ABOVE: Dr. Sarah Mittelstadt

FAIRMONT– Dr. Sarah Mittelstadt, executive director of Southern Plains Education Cooperative (SPEC), has been selected as the 2023 Special Education Administrator of the Year by the Minnesota Administrators for Special Education (MASE); a professional association of special education administrators across the state.

Southern Plains Education Cooperative is a joint powers organization which facilitates and provides special education for five member school districts across south central Minnesota. Its membership is made up of the Fairmont Area, Blue Earth Area , Granada Huntley East Chain, Martin County West and United South Central School districts. It works with roughly 100 staff members and serves 800 special education students.

When she first heard about receiving the award, Mittelstadt said she was surprised.

“(I felt) incredibly humble and very much like I don’t deserve it; it’s the work of all the people around me that gets things done. I get to work with a lot of really great people,” said Mittelstadt.

Mittelstadt said the staff members she works with at both SPEC and at member districts have been crucial in accomplishing the organization’s goals.

“I am honored to work with … a phenomenal group of staff that go far above and beyond, and have a real passion to meet the needs of every student … they do an amazing job,” said Mittelstadt.

At SPEC Mittelstadt helps manage the cooperative’s day to day operations and ensures it’s compliant with state and federal standards while also serving as special education director for its member districts.

A press release from MASE stated Mittelstadt had demonstrated exceptional skill and creative problem solving as SPEC director.

“Sarah has set an example of how to give back and serve others in the field through her dedicated professional organization involvement. She is highly regarded by her MASE colleagues and other educational leaders across the state for her leadership and service,” said MASE President, Jamie Nord.

During Mittelstadt’s tenure, SPEC purchased and renovated the former Lincoln Elementary School in Fairmont and converted it into Arise Academy, a school for students with disabilities. The $11 million project was completed $750,000 under budget.

Currently Mittelstadt and SPEC are working on implementing restorative practices at member districts. These are designed to improve student behavior while also not negatively impacting their education by focusing on the relationships between students, their teachers and their peers.

Previously Mittelstadt was president of MASE and served as a regional representative for south central Minnesota. During the COVID-19 pandemic she helped develop a biweekly program for members to discuss resources, strategies and other ideas. Around 100 special education administrators from across the state attend a typical session. She’s currently chair of the committee which organizes the sessions.

“We initially planned to do it for a couple of months to get through the pandemic, and it’s still very active. That’s something I’ve remained involved in because it’s a great example of working together and it’s been so incredibly helpful for me to find more efficiency and better ways for us to work together,” said Mittelstadt.

Mittelstadt holds a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, a Sixth Year Degree in Educational Administration, as well as a master’s and bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from Saint Cloud State University. She’s scheduled to be recognized for her accomplishments at MASE’s Spring Conference on March 9-10.