Spring 2018

NCSA TODAY A PUBLICATION OF THE NEBRASKA COUNCIL OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

TeamMates Mentee Becomes Mentor Meet the New ESU Administrators Prevention and Preparedness

Nebraska Council of School Administrators

Spring 2018

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C ONTENTS

4 Former Mentee Creates Ripple Through

Mentoring Program

BY HANNAH MILLER

5 New ESU Administrators Bring Wide Range of

Experience and Objectives

BY TYLER DAHLGREN

16 Prevention and Preparedness:

Hard Pills to Swallow

BY JOLENE PALMER

8

Building Single Accountability System, Furthering Alignment Efforts on Commissioner’s Docket

BY TYLER DAHLGREN

10

What Are We Teaching Our Kids?

BY JASON CALAHAN

12

Lost Creek Dream: Inclusive Playground Brings Joy to All in Columbus

BY TYLER DAHLGREN

14

Rubik’s Cube and Leadership

15 Reaping the Benefits of Mentoring

BY PATRICK OSMOND & DR. DAWN LEWIS

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Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Mike Sieh Vice Chair. . . . . . . . . . . Jim Widdifield Immed. Past Chair. . . Jeff Schneider NASA Representatives President. . . . . . . . . . Dr. John Skretta President Elect. . . . . . . . . . Greg Sjuts Past President . . . . . . . Dr. Mike Sieh NASBO Representatives President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Dahl President Elect. . Jason Buckingham Past President . . . . . . . . John Brazell NAESP Representatives President. . . . . . . . . . . Jason Calahan President Elect. . . . . . . . Casey Slama Past President . . . . . . . Jim Widdifield NASES Representatives President. . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Harris President Elect. . . . Dr. Terry Houlton Past President . . . . . . . Missy Dobish NSASSP Representatives President. . . . . . . . Brandon Mowinkel President Elect. . . . . . . Dr. Jay Dostal Past President . . . . . Steve Adkisson NARSA Representative President. . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Meyer NCSA STAFF

BY BRANDON MOWINKEL

NCSA EXECUTIVE BOARD 2017-2018

Sponsorship

BC Calendar of Events NCSA Mission

The mission of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA) is to be an effective leader for quality education and to enhance the professionalism of its members.

NCSA Today is a benefit of membership in the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, 455 South 11th Street, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68508. Telephone 402.476.8055 or 800.793.6272. Fax 402.476.7740.

Annual membership dues are $335 (active members), $125 (associate members), or $50 (student members). NCSA Today is published quarterly. Send address changes to NCSA, Membership, 455 South 11th Street, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68508. Copyright ©2016 by NCSA. All rights reserved.

Dr. Michael S. Dulaney Executive Director/Lobbyist Dr. Dan E. Ernst Associate Executive Director/Lobbyist Megan Hillabrand Professional Development Manager Amy Poggenklass Finance and Membership Director Tyler Dahlgren Communications Specialist Carol Young Executive Administrative Assistant Connie Hilker Administrative Assistant The opinions expressed in NCSA Today or by its authors do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators.

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Former Mentee Creates Ripple Through Mentoring Program

BY HANNAH MILLER, TeamMates Mentoring Program Communications & Recruitment Specialist

both recall playing board games and talking about what’s going on in each other’s lives. Travis was never seen as Aaron’s tutor or counselor— he was a safe, adult friend.

“My favorite times that I spent with Aaron would be when we would sit there and visit about was going on in his life, things he was involved in, and things he enjoyed,” Travis said.

Started by Tom and Nancy Osborne in 1991, the TeamMates Mentoring Program is a school-based organization hoping to impact the world by inspiring youth to reach their full potential. Mentees can be nominated through a parent, school-staff person, or through self-nomination. The program serves more than 8,200 students in about 160 communities across Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Wyoming.

The demand for TeamMates mentors continues to rise as the program’s impact reaches more students across the Midwest.

Thousands of young people ask their local coordinators for a mentor each year. For Aaron, he remembers wanting an extra adult to look up to.

“I grew up without a father, so it really helped to have that male role model,” Aaron said. “Travis was always timely and professional.”

Aaron Butler’s TeamMates journey started when he was 13-years-old in the Papillion La Vista school district. He said he was a shy 7th grader coming close to truancy status in the classroom.

“The school suggested I have a mentor,” Aaron said. “I was always willing to give something a try.”

In walked Travis French, Aaron’s mentor. They met at school once a week until Aaron’s graduation in 2008.

“Aaron was quiet, laid-back, and reserved,” Travis remembered. “He was definitely a kid that you could tell was a good kid.”

TeamMates matches last an average of 27.6 months, which comes close to 3 school years. The national average of mentoring programs is about 16 months. Aaron and Travis’ relationship was similar to others in the TeamMates Mentoring Program by the way they spent their time. They

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Now, Aaron is channeling his relationship with Travis in his new role as a mentor in Bellevue Public Schools. He started meeting with his mentee, Xzavier, three years ago. Now, as a 6th grader, Xzavier is in his final year of elementary school and is preparing to enter middle school.

“Our meetings make me feel old,” Aaron laughed. “They give me flashbacks of snacks and recess.” ■ We are proud to announce TeamMates as an NCSA Gold Sponsor. This partnership will promote the inspiring work of TeamMates programs.

E S U S POTL I G HT

New ESU Administrators Bring Wide Range of Experience and Objectives

BY TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist

Bill Heimann, former superintendent of Waverly Public Schools, took over as administrator of ESU 1 in Northeast Nebraska last July. He leads a team that serves 22 school districts and approximately 11,000 students.

Seven of the state’s 17 Educational Service Units (ESUs) experienced administrative turnover last term, prompting an influx of previous experiences and a multifaceted list of future objectives.

NCSA caught up with the new ESU administrators in January. Each discussed how careers spent in education have prepared them for their current positions, as well as what they hope to accomplish in the immediate future and down the road.

In a career spanning 27 years, Melissa Wheelock has seen firsthand the many ways ESUs assist and benefit Nebraska’s public schools. The model of ESU 10, “Our Focus is on Serving You”, spoke to the former superintendent of Minden Public Schools.

Wheelock

“I believe whole-heartedly in servant leadership,” said Wheelock. “In my career, I have seen ESUs benefit our public schools by being a support and a resource to enhance learning opportunities for students and school districts. The teamwork I have witnessed between school districts and ESUs for the benefit of student learning is definitely something I am excited to be a part of.”

Wheelock’s first administrative goal at ESU 10 is to establish relationships with stakeholders.

“Education is, first and foremost, based on those stakeholders,” Wheelock, who also spoke of advocacy, said. “I am planning to tell our story to showcase all of the outstanding learning opportunities that are taking place in our school districts and in our communities.”

She plans to increase communication and believes it is essential to maintain a climate based on respect, professionalism and integrity.

“The collective efforts of ESUs working together, and with NDE, to leverage the talents from each organization to provide a stronger infrastructure, such as technology infrastructure, purchasing power, professional development and training, and special education services,” Heimann said of the ways ESUs have positively impacted the districts he has worked in throughout a 23-year career. “Tapping into the talents of people from school districts and working collaboratively pushes everyone to a higher level of performance.”

Heimann

A former teacher, principal and superintendent, Heimann understands the importance of ESUs, and the services they provide.

“Each day, we collaborate with the hard-working, dedicated and talented educators who bring hope and optimism into our schools to help all students identify their talents, interests and passions,” Heimann said “Each ESU has a role in this vital statewide effort to educate our greatest resource: Children.”

“Tapping into the talents of people from school districts and working collaboratively pushes everyone to a higher level of performance.”

— Bill Heimann

Continued on page 6 >>

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E SU S P OT LI G H T

Wickham

Connie Wickham brings a different perspective to the fold, formed over the span of a two-decade career at ESU 19 in Omaha, where she now serves as administrator.

Wickham saw ESU 19 provide affordable professional development, an always-busy 24/7 help desk, and a media technology center.

“Many districts would be floundering without the supplemental support of an ESU,” Wickham said. “I also feel that ESUs play a vital role in working together with the Nebraska Department of Education, as well as with the State Board of Education.”

“I hadn’t,” Paulman said. “I loved my work as a teacher and I loved Madison Middle School, but the seed had been planted.”

She thought about her session with the reading specialist from ESU 16.

“The idea that impacting one teacher has the potential effect of impacting hundreds of students was compelling.”

Paulman joined ESU 16 as a staff development consultant in 2005, was hired as the Director of Staff Development in 2014 and announced as ESU 16 Administrator last July.

The more collaboration, the better, Wickham explained.

“When everyone works together, our public schools, and our students, specifically, benefit,” she said.

From 1980 through 2005, Deb Paulman was a science teacher, and, at heart, that’s what she will always be.

Paulman loved to teach, and spent time in districts small (Wallace School District 65R) and large (Millard Public Schools). She was teaching Paulman 7th-grade science at Madison Middle School in North Platte when the school prioritized students struggling to read proficiently, a focus that would trigger a career-shift for Paulman.

“I remember thinking ‘I don’t know anything about teaching or supporting reading…I’m the science teacher,’” she said.

“Our administration brought in the reading specialist from ESU 16 to one of our professional development days. It was an engaging, informative presentation that gave me, the science teacher, some concrete, actionable strategies to use with struggling readers, as well as some research-based background information on how to think about reading in my content area.”

A year later, ESU 16 approached Paulman and asked if she’d ever given any thought to staff development.

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McNiff

A self-described firm believer in the philosophy of life-long learnings, ESU 5 Administrator Brenda McNiff earned her Doctorate of Education in Educational Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the fall of 2012, 17 years and two master’s degrees after graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Social Sciences from UNL.

Along the way, McNiff paved quite a career in education, starting as a social sciences teacher at Clarinda Academy in Iowa, where she later became a guidance counselor before serving as the Principal/Director of Education. Clarinda Academy is a residential juvenile placement for youth ages 12-18, many with previous exposure to gangs, from cities like Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles.

“Being involved with students that had such significantly different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds than mine helped me grow as a teacher and a leader,” said McNiff, who grew up in rural Nebraska.

“I feel an ESU’s greatest purpose is to provide opportunities and quality programs for member school districts,” — Brenda McNiff

E S U S POTL I G HT

When Gregg Robke was hired as Technology Director at ESU 4, the position looked much different than it does today, he said. Schools in general, thanks to a technological overhaul and natural modernization, look different.

In 2003, McNiff moved to Beatrice and accepted a Transition Specialist position with ESU 5. Over the next 14 years, she held a handful of different positions, most recently the Director of Special Education.

“Having worked for ESU 5 for approximately 15 years, I felt I would be able to bring to the administrative position a unique historical outlook, along with a fresh perspective to education and the role of educational service agencies in Nebraska,” McNiff said.

“I wanted to experience those changes and help our schools succeed in bringing technology into the curriculum,” Robke said. “In my time as technology director, I saw districts develop and implement 1:1 Initiatives.”

Robke

Immediate focuses for McNiff include listening, learning and observing. She aims to have “healthy, candid conversations with all stakeholders regarding what is or isn’t working.”

As ESU 5 continues to develop and grow programs for the future, McNiff plans to build on an already outstanding foundation. To do so, she said, programs, resources and processes must be aligned in a manner that supports member districts.

These are exciting, albeit challenging, times in public education, McNiff said, and the need for passionate, innovate and well-informed leadership has never been greater.

“I feel an ESU’s greatest purpose is to provide opportunities and quality programs for member school districts,” she said.

“With resourceful, creative and visionary ideas from staff, I believe that together we can accomplish these goals to ensure we reach every student, every day.”

Greg Barnes learned early on in his teaching career, before his eight years as a principal and 18 as a superintendent, the vital role ESUs play in professional development.

“We go to college to learn how to be teachers, and we can take graduate courses after Barnes that, but I believe I learned more from ESU staff and the other teachers they would bring together to discuss and share different methods of effective teaching,” Barnes, the new administrator at ESU 11 in Holdrege, said. “As a principal and superintendent, I tried to provide teachers and other staff members opportunities to learn and grow in their profession.

Now, I am able to do the same for 13 school districts. Our ESU has a definite impact on the education the students receive in all of our schools, and I am excited to be a part of that.”

It was a fulfilling career venture for Robke, and he was ready for the next challenge. He applied for the ESU 4 Administrator position last year, was offered and accepted.

“One of my major goals is to publicly advocate for what we do at ESU 4,” Robke said. “I hope to do that by visiting with every school district administrator, and also hope to attend at least one school board meeting for each district we serve.”

Robke also plans to build on relationships with each district in ESU 4, other ESUs and the Department of Education, in addition to other statewide organizations.

“Unique to ESU 4 is the Nebraska Center for the Education of Children who are Blind and Visually Impaired (NCECBVI),” Robke said. “NCECBVI offers statewide assistance to students and families. When we refer to ‘every’ student, it must be inclusive of the special education population, and the staff at NCECBVI works very hard to ensure students’ needs are met through the educational process.”

Each new administrator expressed intentions to increase collaboration with NDE, a sentiment that was echoed by Commissioner of Education Dr. Matt Blomstedt, himself a former ESUCC Executive Director, who notes ongoing efforts to align resources, fiscally, through the state.

“ESUs are providing capacity from a scale standpoint, their technological infrastructure side is substantial and the importance around special education in most areas is substantial,” Blomstedt said. “This is where I think the ESUCC is important, because they can have statewide conversations officially, and that is a key part of that particular structure.” ■

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CO MMI S S I O NER ’S R EPO R T

Building Single Accountability System, Furthering Alignment Efforts on Commissioner’s Docket

By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist

be placed on the State Board. That substantial role is still under development, Blomstedt said, and as NDE continues to have conversations with school leaders, school boards and other stakeholders, sharing the same point of reference when it comes to the language within the strategic vision will be imperative.

“The more we are able to tie back to the vision and direction that the State Board laid out, the more opportunities we have to interact with others, including the Legislature,” Blomstedt said.

Dr. Matt Blomstedt

When the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) rolled out a new website last fall detailing progress and efforts underneath the State Board’s newly-prepared strategic plan, Education Commissioner Dr. Matt Blomstedt felt the first step had been taken towards clearer communication.

“The site gives everyone a sense of what the plan includes, and you have a click-through opportunity to look at what the goals report,” Blomstedt said. “I highlighted to the State Board in December and January a set of priorities, from my standpoint, relative to the work we have ahead of us, and those priorities will also be reflected in the website so that we can start to report on activities and efforts under way.”

It’s the middle of February, and communication, transparency and alignment remain a permanent fixture in Blomstedt’s loaded docket. The commissioner encourages stakeholders, and everyone, really, to spend some time on the new site (www.NebraskaEducationVision.com).

When NCSA Today last met with Blomstedt, he spoke extensively about a reliance for policy leadership he expected to

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Also aligned with the Board’s strategic vision and direction is AQuESTT (Accountability for a Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow) and NDE’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan.

“As we keep thinking about how ESSA functions, we have taken a strong stand that we want one accountability system and not separate accountability systems,” Blomstedt said.

“Alignment is critical for us to insure that we are able to carry the plan out and accomplish improvement.”

The 2017-2026 Strategic Vision and Direction, according to the site, is set it place “to lead and support the preparation of all Nebraskans for learning, earning and living”. Blomstedt and the rest of the department are aware of the difficulties that come with implementing a 10-year plan, but the decision to project out further was a necessity considering the state’s biennial budgeting and a commitment to closing achievement gaps.

“It’s important that we look at moving the metrics we identified within the plan,” Blomstedt said. “If we’re going to close achievement gaps, we have to have a longer view. With school districts, for example, I think it would be logical for them to be on a five-year continuous improvement cycle.”

C O MMIS S IO NE R’S REP ORT

“There are two elements of the plan. The first is the identification of specific activities in the short-term. The second is a review of benchmarks and metrics, an element that is analyzed more in the long-term. You see repeated examples when examining the Board’s strategic plan,” Blomstedt said.

“You can see it in the goal reporting, in how those goals that are a bit more qualitative review because it is asking that certain things are happening rather than certain outcomes happening,” he said. “As for the outcomes, well there are a lot of them around achievement and attendance, and in order to improve those specific things we are going to need everyone working together.”

“Many of the goals are lofty, but with the combined efforts of Nebraska public education collaborators, they’re achievable. They’re not goals the department can attain on its own,” Blomstedt said.

“Goals that you can accomplish yourself are not sufficiently ambitious,” Blomstedt told the State Board. “Setting those high goals really does force us into conversations about the alignment of the system, and the partners of the system, all the way through to the classroom level. It is important that we are thinking through the supports that particular classrooms, schools, districts or ESUs need.”

Blomstedt talks often about the notion of roles in education.

He says he’s proud of the way Nebraskans embrace their roles, a key to collaborative success.

“The most motivating part of the plan is thinking through how we are a champion, and how we are a regulator, and how we are a capacity builder and a connector and a change agent,” Blomstedt said. “That is fairly universal, so if you go to a school district you are going to find that administrations and school boards have to think through those types of things as well.”

“The department is particularly focused on helping the districts, buildings, classrooms and students that need help the most,” Blomstedt said. Conversations on how to accomplish that are coming along.

“It seems like an appropriate and efficient way to address challenges,” Blomstedt said. “We are wanting to be able to use the AQuESTT system as a way to identify and target efforts that would assist the places that need it the most.”

NDE continues to work on alignment within the department, too, organizing teams within the organization. There are currently three divisions under the three deputies in the organization. One division will be focused on agency operations.

One will focus on school improvement and support systems for schools, including accreditation and teacher certification.

The other will focus on providing services and supports to students and individuals.

“It was a good moment in time to do that, with all the alignment occurring under the strategic plan,” Blomstedt said.

“NDE has also vamped up its communications efforts. The communications team,” Blomstedt said, “is broader than what the department has had before.”

“There is a sense of pride around a polished communications effort,” he said, “and NDE has seen theirs pay dividends already.”

“Our communications team is engaged in pushing out information as well as listening and gathering information,” the commissioner said. “We are trying to be intentional in getting the right information out to the right audiences.” ■

Leadership Announcement The Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals (NSASSP) is excited to announce Sheri Chittenden, Principal of Paxton Consolidated Schools, as the recently-appointed NSASSP President-Elect. Sheri fills the vacancy left by Dr. Jay Dostal who will take the position next year as Fayetteville, Arkansas High School Principal. Congratulations to both!

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What Are We Teaching Our Kids?

By JASON CALAHAN, NAESP President

Have you ever heard this question? Maybe from a parent or other stakeholder - probably on a social media rant… It seems to be coming up a lot recently. It comes up when we talk about assessments. It comes up when we talk about “the shift in standards.” It comes up when we Calahan talk about extracurriculars. It comes up when we talk about school discipline and school law. It comes up when we talk about school safety. I don’t think anyone expects an answer - it’s meant as a rhetorical question, often accompanied by a disappointed head shake.

As I travel the State and talk to educators I’m more and more convinced of the need to be able to readily express an answer to this question. You might recall Joe Sanfelippo telling us that “in the absence of information, people make up their own.” There is a whole movement in Nebraska dedicated to answering this question - you’ve probably heard of “Nebraska Loves Public Schools.” We have ambassadors through NCSA charged with answering this question. We dance around it with a lot of different syntax in many different ways, but the root of these efforts is to provide an answer for “what are we teaching our kids?”

I can’t possibly provide an exhaustive list of ‘what we’re teaching our kids” but I have some thoughts…

We’re teaching our kids character. It’s easy for critics to cherry-pick incidents and try to blame schools but a large majority of public school students are really good citizens!

We’re teaching them to be compassionate, empathetic, decent human beings with a civic awareness to help lift up their fellow man. Pull up any educator on Twitter and you will see post after post of character building programs, techniques and strategies. These are things going on every second of every day in every school - and they all begin with a positive relationship with students. As educators, we strive to understand where our kids are so we can meet them there and guide them out if needed. We understand the relationship we have with them might be the only positive relationship they have with any adult. We understand that we are role models and we need to be a mentor for them. We understand that the most important thing we can teach a young

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person is to live a life of great character where they can be proud of the person they are and equip them with the tools to become the person they want to be.

We’re teaching our kids grit. This is a tough one in a society where hard work seems to take a back seat to instant gratification. We know our students need to be committed to themselves and their goals. We teach them to be responsible for their actions - and their inactions. We teach them to learn from their failures and we give them opportunities to make up for mistakes. We teach them about deadlines and obligations and we hold them accountable - even if the world around them doesn’t.

We’re teaching our kids sportsmanship. Virtually any given evening, you can catch our youth on display in various NSAA sponsored events throughout the state. We’re teaching them to obey the rules of the game and to respect the authority of coaches and officials. We’re teaching them to support their teammates and respect their opponents. We’re teaching them to celebrate success and learn from defeat. We’re teaching them to work hard, on their own time, for things that matter to them and we show them that work pays off.

We’re also teaching our kids the content that most of the world believes our job entails. We teach five-year old students to read books and write in complete sentences. We teach eight-year old students to track their learning in journals. We teach 12-year-old students algebra that many adults couldn’t begin to explain. We teach 15-year-old students to write poetry, create music and produce unimaginable art.

We teach 18-year-old students advanced calculus and computer programming that will drive the future of this country.

Our teachers spend hours upon hours building and rebuilding content knowledge and honing instructional delivery. We spend sleepless nights preparing ourselves to ensure our students are ready for standardized tests that sometimes seem to be a moving target. We read books and articles and journals to ensure we’re on the bleeding edge of the “what works” research.

And despite what you may hear or read in the local paper, we’re succeeding. A quick Google search for state education rankings will lead you to the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the US News and World Report Best States for Education and many other sites and publications that seek to quantify the educational output of our nation’s schools. Nebraska is consistently near the top in literally

A FFILIA T E LE A DERSHI P

every study. We graduate students ready for a successful life in a changing world.

As educators, our natural instinct is to focus on what’s wrong.

That’s who we are and why we’re good at this. We spend so much time and effort on the challenges of our career that we forget to celebrate what’s right with Nebraska education.

When we hear someone mutter “what are we teaching these

kids,” we duck away and dodge the question because our sights are focused on the work we still need to do. I implore you, don’t ever forget that we are some of the nation’s top educators and we need to celebrate that daily! Be proud of your school. Be proud of your students and your staff. Be proud of your career and be quick to tell anyone that will listen exactly “what we are teaching these kids.” ■

Statewide Movement Addresses Trafficking NCSA attended a press conference on January 11 as a partner in a new campaign launched by the Attorney General’s Office that calls for an end to the sex trafficking of children in Nebraska. The campaign, called Demand an End, was unveiled to a large audience in the State Capitol’s Rotunda. Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson (pictured) and several proponents of Demand an End addressed the crowd, while partners stood in support around the podium. “This is going to make a difference in many lives,” said Senator Patty Pansing Brooks (pictured). “Demand an End is going to help a lot of people. It’s going to help protect the most vulnerable.”

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Lost Creek Dream: Inclusive Playground Brings Joy to ALL in Columbus

By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist

There were magic moments in Columbus last Tuesday night, as a dream more than two and a half years in the making became a heart-warming reality.

The grand opening for the new Lost Creek Community Inclusive Playground drew a large crowd to the elementary school, where students, ALL students, laughed and played under a warm October sun.

“It was incredible,” said Megan Johnson, a special education teacher at Lost Creek Elementary, located just south of Columbus High School. “All along the way, we were asking ourselves ‘Is it going to match the vision we had? Are kids and their families, the ones who will be most impacted by the playground, going to be happy with it?’”

Johnson, along with high-needs teacher Michelle Figge, approached principal Jeff Bartels and Executive Director of Special Education Jason Harris with their idea in February of 2015.

They pitched a playground fit for all, with special equipment designed to accommodate those with disabilities.

“I loved the dream,” Harris said, though it turned out the school didn’t qualify for the $100K grant Figge and Johnson had initially

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planned to apply for. “We got our grant writer involved, and what we were finding was that we didn’t qualify for a lot of those grants due to one reason or another. That’s when Megan and the team started talking about fundraising.”

The fundraising drive started with Johnson, Figge and a few administrators, whose slates were already stacked with other building renovations going on within the district. Knowing they couldn’t pull it off alone, the two teachers formed a committee.

“A couple of parents and the program director for ‘The Arc of Platte County’, which serves individuals with disabilities, wanted to be a part of it,” Johnson said.

The committee started talking to anybody that would listen. The Rotary Club, Noon Lions Club, Sertoma Club and the Eagles Club. All the clubs. Columbus Public Schools funded about half of the playground. A caring community took care of the rest.

“It really became a community event as it got going,” Harris said.

“Megan, Michelle and the team had the fire to make it happen.”

Johnson hoped the community would feel her committee’s passion, hear their dream and see their vision. “Hopefully,” she said, “they’d buy in.”

PRO GRA M S POTL I G HT “And they did,” Johnson said. “It was incredible.”

Crouch Recreation designed the state-of-the-art facility, with wheelchair-accessible swings and a smooth, gravel-free surface. Dostal Construction handled the installation, and, when all was said and done, a dream turned into a reality.

“The playground exceeded my expectations,” Harris said. “Seeing all students playing together, being able to swing for the first time, with other students swinging right beside them, that really warmed my heart. That’s what this vision was all about.”

On a picture-perfect Tuesday night, disabilities faded into the background, as laughter, joy and a young student body’s togetherness took its rightful place, front and center.

“Lost Creek, because of the specialized programs we have here, is a special community of students,” Johnson said. “Our students learn a sense of empathy and compassion for kids with special needs, and they feel comfortable with kids that are different from them. To see them playing together was incredible.”

is an entire population of parents and grandparents confined to wheelchairs or walkers that now can join in on their kid’s fun instead of being stuck on a bench, Johnson explains.

“It truly is a community project, and I think that’s why the community bought into it so well,” she said.

Both Johnson and Harris stress the importance community will play in how the playground is utilized moving forward. “Playground Palooza”, a fundraiser held by the committee in each of the last two springs, drew over 700 people. Some were connected to the district’s schools. Some were not.

“What makes this story so amazing is that it started with a dream,” Harris said. “How two special education teachers could help their students get a playground. Over time, this really became a community dream.”

Johnson has been touched by all of the support. There’s so many people to thank she doesn’t know where to begin.

The playground started out as a dream.

For the first time, parents had the chance to push their son or daughter on a swing set, a simple act that can be taken for granted. For Johnson, seeing those interactions made the last two tireless years worthwhile, and so much more.

For the kids it was built for, swinging high towards the sky or gliding down a slippery slide, was always just that. Then two teachers, an administrative staff and the Columbus community vowed to change that.

“Getting them to the grand opening and seeing their faces, some of them had tears in their eyes as their kids played, it was just awesome,” she said. “This is going to make a difference in the lives of a lot of people in our community.”

Johnson recalls a kindergartner walking up to her at lunch one day during the fundraising campaign. The kindergartner handed over a bag of change. Nickels and dimes and quarters and pennies. “This is for the playground.” ■

The playground was built with the kids in mind, no doubt about it, but they won’t be the playground’s only beneficiaries. There

Article originally published by Nebraska Public School Advantage.

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Rubik’s Cube and Leadership

By BRANDON MOWINKEL, NSASSP President

This past summer, my 8 year old son, Zephyr, asked me, “Dad, have you ever solved a Rubik’s Cube?” I was honest and told him that I had tried and failed, but at the same time had never really given it much effort. He then proceeded to challenge us both by declaring WE were going Mowinkel to learn how to solve a Rubik’s Cube. A plethora of thoughts came rushing through my head. How was I going to help him?

How much time was this process going to take? How was I going to eventually figure it out? What happens if he fails?

What happens when I fail? A journey was about to begin and I had no idea if we would meet our goal.

My thought process was a simple one: start with one side, figure it out, then tackle the next side, and the next and the next. However, what I soon realized was that I was spinning my wheels. It seemed like every move would throw off the entire cube and I would be back to square one. I was stuck, frustrated, and ready to give up. How was I ever going to not only solve this complex puzzle but help my son do the same?

As the two of us continued to struggle through the process of solving a Rubik’s Cube, it soon became apparent that I needed help. What started as a challenge from Zephyr, in turn, became a series of valuable lessons from him. What I was failing to do was utilize the resources I had all around me. Within two seconds he had googled, “How to solve a Rubik’s Cube” and thousands of videos appeared. We had all the information we needed at our fingertips. With the help of the videos, I worked and worked and after a short nine hours I successfully solved the Rubik’s Cube. We had a moment of celebration, and with a renewed energy he was ready to take the cube head on.

However, things don’t always go as planned.

For my son, nine hours was not enough. He would try, get close, something would go wrong and he would have to start over. Days turned into weeks, then months, and his frustration level was rising. He spoke of how this was never going to happen and that he might as well just give up. After five months of trying, watching endless YouTube videos, struggling through the process, and memorizing countless algorithms it finally happened. With tremendous joy and excitement, and very little help from me, he had solved the Rubik’s Cube. His feat has

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led to new challenges, experiences, and the ability to solve various other Rubik’s Cubes with lightning speed. What once took months has turned into seconds. What was once a dream has become an achievement and source of pride for him.

What I initially viewed as a six sided multicolored challenge, became a series of lessons for me as a father and school leader. Zephyr showed me what a true growth mindset looks like. He persevered through months of struggle, disappointment, trial and error. He never gave up. He kept his goal in mind and went further than either of us ever imagined.

The Rubik’s Cube also taught me that life isn’t always as linear and sequential as we sometimes are led to believe. One action or move can have a major impact on the “system” as a whole and the same can be said for our schools. Everyday we are working towards solving a side of the Rubik’s Cube whether it is with our students, staff, or community. What impacts one group can oftentimes impact the whole system. However, the most important lesson he taught me is that I don’t always have to have the answer.

Often times, as leaders, we get stuck thinking we need to quickly have the solution. Whether dealing with students, parents, community members, or staff, the pressure is on us to have an answer, develop a plan, and execute that plan to perfection. My son taught me that it’s OK to admit I don’t know how to do something and I may need to use my resources to learn. Just as he was able to learn through YouTube videos how to solve the Rubik’s Cube, as leaders we should rely on our mentors, trusted advisors, and colleagues to help solve our dilemmas. Google and YouTube has allowed us to have nearly every answer at our fingertips, and the network of trusted educators we have built provides us those same resources.

So what is your Rubik’s Cube? What problem or solution are you trying to solve on your own? How could an email, phone call, or meeting help solve your problem? Besides my daily interactions with students and staff, the one aspect of my job I love the most is the relationships I have built with fellow administrators across the state. I know I can rely on them at any time to help me with my toughest problem. Often times this job can feel like the Rubik’s Cube, but being part of NSASSP and NCSA is the algorithm to success. ■

LE A DE RS HIP ME NTORI NG

Reaping the Benefits of Mentoring

By PATRICK OSMOND, Superintendent at Anselmo-Merna

By DR. DAWN LEWIS, Superintendent at Arnold and Callaway

Lewis

A mentoring relationship between a beginning and a veteran superintendent can be valuable, practical, and productive. A strong relationship, when mentor and mentee benefit equally, can validate the efforts of a fledgling superintendent, ease the initial transition into a superintendency, and tap into the wealth of knowledge available from a more seasoned administrator. A veteran superintendent can benefit by being exposed to new ideas and concepts.

However, deciding to participate in a mentoring relationship should not be taken lightly.

In our experience, the following precepts served as the foundation in this mentoring relationship: Osmond

• • • •

Open and honest communication in an environment perceived by each as safe; A personal stake in the professional growth of one another; A common, mutually beneficial goal for each person to be invested in the relationship; Recognition of one another’s unique strengths, and the mindset of learning from each other.

If a seasoned superintendent agrees to participate in a mentoring arrangement anticipating he or she will only impart knowledge, without the expectation of a symbiotic connection, the relationship will run the risk of accomplishing very little. Each must be prepared to “check your ego at the door” prior to the beginning of the process.

Osmond says, “I feel there were two important factors that were responsible for the success of the mentor/mentee relationship between Dawn and myself. First was that Dawn had the ability, coupled with the desire to be a competent administrator and was willing to put in the time and effort it takes to be successful. Second, I wanted her to succeed and was willing to provide her with the responsibility, autonomy, and support necessary to make that happen.”

He continues, “As time progressed, and Dawn’s growth was evident, I made the decision to retire in 2015. Dawn indicated she would be interested in applying for the position. After a competitive search and interview process, Dawn was selected to be the next superintendent of the Arnold and Callaway Public School districts.”

“Having a mentor before I became a superintendent was particularly valuable,” says Lewis.

Dr. Lewis, prior to 2015, as principal of Arnold Public School, was able to observe and participate in committee meetings, learning the intricacies of facilities management, transportation, and negotiations with Mr. Osmond’s support. She also assisted when APS had the Board Policy Manual revised.

These experiences not only allowed her to learn the role of superintendent, but gave her enough exposure to confidently move forward with the next phase of her career.

She was also able to meet many professionals through her mentoring relationship with Mr. Osmond that have become important network contacts. “I had relationships with school attorneys, superintendents from across the state, and our administration associations before becoming a superintendent, due in large part to experiences and opportunities my mentor encouraged me to pursue.”

“As a first year superintendent, I continued to visit with Pat, sharing experiences and developing new ideas,” states Lewis.

“I wanted to re-create the position to meet my strengths and abilities, which was vital for my success in each school district.

Pat never criticized my changes or new ideas, but rather provided a sounding board for me.”

The full circle moment came when Pat accepted an interim Superintendent position in a neighboring district for the 201718 school year. While on more equal footing at this point in our careers, we have continued the collaboration that began in 2010.

The evolution of our successful mentoring relationship can lead to the conclusion that a similar arrangement could be critical for the confidence and success of a new superintendent; but even more importantly, superintendents who develop a mentality of collaboration with one another strengthen school districts and become even more effective leaders. ■

SPRING 2018 NCSA TODAY

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SCHOOL S A FETY & SEC U R I TY

Prevention and Preparedness: Hard Pills to Swallow

By JOLENE PALMER, Nebraska Department of Education School Safety & Security Director In 2014 the Nebraska Legislature mandated multiple safety and security measures for Nebraska schools: One, being the development of standards to use as guidelines for creating safer and more secure schools; two, the submission of safety plans by all schools; and three, all schools have a security assessment by the school security director.

A 37-member committee reviewed school safety standards from several other states and created indicators for Nebraska’s standards. They decided four mission areas for schools would best represent the overall big picture of safety and security that translates into everyday planning in Nebraska schools: • Prevention (aimed at preventing an incident) • Preparedness (targeted at limiting incident casualties, chaos, and destruction) • Response (focused intentional planning for responding to an incident both immediate and long term) • Recovery (designed to restore climate and environment to pre-incident conditions)

Palmer

In order to complete comprehensive planning for safe and secure schools, four systems must be included to achieve the mission areas: • Safety planning and training (prevention) • Threat assessment (preparedness) • Standard Response Protocol and Standard Reunification Method trainings and implementation (prevention and preparedness) • Crisis Response (response and recovery) Based on the data gathered to date, schools have done a tremendous job planning for crisis response and responding after an incident has occurred. The data also indicates the need for prevention and preparedness attempting to avoid an incident before it occurs. Prevention and preparedness are hard pills to swallow when it comes to planning. Will time be well spent if we do not ever need to use the plans? Comments shared far too often when addressing prevention and preparedness can send shivers up the spine of preventionists and those working toward preparedness; “We are a small

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community, it will never happen here.” “We know everyone, so we are not concerned.” “We have law enforcement in close proximity therefore they will handle any situation that might happen.” “We have good kids, they would never do anything like that.” “Nebraska is a fly-over state filled with good people who care about others.”

Schools are being asked, “Have you ever had....

• A student threaten to bring a gun to school and kill everyone?”

• A student get suspended or expelled?”

• A student post on social media that they were going to hurt themselves or others?”

• A student that has intentionally harmed or killed an animal for other reasons than hunting?”

• A staff member who was involved in an ugly divorce or domestic violence situation?”

• A staff member married to someone who has made past threats?”

• A parent have a tirade with a staff member over a school incident?

• A community member make threats against the school because of a proposed school merger/consolidation, bond issue, or other valued belief?”

S C HO O L S A FE T Y & S ECURI TY

These are a few possible threats and situations leading to threats an administrator, staff member, or school may encounter. It is important the school and staff receive support for dealing with like kinds of situations. While schools continue to submit their safety plans for data purposes, threat assessment training will be available to schools providing them support where threats have the potential to harm schools and the people in them. Once all safety plans have been received, there will be a concerted effort to assist schools in solidifying their plans to become updated and user friendly.

Until that time, threat assessment training will be the focus with the end goal of preparing school to receive and manage local tips from a statewide anonymous “safe2tell” type reporting system.

Dr. Mario Scalora, Director of the UNL Public Policy Center will be providing the threat assessment training for schools says, “Schools face a range of threats from internal and external sources (problem students, domestic violence, dis-

gruntled citizens) - this is even worse in the age of social media. Threat assessment provides a flexible and evidence based framework to address many of these threats - a strategy for reassessing and managing risks as well as and importantly - ruling out risk of violence to ease people’s concerns.

Threat assessment is the standard of practice. Not every case turns out to be a school shooter. It is a flexible alternative to punitive approaches to managing violence. Especially in case of students, it allows for risk to be discretely assessed and managed while addressing concerns and needs of the person. There are areas of overlap among problem behaviors schools are already working in - such as cyber bullying and suicide. We don’t always think about how these point to the risk of violence, but they actually may.”

Going forward it is imperative we turn our focus on prevention and preparedness for safety and security in our schools to prevent possible incidents rather than react after the fact.

Safety planning and threat assessment are essential elements to help us shift that focus. ■

NASBO State Convention April 12-13, 2018 Cornhusker Marriott Lincoln, NE

Conference Highlights

Keynote by Aaron Davis Legislative Update Roundtable Breakout Sessions for Business Officials Over 30 Exhibitors Registration is now open!

Visit ncsa.org for session topics, more information, and to register.

SPRING 2018 NCSA TODAY

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NASBO State Convention – Cornhusker Marriott – Lincoln

April 16-17

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MAY May 3-4

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Administrators’ Days – Younes Conf Center – Kearney

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NATIONAL CONVENTION DATES ASCD – March 24-26, 2018 – Boston, MA NAESP – July 9-11, 2018 – Orlando, FL NASSP – July 11-13, 2018 – Chicago, IL ASBO – September 21-24, 2018 – Kissimmee, FL CASE – November 8-10, 2018 – Biloxi, MS AASA – February 14-16, 2019 – Los Angeles, CA

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