Friday, September 5, 2025 | | LETTER FROM MAISA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | | |
Dear MAISA Member,
As the executive director of MAISA, I understand the uncertainty and tension that the lack of a state school budget creates for everyone in our educational community. I want to acknowledge the stress this places on our schools and the difficult decisions you face. We are in this together, and I deeply appreciate your ongoing advocacy with legislators during this challenging time. Your voices are crucial, and your tireless efforts do not go unnoticed. In this month's InSiDe Update, you will find important dates to keep you on track, along with incredible stories from the field that highlight the amazing work our educators are doing every day. We’ve also included a variety of resources and opportunities for you to provide feedback and share your opinions. Thank you for your resilience and commitment to our students.
Here are my Three Things:
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Calendar Dates and Meetings: We have provided more information on a number of meetings and opportunities for you to learn and provide input. MAISA November Conference dates, including information about a Dr. John Hattie professional learning opportunity and details about the MiSELA Conference are below. Registering early helps us better prepare for the conference. So please consider finalizing these events. MAISA/SEILN Summit: Hold the date! On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., MAISA and SEILN will host a conference about Creating Safe Learning Environments. The event will be held at two locations, Ferris State University and Marquette Alger RESA. The cost to attend is $80 per person. Breakfast, lunch, and materials will be provided. To register, head to https://events.gomaisa.org/catalog/eventdetails/52.
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Your Opinion Matters: Please consider providing us with your thoughts and opinions on two very important matters: MiStrategy Bank and MiSERC (Special Education Resource Center). The information regarding options to participate are below. Most importantly, your input allows us to produce the very best products and services. We want to ensure the tools we build are the very best. Without your voice and input, we may lose time and we may have a product that does not align with the field’s needs.
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Free Tools: We have two amazing MAISA tools that are being used across Michigan and are incredibly valuable as they relate to literacy. MiREAD and MiCoach Compass. Please consider connecting with our team. We can provide a demonstration for you as well. Details are below.
We are Better Together,
j
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- Coaching Matters Newsletter
- Community Playgroups Promote Social Skills for Young Children
- St. Clair County pre-k educators engage with the Plan, Study, Do, Act cycle
- Math workshop at East Lansing school engages all learners
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Edupaths: Welcome Back Educators
- MiRead
- MiCoach Compass
- MiStrategyBank (MSB) User Feedback Survey
- MiSEN August 2025 Update
- Notice of Feasibility
- MiSELA Conference
- General Membership Meeting and Professional Learning event with Dr. Hattie
Note: Please click "View entire message" at the bottom of this email to view the full newsletter!
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Previous InSiDe Updates
Want to view the previous edition of the InSiDe Update? Click here to view the July 2025 edition.
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Coaching Matters
A Showcase of Early Literacy Learning and Events
| | Community Playgroups Promote Social Skills for Children | | St. Clair County pre-k educators engage with the Plan, Study, Do, Act cycle | | Math workshop at East Lansing school engages all learners | | |
Edupaths
Welcome Back Educators
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A New School Year: Empowering Educators and Students
Educators, as the new school year begins, your vital role in shaping the future by investing in your students and classrooms is more important than ever. We hope you're feeling refreshed and ready to create a learning environment that inspires curiosity, fosters a love for learning, and equips students with the skills they need to succeed.
We're here to support you in that mission. We've updated our resources to help you create an engaging, dynamic, and inclusive classroom. Our goal is to make your invaluable task more accessible and rewarding.
Discover our latest resources to support you throughout the school year!
- Free Courses: Explore a variety of new courses designed to enhance your teaching strategies and classroom management.
- Free SCECHs: Earn State Continuing Education Clock Hours with our updated professional development offerings.
Read the full newsletter here.
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Calling all MiRead districts!
It's time to begin the activation process for the 25-26 school year.
Detailed instructions were sent to all MiRead administrators, MiDataHub technical contacts, and MiStrategyBank administrators on August 4, 2025.
Connect with us at miread@gomaisa.org for questions or support.
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MiCoachCompass is now available for state-wide use!
Registered ISD administrators received configuration and training instructions in early August.
For those looking to learn more or adopt the tool for the upcoming year, please connect with MiCoach Compass Project Director, Erin Pell, at epell@gomaisa.org.
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Help Us Improve MiStrategyBank
Your Opinion Matters
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We're inviting you to participate in our MiStrategyBank (MSB) User Feedback Survey! We want your insights to help us improve the platform's design, functionality, and content to better meet your needs as an educator in Michigan.
The survey is divided into three key areas to get your valuable feedback:
- Product & Functionality: We want to know what you think about the platform's design, ease of use, and search features.
- Partnerships & Engagement: Share your thoughts on how well MSB supports collaboration and how aware you are of the different roles within the platform's ecosystem.
- End-User Engagement: Tell us how valuable you find the content and what resources would encourage you to use MSB more often.
Why Your Feedback Matters
MSB was created by educators for educators. The more the tool is utilized, the more robust and comprehensive it becomes. Your input is crucial to making MSB more robust, useful, and effective for educators to find, select, and implement strategies. This allows more time for educators to do what they do best, build relationships with your students.
The survey includes optional sections for you to provide your name and email if you're interested in participating in a future design session or focus group to give more in-depth feedback.
The survey is open now. Thank you for your continued partnership and for helping us make the MSB the best resource it can be!
Click here to take the MiStrategyBank User Feedback Survey.
If you have questions, please contact Amanda Stoel at astoel@gomaisa.org.
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Notice of Feasibility Study
Michigan Special Education Resource Center (MiSERC)
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A feasibility study to explore the development of a Michigan Special Education Resource Center (MiSERC) is being conducted. The study will define the scope of the statewide solution, analyze the current state of special education resources, complete market research for strategic partners and solution options, assess financial requirements and resources, identify roadblocks, explore alternative solutions, and author recommendations for stakeholders. The goal is to develop a consolidated, statewide system for special education resources that could improve efficiency, reduce duplicated efforts, and better support your critical work.
To accurately assess the feasibility of this project, we need your valuable input. Your perspective is essential to understand current needs, identify potential cost savings, return on investment, and value proposition, and prioritize features for the system’s development.
Please consider completing our survey or joining one of the following focus groups:
Please share this information with special education stakeholders in your service areas.
This study is a collaborative effort by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) on behalf of the Special Education Instructional Leadership Network (SEILN), in partnership with the Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education (MAASE), with fiscal support from the Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District.
If you have questions, please contact Amanda Stoel at astoel@gomaisa.org.
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MiSEN
August 2025 Update
| | MiSELA Statewide Social Emotional Learning Conference | | |
The Michigan Social Emotional Learning Alliance (MiSELA) invites all educators, including teachers, building administrators, and student support staff, to participate in its highly anticipated statewide conference, The Heart of SEL. This event is designed to strengthen Michigan’s collective commitment to nurturing the whole child through social-emotional learning (SEL) practices.
About MiSELA
MiSELA is dedicated to advancing social-emotional learning in Michigan schools by equipping educators with the tools, resources, and collaborative networks needed to foster students’ emotional intelligence, resilience, and well-being. Our alliance brings together passionate professionals who believe that SEL is the foundation for academic achievement and lifelong success.
Why Attend the MiSELA Statewide Conference?
- Inspiring Keynotes: Hear from a nationally recognized SEL thought leader who will share research-driven strategies and real-world experiences to ignite your passion and deepen your understanding around SEL implementation.
- Interactive Workshops: Participate in regionally identified hands-on sessions tailored for those working to integrate SEL into all learning environments.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with colleagues from across the state who share your commitment to student well-being and expand your professional support system.
- Take-Home Resources: Gain access to resources that can be immediately implemented to strengthen your school’s SEL initiatives.
Who Should Attend?
This conference is open to all Michigan educators: classroom teachers, building administrators, counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other student support professionals. Whether you are new to SEL or have been leading SEL efforts for years, this event will provide valuable insights and actionable strategies for all levels.
Conference Highlights
- Panel discussions with Michigan students around their experience with SEL programs
- Vendors featuring SEL curriculum providers and community partners
- Opportunities for peer collaboration and networking
- Engaging presentations from SEL success stories
Register Today!
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a movement advancing the social and emotional well-being of Michigan’s students. Space is limited, so secure your spot now and join other dedicated professionals in shaping the future of education in Michigan.
For more information about MiSELA and to register for the conference, visit our website at www.misela.org.
Together, let’s empower Michigan’s learners—one heart and mind at a time.
View the full flyer here.
| | General Membership Meeting and Professional Learning with Dr. Hattie | | |
On November 4, 2025, the professional learning event at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City will bring together intermediate school district superintendents and their respective leadership teams for a collaborative day of engagement with Dr. John Hattie and Tommy Thompson.
Anchored in Hattie's research on Visible Learning, the session will focus on four (4) big ideas:
- climate, student-driven learning
- evaluative thinking
- collective responsibility
- how they can be effectively applied across Michigan's ISDs
Rather than a traditional lecture format, the event will invite participants into interactive dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, and the exploration of high-impact (effect size) instructional practices that are supported by research.
We intend for this gathering to be more than a single-day workshop marking the launch of a statewide movement to strengthen instructional practices through research-based strategies and collective leadership.
Participants will reflect on how to align local practices with system-wide priorities, define shared commitments across Michigan's 56 ISDs, and adopt accountability structures to sustain long-term change.
Through the leadership of Hattie, Thompson, and Michigan's ISD network, the event will emphasize moving beyond fragmented efforts toward a unified, strategic approach that empowers educators, builds system-wide capacity, and delivers meaningful improvements in literacy, math, and overall student success.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to lead a collaborative, statewide effort toward meaningful improvement in student outcomes: Register here*
*Please register each person attending; there is a $75 registration fee per attendee.
**If you are an ISD Superintendent and have not yet registered for the November 3, 2025 General Membership Meeting, the above link will allow you to register for that day as well.
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