May 2018
Moore teacher named state Art Educator of the Year Bockerman called the honor “monumental.” “This recognition validates the work we are doing to facilitate student growth in self-exploration, collaboration, connectionmaking and cultural awareness,” she said. “Through the exploration of empathetic communication, problem-seeking and solving, and pattern-recognizing, visual art students are learning skills to prepare them for a global future.” LPS Art Curriculum Specialist Lorinda Rice praised Bockerman for her work that led to this award. “Jennifer projects authentic learning experiences on her students that allow for connection to critical life experiences and the meaning-making that happens when they research, create and reflect within the creative process,” Rice said.
A teacher with Lincoln Public Schools has been named the Nebraska Art Educator of the Year. The National Art Education Association honored Moore Middle School art teacher Jennifer Bockerman at the group’s national convention March 23 in Seattle.
Bockerman previously taught at Norwood Park Elementary School. In 2017, she was named to the Nebraska Department of Education’s STEM Fellows Academy. She was a team member on the Nebraska Fine Arts Standards team in 2015 and has collaborated with local museums for student access and programming. She also is an active visual artist herself, with numerous local, regional and national group and solo exhibitions.
Roper teachers honored with first WIT Award Lincoln Public Schools staff do such excellent work, they have inspired the creation of a new award - WIT/Whatever It Takes - to recognize the moments when people go above and beyond to do “whatever it takes.” Jane Stavem, associate superintendent for instruction, stopped by Roper Elementary School recently to present the first WIT Award, honoring the fourth-grade teachers for going above and beyond. Tysie Cournoyer, Tori Hupf, Charlene Simpson and Tara Topham went above and beyond and did “Whatever It Takes” to help the Lincoln Police Department locate a student who went missing one evening long after school was out. As soon as they heard a student was reported missing by family, the teachers returned to school to provide valuable information to police and began combing the neighborhood until the student was found and returned safely home.
SECTION A:
Thank you for your dedicated service to our students!
A2 Lunch with a Cop A3 Graduation
Honoring LPS paraprofessionals The Individual Success Program (ISP) offered by Lincoln Public Schools provides an opportunity to succeed for special education students who need more individualized behavioral and academic instruction than their home schools can provide. Elementary students in the program attend Humann Elementary School, with older students attending the program at Lux Middle School and East High School. The program focuses on individualized instruction, with ISP team members working one-on-one with students as much as possible. For students, it’s all about their individual success. But for the ISP team at Humann, it’s all about their success as a group - a group so tight-knit that sometimes words aren’t even necessary. “I think that we have an amazing team dynamic,” said paraeducator Jill Hurtz. “We have such a good connection that a lot of times all we have to do is look at each other and we know what needs to be done.” Hurtz is one of thousands of paraeducators nationwide honored on Wednesday, April 4, as part of Paraprofessional Appreciation Day. A paraeducator, typically referred to as a para, is a teaching-related position generally responsible for specialized or concentrated assistance with students. Hurtz and two other paras, Helen Ristow and Toni Daro, are part of the ISP team at Humann. They’re joined by intervention specialist Samantha Bjorkman, team leader Katie Troupe and part-time special education teacher Rachel McNaught.
It’s the first year for the ISP program and the Humann team is already seeing results with their students. For example, parents have said their children are now using coping strategies learned at school at home. One student, a secondgrader, sometimes requests a “calming break” at home or at social outings with his family. Troupe said the program is serving an important purpose. “The ultimate goal for students is to come to our programming and receive everything instructionally that they need to be successful, to learn how to cope and self-regulate and deal with negative emotions, and to learn how to be a citizen of their school, ultimately with the hope that they’ll return to their home school with these new tools and be successful there,” she said. Ristow knew when she interviewed for the job that ISP was something special. “When I left the job interview, I wanted the job but I was even more happy that this program was going to happen,” she said. “I hoped I got the job but I was also just excited that there was going to be growth for these children.” Spoken like a true team player.
A4 East High Debate A5 Make a Difference Fair A6 TeamMates of the Month A8 New Pirincipals A13 May Menus A16 Earth Wellness Festival SECTION B: B1 Cultivating Home Grown Future Teachers B2 National Week of the Young Child B2 Wellness Tips B4 Athletic Summer Clinics B6 Learning Lunch B6 LSE Role Models B7 Puzzle Pullout B11 Genius Hour Fair at Moore B13 LSW State Speech B13 Arts & Humanities Plant Seeds of Community