Printer-friendly Version	esu17enewsletter A Webnews Publication of Educational Service Unit #17 Ainsworth, Nebraska March 5, 2010
Mission Statement:  ESU 17 is committed to partnering with its schools by providing support and resources to enhance teaching and learning.
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Dennis Radford

ESU 17 News Has everyone had enough of the long cold winter? Now that I have your attention, maybe I can engage your brain about your career. What about the future of education, which will impact all of us in one way or another. Start with the large perspective and consider what the federal government has planned for education. Now we can only speculate but there are some key indicators as to the direction that education is headed. For starters, it appears that the current federal grants to education will be consolidated and more of those grants will be competitive. It seems likely that standards for student learning will be on a federal level rather than each state having to adopt its own standards. If a state

chooses not to adopt federal standards then federal funding to that state could be withheld. Next, the accountability for schools in terms of student learning will be increased. If students do not make the needed annual yearly progress as determined by federal and state government, administrators and/or teachers may be released from their contracts. Also, more private schools will be established if public schools are not successful in promoting student learning Remember, these are only predictions but to some educators these predictions seem threatening and maybe not even practical in a midwest state. I would encourage all educators to keep informed about the federal and state regulations for students, teachers, and administrators. Be ready for the changes in education by becoming part of that change.

I would like to thank the local teachers that have taken part in one or more of the workshops that have been sponsored by ESU 17. There have been numerous workshops including, APL, Love and Logic, DIBELS, smartboards, clickers, NSSRS, ADHD session, behavior management, Crisis training, and several more. Hopefully you have gained some valuable information from these workshops that can help you improve your skills in the classroom. Some of you may have remembered that the last newsletter talked about an opening at ESU 17 for a technology person. Fortunately we had eight applicants and selected six candidates for an interview. In the next week we hope to hire a person to fill the technology position.

Lori Clapper

Stomachaches and Kids

(adapted from WebMD Healthnews by Miranda Hitti)

Stomachaches are one of the most common ailments suffered by school-aged children in America. The causes can be anything from ulcers or digestive problems to anxiety or depression. If they are severe or persist, medical evaluation is warranted. However, a new study in Pediatrics (November 2009) shows that children who use their imaginations to feel better often find better and longer-lasting relief.

The study was conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University Medical Center. All the children in the study had abdominal pain with no clear medical explanation. They all got standard medical care for chronic stomachaches. Some of them also received an instructional DVD and CD’s that contained guided imagery exercises. The rest of the children received those materials two months later.

The CD’s programs asked the kids to imagine “floating on a cloud”, “a special object melting into their hand softly and then touching their abdomen to spread the light and warmth into their belly and keep out irritating things” and other relaxing themes. The kids used the CD’s for eight weeks. At the end of that time, 63% of the kids who received the CD’s had their stomach pain reduced by at least half compared to 27% of children who only received standard medical care.

The other group then also received the CD’s and used them for eight weeks. 61% of these children had at least a 50% improvement.

After eight weeks the children gradually used the CD’s less often but were supposed to continue the techniques they learned. Six months later about 62% of those who responded to the guided imagery treatment were still doing well.

Sometimes our children suffer from physical illness that is temporary. Sometimes, however, helping them to take charge of their health and managing stress and/or anxiety will reap long-term benefits for school and beyond.

Germaine Johnson

In the arena of Instructional Materials, resources that support Information Retrieval are continually changing and as a media professional I have been charged with the selection and acquisition of resources, no matter what format that best enhance my educators instruction, supports Nebraska standards, allow for digital rights and that can be acquired statewide.

Feedback from media specialists and educators across the state has shown an increasing interest in access to Kindergarten through Eighth grade online resources.

So that this goal of access to online resources might be attained, beginning in January of 2010, media specialists and educators have had Free Trial access to EBSCO, GALE, PROQUEST, World Book, Grolier and Visual Thesaurus.

I am hopeful that media specialists and educators from ESU 17 had an opportunity to evaluate some or all of these offerings and were able to complete recent survey. Their input will assist in determining what direction the Instructional Materials affiliate takes in providing equitable access to online resources for all students across the state of Nebraska.

Mar 2010

Tue Mar 9 – ESU Board Meeting 10am Main Street Building

Thu Mar 11 – All Staff CIP Day 9am Main Street Building

Fri Mar 12 – Spring Break - Closed

Wed Mar 17 – ADHD and Learning Disabilities: Interventions that Work 8:30am Main Street Building

Thu Mar 18 – Positive Interventions and Effective Strategies: Behavior Management 8:30am Main Street Building

Apr 2010

Fri Apr 2 – Mon Apr 5 – Easter Vacation - Closed

Mon Apr 12 – Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents 8am site TBA

Tue Apr 13 – ESU Board Meeting 10am Main Street Building

Fri Apr 16 – Perkins Design Team Training 9am Norfolk

Tue Apr 27 – Advisory Council Meeting 9am Main Street Building

Wed Apr 28 – Ruby Payne’s “A Framework for Understanding Poverty” 9am Main Street Building

Thu Apr 29 – Ruby Payne’s “A Framework for Understanding Poverty” (repeat session) 9am Main Street Building

May 2010

Fri May 7 – Pre-School Handicapped Annual Advisory Meeting Main Street Building

Tue May 11 – ESU Board Meeting 10am Main Street Building

Mon May 24 – ESU All-Staff Meeting 9am Main Street Building

Mon May 31 – Memorial Day - Closed

June 2010

Wed-Thu Jun 2-3 – NNNC Summer Tech Institute Northeast Community College

Mon-Thu Jun 7-10 – KICKS Elementary Science Institute Week 1 Main Street Building

Tue-Thu Jun 8-10 – NCE Conference Kearney

Mon-Thu Jun 14-17 – KICKS Elementary Science Institute Week 2 Main Street Building

Wed-Fri Jun 16-18 – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Norfolk

Meetings

Tue Mar 9 ESU #17 Board 10am Main Street Building

Thu Mar 11 ESU #17 Staff 9am Main Street Building

Tue Apr 13 ESU #17 Board 10am Main Street Building

Tue Apr 27 Advisory Council 10am Main Street Building

Fri May 7 Pre-School Advisory Meeting 9am Main Street Building

Tue May 11 ESU #17 Board 10am Main Street Building

Mon May 24 ESU #17 Staff 9am Main Street Building

Workshops

ADHD and Learning Disabilities: Interventions that Work

Wed Mar 17 8:30am-4pm

ESU #17 Main Street Building

Laura Riffel, Ph.D

This training will provide research-based strategies for academics, communication, and behavior when working with children with ADHD and learning disabilities. This training is open to all educators PreK-12. Workshop materials and resources will be provided. Website: www.behaviordoctor.org

Register Now

 Positive Interventions and Effective Strategies: Behavior Management

Thu Mar 18 8:30am-4pm

ESU #17 Main Street Building

Laura Riffel, Ph.D

This training will provide research-based interventions and strategies for managing classroom behaviors such as low self-esteem, oppositional defiant disorders, attention deficit hyperactive disorders, learning disabilities, class clowns, dress code violators, escape artists, etc., in order for students to be successful. This training is open to all educators PreK-12. Workshop materials and resources will be provided. Website: www.behaviordoctor.org

Register Now

 AWR 148: Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents

Mon Apr 12 8am-5pm

ESU #17 Main Street Building

Douglas Fox, Region 24 EMA Director

AWR 148: Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents – Partnering Rural Law Enforcement and the Local School Systems is an 8-hour, DHS-approved course designed to educate rural law enforcement personnel as well as school administrators and staff on the elements that would allow for an effective response to school-based emergencies. Schools in small, rural, and remote areas across the country account for almost 23 percent of the total student population (more than 11 million students). Rural schools, law enforcement, and other emergency responders are often limited in resources, so it is imperative that all potentially affected parties collaborate on planning, preparing, communicating, responding, and recovering from a school-based incident.

This tuition-free course is beneficial for rural police and sheriff departments, school administrators, school resource officers, counselors, and others involved in school safety and security.

Topics covered include:

· Introduction to Incident Planning and Preparedness

· Proactive Threat Mitigation

· Incident Response

· Incident Recovery

· Vulnerability Assessments

· Threat Assessment Management

· Incident Defusing and Debriefing

· Parent Reunification

· Anniversaries, Memorials, “Copy-Cats”

*Please note all foreign nationals need to complete a DHS Foreign National Visitor Request Form by March 22, 2010 in order to attend this course. Contact Liz Goodman with any questions.

Register by Mon Mar 29.

Download the Registration Form

 Ruby Payne’s “A Framework for Understanding Poverty”

Wed Apr 28 & Thu Apr 29 (repeat session) 9am-3pm

ESU #17 Main Street Building

Noalee McDonald-Augustine

ESU #17 is happy to welcome Noalee McDonald-Augustine from Smoky Hill Education Service Center (KS) who will be providing an insightful workshop, Ruby Payne's "A Framework for Understanding Poverty." This workshop will be offered on two consecutive days - Wed Apr 28 and Thu Apr 29 (2 identical sessions). Teachers can come either day and receive the same information. You will learn:
• Hidden Rules of poverty, middle class, and wealth
• What motivates the behaviors and attitudes of your students and parents
• Nine Resources each individual needs
• Reason students need to learn Formal Register
• Discipline Interventions for students • How to frame instruction for retention – The What, The Why, and The How
• Why mental models work for kids from poverty
• A “menu” of strategies that can be used to meet the needs of today’s students.

Each participant will also receive a copy of the book "Research-Based Strategies: Narrowing the Achievement Gap for Under-Resourced Students." Lunch will be provided.

Register by Fri Apr 1:

Register for Wed Apr 28

Register for Thu Apr 29

 KICKS Elementary Science Institute

Mon-Thu Jun 7-10 and Mon-Thu Jun 14-17 9am-3pm

ESU #17 Main Street Building

Science KICKS (Keep Improving Content Knowledge and Skills) is a year-long project designed to increase your teaching skills, and connect you with science teachers throughout Nebraska and the nation.

Participants in the secondary and elementary content institutes will attend a two-week institute this summer (eight days) with follow-up days at the NATS Fall Conference September 23-25, 2010. Participants in the Inquiry or Elementary Earth Science Institutes will attend a one-week summer institute with follow-up days at the NATS Fall conference September 23-25, 2010.

All participants who complete the project will receive a stipend of $140 per non-contract day (includes benefits). Graduate credit (at participant’s expense) will be available to enable participants to obtain teaching endorsements and/or work towards a graduate degree. Participants will benefit from attendance at the NATS Fall Conference, membership in NSTA’s Building a Presence for Science (BaP) National Network, inclusion in state and national staff development opportunities, and participation in online learning.

Eleven KICKS Institutes will occur this summer and will be led by award-winning Nebraska science educators and university professors. Institute instructors will model effective classroom strategies that teachers will learn and adapt to their own classrooms. Teachers may apply for one or more of these institutes.

Secondary Institutes:

• Chemistry – Kearney High School, Kearney, NE - June 21-25 & 28-30

• Physics – Millard West High, Omaha, NE - June 7-10 & 14-17

• Secondary Inquiry (grades 7-12) - ESU#7, Columbus, NE - June 21-25

• Inquiry the Environmental Way- UNL’s Cedar Point, Biological Station, Ogallala, NE - June 13-19

Elementary Institutes:

• Elementary Science – ESU#17, Ainsworth, NE - June 7-10 & June14-17

• Elementary Science – ESU#5, Beatrice, NE - June 15-18 & 22-25

• Elementary Science – ESU#13, Scottsbluff, NE - June 21-25 & 28-30

• Elementary Science – ML King Elementary, Omaha, NE - July 6-9 & July 12-15

• Elementary Science- TBD, Lincoln, NE - July 12-15 & July 19-22

• Elementary Inquiry (grades 3-8) - ESU#1, Wakefield, NE - June 7-11

• Nebraska Earth Science – Nebraska State Tour – June 14-19 (priority to elementary/middle Nebraska studies teachers)

To download a brochure and nomination form or access more information, go to the KICKS site: http://kicks.ishareinfo.org/mspkicks/ Please return the nomination form by April 16th to Sheree Person-Pandil. spandil@esu3.org

Summer 2010 Graduate Courses

Chadron State College – Peru State College – Wayne State College Catalog (hyperlink made active once information is updated)

UNK Summer Graduate Catalog

University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Extended Education & Outreach
900 N 22 Street
Lincoln, NE 68588
(866)700-4747
onlinegraduate.unl.edu