As part of its partnership with Learning Forward, the Michigan Equitable Service Collaborative is offering all non-public schools the opportunity to administer the Standards Assessment Inventory (SAI). The SAI is a 50-item assessment that measures how well professional learning in your school aligns with the Standards for Professional Learning.

The survey is administered to classroom teachers and other instructional staff. Schools use results from this survey to set their professional learning priorities based on their strengths and areas of growth. Learning Forward will use SAI results to highlight schools where professional learning is impacting teaching, and to help better support you to address your school’s learning priorities.

The SAI measures professional learning effectiveness in the areas of learning communities; leadership; effective data use; resources; learning designs; implementation; and outcomes. While the SAI is required for those that participate in the in the year-long cohort, we encourage all of Michigan's non-public schools to participate in this free opportunity to take a close look at the professional learning occurring in your buildings. Along with the assessment itself, the SAI also includes tools, protocols, and additional resources designed to facilitate discussion with your staff around how you can better leverage professional learning to impact teaching effectiveness and results for all students.

The inventory takes 20 minutes for a teacher to complete. This is an invaluable tool for understanding your current strengths and needs, so that we can collectively work to better support your teachers in their professional growth.

SAI Informational Webinar:

Learning Forward will host a short webinar about the SAI on Friday, February 7, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern to further describe the tool and its uses. Let us know you are interested in the webinar by clicking here. The webinar information will be sent to you following submission.

If you are interested in participating in the Standards Assessment Inventory, please complete the form below. Upon completion of the form, an MESC representative will send you the link to the survey along with instructions.

This spring, a cohort of school leaders will convene to collectively establish a culture of collaborative learning in their schools. This opportunity is open to all Michigan non-public school leaders who wish to strengthen their leadership skills and work as part of a collaborative team of leaders taking collective responsibility for adult and student learning in their schools.

Participants in this cohort will learn in both whole-group and smaller community sessions, and will participate in face-to-face and virtual learning opportunities.

The time together will be spent exploring major leadership concepts, practicing skills in leading and facilitating professional learning, and giving each other feedback. The community will develop a collective vision for professional learning in their schools, then will identify common problems of practice and work in smaller learning communities to collaboratively find solutions to those problems.

This opportunity is designed to:

• Ensure that all participants have the knowledge and skills to lead and facilitate Standards-driven professional learning, so that teachers in their buildings learn from each other every day to increase student success.
• Develop and/or deepen understanding of the Standards for Professional Learning and the Cycle of Continuous Improvement.
• Establish a community of learners committed to ensuring that everyone in their schools is learning in purposeful ways to positively impact student learning.
• Identify problems of practice related to the specific needs of their teachers and students.
• Commit to personal learning goals and take collective responsibility for the learning of their school teams.

Cohort Dates:

• April 28-29, 2020 - Session One: The Principal's Role as Learning Leader
• May 20, 2020 - Virtual Follow-Up
• June 17-18, 2020 - Session Two: Establishing and Maintaining a Culture of Continuous Learning through Teacher-Led Teams (PLCs)
• September 23, 2020 - Virtual Follow-Up

The registration fee is $150.00 and includes lunch at all face-to-face meetings, virtual follow-up and materials. Up to 30 State Continuing Education Clock Hours will be available at an additional cost.

Teachers want to create memorable, meaningful learning experiences where students apply critical and creative thinking to real-world problems, but who has the time?! The Van Andel Education Institute's approach to project-based learning involves engaging students in projects that matter through cross-curricular content, real-world connections, and collaboration opportunities. Teachers will explore several project-based learning units, discover practical strategies for integrating their content, and gain insights into creating a classroom culture that supports curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Teachers will receive personalized instruction in project-based learning and leave with customized project plans that will wow their students.

• April 22, 2020 (Grades K-6)
• April 23, 2020 (Grades 7-12)

The cost for this training is $25.00 per person and includes lunch.

State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) will be available.

Have you wanted to bring inquiry-based training to your building? Have you been interested in the Next-Generation Science Standards? Have you already been through the VAEI Inquiry-based Cohort, but would like some additional consulting? If so, the Michigan Equitable Service Collaborative is offering non-public school the opportunity to bring the Van Andel Education Institute (VAEI) to your building!

The Michigan Equitable Service Collaborative will cover 75% of the cost to bring VAEI to your building. The remaining cost plus expenses related to meals, travel and materials will be the responsibility of the school. All on-site training must be complete by September 30, 2020. A brief summary report is required upon completion of the training.

Click here to see a description of VAEI offerings.

If you are interested, please email Angelia Salas at asalas@m-a-n-s.org a letter authorized by the administrator, showing the following:

• Topic
• Possible dates of training
• Numbers of educators to be trained

If you have any questions, please contact Angelia Salas at asalas@m-a-n-s.org.