Virtual YAYA Opportunity!
Connectxions September 2020
P2
Working at Home Healthfully
P9
Donna Dickison Re res
P13
Branching Out
Student Academics
Tentxh Annual
Young Autxhors, Young Artxists Middle School Conference For students in grades 6-8 Content will include both live and recorded instructional videos during the week of October 26 – 30 Exact dates and times are to be determined.
Sessions & Presenters Crea ng Phantasmic Worlds Create a world your readers can dive into! Learn about world‐building ps and techniques to cra a believable, unique se ng for your characters, no ma er the genre. El Holly Becoming a Mystery Writer Solving a mystery can be a challenge, but when you create the perfect crime and brilliant characters to tell the story, nothing is impossible! In this class, we’ll discuss se ng the scene of the crime, crea ng sly and unforge able characters, and introducing obstacles only the cleverest sleuth can overcome. The criminal won’t stand a chance! Jennifer Davidson Origami with Triangles Using copy paper, you will learn an easy way to fold and cut an equilateral triangle. A er making three, the origami begins! First we’ll make a Pyramidal container with a cool closing lock, then we’ll make a star with 2 interlocking pieces. You will leave the session with some knowledge of geometry and two great origami models you will surely want to make again. Kathleen Sheridan Kaiju Character Crea on In this class we will create an awesome original Kaiju monster character. The term kaiju (which comes from the Chinese text classic of Mountain and Seas) can refer to the giant monster themselves, which are usually depicted a acking major ci es and engaging the military, or other kaiju, in ba le. We will discuss your favorite kaijus and what makes a memorable character. A er the discussion we will create a kaiju by using our crea vity and ar s c skills with the aide of a handout filled with helpful hints. Sco Rolfs Make ‘em Sweat! Wear your sweats and warm up your wri ng muscles at five‐minute work‐out sta ons using items from your junk drawer and your scariest‐ever experience/fear. You'll write short scenes to propel characters through suspense‐filled ac on that will make your plots boil with tension. To get the crea vity flowing, you’ll be moving more than your pencil in between each wri ng workout. So stretch out in advance and get ready to sweat! Mary Bleckwehl Pain ng LeRoy Llama Join Sunshine and Roses Traveling Art Studio virtually! Session will include a recorded canvas pain ng lesson with Penni, pain ng LeRoy Llama. Penni Ki elson
Student Pass ‐ $10 per student for the en re week of content Teacher Pass ‐ $100 per teacher for the en re week of content The Student Pass is a great op on for single students who are interested in the conference. The teacher pass allows educators to share content with a group of students or their en re class.
Interested in registering for txhis conference? Please visit our website here. If you have ques ons or concerns, please contact Ka e Hartman.
February, 2018 www.ssc.coop 2020www.ssc.coop www.ssc.coop September,
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Workforce Development
Welcome SSC’s New Career Navigators! Three People to Help You Drive Workforce Development Innovation and Connect Communities
Katie Hendrickson
MaryAnne Smith
Proudly serving the schools of Dover ‐Eyota, Lake City, Plainview‐Elgin‐ Millville, St. Charles, and Wabasha‐ Kellogg. Ka e Hendrickson is thrilled to director for a Missouri school join the staff of the Southeast Service Coopera ve. Originally district, and community from Kansas City, Missouri, she rela ons and communica ons coordinator for a large Kansas and her family moved to Rochester just over three years district. Most recently, she worked on the communica ons ago when her husband took a job in the area. They have three team at a medical board. Ka e almost‐grown daughters (two in enjoys music, spending me hiking and camping, learning college, one a senior in high school), and two spoiled dogs. photography, and exploring all parts of Minnesota! In her role Ka e earned her bachelor of as Career Navigator, she looks science degree in Journalism and Mass Communica ons from forward to working with schools the University of Kansas. A er and businesses to create opportuni es for students to college, she worked in explore and discover pathways educa on se ngs as communica on and admissions for future success.
Proudly serving the Bluff Country Collabora ve schools of Caledonia, Houston, La Crescent‐Hokah, Lewiston‐Altura, Mabel‐Canton, and Spring Grove.
Career Navigator
Career Navigator
Born and raised near Plainview, MaryAnne is passionate about learning. She tells about playing teacher as a child and hasn’t stopped since! MaryAnne is licensed in both agricultural and mathema cs educa on from the University of Minnesota, Twin Ci es. From inner‐city to rural, public to private, and charter to homeschool, MaryAnne has a wide variety of teaching experience. In 2011, she stepped away from full‐ me teaching to raise her family. Since then, she gave private guitar lessons, subs tuted,
homeschooled, ran a business from home, and coached entrepreneurs, specifically on dreaming big. MaryAnne lives in Plainview where adventures are abundant with three amazing kids (8 years, 2 years, and 8 months). In her free me, MaryAnne enjoys talking with friends, reading, music, and cra s. “Follow your dreams; they know the way.” MaryAnne is ecsta c to give students, educators and business partners permission to dream big and enjoy the journey!
Nick Wobig
Businesses Receive Free Marketing Support While Helping Their Schools
Proudly serving the Bluff Country Collabora ve schools of Caledonia, Houston, La Crescent‐ Hokah, Lewiston‐Altura, Mabel‐Canton, and Spring Grove.
By MaryAnne Smith and Nick Wobig
Career Navigator
Nick joined SSC in August as a Career Navigator serving the Bluff Country Collabora ve. Raised in Pine Island, Nick is excited to work with schools in small towns. Nick has a background in retail and warehouse management, logis cs, and media produc on, which he hopes to u lize in this role in building rela onships with local businesses.
Nick and his wife, Kris na, just welcomed their first child in August and are enjoying being parents. Nick enjoys spending me listening to, crea ng, and playing music, watching football, and spending me with his son.
September, 2020 www.ssc.coop
An ally for keeping “local talent local” Our Bluff Country Career Navigators, and highligh ng MaryAnne and Nick, are diving into entrepreneurial virtual resources for their success in our communi es. What started as an rural communi es, a empt to gather student‐facing Bob referred Nick and MaryAnne to interviews from local professionals, several other entrepreneurs, and has quickly become an opportunity entrepreneurs to Nick and MaryAnne, for local businesses to showcase their in Spring Grove for similar companies through the same virtual opportuni es. Within 24 hours, Li le lens. MaryAnne and Nick met with Gnome Childcare and Preschool the owner of Spring Grove Soda Pop Daycare called asking to put together in Spring Grove with a simple ask: a similar video and to join “Can we tour your facility and capture FutureForward™. Nick and MaryAnne the tour on video to share with local have a he y goal of producing over students?” While talking with the 180 videos highligh ng local owner, Bob Hansen, it became clear businesses and providing them with there was poten al for a dual this free marke ng tool. If you are purpose to this kind of video. While interested in a similar opportunity, housing the video in FutureForward™, please contact them at a copy will also go to Bob to use for BCCNavigators@SSC.Coop. marke ng, recrui ng, and adver sing his delicious sodas.
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Workforce Development
FutureForward™ Soft Launches for Manufacturing Week 2020 By Sarah Ness If there is anything you don't want to miss, it’s this! FutureForward™ is a web‐based pla orm that connects local employers to educators and students for experien al, hands‐on, and virtual learning. This tool will be especially helpful to teachers in providing their students with opportuni es for career awareness, explora on, and prepara on in these days of decreased in‐person ac vi es. In fact, for the upcoming Manufacturing Week (October 5‐9), FutureForward™ is the vehicle that students and teachers will use to par cipate. Due to restric ons rela ng to COVID‐ 19, it isn't possible for in‐person visits
to manufacturing sites, but students will get the opportunity to view these sites from recorded tours and interviews with many local and regional employers that highlight what they do, what coursework is relevant in high school, career op ons and pathways available, and suggested next steps. FutureForward™ supports distance and hybrid learning for career connected learning opportuni es for this school year. Interested in using this tool to so launch in your district? Email Sarah Ness to learn more.
Moving forward, teachers can use the tool to find a myriad of opportunities for students to interact with business partners, such as:
job shadows classroom lesson plans classroom speakers virtual speakers mock interviews mentorships internships and more!
SSC to Receive Workforce Innovators Award! SSC will receive the Workforce Innovators Award on Friday, September 25, via ZOOM from GRAUC for the launch of FutureForward™ and the Career Navigator program. This award celebrates: Innovation
This event will also celebrate the Lamp of Knowledge Award, 2020‐2021 Board and Board Chair, updates on current ini a ves, and a keynote by Steve Grove, Commissioner of DEED on “Helping Minnesota Workers and Businesses Impacted by COVID‐19”. If you are interested in par cipa ng in this Zoom mee ng, please RSVP to receive your link.
A new ini a ve/program that meets a workforce need or a program/ini a ve revised and updated to promote par cipa on and to facilitate comple on by under‐ represented popula ons.
Collaboration
A strong connec on between educa on providers with par cipa on of area employers.
Community Impact
An ini a ve that expands and/or upskills the workforce or promotes post‐secondary creden al a ainment by under‐represented popula ons.
Alignment
With the GRAUC mission to meet the workforce needs of our region.
September, 2020 www.ssc.coop
SSC recently received a $3,000 grant from GRAUC for work on FutureForward™. GRAUC Chair and Kasson Mantorville Superintendent Mark Matuska is seen here presen ng Sarah Ness with the award.
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Student Workforce Academics Development
FutureForwardTM Earns SSC $40,000 Grant Award
O o Bremer Trust has recently awarded SSC a $40,000 grant award to support FutureForwardTM our pipeline and pathways program for youth and young adults. FutureForwardTM connects employers, educators, and students in experien al and work based learning opportuni es that connect classrooms to careers and life to learning. These funds will help support portal customiza ons and a Career Navigator posi on.
SSC Execu ve Director Steve Sallee shared, “We are extremely grateful for the financial commitment from O o Bremer to con nue our efforts in workforce development. This work has emphasized innova on between local mul ‐sector public and private stakeholders, increased efficiencies to communi es, and supported sustainability for long‐term impact. The very generous dona on of $40,000 will significantly help fund these projects.” These funds are a con nua on from a $100,000 grant SSC received last year from the O o Bremer Trust, which was used to launch FutureForwardTM and support the first shared Career Navigator posi on. To learn more about FutureForwardTM, visit www.futurefoward.org.
Email Mike Schnell
February, 2018 www.ssc.coop 2020www.ssc.coop www.ssc.coop September,
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Professional Development
Virtual Regional Coaching Cohort – Making the Most of Your Instructional Coaches
Cohort members will connect virtually on the following dates: Tuesday, October 6 8:00 to 11:00 AM
Tuesday, January 26 8:00 to 11:00 AM
SSC is offering a virtual Regional Coaching Cohort for instruc onal coaches during the 20‐21 school year. This opportunity is for instruc onal coaches who want to
Tuesday, March 9 8:00 to 11:00 AM come together to collaborate, share ideas, and network. This year, as part of the cohort experience, SSC Faculty member Heather Willman will facilitate a book study based on the book The Art of
Coaching by Elena Aguilar. Registra on will include a copy of the book. Heather is a Principal on Special Assignment for Rochester Public Schools, and, along with facilita ng the book study, will share ps and tricks for maximizing your impact as an instruc onal coach. In order that we may order the books on me for the start of the cohort, the registra on deadline is Tuesday, September 29, so register now by clicking here. For more informa on, contact Kari Kubicek.
SSC Offers Behavior Management Support Service
SSC is offering a long term Behavior Management Support Service in which SSC Faculty member Angie Ellsworth will provide and implement a customized plan for suppor ng your staff, student and families to improve behavior and engagement for all students. How It Works Angie will develop a long‐term, customized professional development plan based on goals and objec ves iden fied in an ini al consult with the school leadership team, which will include, but not be limited to:
Founda onal workshop/retreat and provision of ongoing support for summer curriculum review and development. Development of a year‐long Professional Development (PD) Plan, calendar, meline for PD review. Facilita on of monthly or quarterly on‐site face to face visits to facilitate PD workshops, a end team mee ngs, or provide classroom observa ons and teacher coaching. Provision of coaching and support via online video pla orms. Maintaining availability for consulta on via email/phone between the hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm during regular school days. Development and prepara on of all materials, resources, handouts, etc. for mee ngs and professional development workshops. Development and maintenance of a digital repository for all materials and resources for support. Adherence to and maintenance of a level of professionalism which includes meliness, respec ul discourse, though ul reflec on and contribu ons, adherence to confiden ality agreement, and commitment to the full me‐frame of the work. Upon review and approval of the plan, the School will sign an agreement commi ng to this service through June 30, 2021, with the op on to renew for the following school year. Interested in learning more or having a conversa on with Angie? Contact Kari Kubicek at SSC!
September, 2020 www.ssc.coop
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Student Academics Professional Development
MSC and Bloomboard Offer Micro-credentials to Support Effective Blended Learning The Minnesota Service Coopera ves Micro‐creden al program partner, Bloomboard, has developed a competency‐based learning program designed to support educators in becoming skilled online instructors, capable of mee ng both students’ personal and instruc onal needs. Not only will this program support districts’ teachers in these mes of online and blended instruc on due to COVID‐19, but for the future of K‐12 educa on. Read the excerpts below from an ar cle posted on Bloomboard.com in June 2020 to learn about the development of this program.
BloomBoard and Ready to Blend Create Program to Help K-12 Educators Prepare for Blended Learning Instruction This Fall
Partnership Brings Best-Selling Author and Blended Learning Expert Heather Staker’s Expertise to K-12 Educators Through Competency-Based Program Amid COVID-19 Pandemic In response to educa on challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, leading micro‐creden al provider BloomBoard has partnered with best‐selling author, blended learning expert and Founder and President of Ready to Blend, Heather Staker, to provide K‐12 teachers a competency‐based learning program that prepares educators across the na on for the challenges they face as school resumes in the fall. “We salute educators and their schools and districts for their heroic efforts to finish the school year during such difficult circumstances,” said Sanford Kenyon, CEO of BloomBoard. “Looking forward to the fall, the educa on system faces a new and unprecedented set of challenges. Through our work with Heather and Ready to Blend, we intend to provide very prac cal and helpful support to educators and districts in the short term, while beginning to set the stage for the new future of K‐ 12 educa on.” In this partnership, Ready to Blend’s background addressing the growing need for skilled online educators, capable of mee ng both students’ personal and instruc onal needs, guides the program crea on. Staker also brings her unique exper se to help teachers create and implement student‐centered environments, and this perspec ve informs the crea on of BloomBoard’s new competency‐based blended learning micro‐endorsement, the central component of the program. “Whether teachers are fully online, completely face‐to‐face, or using a blended approach, we want to provide as many teachers as possible with the opportunity to be prepared with a flexible, learner‐centered design,” said Heather Staker from Ready to Blend. “Accoun ng for the personal needs of students and their teachers is o en overlooked as schools shi some instruc on online. This new program will help schools move confidently into the fall with a solid game plan for equipping their teachers with the skills, structures, and coaching they need to be successful.” The program allows teachers to learn‐by‐doing through a combina on of micro‐ creden als, each based on founda onal principles of effec ve blended learning. Teachers who earn their micro‐endorsement in the program will have proven competency in assessing individual student needs, engaging parents to support blended learning, designing weekly blended learning “arcs,” and more. February, 2018 www.ssc.coop 2020www.ssc.coop www.ssc.coop September,
Foundations for Blended Learning This school year certainly doesn’t look, feel, or even sound the same as any other, and yet everyone involved is tasked with finding a way to make it work. Teachers are preparing to transi on between in‐class, online, and blended learning environments at a moment’s no ce. In an effort to support teachers, Minnesota Service Coopera ves’ micro‐creden al program partner, BloomBoard, has teamed up with Heather Staker, best‐selling author and founder of Ready to Blend, to offer a competency‐based solu on that equips educators with the cri cal skills for effec ve blended instruc on. (Read more about this partnership in the ar cle at le .) Founda ons for Blended Learning is a turnkey program providing a comprehensive approach that includes: embedded blended learning coaching, prac cal and tac cal survival skills, exemplar models and instruc onal resources, and competency‐based learning (all centered around a set of micro‐creden als that aligns to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs). Click here to learn more about what this program looks like across your district, or email Kerry Frank to learn more about an individual teacher cohort that the Minnesota Service Coopera ves are leading this fall (registra on ends on October 16th).
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Stem Forward
Accepting Facilitator Applications for Fall Educator Forum
STEM Forward is seeking talented administrators, educators, and community partners from Minnesota to lead breakout sessions on the topics below for its virtual Fall Educator Forum on Wednesday, November 4, from 4:30‐7:30 PM via Zoom. Many educators have voiced the need for rigorous and relevant STEM ac vi es and curriculum for use in a hybrid or distance learning
environment due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, so we ask that you consider submi ng proposals related to the list of topics through the lens of a hybrid or distance learning environment. Breakout session facilitators will be paid a s pend of $50. Applica ons are due by October 1, 2020.
Complete Applica on
Topics:
Building strong foundations for STEM literacy
Increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM
Preparing the STEM workforce for the future
The changing Minnesota science standards
Developing and enriching strategic partnerships
Engaging students where disciplines converge
Building computational literacy
Parent engagement in STEM education and/or career pathways
STEM Village Innovates Business Model for Expansion to Support Partners from Winona State University, Southeast Service Coopera ve's STEM Forward, and area K‐12 schools are looking for your feedback to assess the current state of WSU's STEM Village. This group is exploring ways to innovate this resource to expand the usage for educators around southeast Minnesota. It is our goal to use the informa on from this short survey to offer a variety of resources in a lending library and structural supports. This survey is open to previous users and poten al new users of the resources.
Take Survey
National Office of Science and Technology Policy Request Input From Southeast Minnesota Na onal Office of Science and Technology Policy Input Request ‐ STEM Educa on Request for Informa on (RFI) seeking input on strategic partnerships, transdisciplinary learning, digital STEM resources, computa onal literacy, use of the Federal STEM Educa on Strategic Plan, and more. The STEM RFI was created in coordina on and alignment with the Federal STEM Educa on Strategic Plan, released in December, 2018. Respondents can provide comments for any ques ons they wish, but do not need to respond to all ques ons. Responses should be submi ed via this Google Form by October 5. Southeast Service Coopera ve's STEM Forward will save each school’s responses as PDFs to submit individually, and STEM Forward will submit a regional outlook as a collabora ve. The aggregated collabora ve document will also be shared back to those schools who complete the form and/or par cipate in STEM Forward. Please send any ques ons to Sarah Ness.
September, 2020 www.ssc.coop
Vixrtual Computer Science State Policy Forum Code.org in partnership with the Computer Science Teachers Associa on and the Expanding Compu ng Educa on Pathways Alliance will be hos ng a virtual Computer Science State Policy Forum on October 14th‐15th. This is a great way to learn about what is happening with CS policy both na onally and in Minnesota. More info and registra on informa on can be found here .
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Wellness Student Academics
Best Practices for Healthy Telecommuting By Nicole LaChapelle‐Strumski Working from home has the poten al to be detrimental to our individual physical and emo onal wellness due to limited op ons for physical ac vity and social interac ons. This ar cle offers ideas for improving your physical and emo onal health by staying ac ve, reducing stress, and keeping engaged with colleagues. Routine and Schedule
Breaks are very beneficial to both physical and emo onal wellness – make sure you’re s ll taking them, even though you’re away from work. Breaks are a good me to fit in some physical movement or partake in a favorite ac vity of yours. Incorporate some mindfulness during the day. Gaze out a window, let your mind absorb nature’s beauty – the way the wind moves the leaves, the colors of the flowers, the movement of clouds, etc. Working at home lends itself to much more screen me than when working from an office se ng. Avoid eye‐strain by gazing at a point, at least 20 feet away from your screen, at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes (the 20‐20‐20 rule). Work Space
Set up your workspace with wellness in mind; water, comfortable/ergonomic chair (if you don’t have one, ask your employer if it’s OK to bring one from your home office, or purchase one as part of your work equipment). If possible, set up your work area in an out of the way, quiet place, with your desk/table facing the window. A plant nearby can improve feelings of well ‐being and can increase your produc vity. Keep your workspace dy – Being surrounded by clu er can increase your stress levels. Work/Life Balance Lines can become blurred when working from home. In today’s culture of constant connec on, it can be temp ng to check and answer emails at all hours of the day and night. This lack of separa on between work and home life can lead to burnout and cause your mental health to suffer.
At the end of your workday, shut the computer and
February, 2018 www.ssc.coop 2020www.ssc.coop www.ssc.coop September,
don’t return to it un l your next scheduled me to work. If possible, disable no ces for new emails on your phone. Set your work hours for the day on your calendar so your colleagues know when you’re online. Set an alarm and block your calendar if you need that extra help s cking to your workday hours. Keeping Active
It can take some crea vity and dedica on to stay ac ve while working from home. With no trips to the copier or your colleague down the hall, there’s a tendency to sit more while telecommu ng.
Use webinars as a me to stretch. You CAN stand in Zoom mee ngs – consider star ng a trend! Use extensions such as MOVEIT or set reminders on a fitness tracker or your phone to ensure you’re ge ng enough movement in throughout the day. You should get up and out of your chair at least twice per hour.
Staying Connected
Working away from colleagues can be very isola ng for some people. Keeping connected virtually can help keep feelings of loneliness at bay.
Each day choose a colleague to check in with – a quick email, text, or phone call can bolster both par es moods. Create a virtual gra tude whiteboard on Google Docs. This is a great way to focus on gra tude and get to know your colleagues be er. To read the full version of this article, click here. 6 14 9
SSC Student Updates/CPC Academics
SSC Once Again Named a Best Place to Work needs. While difficult, it’s also extremely rewarding to see the SSC team overcome these challenges.”
By Nicole LaChapelle‐Strumski SSC is a recipient of the 2020 Best Places to Work award through Rochester Workforce Development, Inc. This is the 8th me SSC has won this honor. Twelve companies represen ng Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, and Wabasha coun es are being recognized as the “Best Places to Work” in Southeast Minnesota for 2020. SSC was one of the recipients in the small employers category. SSC’s Execu ve Director Steve Sallee shared that “We are very apprecia ve of this award. Our highly dedicated staff and suppor ve board of directors
makes SSC a great place to work. These unprecedented mes have challenged all of us, but we are taking care of each other and staying focused on our members’
Keeping Your Employees and Students Safe
The Best Places to Work awards program is a commissioned study by Workforce Development, Inc. The purpose of the program is to recognize some of the best employers in the area and provide vital informa on to companies about the prac ces they use to a ract and retain employees. The data was measured on such parameters as; turnover, rate of growth, promo on rates, employee evalua ons and feedback, percentage of employees injured, diversity of management, benefits offered, training expenditures, paid days off, and increase in pay.
Reusable Masks From Hanes - New CP Contract
CPC staff worked with our vendors to highlight products you may need to protect your employees and/or students. Contact us at 888‐739‐3289 or info@purchasingconnec on.org with any ques ons. Click the images below to view product informa on, price, and how to order. Men on and include the CPC contract number to ensure the discount is applied.
CPC has entered into a nego ated agreement with Hanes for adult and youth sized reusable masks. Masks are $1 each, and the minimum number of masks that an organiza on may order is 500. All orders must be placed in increments of 500. Click here to learn more.
February, 2018 www.ssc.coop 2020www.ssc.coop www.ssc.coop September,
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SSC Updates
“Is This on Our Job Description?” By: Amy Grover
SSC staff members Alicia Bredesen and Amy Grover hard at work. The pig hearts
What is red, has four valves, and looks just like it’s human equivalent? Why, a pig heart, of course! Three years ago, Southeast Service Coopera ve staff took over coordina on and distribu on of the dona on of pig hearts from Hormel Foods.
This program began with Ross Aleff, Mayo Clinic researcher, and was passed on to us upon his re rement. Most years, approximately 500 pig hearts go out to high school science teachers throughout our region. They are used for student dissec on and to study the anatomy of human hearts because they are very similar in structure, size and func on to human hearts. In fact, pig hearts are so similar to human hearts that ssue from pig hearts is used to make heart valve replacements for humans.
The pig hearts just barely fit in Amy’s SUV.
We appreciate Hormel’s generous annual dona on and look forward to our “pig heart party” every year.
Certainly a strange sight to any passers-by!
Here to help our members... Through Gov. Tim Walz’s Execu ve Order 20‐82, all public school districts and special educa on programs in Minnesota received cloth and disposable masks as well as face shields for students and staff. SSC served as a distribu on point for these supplies for our public schools within our region of service. SSC staff members spent two days hard at work helping get these supplies into schools’ hands.
September, 2020 www.ssc.coop
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Facilities Management/Health and Safety
Environmental Considerations for Reopening K-12 Schools By Dan Fitch, IEA The pandemic has created countless new challenges for schools as we work to get students back safely. Considerable emphasis has been placed on mi ga on strategies like cleaning and disinfec ng, face coverings, and social distancing to reduce the spread of COVID‐19, and righ ully so. However, shu ng a building down for a prolonged period can pose addi onal health hazards that need to be addressed. Reduced use of water and ven la on systems pose health hazards a er a building has been closed for a long period of me. Lack of ven la on during the summer months increases the chance of mold growth and stagnant or standing water in pipes poses an increased risk for Legionella species and heavy metals like lead. Schools should be taking steps to mi gate the risk of these other microbial hazards for returning occupants. Mold grows on building materials where there is moisture, o en produced from leaks or condensa on from roofs, window, or pipes during periods of high humidity. Any me a surface like ceiling le, wallpaper, insula on, drywall, carpet, and fabric remains wet for more than 48 hours, there is a poten al for mold growth.
prolonged shut down should be operated for at least 48 to 72 hours (i.e. flush our period) a er an assessment has confirmed that mold is not present, or a er remedia on has been completed. If an odor is detected that suggests mold growth (such as a musty smell) a er the “flush out”, look for mold that may not have been previously iden fied. Con nue the flush out process un l no odors are apparent. 4. Con nue rou ne checks of the HVAC system a er a building is reoccupied. Stagnant or standing water in a plumbing system can increase the risk for growth and spread of Legionella and other bacteria. Stagnant water can also lead to corrosion in plumbing systems causing leaching of metals such as lead. Schools should take steps to ensure that sink faucets and drinking fountains are safe to use a er a prolonged facility shutdown. Steps to minimize Legionella and other diseases related to water Flush hot and cold water through all points of use (e.g., showers, sink faucets, drinking fountains). The purpose of flushing is to replace all water inside building piping with fresh water. Flush un l the hot water reaches its maximum temperature. Clean and sani ze all drinking fountains.
Steps to minimize mold risk during and after a prolonged shutdown: 1. Maintain indoor humidity as low as possible, trying not to exceed 50% as measured with a humidity meter. 2. Conduct a visual assessment of your buildings, before occupants return, looking for signs of mold and excess moisture. Address the source of water intrusion first and conduct remedia on wherever mold is iden fied. 3. A building HVAC system that has not been ac ve during a
Over the course of the last several months, school environments as we once knew them have been turned upside down. In April, the ICS team developed a task force consis ng of a panel of experts to discuss all topics centered around reopening schools in a COVID‐19 world. With more than 1,200 people in a endance across 11 webinars and coun ng, we’ve discussed, engaged, and learned valuable lessons along the way. Some of these lessons include:
Have a comprehensive communica ons checklist is cri cal. Check out our “COVID Communica ons Checklist” here.
September, 2020 www.ssc.coop
For more informa on on mold tes ng and remedia on or water tes ng, call Angie Radel at the Ins tute for Environmental Assessment at 507‐281‐6682, or e‐mail angie.radel@ieasafety.com.
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to academic prepara ons including schedules, extra‐curriculars, materials, etc. Check out what Bemidji Area Schools, East Central Public Schools, and Mora Public Schools are doing here. Establish solid rela onships with your local county public health department. Check out how this has helped Bemidji Area Schools, East Central Public Schools, and Mora Public Schools here. Through September 25, our team is hos ng free COVID Convo webinars every Friday from 12‐1. For more informa on, visit our reopening schools page on our website at h ps://www.ics‐builds.com/reopening‐schools/ or reach out to Karen Klein at karen.klein@ics‐builds.com.
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SSC Upcoming Events*
October
November
Regional Coaching Cohort ‐ Making the Most of Your Instruc onal Coaches October 6 January 1st Group Renewal Mee ng October 6 MASA Region 1 Fall Session October 21 SAC Mee ng October 27 Board Mee ng October 28
SSC Wellness Forum: Whole Person Wellness November 4 STEM Forward Virtual Fall Educator Forum November 4
And Beyond...
Suicide Preven on and Mental Health—Virtual Training November 11 SAC Mee ng November 17 Board Mee ng November 18
SAC Mee ng December 15 Board Mee ng December 16 *Check our webpage for the most current informa on. Most sessions will be held virtually.
“See You Soon” to Donna Dickison For the last five years, Donna Dickison’s megawa smile and warm personality have ensured that visitors to SSC and the Wood Lake Mee ng Center have felt welcomed and appreciated. As the mee ng center coordinator, Donna regularly received thank you notes from customers, which expressed gra tude for all the ways she went above and beyond to ensure a smooth rental experience. But most of all, Donna truly cared about each and every customer, member, and colleague. Her re rement was something the staff at SSC was dreading. Donna’s sense of humor, though ulness, and willingness to help others when needed will all be greatly missed. Donna, never one to sit s ll for long, is looking forward to traveling more and spending more me with her five grandsons. Once the mee ng center returns to its former bustling glory, Donna hopes to return to the SSC team in a part ‐ me capacity. An extremely posi ve person, Donna shared her favorite quote for this piece; “Live! Love! Laugh! Let your cup be half full”.
September, 2020 www.ssc.coop
Dyslexia 101 Course – Free Offering through The Reading Center The Reading Center: Dyslexia Ins tute of Minnesota received funding from Mayo Clinic which has allowed them to provide their 5‐hour Dyslexia 101 online course free to Minnesota educators. This course provides basic informa on about dyslexia and structured literacy interven ons in the classroom, addressing the following areas: What dyslexia is, including both visual and auditory dyslexia Misconcep ons about dyslexia What dyslexia may look like in the classroom Effec ve reading instruc on Classroom accommoda ons and strategies
To register for this course, click here.
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SSC Board Actions and Information In addi on to rou ne fiscal and rou ne business ac ons, the Board took the following ac ons in recent mee ngs. Complete SSC Board of Directors mee ng minutes are available on the SSC website at www.ssc.coop.
April
Approved employee health insurance rates for 2020‐2021. Approved the School Pool Renewal Formula. Approved SSC to serve as fiscal host for MASA Region 1, effec ve July 1, 2020.
May
Approved the pos ng for two addi onal Career Navigator posi ons, funded through the Rural CTE Consor um Grant. Approved the hiring of Jeff Aamot as the SE/Metro RCE Director effec ve July 1, 2020.
July There is no July SSC Board Meeting, and the yearly MSC conference was cancelled due to COVID.
August
June
Approved the resigna on of Jill Miller, Administra ve Assistant, effec ve June 5, 2020. Approved the resigna on of Lisa Chellew, Career Navigator, effec ve no later than August 15, 2020. Approved the elimina on of the Development and Innova on Specialist posi on, effec ve July 1, 2020. Accepted the re rement of Donna Dickison, Mee ng Center Coordinator, effec ve September 15, 2020. Approved moving Alicia Bredesen from Organiza onal Assistant to Mee ng Center Coordinator, effec ve September 15, 2020. Approved the hiring of MaryAnne Smith and Ka e Hendrickson as Career Navigators, effec ve July 8, 2020. Approved assignment changes for Melanie Lawrence‐ Smith from Advocate to Educa on System Specialist and Joe Jezierski from Advocate to Climate Advocate. Approved the pos ng of two RCE Advocate posi on openings. Approved the hiring of Jennifer Bordonaro as RCE
Advocate, effec ve July 1, 2020. Accepted the RCE staff salaries for 2020‐2021 as approved by the Minnesota Department of Educa on. Approved a salary freeze (0% increase) for the Execu ve Director for the 2020‐2021 fiscal year based on mutual agreement. Approved the SSC Employee Benefits Plan for 2020‐2021. Approved the adjusted vaca on accrual schedule. Approved the 2020‐2021 budget.
Accepted the CCOGA Pool Renewal, which included the group formulas for both small and large groups. Accepted a $40,000 grant from the O o Bremer Fund to help support a Career Navigator posi on and FutureForward™ portal customiza ons. Accepted a $3,000 grant from the Greater Rochester Advocates for Universi es and Colleges (GRAUC) for work on FutureForward™ with K‐12 schools, college partners and community businesses. Approved to move Heather Schu e, SMEC Career Navigator from a 0.70 FTE to a 0.85 FTE with the addi on of a school district to her SMEC group, effec ve September 1, 2020. Approved the hiring of Nick Wobig as Career Navigator, effec ve August 3, 2020. Approved the official start date for MaryAnne Smith and Ka e Hendrickson as July 16, 2020. Approved the hiring of Raymond Blackledge as RCE Advocate, effec ve August 1, 2020. Approved the SSC Wage Guidelines and Personnel Band, Grade, and Title changes.
SSC Service Consultants Bill Colopoulos Health and Benefits Consultant bcolopoulos@ssc.coop Angie Radel Regional Manager, IEA angie.radel@ieasafety.com
September, 2020 www.ssc.coop
Karen Klein Regional Manager, Coop Member Services, ICS Karen.Klein@ics‐builds.com
Connec ons is a publica on of the Southeast Service Coopera ve, published three mes per year for members, associates, and the general public. Editor: Nicole LaChapelle‐Strumski, nlachapelle@ssc.coop Southeast Service Coopera ve 210 Wood Lake Drive SE Rochester, MN 55904 Phone (507) 288‐1282 Fax (507) 288‐7663
Office Hours: Monday ‐ Friday 8:00 AM ‐ 4:30 PM www.ssc.coop
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About Soutxheast Service Cooperatxive Southeast Service Cooperative Staff Steve Sallee
Execu ve Director
Alicia Bredesen
Mee ng Center Coordinator
ssallee@ssc.coop
Amy Grover
Chris Hancock
Associate Director
Accoun ng Coordinator
agrover@ssc.coop
chancock@ssc.coop
abredesen@ssc.coop
Ka e Hartman
Ka e Hendrickson
Kari Kubicek
Program Manager
Career Navigator
Program Manager
khartman@ssc.coop
khendrickson@ssc.coop
kkubicek@ssc.coop
Nicole LaChapelle‐ Strumski Program Manager nlachapelle@ssc.coop
Dylan Mackey
Sarah Ness
Career Navigator
Program Manager
dmackey@ssc.coop
sness@ssc.coop
Mike Schnell
Community Engagement Coordinator
Heather Schu e Career Navigator hschu e@ssc.coop
mschnell@ssc.coop
Jami Schwickerath
MaryAnne Smith
Career Navigator
Career Navigator
Accoun ng Assistant
jschwickerath@ssc.coop
msmith@ssc.coop
kswanson@ssc.coop
Kim Swanson
Dale Walston Director of Opera ons dwalston@ssc.coop
Nick Wobig
Career Navigator nwobig@ssc.coop
Regional Center of Excellence Staff Jeff Aamot
SE/Metro Director jaamot@mnce.org
Isabella Anderson Eggen Advocate
Raymond Blackledge Advocate rblackledge@mnce.org
Advocate
ieggen@mnce.org
Erik Durand
Joe Jezierski
Jennifer Bordonaro jbordonaro@mnce.org
Ashley Karlsson
Advocate
Climate Advocate
Advocate
edurand@mnce.org
jjezierski@mnce.org
akarlsson@mnce.org
Melanie Lawrence‐Smith Educa on System Specialist
mlawrencesmith@mnce.org
Keitha‐Gail Mar n‐Kerr
Advocate
Shana Moses
Cindy Mullins
Jane Stevenson
Advocate
Advocate
Advocate
smoses@mnce.org
cmullins@mnce.org
jstevenson@mnce.org
kmar nkerr@mnce.org
Carol Swanson
Advocate cswanson@mnce.org
Perry Wilkinson
Educa on Equity and System Specialist pwilkinson@mnce.org
Sarah Zeigler
Advocate szeigler@mnce.org
SSC Board of Directors Mary Blair‐Hoe , Chair City of Byron
Jean Roth, Clerk Zumbrota‐Mazeppa Public Schools
Don Leathers Aus n Public Schools
Brein Maki, Vice‐Chair Lewiston‐Altura Public Schools
Theressa Arrick‐Kruger Houston County
Jason Marquardt Mabel‐Canton Public Schools
Lynn Gorski, Treasurer City of Owatonna
Mike Christensen Red Wing Public Schools
Monica Sveen‐Ziebell Plainview‐Elgin‐Millville Public Schools
September, 2020 www.ssc.coop
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