QUICK TIPS SEPTEMBER | Set a Tone
The first days and weeks of school set the tone for the remainder of the year. Students’ first experiences powerfully communicate what your school represents. What is posted on the walls, what experiences they engage in the classroom, and the opportunity they are provided to explore and discover all that makes your school great matters. What you say, what you do and what you promote reflects your identity values and beliefs. Students…
Pray What?! Rolling Into the School Year After . . . Groff?
Death. Taxes. The U.S. Supreme Court changing religious accommodation law? Observant readers of this column may recall last year’s opening salvo: “Pray What?! Rolling Into the School Year After Bremerton.” Bremerton involved a high school football coach whose “personal” and “private” prayers – in the middle of the football field, surrounded by a crowd, immediately after football games – were protected by the First Amendment. This year, Groff v. DeJoy takes us…
The Power of Validation and Active Listening: Fostering a Supportive School Environment
In any educational institution, the success of students is undeniably tied to the engagement and dedication of the staff. A school thrives when its staff feels valued, respected and heard. Validating and actively listening to your staff can lead to improved morale, increased job satisfaction and ultimately better outcomes for students. The role of an assistant principal is critical to this process. We are setting the tone for our buildings as we…
Stepping Out to Step Up
The school year will soon hit a feverish pace if it hasn’t already, and students haven’t stepped into the building for classes yet. Like many APs and Deans you’re already wondering where the time went. Piles of paper are stacking up, challenges are already finding their way to your desk, and that chair is feeling more like an anchor than a respite. That’s because it is! Get up, step out, and step…
AIgiarism: AI and Plagiarism Join Forces
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, artificial intelligence makes its debut in education. Since at least the Spring of 2023, artificial intelligence platforms such as ChatGPT and Google Bard have changed the way students use technology to plagiarize. The days of purchasing an essay online or Googling answers to homework assignments are on the road to extinction after the launch of these efficient and impressive AI platforms. The age of…
One Foot in the Future: The Catalyst23 Conference
“We are in the midst of a painful transition, between an old world that is dying and a new one that is struggling to be born. Such shifts are inevitably fraught with danger. Yet for all their destructive potential, they are also full of possibility.” – Jerome Roos, Fellow at the London School of Economics If you’re an educational leader and haven’t started considering the impact AI will have on your school,…
Fostering Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Schools: Embracing August Celebrations and the Return to School
As school administrators, one of your fundamental responsibilities is to create an inclusive and equitable learning environment for all students, staff and stakeholders. The month of August presents an excellent opportunity to reinforce the principles of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as students and staff begin to return to school after the summer break. Additionally, it is crucial to be aware of significant observances during this month, such as World Indigenous People…
Leveraging AI: A Practical Guide for APs and Principals
This summer has been full of articles about AI and comments about plagiarism, the loss of jobs, and so on. While AI is here and will require changes to many of our practices, it is also a phenomenal tool to help increase the productivity and efficiency of APs across the state. I have been utilizing ChatGPT and Bing for about nine months now. There have been numerous times that these tools have…
Ring, Ring | Lunch Hour Change Request
Admin Assistant: “Good afternoon, Bellway Middle School, this is Chris Mayes speaking how can I help you?” Caller: “Hi, I’d like to talk to the principal about getting a schedule change for my daughter. We are a new family to the school district. We just moved here from Florida in July. My daughter Rainey will be a 7th grader at your school. She was very upset about having to move and start…
Virtual Student Mental Health Summit | Call for Presentations
Since its establishment in 2019, MASSP's Student Mental Health Summit has collaborated with thousands of educators and students, fostering the creation of essential school-based mental health resources and programs. We are thrilled to announce the return of the SMHS on September 28 as a fully virtual event. Our aim is to illuminate vital content, curriculum, and school-based initiatives in a way that every interested student or educator can access, regardless of where…