The Michigan Association of Non-public Schools (MANS) and Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) staff hosted an EANS Overview webinar on Thursday, February 4, 2021. The recording and PowerPoint can be found below:

The Michigan Association of Non-public Schools (MANS) and Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) staff were joined by Fred Williams, Field Services Regional Support Unit Manager, and Interim Equitable Services Ombudsman, for the second EANS webinar on Thursday, February 11, 2021. The recording and PowerPoint can be found below:

Join the Michigan Association of Non-public Schools (MANS) Business Partners, Catapult Learning, FACTS, and Michigan Virtual as they share services they can provide schools that are allowable through EANS funding.

EANS Information:

Governor Whitmner announced the submission of the EANS Program application on February 11, 2021. Click here to read the MANS press release. The MANS Board continues to work with the Michigan Department of Education to develop a grant submission plan and the distribution of funds. An application is expected to be sent out using the Grant Electronic Monitoring System (GEMS). Continue to check the MANS weekly update for information on the application.

The Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) Program was included in the CRRSA. Under the EANS Program, established as part of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II), the U.S. Department of Education awards grants to Governors to provide services or assistance to eligible non-public schools to address the impact that the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had, and continues to have, on non-public school students and teachers in the State. Michigan’s allocation is $86,776,841.00.

MANS will monitor how the EANS program is rolled out and share the eligibility requirements when they are known.

The Michigan Association of Non-public Schools (MANS) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will be hosting a webinar for nonpublic schools interested in participating in the COVID Antigen testing.

When: February 12, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.

The Michigan Association of Non-public Schools (MANS) has obtained a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) Waiver on behalf of member schools. The CLIA Wavier will allow member schools to participate in this program that provides weekly antigen testing to teachers and school staff in order to detect the presence of the COVID virus in people who are otherwise asymptomatic

Any MANS member interested in participating should review this website and the webinars that are embedded in it. The antigen testing is for school staff only due to current limitations in the number of tests available. As more and more teachers become vaccinated a school could possibly begin using the tests for students.

Please note that schools included in our CLIA waiver will not be assessed a fee for the waiver. Schools that pursue an individual waiver will be assessed a $180 fee. As we move forward MANS will work out the logistics of the test deliveries (likely at ISDs) to help streamline access to the tests for all of its schools.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) are looking forward to partnering with schools to provide vital pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits to Michigan students and help reduce food insecurities in our communities (see PDF flyer for more information).

Yesterday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) updated its current epidemic order to allow contact sports to resume as of Monday, Feb. 8, provided masks are worn during practices and competition. If masks cannot be worn, participants must be regularly tested for COVID-19 consistent with guidelines issued by MDHHS.  

Join your colleagues virtually on March 8, 2021, from noon - 2:00 p.m. for the latest information on educational policy issues impacting non-public schools. The MANS staff will be setting up virtual appointments with your legislators on March 9-10, 2021, and will send meeting information a week prior.

Learn about preparing students for the future of work by moving away from job titles and shifting their attention to challenges that exist in the world. SparkPath will share how this simple change can unlock new opportunities, a fresh perspective, and a powerful approach to preparing students for success. State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) will be available.

This conference will focus on how to increase the amount of diverse literature available to students and how to use the materials for instruction and student engagement. The Keynote will be delivered by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, author of Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy.

According to the U.S. Department of Education (USED), Michigan is experiencing a 14 percent decrease in Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) forms filed by high school seniors when compared to last year at the same time, which mirrors a national trend. Encourage your high school seniors to file the 2021-22 FAFSA form to help defray, and in some cases completely cover, the costs of their postsecondary education.

The Michigan Chapter of the American College of Cardiology is offering a virtual event on Saturday, February 27, 2021, for high school girls to learn about careers in cardiology. The program will have female cardiologists from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin participating in live Q&A sessions. 

Students and families looking for help paying for college are encouraged to register for an upcoming Virtual College Financial Aid Night hosted by the Michigan Department of Treasury’s MI Student Aid team. Sessions will be available from 6:30-8 p.m. EST every Tuesday and Thursday in February. All sessions are free and open to the public. Participants will be able to gather information on the following financial aid topics:

Due to limited space, participants are encouraged to sign up for one session only. Click Here to Register

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development invite students to participate in either the Earth Day poster contest or the Environmental Service Award. The deadline for both contests to submit entries is February 28, 2021.

The annual Do the Write Thing Challenge is a national essay program that gives middle school students an opportunity to examine the impact of violence on their lives. Through this program, students are invited to communicate in written form what they think should be done to reduce youth violence. Students are also encouraged to make personal commitments to do something about the problem.

With the pandemic came new opportunities to earn SCECHs for turning classroom teaching into distance learning. MANS offered educators the opportunity to earn up to 25 SCECHs both in the spring and fall of 2020. The fall 2020 program wrapped up mid-January and was taken advantage of by 210 educators who earned a grand total of 4,975 SCECHs!

For additional SCECH opportunities, look on the following websites:

1. MANS: m-a-n-s.org/resource/2020-2021-scech-process/

2. Michigan Virtual: michiganvirtual.org/professionals/scech/

3. MOECS: mdoe.state.mi.us/moecs/ProfessionalLearning/Reports/Catalog

Catapult Learning offers a suite of special education and related services that can be funded using IDEA allocations, including coaching and professional development, counseling, small group and 1:1 instruction, in-class support, speech and language services, paraeducators, and resource center instruction. Catapult Learning school partnership experts consult with schools to understand and navigate funding resource channels to ensure a fair allocation and to optimize services for their students.

During this free half-day professional development event, you will start your day with words of wisdom and encouragement from award-winning author and radio host, Mitch Albom. Following the keynote, choose from breakout sessions on SEL & mental health, designing for online learning environments, engaging students in online environments, and leadership.

More than ever, technology has an increasingly important role in supporting the education of our youth. That's why the Meemic Foundation wants to help by providing 15 schools the opportunity to update their technology. Each winning school will have $10,000 to work directly with Office Depot to enhance their school technology with items like computers, printers, monitors, headphones, scanners - whatever is needed! The deadline to apply is March 31, 2021.