Member Newsletter
January 2020
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2019-20 Supervisory Basics Leadership Series
What?
This is a workshop series designed to build confidence and expertise in managing and supervising others. It is delivered in a practical format including face to face and web conferencing. It is relevant for new supervisors in school districts, cities, counties and other governmental agencies.
When?
Webinars are held monthly October through May
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Annual School Law Seminar
Registration is open for SWWC’s Annual Law Seminar for School Administrators!
Date/Time
: Monday, February 24 from 9am – 2pm
Location
: SWWC – Marshall Office
Registration Fee
: $85 (includes lunch)
Presenter
: Kristi Hastings from Pemberton Law, PLLP
Topics
:
- Hiring Practices
- The Importance of documentation for Supervisors And Managers
- Managing Performance – PELRA, Performance Reviews, Discipline, Termination and Discrimination
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Southwest MN Education Career Fair
This is the perfect time to showcase your district and recruit new employees!
If you have quetions, contact Sarah Bartz, Recruitment Specialist, at
Sarah.Bartz@swwc.org
or 320-226-3380.
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2019-20 Student Enrichment Opportunities
Bring your students to the last conference of the year ... the Science and Nature Conference on May 13 at SMSU! K-8 students can explore science related topics during three hands-on learning sessions. They will dabble in chemistry, archaeology, habitats, engineering and space just to name a few.
Mike Lynch, meteorologist, will take you to the stars with his passion for astronomy. More information will be available on the website in February at
www.swwc.org/sn.
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New Grants for Smaller Projects!
Launch Your Future Today (LYFT) is a rural career and technical education (CTE) pathway initiative with the purpose of rebuilding CTE in the 18-county service region of southwest and west central Minnesota. The goal of LYFT Pathways is for every secondary student in the region to gain marketable skills through meaningful CTE opportunities that lead to further education and careers that match our region’s labor market needs.
The LYFT Pathways Advisory Committee has developed an additional grant application process, the Career Innovation Grant. This application form is for grants of less than $10,000 that provide opportunities for businesses and schools to partner for hands-on career exposure and experiences for students in grades 7 through 12. This is a more streamlined application process that can be submitted any time a partnership is ready. Applications must be submitted before June 30, 2020. To date, the LYFT Pathways initiative has funded 33 projects and has created partnerships between schools, colleges, and hundreds of businesses across southwest and west central Minnesota. By the end of the 2019-20 school year over 2,000 students will have received CTE courses and experiences that would not have happened without the funding that was received through the 2017 Minnesota Legislative session.
For more information about the Career Innovation Grant Application and to see previously funded projects go to
www.LYFTpathways.org.
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Apply for Cohort 16!
School building and district teams can apply for Cohort 16 School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Training now!
Cohort 16 runs from Summer 2020-Spring 2022. Applications are due February 10, 2020.
For more information, contact Liz Deen, Southern Regional Coordinator
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Let’s collaborate on March 15 and 16 in Redwood Falls!
IT
2 2020 will feature Alice Keeler, an Education Technology Integration expert, internationally renowned speaker, Google Suite for Education evangelist and author. Alice’s sessions are sure to motivate and leave attendees with tools and practices that can be applied in their daily work immediately!
IT2 2020 will also feature dozens of local EdTech experts and emerging leaders who will share their stories of how technology has enhanced pedagogy in their classrooms. For technology leaders and support staff, IT2 will continue to offer sessions and workshops that are technically focused and provide you with a cross-section of sessions that allow for collaboration with classroom educators to help further enhance the ways that technology can inspire all learners ages 1 to 101!
IT
2
registration is ready for you today!
Register today for our discounted pricing. Registration discounts end on February 14, 2020.
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Omada Really Works!
Hear from people in southwest Minnesota who have been successful with Omada!
If you have any additional questions or if you are interested in talking more about this program, please contact Mari Wagner at (507) 706-0471 or by email
mari.wagner@swwc.org.
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Health and Safety Reminder
The OSHA 300-A Summary of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses must be completed before February 1, and must be posted from February 1 through April 30. The summary must not be altered, defaced, or covered by other material.
Electronic posting does not meet the legal posting requirements.
In addition to posting the summary for employees to view, establishments that have 20 or more employees
are required to submit their OSHA 300 Logs electronically with OSHA by March 2, 2020.
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RMIC Finance Update: 1099 Forms and Sales Tax
Districts will need to review any vendors paid in calendar year 2019 for 1099 forms. Once reviewed and 1099s are ready, send a 1099 release form in
FinSupport@swwc.org
. The finance staff will print the district’s 1099 forms and mail them out. If the district can’t find the 1099 release form send an email to
FinSupport@swwc.org
to request one. These forms should be sent to the vendors by 1/31/2020.
Sales tax on applicable items should be calculated and paid to the Dept. of Revenue of MN by February 5, 2020, by the district. If you have further questions on calculation of sales tax, MDE memos were sent out earlier with explanations or you can contact the Dept. of Revenue of MN.
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On Demand Technology Certification Trainings
SWWC’s Technology Department is excited to announce an expansion in our training solutions for technology professionals through a partnership with Stormwinds Studios. Stormwinds offers a comprehensive catalog of technology certification pathways trainings through self-paced or instructor-led online courses! Now you can attend certification trainings from your device at school or home at a pace that suites your needs.
Options to purchase a single content area or the entire catalog are available with a full year of access at reduced rates only available to members of SWWC, and further reduced rates available to SWWC Technology Services Subscribers. Education and Public Sector technical support staff and leaders will find great value in advancing their knowledge base through this offering.
For more information and pricing visit
www.swwc.org/tech today! As an added perk, we will be offering an introductory discounted price through February 29, 2020.
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Contact David for more information on technology integration solutions for your school!
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New Name - New Look
Mid-December, ICS Consulting, Inc. shortened their company name to ICS and changed their website to
https://www.ics-builds.com/. Their new slogan is“Building Strong Connections.”
Founded in 2006, ICS has provided innovative facility solutions to clients across the Midwest for 13 years. Throughout that time, the organization has experienced significant growth with mergers, staff, and services. The company is taking this opportunity to evolve the brand and position ICS to move up and into an exciting future.
Up to now, ICS has primarily worked with public sector customers throughout the Upper Midwest to help them with facility planning, construction, and building commissioning. The rebrand positions ICS to increase the services they provide as well as the markets they serve. More than just a consulting firm, ICS’s mission is to positively impact people through innovative facility solutions.
“Collaboration and partnership are what we’re built on and are fundamental principles of everything we do. And as we step into our new brand, we continue our culture of commitment, collaboration, and care,” said ICS Principal, Pat Overom, PE. The new ICS logo symbolizes evolution – of projects, relationships, buildings, and people. It shows the movement of how their team takes clients through the lifecycle of a building project. The growth of lines symbolizes their team’s togetherness and how ICS has evolved over time and will continue to evolve.
ICS specializes in providing innovative facility solutions to help plan, build, and operate buildings well. Their customized services integrate the planning, funding, construction, and ongoing operations of buildings as they help throughout all phases of building projects.
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