October 30, 2018
2018 MEMSPA Annual Conference | December 5-7, 2018
Live Well, Lead Strong: Living in Love, Living in Conflict
Debbie McFalone
The finest leaders I know operate from a foundation of love:  unconditional regard for the people with whom they work. They treat people with dignity no matter their status, they are unfailingly kind even when kindness is difficult, and they are known for their commitment to giving people grace when it’s needed. I call them Uncommon Leaders, and they’re a powerful model for us all.  

But here’s the thing:  None of us, not even the best of us, dwell in the Land of Nice each and every day.  (I’m telling you this in case it’s breaking news for you….) So, How do these Uncommon Leaders manage criticism and conflict?

What happens when these leaders encounter times when tensions are high, tempers are flaring, and conflict seems to be the order of the day?   When everyone around them seems to be storming, I’d suggest there are three things Uncommon Leaders do.
Principal to Principal: Leadership Matters is a Game Changer!
Derek Wheaton
Derek Wheaton
“Leadership Matters is the most meaningful professional development I have experienced in 21 years of education. I am walking away with a toolkit full of strategies, a new sense of confidence in my leadership and connections that I know will be with me throughout my leadership journey.” - LM Cohort 9 participant

YOU are the CLO-Chief Learning Officer of your school, but you also must be the LL: the Lead Learner!  With a growth mindset, the principal as learner and collaborator ensures robust and continuous learning for all.  Rick Dufour has said, “Schools need leadership from principals who focus on advancing student and staff learning.”  A 2009 study from the Wellington Ministry of Education titled School Leadership and Student Outcomes: Identifying What Works and Why concluded that the leadership activity that has the greatest impact on student learning is the promotion and participation in teacher learning.  In fact, the effect size was .84, nearly double the .42 effect size of teacher evaluation and goal setting!

You get it!  You ensure that you participate in teacher learning and find the resources to ensure that your teachers have relevant professional learning that match school goals for ensuring student achievement.  Have you thought much about your own learning? Truth nine from Kouze and Posner’s book The Truth About Leadership is that “The Best Leaders are the Best Learners!”   Why not consider joining Cohort Ten of Leadership Matters?  Here are five reasons why!

Do you know an outstanding K-8 Assistant Principal?
MEMSPA/NAESP are accepting nominations for the National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year. Our associations are committed to preparing assistant principals to step into the principal role.

Recognition for the exceptional leadership of men and women who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of PreK-8 schools instills pride in their accomplishments and reinforces their leadership in helping children develop a lifelong love of learning.

Deadline for submission: November 30th

Memorial - William Mays, Jr.
It is with feelings of sadness that I am sharing the memorial notice of our former executive director, William Mays, Jr.

Pleasant memories also roll through my mind as I remember the kind, gentle, giant of a man who hired me at MEMSPA over thirty-five years ago. He served MEMSPA as its executive director for over 22 years and I had the pleasure of working with him for over 10 years. Today I will choose to take some time to remember these formative years of my professional life. I am thankful.

Bill passed away on October 22nd and a memorial service has been planned in Ann Arbor on October 31st. See service information linked below.

Partner Spotlight
Implementing Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction
There is more pressure today on literacy instruction to be adaptive to students from increasingly diverse culturally-linguistic backgrounds. Nearpod is committed to putting new models of learning into practice by providing digital lessons that empower students, teachers, and the community. From virtual reality to engaging formative assessments , our solution broadens the opportunities to promote and integrate literacy with SEL .