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Autism Services

Virtual Mini-Overview Workshops

By Autism, News

Implementing Evidence Based Practices in Remote Learning Environments

The STAR Online Learning System (SOLS) for primary and/or secondary students and the STAR Media Center will be used to demonstrate the remote learning methods.

Presented by Oregon Program Autism Training Sites & Support Staff & Oregon Regional Programs

What/Who:

This training is intended as an introduction to the Comprehensive Remote Training Workshops that will be conducted throughout the months of September and October. Participants will receive a brief overview of virtual training options for how to implement asynchronous and synchronous (instructor led) remote learning practices for students with autism and other developmental disabilities. A brief overview of the evidence-based practices as used in the STAR Online Learning System (SOLS) will be incorporated into the workshop. This workshop is appropriate for teachers, assistants, related service providers, specialists and administrators working with students in PreK-Transition level with ASD and other related developmental disabilities.

Options to Register for 1-hour Mini-Overview:

Comprehensive 2-Day Workshops | Click here for More Information

Comprehensive 2 Day Workshop Only

The Oregon Department of Education has made a small amount of funds available to reimburse participating agencies for staff substitute pay or to pay a stipend to staff who are not yet under contract at the time of the workshop. These funds are to provide release time to staff to be involved in ORPATS training (Workshops and/or visits to ORPATS Training Sites). This funding must be approved ahead of time and is on a first come first served basis. Please click here to download forms and instructions for submitting or visit the orpats.org website. Persons with disabilities or who are in need of additional accommodations or a language interpreter in order to attend should contact Kathi Dehm, 503-297-2864.

Please note: Attendees will get access to the STAR Media Center when attending this workshop. Access to SOLS will require a separate fee. However, participants can use the remote learning techniques described at the workshop without purchasing SOLS.

August 24, 2020
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Return to School Plans

By News

Under the Governor’s Executive Order 20-25(10) each district and Education Service District in Oregon must follow the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) Ready Schools, Safe Learners (RSSL) requirements. Over the summer, the ODE in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released several iterations of the RSSL requirements for the new school year.

The RSSL requirements create a framework for serving students using remote strategies in a “Comprehensive Distance Learning” (CDL) model, or using “On-site” and “Hybrid” models to deliver in-person instruction across all grade levels when certain health metrics are met related to COVID-19 infection rates across Oregon. Districts are required to develop Operational Blueprints for Reentry for each school, and have plans for transitioning between CDL and On-site or Hybrid models.

Currently all districts and ESDs in Oregon will start school this fall using the CDL model, since the statewide COVID-19 test positivity rate is not <= 5% for the past 7 days for three weeks in a row. The CDL model leverages remote learning options but also provides some exceptions for K-3 students, students in small and rural schools, and other students to receive in-person instruction in certain defined situations. 

SOESD aligns our plans with the plans of the districts and the communities we serve in order to provide services that meet the needs of students and families across our regional service area. To meet the needs of students, families, and districts, we are planning to offer limited in-person instruction opportunities under the defined exceptions to the CDL model, and are working through those requirements recently released by ODE on 8/11/20. We are also updating plans based on requirements released by the Early Learning Division (ELD) on 8/14/20 for our Early Childhood Services program (EI/ECSE) and preschool. SOESD plans to serve districts offering in-person education for K-3 students under the defined exceptions to the CDL model when county metrics are met, and using “Hybrid Learning” or “On-Site Learning” models when county and statewide metrics are met.

SOESD provides evaluative services in our offices, as well as direct student instructional services in the schools of the districts we serve. Each district we serve submits a blueprint for each of their schools where we may serve students. SOESD’s other direct instructional services for students are outlined in separate SOESD blueprints:

SOESD assists districts with preparing and updating blueprints with resources available at www.soesd.k12.or.us/readyschools.

The blueprints for all the districts in southern Oregon (and the state) are located on ODE’s web site.

August 17, 2020
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Migrant/ELL

Condemning Racism and Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

By News

Southern Oregon Education Service District condemns racism, racial violence, white supremacy, hate speech, and bigotry in all its forms within our district and by affiliated school districts and partners. All incidents of racism experienced by students, parents and community members in our district’s service area create racial disparities in social, health, economic, legal, and academic outcomes for students of color.

The SOESD Board has passed Resolution #5 reaffirming SOESD’s policies promoting nondiscrimination and an environment free of harassment based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, marital status or age of any other persons with whom the individual associates.

SOESD’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy states a commitment to be responsive and welcoming of diversity among students, parents, faculty, and staff and to reflect the demographics of our students while fostering a diverse workforce. It also states a commitment to an equity lens and a resolution to be actively anti-racist.

SOESD is actively engaged in promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism through SOESD’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and the regional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Collaborative of school districts in Southern Oregon facilitated by SOESD.

Read the Resolution

A Resolution of the Southern Oregon Education Service District Board of Directors Condemning Racism and Reconfirming Commitment to Being an Anti-racist District

Whereas, Our nation and the world have been made aware of and/or witnessed the death of George Floyd and countless other members of the Black Community slain as the latest victims of racism and police violence;

Whereas, Mass peaceful protests have taken place across the nation and the world, with people refusing to remain silent or complacent about racial injustice and ongoing systemic oppression;

Whereas, The Southern Oregon Education Service District Board of Directors has supported:

  • a regional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Collaborative of school districts in Southern Oregon facilitated by SOESD;
  • the development of our district’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee; and
  • the adoption on May 20, 2020 of our district’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy guided by our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (available at soesd.k12.or.us);

Whereas, All incidents of racism experienced by students, parents and community members in our district’s service area create racial disparities in social, health, economic, legal, and academic outcomes for students of color.

Now therefore be it resolved that, The Board of the Southern Oregon Education Service District condemns racism, racial violence, white supremacy, hate speech, and bigotry in all its forms within our district and by affiliated school districts and partners.

The board strongly reaffirms the adoption of our district’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy which states a commitment not only to being responsive and welcoming of the diversity of students, parents, faculty, and staff to reflect the demographics of our students and fostering a diverse workforce, but a commitment to an equity lens and resolving to be actively anti-racist.

August 17, 2020
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Southern Oregon Equity Summit 2020

By News, School Improvement Services

Kick off the 2020-2021 school year by joining us for the Southern Oregon Equity Summit 2020. The event includes high-profile speakers and breakout sessions that provide strategies for understanding equity through a trauma-informed practices approach.

To accommodate expected social distancing mandates and help keep our attendees safe and healthy, we’ll be working with multiple partners to offer meeting rooms throughout Southern Oregon. Each meeting room will provide access to speakers and enable people to attend as a group and thus engage in interactive discussions and exercises the presenters put forth.

With consideration to current social movements in the U.S., as well as the recent advent of widespread distance learning, equity work is needed now more than ever. Our students deserve our highest-level of support.

Please join us by registering and if your district, of organization would like to offer a site, or host one of our speakers at your site please contact Aaron Cooke, or Nancy Hayes.

When

August 19th-21st

Location

Multiple site based venues and virtual.

Summit Agenda

Fee

Free for SOESD Districts

Contact Information

Aaron Cooke at 541-261-0107 aaron_cooke@soesd.k12.or.us

SOESD Helpdesk Call  541-776-8590 ext 1106.

PDUs

18

Registration
In District Online Bookstore
Equity Summit Complete Book List
Day of Guidance
Open Our Web App

Equity Themes

Native Wellness Institute

The Native Wellness Institute recognizes the great impacts of historical trauma and oppression on our people. We understand that historic trauma has caused current day trauma in our families and communities. This is evident by the high rates of substance abuse, violence, gossip, negativity, poverty and other destructive behaviors and conditions.

As Native people we have the strength and resiliency to move beyond and forward from the hurtful past and utilize what our ancestors left us- prayer, faith, songs, dances, ceremony, language and the perseverance to leave a positive legacy for our future generations.

The Native Wellness Institute exists to help create an awareness of where our negative behavior comes from, provide opportunities for growth and healing and most importantly to help our people move forward in a good way. We do this by providing training and technical assistance based in Native culture that promotes the well-being of individuals, families, communities and places of work.

NWI lives and promotes the “Warrior’s Spirit” which means paying the greatest respect to our ancestors by being as positive, productive and proactive as we can, everyday of our lives.

Keynote: Historical Trauma to Historical Wisdom: Healing is the Answer

In order to better understand our own selves, each other and the youth and families we serve, we have to be grounded in our historical past and embrace cultural strengths to move us forward. We will go on a journey of experiencing the world through our ancestor’s eyes, release and let go of the challenges that hold us back, and re-member and re-learn and re-engage the tools that will uplift our healing so that we and future generations will continue to thrive.

Session I: Navigating Ism’s

Colonialism and racism are powerful ism’s that hold many Native students and families back. This interactive workshop will provide a brief overview of how colonialism and racism continue to impact tribal families and communities and what are the solutions in moving forward. We’ll look at how adverse childhood experiences can be mitigated through cultural resiliency and Native self-actualization.

Session I: Healing Strategies for Young People

As adults, we may forget that our young people experience trauma, hold on to hurt and pain and may not know how to articulate their need for healing. When we look at how trauma plays out in our families and communities, we have to assume that our young people could benefit from healing opportunities. This workshop will give examples of how healing opportunities can be integrated into school and community settings.

Presenter: Jillene Joseph Executive Director

Jillene is an enrolled member of the Gros Ventre or Aaniiih people from Fort Belknap, Montana. She lives in Oregon with her life partner and children. She is the Executive Director of the Native Wellness Institute and helped to found the national non-profit organization in 2000. She has a Bachelors of Science degree in Community Health Education and has served Indian Country for 30 years providing training and technical assistance in a variety of areas. Jillene has traveled to hundreds of Native communities and interacted with and learned from thousands of people. Whether she is providing youth leadership training, assisting women heal from childhood trauma or helping to bring wellness to the workplace, Jillene shares her passion for being positive, productive and proactive. She enjoys beading, reading, pow wowing and spending time with family and friends.

Communication Across Barriers

For 30 years, Communication Across Barriers (CAB), a national and international consulting firm, has been serving professionals and entire communities as they break the cycle of poverty in America. Dr. Donna Beegle…poverty expert, life-changing speaker, and recognized author…launched the company to provide meaningful, memorable, and realistic strategies for individuals, organizations, and communities that want to make a real difference in moving and keeping people out of poverty. Our team provides keynote presentations, trainings (in-person and on-line) from two hours to four days, organizational assessments, customized action planning, community development, and educational materials. CAB-produced resources include books, learning guides, articles, research, organized games and activities, as well as custom-designed curriculum available to all organizations we work with. CAB, under the passionate commitment of Dr. Beegle, is dedicated to broadening and improving opportunities for people who live in the war zone of poverty and to assist communities and organizations to “fight poverty, not the people who live in it.”

Keynote:  An Insider’s Perspective on Growing up in Generational, Migrant-Labor Poverty to Achieving a Doctorate: What Worked?

Most of the speakers and researchers talking about poverty have never been hungry. In this inspirational keynote, Dr. Donna M. Beegle shares her moving story of being born into generations of poverty and illiteracy. Her experiences of living in rural Oregon will resonate with the experiences students and families are facing today. She shares intersections of poverty and race along with tools for examining our own attitudes, actions, and organizations through the eyes of people who have lived poverty. She will illuminate evidence-based, best practices that allowed her to gain a GED at 26 and—10 years later—a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Prepare to “See Poverty and Be the Difference.”

Breakout 1:  Breaking the Iron Cage of Poverty to Improve Education Success

When Dr. Donna M. Beegle asked students from generational poverty, “What did education mean to you and your family,” the number one answer was “stress.” What does poverty teach? What does education look and feel like when you live in the crisis of poverty? Learning the answers to these questions can provide educators and community partners with a deeper understanding of the many different types of poverty and what can be done on an individual and organizational level to improve outcomes. Dr. Beegle will also share five evidence-based, best practices along with case studies of school districts who are changing the statistic that students in poverty are the least likely to gain an education.

Breakout 2:  Communicating, Relating, and Educating More Effectively Across Poverty Barriers

Communication is complex. If you are communicating with people from a similar background there is a 50 percent chance of misunderstandings. In her research, Dr. Beegle found that 92 percent of students and families living in the crisis of poverty leave educators and other helping professionals confused and often not knowing what to do next. In this session, Dr. Beegle provides five main causes of communication, learning, and relationship breakdowns. She offers practical communication tools for increasing shared meanings, building relationships that matter, and ensuring relevancy. Participants will better understand their own communication and learning styles and gain proven tools for guiding students on their journey to education success.

Dr. Donna Beagle

Born into migrant-labor, generational poverty, Dr. Beegle is an authentic voice from poverty that speaks, writes, and trains across the nation to break the iron cage of poverty for others through Communication Across Barriers (CAB). She married at 15, earned her GED at age 26, and — within 10 years — received her doctorate in Educational Leadership. For 30 years, she has traveled throughout hundreds of cities in all 50 states and four countries to assist professionals with proven strategies for breaking poverty barriers. State agencies, politicians, and other organizations have partnered with her to implement community-wide approaches to improving outcomes for citizens in poverty.

At Corwin, we take pride that our stakeholders are learners all over the world: that’s whom we invest in; that’s whom we want to live rich, abundant lives through education. On the eve of profound political, cultural, and social change, CEO David McCune challenged us at Corwin to dream, to dare, and to innovate. So dream, dare, and innovate we did, quickly establishing ourselves as the essential source of what works best, when, and for whom in education.

Keynote: Building LGBTQ+ Cultural Proficiency: An Introduction to LGBTQ+ Equity in Schools

In our work to create inclusive and safe schools for all students, it is critical that we support LGBTQ+ students, staff, and families. We are in a time when LGBTQ+ identities are more visible and the ways that these identities are expressed and articulated are proliferating. However, anti-LGBTQ+ bias and discrimination has also steadily increased in schools over the past few years. In this session, we will: explore the spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities; identiy both challenges and best practices creating LGBTQ+ affirming schools; and be introduced to a spectrum of multi-tiered supports for fostering LGBTQ+ equity in schools.

Breakout Session I: Building Belonging~Supporting LGBTQ+ Students & Their Families

Family acceptance and support is critical for the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth. When LGBTQ+ youth encounter ambivalence or rejection at home they are vulnerable to depression, suicidality, substance use, and other detrimental outcomes. In this session, we will: deepen our understanding of the impact of family acceptance and rejection on LGBTQ+ youth; be introduced to important resources for communicating with parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ students; and explore ways to support LGBTQ+ who are experiencing family rejection.

Breakout Session II: Building Resilience~Supporting LGBTQ+ Students During Distance Learning

Distance learning, blended instruction (online/in-person), and social distancing have been critical for protecting public health while also contributing to experiences of social isolation for many students. As a result, LGBTQ+, especially those who are living with rejecting families, may have had fewer positive and affirming interactions with peers and teachers during this time. In this session, we will explore ways that educators can foster engagement, connection, and social-emotional well-being for LGBTQ+ students during distance or blended learning.

Ricky Robertson

Ricky Robertson has had the privilege to work with students from pre-K to 12th grade who have persevered in the face of adversity and trauma. Ricky is the co-author of the book, “Building Resilience in Students Impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Whole-Staff Approach.” As a consultant and coach, Ricky assists schools in developing trauma-informed systems of support and Restorative Practices that foster resilience and success for staff and students.

The Resolve Center for Dispute Resolution and Restorative Justice

The Resolve Center for Dispute Resolution and Restorative Justice transforms the way the people and communities of southern Oregon manage and resolve conflict and repair from harm.

Resolve has been serving southern Oregon communities since 1990, helping people manage conflict through mediation, restoring harmed relationships and communities through dialogue and mentorship, and advancing peace through education and training.

Keynote Imagining Justice in School: What is possible?

This keynote will invite us into a collective vision for what a just, equitable, and relational education system could look like. Stories, data, and examples will be used to illustrate the promise of restorative justice for addressing individual and systemic harms, supporting racial equity, and creating meaningful relationships and community at school. How can we, as a community of southern Oregon educators, expand our concept of justice to address the complex issues facing our education system today?

Session I: Introduction to Restorative Justice in Schools

Restorative justice is a trauma informed set of principles and practices that supports schools in strengthening communities, repairing harm, and restoring relationships when wrongdoings occur. When applied in schools, restorative justice contributes to greater equity through demonstrated reductions in suspension, expulsion, and behavior referrals, increases in attendance and graduation rates, and a strengthened sense of belonging and community throughout the school climate. This presentation will offer an introductory overview of restorative justice and examples of the applications in a school setting. It is designed for those new to restorative justice or who want a refresher.

Session II: Aligning Restorative Justice with an Equity Lens

Restorative justice holds the promise of creating equitable spaces and outcomes. However, if not practiced with clear intention, these practices can cause further harm and perpetuate systems and processes of inequity. This workshop will highlight questions we should be asking, practices we should be adapting, and filters we should be applying to ensure our restorative justice initiative is truly equitable. This workshop is open to all but designed for those with some knowledge of restorative justice practices.

Raphaelle (Raphi) Miller, Director of Education & School Services

Raphi began working with Resolve in 2011, assuming the role of Director of Education & School Services in 2013. In her work as a restorative justice practitioner, trainer, coach, and consultant, Raphi supports schools in system-wide implementation of restorative justice practices. Raphi works collaboratively to advance restorative justice in education through participation in regional collective impact initiatives. She graduated magna cum laude from Southern Oregon University with her B.A. in Human Communication, certificates in Conflict Resolution and the Management of Human Resources, and a minor in Business Administration and she expects to complete her Master’s in Public Administration from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill this fall.

Cara Walsh, Director of Restorative Justice

As the Director of Restorative Justice, Cara has been working to support the development, implementation, and delivery of restorative justice services since 2010. In addition to providing training, consultation, and coaching on a local level, Cara works for the advancement of restorative justice throughout the region via her leadership with the Restorative Justice Coalition of Oregon and the Transforming Justice Advisory Committee. Her professional and educational experience is grounded in her passion for creating and facilitating integrative opportunities and experiences for community engagement, empowerment and transformation. Cara earned her M.A. from Prescott College.

Oregon Center for Educational Equity

The Oregon Center for Educational Equity is a network of highly skilled, diverse facilitators and professional development leaders whose mission is to interrupt and transform current and systemic educational inequities to ensure all students have access to personalized, equitable and high performing schools that believe and demonstrate each student can, should and will succeed.

From addressing systemic issues of educational inequity to implementing effective collaboration practices to creating school structures and classrooms that work for historically oppressed student populations, we are committed to working with educators, organizations and communities to collectively meet the needs of our children through strong, effective, and equity-focused leadership.

Keynote:

Understanding Diversity to Effectively Create and Sustain Inclusive Cultures and Structures.

Improving diversity knowledge and actively addressing the need to create and sustain inclusive environments in schools, work sites and throughout our communities is essential.  We need to collaborate with one another to make significant changes in people’s beliefs and behaviors.  We need to see diversity as an asset.  Honoring diversity makes people feel respected and valued for who they are as individuals and group members .  Inclusion is an authentic sense of truly belonging.   Inclusion provides the supportive energy and commitment that brings out the best in everyone by nurturing safe, welcoming and positive environments.  Understanding diversity and implementing inclusion helps organizations understand, accept and capitalize on differences.

Session I

LOOKING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD

The history of Oregon and the United States; our laws, policies, and interactions with our communities of color show strong patterns over the years that still influence how we engage in schools and throughout our communities today.  Explore a timeline of history and learn more about the legacy and continuing beliefs and behaviors around race, immigration and education that impact the decisions we all make today.  To more accurately understand how race and its counterpart, racism, are woven into the very fabric of American society, we must explore the history of how race, White privilege, as well as prejudice, discrimination and oppression of Blacks, Indigenous Peoples and People of Color came to be.  Oregonians can not effectively lead for equity without understanding the legacy of oppression and privilege intertwined in our history of race, immigration and education.  You will learn many things about Oregon and the United States that you never knew and be reminded of others that you’ve forgotten.

Session II

TALKING ABOUT RACE AND INTERRUPTING RACISM

Talking about race, although hard, is necessary.  Interrupting racism is essential and often challenging to know how to do it.  This session will frame how to talk about race and also how to receive messages from others around race.  We must be able to have conversations about race if we are ever going to effectively take actions against racism.  It is essential to lean into discomfort to deepen our capacity to recognize and interrupt racist attitudes and actions that occur all around us, every day.  If we want to be part of the solution, we have to be willing to get uncomfortable.  We can’t ever hope to heal the wounds that racism has inflicted — and continues to inflict if we refuse to talk about it. Those conversations aren’t always easy, they aren’t always pretty, and they aren’t always comfortable. But they are absolutely necessary. They are critical.

Instructor: Daryl Dixon Daryl Dixon

Daryl Dixon is a native of Atlanta Georgia, and he is regarded as one of the most powerful, inspirational and relevant speakers and trainers on the subject of workforce diversity.  Daryl is the founder of Diversity Resource Group (DRG), and the author of Understanding Diversity; What Managers & Supervisors Need to Know To Manage Diversity Effectively.  Daryl works with organizations to help create an optimal work environment – an environment where every employee feels recognized, appreciated, valued and that his/her talents are being optimally utilized.  Daryl has consulted with organizations that range from small non-profits to Fortune 500.  Daryl received certification as an EEO Investigator.  An award winning diversity practitioner, Daryl has presented at the national SHRM Diversity Conference and was cited in HR Magazine for his expertise in the area of workforce diversity.  Daryl earned his BA degree from Morehouse College and the Master of Divinity degree from George Fox University.

Instructor: Jesse Scott

Jesse has been an educator for 20 years.  He is currently a middle school social studies teacher in Eugene, Oregon, focusing on teaching history through a non-dominant lens.  He guides his students to critically examine, discuss and explore, through historical analysis and current events, an array of social justice issues and actions.  Jesse embraces opportunities to engage in challenging conversations around equity, diversity and inclusion with his colleagues, his students, and his own multi-racial children. He also provides professional development as a Facilitator for the Oregon Center for Educational Equity (OCEE).

Keynote

Belonging and Dignity: The Keys to Equity Implementation

Too often, equity implementation reinforces a vicious cycle of failure because the keys to success are missing and the purpose of the effort is muddled. This session will bring clarity to what equity is all about so we can address it through specific actions (behaviors, professional practices, and policies). To that end, participants will experience an inspirational speech that invites them to interrogate their own beliefs and socialization. They will leave with a pragmatic framework for dignity and belonging that they can use to guide successful equity implementation.

Session I

Avoiding the Dysfunctional Cycle of Equity Work

Racial inequality and injustice have captured the world’s attention, however most schools and districts seeking to “do something” are poised to fail (again) with equity implementation. Big time. Why? Because there exists a predictable cycle of failure, which includes experiencing a catalyst, committing to equity, fumbling around with implementation, and upholding the inequitable status quo until the next catalyst occurs. Learn what you can do to break this dysfunctional cycle once and for all.

Session II

Belonging – Beyond Access

To redress inequity and create a socially just system of education, ensuring access is not enough. For educational equity, access and belonging are both vital. In this session, participants will explore why aspirations to eliminate so-called achievement gaps must first prioritize eliminating gaps in belonging.

John Krownapple

John Krownapple specializes in helping organizations learn and grow in the area of human relations. His career has focused on education, diversity and inclusion, equity, and social justice. In his book Guiding Teams to Excellence with Equity, he provides a protocol for facilitating systemic, equitable change. His most recent book, Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity, co-authored with Dr. Floyd Cobb, concretely illustrates his mission to help each of us get in touch with our own dignity so that we can honor the dignity of others on structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal levels. In doing so, John believes that we can grow as effective organizations, inclusive communities, and as a democratic society. Simply put, we can improve quality of our lives and the lives of others through dignity.

An inspirational speaker and workshop facilitator, John is currently an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University. He also serves as the Coordinator of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Howard County Public School System.

Partners

 

 

June 11, 2020
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Southern Oregon Ed Tech Summit “2020 Vision”

By News, School Improvement Services

EDTech “2020 Vision”

We are happy to announce that we are going fully virtual this year! Southern Oregon is bringing back our premier “Teacher to Teacher” instructional technology integration training event: the annual Southern Oregon EDTech Summit, now in its 9th year, on August 11th 2020. This event will feature teachers sharing their knowledge and skills for integrating technical tools for teaching and learning. Come join us for a variety of engaging topics presented by your fellow educators, just in time to support your fall classes.

This year we will be focusing on skills to support you in teaching distance- and hybrid-education models. Fellow educators from across Southern Oregon and around the state will provide practical ways to engage students in multiple methods for all age groups. They also will support administrators in visioning approaches to hybrid and distance learning.

We will kick off our 2020 event with Southern Oregon’s own Tisha Richmond offering an exciting and “Magical” keynote, which will be followed by four rounds of breakout sessions scheduled throughout the day.

Late registration is closing at 1:00 PM on Friday the 7th!
​
Participants who register by 1:00 PM on August 5th will be invited to a NEPRIS Orientation Friday August 7th at 10:00

If you did not receive an invitation use this link.

Join Orientation

When

August 11th 8:00-4:00

Location

Virtual

Summit Agenda
Register for the Summit

Fee

Free for these Oregon STEM Hubs and ESD’s. (click the links to see districts)

Umpqua Valley STEAM HUB
South Metro-Salem STEAM HUB
Columbia Gorge STEAM HUB
Central Oregon STEM HUB
Southern Oregon CC4A/STEAM
Oregon Coast STEM
Clackamas ESD
Willamette ESD

For others contact SOESD

Contact Information

Nancy Hayes at 541-776-8564 or  Aaron Cooke at aaron_cooke@soesd.k12.or.us 541-261-0107

PDUs

6

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Author and Tech Integration Specialist for Medford School District
SESSIONS: Make Learning Magical & Game On
WEBSITE: www.tisharichmond.com

Tisha is an innovative district Tech Integration Specialist, speaker, and author from Southern Oregon. She has taught Family and Consumer Science for 25 years and has served in various leadership roles in her school and district as well as on Oregon regional and state edtech cadres. Tisha is the author of the book Make Learning MAGICAL, which unlocks seven keys to transform teaching and create unforgettable experiences in the classroom. She speaks nationally on a variety of topics related to teaching and learning in all content and grade levels, Family and Consumer Science being her specialty. ​In 2018, she was a recipient of Medford School District’s Golden Pear Educator Secondary Teacher Award and a first place winner of the Henry Ford Innovation Nation Educator Award. Tisha is passionate about infusing joy, passion, play, and gamified strategies to immerse and empower our 21st century learners and make learning a MAGICAL experience for all! She connects globally with educators around the world continuously reaching beyond her comfort zone to grow and help transform the educational landscape so all learners can thrive.

BREAKOUT SESSION 1

As our world is ever-changing, we need to be prepared for anything these days! This fall we will walk into a very different world of teaching with some of us in the classroom, some fully distance learning, and some of us somewhere in between. In this session we will dive into the world of Seesaw: The Learning Journal to find out how this versatile and robust app can help us with any type of teaching and learning that we face this year. Participants will discover ways to connect with families and students at home in an easy and straight forward manner. Participants will also learn how to utilize the creation and communication tools to keep learning going whether their students are distance learning or in the classroom with them. If we have time, we will also explore some app smashing with apps like Apple Clips, iMovie, Book Creator and more! Participants will walk away with a simple and easy workflow app to use in the classroom, as well as, a valuable way to share student work with parents at home.

Instructor: Heather Marrs

Heather Marrs is an Instructional Coach at Eagle Rock Elementary in Eagle Point, Oregon. She is an Apple Distinguished Educator, Seesaw Ambassador, Book Creator Ambassador and FlipGrid Ambassador. Heather is passionate about integrating technology in education to amplify student voice, increase communication, and engage students. She has been a presenter at ISTE 2019, NCCE 2016-19, the Southern Oregon EdTech Summit 2015-18, and IntegratED 2017-18. Heather is the founder and main moderator of the Oregon EdChat which can be found at #OrEdChat on Twitter. She enjoys being a connected educator and providing professional development both locally and regionally. Outside of teaching, she is a wife and mother of two amazing kiddos.

Educators know the importance of maintaining solid relationships with students. That is where learning starts. But how do you maintain, and even foster those relationships from a distance? Morgan will share methods and ideas on how to do just that.

Speaker: Morgan Cottle

Morgan has over 30 years experience with public schools in Southern Oregon. He spent 28 years at the elementary classroom followed by district and region leadership in technology integration. Currently he is the principal of South Valley Academy, a new grades 3-12 public school in Rogue River. SVA is a blended model, brick-and-mortar and off campus school focusing on personalized learning. Students are on flexible schedules and proficiency based.

Not sure where or how to get started with graphic design? Then this is the session for you. Learn how to use Canva to break down those barriers that are keeping you and your students from showcasing your creative side with this super easy to use online platform. In this session you will learn the basics of using Canva, some useful tips and tricks, how you can use it to level up your website, email, presentations and more. As well as how it can be used in the classroom with students. Depending on the needs of the session attendees we will choose a “make and take” to kick off our creative bravery. Some options for our “make and take” could be an email signature, Google header for forms or websites, buttons for Canvas, and more. With over 60k in templates available the possibilities are limitless. Now let’s go Create!

Instructor: LeVonda Vickery

LeVonda teaches 7th and 8th grade students digital fabrication, robotics, and computer skills at McLoughlin Middle School in Medford, Oregon. She has been a classroom teacher for 6 years and brings over 20 years of real-world experience to the classroom. She’s a returning member of the Educational Service Districts EdTech Integration team that sponsors the EdTech Summit each year in Southern Oregon. She received a grant to begin a SkillsUSA chapter at McLoughlin during the 2017-18 school year. She has taken students to the SkillsUSA state conference to compete in team engineering, cake decorating, pin design, t-shirt design, extemporaneous speech, urban search and rescue robotics and mobile robotics during the past 3 years where students have earned 16 gold, 11 silver, and 10 bronze medals. As well as taking her gold medalists to national competition in Kentucky over the past two years where in 2018-19 they earned 3rd and 10th place at competition. She’s a lifelong learner and passionate about graphic design, digital fabrication, technology and loves playing video games. She takes on her Geek Girl attitude with pride and hopes to get other girls passionate about computer science and other male predominant roles in the CTE industry.

Project Zero’s Thinking Routines promote students’ thinking by taking what students have read or learned about and have them synthesize their thoughts to make their thinking visible. Haven’t heard of them yet? Come to this session and learn all about them. Discover when and how using technology tools, such as GSuite, Padlet, Pear Deck and Flipgrid can amplify the use of these routines. Empower your learners to new levels as you learn to combine thinking routines and technology tools.

Instructor: Debbie Tannenbaum

Debbie Tannenbaum is an Elementary School Technology Specialist in Fairfax County, VA. An educator with over twenty years of experience, Mrs. Tannenbaum is completing her second year in this role, where she supports both staff and students to integrate technology tools into instruction through both co teaching sessions and weekly technology classes. Mrs. Tannenbaum is also an avid blogger and shares her thoughts and reflections on her website: Techy Notes. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram at @TannenbaumTech.

The unprecedented school closures, due to COVID-19, have highlighted the challenges educators face to provide effective educational services for students with significant learning needs. In this session, we will discuss how to support synchronous remote learning for students with autism and other developmental disabilities through evidence-based practices. We will also discuss ways to support families in navigating home routines with free visual supports and resources.

Presenter: Darby Lasley

Darby works with STAR Autism Support to provide workshops and hands-on consultation to classrooms throughout the country and in the state of Oregon with classrooms who have been trained to serve as model training sites (Oregon Regional Program Autism Training Sites/OrPATS). Darby brings classroom experience as an elementary life skills teacher who helped create the first elementary ORPATS training site in Lane County. For four years Darby served as a Program Supervisor overseeing the elementary life skills program and the regional autism program for Lane Education Service District. Darby also served as a senior instructor for Portland State University providing workshops and hands-on training to classrooms around the state of Oregon. Darby holds a master’s degree in special education, a bachelor’s degree in early childhood development, and a current Oregon Administrator License and Oregon Teaching License with endorsements in autism, special education, and early childhood education.

Distance learning can be hard, but with Twig Science your students can still have fun and engaging lessons while away from the classroom!

You will get to see student examples of a hands on investigation that I did with my 1st graders during distance learning. I will show you how I used Twig Science during my time of distance learning. Wait till you see what Twig Science has done now! They created distance learning friendly lessons with a real credentialed teacher instructing your student along the way.

Twig Science has led the way as a NGSS based science curriculum. We were the only company to have zero edits or corrections during the adoption process.

Covid-19 has changed the way teachers interact with the curriculum. Twig Science immediately saw a new need and spent this time harrowing to convert every asset of our program to be taught virtually. We were committed to creating a solution that would still completely immerse students in phenomena based 3-dimensional learning. This STEAM workshop will take teachers through a real Twig Lesson taught by our virtual “Twig Coaches”, who are real elementary teachers that “teach” the teacher portions on the student interactive platform. Participants will work towards the Anchor Phenomenon. Participants will see a Twig Science Lab (Virtual Hands-On). TSDL also promotes Universal Access strategies for all learners; including EL, SPED, Challenge, and Cultural Connections.The takeaway is that participants will leave knowing that NGSS can still be done effectively through distance learning. Administrators will also appreciate that there is no teacher prep with TSDL. We will give away 5 subscriptions Twig Science Reporter just for attending the workshop.

Instructor: Christopher Borjas

Christopher just finished his 9th year of teaching elementary students. He has his Masters in Curriculum Instruction and Design from Cal State Fullerton. This degree has helped him plan and develop engaging lessons for his students. As a consultant for Twig Science, he has been able to help teachers across California and the US, successfully implement NGSS into their classrooms. He is also on the Twig Science distance learning team, working on the first and fifth grade curriculum. Christopher, his wife, and two sons live in Southern California.

This session introduces the topic of student online safety and privacy and offers best practices for managing the risks to students. We will explore specific tools and methods for assessing the privacy and security of products commonly used in the classroom. Participants will explore Common Sense Education lessons and resources on this topic.

Instructor: Michelle Green

On and off the job, Michelle is a Champion of Digital Learners and Leaders. She serves as the technology supervisor for Eagle Point School District. Being a collaboration junkie, Michelle seeks out PLNs to expand her knowledge. This results in her being a leader for the OR EdTech Cadre, a Google Certified Innovator, a Common Sense Ambassador, and a Certified Educational Technology Leader through CoSN. Michelle’s career started in the classroom and progressed to serving at the state level, but she’s happy to be in the valley and supporting learners close to home.

Oregon Connections 1.0 will introduce participants to the Oregon Connections Platform by providing an overview of the website, supporting participants in establishing a profile, walking through the process of requesting a presentation and how to sign up for various kinds of industry sessions. Tools to support teachers in integrating the role of industry partners in classroom instruction will also be shared. Participants will work directly on the Oregon Connections site and will be supported in planning a calendar for use during the coming school year. Representatives from Nepris, developer of Oregon Connections, will also be available to provide support.

Instructor: Lacey Ferguson

Lacey Ferguson is a past elementary and science teacher working now as an independent consultant. She has been the program coordinator for Oregon Connections implementation for the Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub for 5 years. Oregon Connections connects education with business/industry partners through virtual field trips and presentations as well as connecting students to career experts as mentors.

Finding ways to reach all students and to effectively implement new strategies and digital tools into the classroom can be overwhelming. The purpose for this session is that I want to share how some of the changes I have made in my classroom structure, instruction as well as the different digital tools that I have integrated into my classroom, have led to great benefits for my students as well as to my own practice as a teacher. Working with the students, asking for their feedback, involving them in the decisions of which tools to use and the strategies that help them to learn, has led to increased motivation and student engagement. Sometimes you just have to take some risks, try new tools and methods, to engage students in learning. I got out of the way, which was a bit uncomfortable at first, after years of standing in the front and controlling all activities. Now, I leave it up to students as well, giving me more time to move around the room, wherever they are, and work with them more. This session will share ideas for creating a flexible, student-driven learning environment, where students build their confidence, relationships and collaborate on a learning adventure. Attendees will have at least eight strategies for creating new learning experiences for students. There will be opportunities to create and explore some of the tools and strategies. Attendees will be able to get started with any of these methods without having to invest a lot of time.

Instructor: Rachelle Dene Poth

Rachelle Dene Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher. Rachelle teaches Spanish and STEAM: What’s nExT in Emerging Technology at Riverview Junior Senior High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle has a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. She is a Consultant and Speaker, owner of ThriveinEDU LLC Consulting. She serves as the President of the ISTE Teacher Education Network and serves on the Leadership team of the Mobile Learning Network. At ISTE19, she received the Making IT Happen Award and a Presidential Gold Award for volunteer service to education. Rachelle is the author of four books, ‘In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU” (EduMatch) and “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” Rachelle Dene’s latest book is with ISTE “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World.” Rachelle is a blogger for Getting Smart, Defined Learning, District Administration, NEO LMS, and the STEM Informer with Newsweek.

This open forum discussion is intended to allow school psychologists to exchange thoughts and information about current best practices in the field, including utilization of virtual technology, ODE guidelines for conducting assessments, the newly released 2020 NASP Professional Standards, revisions in ODE eligibility requirements (i.e. TBI) and other current practices and trends that impact school psychology practices.

Instructor: Kim Hosford

Instructor: Jeffrey Fry, Ph.D.

Dr. Fry is a licensed school psychologist and an Oregon Board of Psychology candidate for licensed psychologist.  He has been delivering comprehensive psychological and educational services in schools and private practice for 24 years.  Dr. Fry is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist with advanced training in neurodevelopmental disorders and school neuropsychology.  He has provided numerous workshops for school professionals and parents on mental health-related topics and evaluation practices.  Dr. Fry has had the privilege of participating on various state and district-level committees across the nation helping to inform best professional practices and meaningful services to children and families.  He is a strong advocate for individuals with disabilities and proponent of comprehensive behavioral health services for children and families.

BREAKOUT SESSION 2

We are very excited to launch OOL across the state! As a #GoOpen state, Oregon’s investment in open educational resources signals our commitment to equity, empowerment, and efficacy. Participants will engage with the “why” and “how” of open education, as well as learn to recognize open licensing and find/develop resources.

Instructor: Oregon Open Learning Team
Andy Byerley, Vanessa Clark, Renee House, Susan Payne, Tina Roberts, and Jamie Rumage

The Oregon Open Learning Team represents specialists from across the Office of Teaching Learning and Assessment at ODE who joined forces at the outset of Distance Learning for All to support the Oregon education community during emergency school closure and into the 2020-21 school year.

The Southern Oregon Fire Ecology Education (SOFEE) project has developed K-12 lessons to support teachers with explaining the role of fire in southern Oregon. This presentation will demonstrate the digital resources available to teachers. It will focus on the fire stories from the Fireworks curriculum.

 

Instructor: Tara Laidlaw

In twelve years of working within and beyond the classroom, Tara has been a front-line facilitator, a program director, an instructional designer, and a teacher trainer. Now, as an education program manager with Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, her professional focus is helping place-based programs support the Next Generation Science Standards and inspire environmental literacy and stewardship in learners from all walks of life.

This workshop will model an inquiry-based STEM project that can be the basis of several expansion topics. The base activity, designing and making a stick loom and weaving natural materials, employs technology, engineering, and math skills in an engaging way that is accessible to learners of all backgrounds. Participants will select natural materials and will investigate them, seeking patterns, which will launch a brief investigation into variation and patterns in plants. They will then sort and categorize their materials, and will design and construct a stick loom. Using their materials, participants will weave a natural mat. Each mat will be unique, according to the materials selected and the individual maker’s design. Material selection affords an opportunity for learners to begin intentionally thinking like a scientist, as they collect and categorize diverse natural materials, then sort and group them according to pattern. This part of the investigation can be expanded to go deeper into a variety of life science topics, depending on the age of the learners. The loom construction and the weaving design activity are an opportunity to discuss the engineering design cycle, and to iterate on and improve variations on the model. Learners may choose to make their loom according to a traditional loom design, or may iterate and devise a loom design suited to their needs. The weaving process itself is an opportunity for expansion into many variant math topics, including coding. The history of weaving from ancient origins to its role in the development of modern computers offers an opportunity to discuss the purpose of technology and its role in improving our lives, whether we are examining ancient or modern cultures. The weaving process is an introduction to coding, as weaving is an accessible example of binary code. A short reflection session offers participants the opportunity to discuss their design process and to reflect on any trouble shooting they employed, as well as new discoveries and connections they made and new areas they are curious about.

Instructor: Ash Friend

Ash Friend has been involved in informal education design and implementation for the last ten years. Ash’s background blends a degree in Creative Writing and literature as well as degrees and experience in lab science, allowing for organic cross curricular connections between STEM topics and humanities. Besides designing and implementing curriculum for ScienceWorks and SOU Youth Programs, Ash has designed and implemented programs for SOU Academy as well as assorted art centers, libraries, and schools. Currently, Ash is the K-12 Education manager at ScienceWorks, as well as a writer and illustrator.

Instructor: Leah Ruby

Leah Ruby is a dedicated museum professional with life long experience in the field of free-choice learning. Armed with a degree in fine arts and art history, she moved to San Francisco to build museum exhibits for the Cal Academy rogue fabrication shop, Academy Studios. She soon realized that while great exhibits “wow” people, fantastic educators and programs are what keep patrons coming back. To learn more, she studied Museum Education at John F. Kennedy University in the prestigious Museum Studies program, all the while consulting for museums and non-profits for their education and exhibit needs. Currently, she serves as the Museum Programs Manager at ScienceWorks.

Morgan will share how South Valley Academy in Rogue River has created a blended model of teaching and learning. SVA is a blended model of brick and mortar, and off campus learning. A flexible schedule combined with proficiency based approach allows for students to have a true personalized approach to learning. Morgan will work with educators to help them consider this approach for their own classroom or school.

Speaker: Morgan Cottle

Morgan has over 30 years experience with public schools in Southern Oregon. He spent 28 years at the elementary classroom followed by district and region leadership in technology integration. Currently he is the principal of South Valley Academy, a new grades 3-12 public school in Rogue River. SVA is a blended model, brick-and-mortar and off campus school focusing on personalized learning. Students are on flexible schedules and proficiency based.

Online education has been in existence for students K-12 for over a decade, and the continued growth that has occurred has brought a diverse population of students with special needs to this engaging and individualized environment. Practices relating to instruction vary from school to school as different delivery models create distinctive challenges in the administration of services. IEPs in online schools mirror those in traditional brick and mortar environments relating to SDI, yet this setting creates unique demands relating to instructional delivery. Choices schools make can affect compliancy, provider decisions, and complex administrative functions. Usefulness to Practitioners This presentation is hosted by experienced online Special Education leaders from two Oregon statewide online schools. We will discuss our experience with best practices relating to Specially Designed Instruction (SDI), pitfalls to avoid, and lessons learned. The responsibilities of teachers, parents and students are shifting in the online word, and are posing interesting points of discussion for educators and administrators. Relevance to Learners, Families and/or educators of Diverse Groups As more and more school districts and states venture into the realm of online learning the challenges and uniqueness in delivery of special education services needs to addressed for this growing population of students. Online education is a viable option for students with special needs who have not found success in the traditional learning environments. Insuring these students have appropriate services has created new challenges for schools. The unique challenges of accountability, compliancy and meeting state standards for learning are just a few of the demands that need to be addressed. Participant Outcome Participants in the session will learn how online schools manage specially designed instruction.

Instructor: Jill Adams

Jill Adams, Learning Specialist and Modifications Coordinator at Oregon Charter Academy, teaches specially designed instruction at the secondary level in the areas of transition, reading, and written language. Jill has taught online for five years after teaching life skills and resource special education in the Hillsboro and Bend La Pine School Districts at the elementary and middle school levels. She holds a degree in English from Portland State University, and received her Masters of Arts in Teaching Special Education from Pacific University. She is a Google for Education Certified Educator Level 2. She resides in Central Oregon.

Instructor: Natalie Conway

Natalie Conway M.Ed. started her career teaching in 2005 in Massachusetts. She moved to Oregon in 2013. Natalie has worked as a special education teacher, general education teacher and mentor teacher. She holds an M.Ed. in special education and will earn her Reading Endorsement in the winter of 2020. In addition to being a public school educator, Natalie is an instructor for The Innovative Northwest Teacher, bringing high quality and relevant PD to teachers in the Pacific Northwest. She also is an instructional coach for SYS Education LLC, where she trains teachers in how to create authentic and engaging online content for students K-12.

During our distance learning time it was quite a challenge to keep students engaged in mathematical thinking while, at the same time, keeping equity among all my students. Two tools that I used to help combat this challenge was rough draft thinking and critiquing of other students’ work. In this breakout session I will have the participants play the part of the student to see how each method can be used during an online class session as well as what can be sent home in a packet in order to encourage the same high level of mathematical thinking.

Instructor: Debbie Knapp

I have taught math classes for 32 years. The majority of my time has been at the high school level though I have taught classes from 5th grade through Community College level.

The unprecedented school closures, due to COVID-19, have highlighted the challenges educators face to provide effective educational services for students with significant learning needs. These students are most vulnerable to regression and susceptible to longer periods of recoupment when school is not in session. Availability of remote learning opportunities for our most at-risk students can reduce the likelihood of significant regression. Synchronous remote learning, or real-time teaching from a trained educator, meets key provisions in federal legislation (IDEA). Further, synchronous remote learning is a critical component for students to progress beyond maintenance of previously learned skills, toward the advancement of new skills. This presentation provides a comprehensive look at synchronous remote learning strategies found to be successful for students with significant learning needs, including students who struggle with communication, attending, and behavioral expectations. Participants will learn about strategies and tools to use during virtual instruction in order to teach language, academics, play, and social skills for pre-K through post-secondary students. Examples of assessments, lesson plans, and progress monitoring systems for ensuring FAPE will be shared. We also focus on ways to support families in continuing their children’s education from home and explore free visual supports and resources to help navigate home routines.School/Student relationships during COVID-19

Presenter: Laylah Bulman

Laylah Bulman is a senior program officer for the Samueli Foundation, focusing on the North America Scholastic Esports Federation. She launched the Florida Scholastic Esports League, an affiliate of NASEF, to expand opportunities in STEM careers within esports. She began her career in Mexico City with the US Embassy, working on science and environmental policy and then moved into K12, working as a teacher and administrator, focusing on the effective implementation and sustainability of creative education technologies for classroom innovation. She was later the the enterprise director for LEGO Education and a LEAD STEM Fellow, responsible for LEGO Education’s STEM + CS efforts across Florida and the global STEM Learning Ecosystems. She speaks nationally on computer science, innovation, and early childhood learning. She is a Woodrow Wilson Fellow in Public and International Affairs and a graduate of The University of Virginia.

Presenter 2: Gerald Solomon

Gerald Solomon serves as the executive director for the Samueli Foundation, overseeing Samueli Philanthropy. A particular focus of the Samueli Foundation’s work in the education arena is to stimulate interest in preK-12 students in STEM coursework, research, and careers through integration of technology and innovative teaching methods. Today, much of this work is being carried out through deep involvement locally with the Orange County STEM Initiative and nationally and globally through the STEM Funders Network and the STEM Ecosystems Initiative. Mr. Solomon is the founder of the North America Scholastic Esports Federation, which leverages massive interest in esports to teach youth life and career skills.

In this virtual, hands-on, session, we’ll explore the Maker Mindset and how it can be adapted for Remote Project Based Learning opportunities.

Alli French and Ryan Wilcoxson from Talent Maker City, will walk us through the basics of the Maker Mindset and how it can be used to facilitate PBL centered in STEAM, specifically with 3D printing for beginners! You’ll learn how to incorporate 3D printing into your lessons – remotely or in person!

We’ll also take a close look at how you can access all of the tools in the STEM Hub’s Lending Library and how to work with your community partners on relevant PBL for your students.

Finally, we’ll explore how TMC is working with Southern Oregon student makers, engineers, manufacturers and medical professionals to prototype and produce much needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies to combat the COVID19 Crisis locally.

Instructor: Alli French

Programs Director, Talent Maker City

Alli is a long-time educator and maker. She has been teaching, mentoring and collaborating with the Ashland, Medford and Phoenix-Talent School Districts for over twenty years. As a maker, she is the proud owner of RefunktionedArt, where she makes new things out of old materials.

Ryan Wilcoxson – Executive Director, Talent Maker City

Ryan is a founding member of Talent Maker City and currently serves as Executive Director. In his past career, Ryan co-owned a San Francisco-based development studio where he specialized in media design, including video production, post-production, graphic and motion design.

When Ryan moved to Southern Oregon in 2010, he took up woodworking which circuitously led him to changing careers and diving head first into establishing TMC with a group of volunteers dedicated to building a more connected, more prosperous community through hands-on creativity and STEAM-based learning.

Ryan has been a maker-of-things his entire life and when not behind a computer, he can most often be found at Talent Maker City playing with lasers, lathes, 3d-printers, table saws and more.

In this session, participants will FEEL the difference between online learning with and without simple practices that can make all the difference in the learning experience! The research is powerful regarding the importance of the classroom affective filter. There is overwhelming proof that English Learners succeed with language acquisition in the classroom by simply lowering the affective filter. I believe this affective filter applies to all students in their own, individual way. Simply put: Students must feel comfortable as a part of the group and know that they are accepted before they are willing to take chances and become vulnerable to participating and learning. We will look at simple practices that are usually (hopefully) taken for granted in the physical classroom, but rarely considered in the virtual classroom. These simple techniques include open dialogue, humor, getting to know each other personally, welcoming students at “the door,” and so many of these things that we do naturally in a physical classroom setting. When teachers were abruptly forced online, many were struggling to simply work the technology, so this is completely understandable. But now that we have had some time to reflect and regroup, we can prepare for a better virtual experience. During this time, participants will need some markers and paper and may even be asked to bring their pet for a brief cameo! Participants should enjoy this session and leave with a renewed excitement for technology in the classroom- however that may look. When teachers experience this session, it will show them- not TELL them- how it SHOULD feel to be a student and feel like you are a part of a learning community where you are important and you can enjoy learning. Attendees will participate in a icebreaker, stretch break, posting their responses, showing their paper/products (markers and paper needed), and participating in a few simple polls. They will experience a brief read aloud and share book titles that lend themselves to an inclusive classroom.

Instructor: Melissa Saphos

Melissa is the very definition of a life-long learner. Her core belief is that you must continue to learn, morph, and grow as you experience the journey that is life. Professionally, she has been a reporter, marketing director, and banker before formally entering the classroom. As an educator, she continues her journey and proudly hails the titles of teacher, instructional coach, researcher, trainer and advocate for teachers and students.

StageAgent is an online theatre resource for schools, communities, and professional artists. The website, in partnership with teachers and school districts, has been developed with an eye towards education. In our development, we emphasize flexibility and adaptability–the student-centric model helps teachers develop their students’ theatre literacy, independent research skills, and online responsibility.

Through investigation of the StageAgent platform, educators will be able to see how they can use the content to facilitate online learning in theatre arts. At its most basic level, StageAgent is relevant, industry-based research for college and career needs. Digging further into the platform, educators will see how StageAgent aligns with theatre arts standards and identify content, materials, and activities that can be utilized in an online learning environment to facilitate performing arts education.

While the content of the site is expansive, the most important element is the development of research skills in a “walled garden” of information. Students develop curiosity, knowledge of media, and creativity as they navigate an online world. In the session, educator participants will have the opportunity to put these skills into action and brainstorm how they in turn could adapt the StageAgent platform to be their own.

Presenter: Lisa Cotie

BREAKOUT SESSION 3

An open and practical discussion with two virtual Special Educators regarding best practices for conducting IEP and Triennial team meetings remotely. Both presenters have experience in brick & Mortar settings as well as six years each in virtual SpEd academies. Bring your questions and concerns for WISC and WIAT team.

Instructor: Natalie Conway

Natalie Conway M.Ed. started her career teaching in 2005 in Massachusetts. She moved to Oregon in 2013. Natalie has worked as a special education teacher, general education teacher and mentor teacher. She holds an M.Ed. in special education and will earn her Reading Endorsement in the winter of 2020. In addition to being a public school educator, Natalie is an instructor for The Innovative Northwest Teacher, bringing high quality and relevant PD to teachers in the Pacific Northwest. She also is an instructional coach for SYS Education LLC, where she trains teachers in how to create authentic and engaging online content for students K-12.

Instructor: Jill Adams

Jill Adams, Learning Specialist and Modifications Coordinator at Oregon Charter Academy, teaches specially designed instruction at the secondary level in the areas of transition, reading, and written language. Jill has taught online for five years after teaching life skills and resource special education in the Hillsboro and Bend La Pine School Districts at the elementary and middle school levels. She holds a degree in English from Portland State University, and received her Masters of Arts in Teaching Special Education from Pacific University. She is a Google for Education Certified Educator Level 2. She resides in Central Oregon.

The focus of this workshop is assuring all students have access to rich and rigorous tasks when learning in an online setting. Participants will engage in large and small group settings as they work through a task. Zoom breakout rooms and Google Slides will be used to promote discourse and share ideas. The session will be grounded in the Best Practices in Teaching Mathematics course developed by Teachers Development Group, however, the teaching and online learning aspects easily transfer to all curricular subjects.

Instructor: Vicki Sime

Vicki Sime has been an educator in Redmond, Oregon for many years and is currently a math professional development specialist for Teachers Development Group. She gets most excited when she engages teachers and leaders in productive math learning and then supports teachers to provide those opportunities for their students. Above all, she appreciates collaborating with others around quality math instruction that empowers all students to have the access and support they need.

The session will consist of time to go over each of the eight Science and Engineering Practices (from NGSS). There will be three activities for each Practice: a model of how they can be used for instruction, a model of how they can be used for assessment, and a discussion of how each fits into the broader context of science and life. I am hoping participants can see that the Science Practices help to give students a new and interesting lens into the world around them that can go beyond just what they’re learning in school.

Instructor: Ben DeCarlow

The majority of my teaching career has been spent in rural and semi-rural schools teaching science. Throughout that time, I have been able to help guide other teachers in the implementation in NGSS using the phenomena based model of learning. This model allows for students to take ownership of their learning of science and the world around them. While many teachers find this to be a difficult process to follow at first, many have found it to be very rewarding.

In this session, we will explore how coding stories support students in both their curricular and social emotional learning. We will dive into social emotional learning’s 5 domains and go through different strategies that you can use in your classroom right away. We will also have a hands-on session where you will write and code your own “buddy book” that supports SEL in the classroom. No coding experience needed!

Instructor: Laura Steinbrink

Laura Steinbrink, a teacher for 24 years, presents tech & instructional practices locally, in Missouri, & nationally. She is also the Technology Integration Coach, Communications Director, Webmaster, yearbook adviser and high school English/Spanish teacher for the Plato R-V School District. Laura is the author of www.rockntheboat.com, a Feedspot Top 200 blog in Education and has published articles for Matt Miller, author of Ditch That Textbook, Denis Sheeran, author of Instant Relevance; & articles for Kahoot, Getting Smart, the ISTE Educator Network newsletter, ISTE, & other EDU related companies.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteinbrinkLaura

Instructor: Nicole Kang

Nicole Kang is the co-founder and educational lead for Elementari. She is a first generation college student and MIT alum with a passion for promoting both literacy and computational thinking (coding). Previously, she was a STEM teacher educational researcher.

In the Classroom after Concussion is an online course that provides helpful information, practical strategies and resources for educators working with students with brain injury. The course is designed for: Classroom teachers, special educators, school psychologists, counselors, therapists, and administrators.
Attendees will learn how the course was developed, the research evidence of efficacy of the course and how to access the course free of charge.

Instructor: Melissa McCart

Melissa McCart, Ed.D, is an international speaker and author on return to school following brain injury. She is currently the director of the Oregon TBI Teams and works in the field of TBI research at the Center on Brain Injury Research and Training (CBIRT) at the University of Oregon.

Are you ready to use Google Tools for more than just presentations and word processing? In this session you will learn dozens of helpful tips and tricks to get you hacking Google like a pro. There are a ton of Google tools you may or may not already know about to increase productivity and help engage students. Here’s a quick sneak peak of what’s in store: 1. Learn how to use Google Calendar for lesson planning, appointment scheduling and more. 2. Shortcuts and extensions for Chrome to increase your productivity. 3. Clean up and organize your Google Drive like a BOSS! 4. Use Google Sites to create a beautiful website, student portfolios, and more. 5. Some less commonly known Google tools you can use both in the actual classroom and for online learning. 6. Not to mention lots of hacks for Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets to help you and students be ready for Fall.

Instructor: LeVonda Vickery

LeVonda teaches 7th and 8th grade students digital fabrication, robotics, and computer skills at McLoughlin Middle School in Medford, Oregon. She has been a classroom teacher for 6 years and brings over 20 years of real-world experience to the classroom. She’s a returning member of the Educational Service Districts EdTech Integration team that sponsors the EdTech Summit each year in Southern Oregon. She received a grant to begin a SkillsUSA chapter at McLoughlin during the 2017-18 school year. She has taken students to the SkillsUSA state conference to compete in team engineering, cake decorating, pin design, t-shirt design, extemporaneous speech, urban search and rescue robotics and mobile robotics during the past 3 years where students have earned 16 gold, 11 silver, and 10 bronze medals. As well as taking her gold medalists to national competition in Kentucky over the past two years where in 2018-19 they earned 3rd and 10th place at competition. She’s a lifelong learner and passionate about graphic design, digital fabrication, technology and loves playing video games. She takes on her Geek Girl attitude with pride and hopes to get other girls passionate about computer science and other male predominant roles in the CTE industry.

Canvas is a new learning tool for instructors potentially being released. This presentation will outline different ways educators can use canvas in collaborative based learning environments. I will show instructors how to create learning groups, post discussion boards for an entire class as well as specific groups, how to format a canvas page for ease of student access, how to create a rubric in canvas and use the rubric for grading, as well as assigning due dates for instructors.

Speaker: Cecilia Lepa

Teach educators how to build effective group based learning in canvas. Show instructors different tools and tricks to make the canvas experience better for students and educators.

Learn how to use Google Forms and Sheets and how they can be useful tools for managing group work projects, sign-ups, assessments, quizzes, and pooling information. The session focuses on serving teachers who will have limited face-to-face instruction periods. You will learn how to create quizzes that can grade themselves, get organized feedback from students, save time with crunching numbers, and more. There will be time to create your own materials. Cheat sheets and notes will be provided.

Instructor: Dale Hammack

The Wasco County 4-H STEM program annually reaches over 1,400 youth annually through: ·In-class enrichment, teacher collaborations, and professional development trainings at Wasco County school districts ·After school science and engineering programs such as FIRST, VEX and MATE Marine Environment robotics programs and coding clubs ·Summer day camps and residential camps featuring robotics, app making, virtual reality, and other emerging technologies ·Community events, such as the Engineering Nights, Children’s Fairs, Wasco County Fair, and family night presentations.

Instructor: Lu Seapy

Lu Seapy has worked as a STEM and CTE instructor for over 20 years in Alaska, Europe and Oregon. Her current position involves providing technology integration support to local teachers and leading STEM based in-school and out-of-school classes. She coaches 4-10 VEX, FIRST and MATE robotics teams throughout the year and has been recognized as STEM Education Leader of the Year (2018, Gorge Technology Alliance), Program of the Year (2017, Oregon State University Education Association), and Excellence in Teamwork (2017, OSUEA). She says, “I love teaching students how to solve problems, gain confidence in themselves, and work together as a team. The most powerful impact in education we have is sharing the best of who we are.” She holds a Master of Arts and Teaching degree from University of Alaska Southeast and Reading Specialist Certification from Lewis and Clark College.

BREAKOUT SESSION 4

Oregon Connections 1.0 will introduce participants to the Oregon Connections Platform by providing an overview of the website, supporting participants in establishing a profile, walking through the process of requesting a presentation and how to sign up for various kinds of industry sessions. Tools to support teachers in integrating the role of industry partners in classroom instruction will also be shared. Participants will work directly on the Oregon Connections site and will be supported in planning a calendar for use during the coming school year. Representatives from Nepris, developer of Oregon Connections, will also be available to provide support.

Instructor: Lacey Ferguson

Lacey Ferguson is a past elementary and science teacher working now as an independent consultant. She has been the program coordinator for Oregon Connections implementation for the Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub for 5 years. Oregon Connections connects education with business/industry partners through virtual field trips and presentations as well as connecting students to career experts as mentors.

Instructor: Krista Ikola

Kristina Ikola is Program Coordinator for the Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub supporting Oregon Connections and virtual learning opportunities for young children and their families. www.brightfuturesumpqua.com; https://oregonconnections.nepris.com/home/v4

Did your school just move to Canvas? Are you feeling homesick for Google Classroom at the thought of learning a new LMS? This session is going to help ease the transition! Join us to see how easy it is to integrate your Google Drive and create Google Classroom-like assignments.

Instructor: Michelle Green

On and off the job, Michelle is a Champion of Digital Learners and Leaders. She serves as the technology supervisor for Eagle Point School District. Being a collaboration junkie, Michelle seeks out PLNs to expand her knowledge. This results in her being a leader for the OR EdTech Cadre, a Google Certified Innovator, a Common Sense Ambassador, and a Certified Educational Technology Leader through CoSN. Michelle’s career started in the classroom and progressed to serving at the state level, but she’s happy to be in the valley and supporting learners close to home.

Project Zero’s Thinking Routines promote students’ thinking by taking what students have read or learned about and have them synthesize their thoughts to make their thinking visible. Haven’t heard of them yet? Come to this session and learn all about them. Discover when and how using technology tools, such as GSuite, Padlet, Pear Deck and Flipgrid can amplify the use of these routines. Empower your learners to new levels as you learn to combine thinking routines and technology tools.

Presenter: Debbie Tannenbaum

Debbie Tannenbaum is an Elementary School Technology Specialist in Fairfax County, VA. An educator with over twenty years of experience, Mrs. Tannenbaum is completing her second year in this role, where she supports both staff and students to integrate technology tools into instruction through both co teaching sessions and weekly technology classes. Mrs. Tannenbaum is also an avid blogger and shares her thoughts and reflections on her website: Techy Notes. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram at @TannenbaumTech.

The Hybrid Teaching session aims to assist teachers with extending their use of Google Classroom to incorporate the use of HyperDocs and engage students in an active learning process. The session focuses upon serving teachers who will have limited face-to-face instruction periods (either through a video conferencing software or in person) with digital learning extensions. The session will explore using HyperDocs to allow students to work independently in a self-guided manner but still feel connected to teachers. The goal of the session is to connect students to learning in a comprehensive and purposeful manner. Teachers will have some time to incorporate digital extended learning tools into their existing classes.

Instructor: Lu Seapy

Lu Seapy has worked as a STEM and CTE instructor for over 20 years in Alaska, Europe and Oregon. Her current position involves providing technology integration support to local teachers and leading STEM based in-school and out-of-school classes. She coaches 4-10 VEX, FIRST and MATE robotics teams throughout the year and has been recognized as STEM Education Leader of the Year (2018, Gorge Technology Alliance), Program of the Year (2017, Oregon State University Education Association), and Excellence in Teamwork (2017, OSUEA). She says, “I love teaching students how to solve problems, gain confidence in themselves, and work together as a team. The most powerful impact in education we have is sharing the best of who we are.” She holds a Master of Arts and Teaching degree from University of Alaska Southeast and Reading Specialist Certification from Lewis and Clark College.

One of the challenges that we found when making the transition to distance learning was finding ways to structure and present social skills content to small groups of students with autism virtually, while fostering and sustaining student engagement in a way that was similar to face to face groups. This session will provide an overview of online resources, structured video modeling lessons, games, and content presentation ideas for educators to utilize social skills content through virtual platforms across age groups. A walk through of a model social skills lesson incorporating various resources will include options for participation and sustaining student engagement. If the presentation platform allows, attendees will have the option to participate in the lesson.

Instructor: Amy Szeliga

Amy has been working as an autism consultant with SOESD since 2016. Amy is also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Prior to moving to Southern Oregon, Amy worked as a Special Education Teacher and BCBA in various programs for students with autism Pre-K-21 in NYC and Upstate NY.

Gimkit is a great way for students to either learn new information independently or in groups, to practice what they know until they achieve mastery and to compete in a low risk and fun way. Students LOVE Gimkit. I have developed a slide show that explains how to use Gimkit for beginners as well as for teachers who are looking to apply what they know about Gimkit to their digital classroom. Teachers will discover how to find or create Gimkits and how to assign them as homework, check on student progress and host a virtual Gimkit.

Instructor: Alyssum Barber

Alyssum has been teaching Kindergarten through 8th grade in southern Oregon for 24 years. She has been around long enough to have used a typewriter and because of that…loves learning about integrating technology in every aspect of her students’ education. Covid-19 has provided all of us with an opportunity to expand our everyday educational practices through the use of digital tools we’ve had access to, but rarely had the personal or professional time to understand and then integrate into those practices. She hopes to provide support to teachers who are looking for ways to create community and connection with their students during distance/hybrid learning.

Gamified learning is an adventure at any level or in any content area. In this highly engaging session utilizing Pear Deck, participants will learn how to layer the most motivational techniques of gameplay over their curriculum to increase student collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. Additionally, they will experience how to use the game inspired design process to construct their own rich experience for students. Participants will come away with practical strategies that can be used in any brick or click learning environment and at any grade level to make learning magical!

Instructor: Tisha Richmond

Tisha is an innovative district Tech Integration Specialist, speaker, and author from Southern Oregon. She has taught Family and Consumer Science for 25 years and has served in various leadership roles in her school and district as well as on Oregon regional and state edtech cadres. Tisha is the author of the book Make Learning MAGICAL, which unlocks seven keys to transform teaching and create unforgettable experiences in the classroom. She speaks nationally on a variety of topics related to teaching and learning in all content and grade levels, Family and Consumer Science being her specialty. ​In 2018, she was a recipient of Medford School District’s Golden Pear Educator Secondary Teacher Award and a first place winner of the Henry Ford Innovation Nation Educator Award. Tisha is passionate about infusing joy, passion, play, and gamified strategies to immerse and empower our 21st century learners and make learning a MAGICAL experience for all! She connects globally with educators around the world continuously reaching beyond her comfort zone to grow and help transform the educational landscape so all learners can thrive.de of teaching, she is a wife and mother of two amazing kiddos.

In this session, we will dive into the background and key game play mechanisms of digital escape room games. Participants will learn how to use Elementari to design and create their own immersive escape room. The focus will be on teaching strategies for students to write and code their own escape rooms. We will also cover various coding concepts for beginner coders in elementary school up to more advanced coders in high school. You may see some examples of escape rooms created on Elementari already below.

Red Riding Hood Virtual Escape Room: https://www.elementari.io/stories/TgF70lDcM7

Spy Training: https://www.elementari.io/stories/Tk8ZjtVOU3

Student created escape room: https://www.elementari.io/stories/7ExUer6eUp

Instructor: Karly Moura

Karly Moura is a teacher on special assignment (TOSA) and Computer Science teacher in the Mount Diablo USD in Concord, California. Karly is also part of team Ditchbook, enjoying her role as content and social media manager.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karlymoura

Instructor: Nancy Marroquin

Nancy Marroquin is a Google for Education, TESOL, and SPED Certified high school English teacher in the Hidalgo ISD in Hidalgo, Texas. She has taught for 4 years in culturally diverse, bilingual schools. Nancy has previously presented at the International Teach English Now! Conference at Arizona State University in 2017 and 2019, on the topics of multiple language acquisition and the benefits of play in the classroom. She is a firm believer in making learning fun for both students and teachers and loves incorporating gaming into her lessons.

Speaker: Nicole Kang

Nicole Kang is the co-founder and educational lead for Elementari. She is a first generation college student and MIT alum with a passion for promoting both literacy and computational thinking (coding). Previously, she was a STEM teacher educational researcher.

Not everyone is an artist, but everyone can sketchnote! Visual note taking has been sweeping the education world with beautiful visuals and bright colors but not all of us feel confident enough in our artistic skills to take on this new adventure. During the session, participants will explore some simple ways to get started with sketchnoting. They will learn why sketchnoting is so effective for our students and our staff. Participants will get hands on experience in getting started with sketchnoting and how they can guide their students in getting started as well. We will explore the possibilities of digital sketchnoting for students and how this can be different than paper and pencil.

Instructor: Heather Marrs

Heather Marrs is an Instructional Coach at Eagle Rock Elementary in Eagle Point, Oregon. She is an Apple Distinguished Educator, Seesaw Ambassador, Book Creator Ambassador and FlipGrid Ambassador. Heather is passionate about integrating technology in education to amplify student voice, increase communication, and engage students. She has been a presenter at ISTE 2019, NCCE 2016-19, the Southern Oregon EdTech Summit 2015-18, and IntegratED 2017-18. Heather is the founder and main moderator of the Oregon EdChat which can be found at #OrEdChat on Twitter. She enjoys being a connected educator and providing professional development both locally and regionally. Outside of teaching, she is a wife and mother of two amazing kiddos.

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June 11, 2020
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Poverty Immersion & Coaching Institute

By News, School Improvement Services, School-Wide Improvement

Poverty Immersion Institute

Communications Across Barriers
August 17th-18th

The Poverty Immersion Institute is a hands-on, two-day poverty institute for educators, health, justice and social service professionals, and community members who want to better understand poverty and gain tools for making a difference. We are revising the institute to allow for social distance of smaller groups at four sites to participate. Dr. Beegle will be broadcast to all sites to provide the training. She will rotate between each site so that all will have three sessions tele-presented, and one in-person session.

Seats may be reserved, or appointed by districts. Registrants will be put on the wait list if their district seats are differently assigned.

Sites

  • Grants Pass High School
  • SOESD Medford Office
  • Mountain Middle School
  • Klamath Falls

Breakfast and lunch will be provided, and SOESD will support the technology needed.

Register here

Poverty Coaching Institute

Communications Across Barriers
Coming this Fall

Location TBD

The Poverty Coaching Institute prepares participants to serve as poverty coaches for their organizations. A Communication Across Barriers poverty coach is trained to conduct workshops for breaking poverty barriers and improving communication and relationships for in-house staff. Coaches serve as on-site experts for educating colleagues, providing leadership for breaking poverty barriers, and developing system-wide approaches for improving outcomes for families who live in the war zone of poverty. Poverty coaches will also be trained to conduct Poverty Competency Assessments and assist their organization in developing and implementing customized action plans with measurable results.

Please note: To participate in this workshop, registrants must first attend the two-day Poverty Immersion Institute. (August 17th & 18th course available in PD Networks.)

Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Registration Coming Soon
June 11, 2020
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Southern Oregon Virtual Student Voice Event

By News, School Improvement Services, School-Wide Improvement

MAY 29th at 2 PM

What has distance learning been like for you? Your educators want to know! Your Voice Matters! Understanding your experiences will help us better support ALL students as we plan for next year together.OPEN TO STUDENTS IN GRADES 6-12.

Zoom with us here https://soesd.zoom.us/j/6471053180

OR Use: https://bit.ly/sosvevent

OR Dial In: +1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 647 105 3180

May 27, 2020
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Circles for Educators

By News, School Improvement Services, School-Wide Improvement

As we navigate through these uncharted times, the power and necessity of community and relationships are becoming increasingly apparent. Although we are practicing social distancing, we still can find creative and innovative ways to foster connection, care for one another, and normalize our experiences. We also can gather together to inspire, learn from and with each other about how to continue trekking bravely forward into this courageous space we now occupy: Distance Learning for All. How can we continuously improve experiences for our educators, students and families during this time while also planning for the future?

Raphi Miller and Cara Walsh of Resolve will be facilitating 14 virtual care and connection circles for educators with the goal of providing a safe and supportive space to share and listen to others in the field of Education as we all navigate the highs and the lows of this time. Space will be provided to lean into listening to each other in order to learn from each other. This is not a training. Participants can join any or all sessions. Please register and obtain Zoom link(s) through PD Networks.

Who should attend? Anyone and everyone in the field of Education who is interested in connecting with other educators to foster community and hear from one another during these unprecedented times filled with changes and unknowns.

Event Dates:

Southern Oregon Educator Administrators

Wednesday, May 20, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm via Zoom

Southern Oregon Educators

Thursday, May 21, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm via Zoom
Thursday, May 28, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm via Zoom
Thursday, June 4, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm via Zoom
Thursday, June 11, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm via Zoom

Southern Oregon Building Administrators

Tuesday, May 26, from 1 pm to 2 pm via Zoom
Tuesday, June 2, from 1 pm to 2 pm via Zoom
Tuesday, June 9, from 1 pm to 2 pm via Zoom

Southern Oregon District Office Administrators

Wednesday, May 27, from 1 pm to 2 pm via Zoom
Wednesday, June 3, from 1 pm to 2 pm via Zoom
Wednesday, June 10, from 1 pm to 2 pm via Zoom

Southern Oregon School Paraprofessionals and Support Staff

Thursday, May 28, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm via Zoom
Thursday, June 4, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm via Zoom
Thursday, June 11, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm via Zoom

 

May 19, 2020
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 SOESD Announces Regional Teacher of the Year

By News, School Improvement Services, School-Wide Improvement

On behalf of the Oregon Department of Education, Southern Oregon Education Service District (SOESD) is proud to announce the selection of Mr. Jordan Werner, Physical Education Teacher at Riverside Elementary School in Grants Pass, as a 2021 Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year. Werner is also the Grants Pass High School Assistant Track and Field Coach and the head football coach at South Middle School.  Mr. Werner will be honored virtually in the coming month and will be awarded a check for $500.00.

SOESD convened a virtual Blue Ribbon Panel made up of diverse and unbiased panel members who represented the geographic region of Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath counties. The panel, who reviewed seven applications from a larger set of nominations, found that Werner exemplified the following attributes:

  • a wellness focus that is grounded in research
  • is a leader in his school and district
  • work positively impacts students and families
  • has a message to share with Oregon educators that can inspire others
  • has the desire and ability to reach all students
  • applies the Oregon Equity Lens in his decision making and is culturally aware and relevant in his approaches to wellness
  • forges partnerships with the community to promote student wellness
  • has a non-traditional approach to physical education that focuses on lifetime wellness and the social/emotional and learning benefits that wellness promotes

The Oregon Teacher of the Year Program started in 1955, and is managed by the Oregon Department of Education.  Anyone can nominate a candidate for the recognition, but teachers may not nominate themselves.  Once selected, the Oregon Teacher of the Year is also a candidate to apply for the National Teacher of the Year recognition.  The selected teacher serves as the face and voice of exemplary educators across the state of Oregon, and engages and inspires other teachers and community leaders as a representative of the profession.

Oregon Department of Education chose in 2018-19 to expand the selection process for the nominees.  The goal of the expansion is to honor teachers in every region of the state.  Education Service Districts across Oregon reviewed applications submitted from their geographic region and facilitated a Blue Ribbon Panel and review process to identify winners in their regions.  Thirteen winners will go on to be considered for Oregon Teacher of the Year, which will be decided in September.

SOESD is proud of the amazing teachers in our three-county region, exemplified by Mr. Werner, who are focused on quality teaching, learning, and student achievement. 

May 19, 2020
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