Homecoming for the Whole School
Who gets to feel like they are part of Homecoming at your school? It sounds like a simple question, but the answer can tell you quite a bit about school culture. Homecoming is more than a theme week, game, dance or pep assembly. For many schools, it is one of the first major culture moments of the year and an early opportunity to remind students that school is not just a place…
PA 146 Beyond Compliance: Who Is Tending the Fire?
There are some challenges in schools that principals can appropriately assign to someone else. Literacy is the one we need to lead. In 2025, fewer than 40 percent of Michigan sixth and seventh-grade students scored proficient or above in English language arts on the M-STEP. That raises a real question for those of us who lead middle and high schools: How well are students prepared to engage with the increasingly complex learning…
Leaders Change Lives: Recognize an Outstanding School Administrator
Great schools start with great leaders. Every day, principals and assistant principals across Michigan are creating school cultures where students belong, staff feel supported, communities are involved, and opportunities are present for students to succeed. Leaders change lives, and now is the time to recognize someone who has made a difference in yours. MASSP is accepting nominations for the Middle and High School Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year Awards, and…
Whatever This School Year Brings, MASSP Is With You
Anyone who has worked in school leadership knows that even the best plans cannot prepare you for everything. I've sat in the principal’s chair, and I know there are days when you need a resource, days when you need another perspective and days when you just need someone who understands. Whatever the school year brings, MASSP is here for you! You cannot predict when a parent concern will escalate, when you will…
3 Steps to Meet New ADA Digital Accessibility Requirements
Since coming out of the pandemic and remote learning, schools have steadily moved more of their information, resources and learning materials online. What once might have lived in a printed handbook, classroom folder or paper form now moves through websites, learning management systems, parent portals, shared documents, videos and social media. New federal accessibility requirements mean districts will soon need to ensure much of that digital content is accessible to people with…
Plans Move Schools. People Move Communities.
There are probably not many principal preparation programs that include a course on how to move an entire school. Yet this summer, that became part of the job description for my colleagues, Dr. Tim Moore and Lisa O’Connor. For the better part of last year, our district had been preparing for a significant transition. Our ninth graders would return to Howell High School, bringing all four grade levels under one roof for…
Beyond the Launch: When Activity Becomes Impact
The beginning of a school year offers no shortage of reasons to celebrate. The buses arrive on time. Class schedules come together. Staff members return energized from professional learning. A new initiative launches with enthusiasm. Hallways feel orderly. Families express appreciation. The first few weeks unfold with a reassuring sense that the hard work of planning has paid off. Those moments matter. They deserve to be recognized. They are also easy to…
Watch for Michigan School Census Invitation Beginning Sept. 15
Beginning Sept. 15, every Michigan public school will receive an individualized link to participate in the 2026 Michigan School Census, a statewide literacy and school library study led by Wayne State University and funded by the Michigan Legislature. Participation from every type of school matters – whether your building has a fully staffed library, limited or shared services, or no dedicated library staff. The census is intended to create a clearer picture…
The Right People, at the Right Time
By the time you read this, some of you are already into the new year — hallways full, buses rolling, the first fire drill behind you. Others are holding onto the last quiet mornings before it all begins. Wherever you land on the calendar, the feeling is the same: A fresh start is here, and with it that familiar mix of energy and weight. I felt both in front of many of…
The Innovative Leaders Network: An Opportunity to Lead Innovation at Your School
As school leaders return to their buildings, much of their attention is focused on preparing everyone else for the year ahead like planning professional learning, identifying instructional priorities, reviewing goals, and thinking about the experiences they want to create for students. While you’re planning to support everyone around you, don’t forget to make space for your own growth. What do you want to learn this year? What challenge or opportunity would you…