By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor MEA member Erik Meerschaert, a special education teacher at Lake Orion High School known for his positivity and leadership in providing inclusive opportunities for all students, was named the 2026-27 Michigan Teacher of the Year on Wednesday. “I’m without words… Being a part of this community and watching the […]
To help members better understand Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Every Child Reads” proposals to address student literacy – and the essential role educators play at every grade level in that work – MEA gathered answers to some key questions from Michelle Richard, the governor’s senior literacy advisor. Part of the governor’s team since 2019, Richard has […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor It wasn’t until her last year of high school that MEA member Stephanie Johnson figured out what career to pursue. She found her path in senior English class. Johnson always loved school, and that ye ar she especially enjoyed breaking down phrasing and vocabulary from Shakespeare and Chaucer to […]
Marquette Alternative High School (MAHS) teacher Brian Prill has helped make the school a statewide leader in environmental sustainability, Career and Technical Education, and in redefining the role of the alternative high school. Prill, who teaches social studies, Spanish and a construction and work readiness course, provides a world view for his students, having completed […]
Dionna Roberts wears multiple hats, but she likes to say, “Literacy is my ‘jam,’ meaning my job and motivation for the work I do.” A former teacher and literacy coach, now a principal and current president of the Michigan Reading Association (MRA), Roberts describes her core philosophy as a balance between the technical “science of […]
MEA member Andrea Ward knows the devastating effects that reading struggles can have on a child’s self-esteem. Ward was diagnosed with dyslexia in fifth grade and has dedicated her life to helping others who struggle in school. “Reading struggles shape who (kids) think they are and what they believe about their ability levels,” she said. […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor As in most stories of change, the timeline of MEA member David Pelc’s teaching transformation marks a few key events building up to the pivotal moment. Early on, a volunteer experience spent reading books with youngsters in disadvantaged communities hooked him on the joys of teaching and spurred him […]
By Amy Urbanowski-Nowak Birch Run Education Association When I was a young child, I often dreamt of being a teacher… and a horse trainer, but that’s a story for another day. I would ask my sisters to play the role of the student or set up my stuffed animals if my sisters grew tired of […]
One of the missions that MEA-Retired member James McCloughan enjoys the most these days is serving as chairman of the Medal of Honor Character Development Program. The program provides free training and curriculum for educators in grades K-5 and 6-12 to teach students core values. Lessons are designed by educators and built around the stories […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor From the get-go, Jim McCloughan was competitive “with a capital C,” he says. Small and athletic, he excelled at every sport he tried. At Bangor High School in the early 1960s McCloughan earned 11 varsity letters and all-conference honors in football, basketball, baseball and track, despite standing just 5-foot-2 […]
