ESU 13 Migrant Education News
January 2015 Newsletter for Our Parents and School Partners
Welcome, Mrs. Garza!
December 1, Mrs. Garza joined the ESU 13 Migrant team! Mrs. Garza is currently working with migrant students at Bluffs Middle School. She assists students in the classroom, and has started the Voltage Club, an after school program that helps students get a jump start at school. Mrs. Garza will be calling the parents of our middle school students in Scottsbluff each week to update them with their child's grades and progress. The students and teachers she is working with are happy to have her as part of their team. We look forward to seeing our Bluffs Middle School students' grades and futures soar! Thank you, Mrs. Garza!
Parents at Bluffs Middle School:
Voltage Club meets Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:05 - 3:45. Transportation home is provided. Don't miss this opportunity! Call Mrs. Garza at Bluffs Middle School (308) 635-6270 or Kiowa at the ESU (308) 631-5476 to sign your child up for this awesome club!
Preschool Scholarships
Three young children in Scottsbluff were able to begin attending Bearcub Preschool in December through ESU 13 Migrant Education preschool scholarships. We still have a few scholarships available for 3 and 4-year-old children who are eligible for the Migrant Education Program, have made a move during the school year, and are not enrolled in any community or school preschool program. The program is able to assist the families with tuition and transportation, as well as assistance in filling out the required forms. If you or someone you know could benefit from a preschool scholarship, contact your migrant education recruiter or call Kiowa at the ESU 308-365-3696.
Parents - Did you know that preschool:
* prepares children for Kindergarten
* promotes social and emotional growth
* teaches children to make choices
* helps children learn to take care of themselves and others
* promotes language development
* nurtures curiosity
* teaches early math and literacy skills
* helps develop hand-eye coordination motor skills
Comprehensive Needs Assessment
The ESU 13 Migrant Education Program now has a local Needs Assessment Committee to study the needs of migrant students in our region and develop solutions for closing the gap in reading and math scores. A group representing Scottsbluff and Gordon-Rushville school districts, as well as community partners and a parents met in November. We invite more school districts and more parents to join the group for future meetings on January 14, March 18, and May 13, 2015. We will be looking at 2013-14 NeSa scores for migrant students and the gaps between migrant / nonmigrant scores, revise/develop need indicators, and view evidence based practices for high mobility services. We are looking for more schools to join us in January. Contact Kiowa if you'd like to join.
Parents:
We welcome parent input, so anyone is invited to attend in person in Scottsbluff or via Distance Learning. Ask your Migrant Education Recruiter or call Kiowa at ESU 13.
Moby Max Online Learning
Parents:
Many children are on our Galaxy Tab waiting list. If you have borrowed a Galaxy Tab from us, you have received a letter in the mail with your child's Moby Max login and the expectation that they will practice at least 60 minutes per week. It's easy to do two 30 minute sessions or four 15 minute sessions. You will be amazed to see how much your children learn. We will be calling each family in the new year to make sure your child is using Moby Max. If you are not using your Moby Max account, we will need you to return the tablet so another child can use it. If you do not want to participate in the Moby Max online class, we understand. Simply return it to your local MEP recruiter so another family can use it. We look forward to seeing many students improve in reading and math through this online learning program!
ESU 13 Migrant Education Program
The ESU 13 Migrant Education Program is a Title 1, Part C program under the Nebraska Department of Education. The mission of the Migrant Education Program is to ensure that migrant children fully benefit from the same free public education provided to other children. To achieve this, the MEP supports educational programs for migrant children to help reduce the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves.