2024 MASA Fall Conference

Balancing the Pressure: Cultivating Resilience and Well-being in Students delves into the unique pressures faced by students today, such as academic and cultural expectations, language barriers, social media, mental health stigma and more. Through interactive exercises, participants will gain insight into these challenges and their impact on student behavior and school climate. The session will offer innovative strategies to alleviate stress, improve academic performance, and enhance student engagement, equipping educators with tools to support the well-being and success of students and staff. Learn how Plainwell Community Schools has partnered with Clayful and the impact coaching has made in the district. Takeaways: 1. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the specific pressures that students face today. This knowledge will help educators and administrators to better empathize with and support these students in innovative ways. 2. The session will equip attendees with practical and actionable strategies and techniques to help reduce the stress and pressure experienced by students. 3. Attendees will gain insights into how Plainwell Community Schools leverages technology with Clayful in order to support mental health, improve academic performance, attendance rates, and student engagement.

As educators transition to updated teacher evaluation requirements we have an opportunity to learn about and transition to using educational technology tools, including AI, to be more efficient and effective throughout the evaluation process. Learn about free resources and free professional learning opportunities created for and available to all Michigan district and school leaders to guide learning about and practice in the use of such tools for observation and evaluation purposes. Takeaways: 1. Comparison information on the previous and current teacher evaluation requirements. 2. Understanding on how observations and evaluations can be made more efficient with the use of educational technology tools, including but not limited to the use of AI. 3. Access to free resources, including one to help in the development or improvement of the evaluation process and another to help in the facilitation of professional learning around Michigan’s teacher evaluation process using educational technology.