Level Up Accountability: How an Alternative Academy Is Gamifying Accountability Through Student-Designed AI Badging
Every secondary administrator is familiar with the compliance chase. In alternative education and Work-Based Learning environments, this chase is amplified. We require students to complete milestones that are vital for their future, yet they do not naturally lend themselves to a traditional A-F letter grade. How do you incentivize a student to meticulously update their Educational Development Plan, consistently engage in mandatory two-way communications, or map out a career pathway to explore?…
Oh, Behave! | The Power of a Fresh Start: What My Daughter Taught Me About Behavior and Agency
My daughter is starting a new school in a new district next year. This week, she is attending an introductory session to meet her new marching bandmates, one of many steps in the transition from middle school to high school. Over the last several weeks, our family has had the kinds of conversations that probably happen around kitchen tables everywhere this time of year. The end of one year naturally gives way…
Leadership Beyond the State Line | From Self Doubt to Gratitude
Representing Michigan in Washington, D.C. as High School Principal of the Year was one of the most meaningful experiences of my professional career. It was an incredible honor and a moment that I will carry with me for years to come. From the moment I arrived, I felt genuinely celebrated. Yet alongside that sense of pride was a quiet question that surfaced more than once: Do I belong here? Surrounded by some…
Help Keep Students Connected: School Leaders Invited to Statewide Youth Diversion Training Sessions
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Juvenile Justice Bureau and Child Care Fund (CCF), in partnership with the Michigan Department of Education and the National Resource Center for the Transformation of Youth Justice, are inviting school leaders to participate in upcoming Diversion and Alternatives Reform Training (DART) sessions this summer. Schools play a critical role as protective factors in the lives of young people, and these sessions are designed…
Connection Over Compliance: How Two Principals Rewrote the MTSS Playbook
What if the secret to turning around a struggling middle school wasn’t an expensive tech platform, but a quiet library, a simple weekly script and a rowdy Friday afternoon ice cream party? Meet two principals who are proving that connection, not compliance, is a catalyst for lasting student success. Confronting the Status Quo When Stephan Henning stepped through the doors as the new principal of Mason Middle School in the Waterford School…
Computer Science Requirement is Almost Here. Is Your School Ready?
Last year, we shared information about Michigan's new computer science education law requiring all public high schools to offer at least one computer science course beginning with the 2027-28 school year. As schools begin planning course offerings, staffing, and scheduling for future school years, now is a great time to revisit the requirement and ensure your district is on track. The law requires every public high school to: Offer at least one…
Leadership in Motion | The Water Glass Effect: Knowing When to Put the Weight Down
Navigating Change, Shaping Culture, Driving Impact Every principal carries weight. A student situation that lingers longer than it should. A difficult parent conversation replaying in your mind. A staff conflict you cannot quite shake. A decision you revisit on the drive home, wondering whether you should have handled it differently. The weight itself is rarely the problem. Leadership comes with weight. The challenge is not carrying it. The challenge is carrying it…
Exciting Updates Coming to the DLN
The Digital Learning Network (DLN) at MASSP is entering an exciting new phase focused on making professional learning more clear and connected for educators across Michigan. Over the past several months, we have been reviewing the entire DLN course catalog to make sure courses stay relevant, practical and aligned to the changing needs of educators. As part of that work, we are updating current courses, removing outdated content and building new learning…
Put that Phone Down: Wireless Device Changes for the 2026-2027 School Year
Your district may have already imposed a cell phone ban on students but if not, one is coming for the 2026-2027 school year. On February 10, 2026, Governor Whitmer signed Public Act 2 of 2026, which restricts students’ use of wireless communications devices, including cell phones, during instructional time. School districts must have a wireless communications device policy that meets the new law’s requirements in place by the beginning of the 2026-2027…
Membership Matters Survey | Your Voice Matters
As we move toward the final stretch of the school year, I’ve found myself reflecting on the relationships, experiences and moments that make MASSP feel like more than just a professional association. For many of us, MASSP has been a place where we found our people. Maybe it was through a conference conversation, a mentor who encouraged us to join, a session that shifted our thinking, or simply knowing there were other…