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…
Leadership in Motion | Leading Above the Line: How Principals Recognize Fear and Choose Better Responses
Leadership in Motion – Navigating Change, Shaping Culture, and Driving Impact Secondary school leadership places you under pressure almost daily. A frustrated teacher walks into your office after a difficult class. A parent emails demanding immediate action. A district directive arrives that will impact your master schedule. A staff meeting begins to drift toward tension and blame. In moments like these, something powerful happens inside every leader. Before we speak or act,…
Supporting Vape-Free Schools: Alternatives to Suspension & Student Support
Written by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Michigan Tobacco Section and the American Lung Association’s Community of Practice on Alternative to Suspension will help K-12 schools navigate the vaping public health emergency with tools to protect and support students impacted by nicotine use, we invite Michigan schools to join us to learn more about our Vape-Free Schools Initiative including resources to address tobacco and nicotine use, policy review, alternatives…
When Student Walkouts Test Leadership: Setting the Climate Under Pressure
There are moments in a secondary school when the temperature rises quickly. A social media post spreads.Students organize.Parents call.Local media starts asking questions. By the end of second period, you can feel the pressure in the hallways. The question is not whether you feel it. You will.The question is what kind of leader you will be when you do. Student walkouts connected to immigration enforcement and other national issues are creating that…
LegalEase March 2026 | Student Walkouts – When Students Choose to Speak With Their Feet
The world is showing no sign of providing fewer topics for students to get riled up about. And while student civic engagement is typically something to be celebrated, when that engagement manifests itself as protests and walkouts during the school day it presents school districts with a host of things to consider. Free Speech The US Supreme Court in Tinker v. Des Moines made clear that neither “students or teachers shed their…