Educational Service Unit # 13
SERVING THE PANHANDLE OF NEBRASKA
January, 2016 Newsletter
Scottsbluff Site
Scottsbluff, NE 69361
Phone: (308) 635-3696
FAX: (308) 635-0680
Chadron Site
Crites Hall
Chadron State College
Chadron, NE 69337
Phone: (308) 432-6495
Sidney Site
1114 Toledo Street
Sidney, NE 69162
Phone: (308) 254-4677
FAX: (308) 254-5371
Mission Statement
Educational Service Unit #13...
Striving to achieve educational excellence for all learners
through strong partnerships, service, and leadership.
ADMINISTRATION
Congratulations to the Nebraska Regional Programs that took 3rd place out of 16 teams at the Deaf Quiz Bowl in the Midwest Regional. One of the students is from Alliance. Their only loss was to the defending regional champs (6 of the past 8 years), who took first again this year (Indiana School for the Deaf). To only lose to the defending champions is quite a feat. This was their second year with a Nebraska team, but their first year competing live against other teams. Last year's regional competition was scheduled to be in Kentucky, but a snowstorm in Kentucky cancelled the live competition
The Nebraska Regional Programs were established in 1997 when Nebraska announced the closure of the Nebraska School for the Deaf in Omaha. This program was developed to support the concept of regional programs and cooperative relationships with the school districts, educational service units and consortium of school districts in order to:
· Maximize resources in providing programs and services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing;
· Provide a network of support and services that will serve as the state infrastructure to link programs together and assist in the enhancement of a child’s educational program;
· Contain costs now in order to assure future funding;
· Provide continued support to quality educational programs, which may include center-based options;
· Reinforce the belief that children who are deaf or hard of hearing benefit from education with hearing and deaf or hard of hearing peers;
· Continue state leadership and support for a full continuum of placement options for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Front row, left to right:
Morgan Dickey, Junior Lincoln East High School
Rachel Hoyer, Senior Mercy High in Omaha
Ryker McSorley, Senior Burke High in Omaha
Tyler Wilson, Senior Alliance High
Back row, left to right:
Dr. Alan Hurwitz, President of Gallaudet University in Washington, DC
Mike Brummer, Coach – Metro Regional Program
Sara Peterson, Coach – Central/Western Regional Program
Sheri Cook, Director Midwest Regional Outreach Program for Gallaudet University
Sara Peterson, Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing from ESU 13, serves as one of the coaches.
SOAR (Sharing Opportunities and Achieving Results)
NEW LEARNING TO SUPPORT DISTRICTS
“I believe we can change the world if we start listening to one another again. Simple, truthful conversation where we each have a chance to speak, we each feel heard, and we each listen well.” Margaret Wheatley, 2002
Welcome to the NDE Mathematics Home Page
After receiving community input this fall, Nebraska Department of Education approved new math standards. The new standards have a stronger focus on number sense in grades K-5 and proportional reasoning in grades 6-8. Long criticized for being a “mile wide and an inch thick”, the new standards are more focused and coherent, following learning progressions from grade to grade. Some of the content has been moved to different grade levels. NDE is currently working on a crosswalk document between the 2009 legacy standards and the 2015 new standards, which will highlight the changes in content placement.
Special Education Department
Things are going strong in all of our programs. Meridian and LifeLink students have been out and about on lots of community experiences and job sites. The Meridian bell choir was busy performing all over town during the holiday season.
Current SPED Job Openings:
Teacher of the Visually Impaired
Meridian Paraeducator
Polar Plunge
Several members of the ESU 13 SPED Department are going to participate in the Panhandle Polar Plunge on February 27th. This event raises money for Special Olympics in Nebraska. If you would like to donate to the team, please visit this link: https://www.firstgiving.com/sone/panhandle-polar-plunge-2016 Thanks for your support! The March Newsletter will have the pictures from the event.
Head Start/Early Head Start
Head Start consists of approximately 75 staff, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the Head Start / Early Head Start team and where they are located. Management consists of the following: Donna Jenne Director, Machelle Marcoe Human Resources, Pamela Hebbert Fiscal, Luke Pankonin Quality Assurance, Les Amory Office Manager, Kerry Mehling Assistant Director/Family Community Partnerships, Jeanne Morgan Enrollment, Janelle Anderson Education, Maria Perez Health/Nutrition, Maria Pineda Disabilities, Brenda Haslow Administrative Assistant, Site Education Supervisors will be announced with the sites they oversee.
Roxane Humphrey Site Education Supervisor for six Public School Partnerships: Bayard, Minatare, Mitchell, Scottsbluff Bear Cubs, Tri-Community Preschool Morrill, and Volunteers of America Oshkosh, Family Advocates: DeAnn Kizzire, Brenda Garza and Monica Stutzman
Keri Keller Site Education Supervisor – Health and Family Resource Center: Joanne Ahlers Cook, Esther Carrillo Family Advocate, Infant / Toddler Teachers: Melinda Nelson, Vera Linz, Jessica Rivera, Infant / Toddler Teacher Aides: Elisha Brown, Melissa Rodriguez, Elizabeth Mendoza, and Karen Larson, Bambi Barnett Preschool Teacher, Trish Misner Preschool Teacher Aide, Isabel Rodriguez Bus Driver-HFRC and WNCDC, Todd McBride Janitor
Sharry Soule Site Education Supervisor – Central Head Start: Tammy Gardow Preschool Teacher, Teacher Aides: Elusia Duque and Emma Peterson, Vickie Hrasky Assistant Cook; Gering Head Start: Cora Hernandez Preschool Teacher, Lili Marez Teacher Aide; Scottsbluff Head Start: Cheryl Kay Preschool Teacher, Teacher Aides: Rebecca Garcia and Elvira Vizcaino, Lola Jay Cook, Hector Gurrola Bus Driver, Todd McBride Bus Monitor, Family Advocates: Susie Dominguez and Millie Perez
Tonya Thomas Site Education Supervisor – Western Nebraska Child Development Center: Preschool Teachers: Lisa Becker, Ashlynn Marino, Windy Carpenter, Teacher Aides: Jeanette Mejia, Melissa Holyoke, Kendra Cadwallader, Lourdes Ramirez, Ana Gibbons, Kandace Lentz, Anne Reker Bus Driver, Sherry Parrish Bus Monitor, Jane Corona Family Advocate
Patsy Yager Site Education Supervisor – Bridgeport Head Start: Katie Bates Preschool Teacher, Ivisann Carter Teacher Aide, Debra Mason Cook and Janitor, Stephanie Mertz-Valentine Family Advocate for Bridgeport and Sidney, Kimball Head Start: Janet Loghry Preschool Teacher, Crystal Ramsey Teacher Aide, Juanita Biberos Janitor, Sidney Head Start: Alyssa Bruce Preschool Teacher, Teacher Aides: Ashley Fernandez and Maria Fiebig, Jeanne Hubbard Janitor
Home Educators: Joan DeWitt and Pam Coley
Head Start / Early Head Start have an open door policy, stop and meet the team members when you are in the area. We are fortunate to be members of the ESU 13 team.
Migrant
We have two new full time staff members in the Migrant Education Department! Gabriella Charging Thunder joined us as a new School/Home Liaison for Gordon-Rushville Schools in November. Gabriella assists migrant students in the classroom at Gordon-Rushville Middle School and provides after school tutoring for students at the elementary, middle, and high schools. Tyson Schmunk is our new Youth Advocate, who will be serving high school and out of school youth across the region. Tyson joined our team January 5. He will be helping students set goals, keep their grades up, learn life and career skills, and reconnect students who have dropped out with GED and high school credit accrual programs.
January Migrant Education Newsletter
TECHNOLOGY
Like us on facebook!!
https://www.facebook.com/ESU13
ESU13 has made the move into social media in the past month and already have over 170 likes.
Please let the tech department know if you have anything you would like to add.
News from the Wellness Committee
RECIPES From our staff Christmas Carry-in
Puff Corn from Amy Trauernicht
Dump 2 bags of ‘Chesters’ Butter Puff Corn into a Large Bowl
Melt ½ a pkg of White Almond Bark in a microwave safe bowl (1-2 minutes)
Drizzle the melted bark over the puff corn while stirring. Stir the puff corn about every 15 minutes until dry. (so it doesn’t clump)
Eat and Enjoy!
Bet you can’t eat just one.
Bar-B-Que Goose From George Schlothauer
Shoot goose
Breast it out.
Cube it up.
Slow cook in the crockpot for 8-12 hours
Shred up
Put back in crockpot and add BBQ sauce
Season to taste
Watch for BBs
Enjoy!
Cheesy Potato Casserole From Maria Perez
Ingredients
- 1 (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup *
- 2 cups Sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 2 cups Shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup Sliced green onions
- 1 package (30 oz.) Ore-Ida® Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes
- 2 cups Crushed corn flake cereal
- 1/4 cup Butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13x9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together soup, sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir in cheese, onion and hash browns until well mixed. Spoon evenly into baking dish.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together cereal and butter. Sprinkle evenly on top of hash brown mixture.
4. Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste if desired. Garnish with additional sliced green onion if desired.
Sweet and Spicy Almonds From Lisa Myles
Prep – 10 minutes Cook – 15 minutes Ready in 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
¼ cup white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 ½ cups whole almonds
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon olive oil
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread the almonds onto a baking sheet and toast until the nuts start to turn golden brown and become fragrant, about 10 minutes. Watch the nuts carefully as they bake; they burn quickly.
2 Stir together the sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl and set aside.
3 Stir together the water, honey, and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to bubble, stir in the toasted almonds until evenly moistened. Pour the almonds into the sugar and spice mixture and toss until evenly coated. Spread onto baking sheets in a single layer and cool to room temperature.
Mexican Corn Dip From Jamie Selzer
2 cans corn (drained)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 Small can diced jalapeños
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 cup mayo
1 packet ranch dressing seasoning
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour
Serve with Tostitos
Alterntative Education
Enjoy the VALTS 3rd Quarter Newsletter. Our students are building electric guitars!
http://pub.lucidpress.com/f7ff52d2-6fed-48ea-891d-c532d8a69e32/