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…
Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders: Why Future Planning is Critical in Times of Educator Shortage
The landscape of education is constantly evolving, and perhaps no challenge looms larger today than the persistent educator/human resource shortage. From classrooms to administrative offices, schools are feeling the strain of fewer qualified candidates. In this environment, the concept of leadership future proofing isn't just a good idea; it's an imperative for maintaining stability, fostering growth and ensuring the continued success of our students. For years, schools have often relied on external…
Leadership in Motion | Dimmer Switch Leadership: Reframing Balance as a School Leader
During my first year as a high school principal, I struggled to balance the demands of work and home. I often ate dinner at my office table between meetings and evening student events. One evening, my mentor Rosemary, a retired superintendent from a previous district, showed up unannounced with a cup of coffee in hand. She asked how I was doing and when I had last eaten dinner at home with my…
Leadership in Motion | Beyond the Streetlight: What Are You Not Asking?
There’s an old story my father shared with me when I was figuring out what to do after high school. It still echoes in moments of uncertainty and continued to resonate as I moved from the classroom as a teacher, to the building level as an assistant principal and principal, and now to the state level with MASSP. While I’m no longer serving in a principal role, I often share this story…
How to Handle ESTA Leave Requests
You probably heard about the recent enactment of the Michigan Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA). Which employees does ESTA apply to, and how should building administrators handle ESTA leave requests? How do ESTA leave requirements intersect with other employee leave entitlements? This article addresses these critical questions. Employees Subject to ESTA ESTA applies to most school employees, including salaried and hourly employees who work either full-time or part-time work schedules. The statute…
From Building to Leading: Connecting Behavioral Elements and Building Ranks
In the first article of this series, we introduced the concept of Behavioral Intelligence—the ability to explain, predict, influence, and control our own behaviors and those of others. We explored how the Behavioral Elements framework helps leaders understand the internal drivers that shape their actions and reactions. But understanding behavior is only the beginning. The real power of Behavioral Intelligence emerges when we apply it to the work of leading schools. In…
From Thrun Law Firm | McKinney-Vento: Who is Homeless?
Students experiencing homelessness is no small concern. The most recent comprehensive, nation-wide survey counted 1,374,537 students experiencing homelessness during the 2022-2023 school year. The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act grants equal access to public education to K-12 students experiencing homelessness. The Act mandates that schools revise policies and practices that place barriers on the enrollment, attendance, and academic success of students facing homelessness. Public Notice Obligations All schools must designate a “Homeless…