Maine Principals' Association

Maine Principals' Association
Abbreviation	MPA
Formation	1927
Type	Volunteer; NPO
Legal status	Association
Purpose/focus	Athletic/Educational
Headquarters	50 Industrial Dr. Augusta, ME 04338
Region served	Maine
Membership	153 high schools
Official languages	English
Executive Director	Richard A. Durost
Affiliations	National Federation of State High School Associations
Staff	12
Website	mpa.cc
Remarks	[phone]

The Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) is the governing body for sports competitions among all public and some private high schools in the state of Maine. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. The MPA offices are located in Augusta.

History

First established in 1927 as the State Principals' Association, it became the Maine Principals' Association in 1992 as a result of a merger between the Maine Secondary School Principals' Association (est. 1951) and the Maine Elementary Principals' Association (est. 1975).

Athletic Classifications

Schools competing under the MPA are grouped into (at most) four classes, with different enrollment cutoffs for each sport (Broken down by season)[1]:

Fall

Sport	Class A	Class B	Class C	Class D
Cross Country	760 & up	450-759	0-449
Field Hockey	775 & up	440-774	0-439
Football	775 & up	535-774	0-534
Golf	700 & up	375-699	0-374
Soccer	725 & up	400-724	200-399	0-199
Volleyball	475 & up	0-474

Winter

Sport	Class A	Class B	Class C	Class D
Basketball	735 & up	400-724	200-399	0-199
Cheerleading	735 & up	400-724	200-399	0-199
Drama	550 & up	0-549
Boys'ice hockey	850 & up	0-849
Girls'ice hockey	Only One Class
Skiing	675 & up	500-674	0-499
Swimming	785 & up	0-784
Indoor Track	800 & up	0-799
Wrestling	715 & up	485-714	0-484

Spring

Sport	Class A	Class B	Class C	Class D
Baseball	735 & up	400-724	200-399	0-199
Lacrosse	830 & up	0-829
Softball	735 & up	400-724	200-399	0-199
Tennis	720 & up	400-419	0-399
Outdoor Track	800 & up	500-799	0-499

Schools are reclassified every two years. The classification thresholds are currently being adjusted and would go into effect for the fall 2009 sports season. A school may petition the Association to play in a class above or below its enrollment figure. Currently, most sports are split into "Eastern" and" "Western" divisions. Championships are played at several locations around the state including Fitzpatrick Stadium (football) and basketball championships between the Bangor Auditorium, Augusta Civic Center), the Portland Exposition Building and the Cumberland County Civic Center depending on class and geographical division. The MPA using a mathematical system called heal points to determine tournament standings, the latest heal points and an explanation on how to determine the points can be found here. Currently basketball, soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse and tennis are the only sports to have separate male and female teams, baseball is male only and softball is female only. Girls ice hockey became a sanctioned sport as of the winter 2008 season. [2]

Responsibilities other than athletic

The MPA also includes Debate, Drama, Music, National Honor Society, Science Fair, Speech and Student Council as their responsibilities. In addition to interscholastic events, the MPA offers a "Professional Division", which provides opportunities for education and professional advancement for elementary, middle/junior high and high school principals, assistant principals, technical education center directors, assistant directors and other administrators who function primarily as building principals or assistant principals.

External links

• Official site