Educational Service Unit # 13
SERVING THE PANHANDLE OF NEBRASKA
January - February, 2018 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...
Achieving educational excellence for all learners through strong partnerships, service and leadership
By . . .
- Collaborating with schools, families, and communities
- Serving with equity, efficiency, and integrity
- Communicating effectively
- Leading with innovation
ADMINISTRATION
Panhandle School Superintendents Sound Alarm Regarding Urgent Need for Youth Mental Health Services
All 21 Panhandle Superintendents hereby formally endorse this open letter to make a clear and direct statement to our communities. We are experiencing increasing numbers of youth suffering from severe mental illness, displaying violent, impulsive and explosive behavior, and abusing drugs. Youth battling these conditions are becoming pervasive in our communities and thusly our schools. We are delivering an urgent request to our State’s lawmakers for immediate and overdue assistance before tragedy occurs.
In order to address this issue, District 48 Senator John Stinner of Gering has introduced LB 801 on behalf of the children and families of Western Nebraska. LB 801, also known as the Panhandle Beginnings Act, will fund a pilot project establishing a regional therapeutic day school. This facility will serve as an alternative setting for students who require a higher level of therapeutic services and a more intensive, safe schooling environment; allowing these youth access to the appropriate interventions, support and necessary skill development required for their safe and successful reintegration into their home schools.
Rising incidence of mental illness and violent behavior in our youth is well documented and has now reached a tipping point. Schools and communities are experiencing a rapid increase in students who struggle with significant needs, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other often-debilitating mental health conditions as well as severe behavioral disorders, trauma, toxic stress, substance abuse and other dangerous behavior. Yet currently, the Panhandle of Nebraska has a limited number of resources to detect and treat mental illness in school-age children and there are no publicly or privately funded entities to provide the needed therapeutic day treatment or day school services for these youth. Our only reasonable alternatives are out of state or the more densely populated, eastern portion of Nebraska.
ESU 13, Region 1 Behavioral Health Authority, and the 21 schools in the ESU 13 service area have been working on the current proposal to address this deficit for over 2 years. We understand and have experienced the absence of equitable mental health support to schools in rural portions of our state and emphatically state that it has become an urgent matter. In the Panhandle it is now a crisis.
We, as a community, must take action. These afore mentioned conditions need not result in tragedy. With the appropriate, intensive support these youth can go on to lead highly productive, contributive and contented lives. Sadly, without appropriate intervention, these same youth too often end up in tragic scenarios, on the streets, in prison, institutions or worse. All of these alternatives cost far more to the taxpayer than the proactive approach Senator Stinner’s bill recommends.
Through the Panhandle Beginnings proposal students with significant mental health and behavioral health needs, as well as those students exhibiting dangerous, explosive and impulsive behaviors, will have access to a more appropriate intensity of service than our panhandle has ever before been able to offer. These students will attend Panhandle Beginnings school where they will receive appropriate educational instruction, intensive therapeutic services and learn necessary skills that will ultimately support a safe and successful return to their home schools. LB 801 would fund Panhandle Beginnings Day Treatment Treatment/Day School for fiscal years 2018-2023 with the hope it can be replicated in other areas of Nebraska where similar service deficits exist.
Nebraska must find ways to publicly fund therapeutic day treatment facilities such as this across our state -including rural areas, to address the severe behavioral health needs of children in our schools and communities, and create better health and educational outcomes for our Nebraska youth. While LB 801 funds a pilot program in the Panhandle, a long-term, sustainable funding plan must then be addressed. But, we cannot wait. A detailed proposal has been developed after lengthy collaboration among many entities in our area and is available to all who are interested to examine and provide input.
All 21 superintendents wish to emphasize that to set aside this bill means taking the risk that one of our communities will be the site of tragedy. To address the need now allows not only the chance to intervene and better the lives of current youth but also allows the improvement of future generations, cuts off the school to prison pipeline and increases the overall health and wellbeing of our communities. We hope that every Nebraska Panhandle citizen will join with us to let our legislators know that now is the time to appropriately address the needs of our youth, we need to ensure our Unicameral hears Senator Stinners voice so that the needs our youth in Rural Western Nebraska can be met.
We want to personally thank Senator John Stinner for his commitment to helping the children and the families of the Panhandle. Even with his role as Chairman of the State’s Appropriation Committee, which gives him cause to understand the State’s fiscal issues as much as anyone, he is sponsoring this bill. His insight and recommendation certainly underscore the urgency of this proposal.
Vinc Aulick President, Aulick Industries (Robin Aulick and Kenzy Feltes)
Hod Kosman CEO/President, Platte Valley Companies
Mike Downey President, First State Bank
Kim Kildow Board of Education President, Bayard Public Schools
Donna Stuart Board of Education Vice President, Bayard Public Schools
Kim Burry Board of Education, Bayard Public Schools
Kari Foreman Director, Special Education, Bayard
Michelle Coolidge Mayor, City of Bayard
Bob Kelley President, Kelley Bean Company
Sandy Roes, RN Director, Chadron Western Community Health Resources
Karen Anderson Executive Director, Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber of Commerce
Ray Richards Board of Education President, ESU #13
Dusty Bryner Police Chief, Hemingford
Daria Anderson-Faden Board of Commissioners, Kimball
Keith Prunty Mayor, Kimball
Howard Olsen, Jr. Simmons Olsen Law Firm
Gary Koke President, Minatare School Board
Larry Randolph Minatare School Board
Jana Schwartz Vice President, Minatare School Board
Alicia Hassel Secretary/Treasurer, Minatare School Board
LeAnn Lovato Minatare School Board
Coby Ross Minatare School Board
Giles Armstrong Pastor, Mitchell Berean Church
Dr. Tom Perkins Behavioral Health Provider
Dr. Mark Hald Psychologist, Options in Psychology, LLC
Terri Fisher Edens Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMPH), Scottsbluff
Dr. Ann Talbot Neuro-Psychologist, Options in Psychology, LLC
Louis Kleager, MD Physician
William Michael, MD Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Regional West Medical Center
Mark Masterton Board Chairman, Scotts Bluff County Commissioners,
Darren Duncan Chief Probation Officer, District 12
Kevin Spencer Chief, Scottsbluff Police Department
Nathan Johnson City Manager, Scottsbluff
Doug Warner Deputy Attorney, Nebraska Attorney General's Office
Stacey Murphy Diversion Coordinator, Scotts Bluff County
Rawnda Pierce Executive Director, Twin Cities Development
Randy Meininger For all Scottsbluff City Council
Chuck Elly Retired Nebraska State Trooper
Ray Richards Scotts Bluff County 911 Communications Director
John Harms Senator, Scottsbluff
Mark Overman Sheriff, Scotts Bluff County
David Hoxworth Activities Director, Scottsbluff High School
Betsy Skelcher Assistant Director of Student Services, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Kraig Weyrich Assistant Principal, Bluffs Middle School
Jason Blanco Assistant Principal, Bluffs Middle School
Robin Hoxworth Assistant Principal, Roosevelt Elementary School
Matt Huck Assistant Principal, Scottsbluff High School
Dr. Andrew Dick Assistant Principal, Scottsbluff High School
Justin Shaddick Assistant Principal, Scottsbluff High School
Jeremy Behnke Assistant Principal, Westmoor Elementary School
Ruth Kozal Board of Education, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Robert Kinsey Board of Education, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Paul Snyder Board of Education, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Mark Lang Board of Education, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Terry Gilliland Board of Education, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Kyle Long Board of Education, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Lavon Hood Chief Financial Officer, Scottsbluff Public Schools
James Todd Coordinator, Safety and Security, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Melissa Price Director of Communications, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Mario Chavez Director of Student Outreach, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Alyssa Harvey Director, Scottsbluff Public Schools Foundation
Mike Mason Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Wendy Kemling Executive Director of Student Services, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Johnathan Hunzeker President, Scottsbluff Public Schools Foundation
Frances Burkhalter Principal, Bearcub Preschool and Lake Minatare Elementary
Bert Wright Principal, Bluffs Middle School
Jodi Benson Principal, Lincoln Heights Elementary School
Laurie Bahl Principal, Longfellow Elementary School
Belinda Westfall Principal, North Elementary School, Sidney
Jana Mason Principal, Roosevelt Elementary School
Mike Halley Principal, Scottsbluff High School
Charlotte Browning Principal, Westmoor Elementary School
Ashley Hobbs Secretary, Board of Education, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Jamian Simmons Attorney, Sheridan County
Chris Arent Principal, Sidney High School
Brandon Ross Principal, Sidney Middle School
Rick Meyer Principal, South Elementary School, Sidney
Gene Russel Principal, West Elementary School, Sidney
Whitney Hurt Special Education Coordinator, Sidney Public Schools
Chad McCumbers Sheriff, Sioux County
Dr. Troy Unzicker Superintendent, Alliance Public Schools
Lana Sides Superintendent, Banner County School
Travis Miller Superintendent, Bayard Public Schools
Chuck Lambert Superintendent, Bridgeport Public Schools
Dr. Caroline Winchester Superintendent, Chadron Public Schools
Kirk Hughes Superintendent, Crawford Public Schools
Ron Howard Superintendent, Creek Valley Public Schools
Dr. Paula Sissel Superintendent, Garden County Schools
Bob Hastings Superintendent, Gering Public Schools
Lori Liggett Superintendent, Gordon-Rushville Public Schools
Russell Lechtenberg Superintendent, Hay Springs Public School
Casper Ningen Superintendent, Hemingford Public Schools
Kent Halley Superintendent, Kimball Public Schools
Lorrie Miller Superintendent, Leyton Public Schools
Tim Cody Superintendent, Minatare Public Schools
Kathy Urbanek Superintendent, Mitchell Public Schools
Joe Sherwood Superintendent, Morrill Public Schools
Mike Williams Superintendent, Potter-Dix Schools
Rick Myles Superintendent, Scottsbluff Public Schools
Jay Ehler Superintendent, Sidney Public Schools
Brett Gies Superintendent, Sioux County Schools
Dr. Jack Whittier Dean, UNL Extension
Dr. Sami Webb DDS, MS, Webb Orthodontics
Chris Camacho Elite Health Center
Dr. Jason Webb O.D. , Webb Eye Care
Katie Camacho Operations Manager, Elite Health Center
Dr. Kimberly Kuster Dale Executive Vice President, Western Nebraska Community College
Dr. Todd Holcomb President, Western Nebraska Community College
Ananta Khatri Social Science Instructor, Western Nebraska Community College
Conrad Bostron Director, YMCA, Scottsbluff
Lori Marquez "Every Child, Every Day, Everywhere" (3E), Scottsbluff
Jeanne McKerrrigan "Every Child, Every Day, Everywhere" (3E), Scottsbluff
Birthdays - Happy Birthday to everyone!! If you would like your birthday included in future newsletters just email me at jrundell@esu13.org
Happy Birthday to everyone that has a birthday in January and February.
SOAR (Sharing Opportunities and Achieving Results)
Chadron State College Embarks on Innovative Partnership
Chadron State College Teacher Education Program, Education Service Unit No. 13, and four panhandle public school districts are partnering in a new “pilot” professional development partnership program for the purpose of preparing pre-service teachers.
This program has benefits to all partners, but most importantly it will improve upon the quality of the student teaching experience by extending it from one semester to a full academic year within a participating school. In addition, the program will work to better meet the growing shortage of qualified teachers in panhandle school districts, provide improved training for student teachers, and provides districts with additional staff assistance during this time of increased budget constraints.
Scottsbluff, Sidney, Alliance and Chadron school districts have pledged their participation in this unique elementary/middle grades program. Cohort groups of four to eight student teachers will be placed for a year-long experience at one of these four school districts. Students will be able to observe a full academic year, work with all faculty and staff, serve as para-professionals, reading coaches, tutors, and substitute teachers. The student experiences will include co-teaching assignments, shadowing school nurses, counselors, special education directors, serve on committees, and ultimately come to a broader understanding of how schools function.
During the second eight weeks of the fall semester each student teacher will be placed with a specific grade level teacher for a five-week continuous placement experience– where they plan, coordinate, teach or co-teach. Then, again during the spring semester each student teacher will be provided a similar nine-week placement experience with a specific grade level teacher. These two placements will consist of one upper grade level experience (grades 4-6), with the other being a lower grade level experience (grades K-3).
This innovative partnership program works to address several issues, including the growing concern for highly qualified teachers, the shortage of qualified substitute teachers, and the increased demand on teachers for testing and accountability, while providing districts with additional physical resources, and a ready pool of candidates to draw from when facing future teaching vacancies. Chadron State is proud to partner with our regional schools in an effort to address the growing demands on public education.
Chadron State College is proud to partner with our regional schools and ESU in an effort to address the growing demands on public education, and thank them for their on-going contributions to the preparation of teachers!“, said CSC Education Professor and Department Chair, Dr. Donald King.”
Technology Department
What are the best privacy settings for my computer and smartphone?
On your computer, you can protect against privacy invasion in your web browser. On your smartphone, you use the phone's settings.
Computer Privacy
Take a look at the privacy settings offered in your browser (usually found in the Tools menu) to see whether you can fine-tune them to keep the good and block the bad. When you go online, websites install cookies on your computer that track your movements. Some cookies can be beneficial, such as those that remember your login names or items in your online shopping cart. But some cookies are designed to remember everything you do online, build a profile of your personal information and habits, and sell that information to advertisers and other companies. (Check out these kid Web browsers.)
Smartphone Privacy
Settings on smartphones vary, but you can tighten up privacy with these precautions:
Turn off location services. That prevents apps from tracking your location.
Don't let apps share data. Some apps want to use information stored on your phone (your contact list, for example). Say no.
Enable privacy settings on apps you download. Make sure your teens are using strict privacy settings on services such as Instagram and Facebook.
Be careful with social logins. When you log onto a site with your Facebook or Google username and password, you may be allowing that app to access certain information from your profile. Read the fine print to know what you're sharing.
Have you checked the privacy settings on your kid's computer and smartphone recently?
Head Start/Early Head Start
Head Start would like to welcome the following members to our team: Stephanie Reynaga – Enrollment Manager, Jackie Garza and Karina Garza Bridgeport Assistant Teachers, Linda Uglow Kimball Assistant Teacher, Desiree Valenciano Scottsbluff Bus Monitor, Katherine Esselstein Assistant Teacher Early Head Start, and Dakota Randles CDC Assistant Teacher.
Head Start is preparing for a Federal Monitoring Review. The review provides us the opportunity to demonstrate our effectiveness in implementing a high-quality program that promotes positive outcomes and school readiness for children and their families. This will be taking place during the week of March 19th. Currently parent teacher conferences and home visits are currently taking place with all families.
Head Start classrooms are busy with Kindergarten readiness. Providing the public schools with the names of the children who will be attending at the location next year to ensure that children get signed up at the appropriate Kindergarten Round Up. Classrooms invite Kindergarten teachers to come and talk with the preschoolers about the exciting new adventures they will be experiencing next year. We will have approximately 120 children transitioning to Kindergarten.
Psychology Department
Helping Children Cope with Traumatic Events
Tips for Helping a Child or Teen Recover from Trauma
(The following information is summarized from a HelpGuide.org article written by Melinda Smith, M.A., Lawrence Robinson, and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. and was last updated: January 2018. For the complete article, including references, related articles and active links visit http://www.helpguide.org/)
The intense, confusing, and frightening emotions that follow a traumatic event or natural disaster can be even more pronounced in children—whether they directly experienced the traumatic event or were repeatedly exposed to horrific media images after the fact. While children and adolescents are more vulnerable to being traumatized than adults, with the right support and reassurance they are also able to recover faster. Using these coping tips, you can help your child regain emotional balance, restore his or her trust in the world, and move on from the traumatic event.
What are the effects of traumatic stress on children?
Depending on their age, children may:
Cling to a parent or caregiver;
Cry, whimper, or scream;
Lose interest in friends, family, and fun activities;
Return to behaviors common to being younger, such as thumbsucking or bedwetting;
Have nightmares or other sleep problems;
Develop unfounded Fears
Feel depressed, emotionally numb, or guilt over what happened;
Lose interest in hobbies and interests; and,
Have suicidal thoughts.
While not an exhaustive list, the above information may indicate an ongoing struggle coping with the traumatic event.
Whatever the age of your child, it’s important to offer extra reassurance and support following a traumatic event. A child’s reaction to a disaster or traumatic event can be greatly influenced by their parents’ response, so it’s important to educate yourself about traumatic stress. The more you know about the symptoms, effects, and treatment options, the better equipped you'll be to help your child recover. With your love and support, the unsettling thoughts and feelings of traumatic stress can start to fade and your child’s life can return to normal in the days or weeks following the event.
Tips on helping you child recover from traumatic stress
Minimize media exposure. Limit, watch with your child and reassure, avoid graphic images.
Engage your child. Provide your child with opportunities to talk; acknowledge and validate your child’s concerns; reassure your child; don’t pressure your child to talk; be honest; do “normal” things with your child.
Encourage physical activity. Find a sport your child enjoys; participate with your child; encourage your child to go outside; schedule a family outing or go to the playground.
Feed your child a healthy diet. Focus on overall diet rather than specific foods; limit fried food, sweet desserts, sugary snacks and cereals, and be a role model; cook more meals at home; make mealtimes about more than food.
Rebuild trust and safety. Create routines; minimize stress at home; manage your own stress; speak of the future and make plans; keep your promises; if you don’t know-admit it.
When to seek treatment for your child’s traumatic stress
Usually, your child’s feelings of anxiety, numbness, confusion, guilt, and despair following a traumatic event will start to fade within a relatively short time. However, if the traumatic stress reaction is so intense and persistent that it’s getting in the way of your child’s ability to function at school or home, he or she may need help from a mental health professional—preferably a trauma specialist.
Traumatic stress warning signs
It's been six weeks, and your child is not feeling any better
Your child is having trouble functioning at school
Your child is experiencing terrifying memories, nightmares, or flashbacks
The symptoms of traumatic stress appear as physical complaints such as
headaches, stomach pains, or sleep disturbances
Your child is having an increasingly difficult time relating to friends and family
Your child or teen is experiencing suicidal thoughts
Your child is avoiding more and more things that remind them of the traumatic event.
Alternative Education
VALTS celebrated 6 graduates in December. Our graduates came from Morrill, Kimball, Scottsbluff and Gering. This brings our total number of graduates to 610 since 1998.
We finished our coffee/entrepreneur unit last quarter. This proved to be a very successful unit. The students enjoyed the unit. Many of students got out of their comfort zones by presenting to our VALTS board and our ESU #13 superintendents on what they learned.. Guitar Physics, International Relations, Language of Music and Personal Finance are our classroom core offerings this quarter.
Migrant Education Program
Our team has kept busy this winter with family support and student instruction. Some highlights of the winter are
* One of our migrant parents has been selected to present at a national conference
* Youth Leadership Trips help students set goals
* Helping families enroll in local preschools, and assisting with tuition has been a goal this year. This year 54% of our 3-5 year olds are enrolled in preschool as compared to 35% last year!
For more, see our full newsletter:
https://www.smore.com/jcp7s-esu-13-migrant-education-newsNews from the Wellness Committee
Mind Body Spirit Bond: Wellness is a sense of well-being that results from the good health of a balanced body, mind, and spirit. To put it simply, we are a spirit, we have a mind, and we live in a body. They're all connected. And if we want to experience wellness, all three must be balanced.
- Body - made up of biochemical cells, organs, and systems that are engineered in part by your DNA, or your genetics. It's all laced together by a fantastic network of nerves and blood vessels. It includes your five senses and all the physical factors that allow you to express yourself.
- Mind - is different from your brain, which is a physical organ. Your mind includes your attitudes, emotions, feelings, memories, and judgment. Your mind gives you the ability to think, reason, and make choices.
- Spirit - is what gives your life meaning and purpose. It fashions your inner beliefs and yearns for inspiration. Through your spirit you experience love, bond with family and friends, identify a unique mission in your life, and find the motivation to serve others.