As the fall season wraps up and winter sports begin, MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl joins us to share updates from across Michigan athletics. We discuss the organized chaos of overlapping seasons, what's new for winter competition, and continued efforts to improve sportsmanship for players, coaches, and fans alike. Mark also reflects on participation trends, including post-pandemic recovery and the role school leaders play in shaping a positive athletic experience for all students.

In this episode, we sit down with Portage West Middle School Principal Jason Messenger and Assistant Principal Sidney Bailey IV to explore how their "Risky Words" initiative is reshaping school culture. What started as a response to rising reports of offensive language has grown into a proactive, schoolwide effort to teach empathy, kindness, and accountability. Hear how student voice and data guided their journey, what they've learned along the way, and how any school can take similar steps to create a more inclusive and respectful environment.

In this episode, Monte Kelly, Principal of Fruitport Middle School, explores Covey's 4 Cores of Credibility—integrity, intent, capabilities, and results—and how they shape leadership in schools. Monte shares stories of building consistency between words and actions, aligning intent with transparency, and developing the capacity of staff to lead with confidence. He highlights the importance of results, not only as evidence of credibility but as the fuel that sustains trust with students, parents, and communities. His reflections bring Covey's framework to life, showing that credibility is the foundation for trust at every level of school leadership.

In this episode, Josh Wrinkle, Principal of Rochester High School, unpacks Covey's First Wave: Self Trust and the critical role credibility plays in leadership. Drawing from his journey as a teacher, assistant principal, and now principal, Josh reflects on how integrity, consistency, and follow-through earn the trust of staff, parents, and students. He discusses the humbling process of self-assessment, the challenge of balancing personal commitments with professional demands, and how leaders can restore credibility when they misstep. Josh's perspective highlights Covey's message that self-trust is the foundation for every other level of trust—and that a leader's character and competence set the pace for an entire school community.

In this episode, Christian Manley, Principal of the Battle Creek STEM Innovation Center, helps us dive into Covey's reminder that "you can do something about this." Trust isn't out of our control—it begins with self-trust rooted in both character and competence. Christian shares her journey as a teacher and leader, offering powerful examples of stewardship, empowerment, and creating a culture where teachers feel trusted to lead learning. She reflects on how high-trust leadership reduces costs, speeds up progress, and frees principals from micromanaging while building ownership among staff. Her stories bring Covey's principle to life, showing that trust is not just a value but a skill leaders can model and grow in themselves and others.

In our kickoff episode, Dave Myron, Principal of Perry Jr/Sr High School, helps us unpack Covey's idea of trust as "the one thing that changes everything." With more than two decades in education, Dave reflects on how credibility, consistency, and follow-through shape the culture of a school and accelerate progress. He shares candid insights from leading through innovation—like piloting Khan Academy programs—and explains why trust is essential for bringing teachers, parents, and students on board. From addressing the broader "crisis of trust" in society to fostering relationships at the classroom and community level, Dave illustrates how high-trust leadership makes change possible and speeds up results.

In this episode, we sit down with Larry Wyn from CS for Michigan to break down the key requirements of House Bill 5649, discuss staffing and training solutions, explore budget-friendly curriculum options, and highlight best practices. If you're an administrator looking for practical steps to ensure compliance and create meaningful computer science opportunities for students, this conversation is a must-listen!

Mark Uyl, Executive Director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, joins once again to discuss how the winter sports season has been shaping up, what's ahead for spring sports, and the process of sanctioning boys volleyball and girls field hockey as official MHSAA sports. We also talk about the growing trend of multi-sport athletes and what the future holds for high school athletics in Michigan.

This episode of The MASSP Podcast features a conversation with Aaron Baughman, formerly of Northville Schools and now with Michigan Virtual, on the impact of AI in education. The discussion covers Northville's success in AI integration, common challenges schools face, and standout districts leading the way. Aaron also shares key mistakes to avoid, best practices for getting started, and insights on the future of AI in Michigan schools.

In this episode of The MASSP Podcast, 2024 Michigan Principal of the Year Jon Wilcox from Petoskey Middle School shares insights from his experience at the National NASSP Conference. He discusses connecting with other state award winners, key challenges and successes in education nationwide, and important conversations with legislative representatives.