Deadline Extended for MIEM Crystal Award
22nd Annual Support Staff Conference for Administrative Professionals
Everything You Need to Know About Identity Theft Workshop Series
MIEM and Oakland Schools are part of “Your Winning Team"
And The Winners Are…
October-November 2008 Events... Register Now!
Mark Your Calendar for This Upcoming Conference

The Excitement of Another School Year

Our October MIEM Connection is highlighting the launching of the MIEM Education Portal. In partnership with Instructional Technology Services, Inc., MIEM will be providing you and members of your team the opportunity to learn and grow as well as for continuing educational purposes like MSBO Certification and/or SAPC credits, as well as university graduate credits online without leaving your desk.
We understand that it is becoming more difficult to attend workshops and seminars and believe that these easy to access and navigate quality modules will be of great benefit to all who take them.
All the online courses offered are available to you for one low fee. Registrants will have access to all modules in one of two series. The first series has nine modules related to Educational Issues (worth 1.0 SB-CEUs*) with topics ranging from Interpersonal Communications to Working with Parents and School Violence Prevention. The second series, Technology/Office Training Series (worth 1.0 SB-CEUs*) is made up of 12 modules focusing on Windows Vista, Podcasting, Creating Webquests and Microsoft Excel 2002.
*1.0 SB-CEUs can be awarded after completing each module.

Listen to Dan's podcast about the MIEM Crystal Award.

MIEM member districts can have a staff member use this service for $99 each with access to the series for one full year.

Click here to find out more about this exciting opportunity or contact our office at 517-327-2589.
 
The best to you as you go through the rest of this month of October.
 
Dan Pappas
Executive Director MIEM

Nominate yourself or another school administrative professional for MIEM's 2008 Crystal Award.  The application deadline for the MIEM Crystal Award has been extended to Monday, Oct. 20, 2008.
The MIEM Crystal Award recognizes and celebrates the outstanding performance, achievements, and contributions of individuals who work in support staff positions within Michigan school districts. 
Crystal Award recipients receive:

• Personalized Crystal Award
• Recognition at the annual MIEM Support Staff Conference on November 13-14, 2008
• MIEM will encourage local recognition in the media and at the recipient's school board meeting
• A $100 Office Depot gift card

Nominate someone today!

Don’t miss out on this conference! The focus is on providing information and training for school secretaries and administrative support personnel. Receive ongoing training and support from experienced instructors and MIEM staff. This is a great way to earn credit toward SAPC certification.

This year’s opening keynote speaker is Walt Stasinski.  As a successful businessman and educator, Walt has more than a few words of wisdom to share on subjects like success, leadership and customer care. He also has a lot to say about attitude and humor, and how to make your life journey more fun. And through it all he offers solutions that help people get more of what they want out of life.

This year’s closing keynote speaker is Tim Cusack. Tim will focus on injecting humor into the workplace. Using humor on a regular basis has been known to dissipate tension, promote creativity, and increase the effectiveness of teamwork. Humor helps people learn faster and keep what is learned longer. Tim Cusack demonstrates fresh techniques for practicing humor in the workplace and bringing it into your school setting. This can help education staff improve relationships and the learning process.

View the conference brochure.

Register online.

Your schools manage the confidential and sensitive information of the entire community through their employees and students. Due to the increase in identity thefts across the United States, this information is at great risk and has become very valuable to thieves. There are serious consequences for the school board, administrators, faculty, staff, students, and the community if that information is lost or stolen. The results of a breach are often imposed fines and penalties, loss of trust, and potential class action lawsuits involving those who become victims of identity theft. Having an Information Security Officer in your district will help to prevent this problem.

Due to the seriousness of this matter, MSBO, MASA, and MASB are offering Everything You Need to Know About Identity Theft tohelp Michigan School Districts build their own identity theft prevention programs. Federal and state legislation mandates that all organizations make a reasonable effort to safeguard information. To show a reasonable effort, each district should appoint an Information Security Officer to be accountable for putting the identity theft prevention plan in place. The Information Security Office will walk away with a plan to come back to the district and begin to implement. Are you the Information Security Officer of the person in your district to head up this important task? If so, register today at one of the sessions below.

Genesee ISD • 11/18/08

Kent ISD • 12/2/08

Wayne RESA • 12/3/08

Download the faxable registration form.

The Michigan Institute for Educational Management (MIEM), in cooperation with Oakland Schools, will be offering nine required School Administrative Professional Certification (SAPC) classes in 2008-2009. In addition, two other required classes, "Marketing Your School" and "The Leader in You," are conveniently offered online.

November 24 classes:
School Law for the Building Level Secretary
9:00 am-12:15 pm

Crisis Management/Safety Issues
1:00-4:15 pm

View all of the class offerings.
 
What is the MIEM School Administrative Professional Certification Program (SAPC)? It is a voluntary certification program sponsored by MIEM for central office and school building secretaries and other individuals employed in administrative support positions in Michigan school districts.

Find out more about SAPC.

As part of this year’s membership drive, MIEM members had the opportunity to win a pre-paid gas card or an overnight stay at one of venue locations. A special thank you to the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center located on Michigan State University's campus and Country Inns & Suites. As always, MIEM provides you and your staff with the most current information on important topics that meet your professional development needs.
Congratulations to our winners!

• Mark Jacobs, Alma Public Schools
• Martin Prout, North Huron Schools
• Randall Roberts, Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools
• Darryl Sydloski, Maple Valley Schools