November Update

As the year comes to a close, we want to thank our members and subscribers for being part of the MI-ALAS community. Your leadership, advocacy, and commitment to supporting students and families across Michigan continue to inspire our work.

We wish you a joyful holiday season filled with rest, reflection, and time with loved ones. We look forward to continuing to learn, lead, and grow together in the new year.

Warm holiday wishes and best wishes for a happy, healthy New Year!

• Wednesday, May 6, 2026 📆

• MABE, MI-ALAS and ISTE are joining forces to host a first-of-its-kind professional learning pre-conference designed specifically for administrators and school leaders.
• The pre-conference will provide a dedicated space for educational leaders to examine AI’s role in shaping equitable and future-ready learning environments.
• Unlike traditional teacher-centered sessions that highlight classroom tools, this event will focus on leadership-level innovation and decision-making.
• Participants will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to strategically drive instruction, improve systems, and inform leadership decisions.
• Register here! 🎯

PRE-REGISTRATION IS ENCOURAGED

CLICK HERE TO PRE-REGISTER

The 31st Annual DDLM Conference:

Date: February 21st, 2026

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Location: Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center

Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center
Located in: Michigan State University
Address: 219 S Harrison Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: 517-432-4000

In Buenos Aires, Christmas isn’t complete without one of the city’s most vibrant traditions: celebrating Nochebuena at midnight with fireworks and a family toast. As the clock strikes 12 on December 24th, balconies light up, the sky glows with colors, and you can hear cheers echoing from every block. Families gather around long tables filled with pan dulce, turrón, and chocotorta, waiting for that magical moment when everyone hugs, wishes each other ¡Feliz Navidad!, and heads outside to watch the fireworks burst over the city. Kids run around with sparklers, neighbors come out to the sidewalk, and for a few minutes, the whole city feels connected under the same shimmering sky. In Buenos Aires, Christmas isn’t just celebrated. It’s felt in the streets, shared in the noise, and lived in the warmth of midnight togetherness.
Así se celebra la Navidad porteña.

If you ever find yourself in Quito during Christmas, you’ll quickly learn that one of the city’s most beloved traditions is “la Novena de Navidad,” a beautiful nine-day gathering leading up to Christmas Eve. Families, neighbors, and friends come together each night to pray, sing villancicos, share stories, and of course, enjoy homemade treats like buñuelos and canelazo. What makes it magical isn’t just the ritual itself, but the way it turns every living room into a place of laughter, faith, and connection. Children practice songs, grandparents tell stories of holidays long ago, and everyone joins in even if someone is a little off-key. In Quito, Christmas isn’t rushed. It’s gathered, shared, and savored. And for many quiteños, the Novena isn’t just a countdown to December 24th, but a reminder that the true spirit of the season lives in community, tradition, and being together.
Así se vive la Navidad en Quito.

If you’re in Mexico City during December, you’ll quickly fall in love with one of its most joyful traditions: Las Posadas. For nine nights leading up to Christmas, streets, plazas, and neighborhoods transform into lively celebrations filled with music, candles, and community. Friends, families, and even entire blocks gather to reenact Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, singing back and forth until the doors finally open and the fiesta begins. Kids rush to the center for the piñata (always a star with seven bright points), adults pass around ponche caliente, and everyone ends up dancing, laughing, and sharing food late into the night. What makes Posadas in CDMX so special isn’t just the tradition... it’s the spirit. It’s the way strangers become neighbors, and neighborhoods feel like family. Each night is a reminder that Christmas here is about hospitality, joy, and celebrating together.
Así se vive la magia de la Navidad en la Ciudad de México.

In La Habana, Christmas carries a rhythm all its own. One of the most cherished traditions is the Nochebuena celebration, a joyful gathering on December 24th where families come together for music, storytelling, and a sharing a meal. As the sun sets, the city’s colorful streets grow quiet, but homes come alive. The star of the night? Lechón asado, slow-roasted to perfection, often prepared in a caja china right in the backyard. Add in congrí, yuca con mojo, and a chorus of laughter, and you’ve got a celebration that feels timeless. Neighbors drop by, kids sneak extra bites, and abuelas hum old boleros as everyone gets ready for midnight when the toasts are raised, hugs are exchanged, and the warmth of familia becomes the true centerpiece of Christmas.
Así se vive la Nochebuena habanera: with flavor, music, and corazón.