MASSP Podcast

In this podcast episode, Matt Alley, MASSP Director of Student Services, shares all of the new virtual opportunities student leaders and advisers can still join during the current virtual/remote environment.

Jennifer Bustard (Mona Shores HS), Andy Kowalczyk (Bay City Central HS) & Steve Carlson (Sandusky Jr/Sr HS) all return to to continue the conversation about the return to school in 2020-21 during the COVID-19 pandemic. They share what challenges their buildings faced and what went well during the first few weeks after students and staff returned to the buildings.

The Return to School plan looks incredibly different at each district all across the state of Michigan as schools plan for instruction during the continued COVID-19 pandemic for the 2020-21 school year. In this episode, Jennifer Bustard (Mona Shores HS), Steve Carlson (Sandusky Jr/Sr HS) and Andy Kowalczyk (Bay City Central HS) discuss their current plans for reopening and the discussions that lead to those decisions. MASSP will follow up with all three guests after students and teachers return to see how the plans changed or adapted over the first few weeks of school.

In this episode, Larry Wyn (Computer Science Program Manager, MiSTEM Network) shares some opportunities that are available for students and teachers across Michigan who are interesting in CS & STEM programming. Many of these opportunities and resources are free and available though out the year including summer camps. To learn more, visit http://www.mi-coding.com/.

In this episode, John Thompson (AD, Brighton Area Schools) and Dan Ekonen (Senior Director, Special Olympics Michigan) discuss the Unified Basketball League including how it has positively impacted the school culture, is supported by the local community and additional ways schools can support special needs students by partnering as a Unified Champion School. To learn more about becoming a Unified Champion School, click here.

Principal Adel DiOrio (St. Johns Middle School) joins the podcast to share strategies on how to successfully implement building-wide technology integration. Through her own experiences, Adel discusses how administrators can determine the best approach to meet the needs of both students and staff and how personal and professional practices are positively impacted based on the new available technology tools.

Jamie Jacobs, Deputy Director of the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), joins the podcast to discuss Michigan's FAFSA Challenge and the approaching March 1, 2020 deadline. Michigan set a goal to have 75% of students complete their FAFSA this school year and MCAN needs your help! Benefits, strategies and next steps are all shared. MASSP has a FAFSA Challenge article and FAFSA toolkit available for assistance. To sign up for the FAFSA challenge, click here.

In this episode, Chelsea HS Principal, Michael Kapolka, shares insight on their entrance and exit interviews with freshmen and seniors. This system has allowed the building to gain valuable feedback which has lead to improved culture and support for students. See some sample questions here.

Listen in as administrators from Yale JH & HS discuss their peer to peer mentoring program that has transformed their building culture and reduced discipline referrals. Used at both the JH and HS levels, their mentoring program builds up leadership skills while provided tiered support for those who need it most throughout the school year. Get more details and specifics here.

Listen to MASSP Associate Director, Steve Seward, and remember…it's all about the conversation! As you think about your leadership and the ways to build a collaborative learning environment through the evaluation process, begin by thinking about your ultimate goal. If your goal is to build trust, thinking, and self-directed learning, calibration is necessary. By engaging others in reflection, and purposeful interactions, reciprocal learning and ownership will result.