June 12, 2018
2018 MEMSPA Summer Leadership Institute
July 31-August 1 | Kalamazoo Radisson Hotel
Keynote by Beth Houf of Lead Like a PIRATE !
Watch this video from Beth Houf about her SLI Keynote:
Live Well, Lead Strong: The Ending Is Also The Beginning
Debbie McFalone
Friends, please stop your focus on your end of the year “To Do” list for just a moment...pause and appreciate that you’ve now completed another year of leadership and learning!  For some of you, it’s been a year of change as you’ve adjusted to a new role or a new school. Some of you may have maintained your servant leadership in a school where you have experience and history with your community. In either case, you’ve given your best effort to shape the culture of your school and to provide skillful leadership, so do take time to celebrate yourself!
I find that new earrings or dinner out are fine ideas...what will you do?

T.S. Elliott is credited with saying, “What looks like an ending may also be a beginning”, so let’s think about that for a moment.  As you give your brain time to rest and relax this summer, perhaps you'll take the time to consider some of these bigger questions for next year.
  • What did you learn in 2018-19? 
  • What went well for you? 
  • Who needs a word of encouragement and support?  
  • What teachers might you encourage to become more active leaders in your school?
  • How are students empowered in your school? Where is their voice evident?
  • What systems for discipline and routine tasks could you put into place so that your time is spent being a visible presence in classrooms? 
  • How is joy present daily in your work?

Seize this opportunity to bring FREE nutrition and physical activity resources to your building!
All public, charter or private nonprofit school in Michigan serving any grade levels, K-12, are invited to apply for the Building Healthy Communities: Step Up for School Wellness Program by September 30, 2018.

Participating schools will be provided with training, equipment, materials and other resources to implement and sustain environmental change, student activities and knowledge and skills-building that encourage healthy eating and physical activity. This program offers a flexible structure that allows schools to select the resources that meet their needs. Each resource has a school coach to assist with implementation and new schools will receive $1,000 to complete Michigan’s Healthy School Action Tools (HSAT).

Resources available for 2018-2019:
  • Classroom Physical Activity Breaks (GoNoodle Plus)
  • Active Recess (Recess Cart, equipment and activity cards)
  • Quality Physical Education (Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum™, equipment and training)
  • Walk-n-Run Fun (Sparky Lap and Time Tracker, toe tokens, lace links and training)
  • Healthy Out-of-School Time (Come Out and Play Curriculum, CATCH Curriculum and training)
  • Healthy Smoothies (Commercial grade smoothie blender, recipes and $250 for taste tests)
  • Smarter Lunchrooms (Classrooms lessons and $1,000 for cafeteria changes)
  • Healthy Parties and Celebrations (Loads of recipes, snacks and ideas and $500 for taste tests)
  • Nutrition Education (Michigan Model for Health™ Curriculum, resources and training)
Partner Spotlight
Introducing MEMSPA's Newest Partner...
The Michigan Arts Education Instruction and Assessment Project (MAEIA) supports Michigan school districts, buildings, educators, and the public in implementing a high quality arts education program in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts for all K-12 students.

For Michigan’s young people to be fully prepared when they leave high school for college, career, and life, they will need a complete and competitive education. Research and opinion polls of administrators, employers, parents, and students support the significant impact of an arts-rich education on the whole child.

MAEIA is the first statewide project to create a comprehensive one-stop-shop of tools and resources that can help K-12 districts answer key questions educators are asking:
  • What does an exemplary arts program look like?
  • Where do I find research that supports the need for quality arts programs?
  • What tool would help my district evaluate its arts program?
  • What does authentic assessment in the arts look like?
  • What tools can I use to have meaningful conversations about arts education in my district?