AP Sarah Wasilk Leads with Communication, Coaching & Culture Building
Taking on five preps as a new teacher at Clarkston Junior High more than two decades ago may have prepared Assistant Principal Sarah Wasilk to take on the simultaneous challenges and responsibilities she’s faced there every day for nearly a decade as a middle level administrator. Early in her teaching career Sarah earned a Masters in Administration and started working in the office on her conference hour. Spending time with students individually…
Principal Pulse Check | We asked: What is one strategy you’re using to build positive staff culture as the school year kicks off?
Tomorrow is drive your tractor to school, so we are all wearing flannels and boots! As a Capturing Kids Hearts school, we start each meeting with "Good Things" so that people can share their wins, whether in school, home, family, etc. Builds a great sense of community, and allows us to celebrate each other. Monitoring enforcement of revised electronic device policy. Teachers see it and know we are all in this together.…
Leadership in Motion | Early Wins, Lasting Momentum: Shifting from Hustle to Leverage for a Strong, Sustainable Start to the Year
Opening Reflection August is already in the rearview mirror. The welcome-back breakfasts are finished, the to-do lists checked off, the PD slides clicked through. What remains now is something more enduring. The first-week buzz is settling (or already has), and the rhythm of the real work is taking hold. By now, you’ve answered a thousand questions, reset expectations, and reminded yourself once again that you can’t do it all. But here’s the…
MDE Announces New State Superintendent of Public Instruction, MASSP Executive Director and Members React
As reported last week by the Michigan Department of Education, Dr. Glenn M. Maleyko has been selected to be Michigan’s next state superintendent. As the current superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools, he works directly with many MASSP members and served on an EdCon panel in 2024. MASSP Executive Director Wendy Zdeb said she could not be happier with the State Board of Education's decision to name Dr. Maleyko as our next Superintendent…
QUICK TIPS September 2025 | School is in Session
Whether you've already had students in your buildings this week or the focus has been on working with your staff to prepare for the year ahead, September is the month when school is fully back in session. Let your Board of Directors help you focus on what needs to be done next month with your September Quick Tips. Todd Distelrath, Principal, Chippewa Valley High School Make sure that all 504 and IEP…
Card Board Cups Can Lead to Lifetime of Leadership
With collections of small cardboard pieces and strips of masking tape ripped in various lengths on the ground between them, pairs of campers sat on the grass outside Vulgamore Hall on the Albion College campus – each with one partner blindfolded and the other with their hands behind their backs. The students who could see provided verbal directions to their blindfolded partners, instructing them to pick up specific pieces of torn cardboard…
QUICK TIPS | Administrative Assistant 2025
Have you calibrated with your administrative assistant for the start of the new school year? Please check out the Quick Tips your Board of Directors prepared to help the start of the year be smooth and easy in your office. Edmund Boell IV, Principal, Carrollton High School Create a “Day At-a-Glance” – Ask your assistant to print or share a daily agenda with meeting notes, room numbers and who’s attending. Maintain a…
QUICK TIPS | 90-Day Plan 2025
Whether you're stepping into the principal’s office for the first time or returning with years of experience under your belt, the start of a school year brings a flurry of tasks, expectations, and relationships to manage. Valerie Boggan, Principal, Kalamazoo Central High School Take intentional walks through your building with a variety of people—custodians, counselors, teachers, even students. As you walk, ask questions that stir vision: "What happens in this space?" "Does…
QUICK TIPS | First Day of School 2025
The first day of school sets the tone for the school year. Students opening lockers, finding someone to sit with in the lunch room, new teachers and students, etc. Overcommunicating these items before and throughout the first day will help students, staff, and parents feel comfortable and prepared. Jason Messenger, Principal, Portage West Middle School For middle school students, the first day—and especially their locker—is a huge deal. To ease nerves and…
AUGUST QUICK TIPS 2025 | Here We Go Again
Whether you're a new administrator or have years of experience, going back to school is a cycle you've been on since you were five. Your Board of Directors is here to provide you some friendly reminders about how to prepare for a great start to the school year. Jeffrey Dykhouse, Principal, East Grand Rapids Middle School Connect with your PTO in August to build a plan for how your parent organization can…