Summer 2014

ncsa Today A PUBLICATION OF THE NEBRASKA COUNCIL OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

NDE on Data Dashboards and Standards

Nebraska Information Technology Commission

NCSA Honors Retirees Nebraska Council of School Administrators

Summer 2014

www.NCSA.org

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CONTENTS

2 Data Dashboards and Standards

BY ELISABETH REINKORDT

4 Nebraska Information Technology Commission (NITC)

5-7 NCSA Retirements

8

Health Screenings Offered at Administrators’ Days

BY BOB MEYERS

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Educators Health Alliance (EHA) Updates for the Coming School Year

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ESUCC Announces New Executive Director, Dave Ludwig

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2014 Labor Relations Conference

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OPS Awarded ASBO Meritorious Budget Award

BY DENNIS L. POOL

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2014 NASES Fall Conference

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NCSA Election Results

BY DR. MIKE DULANEY and DR. DAN ERNST

NCSA EXECUTIVE BOARD 2013-2014 Chair ............................Chris Stogdill Vice Chair.......................Tim DeWaard Past Chair....................... Dave Kaslon NASA Representatives President ........................Mike Teahon President-elect ..................Mike Apple Past President .................Tim DeWaard NASBO Representatives President .....................Kelli Ackerman President-elect ..................Rick Haney Past President ................... Jill Pauley NAESP Representatives President .......................Mike Janssen President-elect....................Rod Engel Past President ...............Ann Jablonski NASES Representatives President........................Brenda Tracy President-elect.............Sally Giittinger Past President ..................Jane Moody NSASSP Representatives President .....................Brian Tonniges President-elect............ Ryan Ricenbaw Past President ................Chris Stogdill NARSA Representative President ........................Larry Sweley NCSA STAFF Dr. Michael S. Dulaney Executive Director/Lobbyist

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Upcoming Events Calendar of Events

Dr. Dan E. Ernst Associate Executive Director/Lobbyist Megan Hillabrand Event Coordinator Amy Poggenklass Finance and Membership Director Carol Young Executive Administrative Assistant

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), $100 (associate members), or $40 (student members).

NCSA Today is published quarterly. Send address changes to NCSA, Membership, 455 South 11th Street, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68508. Copyright ©2014 by NCSA. All rights reserved.

Michelle Smith Administrative Assistant Elisabeth Reinkordt Communication Specialist 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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SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY

Data Dashboards and Standards

BY ELISABETH REINKORDT, Communications Specialist

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hen NCSA Today spoke with Commissioner Blomstedt in May, he highlighted improving the use of data as one of the major priorities of his administration. To get a more in-depth look at what this means for districts, schools, teachers, and the state as a whole, we sat down with Dr. Dean Folkers, head of the Nebraska Department of Education’s Data, Research and Evaluation team to talk about data dashboards, data standards, a systems study and what it means to build a statewide longitudinal data system.

Folkers made one thing clear upfront: privacy and security of student data are at the forefront of the state agency’s concerns when it comes to aggregating student and staff data. “A critical goal is to ensure secure data is in the hands of those who will use it to focus on supporting teaching and learning and continuous school improvement process,” he said. “Basically,” he added, “we’re trying to take the data we already have, and make it more usable," anonymized and aggregated for public use, and simpler to utilize to improve instruction at the classroom level and at the same time reduce the burdens associated with collecting data.

Folkers, who returned to NDE in March of 2013 after a stretch of time in D.C., was formerly in the office of Curriculum and Instruction, specifically Career and Technical Education at NDE. The major work of data upgrades started as the result of NDE receiving a statewide longitudinal data system (SLDS) grant to the tune of $4.5 million, and this grant focused on four major goal areas: • A data analysis and reporting tool, or teacher dashboard, using data from disparate sources, that could be consolidated for near real-time data use in the classroom, • Professional development related to using data, building a flexible curriculum to inform educators on data use as part of a continuous improvement process, • Building capacity for research and evaluation at the state level, and • Sustainability of developed systems past the initial funding period that focuses on refining systems and procedures.

Folkers described the data dashboard component as the “most visible” and ultimately providing a userfriendly interface for data—certainly something that will be quite welcome. However, he also emphasized the im2

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portance of a system-wide rethinking of the structures in place to collect and aggregate data—not to mention interpret and analyze it for better communication Dr. Dean Folkers on the work of schools.

The data dashboard in development has come about thanks to the work of 49 district design teams, 9 pilot districts, and the state’s partnership with the Ed Fi alliance, a free, open-source resource of tools. Nebraska became a member in July of 2013. The alliance boasts a 21-state membership, and Folkers stressed the importance of the momentum the alliance is building around a unifying data model within the states. “It helps normalize the data process,” he said. “We have twelve different student information systems in the state right now, and districts are often running different versions of these systems. The multiple systems create a significant challenge to sustain a long-term solution for districts to implement dashboard like technologies without a unifying data standard.” Folkers also indicated, “the additional advantage [of the Ed Fi Alliance] is a broader engagement of states and their development work that can provide valuable insight to the efforts in Nebraska.”

In partnership with their Educational Service Units, the nine pilot districts—Omaha, South Sioux City, Ponca, Bancroft-Rosalie, Boone Central, Fairbury, Valentine, McCook, and Neligh-Oakdale—are assisting the state frame priorities of what should be included on the dashboard.

Of definite importance is making sure that the integration of the data sources in place mesh with the dashboard, and so too, Folkers said we heard from the pilot districts about how streamlining the data submission process would be most desirable. “Districts asked, ‘Why can’t NDE pull data from what we are submitting for the dashboard, instead of requiring separate submissions,’ and with our operational goal of making the process less (continued on next page)

SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY burdensome and more useful, that’s certainly an emerging focus,” he said.

As the data dashboards move from the pilot stage into more full-scale implementation, planning continues for the next phases of implementation and pathways for districts to plan and consider in the coming years. Folkers added that NDE is updating a district readiness tool – something akin to a simple toolkit to guide schools in the implementation process, and will also look at what resources are available that will expedite the process of districts interested in the data dashboard adoption. The timing must be right for districts and a broad group of stakeholder’s involvement is critical, as the dashboard is not just a data and technology project, but requires engagement of administration, teachers, assessment, and others involved in the educational experience.

The long-term sustainability strategy requires the different systems to interface with Nebraska’s data standard and a thoughtful approach to managing systems. NDE has been collaborating with ESUCC to ensure a connection to other initiatives and capitalize on expertise. Folkers indicated, “in addition to these partnerships, a clear expectation for system vendors is very important.” As Folkers explained, “we have to make sure fields match and data exchanges are uniform if we’re going to use data effectively, and signal to vendors who want to do business in Nebraska, on what to include in their products for alignment with Nebraska’s standards.” Of course, how quickly vendors respond is out of the state’s control, but Folkers noted that several vendors are moving forward, and that an unveiling of the data standards for all interested vendors on July 9-10 at ESU 3 would provide further incentive and information for them to provide tools that align to the future direction in Nebraska.

A connected, but separate piece of data work is around LR 264, which Senator Jim Scheer, a former State Board of Education member, introduced to commission an interim study on the entirety of Nebraska’s education data systems. As part of this process, Folkers cited work in Arizona, where a business case study turned up some hard numbers on just how much the state and districts were spending on various education data systems. In Arizona, they looked at three types of data systems: teaching and learning tools such as learning management systems (LMS) and assessment tools; back office tools such as finance and human resources management; and administrative systems such as nutrition services and other reporting engines. In examining these systems, they found that districts were spending $281 million on licenses and implementation of software alone per year. When broken down by the resources available to larger and smaller districts – in a state with a similar urban/rural breakdown to Nebraska’s – researchers found that while large districts used up to

ten systems for data management at an average cost of $5 per student, smaller districts only had access to three systems at an average cost of $40 per student. This disparity – along with the substantial licensing price tag – led to a researcher’s recommendation that leveraging the power of statewide buying could, with a $45 million initial investment, save the state of Arizona upwards of $160 million per year. As LR 264 developed, Folkers said, “we began to build off the Arizona study results to determine a possible path for Nebraska, with buy-in from critical education leadership organizations in our state as partners—including NCSA.” In looking to what works for Nebraska schools, Folkers outlined three core tenets. First, the approaches proposed from the study must include an opt-in system, and districts not required to use one application or system. Second, it is critical to leverage services where possible and include a push for equity of access and opportunity across the state. Third, the work going on in K12 needs to connected to a unifying data model, both within the state and in conjunction with other efforts, to support efficiency and long-term sustainability. Furthermore, he added, this study will support the work of LB 1103 and more broad-reaching planning for the biennium budget process.

Timeline related to the study efforts include a survey for administrators in June. Beyond that, NDE will also be conducting virtual focus groups to collect more information on district needs, and will also be taking a deeper look into the fiscal advantages.

“We want to know what districts are using, need and what possibilities exist for leveraging the buying power among Nebraska schools” Folkers said, “What are the licensing and hardware costs, and how many FTE’s does it take to get the work done?” In the long term, he emphasized, it is “the power and capacity of a partnership to manage something like a longitudinal data warehouse… it’s more effective to collaborate together to ensure secure, efficient, and cost effective solutions.”

Separate from the systems study, the State Board adopted Rule 6 in June that provides regulations and standards for uniform sharing of student data, records, and information. This came out of LB 262, which was signed into law in 2013 and requires the Department of Education to promulgate a rule around data sharing between school districts, Educational service units, learning communities and the department of education.

In summary, NDE’s vision for data systems is one that unlocks the silos of data and improves their collection and display for more effective analysis and use by districts, administrators, teachers, and ultimately, students. In an era of increasing heed paid to data-driven decision-making, it seems nothing short of extremely important for those systems to be well thought out. n

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Nebraska Information Technology Commission (NITC)

BY BY DR. DAN HOESING, Superintendent, Schuyler Community Schools and serves on the NITC Commission and DR. TERRY L. HAACK, Superintendent, Bennington Public Schools and Co-Chair of the NITC-Education Council

D Hoesing

Haack

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uring the 1990’s technology was rapidly becoming more of a necessity than a luxury. The World Wide Web was gaining popularity by the minute with the help of web browsers like Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer. Microsoft was introducing new operating systems every few years that made using a personal computer easier for everyone. Business started to build websites and e-commerce companies like Amazon EBay and Yahoo grew rapidly. The growing use of technology did not go unnoticed by government officials. Nebraska sought a means to help all citizens in the use of technology by providing guidance and developing satewide support systems.

The Nebraska Information Technology Commission (NITC) was created in 1998 to provide advice, strategic direction, and accountability on information technology investments in Nebraska. Over the past 16 years, the NITC has played in important role in helping the State of Nebraska adapt and leverage the power of information technology to communicate, learn, shop, and conduct business.

The NITC is chaired by Lieutenant Governor Lavon Heidemann. The legislature appoints one senator and eight commissioners representing K-12 and higher education, business, and government to four-year terms. Brenda Decker, Chief Information Officer (CIO) directs a talented staff in managing the work of the commission. In addition, the commission is supported by six advisory groups; Education, Community IT Planning and Development, eHealth, Graphic Information Systems (GIS), State Government, and the Technical Panel.

With the creation of the NITC, Nebraska was one of the first states to involve communities in technology planning. In 1998, fewer than 40 percent of households had computers and less than 20 percent of those had access to the Internet via dial-up service. Today, 98 percent of Nebraskans have Internet access and 76 percent of Nebraska households have broadband access.

The Nebraska Statewide Telehealth Network is currently one of the most extensive health networks in the country.

This telehealth network connects 110 rural hospitals, regional medical centers, Omaha metropolitan hospitals, public health departments, and bioterrorism labs in Ne-

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braska. Today, Nebraska ranks 17th in e-prescribing with over 50 percent of Nebraska hospital beds covered by this network.

State Government went online with a centralized email in 2009. Since 2010, over 74 million emails have been sent or received with this exchange. In addition, the State Geographic Information System (GIS) provides a governance structure that promotes coordination of data sharing, develops standards, and provides a host of broadband mapping of services through the NebraskaMAP initiative.

As stated earlier, the Education Council is one of six technology-based groups that serve to advise the NITC. The Education Council is comprised of 16 members from K-12 and higher education. The eight K-12 council members represent a range of classroom teachers, ESU technology directors and administrators from public and private sectors. The eight higher education members have representatives from community colleges, state university system and private colleges and universities.

The education council has been instrumental in helping the state with many new technology initiatives. One that may be the most notable is Network Nebraska. Network Nebraska was initiated by the Nebraska Legislature in April 2006 and now interconnects over 270 entities. It is a partnership of 275 kindergarten through 12th grade and higher education, public and private entities to aggregate their purchases to provide a high-speed backbone to support Internet access and network management.

With 94 percent of its school districts online, Nebraska school systems have one of the lowest unit costs for Internet access allowing public, nonpublic, rural and urban education entities to affordable, equitable access.

Technology is constantly changing. As you can read, the NITC has worked collaboratively over the last 16 years with many agencies and entities helping the State of Nebraska seize several opportunities to leverage technology in reducing costs and delivering services more efficiently.

It is the hope and goal of the Nebraska Information Technology Commission moving forward to keep citizens abreast of the latest technological changes and ensure the state’s technology infrastructure is robust enough to meet the needs of all Nebraskans. n

RETIREMENT

NCSA Honors Retirees

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ach year NCSA is sad to lose but happy to congratulate those educators who are leaving the profession due to their longdeserved retirement. We are honored to share with you a glimpse of their future plans or just a bit of advice that only those who have worked with children and parents for so long can give!

Jim Bovee Elementary Principal Sutton Public Schools “Loving what you do, and doing what you love…what could be more fun?” That is an ‘unknown author’ quote that I picked up somewhere over the years.

It has stuck with me and has been a part of the celebrations, as well as a mantra to get through the tough times. It has been a 38year blessing to work with Nebraska’s educators and students. The best part of every stop along the way has been the great people with which I had the opportunity to serve. I wish you all the best in the upcoming year!

Bob Brandt Intermediate School Principal Norris School Dist 160 NCSA members are a great source of talented resources serving Nebraska’s students.

Thank you for your friendships. Best wishes in utilizing your talents as you lead in the future.

Kevin Broderick Bellevue West Activities Director/Assistant Principal Bellevue Public Schools It’s been such a great ride with great memories of kids, staff, coaches, and fellow administrators. I’ve always been proud of the very difficult job that we all do to give kids every opportunity for success in their lives. Good luck to everyone in the future! Time to do a few more fun things like the picture I sent!!

Steve Brosz High School Principal O’Neill Public Schools I valued my 40-year career in O’Neill as a teacher, activities administrator, and finally the last 14 as principal. Working with a great staff and many fine students just made the time fly. This experience was well worth the effort, rewarding, and I’d encourage those of you who remain in the business to always just show up and get to work every hour of every day.

Seemed to work for me. Enjoy your students, always remember you work for them, and you will be successful.

with so many great, effective educators and school leaders. The daily work done by school people throughout our state has an amazing effect on our children. I am proud to have been a part of such an amazing group of school administrators.

Jo Brown Prairie View Elementary Principal Ogallala Public Schools It has been a privilege to serve the students, families and staff of Keith County during my 39 years as a Nebraska educator and administrator. I will cherish the memories and friendships that have been established with my colleagues. It was a great ride! I am grateful to NCSA and the many professional opportunities for involvement and growth. Keep the network alive and best wishes to all as you continue to prepare students for the future. I will continue to be a staunch supporter of educators and administrators as I move on to my next adventures in life.

Rhonda Gdowski Executive Director of Student Services Fremont Public Schools As I reflect on 35 years in education, I will always treasure the relationships that have been established with colleagues, staff, students, and families. The tireless efforts of administrators, teachers and staff to meet the increasingly challenging needs of our students is truly commendable. I am proud to have been part of the education communities of Stanton, Emerson-Hubbard, Ralston, and most recently, Fremont. Our children are our future!

Bill Bucher Lux Middle School Principal Lincoln Public Schools I have been a building principal and a member of NCSA and NSASSP for thirty-six years. I have had the privilege to work in four different districts (Archbishop Bergan in Fremont, Fremont Public Schools, Grand Island Public Schools and most recently, the Lincoln Public Schools), and

Theresa Ferg Director of Student Services ESU #2 Thanks to all my colleagues for their friendship, mentoring, collaboration and professionalism over the years!

Kent Halley Superintendent Mitchell Public Schools When making those hard decisions, remember to do “what is best for kids.”

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RETIREMENT Stan Hendricks Superintendent High Plains Community Schools I am most appreciative of the mentors in school administration that I’ve had over the years. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with many strong principals and superintendents who helped me determine the type of school administrator I wanted to be.

Heidi Henningson Golden Hills Elementary Principal Papillion-LaVista Public Schools It has been a privilege to serve the children of the state of Nebraska for the last 32 years as a teacher and administrator. We are blessed to live in a state that offers quality education for all of our children. This does not just happen! It is because of the hard work and action of so many outstanding educators and leaders that this is possible. Thank you!

Tom Hinrichs Superintendent Loup City Public Schools It was great meeting so many talented and motivated administrators over the years. Public education in Nebraska is in good hands.

Norma Hledik Director of Human Resources Kearney Public Schools Many retirees will say that things are not like they used to be but I say we must be very grateful for that fact. Each day brings growth, promise and innovation to make education better for our students. As I look back over my years in the profession, I am so grateful for all of the progress that has been made in education.

Our promising future is built on the dedication of the past. Nebraska Educators can be counted upon to keep up the good work.

Cindy Huff Superintendent Wood River Rural School Education has been my life’s passion. Thanks to the many fine Nebraska school administrators that have helped me along the way. I plan to make a few walleyes nervous now.

Gil Kettelhut Administrator ESU #3 The most important aspect in this ‘ride’ of your career will be the friends and relationships you make along the way. When everything else is over and gone, it’s the people you knew that you will remember, as life is a series of making memories.

The last thing I would like to say to all, and especially to the younger members, is an old adage which says that life is not a dress rehearsal, make the most of what you can do that fulfills your goals.

Jim Koontz Superintendent East Butler Public Schools I have no idea where the last 40 years have gone (16 of which were spent in administration), but I do cherish the relationships built along the way. I am excited to begin my “new career” as a United Methodist Pastor and feel that the “life experiences” I’ve had in education have prepared me for the ministry. Good luck and continued success to each of you in all you do.

Bill Lentz Secondary School Principal David City Public Schools It has been a remarkable ride through my 34 years in education and the last 12 in administration. While the principalship is a daunting task, it is also rewarding. I will greatly miss my daily con-

tact with students, staff and colleagues in the profession. As a 12-year member of Region 1, I can’t begin to recommend membership in your regional organization enough. It is the collaboration and collegiality that helps smooth the way in this profession. Good luck to you al!

Keith Lutz Superintendent Millard Public Schools It has been a pleasure working with NCSA and administrators across Nebraska for the past 25 years. Good luck in your challenges in the years to come.

Dave Marron District 1-R Principal Northwest Public Schools It has been a great 40 years in education.

I’ve been very fortunate to work with many great administrators, teachers, and students. Thanks to NCSA for all the help they give to administrators.

Dave Miller Superintendent Bridgeport Public Schools

Jane Moody Special Education Director ESU #11 NCSA and NASES have played a big role in my career for the past 17 years. The friends I have made will be friends forever. Thank you all so much!

Please note: The NCSA staff made every effort to include all those individuals who responded to our request for information on retirements.

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RETIREMENT Midge Mougey Osgood & Lake Maloney Elementary Principal North Platte Public Schools I started my educational career in 1978 and have loved every moment of it. I have been a Principal since 1998…so 16 years at the helm. I am so grateful that adrenaline has been my “drug of choice” as this job is a jolt a minute! I am so happy to have been “in the Office” and been able to be part of the great growth and student advancement that the last 16 years has brought.

After 40 years of marriage my husband, Charlie, and I are looking forward to have some travel opportunities and being very involved in our four children’s lives. We are moving to Colorado (close to the airport) so we will just be a flight away from any event we wish to be part of in the coming years.

Thanks to the North Platte Public Schools for the awesome opportunity they gave me so many years ago…and to NCSA for supporting the good work we do. I have been blessed to be able to be in a career that never felt like work and be surrounded by professionals who care about kids above all else.

Angelo Passarelli Executive Director Millard Public Schools

Ray Perrigo Gateway Elementary Principal Omaha Public Schools My 42 years in education has gone by very fast. I have had the privilege of opening two new elementary school buildings while serving 30 years as an elementary school principal in the Omaha Public Schools. Now I am looking forward to spending time with my wife who has patiently waited for my retirement to become a reality.

Herb Pokorny Superintendent Newman Grove Public Schools I have met a lot of great and dedicated people along the way and wish you all the best of luck. It has been a great ride but time to try something else.

David Renning High School Principal Valentine Community Schools I have greatly enjoyed my 31 years in education as a classroom teacher, coach, activities director, principal – the colleagues who remain in education, I wish you the best and I cherish the friendships I have made.

Norm Ronell Administrator ESU #7 Serving in k-12 public education for 49 years (46 in Nebraska) has been an exciting and rewarding experience filled with great people and opportunities. It has provided me with a career that, for the most part, came very close to the description “if you love your job you will never work a day in your life.” Due to the hard work of many dedicated Nebraska educators, the future of k-12 continues to look bright.

Roxie Voorhees Elementary Principal Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Schools Education has been my passion. Thank you to all the students, parents, staff, administration, friends and family for making my journey so memorable.

Marlyn Washburn Jr/Sr High School Principal Red Cloud Community Schools I’ve been blessed with great mentors and co-workers throughout my career as a Secondary Principal. Bill Mowinkel hired me at Osmond in 1990. He was a great mentor for me from the beginning.

Steve Brosz (also retiring this year) and Boyd Blomenkamp were also great people to work with while I was teaching in O’Neill.

I want to thank all the folks at NCSA for being so helpful – especially Dan Ernst. It’s been a great ride.

Kevin Wilkinson Director of Business Services Alliance Public Schools It seems only yesterday I was the youngest member of NASES. Now I’m one of the oldest NASBO members.

Time changes everything – except one. That is the assurance that a career in education means you’ll get to work with the finest people around. Involvement in NCSA means you’ll also get to work with the finest people in the state. I will sincerely treasure my memories of each of you. It has been a privilege.

Mary Yilk Elem. Principal/Special Service Dir. Doniphan-Trumbull Public School It has been a great opportunity for me to belong to NCSA to meet and work with so many dedicated professionals for the common goal of doing what is best for our students. I have found that Nebraska administrators are not afraid to take risks, know how to laugh at themselves, work extremely hard, have a good time, and are always dedicated to children. I am proud to be an administrator in Nebraska.

Not pictured, but also retiring: Russ Baker, Middle School Principal, Holdrege Public Schools Dennis Berry, Middle School Principal, McCook Public Schools Bill Hakonson, Superintendent, Perkins County Schools Sandra Ostrand, Elementary Principal, Walthill Public Schools Sue Van Housen, SPED Coordinator, Centennial Public Schools Doug Wragge, Rockbrook Elem. Principal, Westside Community Schools SUMMER 2014

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HEALTHCARE

Health Screenings Offered at Administrators’ Days

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id you know…a stroke occurs in the US every 40 seconds? And, that 80 percent of strokes can be prevented? Did you know that heart disease is preventable and controllable?

If it’s been a while since you thought about taking care of yourself, now is the time to re-think that. This year on July 31, during Administrators’ Days, we are partnering with EHA and Life Line screening to offer you the opportunity to participate in screenings which are key to early risk detection.

At the conference, the EHA and Life Line Screening are offering the 6 for Life Health Risk Assessment (which includes weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and a finger-stick blood draw to measure cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides) in addition to vascular screenings which include ultrasound tests for Stroke, Atrial Fibrillation, and Peripheral Arterial Disease.

The EHA will pay for all of these screenings for covered members as part of the benefits, so there is no out-of-pocket expense for members on the EHA plan. If you’re not on the plan, you can

Educators Health Alliance (EHA) Updates for the Coming School Year

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y name is Gregory Long, Field Director for the Educators Health Alliance. As the EHA moves forward on the current health care challenges posed by federal regulations, I would like to take this opportunity to meet with your school districts and staff. My goal would be to discuss current changes to insurance plans and reasons behind the changes. It is vital that members are aware of the new out-of-pocket maximums in connection to their benefits beginning on September 1, 2014.

If you would like to meet, please contact Greg Long, EHA Field Representative at greg@ehaplan.org or 402- 440-1358. n

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still participate at the low EHA rate of $49 for the 6 for Life, $99 for the vascular screenings, or $140 for both.

Appointment times are filling quickly—make your appointment today at www.lifelinescreening.com/ehawellness. There are no walk-in appointments—you’ll need to reserve your place prior to the conference. Questions? Contact Sue Patchen at (402) 943.9726 or email susan.patchen@llsa.com. n

Upcoming Events NASES Fall Workshop Friday, August 29th Courtyard Marriott – Lincoln Topic: Legal Update on HR visit www.ncsa.org to register

Labor Relations September 10th-11th Cornhusker – Lincoln visit www.ncsa.org to register

School Law Update September 24th Holiday Inn – Kearney visit www.ncsa.org to register

NE Fall Ed Tech Conference October 9th-10th Younes Conference Center – Ke arney visit www.ncsa.org to register

ESUCC

ESUCC Announces New Executive Director, Dave Ludwig

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s the Executive Director for the Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council beginning July 1, 2014, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as well as wish everyone a successful 2014-2015 School Year.

In addition, I wish to thank Dr. Matt Blomstedt for his dedication, time and effort serving as the Executive Director for the ESUCC and wish him many more successes as the State Commissioner for the Nebraska Department of Education. As the ESU 2 Administrator, I have enjoyed the past four years working with Dr. Blomstedt and look forward to this continued relationship in the future.

For the past thirty-two years, I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience as a teacher and administrator. Upon completion of my undergraduate degree in Special Education and Elementary Education from Midland Lutheran College, I began my career as a Special Education teacher for Beemer Public Schools. It was during this four-year period, I completed my Administrative Degree from Wayne State College.

My administrative experience began as the Special Education Director for West Point Public Schools for the next four years. It was during this time that I quickly learned the value of networking and systems thinking. As I reflect upon the support provided, I greatly appreciate the network provided from colleagues such as Ken Bird, Steve Milliken, Doug Witte, Mark Ferg, Rich Grandgenett, Bill Hakonson, Marge Beatty, Bob Uhing, Mike Dulaney, Dan Ernst,

etc. The importance of this network was most significant as a new administrator and has increasingly made a positive impact each year thereafter.

During the initial years as the Elementary/Middle School Principal for Wisner-Pilger Public Schools, I was provided the opportunity of completing my Educational Specialist Degree from Wayne State College. In addition, many networking opportuDave Ludwig nities were provided throughout this tenure serving as an officer for NAESP and NCSA. This network of support has been and will continue to most important.

As the ESU 2 Administrator during the past four years, I have greatly appreciated the relationships created within ESUCC and each affiliate and I look forward to the increasing opportunities as we collectively continue the systems thinking approach with NDE, ESU’s, and School Districts with the State of Nebraska.

I greatly appreciate this opportunity serving as the ESUCC Executive Director and I wish each of you individually and as a statewide system success for the 2014-15 School Year. n

SUMMER 2014

NCSA TODAY

9

RECOGNITION

OPS Awarded ASBO Meritorious Budget Award

BY DENNIS L. POOL,Assistant Superintendent, Omaha Public Schools

I

don't often brag about what we do here at OPS for our patrons and school district. However, participating in the ASBO Meritorious Budget Award process is one. My District's team has been awarded this distinction for sixteen consecutive years.

One thing that gets overlooked in the press releases is the Douglas County School District 0001 is the Omaha Public Schools.

We are working hard in our business and finance offices to make OPS work for the 51,000 students we serve. n

L-R (front row): Shelly Dutiel, Christy Reikofski, Barb Farrell, and Carla Noerrlinger L-R (back row): Marc Kahn, Dennis Pool, and Ibrahima Diop

10

NCSA TODAY

SUMMER 2014

NCSA REPORT

NCSA Election Results

BY DR. MIKE DULANEY, Executive Director; and DR. DAN ERNST, Associate Executive Director

Kemling-Horner

Schneider

McGowan

T

he Nebraska Council of School Administrators is pleased to honor our new president-elects for the 2014-2015 year. Each affiliate presidentelect is chosen by their peers. It is a great honor and recognition of service. We are fortunate to have such highly skilled administrators in all areas of Nebraska education and would like to thank those individuals willing to run for leadership positions.

In addition to the new role within their affiliate associations, we would also like to welcome the presidentelects to membership on the NCSA Executive Board, our organization’s corporate governing body. The new executive board members are all highly qualified and deserving of this title and we look forward to their guidance of the organization.

Dulaney

Lutz

Johnson

We congratulate and welcome our new PresidentElects: NASES - Wendy Kemling-Horner, Scottsbluff NASBO - Jeff Schneider, Hastings NASA - Kyle McGowan, Crete NAESP - Mark Johnson, Kearney NSASSP - Troy Lurz, Ogallala In addition, we are excited to introduce the 20142015 Chair and Vice Chair of the NCSA Executive Board: Chair – Dr. Mike Teahon Vice Chair – Brian Tonniges n

Ernst Tonniges

Teahon

CALENDAR OF EVENTS ADMINISTRATORS’ DAYS July 30-August 1

Younes Conference Center

Kearney

Cornhusker Hotel

Lincoln

Pacific Springs Cornhusker Hotel NCSA Office Holiday Inn

Omaha Lincoln Lincoln Kearney

Lied Lodge Younes Conf Center Cornhusker Hotel

Nebraska City Kearney Lincoln

AUGUST 29

NASES Fall Workshop

SEPTEMBER 10 10-11 20 24

NARSA Fall Golf Tournament Labor Relations NCSA Tailgate School Law Update

OCTOBER 1-2 9-10 20

NACIA Fall Retreat NE Fall Ed Tech Conference Latino Summit

NATIONAL CONVENTION DATES ASBO — September 19-22, 2014 — Kissimmee, FL NASSP — February 19-21, 2015 — San Diego, CA AASA — February 26-28, 2015 — San Diego, CA SUMMER 2014

NCSA TODAY

11

Gold Sponsorships Ameritas Investment Corp.

First National Capital Markets

Jay Spearman, Dallas Watkins, Marc Munford, Bruce Lefler, Scott Keene 440 Regency Parkway Dr, Ste 222 Omaha, NE 68114 800-700-2362 jspearman@ameritas.com dallas.watkins@ameritas.com mmunford@ameritas.com blefler@ameritas.com skeene@ameritas.com ameritas.com

Craig Jones, Tobin Buchanan 1620 Dodge St., Ste. 1104 Omaha, NE 68197 402-598-1218 craigjones@fnni.com tbuchanan@fnni.com fncapitalmarkets.com

Boyd Jones Construction George Schuler 333 South 9th Street Lincoln, NE 68508 402-318-4794 gschuler@boydjones.biz boydjones.biz

D.A. Davidson & Co. Dan Smith, Paul Grieger, Cody Wickham, Andy Forney 1111 N 102nd Ct., Ste. 300 Omaha, NE 68114 800-942-7557 dsmith@dadco.com pgreiger@dadco.com cwickham@dadco.com aforney@dadco.com davidsoncompanies.com/ficm

DLR Group Pat Phelan, Curtis Johnson 6457 Frances St., Ste 200, Omaah, NE 68106 402-393-4100 pphelan@dlrgroup.com dlrgroup.com

EHA Wellness Howie Halperin 256 N 115 St, Ste. 7 Omaha, NE 68154 402-614-0491 howie@ehawellnessprogram.org ehawellness.org

ESUCC Dave Ludwig 6949 S. 110th St. Omaha, NE 68128 402-597-4866 dludwig@esucc.org

Horace Mann Cindy Dornbush, Keith Jorgensen 10612 Monroe St., No. 4 Omaha, NE 68127 402-680-9382 cindy.dornbush@horacemann.com keithjorgensen@horacemann.com horacemann.com

Humanex Ventures Brad Black, Nicole Degner, Katie Shanahan 2900 S 70th St., Ste. 100 Lincoln, NE 68506 402-486-1102 bradblack@humanexventures.com nicoledegner@ humanexventures.com katieshanahan@ humanexventures.com humanexventures.com

Insuring Success Family Heritage Product Provider Ty Christensen, Mark Beelek, Saun Patterson 12117 Grover Street Omaha, NE 68144 402-960-5387 tchristensen@legacyservices.com mbeelek@legacyservices.com spatterson@legacyservices.com familyheritagelife.com

John Baylor Test Prep John Baylor P.O. Box 30792 Lincoln, NE 68503 402-475-7737 john@johnbaylortestprep.com johnbaylortestprep.com

Learning Together Linda Fox 5509 B W. Friendly Ave., Ste 201 Greensboro, NC 27410 866-921-0000 Linda@learningtogether.com learningtogether.com

Silver Sponsorships

National Insurance

Awards Unlimited

Steve Ott 9202 W. Dodge Rd., Ste. 302 Omaha, NE 68114 800-627-3660 sott@nisbenefits.com nisbenefits.com

Larry King 1935 O Street | Lincoln, NE 68510 402-474-0815 larryking@awardsunlimited.com www.awardsunlimited.com

Nebraska Public Agency Investment Trust

Reid Brakke 12100 W. Center Road, Ste 901 Omaha, NE 68144 402-733-0300 www.schooltraditions@msn.com

Becky Ferguson P.O. Box 82529 Lincoln, NE 68501 402-323-1334 becky.ferguson@ubt.com npait.com

Nebraska Liquid Asset Fund

Jostens

Software Unlimited, Inc. Corey Atkinson 5015 S. Broadband Lane Sioux Falls, SD 57108 605-361-2073 rph@su-9nc.com www.su.inc.com

Barry Ballou 455 S 11th St. Lincoln, NE 68508 402-705-0350 balloub@pfm.com nlafpool.org

Pickering Creative Group Will Hays 8700 Executive Woods, Ste. 100 Lincoln, NE 68512 (402) 423-5447 will@pickeringcreative.com pickeringcreative.com

TRANE Dave Raymond 5720 South 77th St. Ralston, NE 68127 402-452-7762 dave.raymond@trane.com trane.com/omaha

Wells Fargo Katie Thompson 1248 O Street Lincoln, NE 68508 402-434-4284 Katie.m.thompson@wellsfargo.com wellsfargo.com

Bronze Sponsorships Northwest Evaluation Association Dan Henderson 121 NW Everett Street Portland, OR 97209 503-624-1951 www.nwea.org

University of Nebraska High School Charlotte Seewald 1520 N. 20th Circle Lincoln, NE 68588 402-472-1922 cseewald@nebraska.edu www.highschool.nebraska.edu

PRSRT STD. U. S. POSTAGE PAID LINCOLN, NE PERMIT NO. 951

Nebraska Council of School Administrators 455 So. 11th Street, Suite A • Lincoln, NE 68508-2105 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Plan to attend the

2014 ADMINISTRATORS’ DAYS July 30-August 1, 2014 Younes Conference Center | Kearney, Nebraska Register online at www.ncsa.org

Dave Weber, featured speaker

Manny Scott, featured speaker

John Crudele, featured speaker