MOASPA History

In the mid-1970's Dr. Bob Reifschneider, Director of Educational Placement at University of Missouri, Columbia formed a group of school personnel directors and university placement officials around the State. The group of about ten to twenty met yearly at the Holiday Inn at Lake of the Ozarks to discuss common issues related to school personnel and teacher placement. By all accounts, meetings were informal and brief and the major benefit was socializing with other personnel and university directors across the state. It was an important first step for the  Association, and the element of networking with others continues to be a critical component of MOASPA. Dr. Reifschneider, the founder of the group passed away in 2010.

In the mid 1980's the group became more organized and the state-wide conference began to have more specific purpose and provided more presentations on topics that were relevant and crticial to the members. At the same time, a golf tournament was organized and proceeds supported the Gene Huff Scholarship Foundation. In 1996 the conference moved to Lodge of the Four Seasons. As the organization grew during the 1980's and 1990's, there came to be as many as 75 professionals attending the state conference. Although local meetings in Kansas City and St. Louis may have actually preceeded the state meetings in the 1970's, their popularity grew in the 1980's and are strong entities today. 

In 1997, Doug Hatridge began formally leading the organzation and recommended that there be an executive director to organize the state conference. He named Paul Drury as such and Paul served in that capacity with the dream of growing the organization. As more and more districts and universities became involved in MOASPA, the organization found formal structure beteween 2010 and 2015 when MOASPA became a 501c3 with a full board of directors, a formalized budgeting process, biannual board meetings and membership in SHRM and HRCI. In 2016 MOASPA began coordinating with MoASBO in their annual state conference and also initiated a presence in regional MASA meetings in order to build a network with superintendents in all Missouri districts. In 2020, MOASPA has over 150 members who meet annually for the state conference and who exchange information in person and online regularly throughout the year. In addition, MOASPA has four regional organizations in Kansas City, Jefferson City, St. Louis and Springfield who meet on a regular basis throughout the year for support and professional learning. MOASPA is also a member of School Administratros Coalition, serves on the MACCE advisory board (DESE) and continues to work with MoASBO and AASPA to provide conference presentations.