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2026 Administrator of the Year

Who is Eligible?

  • The administrator must be nominated by a member of MSCA.
  • The nominee must be currently employed as a full-time administrator or recently retired.

How to Nominate

Click here to nominate for the 2026 Administrator of the Year. Nominations are due by 5:00 pm on Monday, October 19, 2026.


About the Michigan School Counselor Administrator of the Year Award

The Michigan School Counselors Association believes students thrive when school counselors are supported and celebrated within their schools. We know there are administrators who recognize the powerful impact on students when counselors are able to fully deliver a comprehensive school counseling program. We invite you to honor those leaders by submitting a nomination.


Selection Criteria

Nominations will be evaluated according to the following criteria using this PDF Scoring Rubric

Area 1: Advocacy for the Counselor Role

  • Actively protects counselors from non-counseling duties (e.g., discipline, test coordination, hall/lunch duty).

  • Advocates for lower student-to-counselor ratios (working toward the 250:1 standard)

  • Promotes the value of school counseling to the school board, superintendent, and community.

Area 2: Comprehensive Program Support

  • Endorses the ASCA National Model or state-aligned comprehensive framework.

  • Participates in annual administrator-counselor agreements.

  • Uses and supports counseling data to drive school improvement and Closing-the-Gap initiatives.

Area 3: Leadership & Collaboration

  • Involves counselors in school-wide leadership, safety, and student-support teams.

  • Champions systemic equity, access, and positive school climate alongside the counseling team.

  • Maintains open, consistent, two-way communication with counseling staff.

Area 4: Resource Allocation & Professional Growth

  • Allocates dedicated budget, materials, and private, confidential counseling spaces.

  • Funds and protects time for counselors to attend regional, state, and national conferences and professional development.

2025 ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

Congratulations, Jim Fish!

Jim Fish, Superintendent of North Branch Area Schools, has demonstrated exceptional leadership in supporting school counselors and prioritizing student mental health. Under his leadership, the district expanded access to school counseling and mental health services, including adding elementary school counseling support and an additional mental health professional at the middle school level.

Jim has championed comprehensive school counseling by supporting social-emotional learning across grade levels, professional development for counselors, participation in the MSCA Annual Conference, and improvements to the district's crisis response practices. His leadership has also helped protect counselors' ability to focus on delivering meaningful support to students rather than taking on duties outside their counseling role.

Through thoughtful staffing decisions, advocacy, and a commitment to the well-being of students, Jim has helped create a district culture where school counseling and mental health services are valued and supported. MSCA is proud to recognize Jim Fish as the 2025 Administrator of the Year.

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