Save the date: Celebrating 30 years of charter schools

Join us on October 12 for a special event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of America’s first charter school!

The sponsor of the nation’s first charter school law, former Minnesota state senator Ember Reichgott Junge, will lead a presentation and panel discussion with Michigan innovators to discuss the origins, facts, and the future of the charter school movement.

This event is open to the public. It will be held from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the Charles W. Loosemore Auditorium on GVSU's Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

Learn more about the celebration

Introducing Leah Breen, the Deputy Director for School Performance

The CSO is excited to welcome Leah Breen to the team as the new Deputy Director for School Performance.

Leah previously served as the Director of the Office of Educator Excellence in the Michigan Department of Education. In that role she led the state’s educator preparation, certification, assessment, recruitment, retention, evaluation, equity, and diversity work.

In addition to her senior-level experience in state government, Leah’s background also includes work in the charter school community, including in authorizing, school management, and as a teacher.

Please join us in welcoming Leah as she begins to meet with schools.

High schools should start planning for new financial literacy requirements

The state’s graduation requirements have been amended to require students who enter 8th grade in 2023 and following to complete a ½ credit course in personal finance that aligns with State Board of Education-approved content expectations to earn a high school diploma.

The CSO recently issued a memo to high schools with further details about appropriately amending curriculum to add the course.

The changes must be completed by June 30, 2023. Please connect with the CSO if you have any questions or are looking for additional resources.

Group of people sitting around a table talking to each other

Fall Principals Meetings scheduled for October 18th and 20th

Each fall, the GVSU CSO invites school leaders to come together for an in-depth update about GVSU initiatives, collaboration opportunities, and strategic planning for the current school year and beyond.

Below are the dates and times for this year's Fall Principals Meetings:

Detroit meeting -- October 18, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., GVSU Detroit Center
Grand Rapids meeting -- October 20, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., GVSU Pew Campus

Calendar holds with details about specific room locations and virtual participation opportunities will be shared with principals on September 2. School leaders should contact their GVSU School Support Specialist with any questions.

Sign up for a 2022-2023 professional education series

Each year the GVSU CSO offers free workshops and webinars to help all educators find more solutions in teaching and learning.

This year, the GVSU CSO is proud to present professional education series on topics like:

Crisis communications
Effective instruction
Inclusive practices
NWEA MAP data reports
Problem-solving behaviors
Social-emotional wellness
Teacher-powered schools

Series and session offerings will be held through a blend of in-person, virtual, and hybrid opportunities.

See full professional education calendar

An artistic, heart-shaped street sign that says YIELD

GVSU Art Gallery offering students chance to connect to ArtPrize 2022

This fall marks the return of ArtPrize, an international art competition held in Grand Rapids. The GVSU CSO and GVSU Art Galley have created a virtual art experience for secondary students, inspired by ArtPrize competitor Scott Froshauer, a Los Angeles-based artist.

Teachers working with students in grades 6-12 can utilize the pre-packaged lesson to encourage critical thinking about the impact of municipal and other signs students see in their environments. The lesson also offer studentss an opportunity to create signs with messages of their own.

Check out the lesson overview to learn more, and request activity materials from the CSO by September 30.

GVSU to host 2022 Michigan Pre-College and Youth Outreach Conference

GVSU is pleased to be the host of the 14th Annual Michigan Pre-College and Youth Outreach Conference.

The conference is designed to further statewide dialogues about promoting college access, expanding higher educational opportunities, and enrolling a diverse student body. The event is planned by a committee made up of representatives from 17 colleges and universities.

The conference will be held in-person on October 21 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Video on demand (VOD) resources will be available for those who cannot make it to GVSU's campus.

Four educators preparing to cut a ceremonial ribbon

Notable news from our charter schools

With many schools back in session, we've already seen and heard a lot of positive news!

Here are just a few items that made us smile:

Westfield Preparatory High School was highlighted for its early college program
Fostering Leadership Academy (pictured) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open its the new Weaver Media Center
Crossroads Charter Academy created a cross-age mentorship program where 4th-graders support 1st-graders

Want us to know of other great things? Tag us (@gvsucso) on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram when your school posts something awesome!

Fall NWEA Leadership Summits

NWEA is hosting two full-day events in October where participants can hear from NWEA experts on everything related to MAP assessments and learning tools.

Dates and locations for the summits are:

October 17 -- Whitmore Lake Middle/High (register)
October 19 -- Kent ISD (register)

Registration is $75 per person, with breakfast and lunch included. Space will be limited to just 100 participants at each location, so don't wait to register.

Exterior of Michigan Department of Education building

MDE updates, memos, and events

The MDE has recently released memos on a number of topics, including:

The MDE is also hosting two conferences in the coming months:

September 21-23: Special Populations Conference
October 18: 2022 Fall Continuous Improvement Conference

You can always stay up to date with MDE communications by signing up to receive updates on topics of your choice.

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