MAESP • Online Professional Learning
The Path to Gold Star Recognition
Practical Advice from Missouri’s 2026 Award Recipients
DateNovember 17, 2026
TimeNoon–12:45 p.m.
LocationZoom
Member BenefitFree to MAESP members
Is your school ready to be a NAESP National Gold Star School?
NAESP’s National Gold Star School® (NGSS) program recognizes outstanding elementary and middle-level schools where learning communities work collaboratively to grow and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement of performance.
Join MAESP and Missouri’s 2026 National Gold Star School award recipients, Karen Capen (Ozark) and Mitch Hiser (Liberty), to learn what it takes to pursue this national recognition.
Karen and Mitch will share their experiences with the application process, offering practical tips to help you recognize how your school’s culture, leadership, and systems may already reflect the award criteria.
What you’ll explore
- Understanding the program’s three pillars
- Gathering meaningful evidence of your school’s work
- Selecting artifacts that demonstrate your impact
- Securing reference letters
- Telling your school’s story with clarity and purpose
NAESP’s National Gold Star School® Eligibility
- The school’s nominating principal or assistant principal must be a current member of NAESP at the time of nomination and maintain membership through the school’s NAESP recognition event.
- The school’s principal must have completed a minimum of five years’ experience as a lead principal and have served at the applying school for the previous three full school years.
- Nominated schools must be in good standing with all local, state, and federal ordinances.
- Nominated schools must demonstrate evidence of outstanding practices supporting the three pillars of NGSS.
- Anyone currently holding a position on the NAESP Board of Directors or the NGSS Advisory Committee is ineligible to apply while in that role.
- Honored NGSSs may not apply again for five years after receiving the award.