In this episode, we speak with Adam Zemke, President of Launch Michigan, about the teacher shortage crisis in Michigan and around the nation. He also shares parts of Launch's proposal to the Legislature and Governor about ways to incentivize and improve one of our most valued professions.

We had an opportunity to speak with Susan Baskett, Anupam Chugh Sidhu and Holly Spencer, who are serving on the MASB Board of Directors in the Member At-Large positions that are nominated by the MASB President and approved by the Board to fill representation gaps. They share their background, why they decided to run for their respective school boards and the role they play in MASB leadership.

In our first 2022 episode, we sit down with the executive directors in the Michigan Education Leadership Group and talk about what they anticipate the new year will bring to public education in Michigan.

On this 100th episode of MI SoundBoard, Executive Director Don Wotruba, CAE takes a look back at some of his favorite episodes from the podcast:

Nov. 2, 2017 / Are Appointed Boards the Future? Our First Episode!

Feb. 23, 2018 / Blazing a Trail as Michigan Teacher of the Year

Sept. 13, 2019 / Banning Phones: One School District's Story

July 24, 2020 / Flipping the Script

Aug. 7, 2020 / Moving Equity Forward

In this episode, we get a chance to talk with the newest Michigan Superintendent of the Year, Dania Bazzi, Ph.D. from Ferndale Public Schools, about her path to being recognized along with her collaborative, hands-on approaches to teacher evaluation and creating a trusting, risk-taking staff team to improve student achievement.

As district leaders, we use data in countless ways. The connections we make (or fail to make) affect the way we think and feel about that data. In this episode, we spoke with Kenda Lawson, M.Ed., Founder/CEO of Owls Education, about how using data in the right ways can influence how our students learn for the better.

As leaders in their district, school board members face many challenges. We talk with Colonel Arthur Athens, who will be presenting at MASB's Annual Leadership Conference next month, about his storied career and his thoughts on leading ethically, humbly, confidently and, to some extent, with love.

Staff in districts around the state have taken on more and more ways of supporting their students inside and outside of the classroom, but what if they didn't have to handle those extra lifts? Mallory DePrekel, M.N.M., Executive Director and President of Communities In Schools Michigan, joins us on this episode to talk about how CIS Michigan can help with student needs.

Joining us on this episode is Deputy Executive Director Bob Dwan, CFO, SFO from the Michigan School Business Officials to talk with MASB Executive Director, Don Wotruba on the importance of having talented business officials in your district administration, but also knowing a board member's role when it comes to budgeting.

In this episode, MASB Executive Director Don Wotruba talks about what can be done to address the stresses our teachers face and ways to change the negative cultural perspective of this field of work. Joining him is Rebekah Schipper, Executive Director of Opportunity Thrive, an organization aimed at helping develop teachers and solving burnout.