Back Row (left to right) - Tara Booton, Residential Assistant at NCECBVI; Wendy Craig, Director of SPED at ESU 4; Becky Bridgewater, Teacher at NCECBVI; Kim Ashlock, Teacher at NCECBVI; Heather Vodicka, LPN at NCECBVI; and Monica Willis, Residential Assistant at NCECBVI

Front Row (left to right) - Destiney Lopez, Residential Assistant at NCECBVI; Megan Wirth, Teaching & Learning Team at ESU 4 ; Erin Hamilton, Teaching and Learning Team at ESU 4; and Hailey Boysen, Residential Coordinator at NCECBVI.

Not pictured are Jill Timmons, School Psychologist at NCECBVI, and Anna Walters from Food Service at NCECBVI.

🔹Head to www.esu4.org.

🔹Registration:

• Non-refundable fees: Listed in each workshop description
• Cancellation: Fees are waived for cancellations made 24 hours in advance by contacting ESU 4 (no-shows will be charged the full fee)

🔹Fees:

• Full Day: $30
• Half Day: $15
• Zoom: $15 (regardless of duration)
• Special Events: Increased fees, especially for non-IIA participants

🔹Other:

• Open to all districts: Non-consortium members may pay higher fees (check individual workshop costs)
• Stipends & Subs: Available for consortium participants
• Summer Stipends: $150/day (teachers), $110/day (paraprofessionals) for those not under contract
• ESU/NCECBVI: Same as IIA rate

NDE will be out across the state to present the most recent assessment news and see you face to face. If you are able, please attend. NDE will be recording two of the presentations to make available for those who are not able to join us in person. There is no registration or fee for this event.

Roadshow Dates (all Roadshows 8:30 am-12:00 pm except SAC Roadshow)

• Sept. 9- Scottsbluff, ESU #13
• Sept. 19- Auburn, ESU #4
• Sept. 23- Kearney, Archway
• Sept. 24- Norfolk, Lifelong Learning Center
• Oct. 8- Lincoln/Omaha, SAC Museum (9:00 am-12:00 pm)

September 20, 2024

ESU 4 Conference Center

9:00a.m. - 3:00p.m.

Cost: $30

Josh Snyder will be facilitating Fast Bridge in the morning & two ESU educators will be conducting guided work time in the afternoon for Educlimber. Time will be dedicated for district teams to work, along with group discussion and help with any features of the program.

Register

September 20, 2024

NCSA (440 S. 13TH ST. LINCOLN)

9:00a.m. - 3:00 a.m.

The ELL Network is a forum for district personnel to discuss issues related to the education of English Learners. Though these sessions are the primary means of sharing information throughout the ESU 4 Title III Consortium, a majority of our time together is devoted to studying effective instruction, sharing and exploring resources, learning of updates from NDE, and networking with colleagues. We welcome educators interested in our multilingual students, regardless of Title III affiliation or position.

Register

Tuesday, October 8th

9:00a.m. - 3:00p.m.

or

Wednesday, October 9th

9:00a.m. - 3:00p.m.

ESU 4 Conference Center

Cost $30

Continuous Improvement Planning Workshops Are Here!

School district CIP teams and individuals are welcome to attend any host site.

Attend the day and location that works best for you or your team.

Register

Can't make Region 1?

Click here to view other dates/locations!

October 14, 2024

ESU 4 Conference Cetner

9:00a.m. - 3:00p.m.

Cost: $30

Learn how AI tools are different from any other tech tools we’ve seen to date, and gain an understanding of how the tools work so you can put them to work for you!

· Multiple AI platforms

· Tasks AI can accomplish for you

· Digital citizenship for students

Register

October 15, 2024

9a.m.-3p.m.

SCC Beatrice

Cost $30

Register Here

Detailed agenda to come!

8:30-11:30 a.m.

ESU 4 Conference Center

Cost: $15

Join ESU 4 librarians for a half day cadre discussing the Golden Reader, Competition, resources, and librarian led topics!

Register

November 12, 2024

ESU 4 Conference Center

1:00p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Cost: $15

Join Title I colleagues from our ESU 4 region to learn important updates and share ideas for serving your students.

Register

December 3, 2024

ESU 4 Conference Center

9:00a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Cost: $30

Join Jen Madison (ESU 4), Heidi Farmer (NeMTSS Region 1), and MaryJo McElhose (NeMTSS Systems) for this day of learning and practice centered on the NDE & NeMTSS Foundational Literacy Instructional Routines Resource Guide. The guide was developed to provide consistent, systematic, and explicit routines to ensure the delivery of evidence-based practices for all learners. The routines are organized into two categories—Foundational Skills and Comprehension Strategies—and can be used across all tiers of instruction.

Register

Click here to download guide!

December 10, 2024

ESU 4 Conference Center

9:00a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Cost: $30

This day is designed to support reflection, learning, and networking of new and newish teachers in ESU 4 districts. Topics will be based on participant needs. Additional information closer to date!

Register

September 18, 2024

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.

ESU 4 Conference Center

Cost: $30

Bring your files to review prior to submitting for Indicator 13 Self-Evaluation. Limit of 2 attendees per district. This session is suitable for teachers, administrators or special education administrators responsible for evaluation and uploading files to ILCD for Indicator 13 and Corrective Action Plans.

Any of these trainings are offered on an as needed basis throughout the school year. Please contact any of the ESU 4 nurses for additional questions or to discuss scheduling options.

Keep in mind, if you have a student with a financial hardship that is unable to obtain an eye exam or glasses, we have vision vouchers available. The vision vouchers cover the cost of an eye exam and one complete pair of glasses. Vouchers are available to qualifying students through the VSP Eyes of Hope Giving Sight for Students program, the National Association of School Nurses, and the Nebraska DHHS School Health program. Contact any of the ESU 4 nurses for more information or to request a voucher.

Felicia is also available to write health plans, assist with 504 accommodation plans, or create emergency action plans for those students with a medical condition that will require accommodations during the school day. If you need assistance with any of these plans contact Felicia.

Felicia Martin, RN

fmartin@ESU4.net

Mary Jo Huettner, LPN

Ivon Johnson, LPN

ijohnson@ESU4.net

Nebraska SMART Free Online Tutoring for K-12 Students

Nebraska SMART (Success Made Accessible through Rural Tutoring), founded by the Nebraska State College System, provides free online tutoring to K-12 students in rural Nebraska. Teacher education candidates from Chadron, Peru, and Wayne State Colleges remotely tutor students through an online tutoring platform. Click here to view the Nebraska SMART promotional video. Nebraska SMART is expanding its service beginning in the Fall 2024 Semester to offer tutoring to K-12 students attending all school districts which are members of NRCSA (Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association). Additionally, Nebraska SMART will provide free online tutoring services to K-12 students enrolled in select smaller non-NRCSA public school districts in Nebraska while continuing to offer tutoring to students attending school districts in Educational Service Units 1, 4, and 13. A complete listing of eligible school districts can be found on the program’s website.

How does it work?

Parents must initially register their student(s) before they can receive tutoring services. Once registered, students or parents on behalf of students can schedule a tutoring session at least 24 hours in advance. Students can also instantly be connected with a Tutor by requesting an on-demand session during tutoring hours. The Parent Guide shows how to create an account, schedule a session, join on-demand sessions, and more.

How can I find out more information about this program?

Three informational webinars will be offered in August. Participants will join Julie Dickerson, Director of Nebraska SMART, to learn more about this free online tutoring program available for K-12 students in rural Nebraska. Click below to register for one of three live webinars about Nebraska SMART:

August 6, 2024 @ 2:00 PM Central Time, 1:00 PM Mountain Time
August 9, 2024 @ 11:00 AM Central Time, 10:00 AM Mountain Time
August 14, 2024 @ 4:00 PM Central Time, 3:00 PM Mountain Time

How can school districts help?

Your assistance in communicating with parents in your school district is essential to expand awareness and generate interest in this program. Below are ways that you can help:

• Share about Nebraska SMART in school/district/classroom parent newsletters
• Share about this program during your school/district Open House or Back to School nights
• Like, follow, and/or share Nebraska SMART on Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter)
• Share Nebraska SMART social media posts on your school/district social media pages
• Link Nebraska SMART as a student resource on your school district websites
• Share about this program with Teachers, Counselors, and other district staff
• Share about this program with Parent/Teacher Associations
• Distribute bookmarks to each K-12 student in your school/district (these will be mailed to school districts at the end of July)
• Hang posters in a visible location (these will be mailed to school districts at the end of July)
• Share with your district technology team the domain allowlist guide.

Please note that we are unable to support Pre-K students at this time; please refrain from distributing promotional materials to Pre-K students.

In collaboration with the National Council for the Social Studies, this was the 10th year helping teachers learn about the Inquiry Design Model (IDM) and designing inquiries. Fifty educators from around the country and the world came together at George Washington University on July 22-23 to dive into inquiry design and consider the implications of teaching and learning with IDM. A special mention to our very own retiree Lori Broady, who was a major part of this journey.

Click the link below to view inquiries!

Educational Service Unit 4 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, marital status, disability, or age in admission or access to, or treatment of employment, in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding complaints, grievance procedures or the application of these policies of nondiscrimination:

Gregg Robke, Administrator

Educational Service Unit 4

2301 Dahlke Avenue

Auburn, NE 68305

402-274-4354

If parents, employees, and students do not feel that their complaints regarding Title IX, Title VI, Section 504 have met with resolution at the local level, they can appeal their grievances to the regional Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. This would be their final opportunity for resolution. This address needs to be readily available to parents, employees, and students for their appeals.

Office for Civil Rights

8930 Ward Parkway, Suite 2037

Kansas City, MO 64114

816-268-0550

Fax: 816-823-1404

TDD: 800-437-0833