2011 Northeast Service Cooperative Collaborating to meet your changing needs
Northeast Service Cooperative 2011 Collaborating to meet your changing needs STAFF DIRECTORY 5525 Emerald Avenue Mt. Iron MN 55768 Phone: (218) 741-0750 Fax: (218) 741-1719 STAFF Extension E-MAIL Anderson, Tiffany ext. 2124 [email protected] Borchardt, Linda ext. 2102 [email protected] Brinkman, Paul ext. 2103 [email protected] Cencich, Susan ext. 2121 [email protected] Cox, Melissa ext. 2109 [email protected] Russ Davidson [email protected] Germ, Frank ext. 2112 [email protected] Grahek, R. Michael ext. 2107 [email protected] Hauck, Phyllis ext. 2106 [email protected] Honkola, Craig [email protected] Honkola, Tasha ext. 2105 [email protected] MacVey, Lyle ext. 2123 [email protected] Mellesmoen, Jeanette ext. 2117 [email protected] O’Toole, Jill ext. 2113 [email protected] Pavlek, James ext. 2114 [email protected] Peterson, Greg ext. 2108 [email protected] Pulford, Kijo ext. 2111 [email protected] Roskoski, Steve ext. 2115 [email protected] Simetkosky, Bill ext. 2110 [email protected] Steel, Audrey ext. 2104 [email protected] Sterk, Kathy ext. 2127 [email protected] Sterk, Lauren ext. 2122 [email protected] Business Services Risk Management The Northeast Service Cooperative partners with various providers to form pools to address the needs of schools, cities, counties, governmental agencies, and their employees. The insurance pools provide expanded employee contracts and more effective fiscal control of premiums. All insurance programs are offered in partnership with qualified and reputable providers that are financially sound and capable of delivering the services required. Schools, cities, counties, governmental units and their employees may access these programs at any time: • Dental • Medical • Worker's Compensation • Life • Property/Casualty • Home/Auto • Employee Assistance Program • Long-term Disability Contact Mike Grahek at [email protected] or 218-748-7607 Contact Steve Roskoski, Benefits Analyst at 218-748-7615 or [email protected] Other Administrative Services Tax & Aid Anticipation Pool Fiscal Host Services Contact Audrey Steel at 218-748-7604 or [email protected] or Mike Grahek at 218-748-7607 or [email protected] Environmental Health and Safety The Northeast Service Cooperative assists its members with two complimentary types of health and safety services: technical services and management assistance. Presently, technical services are available to members under a number of regional contracts between MacNeil Environmental, Incorporated (MEI) and the Northeast Service Cooperative for a variety of state and federal government health and safety mandates. Technical Services delivered to members, upon request, under the agreements between MEI and NESC include: • Environmental/Occupational Health & Safety • Crisis Readiness • Indoor Air Quality Management • Bus Driver Safety Training • Drug and Alcohol Testing • Health and Safety Funding Application Assistance • Other services as needed (e.g. special requests for training, consultation) The Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning (DCFL) has authorized the Northeast Service Cooperative to host a Health, Safety and Environmental Management (HSEM) program for regional school districts. The program is designed to provide on-site regional health, safety, and environmental management assistance services to school districts. These services assist districts in identifying, prioritizing and scheduling health and safety capital projects and in the development and betterment of written programs. Particular emphasis is provided to assist districts in planning to manage, monitor and improve indoor air quality and to identify hazards in industrial arts shops and chemistry labs. The program assists districts to: • Identify and advise program element contact person • Identify and prioritize health and safety concern per Attachments 4 and 8 of DCFL Health and Safety policy letter • Plan and schedule remediation of health and safety hazards • Monitor the schools’ programs to prevent redevelopment of the hazards and identify new hazards • Follow through with identified hazards to their remediation These two programs - technical services through MEI and the management assistance facilitated through DCFL - allow Northeast Service Cooperative to provide an integrated program of assistance in environmental health and safety to its regional members. Certified Playground Safety Inspection A Certified Playground Safety Inspector can identify factors that contribute to playground accidents. Areas of inspection include design and arrangement, installation and maintenance, surfaces under the equipment and how children use the equipment. Contact Craig Honkola at 218-428-8675 or [email protected] or Audrey Steel at 218-748-7604 or [email protected] Review Newsletter The Review provides state and local information to all Northeast Service ‘Cooperative members and is published and distributed throughout the year. It is also available on our website for online viewing. Contact Melissa Cox at [email protected] or 218-741-0750, ext. 2109 Cooperative Purchasing The Cooperative Purchasing program engages in quantity purchasing to obtain competitive pricing on supplies and equipment used by members. The service cooperative partners with companies to provide members assured quality, service, support, and competitive pricing. These partnerships offer year-round direct-ship programs, easy ordering, sales representation, support and new product introductions and seminars. The Coop Purchasing Program can obtain special pricing for any of your purchasing needs. Adobe Software Microsoft Software Filemaker Software Test Prep. Software Instant Alert Systems Copiers Custodial Supplies School Supplies Art Supplies Flooring & Roofing Vehicles Carpeting Industrial Supplies Athletic & PE Equipment Health & Wellness Supplies Computers & Peripherals Toner & Ink Jet Cartridges General Office Supplies Copy Paper & Colored Paper Building Bulbs & Filters Technology Needs Energy Conservation Interactive Whiteboards Power Tools & Equipment Green Cleaning Products eBooks Audio Visual Bulbs & Supplies Audio Visual Equipment Cabling & Networking Supplies Science Equipment & Supplies Playground Equipment Fluorescent Tube Disposal Electronics Recycling Classroom and Office Furniture Sound Amplification Systems Training for Interactive Boards Portable & Modular Buildings Web-based Applicant Tracking Educational Supplies for Special Needs Students Contact Jeanette Mellesmoen at 218-748-7617 or [email protected] Information Technology Information Technology (IT) is a broad term that includes all aspects of managing and processing information and related technologies. The IT department at the Northeast Service Cooperative (NESC) is responsible for designing, developing, supporting and managing computer hardware, computer software, and information networks, including the Internet. The field of Information Technology is ever changing and continually improving and upgrading, which is the same for the IT services provided at NESC. This department believes in evolving to meet the growing and changing needs of our members. Provided is an overview of the technology services available at NESC and contact information for the department. Contact: Lyle MacVey at 218-748-7623 or [email protected] or Linda Borchardt at 218-748-7602 or [email protected] or Bill Simetkosky at 218-748-7610 or [email protected] or Greg Peterson at 218-748-7608 or [email protected] or Tiffany Anderson at 218-748-7625 or [email protected] or Melissa Cox at 218-748-7609 or [email protected]. Customized Customer Support Program Available by special arrangement, the Northeast Service Cooperative IT department is able to provide on-site customer support to our network members. The program requires a multi-year contract, with a minimum support level of 3 hours per day covering a 12 month period. Please send inquiries to Bill Simetkosky, [email protected]. Minnesota Telecommunications Northeast Service Cooperative has operated a telecommunications network providing internet access to our member school districts and regional libraries since 2000. Achieving CLEC (Competitive local exchange carrier) status in 2006, Northeast Service Cooperative has lowered the cost of internet services to our members and has allowed us to provide additional telecommunications services in the form of telephone service. Internet bandwidth previously delivered by T1 transport services purchased by local carriers, has been replaced with fiber connectivity where available. The increase in available bandwidth has allowed our member school districts to expand curriculum offerings to students. In its next phase of telecommunication service development, Northeast Service Cooperative will be able to provide fiber connectivity for broadband access to a wide range of customers in northeast Minnesota. (Please see Northeast Middle Mile Fiber Project) Network Operations Center (NOC) Email support requests to: [email protected] or call 1-866-306-3926. Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call Routing: The NOC phone is answered by one of the IT staff on duty unless excessive call volume necessitates that a call be routed through the voice mail system. Callers will have the option to hold for an available technician, or leave a message, or call back. Technical Support: We will always have no less than two technical staff available to answer and troubleshoot your call problems. Details on how your call will be prioritized, the response time, and time to repair are outlined in the specifications of the Northeast Service Cooperative Network Operation Center. For more details, visit our website at www. nesc.k12.mn.us Network Monitoring Critical systems will be monitored 24x7 by our Solarwinds network management system. Manage precise tracking of your internal incidents / troubles using our enterprise level Kayako Live Response Support System. -Online Web-based Help Desk application -24x7 Advanced Network monitoring -24x7 Critical systems monitoring -Web-based Monitoring reports Support requests can be sent to: [email protected] Multimedia Support Services Distance Learning / ITV / Streaming (Multicast) Services NESC’s Multimedia Support Services help bring a focused and managed plan together to help you meet both short and long term goals in improving reliability and usability of these services. Traditional Distance Learning and ITV are only part of providing valuable multimedia services. Streaming (Multicast) support is essential, requiring properly configured networks to ensure network performance and quality delivery. Fully operational ITV equipment and support are critical for teaching staff and students. A summary of what you can expect: Unlimited Help Desk Support for local ITV related issues; Telephone, Remote, and On-site Troubleshooting Services Unlimited Help Desk Support Toll-free help desk number provides unlimited support from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. for any connection questions you have, e.g. audio or video problems, equipment operation, dropped connections or test scheduling. Telephone, Remote, and On-site Troubleshooting Services Technicians are available, toll-free from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., to identify problems and work with you or your technical coordinator, straight through to resolution over the phone. Many issues can be resolved over the phone or remotely from the Network Operations Center. Technicians will also identify if an on-site visit is required during the process of troubleshooting your problem. FirstClass Communication Services NESC offers and supports the award winning FirstClass Communications Platform. Email has become a mission critical service and is no longer considered an option. FirstClass goes beyond offering just email and provides interactive learning tools that can be integrated into the classroom. To get the most out of your investment, both internally and with other sites using FirstClass, NESC has put together a program to support you in running your FirstClass server and in setting up gateway connections with other sites running FirstClass. The NESC FirstClass offering has the following features: Telephone and remote FirstClass server support; Remote support for minor software upgrades; FirstClass IS configuration support Telephone and remote FirstClass server support Over the phone or through the FirstClass client, many problems with the FirstClass server can be identified and solved. Technical support from NESC is available from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. to work with your district personal to identify the problem and solution. Should an onsite visit be required, this can also be arranged under our on-site services program. Remote support for minor software upgrades Part of keeping any server working and secure is evaluating and applying maintenance patches. We will alert you when new patches are available from the vendor. We can help you assess if the patch needs to be applied and what impact it might have given your current configuration. We will also be available to work with you to plan deployment. FirstClass IS configuration support From securing Internet services to setup of multiple web sites to shutting down mail relaying, we will provide expertise. We can set up filters to block known troublesome sites. We can also configure your IS to prevent unwanted mail relaying so your server doesn’t get added to a real-time black hole list. Northeast Minnesota Middle Mile Fiber Project The Northeast Service Cooperative has designed a broadband infrastructure project, called the Middle Mile Fiber Project, to make dark fiber, wavelength services available to the public sector and to private sector technology service providers in unserved and underserved rural areas of Northeast Minnesota. The Northeast Middle Mile Fiber Project will make broadband services viable for a vast geographic region, creating an initial backbone that will serve approximately 221 sites along 915 miles of fiber within eight counties including St. Louis, Lake, Cook, Koochiching, Carlton, Pine, Itasca, and Aitkin. A number of anchor institutions will participate in the project including state and municipal agencies, the Arrowhead Library System, SISU Medical System, Minnesota Association of Mental Health Programs, and twenty-eight public school districts. The Northeast Service Cooperative received notification in March of a successful grant application for $43.5 million in federal funding through the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service (RUS) for this project. Construction on the project has started in 2011. RUS 2008 and RUS 2009 Northeast Service Cooperative was awarded two Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants through the USDA – RUS department. The 2008 grant was awarded in the amount of $448,000 and the 2009 grant in the amount of $133,000. Purpose of the projects: Implement the State of Minnesota’s World-Class Students Initiative designed to create rigorous courses through the development of quality real time, web-based distance learning and video conferencing opportunities to improve and supplement the existing curricula which will prepare students for higher education and careers in the new global economy. Improve literacy and math instruction through the effective teaching of reading in our elementary schools Provide professional development opportunities for the instructional staff to attract and maintain NCLB mandated highly qualified teachers. Funding will: Increase distance learning opportunities for students in 12 rural school districts and two community colleges. Decrease disparity between rural and urban students Provide equitable opportunities through the expansion of educational distance learning to every grade level and every curricular level. Expansion of existing distance learning networks will allow the NESC to offer High Definition distance/online learning to any participating classroom. Provide large scale, low cost, video technology to the desktop. Provide critical distance learning curriculum that will enable higher levels of student achievement and technological interaction through dynamic programming and instruction. Allow this technology to be available to the general public for purposes of higher education. The broader capabilities will: Enable use of High Definition video upgrades to increase service and educational quality and delivery Enable high quality large scale development of Video to the Desktop allowing two-way voice and video interaction on a one-on-one and peer-to-peer exchanges including multipoint conferencing Provide enhanced distance learning curriculum to help increase educational achievement Provide professional development Provide healthcare education to address chronic health issues Participate in virtual field trips from sites around the world Provide access to technology, education, training, vocational education and information at large to rural residents Share courses both interactive and online Increase member district and student collaboration Develop a video portal that will allow for one stop scheduling and content review Provide full integration to all our distance learning services. Educational Services Education Services continues to develop its programming and services to address the changing needs of our members. Although we continue to provide quality facilitation and training services, our workshops have developed to encompass the larger role technology plays in the way we all conduct business. Workshops/Training Conferences Teacher Development Series -Facilitating Online Learning -Para e-Link Training -Creating Online Course Content -ParaPro Assessment Preparation Administrative / Staff Workshops -Bus Driver Training -Legal Seminar -E-Map Training -NWEA-MAP Test Planning Workshops -No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Planning Sessions School/Community Initiatives -Student IT Competition Events Planning, Facilitation and Research Services The Northeast Service Cooperative will continue to offer facilitation services to schools, city and county government agencies, and other non-profit groups. These services are customized to meet specific needs within an organization. A representative list includes: ٠Strategic Planning ٠Team Building / Leadership Skills ٠Action Planning / Goal Setting ٠Meeting Facilitation ٠Mediation Services ٠Program Evaluation ٠Research Services / Grant Writing NESC provides staff development planning, facilitation, grant research and writing, and program evaluation services for school districts and other NESC members in the region. For more information on Educational Services programs, please contact: Paul Brinkman at [email protected] or 218-741-0750 ext. 2103 or Audrey Steel at [email protected] or 218-741-0750 ext. 2104 Grant Writing One of the objectives of the Northeast Service Cooperative’s mission is to seek out and help our members apply for funding opportunities to support their initiatives. NESC provides services under the following grants: Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Math Science Teacher Program (MSTP) Technology in Schools (E2T2) Rural Utilities Services 1 Rural Utilities Services 2 Regional Low Incidence Discretionary EC Autism Regional Low Incidence Comprehensive System of Professional Development Distance Learning Initiatives MSC Online Learning Project developed out of a pilot project in 2004 funded through the Minnesota Department of Education with funds from Title II-D of the 2001 federal No Child Left Behind Act. We have become the Minnesota Service Cooperatives Online Learning Project. This project includes the following Regional Cooperatives: Northeast (Mt. Iron), Lakes Country (Fergus Falls), Resource Training & Solutions (St. Cloud),. These new partnerships have allowed the Project model to be replicated and online resources to be disseminated among districts, teachers and students in several other areas of the state. At the end of the academic year 10-11 this involved 17 member districts within these Service Cooperative’s areas. We also provided services for students from19 non-member districts. MSC Online provides a regional online learning system and professional development for rural and urban school districts and students in the Minnesota areas served. The Project represents an innovative regional solution to providing high-quality, cost-effective opportunities for online teaching and learning for students in grades 7 through 12. MSC Online has become an effective collaborative resource which allows districts, educators and students to experience the benefits of online learning. The experience can be one of enrichment or advancement in the education goal, some courses for college preparation that a host district may not be able to offer, and credit recovery for those students who have had some difficulty achieving success in the traditional classroom. The project has been approved as a certified online provider by the Minnesota Department of Education for the past seven years. For more information go to: www.msconline.us. During 2010-2011, the Learning Project changed somewhat. One of the Regional Coops left the project, therefore taking some of their local districts, but we still received a number of enrollments from those districts. Student enrollment in the program has decreased a small amount, but I attribute that to a couple of things: 1) students, families and schools are becoming knowledgeable what online learning involves. It is not the “silver bullet” or a catch-all for a student in difficulty. 2) I believe school counselors and principals have better knowledge of online learning to advise their students how to use this educational option. We still are serving over 1100 students and a number of educators in blended or hybrid online courses. In the coming year, the Project will expand its curriculum offerings, provide beginning and advanced training for online teachers and implement quality measures for teaching and course development. The Northeast Service Cooperative will support the Project with designated staff for program direction, administrative support, technical support and training. As we move into the 2011-2012 academic year, the MSC Advisory Council has directed the project to continue a focus on a Middle Level program for students in grades 7 & 8. There was a small pilot project in 08-09, and the need was evident. With this broadening of program, our curricula offerings will also increase to meet these additional needs. The Advisory Council has suggested looking at K-5 curriculum, which our provider has accessible. This would be used mostly for accelerated or homebound students, rather than to replace face to face classroom interaction. In the past, we have served students in grades 4, 5, and 6 doing enrichment work, and to enhance their local curriculum. Our curriculum is also housed on a dedicated server for MSC Online – as we are the largest geographical Moodle user in the state of Minnesota. The Northeast Service Cooperative has also provided some technical resources that will aid our teachers working with their students to provide a broader, in-depth online learning experience: the use of audio and visual capabilities allowing for synchronous communication. We are looking forward to serving our students and teachers needs as we move into the 2011-2012 Academic Year. To end 10-11 and begin 11-12, we will have a Summer Session, opening June 6th and running for 18 weeks. We already have students enrollments working on credit recovery and enrichment. Fall enrollments have begun to come in as well. Never a dull or quiet moment as MSC Online! For Online Learning information, please contact: James Pavlek at [email protected] or 218-7410750 ext. 2114 School Improvement and AYP Technical Assistance This grant contract with the Minnesota Department of Education provides federal funding to the Service Cooperative for the purpose of school improvement technical assistance to Title I districts and schools not making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), as specified by the legislative requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) P.L. 107-110, Section 1116. This method of support provides Minnesota with a statewide system of intensive and sustained support for districts and schools. The program: • Assists districts and schools that have been identified by MDE in stages 1 - 5 of consequences, in the creation and implementation of their improvement plan that meets state and federal guidelines and is centered on improved instructional practices and student achievement gains. • Supports identified districts and schools as they analyze and triangulate data. • Supports identified districts and schools as they build internal capacity through district and school level teams and develop professional learning communities that will support the goals of their individual improvement plan. For AYP information, please contact Kathy Sterk at 218-748-7627 or [email protected] Math and Science Teacher PARTNERSHIP This grant contract from the Minnesota Department of Education provides federal funding to the Service Cooperative for the purpose of developing a statewide Teacher Center infrastructure on the improvement of mathematics and science instruction and learning. The emphasis of this initiative will focus on working with the improvement of mathematics and science instruction and learning. We will be offering a Life Science Academy for teachers of grades 7 - 12 on implementation of the Nature of Science and Engineering standards and a Math Academy for teachers of grades K - 2 on the implementation of Cognitively Guided Instruction which centers around the understanding of the development of a students’ mathematical thinking and will also focus on teacher understanding of the grade level mastered vocabulary and benchmarks. The Northeast Minnesota Teacher Center will use quality professional development and technical assistance to assist teachers in: Learning about effective pedagogical approaches to implement Minnesota’s content standards; Mastering the use of multiple instructional approaches to differentiate instruction as well as engage students; and improving skills to diagnose student learning needs using assessment of student performance. NESC’s partners in this endeavor are Hibbing Community College and the University of Minnesota, Duluth. For information, please contact Kathy Sterk at 218-748-7627 or [email protected] Enhancing Education Through Technology Grant This grant contract from the Minnesota Department of Education provides federal funding to the Service Cooperative for the purpose of promoting integration of technology with instruction, development of information and technology literacy skills for students and teachers, application of technology to learning to increase engagement and achievement, and staff development for teachers in the integration of technology instructional practice. This program began in October of 2009 and will continue through September of 2011. Our program centers on the use and implementation of ARRC’s Assessment Analysis Tools and Compass Learning’s Odyssey Solutions for Secondary Schools which is an on-line instructional tool. Our goal is to assist the 17 partner districts in making individual student strand and sub-strand level MCA’S-II and III’s assessment data readily available to classroom teachers and to provide teachers with a tool that will help to focus instruction for students in their areas of need. For information, please contact Kathy Sterk at 218-748-7627 or [email protected] Or Tiffany Anderson at 218-748-7624 or [email protected] Academic Enrichment Programs The Academic Enrichment Programs coordinated by the Northeast Service Cooperative continue to grow as a result of increased interest in the stability and success of our regional academic programs. During the year, more than 18,000 students in our region participated in academic programs including Minnesota Student Inventors Congress, Student Art Contest, Water is Life and Knowledge Bowl. Academic Enrichment Program Participation NESC 2010-2011 Knowledge Bowl (KB) Interdisciplinary academic competitions for students in grades 6-12. Teams of students compete in both written and oral contests that challenge students’ recall, problem solving and critical thinking skills. Top Senior High Teams advance to a State competition. Elementary KB – Grade 5-6 Schools: 15 Teams: 37 Students 323 Junior High KB – Grades 7-8 Schools: 20 Teams: 49 Students: 346 Junior Varsity KB – Grades 9-10 Schools: 19 Teams: 47 Students: 329 Senior High KB – Grades 10-12 Schools: 35 Teams: 119 Students: 714 Total KB Student Participation: Teams: 252 Students: 1,712 Minnesota Student Inventors Congress (MSIC) Regional Inventor’s Fair for students in grades 412. Each student or two-student team has the opportunity to display an invention and have their work judged on creativity, originality and the invention process. The top 25 inventions are invited to a non-competitive State Inventors Congress. Schools: 11 Students: 255 at Regional Event; missing district data for students participating at the district level Spelling Bee (SB) Regional spelling competition for students in grades 5-8. The top four winners advance to the Multi-Regional State Spelling Bee. Districts: Students: 16 34 at Region Bee; Missing district data for students participating at the district level Future Cities Competition (FCC) FCC is a student competition for grades 7 & 8 designed to promote interest in math, science and engineering. Student teams design and build a “future city” using computer software and recycled materials, while working with a volunteer engineer. Teams are able to participate in a state event and have a chance to advance to a national competition as part of National Engineers Week. Schools: Students: 1 5 Student Art Contest Each year, we select a theme and students in K-12 are invited to enter the contest to win a place for their artwork in the annual Northeast Service Cooperative Calendar, which is distributed to all NESC members. All artwork received is also displayed throughout the year for the public to enjoy at the NESC regional offices in Mt. Iron. Schools: Students: 3 140 Water is Life Art Contest & Scholarship Program NESC is pleased to partner with the Freshwater Society for this free and exciting contest designed to increase awareness of water management issues. Four semi-finalists from our region go on to a state event for a chance at one of six $500 scholarship prizes. The remaining state entries will each receive $100. Schools: Students: 5 19 Total Student Participation in NESC Academic Enrichment Programs for 2010-2011: 2,165 Total Regional School Student Participation is unavailable due to missing district data for students participating at the district level Special Education Region 3 Low Incidence Project The structure of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) funds provides Minnesota the opportunity to use a portion of these funds for discretionary purposes. Federal funds are used to identify and fill gaps and needs in special education programs and related services for students with: Autism Spectrum Disorder Blind/Visual Impairment Deaf Blindness Deaf/Hard of Hearing Other Health Disabilities Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Physical Impairment Developmental Cognitive Disabilities Severe/Profound (DCD-S/P) In addition, Assistive Technology is a priority for children with low incidence disabilities in order access regular education curricula. The Northeast Service Cooperative Low Incidence Project supports an Assistive Technology Lending Library and a Regional Assistive Technology Network. Additional Regional Service Provider Networks include: OT/PT, DAPE (Adaptive Physical Education). Federal funds are to be used to supplement state and local efforts and may not be used to supplement state and local responsibility. There has been a continuation of the state initiated discretionary project due to the difficulty of developing and maintaining programs in the face of: 1) vast geographic distances and the sparsity of students with low incidence disabilities in many parts of greater Minnesota; and 2) the overall shortage of available licensed low incidence teachers and related service personnel. The Northeast Service Cooperative fiscally hosts the Region Three Low Incidence Project, which provides resources and educational support to children with low incidence disabilities, their families and the school districts and community organizations that serve them. The Regional Low Incidence Facilitator and Project promotes and coordinates services to provide long range planning, networking, professional development opportunities activities and technical assistance to school administrators, school staff, parents and others in the Northeast Service Cooperative region to identify and meet the needs of students with low incidence disabilities. The following resources and services are available to school districts/communities within Region Three. For more information, please contact Phyllis Hauck at 218-748-7606 or [email protected] Ongoing Areas of Focus: Professional Development activities addressing specific regional districts’ needs. These supports follow the research based practices for adult learning professional development with ongoing follow up/interaction with the trainers and participants throughout the year. Immediate access to educators licensed in the low incidence blind/visually impaired disability area Building capacity in districts thru staff support pursuing licensure/certification in LI areas. Region 3 LI Networks. In addition to each of the LI areas, Region 3 also supports Educational Interpreter/Transliterator, OT/PT, DAPE, TBI and Assistive Technology Networks and related Leadership Teams. Representation on State LI Networks. District and regional participants share evidence based information obtained at these meetings/trainings with the Region 3 LI Networks. In addition, participation on State OHD Leadership and the Accessible Instructional Materials provides regional educators with the most current information to share with their districts. Region 3 Lending Libraries. Each of the Region 3 Networks has a disability specific Lending Library in addition to the AT Lending Library. These continue to be a very cost effective means for the districts to trial curricula, materials and AT equipment prior to purchase. Ongoing interagency cooperation with the Arrowhead Public Library System provides no cost transportation of equipment & materials to and from districts and the Region 3 LI Lending Libraries, based at NESC. Distance learning technology emphasis for district staff to access state and regional trainings, workshops, networks and research based specific teaching techniques. Use of technology, and related training for students to access curricula, and educators to enhance consultation and evaluation of students with low incidence disabilities. Administrative Academy addressing current special education issues and trends. Parent participation. Parents of students with LI disabilities attend all regional workshops/trainings at no cost. After work hour trainings and meetings have proven successful and appreciated. Support is available for attendance at out of region trainings when information is shared with other parents and educational teams. Emerging Areas of Focus: In addition to the focus areas identified thru the summary of annual regional survey data, the following regional needs have been identified: Increase in building capacity of educational staff and teams within districts for services for newly identified young children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing – particularly those with Cochlear Implants. Ongoing face to face and distance training support for teams to access the most recent evidence based information and techniques. Increase in building capacity within districts for appropriate referral, evaluation and identification of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ongoing face to face and distance training support for teams to collaborate and solidify their skills. Significant increase in the use of technology – both distance and use of specific tools – to enhance collaboration, consultation and appropriate evaluation by students’ teams and increase the students’ access to regular education curricula in the regular education classroom setting. Autism Spectrum Disorders The Northeast Service Cooperative Regional Low Incidence Project serves learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The Minnesota Eligibility Criteria for Special Education definition of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is: “a range of pervasive developmental disorders that adversely affect a pupil’s functioning and result in the need of special education instruction and related services. ASD is a disability characterized by an uneven development: social interaction, communication, or restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, with onset in childhood. Characteristics can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations from mild to severe as well as in the number of symptoms present. A multidisciplinary team determines if a pupil is eligible and is in the need for special education and related services. This team must include at least one professional with expertise in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders due to the complexity of the disability and the specialized intervention methods. The educational evaluation addresses the three core areas: 1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction. 2. Qualitative impairment in communication. 3. Restricted repetitive or stereotyped patterns of behavior, interest, and activities. A clinical or medical diagnosis is not required for a learner to be eligible for special education services. Students with various educational profiles and related clinical diagnoses may be included as eligible if they meet the criteria for ASD. Services Available: -Coordination of regional network meetings -Ongoing evidence based professional development activities in areas of need identified by Region 3 stakeholders. -Lending Library materials available to teachers, related service providers and parents For more information, please contact Phyllis Hauck at 218-748-7606 or [email protected] Blind/Visual Impairment The Northeast Service Cooperative Region 3 Low Incidence Project provides indirect service to learners who qualify for educational services to districts with a small number of B/VI students thru the process of a Functional Vision Evaluation in conjunction with a medically identified visual impairment. Services available: -Provide service to Region 3 including functional vision assessments, IEP team membership, and general and student specific inservices. -Provide family resources including specific syndrome information and other resources to help children function as independently as possible. -Provide consultation to determine need for instructional materials, including adaptation of curriculum to large print, braille, tactile graphics, or other alternative forms to convey concepts being taught by the classroom teacher. -Access to a Regional Certified Braillist who utilizes modern technology to produce educational daily classroom materials in braille. -Districts’ access to Braille embossers and related software to provide immediate access of educational materials. -Orientation and Mobility Specialist are available for assessment, consultation and direct teaching of specific skills needed for safe, efficient and independent travel throughout their environments. For more information, please contact the Regional Low Incidence Facilitator Phyllis Hauck, Teacher for students who are Blind/Visually Impaired, at 218-748-7606 or [email protected]; or contact Susie Cencich, Certified Braillist, at 218-748-7621 or [email protected] Deaf/Hard of Hearing The Northeast Service Cooperative Regional Low Incidence Project provides educational audiological services for students with suspected or diagnosed hearing loss. At this time, all districts employ D/HH teachers to meet direct and indirect service needs of children who meet eligibility criteria for deaf/hard of hearing. Services Available: -Educational Audiological Evaluations including comprehensive, educationally relevant hearing tests and classroom acoustic evaluations. -D/HH Teacher and Interpreter/Transliterator Regional Networks -Access to professional development opportunities regarding ASL, Cued Speech, and Auditor Oral. -In-service professional development opportunities to parents, children and school personnel on hearing, hearing loss, hearing aids, and other technology to optimize residual hearing. -Leadership to ensure that all infants, toddlers and youth with hearing loss are promptly identified, evaluated and provided with appropriate intervention services. -Regional participation in Statewide Early Intervention Team Professional development Interpreter Skill Building -Interpreter Professional development opportunities/Skill Building Coordination -Provide one mentor and one cued speech mentor for interpreters/transliterators working toward certification. -Provide ASL/Cued professional development opportunities and mentoring opportunities for parents, speech clinicians, -D/HH teachers and others who use these systems in their teaching or interaction with D/HH children. -Sponsor and supports team members working towards certification as an ASL interpreter or Cued Speech Transliterator. For more information contact Phyllis Hauck at [email protected] or call 218-748-7606 Deafblind The Region Three DeafBlind Team is the link between the Minnesota DeafBlind Project and local school districts in Northeast Minnesota. The purpose of the DeafBlind Team is to disseminate information, provide resources, and assist with regional projects pertaining to the education of students who are DeafBlind. In addition, the team promotes the identification of hearing loss in students with visual impairments and the identification of visual impairments in students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Common syndromes associated with DeafBlindness include CHARGE Syndrome, Usher Syndrome, Marshall Syndrome, Stickler Syndrome, and Down Syndrome. Children born prematurely may also be at risk for DeafBlindness. Typical service providers for these students include collaboration among a variety of professionals including the following: Teacher for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Teacher for the Blind/Visually Impaired Interpreter/Transliterator/Intervener Orientation and Mobility Specialist Speech/Language Clinician Educational Audiologist Special Education Teacher Many educational modifications and adaptations are considered to best serve the needs of the individual student with deafblindness. Some examples include: Communication Choices Compensatory Skills Assistive Technology Environmental Modifications For more information, please contact, Phyllis Hauck at [email protected] or 218-748-7606 Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD) A Regional Educator Network, composed of teachers from all school districts in Region 3, has been organized with network/professional development opportunities meetings three times per year. The network provides support on educational issues determined by teacher members. Services available: -Regional DCD Teachers’ Network -Access to Curriculum/Assistive Technology Lending Library. -Information regarding the Alternate assessment and statewide testing requirements. -Curriculum review/trial through the DCD Lending Library -Standards Based IEPs -Paraprofessional workshops/professional development opportunities -Assistive Technology -Four Region 3 district teachers participate in the Statewide DCD Network. For more information, please contact, Phyllis Hauck at [email protected] or 218-748-7606 Other Health Disabilities “Other health disability” means a broad range of medically diagnosed chronic or acute health conditions that may adversely affect academic functioning and result in the need for special education instruction and related services. The decision that a specific health condition qualifies as other health impaired will be determined by the impact of the condition on academic functioning rather than be the diagnostic label given the condition. Early intervention for children identified with health impairments needs to address inadequate academic progress due to limited strength, vitality, alertness, endurance, excessive absenteeism and the need to include individual health care procedures during their scheduled school day. It is important that staff be aware of how the health impairment impacts on learning and functioning and provide accommodations, modifications and specialized instruction to allow the child to perform within their capabilities. For more information, please contact, Phyllis Hauck, [email protected] Physical Impairment “Physical impairment” means a medically diagnosed chronic, physical impairment, either congenital or acquired, that may adversely affect physical or academic functioning and result in the need for special education and related services. Early intervention for children identified with physical disabilities is critical for academic success. Children need to learn how to move, utilize adapted equipment and technology and maximize their physical abilities in the most independent manner. It is important that staff be aware of how the disability impacts on learning and functioning and to allow and expect the child to perform within their capabilities. Resource and material distribution to increase knowledge and awareness to school team regarding how health condition impacts on learning and functioning. Educator network that meets three times per year. For more information, please contact, Phyllis Hauck, [email protected] Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) “Traumatic Brain Injury” means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that may adversely affect a child’s educational performance and result in the need for special education or rated services. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition, speech/language, memory, attention, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment, problem-solving, sensory, perceptual and motor abilities, psychosocial behavior, physical functions, and information processing. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or brain injuries induced by birth trauma. (M.R.3525.1348) Initially, there must be evidence that this injury has caused a functional disability or psychosocial impairment that adversely affects the student’s educational performance. This evidence is Determined through the educational evaluation process. Services available: -Access to TBI Resource Kits including a TBI Brochure and teacher packet developed by Region Three -TBI -Roundtable and resources developed by the State TBI Network. -Regional Resource Library materials (including “Guidelines for Educational Assessment and Services for Students with Traumatic Brain Injury”). -Regional professional development opportunities via Low Incidence and CSPD funds. -Regional PH network that supports and provides resources for teachers serving students with traumatic Brain injuries. For more information, please contact, Phyllis Hauck, [email protected] Assistive Technology The Region 3 LI Project supports a Regional Assistive Technology Network, Regional Leadership Team and an Assistive Technology Lending Library to assist districts in: Evaluate the needs of a student with a disability, including a functional team evaluation of the student in the student’s environment. Access the Regional Assistive Technology Lending Library prior to purchasing or leasing devices for a specific student or program. Provide technical assistance for staff, students and family in assessment, decision-making and utilization of assistive devices within the educational setting. Inservice special and regular education staff regarding assistive technology devices and service options for students in the educational setting. For more information, please contact Phyllis Hauck at [email protected] or 218-748-7606 Regional Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (R-CSPD) Professional development opportunities are designed and implemented to promote quality instruction for student with disabilities. An ongoing Advisory Council and annual needs assessment identifies professional development opportunity gaps and provides for related professional development opportunities at the regional level. The regional Low Incidence Facilitator develops an implementation plan based on needs identified in the annual survey. For more information, please contact Phyllis Hauck at [email protected] or 218-748-7606 Center of Excellence for Young Children with Disabilities Grant Vision Early childhood professionals will have the knowledge, skills and supports necessary to be effective in their respective roles in order to increase the probability that young children with disabilities and their families achieve positive outcomes. Framework Each of the existing Regional Low Incidence Projects will house a “Center of Excellence for Young Children with Disabilities.” The centers will provide a high quality, comprehensive, coordinated system of professional development that includes regionalized support, technical assistance and training. The Centers of Excellence will support learning opportunities that incorporate follow-up, mentoring and coaching provided to practitioners, utilizing evidence based practices that enhance effective adult learning. The Centers of Excellence will also be incorporating technology resources that will assist in building a robust professional development system to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of all practitioners in MN, regardless of location. Target Audience ECSE (Early Childhood Special Education ) ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) Head Start & Early Head Start Child care providers School Readiness professionals CCR&R professionals (Child Care Resource & Referral) What’s Happening Now 1.) TACSEI (Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention). Minnesota is one of two states selected to partner with TACSEI in the first round of TACSEI’s five-year technical assistance grant. The goal of the State/TACSEI partnership is to plan, implement and sustain a professional development system to enhance the knowledge and skills of the early childhood work force in meeting the social emotional needs of young children, particularly those with or at risk for delays or disabilities in inclusive and natural environments. TACSEI is implemented through a Pyramid Model. There are currently 15 Master Cadre members and 3 TACSEI Demonstration Sites going through training with Lise Fox, our national expert on TACSEI. The Centers of Excellence will start implementing professional development opportunities throughout the state beginning in Fall, 2010, with a “train the trainer” approach, and geared to professionals working with young children birth to five years of age. Detailed information related to TACSEI can be found at: www.challengingbehavior.org 2.) FGRBI (Family-Guided Routines Based Intervention). The Centers of Excellence are in the process of recruiting practitioners to CCR&R professionals (Child Care Resource & Referral) What’s Happening Now 1.) TACSEI (Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention). Minnesota is one of two states selected to partner with TACSEI in the first round of TACSEI’s five-year technical assistance grant. The goal of the State/TACSEI partnership is to plan, implement and sustain a professional development system to enhance the knowledge and skills of the early childhood work force in meeting the social emotional needs of young children, particularly those with or at risk for delays or disabilities in inclusive and natural environments. TACSEI is implemented through a Pyramid Model. There are currently 15 Master Cadre members and 3 TACSEI Demonstration Sites going through training with Lise Fox, our national expert on TACSEI. The Centers of Excellence will start implementing professional development opportunities throughout the state beginning in Fall, 2010, with a “train the trainer” approach, and geared to professionals working with young children birth to five years of age. Detailed information related to TACSEI can be found at: www.challengingbehavior.org 2.) FGRBI (Family-Guided Routines Based Intervention). The Centers of Excellence are in the process of recruiting practitioners to develop a Master Cadre of trainers around FGRBI. Dr. Woods is the national consultant for this cadre and detailed information about her work can be found at http://fgrbi.fsu.edu/. Dr. Woods will be coming to MN in July to provide intensive training to selected practitioners, who will be expected to develop regional capacity related to FGRBI and children birth to three years of age. 3.) CLD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse). The Centers of Excellence are working to build regional capacity towards “Serving Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Families: Assessment, Evaluation, and Intervention Practices” for children birth to three years of age and their families. The Centers of Excellence will soon be recruiting Master Cadre members comprised of selected practitioners to participate in training with Dr. Lillian Duran, who is a national expert in working with CLD families. After going through training with Dr. Lillian Duran, professional development opportunities will be provided to practitioners throughout the state, on a regional basis. Centers of Excellence (CoE) Promote the Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices for Young Children through a Regional Network of Professional Development & Technical Assistance Regional Professional Development (PD) Facilitators Region 3: Phyllis Hauck Build Cross Sector Capacity within the Region Thru: Coordinating Trainings, Building Collaborative Cross Sector Relationships, Cadre Development, & Connecting State and Regional Resources Cadre Specialists In response to a statewide survey of ECSE teachers in MN, the following areas have been targeted as priorities: Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Interventions (TACSEI) Cadre (0-5 yrs) Dr. Lise Fox, U of South FL Pat Cortese, Psychologist (Application process TBA) Psychologist Family-Guided Routine Based Interventions (FGRBI) Cadre (0-3) Dr. Juliann Woods, FSU Cindy Ryan (Application process TBA) UMD Professor Culturally & Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Cadre (0-5 yrs.) Dr. Lillian Duran, USU Vicki Thrasher Cronin Head Start, Duluth Cadre members receive training from top researchers & national experts in each respective area to become trainers & coaches in the Region Improved Outcomes of Children & Families The vision is early childhood professionals will have the knowledge, skills, and supports necessary to be effective in their respective roles in order to increase the probability that young children with disabilities & their families achieve positive outcomes. For information on this publication or additional publications at the Northeast Service Cooperative, contact Melissa Cox at 218-748-7609 or [email protected]
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