand dollars for each year of consecutive membership up to $10,000. ($500 deductible)

Procedure

  1. Call the Executive Director (503-581-3141) to discuss your need for professional assistance.  ALL CALLS ARE CONFIDENTIAL.
  2. Determine with COSA staff which type of assistance is appropriate/needed.
  3. COSA Executive Director or designee authorizes legal assistance or implements advice and counsel procedure.
  4. If legal assistance is needed and you are also a member of a national association, call the appropriate national organization:
    • AASA   (703) 875-0717
    • NAESP (703) 684-3345
    • NASSP (703) 860-0200

Communicating about Racial Equity

Awards

These annual COSA awards recognize outstanding administrators and programs. If you have a colleague you feel deserves recognition, please contact Nicole Harvey, nicole@cosa.k12.or.us

OASE Awards
  • Superintendent of the Year Program (SOY)
OASSA Awards
  • Principal of the Year (Middle and High School) (POY)
  • Assistant Principal of the Year (Middle and High School) (APOY)
OESPA Awards
  • Elementary Principal of the Year/National Distinguished Principal (Elementary and Middle School) (National Distinguished Principal Program)
OACOA Awards
  • Achievement of Excellence Award

COSA Scholarships

Each year COSA sponsors or assists in processing five $1,000 college scholarships.  These scholarships are given to Oregon seniors attending a 2- or 4-year college or university, trade or professional/technical school.   Applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2025. Results are announced in April. The following is a list of each of the five scholarships:

For the 2025 COSA Scholarship Information and Application CLICK HERE

  • California Casualty Partnership (2) 
  • Oregon Association of Latino Administrators (1) Given to deserving Latinx student
  • NWEA (Northwest Women in Educational Administration) (2) Given to young women entering the field of education

Each scholarship application must be signed and endorsed by an active COSA member, such as a principal, assistant principal, central office administrator or superintendent.

OASSA Scholarships

The Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA) awards two $1000 scholarships each year to graduating seniors from Oregon public high schools. The scholarships may be used for a 2- or 4-year college or university, trade or professional/technical school. These two scholarships are for a son, daughter or dependent child of an OASSA member.  Applications must be postmarked by March 16, 2025.

For the 2025 OASSA Scholarship Information and Application  CLICK HERE

OSSA Scholarships (Oregon Small Schools Association)

To download the 2025 OSSA Scholarship Application CLICK HERE
Applications must be received by April 5, 2025 and scholarship recipients will be notified by May 9, 2025.
Email application to Nicole Harvey (nicole@cosa.k12.or.us)

Jerome Colonna Mentorship Program

Supporting Early Career Superintendents

Superintendents are leaders of PreK-12 school districts throughout Oregon. Their roles and responsibilities are vast and varied, ranging from managing multi-million-dollar budgets to ensuring the safety of the staff and students in their care. Motivated by a passion to improve educational systems and achieve exceptional student outcomes, superintendents are crucial to the success of a school district. Every superintendent could benefit from the support of a coach or mentor, but in particular, those superintendents in the first few years of their career.

We need your help to ensure that mentorship is available to all who need it.

As a former, longtime Oregon superintendent, former member of the Oregon State Board of Education, and Retired member of COSA, Jerry dedicated his life to being an effective education leader and teaching other superintendents how to do the same. Before Jerry’s passing, he helped COSA establish the Jerry Colonna Mentor Support fund by providing a significant donation and matching others that contributed to the fund.

Before his passing, Jerry asked COSA to help keep his vision alive by providing support to early career superintendents through an in-depth Academy which includes a 24/7 mentor for every first or second-year superintendent in Oregon. Participants engage in deep professional learning and receive regular consultation from their mentor, content support on timely issues, crisis management consultation and assistance with strategic visioning and planning.

We must do much more to mentor those individuals who start out in the wonderful-but extremely demanding-calling of superintendent. The first few years present the greatest challenges, but also the greatest opportunities to help. Let’s keep Jerry’s legacy alive by contributing to this important effort.

Thank you on behalf of Jerry and his constant modeling of effective leadership over many decades.

Click here to make a donation.

Jerome Colonna Leadership Bio:
2006-07 COSA President
2001 Oregon Superintendent of the Year
University of Oregon Alumnus
Oregon Superintendent 1994-2011

Resources to Support You and Your District

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Family Mental Health Resources
COSA understands the need for barrier-free, robust mental health supports for students and families. Use the flier for more information on how to bring these resources to your own community.

 

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The Call to Courage: Standing Up and Speaking Out Against the Assaults on Democracy, Educators, and Students in America’s Schools was just released. Dr. Sheldon Berman and Luvelle Brown wrote this book to support all educators and parents, especially those whose schools are under threat for performing vital and meaningful work. The book’s message will help you reclaim the narrative of public education and carry on the essential initiatives that support the success of all students.

 

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