MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – On Friday morning, at the Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency, the U.P. Principals’ Summit welcomed over 80 lead school administrators from across the Upper Peninsula. The event took place for school principals to network with one another and to learn about leadership practices, new advances in technology, and updates in legislation.
“Having an event like this is where you get to meet and learn specifically from people that are in your field, doing your job,” said Rico Meneghini, the K-8 principal at Norway-Vulcan Area Schools. “Sometimes we think that we’re very different, or that ‘no one understands me or my school.’ Then when you start talking to people that are maybe five miles away or maybe 250 miles away, you realize how much you have in common and how much you can learn from each other.” The first time event was well received, with a larger turnout than anticipated. “We had to cap it; we started to worry about having enough space or resources for everyone,” said Meneghini, “which is a cool problem to have.”
The U.P. Principals’ Summit was sponsored by Northern Michigan University, Marquette-Alger RESA, Scholastic, Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP), Renaissance, Michigan Elementary & Middle School Principals Association (MEMSPA), Michigan Virtual, SET-SEG, and Williams & Company Finance Services. The Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency hopes to continue this event throughout the coming years.