Consolidated Application: Turning Requirements Into Opportunities
How principals can use the MASSP Leadership Pathways & Partnership Guide — and a conversation with the central office before December 4 — to turn compliance into funded leadership development. The Opportunity The Consolidated Application decides how federal dollars reach your school — including Title II, Part A for leader development, Title IV, Part A, and Michigan State Funded Section 31a. It rewards districts whose improvement plans name clearly defined needs, goals,…
Romeo Community Schools Administrator Named Michigan’s 2027 Middle School Principal of the Year
MASSP honors Romeo Middle School Principal Brad Martz for reimagining middle school learning, strengthening school culture and creating opportunities for students to make a difference beyond the classroom. Brad Martz, principal of Romeo Middle School, has been named Michigan’s 2027 Middle School Principal of the Year by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals. Martz was surprised with the award by MASSP Executive Director Colin Ripmaster during a celebration in Romeo’s media…
Lansing School District Administrator Named Michigan’s 2027 High School Principal of the Year
MASSP honors Everett High School Principal Amy Boyles for her transformational leadership and positive impact on students and educators. Amy Boyles, principal of Everett High School in Lansing, has been named Michigan’s 2027 High School Principal of the Year by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals. Boyles was surprised with the award by MASSP Executive Director Colin Ripmaster during a school-wide celebration in Everett’s gymnasium attended by students, teachers, Lansing School…
Member Spotlight | Bustard Believes in Change and has Seen the Change
If you’ve ever seen Mona Shores High School Principal Jennifer Bustard with students, you’ve seen her beaming smile and what looks like the personification of joy. Since she’s in her 19th year in the role, you might wonder if her contagious enthusiasm is real. I asked – though jokingly, because I suspected it was. “Is it real? Yes, of course it is,” she said. “You know, I think it goes back to…
Lessons from Yale: How a Conversation Sparked Regional Synergy
When Yale High School Principal Brad Dykstra and I recently sat down with MASSP Associate Director of Digital Learning & Platform Strategy Ryan Cayce to record an episode for the MASSP podcast, I knew we would have a good conversation. As neighboring principals separated by just twelve miles of rural two-lane roads, Brad and I often hop on the phone to bounce ideas back and forth. But sitting down for this dedicated…
Work Skills Opt-Out Is Here. Now What?
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has released its Work Skills Assessment waiver and informational letter. Unfortunately, it's October, well after the back-to-school paperwork window that would have made distribution seamless. Principals now have decisions to make about how to meet the new requirements, how actively to facilitate opt-outs, and what those choices will mean for students and spring testing. Here's what you need to know and two possible paths to consider.…
Law Enforcement in the Lobby
In a perfect world, educational and career presentations would be the only time law enforcement officers interact with students at school. Unfortunately, sometimes our students and staff must navigate other interactions with police officers. Balancing cooperating with law enforcement requests, maintaining safe learning spaces, and ensuring students’ due process rights can be challenging. Interrogations Though school officials should cooperate with law enforcement, they also serve as gatekeepers to minimize disruption to the…
Stronger Tier 1 Instruction Requires Engaged Leadership
Reflections from Catalyst 2026: MTSS Reimagined What does strong Tier 1 instruction look like in a secondary school? How do we know students are experiencing it consistently, and what role does the principal play in sustaining effective instructional practices? These questions guided much of the learning at Catalyst 2026: MTSS Reimagined, where secondary leadership teams from across Michigan examined instructional practices and systems of student support. With Michigan's PA 146 bringing renewed…
No One Should Have to Lead Alone
The Leadership “Island” One of the things no one fully prepares you for when you become an administrator is how much your relationships change. As a teacher, you have colleagues you laugh with, problem-solve with and turn to when you need advice or just someone who understands your day. You share stories about your families, celebrate successes and work through frustrations together. Those relationships become part of what makes your school feel…
Before You Hit Record: What School Leaders Need to Know About AI Transcription
AI transcription tools are already in our classrooms, often arriving one principal at a time and well ahead of district policy. That is where the conversation has to start. A classroom recording is never just a recording of the teacher. It captures students' voices, names and more. That brings FERPA, COPPA, and Michigan's evaluation law into play, and the tool you choose and how you use it determine whether you stay on…