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Inside this issue
Important Upcoming Events/Meetings
January 4, 2017: Voluntary Open Pre-Kindergarten Enrollment January 5 - 18, 2017: Winter Assessment Window January 6, 2017: ADSIS/Coaching PLC January 16, 2017: Martin Luther King Jr. Day January 18, 2017: Superintendents Council January 25, 2017: SE Perkins Consortium February 7, 2017: Principals Council February 23-24, 2017 |
The Progress, January 2017: Volume 2, Issue 5
Comments? Suggestions for new articles?
Contact Jillynne Raymond, Editor, The Progress, jraymond@gced.k12.mn.us 
Winter Assessment Window January 5 - 18, 2017 |
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Principals Council
As an education district the vision of work and systematic decisions begin at our superintendents council, which meets monthly. The process continues with our principals council, which meets quarterly. All of the work focuses on the four essential questions all school districts must ask:
1. What do we want our students to know?
2. How will we know if they have learned it?
3. How will we respond if they do not know it?
4. How will we respond if they already know it?
At our most recent principals meeting on December 6, 2016 the following items were covered:
MTSS – continues to be our focus; it is the work we do.
Next Principals Council Meeting
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
12:00 - 4:00 pm
River Bluff Education Center
As an education district the vision of work and systematic decisions begin at our superintendents council, which meets monthly. The process continues with our principals council, which meets quarterly. All of the work focuses on the four essential questions all school districts must ask:
1. What do we want our students to know?
2. How will we know if they have learned it?
3. How will we respond if they do not know it?
4. How will we respond if they already know it?
At our most recent principals meeting on December 6, 2016 the following items were covered:
MTSS – continues to be our focus; it is the work we do.
- 2017-18 Assessment System Decision Process
- August – Vendor Presentations
- April – Communication and Roll out Plan
- February - Decisions
- December – Principals’ feedback gathered and will be shared at superintendents council
- December – Principals using FAST this year shared their experiences
- 2017-18 Assessment Calendar - DRAFT
- Draft represents every district’s desired input; more to come on this after the assessment system decision is finalized
- EL Students
- WIDA data shared
- Please continue to be mindful of current political climate on our students.
- Attorney Peter Martin provided 2 hours of PD on the legal concerns with employees.
- Hiring employees, including complete background checks.
- Your legal responsibility on what to say or not to say when someone calls you for a reference check.
- Progressive Discipline
Next Principals Council Meeting
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
12:00 - 4:00 pm
River Bluff Education Center
Minnesota's Olmstead Plan
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Have you heard of the Minnesota Olmstead Plan is? I learned about it when I began working in the setting IV world. To help learn about this plan, let’s start with the term “setting” in special education.
IDEA was focused on providing FAPE for students in the least restrictive environment possible, also known as instructional settings. There are 8 federal instructional settings, which are explained in the right sidebar. The importance of these settings is that they are setup to best serve the needs of the students with the emphasis of meeting students’ needs in the least restrictive environment (LRE). This is important background information as we look at the Minnesota Olmstead Plan. We wish students to access their education in the least restrictive environment because it integrates them (rather than segregating) in the school community. An Olmstead Plan came out of an American with Disabilities Act case, which rose to the US Supreme Court level. The court ruled that it was unlawful to keep individuals with disabilities in segregated institutional settings when they can live in a community setting. Therefore an Olmstead Plan is a state’s plan to provide services to individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the individual. According to the US Department of Justice the most integrated setting “enables individuals with disabilities to interact with nondisabled persons to the fullest extent possible.” Each state was left to prepare their own Olmstead Plan. In Minnesota, the Olmstead Subcabinet identified goals related to these areas:
Under employment a specific goal is that by June 30, 2020, the number of students with developmental cognitive disabilities, ages 19-21 that enter into competitive, integrated employment will be 763. Annual Goals for the number of students in competitive, integrated employment:
This goal is connected to a new law, WIOA or Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act aligns with this goal of the MN Olmstead Plan. Special education teachers Mick Wendland and Abby Wiley represent us and serve on CTIC - the community transition interagency committee. They meet quarterly with others in Region 10 quarterly and have begun working on pre-employment transition services. More of their work will be covered in upcoming newsletters. |
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GCED is so fortunate to have dedicated staff members committed to serving our students, our member districts, our communities. Thank you all. We would like to recognize the Molly Paulson, nominated for and recipient of our Extra Distance award.
Molly Paulson goes the extra distance in her role as a school psychologist assigned to Red Wing. This year she has stepped up as a leader when the district is short a school psychologist. Molly is not only working an extra load, but she does so while supporting staff members across 3 buildings. We applaud Molly's dedication to her profession.
Molly Paulson goes the extra distance in her role as a school psychologist assigned to Red Wing. This year she has stepped up as a leader when the district is short a school psychologist. Molly is not only working an extra load, but she does so while supporting staff members across 3 buildings. We applaud Molly's dedication to her profession.
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The Council of Administrators of Special Education winter conference is February 23 - 24, 2017. GCED is hosting a virtual site for this incredible national conference. You are invited to join us for either or both days of this conference at River Bluff Education Center.
Thursday, February 23, 2017, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm Actualizing the Practice - Mental Health Practices in Schools Friday, February 24, 2017: 9:30 am - 4:00 pm Legal Issues: Actualizing the Promise Speakers for the conference include: Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, pediatrician, public health professional, and child advocate. Dr. Navsaria is strongly engaged with early literacy programs in health care settings, particularly around ideas of early brain and child development, which include neurobiological effects of adversity and poverty upon the developing brain. Dr. Richard Van Acker, Professor of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Van Acker's work has focused on the development of antisocial behavior in children in an effort to identify effective prevention and intervention strategies. His latest book is titled ‘Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Emotional Disorder: School-Based Practice Julie Weatherly, Esq., owner of Resolutions in Special Education, Inc. has provided legal representation and consultative services to school districts and other agencies in the area of educating students with disabilities. Julie has appeared on 60 Minutes to discuss the costs associated with meeting the legal requirements of IDEA. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to students with disabilities. You may register for this conference on the GCED website; cost is $20.00/day, which includes a box lunch. See the sidebar to download the flyer. |
Register for the conference on our GCED Website under Trainings. | ||
Have you tried/seen?
Interestingly enough in this age of instant information we can sometimes forget about an incredible resource we once used. Or there is staff turnover and new staff may or may not know about resources once shared in the district. I am offering a few good finds here. Please share any favorite resources to publish here in the future.
- MN Math & Science Frameworks is the result of well-spent grant money. This website was written by math and science teachers for math and science teachers with real lessons aligned to standards; it includes ideas for differentiation.
- Teachers - If you have students struggling, check out the misconceptions that some students and how to correct.
- Principals - This site offers quick and meaningful professional development opportunities.
- ReadWriteThink's mission is "to provide educators, parents, and afterschool professionals with access to the highest quality practices in reading and language arts instruction by offering the very best in free materials."
- The Office of Adolescent Health offers help for those working with adolescent boys in the online video The Crisis of Connection for Adolescent Boys with Niobe Way.
Improving Educational Outcomes for All Children
Sometimes we hear questions regarding if something is a general education or special education issue. Personally, I would love to see the words 'general' and 'special' eliminated, leaving simply education. It makes sense, after all we are all in the same business.This is evident in the legislative platforms of MASA and MASE below.
MASA'S 2017 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) recommends the Minnesota Legislature consider passage of the following proposals:
Education Funding
A well-funded quality educational system is vital to Minnesota’s prosperity. To support academic achievement for all students, create a world-class work force, and reinforce local decision-making the state must:
Educational policy issues also impact each school district’s ability to provide a high quality education system and develop the world’s best work force. As a result, state education policy changes must:
MASA'S 2017 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) recommends the Minnesota Legislature consider passage of the following proposals:
Education Funding
A well-funded quality educational system is vital to Minnesota’s prosperity. To support academic achievement for all students, create a world-class work force, and reinforce local decision-making the state must:
- Increase the basic general education formula by at least 3% per pupil unit each year of the biennium.
- Provide state funding to cover any employer increase in the TRA system and ensure that this funding is not viewed as part of the E-12 package.
- Create a plan to fully fund the special education cross-subsidy by 2025 by reducing the cross-subsidy by 25% each biennium.
- Expand investments in school-based early learning programs only after the basic general education formula has been increased by at least 3% per pupil unit each year of the biennium.
- Continue facilities funding reform by including improvement to equalization factors and indexing where allowable for inflation as well as increasing funding for broadband accessibility and technology infrastructure.
Educational policy issues also impact each school district’s ability to provide a high quality education system and develop the world’s best work force. As a result, state education policy changes must:
- Create a task force of E-12 and higher education members to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses the teacher shortage crisis in our state.
- Enhance and expand the innovation zone concept in order to provide school districts with flexibility to best serve the educational needs of students.
- Allow school districts to retain the most effective teachers, regardless of seniority, to assure the highest quality learning experiences for all students.
- Repeal the 2015 statutory limitations on the maximum number of hours for testing, reform our assessment system to assess 21st century skills, and balance assessments between those used for accountability and those that inform instruction and track growth.
- Implement solutions for credentialing secondary teachers to teach concurrent enrollment courses to high school students.
MASE'S 2017 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
Improve Student Outcomes through Emphasis of Evidence-Based Practices
Improve Student Outcomes through Emphasis of Evidence-Based Practices
- MASE supports the intent of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to improve instruction and student outcomes in alignment with Special Education including
- Holding districts accountable for student success which are focused on positive student educational outcomes and post-secondary outcomes to prepare students for the world of work.
- A statewide accountability system that includes ratings based on student growth in each group.
- Limiting the academic indicators used in the accountability measures to reading and math.
- MASE supports the integration of a district-wide, unified Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to meet the academic and social emotional needs of all learners and reduce the achievement gap.
- MASE supports the implementation of a MTSS framework in the area of social-emotional well-being and mental health in collaboration with county social services, county public health, and other groups supporting the mental health needs of children and youth.
- MASE supports the dedication of state funding in districts to provide professional development opportunities and technical assistance for implementation of the MTSS framework ages birth through 21.
- MASE supports the review of special education eligibility criteria to align with research and needs-based MTSS framework.
- MASE supports state standards for transportation that reflect the best interests of students, are equitable for families and fiscally responsible for districts.
- The rules regarding the transportation of students with disabilities should be clear and understandable for parents and district staff.
- The necessary transportation of students with disabilities, as well as students attending care and treatment facilities, should be fully funded by the State of Minnesota to decrease district cross subsidy costs.
- Open enrollment transportation standards should take into account what is in the best interest of the student, allowing reasonable restrictions to be established through board policy.
- MASE supports proactively addressing current and future demands of districts for qualified, licensed special education professionals and administrators.
- The Academic Behavioral Strategist (ABS) license should be changed to remove the expensive and redundant five-year categorical requirement and the limitations for more restrictive settings.
- The use of limited licenses and variances beyond the three-year limited should be expanded as one way to address staffing challenges.
- Minnesota teaching licenses should be granted immediately to candidates from states bordering Minnesota.
- Out-of-state applicants for teaching licenses should be allowed a two-year window to pass the Minnesota-required licensure tests.
- Provisions related to the School Sign Language Interpreter Law should be updated and aligned to national certification requirements to avoid a lack of access to testing and termination of proficient, skilled school interpreters.
- All areas of disability requiring licensure in the state of Minnesota should have a corresponding licensure program in the state college and university system at the undergraduate level.
- MASE supports a single education funding formula that is stable, equitable across districts, and simplified to be predictable and consistent.
- The special education formula should be equitable to eliminate the cross-subsidy impact.
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We all know the power of a team. In math 1 plus 1 may equal 2, but in human capacity 1 + 1 equals incredible synergy. Kenyon-Wanamingo's two new school counselors build on that synergy and approach their work as a team. Let's begin with the individuals though.
Katie Kelly, KWMS School Counselor, is in her 2nd year as a counselor. Last year she worked for Rochester Public Schools, also as a school counselor. Katie graduated from Eastview High School in Apple Valley, MN and then went to UMN-Twin Cities for her undergraduate work. She completed her master's degree in school counseling from Minnesota State University Moorehead. Katie always knew that she wanted to help students, but she admits it took her awhile to determine where. Like so many students, Katie attended a high school that had school counselors with incredible caseloads; she only saw her school counselor one time, but wanted and needed more. Now as a counselor herself, she likes to see the kids grow; she can see the impact she can have just by getting to know them. Whitney Ryan, KWHS Counselor, interned with Jessica Holst in Goodhue last year. This is her first year as a school counselor. Whitney is Minnesota born and bred. She graduated from Lincoln High School in Lake City, where her family still lives. Whitney went to North Dakota State for her undergraduate work, and earned her master's degree in school counseling from Winona State. When she asked why she is in counseling, she explained that "for me, it was the realization that kids come to school with so many more issues than just passing or failing a class." She's here to help students overcome barriers to learning. Now from the individuals back to that synergy of the team. Katie Kelly and Whitney Ryan joined forces to create and co-teach a new 8th grade class called "High School Prep". The course was suggested to each when Principal Matt Ryan hired them this summer. They brainstormed and collaborated to develop the course. As its name suggests, High School Prep is a new exploratory class that was designed to prepare students to be successful in high school. I cannot help but to think about it like frontloading. When I was in the classroom, I understood the value of not rushing the start of a term. I had to load intentional activities that would build relationships between students and me as well as between the students. Every lesson had to begin by frontloading vocabulary and possible background knowledge needed. Frontloading included activities to build a mindset for the learning at hand to help students understand what was coming. Katie and Whitney are doing just that. They are frontloading their students' high school experiences. Through Katie and Whitney's co-teaching they will cover:
Absolute joys are also a part of their world as they face students' needs. Joy comes in the form of small victories, such as the student who "absolutely hated this class" when he first started. As his teachers worked with him, he learned of the connection that high school could offer to prepare for a career as a video game designer; KW had a computer applications course that was ideal for his foundation. This process re-engaged him in learning. Granted, this was one small victory and this dynamic duo will take it. The challenges will continue to exist just as Katie Kelly and Whitney Ryan will continue to rise to them, making one difference at a time in the lives of many. |
Katie Kelly, KW Middle School Counselor and Whitney Ryan, KW High School Counselor
Rapid Round with Katie Favorite Book? Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling Enjoyable Activity? Spending time in Alexandria with extended family. Pizza Topping? Green Olives Milk/Dark/White Chocolate? Milk Chocolate Favorite Show? Game of Thrones Grey's Anatomy Unknown item about yourself? I was 1 lb, 14 oz when born and spent a month in the hospital. If you won the lottery what would you do? Pay off student loans and travel. ************** Rapid Round with Whitney Favorite Book? Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain Enjoyable Activity? Doing nothing with NO schedule Pizza Topping? Pineapple Milk/Dark/White Chocolate? Milk Chocolate Favorite Show? Gilmore Girls If you won the lottery what would you do? Pay off student loans and travel. |