SEEC Monthly
news & updates
April 2022
Celebrate Occupational Therapy Month
We want to say THANK YOU to all the OTs in our schools that are working with students to help them ACCESS their education in the best way possible. Plus a special shoutout to SEEC's OTs: Taryn Nims, Brittney Waloch, and Brooke Tayer!

OTs work every day to help students achieve their goals and be able to function a the highest level possible. Spread the word and say thank you to those in your schools and special education units.
What's in this issue?
What's new with SEEC?
- We've moved into our new office!
- SEEC received Cognia accreditation
- Open Positions: Literacy Coach & Afterschool Program Coach
- SEEC Staff invited to ND Legislative meetings/events

Member HIghlights:
- Legacy Elementary's Imagination Playground
- Oakes JET Program
- Fargo Innovation Education Grants

Upcoming Opportunities:
- Science of Reading Opportunities to meet requirements of HB1388 / NDCC 15.1-21-12.1
- Paraeducator & Tutors training coming 2022-2023
- Assessing to Inform: Webinars are available!
- EL Enacting Equity through the Genre Approach | WIDA ELD Standards, 2020 Edition
- Improving Academic Literacy dates set for 2022-23
- Trauma-Sensitive Schools
- Active Classroom Training

Shared Resources & Outside Opportunities
- ND Reading & Math Tutor Applications and Host Site Applications are open
- NDMTSS Conference registration opens on April 20th
- ND Afterschool Network: ND Out-of-School Time Conference registration open
- ND Full Service Community Schools Updates
- Child Care Aware in the news
- B-HERO's Peer-to-Peer Relationship-Building Strategies for Secondary Educators
- ND Parks and Recreation State Park Field Days
SEEC news... come and get it!
ND Legislators Retreat
In mid-April, Kerri Whipple, SEEC Professional Learning Specialist, was asked to speak as a literacy expert in our state around "Embedding Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction Across the Curriculum." at the ND Legislators Retreat hosted by The Hunt Institute.
ND Legislative Education Policy Committee
On Feb. 23, the ND Full-Service Community Schools Consortium was invited to present to the ND Legislative Eduation Policy Committee with Jolene Garty, SEEC Directory of Student Services, speaking on ND Reading and Math Corps.
Literacy Coach
Great opportunity to work with Milnor, Richland, and Northern Cass School Districts on the implementation of their Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant. Role will help build teacher capacity and their understanding of instructional practices as it relates to the literacy goals identified in the grant. Responsible for ensuring high-quality instruction in classrooms through modeling, co-planning, co-teaching, and providing feedback to teachers.


Afterschool Program Coach
SEEC is looking for an individual with a passion for afterschool programming and an understanding of best practices in supporting and coaching staff to serve in our Afterschool Program Coach role. In this position, you will work directly with schools and sites in our 21st Century Community Learning Center (21CCLC) afterschool consortium. To support them, you will visit sites in the Fargo and rural areas monthly to meet with program staff, observe, and provide ongoing coaching sessions to help achieve program quality goals.  Further, you will support staff in their planning and lesson content development, program logistics, staff training and professional learning.

SEEC Office
In March we moved from the Fargo Agassiz/Dakota High School Building to a new office in South Fargo on 32nd Ave.

Come visit!
3170 43rd St S, #103, Fargo, ND 58104
SEEC Receives Accreditation
In January 2022, SEEC held its virtual accreditation visit with Cognia. THANK YOU to all our staff, members, and partners who participated in the stakeholder surveys and interviews.

We are happy to announce we received final confirmation on March 31 that we have again be accredited for another six year..
SEEC Member Shoutouts!!
West Fargo High School Teacher Inspires Construction Management Major
Photo and excerpt from www.mnstate.edu

Laine White a construction trades teacher at West Fargo High School, encourages his students to explore the construction field, specifically the program MSUM offers. Laine's high school classes are a good introduction to the construction field, and often spark his students’ interest in construction. One of those former students is MSUM senior Jeddie Nyei, who will graduate with his construction management degree in May.
JET Program Motivates High School Students to Enter Teaching Profession Excerpt from NDDPI Weekly Blast

All states across the nation are looking for ways to encourage more youth to enter the teaching profession. A program called “JET”, which is being implemented in the Oakes Public School District, is designed to address this issue. JET stands for Junior Educator in Training.

Oakes high school principal, Brandon Bata, oversees the program in their district, which currently has five high school students participating. The purpose of the program is to provide high school students with the opportunity to get firsthand experience in the
teaching profession. Students often provide support to classroom teachers by working with small groups of students. In Oakes, students also are required to teach at least one lesson.
Fargo Innovation Education Grants Excerpt from Fargo Schooltalk

Eight grants were awarded totaling $8,672.00. Proposals that ranked the highest exhibited innovative teaching and learning techniques, supported the District's Strategic Initiatives 1 and 2, and engaged students with both short and long-term impacts.
Opportunities to reach you when you need it!
North Dakota Science of Reading Opportunities

SEEC has been working with other REAs to build options to help support schools in meeting the requirements of House Bill 1388 or NDCC 15.1-21-12.1. More information on ND Department of Public Instructions webpage or NDREA's webpage). 

A flowchart has been created to help explain training opportunities that are available (and have been approved by NDDPI for alignment with NDCC 15.1-21-12.1) now and in the near future – access it here for full course descriptions https://tinyurl.com/NDSoRFlowchart.

Below is some additional information about these options as you and your district consider its professional development plan. Note these offerings are available through the state resources, but they are NOT the only ones that meet the intent of the law. Districts have the option to choose other offerings that will meet the requirements.

SoR: A Shared Responsibility - In development - launching ASAP!
  • This FREE short course is being developed by SEEC and will be available in an LMS. It is aimed at educators who do not teach reading.
SoR: Reaching All Learners - In development - launching July/Aug 2022
  • This FREE course is a good fit for educators who teach reading and will be available through self-paced modules in an LMS. Additional supports for implementation are also being developed.
Foundations of Reading - Summer, Fall, Spring options
  • This three-part learning series is designed to provide educators (focused on those directly reaching reading)m K-3 principals, and Instructional Coaches who lead literacy work with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to address a variety of students’ needs in reading.
  • Learn more and register here!
ND Literacy Conference - July 11-13, 2022 in Bismarck
  • This training will include 3 tracks for administrators, educators who teach reading and educators who do not. Two of the three tracks will be facilitated by AIM Institute for Learning and Research. 
  • Learn more and register here!
LETRS for Educators Volumes 1 & 2 - 22-23 cohort Interest Form [ Fargo, Bismarck & Minot sites TBD!]
  • This two-year commitment is for K-3 teachers who directly teach reading along with reading, special education, English learner specialties along with instructional coaches who lead literacy work. Our goal is to build facilitator capacity in the state to help reach larger numbers of educators needing this level of training. This course includes LMS module completion along with face-to-face sessions.
LETRS for Admin - 22-23 cohort Interest Form
  • This course is focused on K-3 Principals to support their LETRS professional development participants and is a 30 hour commitment between LMS modules and face-to-face sessions.
22-23 Opportunities for paraeducators and tutors

In collaborating with the Department of Public Instruction, SEEC and NESC are excited to introduce our latest professional learning opportunity - Master Teacher Paraeducator Online Training! 


The trainings are designed to support North Dakota schools' paraeducators and tutors in the acquisition and application of instructional practices deemed effective for increasing K-12 students' learning outcomes. Through a partnership 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 for one year. 

Participants will complete designated courses (listed below under each training opportunity) prior to engaging in 2 scheduled synchronous, virtual connections per training opportunity in which they will collaborate with others in the field to: 
  • Synthesize their learning 
  • Ask questions
  • Provide insight into their work 
  • Practice their new learning and skills in a safe and inclusive setting
Title I: Supporting Instruction
Supporting Instruction: Reading
Supporting Instruction: Writing
Supporting Instruction: Mathematics

Title I: Instructional Support: Reading & Writing
Supporting Reading Instruction in Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics Pt. 1
Supporting Reading Instruction in Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics Pt. 2
Supporting Adolescents Who Have Learning Disabilities in Writing
Providing Strategies for Struggling Readers in All Areas

Title I: Reading Skills
Reading Comprehension: Narrative Texts
Reading Comprehensions: Informative Texts
Reading Comprehensions: Decoding Language and Utilizing Layout

Title I: Mathematical Skills
Mathematics: Understanding the Basic Skills
Mathematics: Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages
Basic Algebra
Basic Geometry
Basic Data Analysis

Title I: Writing Skills
Writing Fundamentals: Parts of Speech and Effective Sentences
Writing Fundamentals: Mechanics of Writing
Make your data work for you!
Learn how to really understand and apply the data to guide instruction and intervention, plan student groupings, etc.

- Reflect on the purpose of benchmark screening and progress monitoring, as well as the key principles of data analysis and utilization within your school system

- Access key group benchmark reports and distinguish what reports can predict future outcomes and/or how each can drive timely, standards-based instructional choice

- Practice using specific benchmark data for program evaluation, as well as individual student support and instruction development

Webinar recordings are available for FastBridge, aimsweb, and NWEA. Resources are also available for STAR.

We're back in person June 13-15 at the Fargo Holiday Inn with a great lineup of keynotes and breakout sessions to meet your needs!

Tessie Bailey, AIR PROGRESS Center, keynote on MTSS + Special Education & Specially Designed Instruction

Tara Brown, The Connection Coach, will bring in the energy around relationships and culture + a great leadership breakout!

Amanda VanDerHeyden, SpringMath, will focus on The Science of Math: Effective Instruction & Classwide Intervention. She'll follow up with two breakouts on using classwide math interventions and how to build a more powerful intervention.

Andratesha Fritzgerald, Building Blocks of Brillance, LLC, will deliver a keynote on Transformative Actions that Lead to Learning + two more breakouts: Using Universal Design for Learning in the Classroom and a Leadership conversation to Build Equitable Expressways to Success for ALL Students.

Stephanie Malia Krauss, First Quarter Strategies founder as well as the author of Making It - What Today's Kids Need for Tomorrow's World will deliver a keynote on social emotional learning.
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!
+ Train the Train option

June 6-10 | Virtual
Training provides educators with knowledge related to trauma, its effects on students and learning, strategies for interacting with students exposed to trauma, and strategies for taking care of oneself when interacting with students who have been exposed to trauma.

By understanding how trauma impacts students and adopting a trauma-informed approach, educators can play a crucial role in mitigating both the short- and long-term effects of trauma.

June 20-23 | Virtual
9am-12pm each day
Classroom teachers will learn how to research and implement a variety of interdisciplinary classroom physical activities and
movement breaks that facilitate improved academic performance, classroom behavior, and student health.

Classroom teachers will also build a working knowledge of the
national Active Schools initiative and the classroom teacher’s role in Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAPs).
Mark your calendars - registration will open after July 1, 2022

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.  The courses, co-facilitated by Dr. Kevin Feldman and Kerri Whipple, Professional Learning Specialist, will focus on combining research-based strategies (IES Practice Guide) with implementation, feedback, and coaching. 

"To be a part of the Improving Academic Literacy Project has been a privilege and I am extremely thankful that my principal realized the impact this project will have on our school. I foresee some wonderful changes in our school--full of collaboration, engagement, and student growth. Thank you to SEEC and Dr. Feldman for this wonderful opportunity!"

You won’t want to miss these learning opportunities surrounding surefire teaching practices to get kids engaged in your classroom! 

- Check & Connect: evidence-based student engagement intervention at Minot's Washington Elementary

- Central Cass Treehouse provides $1,000 donation to recently launched basic needs pantry at Northern Cass

- Ellendale Repsonds to Food Insecurity

- Solen Cannon Ball Improving Access to Health Care

- Pipeline Partner & Providers: Waterford UPSTART at-home program for Kindergarten readiness
ND Reading and Math Corps Tutor Application is Open!

The 2022-23 school year tutor application is open for all Reading Corps and Math Corps tutors. Please share the link below with individuals you believe this would be a great fit for: retirees, college students, stay-at-home parents... the impact you see on students makes every second worth it!
Do you want to bring it to your district?
Consider being a Host Site!
SEEC obtained the Child Care Aware of ND contract through the ND Department of Human Services and focuses on quality programming, provider training, startup, and parent resources. Here we want to share some news stories surrounding this work.


Additional Resources & Opportunities!

Student peer-to-peer relationships are an important component of school connectedness. These strategies for Secondary Educators can be utilized to help students build relationships with their classmates that celebrate their strengths and connect with common interests.  

In partnership with the ND Department of Public Instruction, the ND Parks & Recreation Department will host a series of exciting summer learning opportunities focused on science, nature exploration, outdoor recreation, and North Dakota history. These North Dakota State Parks Field Days will be tailored to the sixth-grade level (5-7th grade are welcome)!

How to Register: Dates and times can be found below! Reservation instructions are found on our website (https://www.parkrec.nd.gov/field-trip-program-opportunities) and must be received at least one week in advance. Hurry as each day is limited to 200 participants!

Financial Assistance: These events will be hosted at little to no cost to your school district! We provide travel grants, a waiver of programming fees, a T-shirt and educational material for your students, and lunch is provided!
What's coming up on the SEEC Calendar...
(Events with active links are open for registration.)
2022 Innovative Education Summit | Dickinson, ND
At the 2022 Innovative Education Summit, we will dig deep into the essential skills for life and learning all students need to be Choice Ready. An incredible lineup of speakers and panelists are prepared to discuss the importance of social, physical, mental and emotional well-being as we engage in this vital conversation with partners across North Dakota.
IgniteND | Bismarck, ND
Gain the tools to ensure every student is cyber educated! Attend and learn from dynamic speakers: Leslie Fischer, Heather Keeler, and more! Also get the chance to network with teachers from around the state and earn professional development credits.
Northern Cass Personalized Learning Institute | Hunter, ND
Keynotes:
Dr. Katie Martin, author or Learner-Centered Innovation and Evolving Education & Chief Impact Officer at Learner-Centered Collaborative

Dr. Corey Martin, founder of Bounce Back Project, practicing private group physician, former Bush Fellow, Chrief Medical Officer, and lead physician in response to clinician burnout

Eric Sheninger, Associate Partner with the International Center for Leadership in Education
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