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December 2017, Vol. 25, No. 2 News from Metro ECSU
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December is a busy month!
Be sure to register for Metro ECSU and Success Beyond the Classroom winter/spring opportunities:
- Executive Function Skills: Measure What Matters (1/09/18) - for district and school administrators, early learning coordinators, curriculum directors, social workers
- Co-Teaching Basics with Martina Wagner (1/10/18) - for co-teacher teams, administrators, specialists, instructional coaches, para educators, any combination of teacher teams
- Sheltered Instruction (SIOP®) Refresher with Martina Wagner (1/18/18) - for Mainstream teachers, ELL specialists, instructional coaches, administrators who have had previous SIOP® training and have worked/will be working with English Language Learners
- Winning Strategies Conference - Reaching All Students! (1/27/18) - for paraprofessionals and future teachers
- MPA Leadership In-Service: Lead Like a Pirate with Shelley Burgess (1/30/18) -for school/district leaders
- STEMLink at Dunwoody College of Technology (3/13/18) - for 5th & 6th graders
- Young Authors Conference (3/16/18) - for 4th-8th graders
- Young Authors Conference (5/29, 5/30, 5/31 & 6/1/18) - for 4th-8th graders
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MPA Leadership In-Service Opportunity: Lead Like a Pirate with Shelley Burgess
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January can be a tough month, but leadership skills are
still critical. Metropolitan Principals’ Academy will be looking at leadership
strategies through a lighter lens with Shelley Burgess, Lead Like a Pirate, on January 30, 2018 at TIES. Two sessions are offered, morning and afternoon.
PIRATE = P –
Passion, I – Immersion, R – Rapport, A – Ask and Analyze, T – Transformation, E
– Enthusiasm. District and building leaders will walk away from this program
with the courage and practical ideas to become the kind of leaders they’ve always
hoped to be.
Shelley Burgess has served as an award-winning teacher,
principal, Director of Student Achievement, and Assistant Superintendent of
Educational Leadership. Her highly respected work focuses on building
leadership capacity through coaching, collaboration, and building a positive
culture of change, leading to dramatic improvements in teaching and learning.
She now works as a full-time partner at Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. and is
the co-author of P is for PIRATE: Inspirational ABC’s for
Educators and Lead Like a Pirate: Make School Amazing for Your
Students and Staff.
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Bilingual Seals -- What's the Deal?
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| Since 2009, Minnesota has moved
toward recognizing the skills and assets of our bilingual and
multilingual learners. However, with the LEAPS (Learning English for Academic Proficiency and Success) Act and ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act), there has been a renewed interest in our multilingual
learners. If a learner demonstrates proficiency in English and another ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) aligned assessment, they can
receive either a Gold or Platinum level Seal on their high school diploma. This seal values
the language skills of our learners and also
gives them a sense of pride. We know that speaking a second language is
essential for understanding cultures, learning about unique global perspectives
and preparing learners for work in the 21st century. But, did you also know
that Minnesota State awards college credit to
students who have a bilingual seal?
The seals are
a great opportunity for districts to support and value their learners and while preparing students for post-secondary paths. Metro ECSU has already
established partnerships with other organizations to offer a variety of services
regarding these Bilingual Seals. We work with districts to implement systems,
prepare teachers and students for assessments, and manage logistics regarding the assessments
themselves.
Contact Jacob Law at 612-638-1553 to learn more
about how Metro ECSU can help you further your goals to better
serve students who are bilingual and multilingual. |
| | Systemic English Language Development...How to Move from Add-On
Programming to Systemic Implementation |
| | by: Dr. Martina Wagner, Director of Development,
Metro ECSU-Center for English Language Learning and Achievement
It’s interesting the number of times I get asked the
question "What is the magic student-to-teacher ratio for English Learner
[EL] programming?" The mindset is typically..."If only I can
add EL staff to my building; the better our English Learners will
perform." While naturally I agree on adding more specialized staff
to a program, it’s not the only way to reach our multilingual learners.
The larger conversation in this is building capacity within
an infrastructure of teachers. We need to think systemically to ensure all teachers have
the skills and tools necessary to work with language development and the best
practices possible. My favorite conversation pieces are those that
involve rethinking systems. I often ask the question, "How do you
define integrated and dedicated English Language Development within your
district?" I have had more questions than answers resulting from
that prompt. So what suggestions do I typically make? Below are prompts that get you thinking about restructure to your ELD programming and that help teams develop systemic practices to reach culturally and
linguistically diverse populations. - What current and Systemic Processes
specific to culturally and linguistically diverse students are used throughout programming?
- What Procedures are Human Resources enlisting to recruit and retain
both ELD staff and core content teachers of culturally and linguistically
diverse students?
- What Research
Based practices are the expectation of all instruction?
- What
is the overall and detailed expectation of ELD Programs in relation
to the students that represent the English Language Learning population?
[Remember language is not one size fits all!]
- How
does Collaborative Leadership play a role with both EL staff and
core content staff? How are collaborations supported and maintained?
- How
are Fiscal Resources being returned to the population that
generates them? How are creative resources being shared throughout a
district to build capacity?
- What efforts and systems are in place for Family and Community
Partnering? Are they effective?
- What
is the process for Ongoing Evaluation of an ELD Program? Beyond
the program, how are core content and ELD staff evaluated on working with
ELs?
- Have
silos been broken between departments within a district? Are Teaching
and Learning Organizational Culture and student programs working in
tandem?
Naturally, there are many more in-depth pieces that go into
quality programming. It takes a system of stakeholders to create a
dynamic setting for each and every learner. Consider what steps and
refinements your system needs to be successful.
Did you know that Metro ECSU hosts an ELL Network for EL Program Coordinators? Contact Angela Skrade to register. |
| | Winning Strategies Conference for Paraprofessionals and Future Teachers takes place in January 2018!
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| Metro ECSU, MN Low Incidence
Projects-Region 11, and Normandale Community College are proud to present the 13th Annual Winning Strategies Conference for
Paraprofessionals and Future Teachers
January 27, 2018
8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Normandale Community College, Bloomington Fee: $25 Registration Deadline: January 19, 2018
Keynote Presentation: Reaching All Students! This year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Duchess Harris, challenges us to reach all students in classrooms--all cultures, all races and/or all
socio-economic levels--through
experiences, research, and placing current and historical events in context. She reminds us that events outside the classroom impact
students’ mindset and motivation in school.
Breakouts
Sessions Participants will
attend three (3) breakout sessions. Sessions will be selected at the event. - Using a Trauma-Sensitive Approach, Gwen
Johnson, OT, Northeast Metro 916
- Trauma and Toxic Stress Impact on Students,
Gwen Johnson, OT, Northeast Metro 916
- Captioning for Access, Emily Manson,
Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf/HH, St. Paul Public Schools
- The World Café: Handling Difficult Cultural
Conversations, Krista Happ, Normandale Community College
- Using Visual Strategies and Language
Techniques to Manage Behavior in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders,
Suzi Pierce Fish, Shakopee High School, Shakopee District
- Nurtured Heart Approach Refresher, Deb
West, WestEd Consulting
- Social Stories on the Go, Deb West,
WestEd Consulting
- How Diverse is Children’s Literature?,
Deb Williams, Rosemount/Apple Valley/Eagan District 196
- Tips and Tools for Working with English Language
Learners, Jacob Law, Metro ECSU
- Behavior and Other Gifts, Barb Sisco,
Minnesota Department of Education
- Poverty and the Impact in the Classroom,
Emily Saed, MN Foundation for Student Organizations, Certified Poverty Coach
- Everyone Has a Story, Tracy Reimer,
Bethel University
This initiative is made possible in part with a grant from the
Minnesota Department of Education using Federal funding CFDA 84.027A, Special
Education - Grants to States. This conference does not necessarily represent
the policy of the federal Department of Education or the state Department of
Education; endorsement by the federal or state government should not be
assumed. |
| | Minnesota DeafBlind Project - Supporting and Connecting Families Across the State
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| Hearing the words your child is deafblind can be an overwhelming,
isolating, and confusing time for families. The Minnesota DeafBlind Project is here to help families navigate the
world of deafblindness by providing information, support, and facilitating
connections to other families who have similar life experiences.
The Minnesota DeafBlind Project is a federally
funded initiative through a grant from the Department of Education, Office of
Special Education Programs (OSEP). Our
current 5-year grant will end in September 2018. At this time, no formal announcement for
funding beyond 2018 has been mentioned, but we remain hopeful that the
structure and funding for deafblind projects will continue. The mission of the Project is to work with
families and educators to ensure that infants, children and youth to age 21 who
are deafblind have access to the supports and services needed to reach their
full potential.
Through workshops, private consultations, and
parent-to-parent support we help families encourage their child’s
development. Family engagement
activities like the family & intervener picnic, annual retreat for moms,
family swimming and bowling activities, and educational workshops and events provide
an opportunity for families to connect face-to-face, and to build a strong
supportive deafblind community.
One of the most popular activities is the annual
mom’s weekend retreat which was just held this past October. The retreat format usually consists of three
main elements with various activities. The
three elements are: education & resource dissemination, self-care & life balance, and a shared experience & networking. This year’s retreat included topics
on literacy and adapting books, self-care and family balance, a panel
discussion with four agencies in Minnesota who provide support and services to
children, youth and families living with deafblindness, and some much needed time
for relaxation and fun. Participants traveled
from almost every region of the state, and represented kids from early childhood
age through transition age. A third of
the participants came to the retreat for their first time. It was a wonderful weekend of learning,
sharing, and supporting one another.
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| | New
Innovation Data Collection Tools for the Minnesota Centers of Excellence for
Young Children with Disabilities! |
| The Minnesota Centers of Excellence for Young Children with Disabilities (MNCoE) supports
Early Childhood Programs with foundational resources and innovations of
evidence-based practices to promote increased outcomes for students birth to 5
and their families. Ten new EC/ECSE
programs are installing one of the three innovations through the MNCoE this
school year:
- Family-Guided Routines
Based Intervention (for birth through 2 year old families),
- Classroom Engagement Model
(for 3-5 year old classrooms), and
- The Pyramid Model (for both infants/toddlers
and 3-5 year old classrooms).
New data
collection tools have been developed to support programs in looking at the
impact of these innovations on their program/student outcomes by summarizing
data into easy-to-read visual displays. These tools assist programs in making decisions using their data at
three different levels: program level, practitioner level, and student level. By examining this statewide data
through a data-based decision-making process, MDE is able to determine
additional professional development needs that will assist in increasing
student and family outcomes. For
more information about the MNCoE, please visit: Minnesota Centers of Excellence for Young Children with Disabilities |
| | | | SBC Chosen by Innovative Office Solutions and Minnesota Wild as Charity of the Month during February
Game Night is February 8!
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| Innovative Office Solutions and the Minnesota Wild recognize a different local non-profit
each month during the regular season. The Charity of the Month Program
provides awareness and exposure for the chosen non-profit over the
course of one month. The non-profit is featured on Wild.com, in Wild social
media posts, receives a feature piece in the monthly game magazine and
is highlighted during one Wild home game with access to fans via a
concourse table and a custom video piece featured during an
intermission. Success Beyond the Classroom will be highlighted during the home game on February 8 -- Minnesota Wild vs. Arizona Coyotes.
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| | Young Authors Conference (YAC) 2018:
Connecting Our World – One Story at a Time
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| | The theme of the 2018 Young Authors Conference is Connecting the World – One Story at a Time. The work being done by this year’s keynote, Green Card Voices,
demonstrates the power of shared personal narratives. Green Card Voices works with young immigrants from two metro area high schools. These
relationships have resulted in two books written by 60 students from
Wellstone International High School, Minneapolis, and LEAP High School,
St. Paul. Executive Director and 2015-17 Bush Fellow Tea Rozman Clark,
along with a few student writers, will keynote the 2018 Young Authors
Conference. Young Authors
Conference students will be encouraged to use their own stories to
connect with each other and the world. Learn more about our theme and keynote
SBC's Young Authors Conference (YAC)
gives 4th-8th grade students the opportunity to learn from professionals
with real writing experience. At the conference students attend a
keynote address and three interactive writing sessions led by local
fiction and non-fiction writers, poets, songwriters, playwrights,
actors, illustrators, and more. The presenters encourage and challenge
students to become better writers. Students leave YAC with a greater
passion to write and a new set of strategies and ideas with which to
experiment.
New this year, Green Card Voices invites you to a Teacher Workshop on how to use the educational resource Voices of Immigrant Storytellers: Teaching Guide for Middle and High Schools in your classroom. The Teaching Guide and its 10
lessons guide students and teachers through a historic, cultural, and
personal journey. Although geared towards a social studies classroom and
based on its subsequent core standards, the 10 lessons can be easily
adapted to grades 6-12 and other disciplines. This workshop will be offered for free at all 2018 YAC dates.
Young Authors Conference 2018 dates:
Location: Bethel University, St. Paul Campus
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| Metro ECSU and Success Beyond the Classroom welcome new staff member, Katie Lewis
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| Katie Lewis joins
Metro ECSU with over three years of education experience. After working in a
rural charter school, she is now a Success Beyond the Classroom team member as a Learning Consultant. Katie enjoys working on a team, and has a passion for
bringing educational opportunities to metro students. She will also work on
projects with the Special Education team at Metro ECSU. Outside of work Katie enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, Gil, rock
climbing, traveling, and playing with her new pup, Buzz. |
| | STEMLink @ Dunwoody College of Technology
Spots Open!
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| For the first time, Success Beyond the Classroom and Dunwoody College of Technology are partnering to offer a day of STEMLink for metro area students. Students in grades 5 and 6 will attend three interactive breakout sessions taught by faculty members and industry professionals.
Date: March 13, 2018
Fifteen breakout sessions will be offered, including:
- Robots - Artificial Intelligence and Machine Intelligence
- Civil Engineering - Basic Measurement and Topography
- Advances in Prosthetics Design
- Take a Ride in Automotive STEM!
- The History of the Modern Computer
Registration information
Questions? Contact Kelly Ascheman at 612-638-1555.
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| | | | The staff at Metro ECSU wish you a peaceful and joyous holiday season. See you in 2018!
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