House and Senate Committee Assignments Announced
With the start of the new legislative session, committee assignments have now been released, setting the stage for education policy and budget discussions over the next two years. The House Education Committee has been renamed the “House Education and Workforce Committee,” reflecting a broader focus, and will be chaired by Rep. Nancy DeBoer (R-Holland). On the budget side, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid and the Michigan Department of Education (MDE)…
FEBRUARY QUICK TIPS 2025 | Beat Winter Blues by Staying On Track
It's cold outside, but your MASSP Board of Directors has hot ideas to keep you moving forward this winter. From keeping staff motivated to planning for next year, ideas abound in this month's Quick Tips. Theresa Stager, Principal, Saline High School February can be a difficult month for leaders. Staff morale usually “dips” around this time. Consider a spirit week, a hot chocolate bar in the staff room, or another way to…
Supporting the Whole Child: Join Michigan’s POY Jon Wilcox for the NASSP Middle Level Leaders Network
Middle school leaders, mark your calendars! Jon Wilcox, Michigan’s 2024 Principal of the Year, will be co-hosting the NASSP Middle School Leaders Network alongside Kristy Zaleta, Connecticut’s 2024 Principal of the Year. This engaging and impactful series will focus on supporting the whole child in middle schools—a topic central to the success of every student and school. The opportunity for Jon to co-host this national network began during his visit to Washington,…
Navigating Policy Changes for Undocumented Students: A Practical Guide for School Principals
As Principals, we often stand in the crossfire of political agendas. The most recent is immigration policy. Schools play a vital role in supporting undocumented students and their families, ensuring they feel safe, welcomed, and informed. As trusted institutions, schools can provide critical resources, legal guidance, and emotional support to students and families who may face uncertainty regarding their immigration status. This article was written in collaboration with our partners at Thrun…
Discipline Done Right: Requirements for Suspending and Expelling Students
No one went into education to become a disciplinarian, but unfortunately, it comes with the job. Michigan law has several specific requirements for disciplinary removals of more than 10 days. Add in the special rules that apply to students with disabilities and matters involving sexual harassment, and handling discipline can become daunting. An informed approach makes the process easier for all involved. When a disciplinary issue arises, first consider whether the conduct…
The Evolving Challenge of Youth Vaping: What School Leaders Need to Know
Vaping trends are moving in a positive direction. Yet, despite falling use and purchase trends for e-cigarettes from its peak in 2019, nearly 1.63 million youth, mostly in middle and high school, use them. School administrators face an increasingly complex battle against youth vaping as manufacturers deploy sophisticated new technologies designed to attract young users. Recent research and developments highlight why traditional approaches to this challenge may need updating. Smart Vapes: A…
Get in the Game: Join the Michigan High School Esports League for Spring 2025!
The Michigan High School Esports League (MHSEL), in partnership with the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP), is gearing up for an action-packed Spring 2025 season—and we want your school to be part of it! Whether you’re an educator, administrator, or Athletic Director, now is the perfect time to explore how scholastic esports can enhance your school. Why Esports? Benefits for Students Esports isn’t just about video games; it’s about providing…
The Balanced Principal: A Path to Sustainable Success
As a school principal, your to-do list feels endless—meeting student needs, managing staff, navigating community expectations, and tackling unforeseen challenges. It’s easy to feel as if success hinges on doing more and doing it faster. But what if the secret to effective leadership wasn’t about doing more, but rather about doing less—with intention? A timeless lesson from a martial arts student offers a powerful analogy for school leadership. When the student asked…
January CREC Shows Revenues, Balances Growing
The State Treasurer and directors of the House and Senate Fiscal Agencies met Friday to come to consensus on the revenue estimates that will be used to begin the state budget process for 2025-26 fiscal year. The short story: state revenues for last year and this year have been robust and higher than expected, exceeding projections from the May 2024 estimates by hundreds of millions. That means that the state is projected…
MASSP’s 2025-26 Policy Priorities
This past December, 319 principals—representing about 20% of MASSP's membership—participated in our biennial priority survey to identify the top policy priorities MASSP members want us to focus on for the upcoming legislative session. While the results show that all seven issues presented in the survey were viewed as important, three stood out as the clear front-runners. These top-ranked priorities will provide the focus for MASSP’s proactive advocacy efforts over the next two…