Leadership in Motion | Resilient by Design: Why Recovery Defines Innovative Schools
Opening Reflection August is here. The calendar is full of kickoff meetings, PD agendas and plans for the year ahead. This is when visions come to life or start to unravel. The stakes feel high, and the margin for errors feel small. In moments like this, it is tempting to cling to perfection, believing that any misstep will erode credibility, deflate morale, or stall momentum. But the most innovative schools are not…
Redesigning What School Could Be: A Webinar Invitation for the Innovative Leaders Network
What if you could join a statewide network of bold school leaders redesigning education for a future that’s already here? MASSP, in partnership with Michigan Virtual, is launching Cohort 2 of the Innovative Leaders Network (ILN): a two-year professional learning experience designed for principals, assistant principals, teacher leaders, and central office staff who are ready to lead innovation with clarity, courage, and purpose. This statewide community is built around real conversations, site…
AUGUST QUICK TIPS 2025 | Here We Go Again
Whether you're a new administrator or have years of experience, going back to school is a cycle you've been on since you were five. Your Board of Directors is here to provide you some friendly reminders about how to prepare for a great start to the school year. Jeffrey Dykhouse, Principal, East Grand Rapids Middle School Connect with your PTO in August to build a plan for how your parent organization can…
Principal of the Year Adam Lancto Reflects on NASSP POY Conference
To start I want to thank and acknowledge the many people who have helped me and been there for me on my journey as a high school administrator. The MASSP family and all of the administrators across the state, especially my OK Conference colleagues, have been inspiring and always there to help out if needed. I was truly grateful for the opportunity and honor to represent MASSP and the State of Michigan…
One Pill Can Kill: Fentanyl Awareness That’s Saving Lives in Michigan Schools
Fentanyl poisoning from counterfeit pills continues to devastate communities across the United States. In 2024 alone, over 80,000 lives were lost from drug overdoses. In 2023, synthetic opioids—primarily fentanyl—were involved in over 74,000 overdose deaths, making them the leading cause of drug-related fatalities. Among the most alarming trends is the rise in adolescent deaths: youth ages 14 to 18 have experienced a significant surge in fentanyl-related fatalities in recent years, with counterfeit…
Leadership in Motion | Offseason Wins: Why August Prep Builds In-Season Culture
Opening Reflection The crowds are not cheering yet. The students are not back. The real pace has not started. But make no mistake, this is game time for school leaders, just like the preseason for the Detroit Lions. August is our training camp. Back-to-school professional development is our pre-season games. This is when culture is shaped, expectations are aligned and momentum is built for the year ahead. We often admire how the…
Unified Esports Brings Inclusion to Life Through Competitive Gaming
This fall, the Michigan High School Esports League (MHSEL), in partnership with Special Olympics Michigan and PlayVS, is proud to host a special webinar designed to help schools launch a Unified Esports program. The Unified Esports: Inclusion Through Gaming webinar will take place on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, from 9:00–10:00 AM. Unified Esports creates a unique extracurricular opportunity where students with and without disabilities come together as teammates to compete in a…
Leadership in Motion | Break the Script, Don’t Repeat It: Leading Culture Shifts That Last
Opening Reflection The spotlight has faded. The roar of the crowd is gone. It is the offseason now, and yet this is when the real work begins for the Detroit Lions and for school leaders. As training camps open and another NFL season approaches, one story still lingers: the Lions’ remarkable transformation. Last season, they did more than win games. They rewrote the narrative. They broke the script. For school leaders, the…
Unlocking Student Potential: How Data, Belonging – and AI – Are Transforming Advanced Coursework Access
Data, Belonging, and the Future of Educational Equity In Michigan and across the nation, schools are grappling with a persistent challenge: how to ensure that every student, regardless of background, has access to, and succeeds in, advanced academic opportunities. As schools plan for the 2025-26 year, the urgency to address gaps in access, engagement, and belonging has never been greater. Chronic absenteeism, disengagement, and underrepresentation in AP, IB, CTE, and Dual Credit…
Leadership in Motion | From Setback to Setup: Leading with Resilience and Collective Purpose
Opening Reflection As I watched the Lions’ incredible season come to a close, I couldn’t help but see the parallels between their transformation and the work we’re doing in schools. The Lions are still developing. They are not yet where they want to be, but far from where they started. Their playoff loss was disappointing. But their season? It was a masterclass in transformation. Over four years, they didn’t just shift their…