MANS 2024 Public Policy Day - March 19, 2024 in Lansing

Participate in impactful advocacy at the 2024 MANS Public Policy Day! This is your chance to gather with fellow nonpublic school advocates from across the state and engage directly with legislators on the issues that matter most to our schools.

Let us unite our voices to advocate for our nonpublic school students!

Participants will begin the day in Heritage Hall located in the Michigan State Capitol. Prior to visiting with your legislator, you will hear from policy experts who will help you understand the immediate impacts of broad policy decisions. You will also be provided with the tools you need to make your legislative visit productive and positive.

Each participant will be scheduled for team visits with your legislative delegation. Please register as soon as possible to ensure ample time for MANS staff to schedule meetings.

Agenda to come soon!

Catholic Schools Week - January 28 - February 3, 2024

For Catholic Schools Week (CSW) take time to recount what makes this celebration truly special and why it holds a unique place in your heart.

1. A Tradition of Excellence
2. Faith-Focused Learning
3. Strong Community Bonds
4. Commitment to Service
5. Holistic Education
6. Inspirational Leadership
7. Vibrant Celebrations

The Marketing Kit and Tools and Templates (login required) have tried-and-true ideas to make your own. Their recent webinar, Make the Most of Catholic Schools Week, can answer questions you may have.

Michigan Equitable Service Collaborative (MESC)

MESC Professional Learning Needs Assessment

MANS has collaborated with the Michigan Department of Education to drive positive changes in Michigan's non-public school community through the Michigan Equitable Service Collaborative (MESC) since 2017. Your insights are crucial in shaping the professional learning plans for the 2024-2025 academic year in alignment with ESSA regulations.

Act Now – Your Voice Matters! We are asking that both administrators and teachers please take a few moments to complete the MESC Professional Needs Assessment Survey. 

Survey Deadline: January 31, 2024 - Only 5 days left!

Van Andel Institute: Administrator Series Virtual Ongoing Coaching

This series is provided free of charge to Michigan nonpublic schools by the Michigan Equitable Service Collaborative (MESC), which is coordinated by MANS. This is a sustained training, with each session building off the other. 

Find Your Authentic Leadership Style

February 22, 2024 | 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Leading is not for the faint of heart. Addressing gaps in achievement, behavior, SEL, and more, all while protecting the mental health of staff and students, requires that K-12 administrators find their authentic leadership style and lean in. Join us for this practical and informative webinar to discover your personal leadership style and how to leverage that into success for yourself and your school! 

School Improvement Planning

February 29. 2024 | 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Administrators around the country are still grappling with the challenges of educating during a pandemic, but school improvement plans are as important as ever, and they aren’t going to write themselves! In this session, discover a 6-step process to support your school improvement planning efforts. Learn strategies to help you set and prioritize goals, identify and allocate resources, and communicate your plan effectively. 

Be the Coach: Best Practices to Mediate Thinking

March 7, 2024 | 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Instructional coaching is a powerful way for teachers to reflect on their teaching practice. In this session, discover research-based factors that make instructional coaching successful and how to bring this type of professional growth opportunity to your school.

State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECH)

SCECH Update

Below are examples of how to complete the two tabs of the Google SCECH spreadsheets:

• Yearlong Tab of the spreadsheet - this serves as a calendar and is changeable as your dates or presenters may change. Example here.
• Educator Tab of the spreadsheet - this is where you enter your staff names and enter the number of hours in each row for the PD they have completed. Example here.

The Google SCECH application for the 2023-2024 academic year will be made available in April 2024. If you've already completed your PD for the year and need early access or if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Shelley Long.

Title IV, Part A Stronger Connections Grant Release

The Safer Communities Act (BSCA) expands vital mental health services and provides additional support for states and school districts to design and enhance initiatives that will promote safer, more inclusive, and positive school environments for all students, educators, and school staff.



The Michigan Department of Education has been awarded $26,504,262 through the federal Title IV, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to competitively award subgrants to Title I, Part A eligible high-need local education agencies, including public school academies, to establish safer and healthier learning environments and to prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence, and hate that impact our school communities at individual and systemic levels, among other programs and activities. Nonpublic schools are eligible to equitably participate in this program should their LEA apply. MANS urges administrators to contact the federal programs director in their LEA to express an interest in participating.

Details about the Title IV, Part A Stronger Connections competitive grant application process will be announced in February 2024. MANS will continue to provide updates as they are available.

MiLEAP

Encourage your students and their families to register today for a MI Student Aid Webinar:

1. Michigan Achievement Scholarship - students and their families looking to secure more financial aid for college are encouraged to register for an informational webinar about the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which is the newest State of Michigan scholarship program expected to impact the majority of students.
2. Virtual Financial Aid Webinars - Students and their families interested in learning about financial aid basics are encouraged to register for a virtual presentation provided by the MI Student Aid team.

Michigan School Safety Academy

The Michigan School Safety Academy is a two-day learning opportunity hosted by the Michigan State Police Office of School Safety for K-12 school administrators, school safety liaisons, mental health professionals, and school resource officers. Registration is now open for March 5 and 6 at Cornerstone University's Gainey Conference Center.

Michigan Public Acts 224 and 225, approved by Governor Whitmer on November 22, 2023, modified the existing requirements for teacher and administrator evaluation. Learn more and stay informed by reviewing updated guidance, including frequently asked questions (FAQs), student growth and student learning objectives (SLO) resources, and the lists of state-approved evaluation tools for teachers and administrators here. Please email MDE questions regarding educator evaluation. 

Reminder: Required Oral Health Assessments

Public Act 316 of 2023 was recently enacted setting forth the requirement that all children in Michigan enrolling into their first year of school receive an oral health assessment (“dental screening”) prior to starting school. This new requirement begins with the 2024-2025 school year. Please read this letter from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for more information. 

Federal Updates

Free Webinar: Latest Private School Data from NCES Surveys, Including the PSS, NTPS, TFS and PFS

On February 7 at 1:00 p.m. EST the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) will host a webinar to provide an overview of the newest data on private schools from several recent national surveys. This webinar will feature NCES Study Director Andrew Zukerburg on select key findings from the Private School Universe Study (PSS), the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), and the Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) and Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS) to the NTPS. Topics discussed will include private school data on the number of private schools and student enrollment, the teacher and principal labor force, and attrition.

2024 Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation Student Writing Challenge

On April 3, 1975, at the end of the Vietnam War, President Ford directed American officials in Saigon to expedite the relocation of thousands of Vietnamese orphans to the United States in support of our Vietnamese allies, a maneuver dubbed “Operation Babylift.” As he said in the speech announcing Operation Babylift. “This is the least we can do, and we will do much, much more.”

President Ford believed that America had a responsibility to our nation’s Vietnamese allies. It is now almost half a century later, and immigration continues to be a significant issue in the U.S. Reflecting on the experiences of your family and community, what do the words “American Citizen” mean to you?

The foundation invites students to write 500-750 words on this question. First prize is $2,500 for the student, plus a $500 gift card for the student’s teacher. 

Transformative Education Scholars Program (TESP) - Loyola University Chicago

MANS is pleased to announce a partnership with Loyola University Chicago TESP. As a member of the Transformative Education Scholars Program (TESP), a minimum of 12-15 members will complete one of the participating academic degree programs with the benefit of a 30% tuition discount. Organizations can have more than one cohort of students completing more than one academic program. Scholars will receive a 30% tuition discount each semester of their academic degree program. Discount applies to required courses within the degree program only and does not cover fees or other expenses 

Eligibility for Transformative Education Scholars Program: Must apply to and be accepted to one of the participating academic programs and must be admitted as part of a cohort of at least 12-15 members of the organization.

Participating Degree/ Endorsement Programs include: 

• Higher Education MEd
• Language Culture and Curriculum MEd
• School Counseling MEd
• Educational Leadership MEd
• Superintendent Endorsement Certificate
• Elementary Education MEd
• Secondary Education MEd

Loyola University Chicago requires the School of Education to create an agreement with organizations to market and apply the TESP discount.

Planning AI Integration Webinar

Are you a K-12 educational leader eager to explore effective and ethical AI integration?

Join Eduscape on January 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for an engaging and interactive seminar as they delve into:

• Policy and Practice
• Rethinking Curriculum
• Teacher Preparedness

Their goal is to provide you with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the world of AI in education confidently. Interested to hear what other educational leaders have to say about the IntegrateAI webinar? Listen here.

This skill-based course explores the pivotal role of positive interactions in building trust between students and teachers in the classroom, ultimately guiding them to develop a personalized plan for enhancing positive interactions and monitoring progress.

In this course, you will:

• Discover the power of positive interactions and learn about the 5-to-1 ratio.
• Examine and reflect upon your current interactions with learners.
• Develop a plan for building trust with students through positive interactions.
• Track your progress using a simple template.
• Apply your knowledge and share reflections with other participants.
• Earn 4 SCECHs

New Advanced Tech Courses for Students

Dive into Michigan Virtual's new Mobile App Design with MIT App Inventor course, suitable for students at any programming level. They'll learn to build functional mobile apps using MIT App Inventor's user-friendly visual environment, covering app design, usability, and security. For those with a programming background, Michigan Virtual's Video Game Design with Java course offers an immersive experience in game development, utilizing Java and Greenfoot. Students will gain hands-on skills in game design and project lifecycle management. 

Catapult Learning PDNow

Professional development (PD) should solve today’s education challenges and meet educators where they are – that’s where we step in. PDNow is Catapult Learning’s professional learning platform that pairs more than 45 years of school partnership excellence with technology, giving your K-12 educators access to high-quality PD that builds capacity – anywhere, anytime.

GPS Solutions provides a mental health professional who conducts one-on-one, group, and whole group support that focuses on both proactive and reactive ways to promote self-awareness, managing emotions, social awareness, developing empathy, maintaining and repairing healthy relationships, and responsible decision-making. This support is designed for students, staff, and leaders so that the strategies identified can be supported with all stakeholders within the building.