QUICK TIPS | 90-Day Plan 2025
Whether you're stepping into the principal’s office for the first time or returning with years of experience under your belt, the start of a school year brings a flurry of tasks, expectations, and relationships to manage. Valerie Boggan, Principal, Kalamazoo Central High School Take intentional walks through your building with a variety of people—custodians, counselors, teachers, even students. As you walk, ask questions that stir vision: "What happens in this space?" "Does…
QUICK TIPS | First Day of School 2025
The first day of school sets the tone for the school year. Students opening lockers, finding someone to sit with in the lunch room, new teachers and students, etc. Overcommunicating these items before and throughout the first day will help students, staff, and parents feel comfortable and prepared. Jason Messenger, Principal, Portage West Middle School For middle school students, the first day—and especially their locker—is a huge deal. To ease nerves and…
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…
MASSP Joins Statewide Push to End Budget Delay, Warns of Harm to Schools
This week, MASSP joined education leaders from across Michigan in a media roundtable hosted by the Michigan Alliance for Student Opportunity (MASO) to demand immediate action from the Legislature on the overdue K-12 budget. Representing MASSP were Executive Director Wendy Zdeb and MASSP Past President JoLynn Clark (Principal, Frankenmuth High School), who joined voices from MASO, the Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators (MASA), Michigan Association of School Board, and local district…
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…
The Architect of Leadership: Building Sustainable Success Through Routine and System
We all know the feeling: The 7:15 a.m. bell rings, and we are immediately pulled into the vortex. A parent concern, a substitute shortage, a discipline issue, a leaky faucet in the science wing. Before we know it, the day is over, and we've spent our time reacting, not leading. This is the tyranny of the urgent, and it is the single greatest obstacle to effective school leadership. The antidote is not…
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…