August 2026 QUICK TIPS | Back to Basics
At the end of each summer, administrators have all the opportunities a new year brings to establish a team culture, prepare for what's to come and collaborate with colleagues to ensure everything that can be taken care of before students show up is done. Take this time to make your lists and check them twice – we want 2026-2027 to be oh, so nice! Amy Pashak, Principal, Walled Lake Western High School…
Leadership in Motion | Reality Always Gets a Vote: Leadership Begins When Plans Meet Reality
Leadership has a way of teaching the same lesson over and over again. Reality always gets a vote. A new initiative begins with optimism. The team has invested hours thinking through the details. The planning meetings have been productive. The implementation timeline is clear. The first staff meeting goes well, and people leave energized by the possibilities ahead. There is a genuine sense that the work is off to a strong start.…
That Was Great | Campers Take What They Learn into Life
The first week of Michigan Student Leadership Camp back in 2016 changed Paige Weber’s life. This senior counselor said camp expanded her world in ways she never imagined it would, meeting people from backgrounds different from her own, building lifelong friendships, and learning lessons that shaped who she would become. With three years as a camper and seven on staff, she’s not only supporting students at camp, but also in her own…
The More You Know: New Laws for 2026-27
A handful of new laws take effect for the first time during the 2026-27 school year. Principals are likely already aware of—and may already be prepared for—some or all of these changes. Still, they are worth reviewing as the school year begins. The good news is that not every change creates a major new compliance burden and the biggest changes will provide principals with leverage for reducing disruptions caused by cell phones…
How Early Healthcare Career Exploration Shapes Students’ Futures
When Zainab Ahmed first began exploring healthcare careers, she thought she already knew where her future was headed. Like many students interested in healthcare, she had her sights set on becoming a physician. But it wasn't until she stepped outside the classroom that she truly began to understand the breadth of opportunities available—and where she fit within them. Through Michigan HOSA's Clinical Specialty competitive event, Ahmed shadowed several professionals before discovering which…
Start the Year With Students, Not Just Plans
One of my favorite parts of Summer Leadership Camp is how honest students get once they settle in. It usually doesn’t happen on the first day. The first day is busy. Students are figuring out where to go, who they know, what council they are in, and whether they’re going to like this whole camp thing. But by the middle of the week, once they have laughed a little, taken a few…
Action Required: Verify Your School’s Contact for the Michigan School Census Literacy and School Library Study
As part of the FY 2025–2026 Michigan School Aid Budget, the Michigan Legislature provided funding to Wayne State University to conduct the Michigan School Census 2026: A Michigan Literacy and School Library Study. The first step in this statewide effort is contact verification. On August 11, 2026, the lead administrator for each Michigan public school will receive a personalized email from noreply@alchemer.com asking them to simply verify or update the contact information…
Three Mistakes to Avoid in Retirement
Retirement is a time of life that many people look forward to, but it’s also a time when financial mistakes can have serious consequences... Here are three significant financial mistakes people make once they retire, and what you can do to avoid them. Mistake #1: Overspending in the early years of retirement. Retirement is often associated with the freedom to spend more time with loved ones, travel, and enjoy new hobbies. But…
MASSP Promotes Angel Brewer to Chief of Staff
The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals is proud to announce the promotion of Angel Brewer to the role of Chief of Staff. For more than 25 years, Angel has been a constant source of leadership, service and heart within MASSP. Throughout her tenure, she has become one of the Association's most trusted and recognizable faces, building meaningful relationships with members, students, partners, and colleagues while helping shape the exceptional experiences that…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
After weeks of uncertainty and another late-night scramble in Lansing, the Legislature finalized the 2026-27 School Aid budget, adopting a true weighted student funding model for At Risk and ELL and improving funding stability for districts facing declining enrollment while also massively expanding the diversion of School Aid Fund dollars and providing a foundation increase that, while not terrible, still falls short of inflation (see MASSP's full article for details). The final…