Educational Service Unit # 13
SERVING THE PANHANDLE OF NEBRASKA
November, 2017 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
In this season, where we traditionally take a moment to give thanks, I’m writing to express my personal gratitude to the 187 employees at ESU 13 for their dedication and commitment to our mission of “Achieving educational excellence for all learners through strong partnerships, service and leadership.”
It is appropriate that during the month of November, our focus is on gratitude. We are reminded to focus on the many things in our lives for which we are grateful.
As American citizens, we are grateful that we live in a peaceful and democratic society where opportunities abound, individual freedom is valued and diversity is encouraged and respected.
I am thankful for our ESU 13 staff whose interactions with students tell them that they are loved and appreciated.
I am thankful for our Directors who provide caring leadership in all our programs.
I am thankful for our support staff that creates inviting conditions in all of our ESU 13 office locations throughout the Panhandle.
I am thankful for our administrative department staff for their dedicated service to supporting our programs and services.
I am thankful for the ESU 13 Board of Education for their unyielding commitment to keep the needs of students and our schools at the center of their decisions.
I am thankful for our 21 member school districts for their unwavering support over the past 50 years.
I am thankful for the families of the children we serve for the support they provide as volunteers and to prepare their children to come to school ready to learn.
I am thankful for all the communities in the eleven counties we serve at ESU 13 for their support of the very important work we do at ESU 13.
At a time of turmoil in the world, it gives us all hope to know that those who have chosen to work with children are nurturing dreams for the future. More than ever, the work educators are doing is being recognized as critical to the future of the United States. Thank you for making the choice to work with children and their families and to give them hope for a better tomorrow.
As the administrator of ESU 13, I wish all of you a restful and happy Thanksgiving.
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 November.
SOAR (Sharing Opportunities and Achieving Results)
Get Registered for the Mid-Winter Conference Today
“The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.” Brian Herbert
It is ESU13's mission to achieve educational excellence for all learners through strong partnerships, service and leadership. We do this by collaborating with schools, families, and communities; serving with equity, efficiency, and integrity; communicating effectively; and leading with innovation For over 30 years, the ESU13 Mid-Winter Conference has been key to helping us fulfill this mission. You will find a strong line-up of sessions presented by both local experts and national consultants.
Here is the link to the 2018 flyer. You will register yourselves via our Impact system. Registration closes at noon on December 8 and some sessions are limited so register early. Instructions are in the flyer. http://www.esu13.org/vnews/display.v/ART/59ef89735a37b
Technology Department
Our ESU13 email filter catches most of them, but when new threats are developed, oftentimes infected attachments are allowed to be delivered before our filter learns about them. That would be too late if an infected file were delivered and opened.
Reminder: Be very cautious about opening unexpected email attachments, especially MS Office documents and files with .zip extensions. Our mail filter is the fist line of defense against these kinds of threats but does not catch everything. A second layer of defense is our Office applications which are nice enough to ask "Enable Editing?" or "Enable Macros?" Please do not ever enable editing or macros on Office documents unless you know the sender and verify the need to enable editing or macros. The third line of defense are our user's good judgement and caution in not opening attachments from senders you do not know, suspicious attachments from senders you do know, and not clicking links in email that ask you to change passwords or verify sensitive personal information like your social security number, account, or financial information. Many links in email direct users to fake but realistic looking web sites that capture your account information when you log in. Avoid logging into sites or accounts using links in email. Rather, type in the Internet address yourself to insure you are visiting legitimate sites.
Thanks for your continuing network and email safe practices!
Special Services Department
Meridian Bell Concert Schedule
Dec. 4 the Residency 10:00 a.m. By Mall- 2100 Circle Dr., S.B.
Dec. 6 Heritage Estate 10:00 a.m. 2325 Lodge Road - Gering
Dec. 11 St. Agnes School 10:00 a.m. 205 East 23rd, S.B.
Dec. 13 Practice at school 9:45 a.m.
Dec. 15 Winter Program 1:00 pm ESU #13, 4215 Ave. I
Dec. 18 Northfield Vista 10:00 a.m. 2550 21st St. Gering
Community Employers
One of our goals for LifeLink-Nebraska is paid employment for all students. This semester, we have had students in the following businesses.
Current Employers:
- Main Street Market
- The Blossom Shop
- Menards
- Docu Shred
- WNCC Automotive Fleet
- Hampton Inn
- Twin Cities Development
- JG Elliot
- MC Schaff
- Crossroads Corner Preschool
- The Residency
- Safeway
- Farmers Den
- Western Nebraska Airport: Maintenance
- The Flight Deck
Work Based Learning/Internship Opportunities
- WNCC Sports Technology Department
- Zoo
Head Start/Early Head Start
Head Start is serving 248 preschoolers and Early Head Start is serving 68 prenatal to 3 year olds. Currently we have 75 staff and are looking for some substitutes. We are working on our continuation grant and preparing for two federal reviews. Family Advocates attended Love and Logic Parenting Class Training so they will be offering additional parenting classes throughout the year. Applications are taken year round for both Early Head Start and Head Start. Applications can be completed at any of the Head Start locations.
Exciting things are happening in all classrooms, feel free to stop in and join the excitement.
Psychology Department
School Psychologists Spark a Positive Charge by Encouraging All to “Power Up!” for National School Psychology Awareness Week—November 13–17, 2017
Bethesda, MD—The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) has designated November 13–17, 2017 as National School Psychology Awareness Week. This year’s theme, “Power Up! Be a Positive Charge,” aims to highlight the many ways that individual actions—large and small—that make positive connections can spark positive change. Throughout the week, schools across the country will be taking part in events and activities designed to generate energy and reinforce the connections that power thriving school communities.
“This year’s theme champions a willingness and resolve to be that positive charge,” explains NASP President Dr. John Kelly. “A key objective is to teach children that they have the power to bring about positive changes, both for themselves as individuals and for their communities as members of classrooms, peer groups, families, teams, and clubs.” In an effort to meet this key objective, all of the resources and activities designed to promote School Psychology Awareness Week emphasize a student-centered approach.
“The phrase Power Up!” emphasizes each individual’s ability to plug into the talents, skills, behaviors, and mindset that will help them grow and contribute to the quality of their school and broader communities,” adds Kelly. “By encouraging and valuing intentional, small, positive efforts, adults and students grow academically, build understanding, create compassion, and become more resilient—more energized to confront upcoming challenges.”
At the same time, the coordinated involvement of adult stakeholders is highlighted as an imperative for success. Families, teachers, school psychologists, administrators, and all school staff can work together to create a culture where making positive connections and taking action is the norm simply by modeling and embracing the expectation. School psychologists also will strive to demonstrate how the small things they do every day can have a profound impact on the students they serve and on the culture of our school communities.
“This involves passing along our own ‘positive charges’ wherever possible, and making a point to recognize and show gratitude for the ‘positive charges’ transmitted by others,” said Kelly. “Positive charges’ suggested in the resources include behavior such as being kind, offering help, including others, celebrating creativity, working hard, being curious, exploring ideas, trying new skills, and supporting a team effort.”
Alternative Education
VALTS celebrated six more graduates at our October graduation. Five of our graduates were from Gering and one from Scottsbluff. VALTS has now graduated 604 students since the program started in 1998. Currently we have 41students from nine different school districts.
Migrant Education Program
News from the Wellness Committee
Maintain, don’t gain!
The holiday season can be difficult to stay on track with making healthy choices. The next EHA Wellness Program challenge, Project Zero, can help us maintain and not gain and start the new year off healthy.
Project Zero is offered by Educational Service Unit 13 and EHA Wellness during December. This is the time of year to focus on making healthy choices in the midst of celebrating during the holiday season. Maintaining a healthy weight all year can add 11 quality years to your life!
If you complete the challenge by maintaining your weight and/or measurements (or reducing them) and sharing an act of kindness daily for 20 days during December, you’ll not only feel better, but you’ll also be entered in a drawing for 500 $25 gift cards.
To register by November 30, go to www.ehawellness.org . Forgot your EHA Wellness Code? Go to www.ehawellness.org/code.
If you have questions, please contact Peggy Coulter, pmoore@esu13.org