EdCon 2024

June 24, 2024 | 4:00 PM

5 Strategies for Educational Equity

Track: CC
Paul DeAngelis, Equal Opportunity Schools, Partnership Development
Session Presentation

Participants will examine how schools across the country identify and support students furthest from access and close opportunity gaps in advanced academic courses. During the session, we will breakdown 5 strategies for advancing access and opportunity for EACH student, including the shift to Student-Informed Decision Making. We will examine data that supports targeted outreach efforts to engage first-time AP, IB and dual enrollment students, and the academic success of these students.

Postsecondary Culture: The School & Leadership Journey

Track: IE
Jeneen Hatoum, MCAN Director, HS Innovation & John Folsom, Bay City Western HS Assistant Principal

In this session, participants will hear the journey from school leaders as they share their process of enhancing the postsecondary culture in their buildings (including dual enrollment, college and career exploration, etc). They will share how they engaged in “sensing sessions,” reflected on current practice and determined an approach that would support their intended goals. They will share their challenges along the way along with their next steps.

Nurturing Mental Wellness: Establishing a High School Mental Wellness Space

Track: CC
Margaret Adrian, Howell HS Assistant Principal
Session Presentation

Through sharing the experience of creating a student wellness space at Howell HS, participants will explore the significance of prioritizing mental health, discuss effective strategies for designing these safe spaces, tackle potential challenges & solutions to implementation, share success stories, and collaboratively develop actionable steps for advocacy & implementation. Attendees will be empowered to champion the establishment of mental wellness spaces, fostering healthier school environments and promoting student resilience.

Building a School Where Students Want to Be: The Urban Principalship

Track: CC
From East English Village Preparatory Academy: Marty Bulger, Principal; Kenneth Williams, Dean & Lonell Williams, Dean

Research around essential components of effective MTSS systems are growing rapidly at the elementary level. The translation and application of those components vary widely in middle and high school settings. Join a facilitated conversation around the five essential components of MTSS and learn practical strategies to implement them in your building. The journey of one middle school will be shared along the way to highlight the application and importance of each component.

Our Journey With Capturing Kids Hearts – Fowlerville Junior High

Track: CC
Myriah Lillie, Fowlerville Junior HS Principal

The stakes for public school leaders to improve achievement are higher than ever. During this session, participants will explore the power of developing and leveraging dynamic relationships, data, and love to close opportunity gaps, improve graduation rates and elevate success with historically underestimated students and communities.

Engaging African American Boys

Track: IE
Kente Rosser, Wayne-Westland Innovative Academy Principal

Have you had an idea to improve teaching and learning, but struggled to get it off the ground? Have you heard of cool things happening “over there” and wondered how “they” made it happen? Do you stand in awe of educational innovation and want to be part of it? Join us to get a taste of the connections across Michigan’s educational ecosystem that might answer some of these questions or inspire you to tap into the vast resources of togetherness!

Global Education

Track: IE
Brian McCarthy, Howell HS Assistant Principal & Whitney McKinley, World Savvy National Director of School Partnerships

Howell HS is launching a revolutionary global education program that includes a graduation endorsement for students who demonstrate global competence. Attendees of this presentation will hear about our multi-year journey to get here, learn about the principles of global education, and gain access to resources and grants. I will also share my experience traveling to Finland as a part of the Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools program and encourage others to apply.

June 25, 2024 | 10:30 AM

“Hit Me With Your Best Shot”

Track: PE
Kevin Sutton, Miller Johnson, Attorney

We offer plenty of sessions where you get great content and guidance. But how about a session where you dictate the subject matter? In this unique breakout, attorney Kevin Sutton of Miller Johnson will give you an hour to ask anything (legal) you want. Title IX? Student discipline? MDRs? Student speech? Graduation issues? Tough conversation with a parent? Bring all your questions and hit Kevin with your best shot!

New Digital PSAT/SAT Score Reports

Track: IE
Brad Brunner, College Board
Session Presentation

Learn how to access, interpret, and analyze data using the College Board’s new Digital SAT Score Reports. Additionally, participants will learn how to use the College Board’s new tools, such as Skills Insight, to improve teaching and learning.

Finding Your Way

Track: PE
Todd Distelrath, Chippewa Valley HS Principal

Participants will be engaged in a process that they can use with their staff to discover their school’s purpose. This is the process presented by Simon Sinek in his book, “Find Your Why.” I used this process with the staff at Chippewa Valley High School. We will then look at next steps, answering the Six Critical Questions for Creating Clarity, as presented by Pat Lencioni in his book, “The Advantage.” This will also involve identifying our values using the guidance of Brene Brown’s “Dare to Lead.”

PANEL: Is the Superintendency for You?

Track: IE
Facilitated by Dr. Tina Kerr, MASA Executive Director. Panel of Superintendents: Phil Jankowski, Anchor Bay School District; Tim Sanchez, Crawford AuSable School District; Tracey Lowder, Vandercook Lake Public Schools; Jenny Fee, St. Joseph Public Schools

Educator shortage is evident in every part of the pipeline, including the role of Superintendent. This session will feature a panel of “newish” Superintendents from around the State who are all former MASSP members. They will share their professional journeys and the pros/cons of making the move to central office. Dr. Tina Kerr, the Executive Director of the Michigan Association of School Administrators, will facilitate the panel and share her advice for those considering a Superintendent position. There will also be ample time for Q & A.

June 25, 2024 | 2:30 PM

Calling all Aspiring District Leaders – It’s Time!

Track: IE
Dr. Brian Davis, Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators Education Consultant

Now more than ever, districts need individuals equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and leadership dispositions to serve. This session will provide an overview of the Michigan Association of School Administrators Horizon Leadership Academy Program. HLA is an accredited innovative program by the Michigan Department of Education that leads to a Central Office Endorsement through an alternative pathway program saving time and resources. This program articulates with two Michigan University programs with credit toward an Ed.S. and/or Ph.D.

MPSERS & Other Retirement Complexities

Track: CC
Joshua Williams, Williams & Co. Financial Services Investment Advisor Representative & Caiti Johnson, Williams & Co. Financial Services Director of Communications
Session Presentation

Understand changes to healthcare coverage, income in retirement and how changes impact active school district employees. Learn the importance of pre-planning your own financial future, as well as learning how to share this information with staff.

Leading Learning in an AI-Integrated World: Leading the AI Transformation

Track: IE
Tom Lietz, MASSP Associate Director of Training & Development, and from Northville Schools: Aaron Baughman, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and and William Jones, Hillside MS Principal

AI requires a shift in our mindset as instructional leaders to adapt to a world with AI. Accessibility to the technology, once behind the scenes, poured accelerant on a conversation already underway. This session will help leaders develop a vision for guiding their schools, transforming cultures of learning, and embracing an AI-integrated world by addressing fear with understanding, exploring legal and ethical challenges and opportunities, and exploring Pedagogy and Practice in an AI world.

So You Want To Be A Principal

Track: PE
Vernon Burden, Troy Athens High School Principal

Transitioning from one leadership role to the next can be difficult and challenging. This presentation focuses on making the transition from the role of Assistant/Associate Principal to building Principal. Some key components to making a smooth transition are building strong relationships, managing all stakeholders, creating a vision for your leadership style and building, and balancing day-to-day duties.

Digital Dynamo: Powering Up with Online AP & Career Programs!

Track: IE
Shannon Smith, Michigan Virtual Senior Director of Student Learning, Andrea McKay, Michigan Virtual Director of Instruction; Lisa Rohde, Michigan Virtual Special Education & Instructional Support Manager; JoLynn Clark, Frankenmuth HS Principal
Session Presentation

Are you looking for new ways to broaden educational options for your students but have limited staff to accomplish this? Are you looking for ways to meet the needs of your college-ready students and those who are career-focused? We have just the thing to “power up” your programming and build the course catalog you want to attract student interest and needs. Learn to promote access to AP courses aligned with Michigan Top 10 Strategic goals and build awareness of career-focused elective options based on student interests after this session.

Attendance Solutions

Track: PE
Billie Sczepaniak, Macomb ISD Continuous Improvement & Leadership Consultant

Chronic absenteeism is at an all-time high and educators do not have the tools to systematically address the many and varied reasons that are causing students to miss school. This session will provide participants with a framework of actions they can use to create an effective attendance approach within their building in which a team of staff members: analyze data, apply SEL-centered practices and provide intervention at the root cause of their students’ attendance challenges.

Practical uses of Restorative Practices for Proactive Culture Building

Track: CC
Jessica Lupone, Bloomfield Hills HS Asst. Principal and Margaret Schultz, University HS, Ferndale Asst. Principal

Participants will learn about ways that two high school Assistant Principals from different schools are using Restorative Practices as ways to increase student voice and build positive culture. The presentation will focus on proactive uses of restorative practices that administrators could implement immediately, in addition to supporting teachers implementing those practices in their classrooms.

Making Staff Meetings Engaging & Fun

Track: CC
Ben Brock, St. Louis HS Principal

Through positive relationships and building trust, we have created meaningful staff meetings with bell to bell engagement. By modeling what administrators want to see in the classroom, our staff meetings incorporate teaching strategies with the use of music, lyrics, video clips, poetry and various other ways to make our PD worth our teachers’ time.