Northwest Area Schools Director's Blog

What will Happen with our Education Budget?

2011-01-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

What happens with our budget in education will not have the results most of us want unless we ALL speak up. Please let our legislators and the Governor know your opinions about the proposed 10%, or any, budget cuts to education in South Dakota. I have contacted them and I am asking you to do the same.
I will not elaborate too much here except for the belief that we do not HAVE to make this budget deficit correction in our state by hurting all the people who live here. Who goes into debt over a period of time and fixes the problem in one day? I have been in debt and have WORKED my way out of that debt with a plan to do so over a period of time. I made cut backs I could live with. I continued to pay my ongoing bills, I ate, and I even enjoyed my life! Can't our legislators figure out how to make a similar plan? Don't our legislators who we elect have enough creative thinking and backbone to stand up to our governor's proposed cuts?
Come on, let's get realistic about what we can live with and make those changes without making devastating education cuts which we will suffer from for many years while losing great educators as well. In my opinion, we cannot afford to make any cuts to education if we want to be true to our children and their futures.
Please speak up and support education in South Dakota!
http://legis.state.sd.us/index.aspx

School Board Recognition Week

2011-01-13T13:12:00.000-08:00

2011 Northwest Area School Board

School Board Recognition Week in South Dakota

South Dakota has designated January 10 – 14, 2011 as School Board Recognition Week. ESA 5 would like to publicly thank all of the members of Northwest Area Schools board and all members of the twenty-one school boards across our region for serving on our local Boards of Education. Thank-you for your dedication to our children and our communities.

More than 880 South Dakotans are members of a local school board. The community members who serve on our school boards are responsible for setting the vision and goals for our districts. The school boards also hire quality educators, adopt policies and evaluate progress while keeping the interest of our students first, creating schools where all children can learn and grow.

Serving on a local school board has always been more than what the public sees: meetings once or twice a month and occasional tough issues such as the school calendar, building needs, dress codes, discipline policies, technology use, teacher professional development priorities, and salary negotiations, to name a few.
But beyond that, our board members play a very real role in preparing the districts’ students for an ever-changing world. They help spread the word about the individual and collective successes of our
students and our professional staff. And this year they will face perhaps the greatest test of their leadership as we work to ensure that tight financial situations don't translate into a reduction in the quality of education we can offer.
Our communities are fortunate to have such dedicated individuals on our school boards.

South Dakota School Board Recognition Week provides a
perfect opportunity to honor the contributions being made daily by our school board members. Please take a moment to thank our public servants who care about education by serving on our school boards.

Tips to Engage Students in Learning

2010-11-22T10:26:00.000-08:00

Check out this blog post for some entertaining and interesting information about engaging students

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/reengaging-students-andrew-marcinek

ESA Region 5 Principals focus on 21st Century Skills

2010-11-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

On November 17th, 13 principals will meet face to face in Mobridge to continue learning how to integrate 21st Century Skills and increase the use of technology in their schools. These principals began learning together in August when ESA 5 implemented their Title II D grant work. Now these principals will share what they have been doing in their schools and support each other in their learning.
In order for the students and teachers in our schools to learn our leaders must continue to learn.
My hat is off to these leaders.

Internal Motivation

2010-11-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

At the System's Change Conference in Chamberlain, October 13-15, Bob Sullo focused on internal motivation of learners.
Go to his website at http://www.internalmotivation.net/ for great resources and information.
You can access presentation materials at http://www.systemschange.midwestmaple.org/

My favorite quote from the conference is

"Learning is the consequence of thinking"

NWAS Staff attend Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Workshop

2010-10-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

In September, Colette Enright, speech clinician, and Cindysue Pederson, early childhood teacher, for NWAS, attended a workshop in Pierre called FASD Understanding the Lifespan, Promoting and Improving Services. The workshop goal was to develop and implement public awareness and strategies for children, teens and adults who have a FASD.
Go to www.chiesman.org and click on the FASD link on the Development area for more information.

Technology Grant available for teachers!!!!

2010-10-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Applications for the Qwest Teachers & Technology Grant are now available!
The Qwest Teachers and Technology grant program will award a total of $25,000 to South Dakota teachers who put today's technology to use for their students.
Up to 10 teachers will receive an award. The award is given through a competitive application process to pre-K through 12th-grade teachers with ideas to use technology in the classroom to engage students, enhance student performance and prepare them for life in a technologically advanced world.
The grant application can be found online at http://www.doe.sd.gov/ofm/qwest.asp and must be submitted to the Department of Education by Nov. 19.

If you have any questions, please contact Erin Larsen at erin.larsen@state.sd.us or by phone at 605.773.2533.

RTI

2010-09-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

Many districts throughout South Dakota are starting to make changes toward the RTI model in their schools. Go to the following link for a good description of RTI and learn about some interesting data collection examples. There are other helpful links in this article which was published in The Journal in May 2009.
http://www.thejournal.com/rti

Systems Change in October

2010-09-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

Go to this web address to get the details about the Systems Change conference coming up in October. The conference will be held in Chamberlain. On Thursday night, October 14th, the SD Teacher of the Year will be named. We all are hoping that the ESA 5 Teacher of the Year, Bev Kopren, from the Bison School District will win the state title.

http://systemschange.midwestmaple.org/

How Important is Creativity in our Schools?

2010-09-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

Watch this video from TED.

Entertaining video about creativity in schools

sd My Life

2010-08-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-15T05:49:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

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:

They will choose at least one way to increase their own technology skills
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

2010-08-02T12:16:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-08-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

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!

http://thinkfinity.org/widgets/features_share.html

2010-07-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

http://thinkfinity.org/widgets/features_share.html

Check out this useful tool from Thinkfinity. Free widgets.

ESA 5 Looks Forward to Technology Bootcamp in August

2010-07-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

ESA 5's Technology Bootcamp will be held August 2-6 in Mobridge at the Wrangler Inn in Mobridge, South Dakota. 36 administrators and 44 teachers from across the region will be attending. They will be learning how to integrate 21st Century Skills and technology in order to increase student learning. This workshop is the start of a year long learning experience for the teachers and the principals. We are all excited about this project getting started! This is all being made possible through a Title II D Grant that was awarded to Northwest Area Schools.
Principals and superintendents will attend their workshop Aug 2-3 with leadership expert Kevin Miller. Go to http://www.visionbound.com/ to find out more about Kevin Miller.
Teachers will attend their workshop on Aug 4-6 with Technology expert Kevin Honeycutt. Go to http://kevinhoneycutt.org/ to learn more about Kevin Honeycutt.

Health Occupations Unit Back on its Wheels!

2010-07-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

Today two cranes came from Rapid City to Dupree to put our Health Occupations CTE classroom up on its wheels after it was turned on its side by a tornado last month. They did a magnificent job. The next step will be to move the unit up to Isabel on Monday where the insurance adjusters will do their assessment of the damages inside and out. From there decisions will be made about the next steps. Our main objective is to have this course ready to be taught in Wakpala the day school starts. Today Quinn Link, Jim Hulm, Kelly Daughters, Ken, our insurance representative, and myself were on hand to witness this big job.

2010 ASBSD and SASD Convention

2010-07-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Convention Theme is
The Promise of Public Education

Keynote speakers -
Mike Schmoker - Challenges
Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch - Inspires

August 11-13
Sioux Falls Convention Center
convention website

ESA Staff attends ISTE Conference in Denver

2010-06-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

Brittany Knudson, Tracy Mittleider, Holly Schumacher and Erin Dale, education specialists from ESA 5, are attending the International Society for Technology in Education's 31st conference and exposition in Denver, Colorado on June 27th - June 30th. Their attendance at this conference is a result of the Title II D Grant that NWAS/ESA5 was awarded this year. The ESA staff will use their new knowledge and skills while working with 44 teachers throughout the ESA 5 Region during the 2010-2011 school year.
Go to http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/2010 for all the conference details.

2010-06-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

NWAS Health Occupations Unit
after the tornado in Dupree on June 16, 2010.
We are waiting for the insurance adjusters report so we can proceed in reestablishing our classroom for August classes in Wakpala.

NWAS Website

2010-06-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Please visit our webpage to find out more about us. We provide professional development for educators, special education services and a very unique career and technical education program.
www.sdesa.k12.sd.us/esa5