sd My Life

 Please visit www.sdmylife.com  and find out about -

• the state's academic and career planning system for middle and high school students
• this is a free resource available for all districts across the state
• house the state mandated interest inventory and skills assessments
• a tool for building Personal Learning Plans

MyFuture MyPrize is an online contest being run by DOE to drive traffic to SDMyLife

• Contest runs Sept 27 - Nov 15, 2010
• High School students can will technology prizes such as laptops, printers and e-readers
• Each school will receive a kit to advertise this contest soon.

Find our more about this great tool by visiting the site.
www.sdmylife.com

NWAS CTE Staff attends South Dakota Association of Career and Technical Education Conference

On August 1-4 five staff members from NWAS attended the SDACTE conference in Pierre. Kelly Daughters - Assistant Director, Linda Reinbold - Health Occupations, Jim Hartwell - CAD/CAM, Dean Allerdings - Hospitality & Tourism, and Denise Perryman - Graphic Design are those who participated in this professional development opportunity.
The SD Opportunity Scholarship:
Students will now be able to pursue the Opportunity Scholarship and take CTE courses. This year's freshman will jot have to choose between this scholarship and taking CTE courses that fit their personal learning plans.
Keynote speakers:

• Brain Mendler
• Pat Bortnem

A main focus of CTE programs is to align curriculum with the newly adopted state CTE standards.

Teachers Participate in Technology Bootcamp

Forty-one ESA Region 5 teachers have been attending the Technology Bootcamp made possible by a Title IID Grant awarded to NWAS/ESA5 for the 2010-2011 school year. Technology expert, Kevin Honeycutt, presented on Wednesday. Dr. Helen Usera, director of the Chiesman for Democracy Foundation, explained the data collection process to teachers on Tuesday. On Tuesday the ESA education specialists, Holly Schumacher, Tracy Mittleider, Erin Dale and Brittany Knudson introduced the grant purposes and the requirements for the class credits. Teachers will earn five credits from USF and a $500 stipend for their work on the grant.
Despite problems with the connectivity to the internet, the teachers learned and networked during the past two days. Friday will be the final day of the Bootcamp.

Kevin Honeycutt works with the teachers.

Technology Leadership Bootcamp Day 2

Day two of training with Kevin Miller was a full day of learning for the 18 principals in attendance. They learned many ways to bring out the greatness in their staff and to increase student learning. Most of the principals will continue to participate in this work throughout the school year. They will focus on two main areas in this work:

1. They will choose at least one way to increase their own technology skills
2. They will focus on supporting their teaches who are participating in the Technology grant work.

In June 2011 these principals will share their completed projects with each other and spend time reflection on their learning.
These principals rock in their leadership roles in their districts! Teachers working with these principals are going to learn more and enjoy their work more this year.

Mobridge merchants donated prizes for the event - Thank you!

TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP BOOTCAMP STARTS TODAY

Eighteen leaders from ESA region 5 began two days of fabulous leadership training with consultant Kevin Miller today. Today has been spent learning new skills and tools. There has been great nourishment for bodies and minds all day. Leaders are making new connections with each other that will carry on well beyond these two days. Mobridge merchants have donated some great giveaways for our training, which has added a little fun!

Great Week-end! Hope yours was too!

smiling face

It was a busy and good week-end at the Owens' Ranch. There was time for taking in the wonders of nature, enjoying my Golden Retrievers and Sarge, the cat, and spending time with my amazing husband, Tom.

Tom

Sarge

A gift after the strom

Cooling off on a hot day!