MASSP Podcast

In this episode, Nina interviews Howell High school Principal and new Region 6 representative, Jason Schrock. Listen as we get to know Jason more and hear about the great things happening at Howell High School. Jason references his previous podcast where we discuss Howell's "Senior Survivor" Fundraiser. To hear more about this program, you may listen to the previous podcast here.

In this back to school edition, Nina interviews 30 year veteran clerical staff member, Ms. Denise Sheneman of Sparta Schools. Denise talks about the lessons she has learned over her long tenure, her favorite parts about working in schools and gives helpful advice to newer clerical members across the state

There's no better way to start the '22-'23 Membership Spotlight series than to highlight the very principal taking over the building where Nina served for nine years in the same capacity. In this interview, Nina chats with none other than Justin Hauser, the new principal of L'Anse Creuse Middle East, where Nina was previously principal before joining the MASSP staff. While using his favorite genre of music to serve as a soundtrack, Justin tells his story as an educator and why hip hop music resonates with him.

Catherine Woolman, Asst. Superintendent of Instruction for Port Huron Area School District, joins the podcast to share her district's approach to year long, new teacher orientation and induction and its impact on retaining staff.

In this episode, Nina interviews Caledonia High School Assistant Principal and new AP West representative, Danelle Scott. Listen as we get to know Danelle better and hear about the great things happening at Caledonia High School. Danelle references MASSP's Path to Leadership program. To read more about this successful program, click here.

In this episode, Nina reunites with a fellow Macomb County Administrator, who at one point was her daughter's middle school principal! Listen in and meet Chippewa Valley High School principal and new Region 9 representative, Todd Distelrath. Get to know Todd more and hear about the great work he continues to do in Macomb County in this newest podcast episode.

Are you building a social media administrator presence? If no, why not? Social Media is a great way to connect to your school constituents and build your "brand". In this video interview, Nina talks with Mr. Sidney Bailey IV, Assistant Principal of Portage West Middle School, who has become a social media "influencer" in the world of education. Mr. Bailey describes how he got started on social media and why he feels it is such an important tool in today's society.

Listen in as Nina interviews participants at EdCon 2022. Hear 4 administrators talk about their excitement being back face to face for the conference, what they've enjoyed most (as well as what their families enjoyed most!), how they plan to implement their learning back at their buildings and why you should be sure to attend EdCon 2023!

In this podcast, Nina talks to North Farmington High School Principal Joe Greene, MASSP's 2020-21 Principal of the Year. During the interview Joe talks about the experience of being named Principal of the Year, traveling to DC to represent Michigan, the benefits of his MASSP membership and he also gives words of encouragement to fellow educational leaders.

Listen in as Michigan's 2022 Principal of the Year, Nicole Carter of Novi HS, shares her strategies for reflecting on the school year and using that practice to plan for the future.

In this episode, the team from Howell High School explains how the Senior Survivor event, which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, cultivates a culture of giving back while honoring seniors.

In this episode, Nina talks with Ms. Ebony Carter, Assistant Principal at Dakota High School about school safety protocols pre and post COVID. Listen as Ms. Carter talks about the challenges they've overcome while trying to secure one of the largest high schools in the state.

In this episode, Nina talks to two middle level secretaries about their job duties and how those have changed in the last few years. The clerical staff talk about what keeps them motivated and the positives of their job.

Listen in as new Associate Director of Member Service & Outreach, Nina Davis, interviews attendees from the 2022 AP Summit in Crystal Mountain.

Travis Thomsen (Portage North MS) joins the podcast to discuss compassion fatigue awareness and the impact that this professional learning topic has had on his building staff.

In this episode, Amy Pashak, AP of the Freshman Campus at Howell HS, joined us to share about their new suicide prevention and awareness program called Hope Squads. This nationally recognized initiative brings together student and teachers entrusted by their peers to train and help support students in need.

Michigan's 2022 Assistant Principal of the Year winner, Al Reickard (North Rockford MS), joins the podcast to share insight, tips and more from his career and experiences as an assistant principal and middle-level leader.

Principal Amy Hendry and Asst. Principal Stacey Ary of Carter Middle School (Warren Consolidated Schools) join the podcast to share their #DoKind initiative that has the entire school and community participating in random acts of kindness. Listen and learn how they are utilizing social media to engage all stakeholders in this collaborative program to build positive school culture.

JoLynn Clark (Frankenmuth HS), Joe Esper (Traverse City West HS) & Tom Lietz (Utica HS) all join the podcast to share what has and hasn't changed with how their buildings are handling COVID-19 protocols at the start of the 2021 school year. Mask mandates vs recommendations, contact tracing, quarantine protocols and more are all covered and their particular impact on HS students.

In this episode we welcome Regional Teacher of the Year and Khan Academy Student Ambassador, Erin Carlson of Sandusky Jr/Sr HS, to share insight about teaching in 2021. We discuss what teacher's need, want administrators to know, and hidden gems that came from teaching and learning during the pandemic.

MASSP is joined by MCAN's Autumn Kearney, Strategy Manager for High School Innovation, to share details about their new grant programs. This is a can't miss opportunity that will connect high schools with strategic partnerships, resources and financial awards from MCAN.

In this episode, we are joined by middle-level leaders Nina Davis (L'Anse Creuse MS East), Tim Sanchez (Grayling MS) & Travis Thomsen (Portage Northern MS) as they discuss the return to school and what has and hasn't changed with how their buildings are handling COVID-19 protocols. Mask mandates vs recommendations, contact tracing, quarantine protocols and more are all covered and their particular impact on MS students.

Being a strong building leader has been more important than ever during the pandemic. Listen in as Tammy Jackson of MASSP talks about what skills are needed more than ever, how the leaders adapt and what opportunities are available for prospective and new administrators to grow their practice.

Are you considering making the leap to the superintendent role? Jay Bennett & Greg Sieszputowski of MASB's Executive Search Services share details on the current landscape of openings in the state, as well as the skills and experience that districts are looking for, interview tips to consider, and other important reminders.

In this episode, MASSP Director of Student Services, Matt Alley, invites some special guests from Ludington HS and Bay City Central HS to discuss their experiences with Esports. Topics include starting up a team, benefits of practice & matches and how it compares to traditional extracurricular activities.

MASSP continues the conversation with the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) for this episode in which MCAN Executive Director, Ryan Fewins-Bliss, joins us in an attempt to waive the red flag about the state-wide college enrollment crisis. Ryan shares some alarming statistics about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on college enrollment rates in Michigan, as well as some initiatives MCAN is promoting to combat the crisis.

Listen in as we partner with the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), and discuss how high school and college advisors are available to help guide, oversee and support college bound students across the state. In this episode, MASSP is joined by Jenny McArdle of Advise Michigan, Micheal Turner from U o fM College Advising Corps and Laura Wise, College Advising Corps for MSU.

Listen in as Jason Reinecke (Principal, West Ottawa HS) and Jason Schrock (Principal, Howell HS) share their experiences using social media to connect with students, staff and parents. Effective strategies and tips are also discussed from two of the best in the business!

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.

In this episode, Jenni Thunberg (AP/AD) and Andy Kowalczyk (AP) from Bay City Central HS join the podcast to discuss their experiences as long-time Assistant Principals and some of the rewards and differences of leading in this support position compared to other roles. Whether you are an AP, AD, Dean or a teacher leader looking to make the jump, listen in on what two seasoned vets have to share!

In this episode, Ryan Cayce (MASSP) is joined by David Ersig (Assistant Principal) and Catherine Livingston (School Counselor) of Henry Ford II High School to discuss some unique programming involving county agencies to offer free therapy to students in need. David and Catherine also share the data they have collected on how academic performance and SEL needs of students have increased since the start of this new initiative.

What does collective efficacy and instructional leadership mean to you? Listen in as Steve Seward, Associate Director for MASSP, explains how these administrator skills are important to a building, including how to support teachers so they can positively impact students. Podcast whitepaper: bit.ly/2U8NUX8

Listen as Colin Ripmaster, Associate Executive Director for MASSP, provides some great suggestions on how principals can reflect on practices, identify outdated methods to discontinue and how to show appreciation for those important stakeholders who will be joining you this school year.

In this episode, Ryan Cayce (MASSP) is joined by Tony Parsons, Strategy Assistant for High School Innovation at Michigan College Access Network, to discuss options for schools to promote a college-going culture including their new College Bound Michigan program, as well as some key dates schools should mark down on their calendars. More info: http://bit.ly/30FPhPu

Listen as MASSP interviews an assortment of special guests live from #EdCon19 as they share their favorite moments, key takeaways, and other great insight from this amazing event that will get you inspired for the upcoming school year!

Principal Steve Hawley and AP Tony Palmeri from Lake Orion HS join us to share details about their innovative Senior Exit Interview project. This longstanding tradition at their school requires seniors to sit before a panel of community members and share their post-secondary plan through a series of interview questions and talen portfolio evidence prior to graduation.

Jennifer Bustard (Mona Shores HS) joins the podcast to discuss their "Ride with Pride" program that brings together community members and organizations to help promote PBIS initiatives and safety awareness to students. Each year, qualifying student are selected for a chance to win a free car and moped.

In this episode, Theresa Stager (Saline HS) and Ryan Cayce (MASSP) are joined by sudent leadership members of the Michigan Association of Student Councils & Michigan Association of Honor Societies, Matt Alley (MASSP), Blake Prebay (Student Leader, Bloofmield Hills HS) & Jessica Lupone (Advisor, Bloomfield Hills HS). The group discusses ways for students to be involved in schools in a wide variety of leadership opportunities and how teachers and administrators can support these efforts.

In this episode, Theresa Stager (Saline HS) and Ryan Cayce (MASSP) talk all things related to student voice. Examples of different clubs, committees, and ideas are shared all of which can help give administrators great insight into the needs and wants of the student body. If you are interested in empowering students to imrpove the building culture, listen to these strategies that are shared.

Theresa Stager (AP at Saline HS) and other Saline admin team members Kirk Evenson (AP) and Steve Laatsch (Asst. Superintendent of Instruction) share intiaitvies and programs they are using to help support the social and emotional needs of their students. They also share ideas that are having positive impacts from near by schools.

Steve Seward (MASSP) joins Theresa Stager (AP, Saline HS) and Ryan Cayce (MASSP) to discuss available supports for new administrators, including coaching and mentoring options.