Three Generations of Ojibwe Women Helped Make the Path to the Principalship for Kate VanHouten
Growing up as Majiikwewis (an eldest daughter) on the Bay Mills Indian Community in the Upper Peninsula, Lake Fenton High School Principal Kate VanHouten was in only the second generation of indigenous people to attend a Brimley area public school off of the reservation. They did not offer Ojibwe culture classes or language classes there. “Most of my education for my culture came from my mother and my community, my tribe,” she…
Don’t Forget About Your Child Find Requirements
With the school year well underway, principals must continue to be cognizant of their special education and Section 504 obligations to students. Although many of these requirements are handled by special education staff or your school’s Section 504 Coordinator, all administrators must remember the school’s child find obligations. As the school year progresses, principals already have a lot on their plate. It is imperative, however, that you – and all staff –…
Defining What’s Next for the Principalship
(listen to this article; recorded with AI-generated AudioRead) I enjoy making up my own words. Not like my mother enjoys making up lyrics to songs when she doesn't know the words – although I admittedly do enjoy doing that on occasion too, and not like Lewis Carroll with his “portmanteaus” (words smashed together to make new words, like “smog” for example), but making up my own words to describe things. Defining the…
QUICK TIPS DECEMBER | Dealer’s Choice
It is important to keep things moving forward as we near the mid-point of the school year. Sometimes it's the little things that can make a difference in how your day, week or month goes. MASSP Board of Directors share some keys to their success related to the holidays, approaching mid-year challenges and more: Mid-Year Meeting Tips: Send the reflective questions to teachers that you are responsible for evaluating. Have them respond,…
LegalEase November 2023 | PWFA and the PUMP Act
Over the last year, Congress passed two pieces of legislation designed to significantly help working mothers. They are the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act). Both went into effect in 2023. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the PUMP Act, with final rules expected to go into effect next year. The PUMP Act…
Titans United
Twenty percent into the school year, I am sure the “honeymoon” is over at each of your schools, and students, parents, and sometimes staff are struggling and need support. The long stretch from October to March is the half of the calendar year that can be tough for students and for school culture. One of our goals this year at Traverse City West Senior High is to try to keep our Titans…
The First Amendment, Unfiltered
Principals are typically on the “front lines” of navigating parent concerns. When those “concerns” become critical, aggressive, or just plain mean, it can be tempting to take action. Before doing so, ensure you don’t run afoul of the First Amendment! First Amendment Right to Free Speech Parents, like all people, are entitled to the protections provided in the United States Constitution. And under the First Amendment’s free speech clause, people are generally…
LegalEase October 2023 | Who can record me?!
Situation: You step into a contentious meeting with a parent and talk through a difficult issue. Afterward, the parent says they recorded the conversation Question: Can someone record a confidential conversation without my permission? The short answer is – if they’re participating – probably. The Michigan Penal Code actually makes it a crime to eavesdrop on a conversation without the consent of all parties: Any person who is present or who is not present…
Bloomfield Hills HS Leader Named MI 2024 Assistant Principal of the Year
Jessica Lupone, Associate (Assistant) Principal of Bloomfield Hills High School, has been named Michigan’s 2024 Assistant Principal of the Year by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies. Lupone will represent Michigan as the state’s nominee for the National Association of Secondary School Principals Assistant Principal of the Year competition; which will be awarded in April during Trailblazing Leadership Weekend at the…
There’s No Place Like Home: Kyle Woodruff Shares the Story of Returning to His Home Town
As a child, Pinconning Middle/High School Principal Kyle Woodruff spent his early elementary years in Saginaw, MI, but in fifth grade he moved to Pinconning with his father when his parents separated. “Growing up in the area, I definitely was accepted; I had a lot of friends and everything like that,” Kyle said of Pinconning. “But I definitely felt different, you know, because it was primarily white. There were some African American…