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SOESD

PODCAST WITH SOUTHERN OREGON REGIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

By News, School Improvement Services


SOESD convened a 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 several applications from a larger set of nominations, found that Ms. Green had the highest average rubric score of all candidates. The panelists made these observations about Ms. Green during their deliberations:

  • strong lesson development
  • reflective practice
  • strong collaboration with peers
  • strong community involvement
  • focus on restorative practices
  • integrated, whole-person philosophy
  • strong cross-curricular integration

SOESD is proud of the amazing teachers in our three-county region, exemplified by Ms. Green, who are focused on improving experiences and outcomes and increasing safety, significance, and belonging for students, families and our community.

December 7, 2022
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STEPS Celebrates 50 Years

By News, Special Education

SOESD is proud to celebrate 50 years of supporting students in the STEPS Program!

The SOESD STEPS Program began in the 1971-72 school year. With the passage of Public Law 94-142 in November 1975, Congress paved the way for students with disabilities to be afforded the rights and opportunities all students receive in the school setting. The law was reauthorized in 1990 and is now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA.

In the late 1970s, SOESD developed the Specialized Training in Educational Program Services program, aka STEPS, with several classrooms housed within local schools. By the late 1990s nearly 250 students across 24 classrooms in Jackson and Klamath Counties offered instruction, nursing support, and a range of therapies specific to each studentā€™s needs. In 2010, the STEPS Plus classroom offered another STEPS classroom with a focus on behavior and sensory supports. In 2012, STEPS classrooms were differentiated to support students whose primary needs were medical or behavioral. Today, for students in grades K – age 21, STEPS CARE provides instruction to students with intellectual and medical needs while STEPS Plus/Transition supports behavior and sensory needs. SOESD is proud to partner with our families and component school districts through the IEP process where the IEP teams request STEPS CARE or STEPS Plus/Transition as their studentsā€™ educational placement.

50th Anniversary celebration activities have included field days in our four classrooms in May complete with adaptive bowling, a car wash machine, and more! A staff celebration in August provided the opportunity for current and former staff members to reconnect, share memories, and learn about the STEPS program today.

We are proud to share about STEPS and hope youā€™ll enjoy this short video.

Play Video
October 27, 2022
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SOESD ANNOUNCES SOUTHERN OREGON REGIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

By News, School Improvement Services

On behalf of the Oregon Department of Education, Southern Oregon Education Service District (SOESD) is proud to announce the selection of Erin Green as a 2023 Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year.Ā  Ms. Green will be honored at an invitation-only reception at Southern Oregon ESD on Monday, September 12, 2022, and will be awarded a check for $500 from the Oregon Lottery.

SOESD convened a 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 several applications from a larger set of nominations, found that Ms. Green had the highest average rubric score of all candidates. The panelists made these observations about Ms. Green during their deliberations:

  • strong lesson development
  • reflective practice
  • strong collaboration with peers
  • strong community involvement
  • focus on restorative practices
  • integrated, whole-person philosophy
  • strong cross-curricular integration

The Oregon Teacher of the Year Program started in 1955 and is managed by the Oregon Department of Education.Ā  Anyone can nominate a candidate for the recognition, but teachers may not nominate themselves.Ā  Once selected, the Oregon Teacher of the Year is also a candidate to apply for the National Teacher of the Year recognition.Ā  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.

The Oregon Department of Education chose in 2018-19 to expand the selection process for the nominees.Ā  The goal of the expansion is to honor teachers in every region of the state.Ā  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.Ā  These regional 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 Ms. Green, who are focused on improving experiences and outcomes and increasing safety, significance, and belonging for students, families and our community.

September 12, 2022
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School Improvement Education Services Team 2022-23

By News, School-Wide Improvement

SOESDā€™s Education Services Team supports our component districts in a variety of ways related to school improvement, including:

  • Attendance and Engagement
  • Student Behavioral Health and Wellness
  • Southern Oregon Regional Educator Network (SOREN)
  • Mentoring for novice educators
  • Media and Courier services
  • STE[A]M Hub
  • C3, our career and college collaborative
  • Southern Oregon Career and Technical Education Consortium (SOCTEC)
  • Educational Technology and Data Analytics, including the Ed Tech Cadre
  • Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
  • Student Success

Members of this team not only serve our local school districts, but also provide service and leadership on a variety of regional and state initiatives, including:

Dr. Mark Angle-Hobson, Director of School Improvement Services, is a member of the Jackson County Library Services strategic planning team, helping strengthen connections between schools and libraries. Dr. Angle-Hobson also serves on

  • ODEā€™s LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Advisory Group
  • Resolve Board of Directors
  • Community of Stewards, Region 16 Comp Center (serving Alaska, Oregon and Washington)

Karla Clark, Program Manager for the Southern Oregon STEM Hub, serves on

  • ODEā€™s STEM/CTE Network State Planning Team
  • Statewide CTE Advisory Council
  • Oregon STEM
  • Rogue Workforce Partnerships and Business Education Partnerships
  • Associated General Contractors Workforce Coalition
  • Rural STEAM Leadership for Oregon
  • Statewide Chief Science Ofļ¬cers for Oregon
  • Oregon Connections/NEPRIS Collaborative
  • Oregon Career Connected Learning Design Team
  • Oregon YOUSCIENCE integration Lead
  • Statewide and Regional IGNITE
  • SOREDIā€™s ā€œTalentā€ Board
  • Josephine County Vocational / Mentor Committee

Aaron Cooke, Program Manager for Data and Integrated Instruction, serves on

  • Oregon Department of Educationā€™s Rules Advisory Committee
  • Oregon Department of Educationā€™s Remote Learning Advisory Committee
  • Southern Oregon Classroom Law Project Educator Advisory Committee
  • Oregon Department of Educationā€™s EDTech Cadre
  • Oregon Digital Leaders Coalition, as Board Member
  • Oregon Department of Educationā€™s Integrated Technology and Learning Standards Committee
  • Southern Oregon Fire Ecology Education Board

Jessie DuBose, Program Manager for Klamath Promise, serves on

  • Foundations for a Better Oregon, At-Large Board Member
  • SMART Reading Leadership Council for South Central Oregon
  • Oregon Dual Credit Coordinators Executive Team
  • Ross Ragland Theater and Cultural Center, board member
  • Cascade Health Alliance Community Advisory Council
  • Oregon MESA Regional Equity Committee
  • Klamath County School District School Improvement Advisory Committee
  • Klamath Basin Career Connections Initiative
  • Healthy Klamath Coalition

Kylee Harrison, Program Manager for Student Behavioral Health and Wellness, serves on

  • Jackson County Suicide Prevention Coalition
  • Josephine County Sucide Prevention Coalition
  • Statewide SEB and SEL Collaborative

Jacquie Jaquette, School Improvement Specialist, serves on

  • Jackson Care Connect Board Member

Jenni Jones, School Improvement Specialist for Mentoring, serves on

  • Chautauqua Poets and Writers Board President
  • Southern Oregon Computer Using Educators (SOCUE) Board Member
  • Oregon Association of School Libraries
  • ODE EdTech Cadre

Dr. Debra Koutnik, Mental Health and Wellness Specialist, serves on

  • Oregon State Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Oregon State Commission on Interventions for Autism
  • Jackson County Suicide Prevention Coalition
  • Jackson County Youth Systems of Care Advisory Council
  • AllCare Social Emotional Health Metrics for Kindergarten Readiness Core Advisory Team

Dr. Heidi Olivadoti, Southern Oregon REN Coordinator, serves on

  • Oregon Education Association – Region 3 Uniserv Council
  • Social Emotional Learning for Oregon (SEL4OR) statewide SEL initiative

Brian Robin, CTE Regional Coordinator, serves on

  • ODEā€™s Career and Technical Education State Teachers Recruitment and Retention Team
  • ODEā€™s Career and Technical Education State Communications/Planning Team
  • ODEā€™s STEM/CTE Network State Planning Team
  • CTE Stateside Standards Review Panel
  • CTE Reserve Grant Managers Panel
  • Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (RAMP)
  • Rogue Healthcare Workforce Partnership
  • Associated General Contractors Workforce Coalition
  • Klamath Basin Career Connections Initiative

Focused locally, leading regionally, and serving statewide, the Education Services Team strives to ensure safety, signiļ¬cance and belonging for all who encounter our systems.

 

For more information or to seek support in any of these areas, please contact Mark Angle-Hobson, Director of School Improvement Services at mark_angle-hobson@soesd.k12.or.us

August 23, 2022
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SOREN Interview

By News

Our Southern Oregon Regional Educator Network Coordinator, Dr. Heidi Olivadoti, attended the Carnegie Foundationā€™s 2022 Summit where the Carnegie Foundation and XQ announced a partnership to transform high school learning by re-thinking the relationship between time and learning. The partnership is grounded in a shared commitment to one of the nationā€™s most important educational goals: achieving educational excellence and equity for all students. Today, we are excited to share Heidi’s video highlight of her engagement in this meaningful conversation.

August 8, 2022
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Bus Project presented Audrey with the keys to a new home ā€” a skoolie

By News, School Improvement Services

In 2020, a multitude of tragedies multiplied like the creases of a crumpled sheet of paper ā€” COVID-19, the Almeda Fire, homelessness ā€” and then social programs began buckling under the pressure.

ā€œOur family fell through the cracks ā€” there was a gap,ā€ said Audrey, a single mother who lost her home to the Almeda Fire and became trapped in the creases of that crumpled page.

Over the past two years, Audrey, a victim of domestic violence who asked that her last name not be used, lived like a true mama bear, always moving and permanently vigilant as she took her babies in and out of different kinds of wilderness: shelters, couch-surfing and campsites.

Read the Mail Tribune Article KOBI Broadcast
August 2, 2022
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month

By News, School Improvement Services, Uncategorized

ā€œMental Health is Health.ā€

This yearā€™s theme is Connection as people of all ages continue to seek out ways to cope with loneliness stemming from the pandemic and ways to support their emotional well-being when struggling with isolation. As we reflect on the past two years, and how much we have overcome, itā€™s important to pause, and take time to reflect on how resilient we are. Our mental health is and incredibly important part of our overall health, and critical in our ability to support our families, work effectively, participate in school, and contribute to society in meaningful ways. We also use this time to break the stigma associated with mental health care. To encourage us all to talk about our own mental health and ways we support it. ā€œWe stand in solidarity with those who are experiencing mental health conditions, renewing our commitment to providing them with the support they need and deserve. We also give thanks to the dedicated mental health providers whose service and support improve the lives of so many Americans.ā€ (from Presidential Proclamation)

RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

Begin conversations with your students about mental health.

You can adapt this to any age.

Imagine youā€™re feeling angry or sad. It helps to have strategies for dealing with these emotions. Complete the activities below to find strategies that work for you.

FOR YOUTH

#Chatsafe: A Young Personā€™s Guide for Communicating Safely Online About Suicide (PDF | 6.7 MB) (From Australia, but good information)
The #chatsafe guidelines have been developed in partnership with young people to provide support to those who might be responding to suicide-related content posted by others or for those who might want to share their own feelings and experiences with suicidal thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.

Before you post anything about suicide online Before you communicate online about suicide, take some time to think about why you want to share this post. Reflect on how your post could affect other people and whether or not there is a different way to communicate this information in a way that is safer or more helpful. It can also be helpful to be aware of some of the warning signs of suicide risk before you post online, as well as some of the suicide prevention resources offered by the social media or online platform you are using. For example, Facebookā€™s Suicide Prevention Help Centre provides information on how to report suicide content to Facebook, as well as a number of resources and links to suicide helplines internationally.

Help a Friend in Need: A Facebook and Instagram Guide (PDF | 524 KB)Ā  A brief handout on helping friends recognize online distress of peers.
Facebook and Instagram are proud to work with The Jed Foundation and The Clinton Foundation, nonprofits that work to promote emotional well-being and to share potential warning signs that a friend might be in emotional distress and need your help.

Seize the Awkward

Website with lots of tips on how to talk to friends (or students) about hard subjects, because TALKING SAVES LIVES.

Nobody likes an awkward silence. But when it comes to mental health, awkward silences donā€™t have to be a bad thing. This campaign encourages teens and young adults to embrace the awkwardness and use this moment as an opportunity to reach out to a friend. The campaign focuses on that moment to break through the awkward silence to start a conversation about how theyā€™re feeling.

Teens Finding Hope ā€”Ā teensfindinghope.org

Provides resources and encouragement to teens and their families affected by depression

FOR FAMILIES

Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week Activities for Children, Youth and Families Ā A variety of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week activities, worksheets and videos for children and youth from National Federation of Families,

Supporting Children’s Mental Health: Tips for Parents and Educators.Ā ā€”National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).

Things You Can Do to Improve Your Childā€™s Mental Healthā€”Verywell Family.

What Every Child Needs for Good Mental Healthā€”Mental Health America (MHA).

What Is Children’s Mental Health?ā€”Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Youth Connectedness Is an Important Protective Factor for Health and Well-being.ā€”CDC

What to Do if Youā€™re Concerned About Your Teenā€™s Mental Health: A Conversation Guide (PDF | 617 KB)
This guide is meant to help parents and families who are concerned about their teenā€™s mental health and emotional well-being have important conversations with their child. Although parents often pick up on concerning signs that their teen is struggling, not everyone feels well-equipped to approach their child to have a conversation about how they are feeling.

Mental Health is Important for Children and Adolescents (NIMH)

Mental health is an important part of overall health for children and adolescents. Many adults with mental disorders had symptoms that were not recognized or addressed in childhood or adolescence.

It can be tough to tell if troubling behavior in a child or teen is just part of growing up or a problem that should be discussed with a health professional. Learn more about warning signs.

Being a teenager can be tough, but it shouldnā€™t feel hopeless. Check your symptoms, and find out what you can do if you think you might have depression.

Mental illness is treatable and suicide is often preventable,

but we HAVE to talk about it.

FOR EVERYONE

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. If youā€™re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. You can callĀ 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or chat.

For Hearing and speech impaired: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889)

En espaƱol: 1-888-628-9454

Mental Health 101

To take control of our emotional health, we have to understand it. Learn more about mental health, what influences it and ways to improve it here.

The mental health continuum:

Your mental health experiences are valid. Mental health can range from feeling good and thriving to unhealthy situations or conditions that can negatively impact our quality of life and overall wellness if left unaddressed. We all experience a range of mental health experiences and move throughout this continuum throughout our lives.

MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA:

Mental Health America (MHA) – founded in 1909 – is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated toĀ addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting the overall mental health of all.

We know that around half of all people in the U.S. will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition at some point in their lives. We also know that communities who are targeted by racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and other forms of systemic oppression and violence can face an even heavier mental health burden because of these harms.

Our toolkit provides free, practical resources, available here in both English and Spanish, to introduce mental health topics like recognizing warning signs, knowing the factors that can lead to mental health conditions, maintaining mental wellness, and seeking help for mental health.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)ā€”Ā Ā nami.org

An association of more than 500 local affiliates who work in your communities to raise awareness and provide support and education.

Crisis Text Line
Text Line is free, 24/7 support for those in crisis.Ā Text 741741Ā from anywhere in the U.S. to text with a trained Crisis Counselor. Crisis Text Line trains volunteers to support people in crisis. With over 79 million messages processed to date, they are growing quickly, but so is the need.

Oregon YouthLine: 1-877-968-8491 Ā ā€”Ā oregonyouthline.org

YouthLine reaches teens throughout Oregon with teen to teen text, chat, and phone line. YouthLine offers a free, confidential, and safe way to work out challenging issues with another teen who will listen without judging.

TEXT ā€˜teen2teenā€™ to 839863

Teens are here to talk, text, or email from 4pm-10pm 7 days a week (and adults are available by phone 24/7.)

Trevor LifelineĀ 
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25. The TrevorLifeline is a crisis intervention and suicide prevention phone service available 24/7 atĀ 1-866-488-7386.

TrevorText is available by textingĀ ā€œSTARTā€ to 678678. (M-F Noonā€“7pm PT)

Chat ā€“Ā thetrevorproject.org/get-help-nowĀ (7 days Noonā€“7pm PT)

TrevorSpaceĀ is an online international peer-to-peer community for LGBTQ young people and their friends.

Veterans Crisis Line
The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource thatā€™s available to anyone, even if youā€™re not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care. The caring, qualified responders at the Veterans Crisis Line are specially trained and experienced in helping veterans of all ages and circumstances; many of the responders are veterans themselves. If youā€™re a veteran in crisis or concerned about one, there are caring, qualified VA responders standing by to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Ā Call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 or text 838255.

May 17, 2022
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