March 2025
MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION MONTH
Middle Level Education Month (March) is a great opportunity to highlight the importance of middle school education and recognize the contributions of educators, students, and families. Here are some engaging ways to celebrate:
For Schools & Educators:
- Student Showcases: Host a student-led exhibition featuring projects, artwork, and presentations highlighting their learning.
- Educator Appreciation Week: Recognize middle school teachers with small gifts, shoutouts, and thank-you notes from students and parents.
- Guest Speaker Series: Invite inspiring speakers—former middle schoolers, community leaders, or professionals—to talk about their journey and the impact of middle-level education.
- Career Exploration Week: Organize activities that introduce students to different career paths through virtual or in-person job shadowing experiences.
- Themed Spirit Days: Celebrate with dress-up days like "College & Career Day," "Favorite Teacher Day," or "Throwback to Your Middle School Days."
Professional Development for Teachers: Offer workshops focused on best practices for middle school teaching and student engagement.
Click the LINK to read more ideas for students, families, and communities to celebrate Middle School Month.
CATHY'S TEACHER TIP
Celebrate Women's History Month with Unladylike2020
Introduce your students to this rich collection that features the stories of several trailblazing women from the Progressive Era! Created to honor the centennial of women’s suffrage, this timeless collection highlights the unsung heroines who shaped history.
BOARD MEMBER TIDBITS
Board Training
It is a requirement that all SVSU authorized school board members complete 2 hours of board training each year. The SVSU School/University Partnership Office website contains several online options for board training at the Board Member Resource Page. Once you have completed your training, please complete the 2024-2025 Board Training Verification Form to ensure you get credit for your training.
SCHOOL LEADERS
Thank you to all the leaders that attended the February school leader meeting. Resources from each session are available on the SVSU School Leader Canvas Site.
Leaders who have access to the Canvas page please remember:
Your account is a guest account, links within any future Canvas emails will not allow you to log in. You will always need to use the following URL to access Canvas:
If you plan to bookmark the site, make sure you bookmark it before you log in, not after. If you ever need to reset your password, email support@svsu.edu stating that you're a Canvas Guest user and need your password reset.
2024-2025 Outstanding Employee Award Nomination Information
Nominations are open for the School/University Partnership Office Outstanding Employee of the Year Award.
This year we are acknowledging the following school staff:
- Paraprofessionals
- Full-time Substitute Teachers
- Interventionists
- Office and Administrative Assistants
Employee of the Year Nomination Form
Nominations due by March 3, 2025
See the SUPO website for additional information.
PUBLIC SCHOOL ACADEMY PHOTO CONTEST 2025
Stakeholders from SVSU charter schools (school leaders, teachers, staff) can win a cash prize for their school for submitting photos of student learning, experiences, and activities that illustrate the theme of the year. Each photo must include a caption (1-3 sentences that links the photo to the theme).
2025 Theme – Growing Together
At the School/University Partnership Office (SUPO) we believe that a quality education welcomes all, fosters creativity, and entitles learners to grow into their most authentic selves. As every difference is an asset, education should always be a celebration of diverse views and people. Seek out photos that illustrate students discovering their talents, abilities, opportunities for enrichment, service, and personal development.
To enter the contest, submit the Photo Contest Terms & Rules form, photos, and Media Release Forms to Dawn Gillespie (drg@svsu.edu). Deadline April 4, 2025.
For additional information and forms see the SUPO website.
NEWS YOU CAN USE
STUDENT SERVICES UPDATES
Legal News in Student Services
There are significant developments occurring within the realm of student services.
Are you looking for reliable sources of information or seeking the latest updates?
We encourage you to join the MAPSA Mi Charter Network by following this link: [MAPSA Mi Charter Network]. Within the network, you'll find the Special Education Hub, where we convene monthly to discuss emerging topics and new mandates. This hub is an excellent resource for timely and accurate information.
Best Practice Corner
On January 31, 2025, I had the privilege of attending the 2025 Dyslexia Summit Playlist, presented by the MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center. The sessions were outstanding, and I highly recommend viewing the presentation Building a New Brain City: Connecting Neuroscience & Educational Practices for Students with Reading Difficulties.
Special Education Coffee Hour
Our next Special Education Coffee Hour will be held on March 20, 2025, from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. The topic for discussion will be announced closer to the date. We look forward to your participation!
FEATURED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Michigan Continuous Improvement Facilitators Network (MCIFN) provides a venue for continuous improvement facilitators to meet quarterly to engage in professional learning related to continuous improvement and networking to improve the quality of services that are provided to local districts.
2024-25 Schedule and Registration Fees
- In-Person Network Meetings: $80
- Virtual Network Meetings: $60
Upcoming Network Meeting
- April 15- 16 (In-person Muskegon ISD)
Annual MCIFN Conference - June 11-13 (Traverse City)
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MASA’s Quickfire sessions are intensive, three-hour learning opportunities based on member feedback and designed to provide school leaders with essential updates on critical education-related topics.
Whether you’re a veteran leader in need of a refresher or in your first few years seeking foundational knowledge, these sessions will deliver focused, actionable insights. Session participants will leave equipped with knowledge needed to lead with confidence in today’s evolving educational landscape.
Sessions are open to superintendents, central office administrators, and aspiring district leaders.
March 3 (virtual)
School Finance – 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Learn More & Register
Educator Evaluations – 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Learn More & Register
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Professional Innovators in Teaching
Why alternative certification - Video
CHARTER DAY AT THE CAPITOL 2025
MAY 6 , 2025
MAPSA's annual rally on the Capitol lawn connects charter school advocates with the decision-makers in Lansing, showcasing the vibrancy, passion, and diversity of our movement - and we can't wait to see you this year! Registration is open to all educators, parents, advocates, and students who want to join. * We will have 1,000 t-shirts to wear to show our unity to lawmakers so that they can visualize and see how significant the MI charter school movement is.
*If you are registering a group of 10 or more, please complete a large group registration form and email Sarah Paciorek at spaciorek@charterschools.org.
-REGISTRATION CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT, FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2025-
SAFETY NOTES FROM NICK
Nick Hoffman is the School Resource Officer at Merritt Academy
https://saferschoolstogether.com/resources/parent-caregiver-resources/
This link above is from a training I attended for parents. It has resources for parents to educate themselves on the dangers of social media. I was taken back by the number of apps that young people now use to communicate and hide things from their parents. The link provides online training sessions for parents and educators.
The link, “Raising Digitally Responsible Youth" covers apps that most kids use. "Sexting vs. Sextortion", is also a topic that is discussed. I believe most parents have no idea what their children and teens can gain access to, or who can gain access to their children by cell phones and social media.
Deputy Nick Hoffman
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The Michigan State Police Office of School Safety (MSP/OSS) is hosting Michigan K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (Mi-BTAM) training across the state for school-based threat assessment teams in K-12 public, charter, and private schools.
Mi-BTAM training is a fact-based, systematic process designed to identify, assess, and work collaboratively with families and students to mitigate life situational factors contributing to thoughts of violence and aggression.
The Basic Training is a one-day workshop that covers topics such as understanding school violence and implications for prevention, steps for developing and operating an effective school threat assessment program and developing and implementing case management plans.
BASIC BTAM
Tuesday | March 4, 2025 – Traverse City Area | Coming Soon
Wednesday | March 19, 2025 – Lansing Area | Coming Soon
Tuesday | May 13, 2025 – Marquette Area | Register Here
Thursday | May 15, 2025 – Bay City/Saginaw Area |Register Here
CONTACT US.
School/University Partnership Office
Office Location: Gilbertson Hall
Email: supo@svsu.edu
Phone: (989) 964-4623