It’s Official: You Have the Next Wave of Student Officials in Your Building
Every year, there is a new wave of juniors and seniors in your building that are looking for part-time jobs. Difficult schedules and mediocre wages probably don’t appeal to many of them so how about something different? The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is looking for the next wave of athletic officials and your upperclassmen might just be the solution! MHSAA allows juniors and seniors who become registered officials to help…
Leadership, not Management: Leveraging Your Role as Culture Builders and Instructional Leaders from the AP/Dean Chair
In 2018, NASSP studied the changing nature of educational leadership which culminated in their book Building Ranks: A Comprehensive Framework for School Leaders. The work is exceptional and starts with this volley. It posits that, “today, the expectations for our nation’s schools, their students, and the adults who educate them continue to evolve, and school leaders are confronted with a broad range of new roles and responsibilities. Even as growing appreciation for…
Leadership, not Management: Leveraging Your Role as Culture Builders and Instructional Leaders from the AP/Dean Chair
In 2018, NASSP studied the changing nature of educational leadership which culminated in their book Building Ranks: A Comprehensive Framework for School Leaders. The work is exceptional and starts with this volley. It posits that, “today, the expectations for our nation’s schools, their students, and the adults who educate them continue to evolve, and school leaders are confronted with a broad range of new roles and responsibilities. Even as growing appreciation for…
Considerations in Issuing Discipline for Off-Campus Student Speech
During a time when many students actively use social media as a platform for speech, school officials are increasingly faced with the difficult determination of when student speech is protected by the First Amendment and, accordingly, when discipline may be issued for social media content or other off-campus student speech. As school officials making many of these determinations, Principals should be aware of important First Amendment principles and caselaw governing off-campus student…
Where Are We Headed On Transgender Student Bathroom Policies?
A few years ago, transgender student bathroom use was perhaps the most hot-button culture war issue for many school communities. Some allowed transgender students to use bathrooms that matched their gender identities. Others did not. Districts on both sides were sued in various venues across the country. After a handful of court decisions, the winners were those that allowed students to use bathrooms aligned with their gender identities. Various federal agencies incorporated…
Going Digital: How the PSAT and SAT are Changing Part 2
The Michigan School Testing Conference (MSTC23) held annually in February had a lot of heavy hitters and big conversations (my nerd card is out on heavy display after that sentence). None were as highly anticipated as the session on Thursday, Feb. 16 with Ted Gardella on the changes coming for the Fall of 2023 and Spring of 2024, the 23-24 Test Administration. This spring, the 22-23 Test Administration, is business as usual,…
The Secret is in the Sauce: How the Romeo HS Academies are Rethinking the Ways Schools Support Student Growth and Development
As a Principal in Southeast Michigan, Career planning and Career and Technical Education (CTE) options for students were always important. As a hub of the global automotive industry, of the military industrial complex, and in a region buttressed by aeronautics and space manufacturing and all of the other industries that support them, CTE is king. What I did not think about as a teacher and didn’t understand until I became a Principal…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Secondary Schools: Threat or Opportunity
The Matrix franchise is one of the most popular in film history. Prolific use of its metaphors and scenes has become a trope in and of itself. None is more widely used than Morpheus asking Neo to make the choice between taking the Red Pill or the Blue Pill. Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides both the core threat and a means of salvation in the film. You might think the same drama is…
SWATTING Follow Up – From the Michigan State Police
Recently, several school districts in Michigan were subjected to “swatting” calls, falsely warning of the presence of an active shooter. The practice of swatting is defined as a form of harassment to deceive an emergency service provider into sending a police and emergency service response team to a specific location. The practice is disruptive and wastes valuable law enforcement and school resources. In light of recent events, the Michigan State Police Office…
An Administrator’s Quick Guide to Complying with the IDEA
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to identify, evaluate, and offer a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities who need specialized instruction and related services. Most students who receive special education do so on local school campuses and spend some part of their day in general education classrooms. As a result, school administrators play a vital role in ensuring IDEA compliance. The IDEA requires school districts…