SEEC Monthly
news & updates
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When our world exposes us to traumatic things, we need to do our best to understand the impact... and how to help our students and families.
In light of recent events in our communities and in our nation, we wanted to share some helpful resources that have been vetted through the ND Social-Emotional Network Leadership Team:
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What's new with SEEC?
- Thank you to Steve Hall for serving fours years as Lead Administrator
- Welcome aboard to the new Child Care Aware Team!
- 1st-ever OT/PT Symposium brings training local for school-based therapists
Member HIghlights:
- Fargo Explorer Academy Ribbon Cutting
- JVCTC Continues Focus on Careers in Jamestown
- Hankinson graduate featured in Bison Illustrated!
- ND Assistant Principal of the Year: Kathy Cieslak, Fargo North
- 20 SEEC schools brought 2,800+ students to the Health, Tech & Trades Career Expo
Program/Service Updates:
Get up to speed on what SEEC has been busy with:
- ND SoR K-6 ELA Curriculum Fair, NDMTSS Foundations of Reading, EL - Federal Programs Monitoring Support for EL and Title III Elements, Beginning Teacher Network
Upcoming Opportunities:
- Improving Academic Literacy: High-Quality Engagement & Academic Vocabulary Series
- High-Impact Tutor and Paraeducator Training
- EL Enacting Equity through the Genre Approach | WIDA ELD Standards, 2020 Edition
- HB1388 Supports: Foundations of Reading & Supporting Secondary Struggling Readers
- NDMTSS: Hear from participants + Great resources & New Year training kick-offs
- ND Afterschool Network: Leader's Guide to Equitable Hiring, True Program Costs Webinar
Shared Resources & Outside Opportunities
- Classroom WISE
- Foundational Reading Assessments with Schools Cubed
- Northern Cass Personalized Learning Institute
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SEEC news... come and get it! |
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A very deserving Thank You!
As of Dec. 31, 2021, Kindred Superintendent Steve Hall will end his time serving as the SEEC's Governing Board Lead Administrator for the past four years. He has helped guide and grow the organization we couldn't be more thankful and appreciative of the time he's given to us.
"On behalf of the SEEC, its staff, and the governing board members, thank you to Kindred Superintendent Steve Hall for your time as the Lead Administrator.
Mr. Hall was instrumental in supporting many of the SEEC initiatives, but his work getting the North Dakota Public Health Insurance Trust (NDPHIT) off the ground was critical to its success. We look forward to having him continue as a board member of NDPHIT and again thank him for his years of service to the growth and success of the SEEC."
- SEEC Executive Director Kyle Davison
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We're excited to introduce you to the newest TEAM at the SEEC. In October, the SEEC was selected to hold the Child Care Aware Contract through the Department of Human Services. With this contract came the need to fill positions to continue the great work of this program.
Team Lead: Keely Ihry
Start-up Coordinators: Verla Jung, Brittany Kind, Paige Paislee, and Lindy Caro
Health & Safety Specialists: Sarah Myers and Tammy Olson
Referral Coordinators: Krista Olson, Lynette Schmit
Professional Learning Specialist: Brianna Sollom
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Occupational and Physical Therapists across North Dakota drove from various distances with some just needing to drive across town while others trekked from the western edge traveling nearly 400 miles to the West Fargo DoubleTree Hotel to participate in the first-ever SEEC OT/PT Symposium!
Apply EBP (Evidence-Based Practices) united with SEEC to host the debut of The Well-Equipped Therapist, a symposium specifically focused on coaching two of school-based special education’s persistent personnel. As therapists teamed up alongside their colleagues’ gathering notes and discussing topics throughout each seminar, Heather Eken (SEEC Physical Therapist) beamed a sense of gratefulness as she witnesses a focused training that felt identical from her standpoint to the other training she previously participated in outside of the state. Continuing education needed to be close to the North Dakota school districts, and Heather spoke with poise on a wise proposal destined to enhance the minds of each therapist statewide.
“We have amazing therapists in our state, and continuing education is a necessary component not only for our licensure, but to help us provide the best care we can for our students. Typically, therapists would either travel outside of our state or go online for such specific continuing education. Bringing as many therapists as possible in our state together, to learn and collaborate, fit this need well.” - Heather Eken, SEEC Physical Therapist
“This met an unmet need in our region and state, it supported the professional learning hours required for credit/licensure renewal, and it saved special education units and school districts money by reducing traveling costs and benefitting from the reduced, negotiated conference rate for SEEC and ND therapists.” - Jennifer Glasheen, SEEC Director of Teaching & Learning
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In mid-November, Fargo held an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility and program, the Explorer Academy.
The Explorer Academy is North Dakota’s first K-8 special education day public school with integrated project-based STEAM and gross motor program opportunities. It strives to support the whole child by embedding social-emotional learning in all facets of their educational experience and that staff strive to build relationships with every student to guide and engage them in self-regulation skills to enhance their academic and social-emotional growth.
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Excerpt from an article on NewsDakota.com
The James Valley Career and Technology Center (JVCTC) is a consistent staple of workforce development in North Dakota’s greater James Valley area.
JVCTC is seeking funding to embark on a $1.5 million expansion at its current location, with new spaces and equipment designed to meet the employment needs of the community.
“We want our youth to advocate for their postsecondary plans, whether that is choosing to join the workforce or continuing their education,” said Adam Gehlhar, Jamestown High School principal and JVCTC director. “The project will create more space, renovate existing space and purchase equipment to meet industry standards in various program areas.”
Just walking distance from Jamestown High School, JVCTC offers a broad range of programs, with health careers, agriculture and aviation as just a few. The programs are developed as a means to meet the demands of both the local business and student communities.
JVCTC offers educational programs and support services for students for both Jamestown and Montpelier while also providing guidance and career development services for Gackle-Streeter.
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On Dec. 2, over 3,700 students (grades 9-10) came from around our region: 36 public and private high schools from ND & MN came to the Fargodome to experience hands-on, engaging workforce opportunities right here in North Dakota!
Students get to meet professionals in the field and take part in interactive activities from 60+ exhibitors ranging from welding, healthcare, architecture, manufacturing, home building, transportation, emergency & rescue, and many more!
STEM Sessions are also offered to schools with less than 30 students as a way to offer another interactive learning experience during their time off-campus. Partnering entities EduTech, Gateway to Science of ND, and Inspire Innovation Lab led sessions on coding, forensics, and DNA!
20 SEEC Schools brought nearly 2,800 students this year [Barnes County North, Central Cass, Circle of Nations, Enderlin, Fairmount, Fargo, Hankinson, Kindred, Lisbon, Litchville-Marion, Maple Valley, Milnor, North Sargent, Northern Cass, Oake Grove, Oakes, Richland, Sargent Central, Wahpeton, and West Fargo!
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Hankinson is a North Dakota city through and through. With a population of 997 and a dependence on agriculture, it’s just the town to produce a player like Cody Mauch.
Mauch, a standout for the 9-man Hankinson pirates, received a lot of shine for his performance in high school. As a Pirate, Mauch finished his career with 1,072 receiving yards, a school record 24 touchdowns and the school record for sacks in a season and career. On the basketball court, he was an all-conference and all-regional player. In track & field, he qualified for the state meet as a thrower.
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The award is presented as part of the National Association of Secondary School Principals principal recognition program. Cieslak will be ND's nominee for the NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year award.
The NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year program annually recognizes outstanding
middle and high school assistant principals who have succeeded in providing high quality
learning opportunities for students. These assistant principals are acknowledged by their peers for the exemplary contributions they have made to the profession.
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Superintendent Kirsten Baesler has been chosen as president-elect of the Council of Chief State School Officers, a national organization that represents state education interests and manages the national Teacher of the Year award.
“I am honored and humbled to be elected as the future president of an organization with a distinguished tradition of advocating for state education issues,” Baesler said. “I hope to bring a rural, heartland perspective to the debates about education in our nation, with students and families at the center of the discussions.”
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Sometimes the best things come in small quantities!
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Many districts have reached out to our staff asking “What Tier 1 ELA curriculum materials should we invest in that align to the Science of Reading?” In response, SEEC literacy staff did their homework, vetted curriculums that aligned with the Science of Reading, reached out to get sample materials, and created a K-6 ELA Curriculum Fair open to educators across the state.
On Nov. 22, SEEC hosted its third fair and has now reached approximately 70 educators around the state!
This was the first time I was able to sit down and dig deep into reading curriculum without "pressure" from a sales rep. I was able to honestly evaluate several reading materials without being rushed with a team from my school. (Administrator – St. John School)
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In early December, Kerri Whipple hosted a 2-hour virtual session to help prepare schools for a state monitoring desk audit or visit for English Learners and Title III Elements. The intended outcomes are for participants to become familiar with the NDDPI EL Program Self-Evaluation Checklist and to begin creating a file of evidence to support school district compliance with the EL Elements.
The intended audience isn’t a large one and we were happy to see and support individuals from Grafton, LaMoure, Milnor Sundale Colony, Minto, Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood, Montpelier, and Williston Basin.
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Across six regional education associations, 13 school districts, and 14 individual buildings, nearly 40 educators invested in the NDMTSS Foundations of Reading series, aligned with the Science of Reading, to gain the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to address a variety of students’ needs in reading.
“I am so thankful for this class. I have been struggling with a curriculum that is lacking in a larger class with a wide variety of abilities. This gives me hope that I can close the gap more easily.” (Elementary Teacher – Elgin-New Leipzig Elementary School)
“It was literally THEE BEST & most applicable & useful training I’ve attended in quite some time.” (Elementary Teacher – Nedrose Public School)
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SEEC's Beginning Teacher Network (BTN) is a professional development program that offers new educators an opportunity for support and collaboration in order to enhance classroom practices.
Key ideas meant to trigger discussion include classroom management, state standards, assessment, and responding to student needs.
This year's cohort includes teachers from Central Cass, Circle of Nations, Fargo, Jamestown, Lisbon, Litchville-Marion, Medina, and West Fargo.
In mid-November, our beginning teachers had three opportunities to come together around the topic of Managing the Learning followed by a virtual check-in from SEEC Professional Learning Specialist Danette Brown on Dec. 13th.
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Program/Service Upcoming Opportunities |
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You asked, we listened. Registration is now open for the Improving Academic Literacy (IAL) Project!
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"The changes I made to my instruction are quite significant and have benefitted my students and I think they've increased students' math vocabulary knowledge which in turn increases their understanding of the concepts and lessons."
"We have done two of our own school-wide Learning Walks and are planning a third. This training has been a career-changing opportunity."
In this three-part professional development series—Student Engagement, Academic Vocabulary, and Critical Thinking and Comprehension—participants will become familiar with and implement research-based literacy strategies that will increase student achievement for learners in grades K-8.
This series provides an opportunity to utilize the practice of microteaching and public practice as a vehicle to enhance teaching and learning by exploring the implementation of student engagement strategies and strategies related to explicit instruction of academic vocabulary in a classroom to create a culture of "Everyone does Everything"
The courses, co-facilitated by Dr. Kevin Feldman and Kerri Whipple, SEEC Professional Learning Specialist, will focus on combining research-based strategies (IES Practice Guide) with implementation, feedback, and coaching. Don't miss these opportunities surrounding surefire teaching practices to get kids engaged in your classroom!
High-Quality Learning Series [pre-requisite for Academic Vocabulary]
- Part 1: Jan. 31 [Jamestown] or Feb. 1 [Fargo]
- Part 2: April 5 [Richland Elementary] or April 12 [Jamestown Middle School]
- Part 3: May 2-5 [Choose one date/time for Online eWalks]
Academic Vocabulary Series [pre-requisite for Critical Thinking & Comprehension]
- Part 1: Jan. 31 [Jamestown] or Feb. 1 [Fargo]
- Part 2: April 11 [West Fargo Secondary] or April 13 [Jamestown Elementary]
- Part 3: May 2-5 [Choose one date/time for Online eWalks]
Critical Thinking and Comprehension will be offered beginning in the Fall of 2022.
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Three sessions: Feb. 7, March 7, April 4
Multiple locations: Minot, Jamestown, Williston, and Bismarck
Audience: K-5 classroom teachers, Title teachers, special education teachers, interventionists, coaches, and administrators that wish to improve outcomes for students in the area of reading.
This three-part learning series is designed to provide educators with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to address a variety of students' needs and the Five Big Ideas of Reading: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.
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Two sessions: Feb. 8 and March 8
Multiple locations: Minot, Jamestown, Devils Lake, and Bismarck
Audience: 6-12 classroom teachers, ELA teachers, interventionists, special education teachers, literacy coaches, at-risk leaders, and administrators interested in "digging deeper" into the instructional needs of secondary struggling readers.
This two-part learning series is designed to provide secondary educators with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to respond to student reading needs by matching them to appropriate instructional strategies at the secondary level.
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WIDA ELS Standards, 2020 Edition Training
May 16 | Fargo
Wondering how to use the new WIDA standards? Join us for a one-day training with one of the authors!
Participants will learn about how to recognize school genres and connect those to their own life and the new edition of the WIDA 2020 Standards.
Walk away with a mapped-out unit of instruction to apply your understanding of the standards components!
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High-Impact Tutor & Paraeducator Training |
In collaboration with the Department of Public Instruction, SEEC and NESC are excited to introduce High-impact Tutor and Paraeducator Training. On Jan. 17, 2022, we're bringing you a Safe and Civil Schools Workshop: Assisting the Teacher (Training for Paraeducators)! This same course will be repeated two other times--January 2023 and August 2023.
The virtual, six-hour workshop is for paraeducators/tutors and their supervisors. Participants will learn how to be a part of the school team, supervise common areas and independent work periods, and work with small groups or individuals while building relationships with students through increasing their positive interactions, teaching expectations for behaviors, and correcting misbehavior effectively.
WAIT... THERE'S MORE!
In addition to Assisting the Teacher, we will be hosting MasterTeacher Paraeducator Online Training. It's designed to support ND paraeducators and tutors in the acquisition and application of instructional practices deemed effective for increasing K-12 students' learning outcomes.
We have partnered with the Master Teacher, a company that has developed an online training platform that includes 148 self-paced courses. Participants will have free access to all courses through the 2023-24 school year. Established cohorts of participants will be created throughout each year and will specifically be focusing on key areas of study. Participants will complete designated courses prior to engaging in scheduled synchronous, virtual connections in which they will collaborate with others in the field to synthesize their learning, ask questions, provide insight into their work, and practice their new learning and skills in a safe and inclusive setting.
Registration opening soon... stay tuned!
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Plus find some great resources:
- PBIS Virtual Forum Recordings
- Comprehensive Assessment Systems
- Launch my Life North Dakota
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Outside opportunities worth checking out |
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Classroom WISE (Well-being Information and Strategies for Educators) is a self-paced virtual course that includes evidence-based strategies and skills to engage and support students with mental health concerns in the classroom. Each module presents concrete, universal approaches for promoting student mental health and creating safe and supportive classroom environments. Classroom WISE was developed by the Mental Health Technology Transfer Network in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health and released recently in 2021.
Classroom WISE is FREE for all and includes access to both a Video Library and Resource Collection.
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Presented by Pati Montgomery, Schools Cubed | FREE!
Feb. 3, 2022 | 9:30 - 11:30am CST
A quality assessment can guide our instruction in the teaching of the foundational skills in literacy. During this session you will learn what assessments you could be using, the subskills they measure, and general instructional strategies for each of the subskills.
Schools Cubed is an educational consulting group that takes underperforming schools and works with district and school leaders to create self-sustaining, high-achieving school systems. We focus on the three S’s: Systems, Structures and the Science of Reading.
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What's coming up on the SEEC Calendar...
(Events with active links are open for registration.)
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December:
22: CHAMPS & Discipline in the Secondary
January:
6: Making Your Presentations Meaningful
11: SEEC Principal Meeting
12: LETRS for Administrators (Fargo option)
14: LETRS for Administrators (Bismarck option)
13: NDMTSS Developing Academic Pathways
13: NDMTSS Evaluating Your System
17-18: SEEDS of Early Learning for 3-5-Year-Olds Train the Trainer
17: LETRS Volume 1 - Cohort D
18: LETRS Volume 1 - Cohort B
19: LETRS Volume 1 - Cohort C
19: Safety Care
20: NDMTSS Developing Academic Pathways
24: NDMTSS Developing Schoolwide Behavior Expectations
February
8: SEEC Principal Meeting
10: NDMTSS Evaluating Your System
10: LETRS Volume 2 - Cohort A
14: LETRS Volume 1 - Cohort D
22: LETRS Volume 1 - Cohort B
23: LETRS Volume 1 - Cohort C
24: NDMTSS: Developing Academic Pathways
24: NDMTSS: Evaluating Your System
25: NDMTSS: Advanced Applications of Data-Based Decision Making
28: NDMTSS: Developing Schoolwide Behavior Expectations
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Stay Connected on Social Media |
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SOUTH EAST EDUCATION COOPERATIVE
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