Larry Werder has been involved in education for most of his lifeóbetween starting out as a student and then becoming an educator.

ìIíd never really thought of it like that before,î he said as we talked about the award he is being presented at a statewide recognition ceremony to be held at the Minnesota Association of School Administrators Spring Conference on April 3-4 in Bloomington.

While he may not have thought of it that way, the fact remains that Werder has dedicated most of his life to being educated and educating others.

He has been named an Administrator of Excellence by MASA and will be honored for his leadership, concern for students and active involvement in professional and community affairs.

Werder has been the superintendent of Browerville Public School since 1986. He was also the superintendent at the Bertha-Hewitt School from 1993 until he retired in 2006.

ìI actually retired from both schools, but was hired back by Browerville as an interim superintendent,î said Werder.

He will be retiring again at the end of this school year.

Werderís achievements reflect his ability to lead important changes in the educational system.

In whatever area he has worked on in education, he has strived to provide the best possible educational programs for students.

ìWeíre going to miss him. He definitely knows how to run a school,î said Joan Schueller, administrative secretary at the Browerville School.

Bertha-Hewitt Superintendent and Werderís successor, Bob Sieling, was the one who nominated Werder for the honor.

An active MASA member for 22 years, Werder has served on both the nominating and member services committees. He has served as the supervising superintendent for the Freshwater Education District Special Education Cooperative and served on the Service Cooperative Risk Management Pool Board of Directors for 20 years, the last 15 as its president.

Werder is also an active member of his community. He is a member of the Lions Club, was on the Lakewood Health Foundation Board of Directors, and has served the Minnesota State High School League in a number of capacities. Werder holds a Sixth Year Certificate in education administration from St. Cloud State University, a masterís degree in counseling from Bemidji State University, and a bachelorís degree in history and psychology from Concordia College.

ìI donít look for awards [for doing my job], but this is an honor because it comes from my peers. I will gladly accept this award on behalf of the school.

ìThis award represents a lifetime award, at least to me. The experiences I had in both districts contributed to my receiving this award. 
ìI am the beneficiary of two fantastic districts. It is really an award to both districts, not just me,î said Werder.

Each year, MASA recognizes members for their contribution to public education. MASA is a professional organization of Minnesotaís school leaders, including superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of special education, and other central office administrators, as well as state department administrators, college, and university professors, and other educators throughout Minnesota dedicated to educational leadership for students.

Werder said that MASA is also a strong advocate for education in Minnesota.