Inviting the Superintendent into Your School Community and Elevating Student Voice
As secondary principals, we often act as the primary liaison between the "District Office" and the daily life of our students. While our Superintendents are deeply invested in student success, the nature of their role—filled with board meetings, budget cycles, and policy—can sometimes make them feel like a distant figurehead to the average teenager. When students see a Superintendent as a person rather than a title, trust grows. When Superintendents hear directly…
Guidance for Responding to a Subpoena
A subpoena arrives at your school, demanding student records or summoning an employee to testify at a hearing. What are school officials and subpoenaed staff required to do? What should they do? Before acting, school principals should consider the following guidance. Contact Legal Counsel First, before talking with the person who sent the subpoena, principals should notify the school’s central office of the subpoena, and then the school’s administration should contact the…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
On Wednesday, the Legislature officially returned to Lansing to begin the 2026 session, and the House wasted no time in passing HB 4141 on a 99–10 vote, moving forward a bill to establish a statewide requirement for districts to ban student use of wireless communication devices (cell phones, tablets, watches, etc.) during instructional time, with defined exemptions for things like medically necessary devices and instructional technology. The bill now heads to the…
January CREC: Revenues Stable, But Challenges Loom
Michigan’s January 2026 Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC) offered a mixed message for K–12 education. The short version: state revenues remain stable, but key trends – particularly a weakening General Fund, shrinking pupil counts, and revenue growth lagging inflation – set the stage for a challenging budget year either now or soon if policymakers once again kick the can down the road. The CREC is the twice-yearly process where state economists from…
Registration Open! MDE LGBTQ+ Students Project, Winter/Spring 2026 Offerings
LGBTQ+ students are still at disproportionate risk for persistent bullying, harassment, and victimization. In response to requests from school districts across Michigan, the MDE LGBTQ+ Students Project staff created a suite of online professional development workshops to build the capacity of schools to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive culture and climate where all students can thrive. We are honored to partner with school districts and parents to make these highly requested…
MASSP Webinar: Screenagers
MASSP and Lisa Tabb, co-creator of The Screenagers Project, led an engaging session focused on helping school leaders support healthier technology use among students. The webinar featured curated film clips alongside practical tools and curriculum designed to spark conversations about digital balance, screen-free sleep, and social media use. Participants were introduced to initiatives such as Away for the Day, Screen-Free Sleep, and Boosting Bravery, and left with actionable strategies and insights they…
Leading When the Ground Is Moving: What AI Is Teaching Us About Behavioral Edge
Artificial intelligence has become one of the clearest examples of what large-scale change looks like in schools today. It is fast moving, poorly understood, value-laden, and already present whether we are ready or not. But the most important leadership lesson AI offers us may have very little to do with technology. It has everything to do with leadership behavior. When leaders step into conversations about AI, they often expect to wrestle with…
Catalyst 2025 and the AI Moment: What We Learned and Where We’re Headed
At Catalyst25, we set out to do more than talk about artificial intelligence. We wanted to listen. We wanted to create space for students, teachers, coaches, and school leaders to wrestle honestly with what AI is already doing in schools, and what it could make possible next. Through hundreds of conversations, reflections, and interactions with the Catalyst25 Compass AI bot used by Catalyst2525 attendees, a clear picture began to emerge. Not a…
MHSEL: See What You’ve Been Missing Out On!
The fall season was a powerful reminder of what happens when students are given meaningful opportunities to compete, connect, and represent their school. The championship highlights capture packed venues, focused faces, and moments of pure excitement with teams huddled together, last-second plays, celebrations, and sportsmanship on full display. If you’ve ever wondered why this activity continues to grow so quickly across Michigan, our Fall '25 Championship video says it all. The energy…
Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and Michigan College Access Network collaborate to cultivate transformative leaders
The Michigan Leadership Fellows program, a groundbreaking collaboration between Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and Michigan College Access Network, is set to empower its third diverse, state-wide cohort of six rising educational leaders. This 18-month, project-based fellowship was designed to build a robust pipeline of equity-minded, transformative leaders who will champion postsecondary educational access and success for all Michigan students. Program Goals Equity-Driven Leadership: The fellowship focuses on an instructional leadership…