The Mendon-Upton Regional School District is pleased to announce that the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (M.A.S.S.) has honored Superintendent Maureen Cohen with its President’s Award for her continuous commitment to its professional development programs.

Cohen has been an integral part of Assistant Superintendent program initiatives at M.A.S.S. for several years, collaborating with other superintendents to increase program opportunities. She is a co-leader of the Assistant Superintendent Mentor Program, a growing support network for assistant superintendent mentors and new members.

“Maureen is a doer. In whatever position she holds, Maureen is always looking to contribute in some meaningful way,” said Dianne Kelley, M.A.S.S. President and Superintendent of Revere Public Schools. “She is widely respected by her colleagues. Her intellect, sense of humor, breadth of experience and activist approach to address education policy and conditions which serve in the best interest of children is a hallmark of her leadership.”

Cohen has contributed to numerous M.A.S.S. initiatives, serving on the M.A.S.S. Professional Development Committee, the M.A.S.S. Women’s Educational Leadership Network, and the Worcester and Tri-County Roundtables. She has presented to the M.A.S.S. Executive Institute and Massachusetts Association of School Committees/Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Joint Conference on numerous educational topics.

She also has served on the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation, Blackstone Valley Superintendents Consortium, Massachusetts School Administrators' Association Board of Directors, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Tournament Committee.

She was named M.A.S.S. Assistant Principal of the Year in 2012, and was named a finalist for Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary Schools Principals.

Cohen came to Mendon-Upton in 2013 as Director of Curriculum, and served as Assistant Superintendent before being selected as Superintendent in 2021.

“Thank you to M.A.S.S.,” Cohen said. “I’m proud of the work we have done to support Assistant Superintendents through the mentor program and appreciative of M.A.S.S. for supporting the development of our new assistant superintendents. It has been so rewarding to see the growth of the program and the positive impact on so many of our districts.”

The President’s Award is given annually to member superintendents for outstanding service to public education and the Association. Presentations were made during the M.A.S.S. Spring Conference in Marlborough on May 25. M.A.S.S. also presented President’s Awards to Billerica Superintendent Tim Piwowar, Medfield Superintendent Jeffrey Marsden, and Springfield Superintendent Daniel Warwick.