Legal Webinar: Managing Information Requests
From parents asking for access to records, to lawyers issuing subpoenas, school leaders are often on the front lines of sensitive information requests. This session will help you understand the legal frameworks behind FERPA, subpoenas, and testimony requests—and give you clear strategies for how to respond. Know what’s protected, what must be shared, and how to manage tricky situations without putting your school or district at risk with Kelly Bowman & Brian…
From Policy to Practice: School Leaders Share Their Phone-Free Journey
With the recent legislation conversation in Michigan encouraging schools to take a closer look at cell phone use, many educators are seeking real-world strategies to create more focused learning environments. As phone use continues to impact student engagement and school culture, the question isn’t if we act, but how. In this panel discussion, hear directly from Yondr partner schools across Michigan that have successfully implemented and sustained phone-free environments. From building community…
Legal Webinar: Student Discipline Done Right
The “Student Discipline Done Right” webinar, led by attorney Kevin Sutton of Miller Johnson Law Firm, provided school leaders with clear, practical guidance on one of the most complex areas of school law—student discipline. Sutton walked participants through the legal foundations of due process, proper documentation, and the critical steps administrators must follow to ensure disciplinary actions are fair, consistent, and legally defensible. The session also explored alternatives to suspension and expulsion,…
Learning with Intention in the Age of AI
I had the chance to hear Vriti Saraf present at the ASU+GSV conference last spring, and her focus on AI literacy and redefining 21st-century skills has stuck with me. In her piece, she describes certain uses of AI tools as “counterfeit humans.” They can crank out lesson plans, worksheets, or essays that look fine on the surface, but they can’t replace the deeper value of a real teacher: building relationships, connecting learning…
Unpacking the 2025-26 K-12 Budget for Principals
MASSP's Associate Director of Government Relations, Bob Kefgen, led a deep dive into Michigan’s newly passed FY 2025 budget. The session covered both the headline items seen in the news and the overlooked details that could impact schools, staff, and students. Designed for secondary administrators, it helped leaders cut through the noise and gain the insights they needed to plan for the year ahead. https://youtu.be/SrPjPAosBNI Slide Deck
Behavioral Edge Webinar
Educators joined The Behavioral Edge webinar to explore how the Elements of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth shape leadership and school culture. In this free one-hour MASSP session, participants identified their own behavioral style, discovered how to adapt their approach to lead more effectively, and learned strategies to strengthen collaboration and engagement across their teams. Designed for principals, assistant principals, and aspiring leaders, the session provided a practical framework for building thriving…
College Board Webinar: New AP Workforce-Focused Courses
The College Board welcomed principals and counselors to a webinar highlighting two new AP courses focused on workforce development: AP Business with Personal Finance and AP Cybersecurity. The new career course, AP Business with Personal Finance, taught business management and personal financial literacy through entrepreneurial projects and simulated work-based experiences. AP Cybersecurity helped students develop the technical and professional skills needed to protect the digital world. Participants learned how to offer these…
MDHHS Webinar: Partnering with School Nurses to Address Student Vaping
Student vaping was highlighted as a growing concern, and school nurses were shown to be essential partners in addressing it. Positioned at the forefront of prevention, they educated school communities about the health risks of e-cigarettes, identified early signs of nicotine use, and connected students with cessation support and resources. The presentation also highlighted how schools could implement alternatives to suspension to strengthen student engagement and reduce repeat offenses. Presenter Dayna Bennett,…
MDHHS Webinar: Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU)
Add Post This session focused on the Teens Against Tobacco Use program, led in Michigan by the Barry County Substance Action Task Force and Barry County Community Mental Health Authority. TATU trained high school leaders to deliver fun, interactive, and age-appropriate presentations to younger students. Fourth graders learned about the chemicals in nicotine products, the health problems associated with use, the financial costs, and most importantly, the skills to resist peer pressure…
Probationary Pitfalls – Navigating Teacher Evaluations and Non-Renewals
The Probationary Pitfalls: Navigating Teacher Evaluations and Non-Renewals webinar, recorded on September 23, 2025, guided school leaders through the legal and practical requirements for managing probationary teachers. Attorneys MaryJo Banasik and Austin Munroe from Thrun Law Firm explained how to correctly calculate probationary periods, develop and implement Individualized Development Plans (IDPs), and document performance concerns to avoid costly missteps. Participants reviewed the importance of mid-year progress reports, year-end evaluations, and classroom observations,…