Certificate Renewal Season is Here!
Spring Break is approaching, which means the certificate renewal deadline is just around the corner. For Michigan educators and school leaders, June 30, 2026 marks the next renewal deadline for teaching and administrator certificates. Taking a few minutes now to check your status can help you avoid any last-minute surprises and ensure everything is in order before the end of the school year. The Michigan Department of Education recommends that educators regularly…
Aaron Baughman Joins MASSP as Associate Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships
The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals is pleased to announce Aaron Baughman will be joining the staff as Associate Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, starting July 1, 2026. This new role strengthens MASSP’s capacity to support school leaders navigating a rapidly changing educational landscape. As innovation, artificial intelligence, and new learning models continue to shape secondary education, principals across Michigan are seeking practical guidance on implementation, governance, and responsible use…
Women Lifting Women: A Legacy of Leadership and Encouragement
In the journey of professional and personal growth, we often hear the phrase "It takes a village." For me, that village has been built and sustained by the incredible women who have lifted me up, encouraged me and shown me what true leadership looks like. This isn't just about climbing the ladder or the next position; it's about a foundational belief in the power of women building other women leaders up. My…
Recognition Without Risk: Legally Compliant End-of-Year Awards and Activities
As the end of the school year approaches, calendars fill up quickly with recognition events. These celebrations are an important part of school culture, but schools are limited on how they may use public funds for such activities. Understanding these restrictions can help you celebrate confidently and legally. Legal Framework As a general rule, schools may not spend public funds for private purposes unless a statute specifically permits it. Revised School Code…
Gemini for All!
"We believe that the responsible use of generative AI is not a distraction, but a core competency for every future-ready graduate.” Michael Kennedy, Assistant Principal at Grandville High School, details the critical process his school used to pivot from fear to faculty empowerment, providing access to Google Gemini for lesson design, and as a curricular resource across grades 9-12. The journey of rolling out Gemini to all students began in the Grandville…
The New Complexity of Student Behavior
What It Means for School Leaders and How We Respond It is 9:17 a.m. A principal is halfway through a classroom observation. Students are engaged in a thoughtful discussion about theme and author intent. The teacher is asking strong questions and guiding students to support their thinking with evidence. It is exactly the kind of instruction leaders hope to see and support. Then the radio crackles. “Assistance needed in the hallway.” The principal…
Supporting New Educators Begins with the Right PD
Written by: Lindsay Dzyngel, Cengage School Supplemental Team Supporting New Educators Begins with the Right PD Michigan schools are welcoming more early career educators than at any point in the last decade. State data shows the number of newly certified teachers reached a 10‑year high in 2024–25. At the same time, thousands of teachers have left Michigan’s public-school workforce — for principals, it’s a dual challenge of onboarding more new and provisional…
The Careers Students Discover When Curiosity Takes Over: Learning Blade in Action in Michigan
Written by: John Mullin, Learning Blade State Manager - Michigan Last week in Hamtramck, I watched something remarkable happen in a middle school classroom. Students at Kosciuszko Middle School stood beside project stations explaining how a complex supply chain works – from raw materials all the way to shipbuilding. One group demonstrated 3D-printed propellers and how design changes affected boat performance. Another walked visitors through motor testing and troubleshooting. At another table,…
Connecting Students to Real-World Pathways: Coopersville High School’s MEPP Program
At Coopersville High School, the Manufacturing, Engineering, Partnership Program (MEPP) is redefining how students experience career and technical learning. Principal Dr. Tricia McPheron shared that the program grew from the vision of a group of teachers across engineering, industrial arts, science, and math who wanted to create meaningful opportunities for students whose strengths may not always surface in traditional classroom settings. MEPP provides a clear pathway for students to apply skills developed…
When Deepfakes Enter the Hallway: Navigating AI Impersonation in Schools
Students are sharing a video that appears to show the teacher saying something offensive. The teacher insists it never happened. The video was created overnight and posted online. By the time school begins, it is already circulating among students. Situations like this are beginning to appear in schools across the country. Artificial intelligence tools can now generate convincing images, audio, and video that make it appear as if someone said or did…