Much like the unknowns your school is currently contemplating with the return to school, MASC/MAHS is in a similar situation. As much as we want to get back to educating our student leaders and providing meaningful, dedicated programming – a 300+ student event with multiple schools in attendance is just not possible (or wise) with the current impact of COVID-19, legislative restrictions and overall safety for our participants.
We are currently designing multiple models of instruction for our regular fall programming line-up (Student Mental Health Summit, Leadership Training Institutes, Executive Forums, League Workshops) that will focus on creative curricular activities and student networking in the virtual realm. As someone who sits in on WAY too many zoom calls, I 100% agree that any successful student event cannot rely solely on the zoom “sit and get” model that has dominated instruction in the early parts of 2020. To ensure advisers, students and schools can continue to develop strong student programming and even stronger student skillsets, we are dedicated to providing virtual content that continues to build your school’s culture.
Virtual Conferences: EventOwl
In order for our participants to get as much virtual content as possible, MASC/MAHS will be utilizing the EventOwl conference platform to host virtual conferences and events. This platform allows participants to navigate a conference agenda, tag interesting sessions as “favorites”, download packets or information and resources from presenters and allows our attendees to network with one another through a chat and messaging system. By moving our program content into a virtual conference platform, attendees get easier access to program content and more flexibility to attend the sessions they need to be successful.
Advisers Back in Action! (zoom meeting: August 27th)
This free, This free, statewide member adviser meeting is dedicated to open discussion on the challenges and opportunities this school year will hold. Most of this meeting will be conducted in a small breakout group setting, allowing advisers to hear new ideas, concepts and creative ways to provide student opportunities for their programs. Come ready to learn and share with advisers from across the state!
Discussion Topics:
•Holding Elections
•Virtual Leadership Curriculum and Activities
•Navigating Fall Events
•Student Engagement Tools
•Keeping it FUN
•Adviser Resource Packet
•MASC/MAHS Programming Updates
Sign up for this Zoom meeting here
Student Mental Health Summit (October 5th and 6th)
MASSP’s virtual SMHS will provide the same impactful content, keynote speakers and dozens of new concepts and programs to take back to your school building. Although nothing can replace in-person content, a virtual program does allow all participants to view every recorded keynote presentation and breakout session as opposed to selecting from a series of concurrent presentations.
We are again inviting teams of administrators, counselors, advisers and students to register as one school team, ready to evaluate your current programming abilities and building needs. After walking through our School Assessment Survey during our “Mental Health State Data Trends” main session, schools can target new programming on:
- Community Resources & Support Networks
- Stress Release, Mindfulness and School/life Balance
- Effects of Digital Media
- Supporting Students with Chronic Health Issues
- Supporting Students with a Mental Illness Diagnosis
- Depression/Anxiety
- Suicide Awareness and Responsiveness
- Trauma Informed Schools/ACES programming
- Addiction: Indicators and Prevention
Full program information can be found here
Multi-State Student Officers Training (September 29th)
A brand new program to the MASC/MAHS fall line-up and one engineered towards the challenges our new student officers will face. This unique program concept will bring together newly elected student officers from Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and California. This one day workshop will focus on fundamental skill sets that are vital for the success of our students officers. Knowing that all school programs design their officer responsibilities differently, our program agenda focuses on a two-part session model, allowing each attending school to select sessions of interest and which of their students should join each open session. This program also includes a dedicated adviser resource session.
As our multi-state collaboration continues, more information on registration will be available on the MASC/MAHS webpage. Our agenda breakdown is as follows:
Session #1: Officer Training
- Parliamentary Procedure (running a meeting effectively)
- Project Planning Process (event management/evaluation)
- Group Dynamics (leadership styles/conflict resolution)
- Organizational Management (membership, accountability, voting/elections)
- Middle School Magic
- Effective Communication Toolkit (presentation skills)
Session #2: Interest Based Breakouts:
- Understanding Equity/Social Justice
- Student Mental Health
- Student Voice and Effective Communication
- Social Media and Student Leaders
- Navigating Fall Events
Leadership Development Days (Coming this November!)
Knowing that our tradition fall programming schedule will be shelved for the 2020 school year, we are taking a unique approach to offering our fan-favorite “Leadership Training Institute” program to schools across the state.
Our Leadership Development Days program concept will focus heavily on student voice and most importantly, student networking. In a time where student isolation will be at an all time high, this program is vital to providing student connections, inspiration and statewide networking. Sign-up will be limited to small groups of schools for each event (5-7 schools, 150 or less student leaders) to allow for maximum participation, sharing sessions and networking opportunities. These events will contain a series of downloadable packets and individual leadership activities for students to complete both pre-event and during the event.
More information and school registration will be provided in the early fall, as students and schools fall into a rhythm with their own new school protocols and schedules.
LeadLines – Adviser Newsletter
Each month, member advisers receive our LeadLines newsletter containing upcoming program information, educator resources, curricular lessons and professional and program development resources to strengthen your student programming.
