Weekly Update

Important Updates

MANS Teacher Appreciation Video Project

The Michigan Association of Non-public Schools wants to celebrate our outstanding faith-based teachers during Teacher Appreciation Month in May. We are asking students and families to share a short video to show their appreciation. MANS will share the videos throughout the month of May on social media and in the weekly updates.

Video submissions should be submitted by April 10, 2023, and be 15-30 seconds long. Each submission will be entered into a raffle for a classroom pizza party!

Attention Administrators: Please share this opportunity in your parent communication. Each submission from your school will enter you into a drawing to receive 50% off the registration fee for the 2023 MANS Administrators' Conference!

2023 MANS Public Policy Day - March 23, 2023

Unite with fellow nonpublic educators and take charge of the issues that impact your school! Join MANS and colleagues from around the state on March 23, 2023 for Public Policy Day. Use this once-a-year opportunity to connect with legislators - showing them how valuable our schools are in creating an impactful education system. We all have a shared responsibility to speak up for our schools; let's make sure the Michigan legislature hears us!

Important Legislative Topics Impacting Nonpublic schools:

MI Future Educator Student Teacher Stipend proposal would award an individual up to $9,600 per semester for attending a teacher preparation program at a private or public college in Michigan. The student must student-teach in a public school. MANS advocates that eligibility must be extended to student teachers in nonpublic schools.

MI Future Educator Fellowship proposal provides up to $10,000 per year for first‐time degree seekers and career changers to lower the cost of becoming a PreK‐12 teacher. Students must attend a Michigan public or private institution of higher education, and the fellowship would have to be repaid if the student does not subsequently teach at a public school for three-to-five years. MANS advocates that fellowship recipients should also be allowed to teach at nonpublic schools to avoid repayment.

Expanded Breakfast/Lunch proposal includes $160 million that, when combined with available federal funding, will ensure all students in a public school can receive breakfast and lunch at no cost. MANS advocates that nonpublic school students should also be included as eligible recipients for breakfast and lunch at no cost.

Not available to attend? Please share this invitation with Board members, Associate Principals, Teachers, Parents - anyone who is available to attend is welcome!

Agenda

8:00 AM | Registration, Networking, and Continental Breakfast

8:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Sessions

11:30 AM | Floating Lunch

11:30 AM - 3:00 PM | Legislative Visits

Click here for the detailed agenda.

MANS High School Webinar Series

Invite your secondary teaching, administrative, and counseling staff to the Michigan Association of Non-public Schools (MANS) high school webinar series. This special series will focus on issues and resources important for supporting high school students.

March 14, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.: The Framework for Building a Student Talent Pipeline Work-Based Learning Program with Fred Lumpkin, CEO and Co-Founder at Work for Tomorrow.

April 12 at 1:00 p.m.: ChatGPT and its Impacts on Education with Justin Bruno, Assistant Director of District Programming at Michigan Virtual

Missed this week's session: Equipping Students and Families for Post-secondary Success with Jeneen Y. Hatoum, Director, High School Innovation at MCAN?

This session includes excellent resources and a chance for your school to apply for up to $1,000 to provide incentives for your students to complete the FAFSA.

MANS 2023 Awards

MANS recognizes excellence in education within member schools with several awards. In 2023, there will be two awards given at the Administrators' Conference at Shanty Creek Resort.

Fr. John B. Zwers Award - this award recognizes Pastors and leaders from MANS constituencies for their support and involvement with faith-based schools. The criteria for this award is a person who has a strong history of support for faith-based schools; is able to articulate the importance of faith-based schools; has ongoing connections to their school community, its parents, teachers, and students; and has demonstrated support for your work in leading the school community.

Sr. Dorita Wotiska Faith-filled Administrator Award - This award recognizes an administrator(s) who demonstrates the very best in faith-based education and is recognized as servant leaders in their buildings and in the broader education field. Administrators may be nominated by pastors, superintendents, and other school administrators.

State Updates

Earth Day Poster Contest and Service Awards

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is offering an Earth Day Poster Contest for students in kindergarten through 5th grade. The submitted posters will be judged based on the "Michigan Native" theme and should include plants, wildlife, or ecosystems native to Michigan. 

EGLE is also conducting an Environmental Service Award (ESA) competition is for students in 6th through 12th grade. Schools are invited to nominate a student or group of students to be recognized for completion of a school-sanctioned, environment-based project that has tangible results. 

Nominations for both opportunities are due by March 17, 2023.

School Safety Funding Opportunities

Pursuant to Public Act 93 of 2022, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) announces the re-opening of two previous grant opportunities, Section 97c for school safety assessments and 97d for critical incident mapping, due to remaining limited funds from the first round. Additional requests will be granted to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Those that received allocations in the first round are not eligible.  If you have any questions about whether your school is scheduled to receive a first round allocation please contact Mary Teachout at teachoutm@michigan.gov. Allocations are scheduled to go to nonpublic schools properly registered in the SIGMA system in early March.

MDE Seeking Equitable Services Ombudsman

The Department of Education has posted an Education Consultant 11-P13 position (3103-22-019), Office of Educational Supports, on the State of Michigan posting site. This permanent intermittent (hours may vary) position is located in Lansing and is open to internal employees and outside applicants. To apply and/or view the position description, click on the link below.

Federal Updates

The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) Update

The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), the leading school choice bill in the U.S. Congress that expands educational freedom to all 50 states through a federal tax credit scholarship, continues to gain co-sponsors and endorsements in the new congressional session.

U.S. National Model STEM Education Program Opportunity

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education announces Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission 18 to the International Space Station. This opportunity gives students across your community the ability to design and propose microgravity experiments to fly in low-Earth orbit on the International Space Station (ISS). Interested school districts are directed to inquire about the program as soon as possible, and no later than March 31, 2023. 

Professional Learning Opportunities

Understanding and Supporting Gifted Learners Module

Understanding and Supporting Gifted Learners (USGL) - Series Introduction Module is now live on EduPath. The first course in the series will introduce you to the gifted learner and their characteristics, as well as discuss the academic and social-emotional needs that affect their educational experience and growth. This course will prepare you for subsequent topics to be addressed. The series introduction model is 15 minutes and has .25 SCECHs available. If you do not have an EduPaths account, please request an account. Email EDUpaths for additional information.

This Newsletter Is Brought To You By: