No One Should Have to Lead Alone
The Leadership “Island” One of the things no one fully prepares you for when you become an administrator is how much your relationships change. As a teacher, you have colleagues you laugh with, problem-solve with and turn to when you need advice or just someone who understands your day. You share stories about your families, celebrate successes and work through frustrations together. Those relationships become part of what makes your school feel…
From 25 Students to 119: What Kettering Esports Can Teach School Leaders
When Kettering University was invited this year to join the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference for esports, the milestone represented more than another place to compete. It marked how far a student-driven program had come. Kettering Esports began in 2020 with 25 students competing in three titles. By spring 2026, 119 students were competing across 12. Along the way came a national championship, regional and divisional titles, a dedicated facility, a full-time director and…
$2,500 Grant Opportunity for Educators
Apply for a SET SEG Foundation Education Excellence Award For more than 30 years, the SET SEG Foundation, in partnership with the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB), has celebrated the innovative programs and dedicated educators making a difference in Michigan public schools. This year, the Foundation will once again award twelve Education Excellence Awards, providing $2,500 grants to outstanding school, district, and ISD programs that are creating meaningful opportunities for students…
What If We Designed School for Today?
If we were designing school from scratch today, how much of it would look the same? Would we organize students by age, divide the day into class periods and separate learning into individual subjects? Would we measure success the same way? Would students have more choice in what, how and when they learn? Those questions aren't easy for many to answer, but they are certainly worth asking. In late September, a new…
Before You Hit Record: What School Leaders Need to Know About AI Transcription
AI transcription tools are already in our classrooms, often arriving one principal at a time and well ahead of district policy. That is where the conversation has to start. A classroom recording is never just a recording of the teacher. It captures students' voices, names and more. That brings FERPA, COPPA, and Michigan's evaluation law into play, and the tool you choose and how you use it determine whether you stay on…
Evaluation Season Is Underway: What Should Be Happening Right Now?
By October, assistant principals and principals are visiting classrooms, teachers are adjusting instruction based on what they’re learning about students, and the daily demands of leading a school continue to compete for time and attention. Evaluation can easily get pushed aside as more immediate needs arise, yet the work we do now shapes the opportunities teachers and administrators will have to learn and improve throughout the year. Michigan’s evaluation law reinforces that…
Open Your Doors: Make Principals Month a Leadership Opportunity
October is Principals Month, a time to recognize the important work principals do every day. It's also an opportunity to help others understand that work by inviting lawmakers to see it firsthand. When was the last time your state representative or senator spent a day in a school? Maybe they attended a graduation, cut a ribbon, or posed for a photo. But have they experienced the work of a school leader? Do…
Leadership in Motion | Learning Is the Work: Beyond the Streetlight
Over time, principals learn to recognize patterns. You notice when a student who has never been in trouble suddenly starts missing class or when a teacher who is usually engaged becomes quiet during a staff meeting. Two students arrive in the office after a confrontation, each insisting the other started it. You walk into a classroom where students are nodding along as the teacher talks and appear engaged, but when you ask…
The Hardest Part of Being Experienced Is Learning How to Be New Again
I have been an administrator for almost 15 years. I have worked in three buildings at multiple levels, and I have spent the past 10 years as a high school administrator. I know how to lead a staff meeting. I know how to start a school year. I know how to navigate the inevitable challenges of leading a school. And then I started in a new building. There is something humbling about…
Learning Forward: Jackson High School
Where You Are Is Where You Begin Walking through Jackson High School with Principal Monica Pierce feels a little like walking through the history of a community. Old class photographs line the walls. Displays recognize people who came through Jackson before today's students. Murals reflect the identities and experiences of the young people who walk the halls now. Even the building itself carries its history alongside newer additions. Monica is part of…