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An employee says, “I’m having trouble getting to work at my scheduled starting time because of medical treatments I’m undergoing.” Setting sympathy aside, you may not realize that the employee just requested a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. When is the Act triggered and what steps must school officials take once it is triggered? Familiarizing yourself with the answers to these questions will help minimize potential legal exposure. Article:The…

Jon Wilcox, Petoskey Middle School Principal, was surprised by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies and his district during Petoskey Middle School’s Career Day to announce he was selected as the award recipient for Michigan’s 2024 Principal of the Year. “This year we received double the nominations for this award than in the past few years,” said Wendy Zdeb, MASSP Executive Director.…

As principals in Michigan navigate the final trimester of the 2023-24 school year, efficiency and proactive communication become paramount, especially with significant milestones like prom and graduation on the horizon. This period also brings with it the playful tradition of senior pranks, necessitating clear guidelines to ensure celebrations remain respectful and safe. Here are some strategies to maximize efficiency and maintain a positive school environment: Proactive Messaging for Seniors, 8th graders and…

The FAFSA is important. For some students, it is the only reason they go to and stay in college. Many of our students have incredible odds against them. As a first-generation college-bound student, the FAFSA was my hope bringer, in the form of grants and scholarships. As a student, I remember being told that “kids like me didn’t do well,” in college. That phrase, from a school advisor, was the chip on…

Since June of 2023, the Michigan Legislature has made major reforms to the state's educator evaluation (section 1249), collective bargaining (PERA), and educator layoff and recall (section 1248) laws. Taken together, these changes represent a sea change in the way districts must approach and operationalize their educator evaluation system. While the surface implications may appear straightforward, school administrators and attorneys are finding upon closer examination nuanced layers that demand attention. To aid…

With responses provided by 12 education leaders whose administrative experience ranges from less than two years to more than 11, we can find commonality as well as unique experiences among our members who identify as Black, African-American or Biracial. Thank you to those who took the time to provide insight and personal stories. By sharing the survey results, we hope to provide information that is not only interesting and gives voice to…

For the first time since Michigan passed our educator evaluation law in 2013, the process local districts use is now subject to collective bargaining. A recent MEA Voice article (Clawson teachers light the way: contract settles all newly restored topics) about contract negotiations in Clawson Community Schools highlights the potential for districts to utilize this process to elevate teacher voice and agency in order to develop collective efficacy, something we know is…

This article unravels the latest amendments to Revised School Code Section 1249, which regulates the future of teacher evaluations for the 2024-25 school year and beyond. On December 29, 2023, Governor Whitmer signed PA 224 of 2023 (PA 224), which amends Revised School Code (RSC) Section 1249 and modifies the legal requirements for teacher evaluations as of July 1, 2024. The amended statute outlines new requirements for a school’s performance evaluation system. …