MASSP and the College Board have developed a solid working relationship since the move from the ACT to SAT three years ago. The College Board is a fantastic partner and they do a great job of getting out in the field to support implantation of the full suite of their assessments. College Board field outreach will continue with the implementation of PSAT 8/9, as they recognize that middle level principals, counselors, test supervisors, teachers and special education personnel will need their support as we transition from M-STEP for ELA and Math to PSAT 8/9 for eighth grade students during the 2018-19 school year.

It is no secret that educators feel overwhelmed by all of the new initiatives, mandates and required training especially, since 2009. Fitting everything in nine months can be a daunting task which is often met with angst and resistance. In order to make a positive shift and change the narrative of "overwhelmed-itis" you must capitalize on the time you spend together as a staff from August to June. Scheduling and planning for the school year must be intentional and aligned with the district and building mission and goals. Each and every meeting you host and/or require must be goal oriented, action specific and include a system of accountability.

The MDE is funding Title II, Part A, Teacher and Leader Instruction Support Competitive Grant Program now through Aug. 10. This is a significant opportunity to receive high-quality professional development at a minimal expense to the district. MASSP has a number of high-quality programs that are approved for these grants, including:

Mentoring & Coaching

• Mentoring and Executive Coaching - Goal-Focused Leadership:

In this customized experience, a mentor coach works with an individual to evaluate current status, set goals, support implementation and progress monitor over time. Learn more.

On Friday, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that school districts are not barred from banning guns on their property. The Court, in its majority opinion, opined that the Legislature may preempt these types of bans and prohibit districts from adopting such policies, but "it has not done so here." The opinion, regarding the Ann Arbor and Clio cases, goes on to say, "Not only has our Legislature not preempted school districts' regulation of guns by implication, it has expressed its intent not to preempt such regulation." The ruling affirms the Court of Appeals' ruling on the case. If you're interested in the Court's full opinion, you can read it here.

The MASA Superintendent of the Year Award is given out each year by the Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators to a superintendent who has shown tremendous effort and dedication to enriching the lives of children and the community. This prestigious award recognizes strong leadership and creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students, as well as highly accomplished communication skills, professionalism and community involvement. The process to nominate your superintendent for the 2019 Superintendent of the Year Award is simple:

Last week, MDE announced that approximately $2 million in Title IIa funds is now available to support improving the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals and other school leaders. The grant funding has been allocated for the following activities:

1. Building and District Leader Supports: Provide training and support for principals or other school leaders who are recruited as part of instructional leadership teams. (ESEA § 2101(c)(4)(B)(v)(II))
   
2. Teacher Supports: Provide training and support for teacher leaders who are recruited as part of instructional leadership teams. (ESEA § 2101(c)(4)(B)(v)(II))
   
3. Educator Evaluation System Supports:

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE), in collaboration with its #GoOpen Michigan strategic partners, announces the launch of the #GoOpen Michigan Microsite, goopenmichigan.org. The #GoOpen Michigan Microsite is a virtual library of openly licensed educational resources (OER), as well as a collaboration space for Michigan educators who are dedicated to using high-quality, standards aligned OER. The microsite will allow educators and students to:

Every year, just before EdCon, the MASSP Board of Directors has their final meeting of the year and we celebrate with a Transition Dinner to recognize the change in leadership from one President to the next. I ended my term as MASSP's Past President on the Executive Board and I am proud to recognize the many significant achievements and accomplishments of the MASSP Board and staff during the 2017-18 school year:

More than 350 days of professional development were held by both MASSP and MASC/MAHS Michigan Student Leadership – this included: in-house workshops, contracted events across the state and multi-day conferences. MASSP membership during 2017-18 capped at 1,782 – our highest total in nearly a decade. MASC/MAHS membership ended at 292 schools.

As a reminder, the Office of Educator Excellence (OEE) created and distributed a helpful guidance document relating to educator externships. Externships provide real-life experiences for educators and may help to make course content more relevant to students. Externships may be considered for education-related professional learning within the State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECH) or within the local District Provided Professional Development (DPPD) systems. For more information, please see MDE's MEMO #093-18 from June 28, 2018.

Written by Todd Simmons, Principal at Pewamo-Westphalia Middle/High School and Region 6 Representative on the MASSP Board of Directors I've been asked numerous times over the last couple of years, and by various practitioners, "What is your school culture all about at P-W?" In fact, just this year alone, we have been honored to host several educators, coaches and school leaders who have come to spend part of their day with our staff and students to see for themselves what we are all about. In all cases, we attempt to demonstrate to our guests that our champions' culture is the foundation of everything we have done, and everything we hope to do.