MANS Education Conference & Expo, October 17 and 18 at Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan - Register Today!

Don't miss this great opportunity for professional growth and innovation for all nonpublic school staff. This event offers inspirational and relevant keynote speakers, more than 100 diverse education sessions, Christian fellowship like no other, and a great selection of vendors presenting cutting-edge resources and solutions! Attendees will gain knowledge, learn best practices, and engage in faith-filled networking opportunities. Whether seeking fresh perspectives, innovative strategies, or practical tools, nonpublic school staff will find this conference to be an event that enriches skills, ignites passion, and equips them to return to the classroom re-energized and re-charged!

Registration Information

$200 - Early-bird Rate (ends September 13, 2024)

$250 - Conference Rate

$300 - Not yet a MANS members

This conference will be covered by Title IIA - an exact percentage to be determined soon.

NOTE: EANS II funds may be used if the conference was in your approved application.

MANS School Law Seminar - June 14 - Lansing, Michigan

The 2024 MANS School Law Seminar is coming this summer! This half-day session is designed to allow you to engage with and learn from legal experts on contemprary legal issues facing schools. Empower yourself to proactively address legal challenges and implement effective policies within your schools. Reserve your seat now before it sells out!

Speaker Announcement:

Michelle Kolkmeyer, Bodman Law Firm - Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution and Workplace Law Practice Group

• School policies regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI), staff marijuana use outside of school, Narcan availability in schools, and new Department of Labor update on overtime requirements.

MANS Creating Pathways Toward School Success - July 26 - Lansing, Michigan

Creating Pathways is a faith-filled professional learning opportunity tailored for school secretaries and administrative assistants in Michigan’s nonpublic schools. Participants will spend the day networking with peers and will participate in session designed for the important role they play in your schools. 

• Learn how AI impacts schools and how to harness it's power to simplify and create efficiencies in your work.
• Explore safety protocols that prepare you for issues before they arise.
• Pick up tips and tricks for maximizing what Microsoft suite can do for you,
• and more!

Creating Pathways empowers school secretaries and administrative assistants with the knowledge and tools to effectively contribute to their faith-based school’s success while embracing the challenges and opportunities that shape their roles.

MANS Faith-filled Office Professional Award

Principals and school boards are invited to nominate your outstanding administrative assistant for the Michigan Association of Non-public Schools (MANS) Faith-filled Office Professional Award. This award recognizes school office professionals who are faith-filled ambassadors for their schools, create efficiencies that streamline daily tasks, understand their broader ministry, have a willingness to take on new challenges and tasks, and develop respectful relationships with parents, students, and staff.

Nominations are peer-reviewed, and awardees will be recognized at the 2024 Creating Pathways Toward School Success retreat. Recipients of the award will receive complimentary registration for the retreat in recognition of their achievement. Nominations are due June 14, 2024.

Michigan's K-12 Educator AI Integration Survey

The Michigan Association of Non-public Schools (MANS) participates with more than a dozen other educational organizations to participate in an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Statewide Workgroup, led by Michigan Virtual's AI Lab. The workgroup wants to hear about your experiences, challenges, and perceptions of AI in Michigan schools. Your anonymous feedback will be analyzed and shared in summary format as well as by each statewide membership group. This will help us collectively improve knowledge sharing, assess developments, and better address the professional development needs of educators. The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete.

MANS 2024 Christmas Card Student Art Competition

We are excited to invite MANS member students from across Michigan to showcase their artistic talents in celebration of the holiday season by designing the card MANS will send to stakeholders this coming Christmas. This year's theme is 'Angels Among Us,' inviting participants to depict the roles of angels in the Christmas story. Not enough time to do it this school year, there is plenty of time as the deadline for submissions isn't until November 2024. 

SCECH Frequently Asked Questions

MANS SCECH processing for the 2023-2024 school year is well underway. Please take note of these frequently asked questions by educators and administrators:

1. Q - Why don't I see my SCECHs in my MOECS account? A - you must complete the MOECS mandatory evaluation in order for the uploaded SCECHs to be applied to your account. See this MDE document to find outstanding evaluations in your MOECS account.
2. Q - MDE is asking to see proof of my professional development this year. A - MDE may ask for proof of completion of your PD so make sure you have certificates of completion and other documentation in case you are asked.
3. Q - MANS uploaded a different amount of SCECHs than applied for. A MANS will only allow the number of SCECHS approved by your SCECH coordinator. In the case of a discrepancy, MANS policy is to upload the lesser amount of SCECHs - either what was approved or what was applied for.

Postpone Visits to Dairy & Poultry Farms

Public Health recommends postponing all educational visits to dairy and poultry farms due to influenza A (H5N1) activity.

Across the United States, influenza A (H5N1) has been spreading among wild birds. Influenza A (H5N1) outbreaks have also occurred in many domestic dairy and poultry farms in the U.S – including farms in a number of Michigan counties.

Since 2022, there have been three confirmed human cases of influenza A (H5) related to bird and dairy exposure in the U.S., including one human case recently identified in Michigan.

School Safety Update - Swatting Calls

This week, several school districts in Michigan were subjected to “swatting” calls falsely warning of the presence of an active shooter. The practice of swatting is defined as a form of harassment to deceive an emergency service provider into sending a police and emergency service response team to a specific location. The practice is disruptive and wastes valuable law enforcement and school resources.

State of Michigan "I Voted" Sticker Design Contest

The Michigan Department of State's inaugural "I Voted" sticker design contest is now open. Michiganders of all ages can apply for a chance to see their design on an official “I Voted” sticker handed to voters at the polls this year.

Entry categories include elementary/middle school (K-8); high school (9-12), and general entry open to all Michiganders. Designs must be completed using the official entry form and must be submitted by Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

Federal Updates

Equitable Services under Title I and Title VIII of the ESEA - Webinar Recording Available

The Office of Non-Public Education webinar: Equitable Services under Title I, Part A, and Title VIII, Part F of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is now available on the U.S. Department of Education’s website. Links to the webinar, presentation slides, and guidance are available here.

As the school year wraps up, Michigan Virtual is gearing up for their 2024 EdTech Catalyst programming! If you're part of Michigan's education community with an innovative idea or new business to enhance teaching or learning, here's what you need to know.

EdTech Innovation Bootcamp is a live Zoom event taking place from June 17 - 20, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. daily. It's designed to help develop your EdTech idea and deepen your understanding of education technology innovation and entrepreneurship. Participation in the Bootcamp is strongly encouraged for those planning to enter the Michigan Virtual EdTech Pitch Contest, although it's not mandatory if you're attending solely for the Bootcamp.

The EdTech Pitch Contest has two rounds. For the first round, submit your pitch deck and video by July 7, 2024. Five finalists will then present their pitches live on Zoom on July 18, 2024. Save the dates to participate or watch the final presentations!

MESC Offers Free Van Andel Institute Virtual Math Series

The Michigan Equitable Service Collaborative (MESC) has partnered with Van Andel Institute (VAI) for Education to offer a virtual Math Series for K-8 teachers. This FREE professional learning opportunity is open to Michigan's non-public schools. Please register for each session you plan on attending. Michigan's nonpublic school teachers can use code MANS24 to receive FREE registration. Register soon! Spots will fill up fast!

• Practices Make Perfect: Using the Standards of Mathematical Practice to Improve Student Instruction on June 13 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
• The Antidote: Eradicating the Fear of Math Once and For All on June 18 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
• Lesson Transformation in Math: Stop Creating Lesson Plans, Start Creating Learning Experiences! on June 20 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Get your new educators up to speed and ready to go for the upcoming school year! Catapult Learning’s New Teacher Math & Essentials is fueled by ETS Praxis math data and research on new educator subject matter understanding and core competencies. With this information, we developed a comprehensive package to directly address key areas of need for new educators and empower them to excel through an emphasis on core competencies and math instruction.

Our New Teacher Math & Essentials Bundle:

• Is designed with new educators, paraprofessionals, and emergency certified teachers in mind
• Includes instructor-led workshops on key math concepts and practical application, classroom management, and more
• Comes paired with our asynchronous PDNow platform to reinforce educator development through over 10 hours of online courses.

GPS Solutions Mental Health Support

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.