MASSP News Center

From the President

David Feenstra

Now, more than ever school administrators need to collaborate with each other to ensure that we are providing all students with systematic interventions to meet the State graduation requirements for the Class of 2011. Principals and teachers will be establishing identification criteria, developing academic support programs, and adjusting teaching techniques and strategies for students falling below proficiency standards in the core curriculum.

Educators will have to sharpen their academic “triage” skills to be as proactive as possible in identifying students with academic and social deficiencies in a timely manner. Programs like Operation Contact and Child Advocacy Teams will need to be quickly activated based on academic symptoms of poor student performance observed by the classroom teacher. Principals will need to be leaders in providing appropriate and effective accommodations and interventions based on the individual needs of the learner. Once the needs of the learner have been identified, the next challenge will be sequencing support mechanisms to ensure student success as they progress through a rigorous curriculum.

School administrators around Michigan will be seeking innovative academic support programs to ensure that all kids will meet and exceed the new graduation standards in the Michigan Merit Curriculum. We need to utilize the expertise of other administrators and other educators to adapt systematic interventions to fit the climate and cultures of our schools. Providing extended learning opportunities within and outside of the scheduled school day for students is going to be a priority. We will need to share our best practices to help our colleagues who have similar vulnerable student populations.

Finally, providing transitional programs throughout a student’s secondary educational experience will be essential in helping all students meet the higher academic performance stands in the Michigan Merit Curriculum. A record of communications and coordination of intervention strategies between curriculum departments and grade levels will enhance the effectiveness of our efforts to successfully implement comprehensive academic and social/emotional supports for individual students throughout high school.

TEAM = Together Everyone Achieves More is the common cheer for
administrators, teachers, and coaches to inspire groups of people to put forth their effort for the benefit of others. Collectively school administrators in Michigan can break through the numerous learning barriers that many students will face throughout their high school careers.