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

Come be part of something impactful 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!

Michigan's National School Choice Week 2024 Celebration

Michigan's Event is January 23 in Lansing!

This year P.A.C.E. (Parent Advocates for Choice in Education) is offering a thank you to any school or educational organization attending National School Choice Week Event! Upon arrival you will receive details on how you can complete a scavenger hunt-style activity. Upon completion and submission your school/educational organization will receive a $100 gift card toward the purchase of an educational item.

Wear school swag to the event so as you are walking around the Michigan Capitol grounds so that individuals will recognize that you are a school group.

National Lutheran Schools Week - January 21-27, 2024

National Lutheran Schools Week provides more than 1,800 preschools, elementary schools and high schools with the public opportunity to proclaim and celebrate God’s work among us in schools of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod thanks God for the opportunity to provide excellent academic preparation for the children they serve and are most grateful for the opportunity to share Jesus’ amazing love with children and their families. National Lutheran Schools Week gives them an opportunity to proclaim these great blessings within the communities they serve.

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

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

The 2023-2024 SCECH program has 283 schools enrolled! In late spring and summer of 2024 we anticipate over 2,000 educator SCECH applications. To ensure a smooth process we urge you to stay updated by following this section of the Weekly Update.

• Google Spreadsheet as Administrator's Signature: Each school maintains a Google spreadsheet, serving as the administrator's signature, confirming their staff's completion of the listed professional development (PD).
• SCECH Application Requirement: Every individual seeking SCECHs must complete a Google SCECH application annually. This application acts as their personal signature, verifying their PD completion.
• This two-step system is designed to ensure accurate record-keeping.

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.

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.

The FBI is alerting the public to the deliberate targeting of minor victims by violent online groups on widely accessible messaging platforms. These groups aim to coerce victims between the ages of 8 and 17 years old to produce content involving self-harm, explicit sexual acts, and/or suicide. There are many active group names including 676, 764, CVLT, Court, Kaskar, Harm Nation, Leak Society, and H3ll, with subgroups continuously formed under different nicknames. For additional information, visit Campus Safety Magazine.

CDC Offers Preparedness Resource

Carefully planning for emergencies helps schools to mitigate the impact of both short- and long-term crises on operations. A strategic approach not only facilitates the possibility of keeping schools open but also enables a quicker reopening and the continued provision of services in the aftermath of an emergency. Schools and outside agencies must collaborate closely to ensure the safe sustained operation of schools. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Readiness Response, provides this online resource to guide preparedness efforts.  

OK2SAY

In order to prioritize the safety of students in schools, Michigan has OK2SAY, a confidential tipline that allows anyone to report potential harm or criminal activities directed toward students, school employees, or schools. The main goal of this program is to create a safe environment where students can share their concerns without fear of retaliation.

While the majority of tips received are made in good faith, there have been a few instances in which the tipline was misused by individuals reporting false information as a prank or to get someone else in trouble. These actions not only undermine the integrity of OK2SAY but also waste valuable time and resources of schools and law enforcement, possibly delaying responses to genuine emergencies. Such acts can also be frustrating and intimidating for students who are wrongfully implicated in these false tips.

According to the Michigan School Safety Act 183 of 2013, OK2SAY ensures that the tipster's identity will be kept confidential, but not anonymous. The identity of the tipster can only be disclosed with the tipster’s consent, the permission of their parents in the case of a minor, or when authorized by a court order. However, if an individual files a false report, the prosecuting attorney for a local unit of government may petition to the court to disclose the report, including identifying information.

Tipline for OK2SAY: 8-555-OK2SAY or 855-565-2729.

Resources from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released two new resources related to K-12 school safety and security. Please see the following information on these new products and feel free to share as you see fit with your members, networks, and other interested individuals in the school safety community.  

• Social Media Threat Guidance for School Staff and Authorities Infographic: This product highlights social media threats affecting school districts in the United States, provides mitigation and response measures for social media threats directed at school districts, and connects school safety stakeholders to a suite of tools and resources provided by CISA and its partners to promote a culture of readiness and preparedness.
• Bombing Prevention Assistance for K-12 Schools: This product provides K-12 schools and school districts with products, tools, and Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) strategies to protect, prevent, mitigate, and respond to bombing threats. 

Federal Updates

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

The participation of private and other nonpublic schools in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is essential for examining the picture of K-12 education in the United States and informing future policy decisions.

Private schools represent about 24 percent of schools in the nation and educate about 9 percent of the students. In order to have a complete picture of the academic achievement and progress of the nation's students, selected students in public and nonpublic schools must participate in NAEP.

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.

Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) College and Career Planning in Middle Grades Course

Registration is open for MCAN's College and Career Planning in Middle Grades mini-course, which begins at the end of January. The five-week course was developed for practicing professional school counselors, pre-service school counselors, and college access professionals. Participants will be engaged in building knowledge and skills in several areas.

The Registration deadline is January 24 and the course begins on January 29.

This course was submitted for 10 SCECHs in college preparation and selection and 10 SCECHs in career exploration.

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.