EAST LANSING — Michigan school districts have until the end of this month to spend federal school rescue dollars provided by the Biden-Harris administration to help students recover from the pandemic — or else lose them forever. Michigan received a total of $5.63 billion in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER, with […]
It was a tragic event during Becky Halamka’s high school counseling career — a student suicide — that profoundly impacted her and brought to light the need for better mental health support within the educational community. “It was very clear to me in that moment that I wanted to provide mental health support for others,” […]
More than ever, it’s crucial to keep the minds of students sharp and support their social and emotional well-being over the long summer break. Recognizing this need during COVID-19, Cheboygan Area Schools leaped at the opportunity to expand summer school programming to include camps and field trips in the aftermath of the pandemic. As part […]
By Chandra Madafferi, Michigan Education Association President and CEO On my children’s first day back at high school a few weeks ago, our district’s superintendent pointed out that the effects of the pandemic still linger; far too many students continue to struggle with mental health issues like anxiety and depression, as well as underdeveloped social […]
With snakeskin-patterned shoes in hand to donate, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently visited East Jordan Middle/High School to acknowledge the impactful work of the “Shoe Club,” an initiative to empower teens through teamwork and service. The Shoe Club is led by Matt Hamilton, a middle-school teacher and MEA member who strives to help teens become the […]
As a housing shortage hampers Northern Michigan school districts’ ability to recruit and retain educators, a new group has emerged to tackle the issue head-on. Grand Traverse Housing for Educators, a newly formed consortium that includes Northwest Educator Services, Traverse City Area Public Schools, Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools and Interlochen Center for the Arts, […]
By Chandra Madafferi, Michigan Education Association President and CEO It’s my favorite time of year, when shopping aisles are once again packed with school supplies from notebooks and No. 2 pencils to graphing calculators and glue sticks. It’s still hard to walk by boxes of crayons, as they call to me. But not everyone feels […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor For MEA member Linda Key and many others in Rochester, local school board meetings have become “frustrating and exhausting” since 2022 when two candidates endorsed by the far-right political group Moms for Liberty were elected to the board. Now the seat occupied by one of those two trustees – […]
EAST LANSING — The Michigan Education Association, the state’s largest school employee union, is proud to announce the hiring of Erik Edoff as its new senior executive director. Following a national search, MEA selected Edoff – who currently serves as Superintendent of L’Anse Creuse Public Schools – for its top staff position, providing executive leadership […]
By Chandra Madafferi, MEA President and CEO With last week’s passage of the state’s new education budget, Michigan families and educators have cause to celebrate — and legislators have some work yet to do when they return to the Capitol. First, the good news. To help address the shortage of qualified teachers and school support […]
