Summer looked a bit more VIRTUAL this year, but still full of learning and networking. It was great to see so many faces online and some in-person! Let’s jump into a quick recap of what SEEC staff filled it’s summer months with.
NDMTSS Virtual Conference
[June 8-9, 2021]
Typically held in person at the Fargo Holiday Inn, we were very excited about the turnout for this year. We had a full schedule of 17 LIVE sessions along with 19 additional pre-recorded sessions available to all attendees through Sept. 30, 2021!
- 163 individuals participated in the live sessions representing 64 schools in 42 districts across all 7 REAs, as well as one special education unit, a college/university, ND Department of Public Instruction, and a business/community organization.
- Keynote speakers included George Batsche, Steve Goodman, Kevin Feldman, Aaron Stabel, Don Kincaid, and Wayne Callender
- Additional breakout sessions from Derryn Johnson, NESC; Nathan Anderson, SLDS; Justing Gibbon & Rachel Richtsmeier, Northern Cass; Amy Frericks, SEEC/Rural Cass & South Valley SPED Units; and Lisa Stewart, Minnesota State University Moorhead
- 58% reported it being their FIRST TIME ATTENDING!
- Save the Dates for June 13-15, 2022!
This Conference was worth every bit of time!
At the end of the year, it helps me focus on what I can bring to the table in the fall.
This was my first time attending and I plan to make it an annual thing!
Very informative. Sessions were useful and started discussion with those I was attending with. We watched as a team and had the opportunity to start mapping what it would look like at the elementary AND high school.
Northern Cass Personalized Learning Institute Breakout
[June 23-24, 2021]
SEEC Director of Teaching & Learning and Instructional Literacy Coach Erica Carney presented breakout sessions on, “Prioritized Instructional Planning: Using Prioritized Standards, Scales, and Instructional Cycles to Support Student Learning” at the 2nd Annual Personalized Learning Institute hosted by Northern Cass!
Sessions had 20-30 individuals in attendance at each session which provided participants with a crash course in Prioritized Instructional Planning and the resources, processes, and supports available to ND educators to ensure the most effective and meaningful learning experiences for students.
Educators gained insight on how to determine what students need to learn and how to effectively plan for teaching the most critical content, including an overview of eight steps for planning instructional cycles that include high-quality instruction and assessment.
Click here to learn more about this (plus more resources/tools) asynchronous course available to any ND Educator at NO COST through June 22, 2022. This course is populated with recorded webinars facilitated by Jan K. Hoegh, Marazano Resources, and LaCosta Potter, and provided via collaboration between the Northeast Education Services Cooperative (NESC), South East Education Cooperative (SEEC), Central Regional Education Cooperative (CREA), and supported by the North Dakota Healthy Return to Learning Team and the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
Direct Instruction Training
[June 28 – July 1, 2021]
NDMTSS – Direct Instruction training was offered at no cost in late June for the following:
- Corrective Reading Comprehension
- Corrective Reading Decoding + a Refresher
- Reading Mastery Transformations K-2 Interventions
- Reading Mastery Signature Grades K-2 + a Refresher
- Corrective Math
- Connecting Math Concepts
Over 60 educators participated in at least one of these trainings held through McGraw Hill and continue to be a great supplemental training support offered each year around this time.
If you’re interested in these trainings, please reach out to Cheryl.Hoggarth@k12.nd.us.
ND Out-of-School-Time Virtual Conference
[June 28 – 29, 2021]
With nearly 80 people attending live for this two-day virtual conference hosted by the North Dakota Afterschool Network it showcased one main keynote each day along with 12+ breakout sessions to follow all surrounding quality and engagement in afterschool.
- 79 individuals participated representing 20 schools, 17 districts, 3 out-of-school time community organizations, 2 universities, 1 career and technology center, and 4 regional education associations!
- Keynote speakers: Jim Cain & Katherine Spinney
- Additional breakout sessions from National Afterschool Association, TNT Kids Fitness, Dakota Family Services, Girls Who Code, Teachstone, Y4Y, ND Department of Public Instruction, HOPE for Educators, South East Education Cooperative, North Dakota State University, Northeast Education Services Cooperative
- 97% of evaluation respondents indicated that the conference was well organized, speakers were knowledgeable, and what they learned will make a positive impact on the youth in their program!
- Nearly 95% of respondents reports that they would recommend this conference to others.
I always come away invigorated and ready for the next year!
This was a great conference. All the information given sheds new light on difficult situations. New ideas and strategies are greatly appreciated.
Thank you for providing a relevant conference in a year that has been extremely difficult to make plans.
Healthy Schools Virtual Summit
[Aug. 4, 2021]
A great turnout of over 130 individuals attending the virtual Healthy Schools Summit which is created through a partnership between the SEEC, PartnerSHIP 4 Health, Schoolsalive!, and Fargo-Cass Public Health. This year’s content focused on the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child – A Collaborative Approach to Learning and Health and featured three main keynotes and 11 breakout opportunities!
- 134 participating individuals represented 48 businesses/community organizations, 20 Minnesota school districts, 10 North Dakota school districts, three regional education associations, and one college/university.
- Keynote speakers: Scott Meyer, Rob Bisceglie, and Heather Simonich
- Breakout topics from PartnerSHIP 4 Health, Fargo-Cass Public Health, Detroit Lakes Principal, Jamestown Principal, Great Plains Food Bank, Central Cass Treehouse, Minnesota Department of Health, North Dakota Department of Health, National Food Service Director, Food Service Director for Willmar/New London-Spicer/Montevideo, North Dakota State University, Impact Foundation, North Dakota Full Service Community Schools, and Central Regional Education Association.
- 93% of evaluation respondents indicated that the Summit met their expectations for what they wanted to achieve such as
New ideas and updates on relevant subjects for the upcoming school year.
New techniques and ideas!
Exceeded expectations with very interesting speakers + graphs and charts!
Lots of variety and well-executed facilitation!
School-Based Medicaid Consortium
[Site visits July-August]
The SEEC runs the statewide School-Based Medicaid Consortium which is comprised of 15 North Dakota special education units form across the state. SEEC staff utilized the summer months to visit [on-site or virtual] with each and every one of its members.
This time was dedicated to reviewing and improving internal processes and procedures while also establishing stronger roles and responsibilities for everyone involved in making the Medicaid reimbursement process accurate and effective.
The Consortium began back in January of 2015 with just six units and 27 districts being served to now working with 15 units and 79 districts and successfully helped with the reimbursement of over $5,000,000 last year! Approximately 50% of these dollars go directly back to Units and Districts to help sustain and grow programming and supports for their students as best they see fit! The remaining amount is kept as the State Medicaid match, but in the past two legislative sessions (due to great work and relationships of all involved in the Consortium, special education units, the ND Medicaid office, Department of Human Services, and the ND legislature) $1.5 million has been allocated to a Behavioral Health Grant fund. Those that submitted for Medicaid reimbursement in the year prior are able to apply for these funds to address student behavioral health needs.
We continue to work closely with the North Dakota Medicaid office and look at how to improve and expand Medicaid reimbursement to other service areas that schools are already providing directly to students to help support their academic success.
Always busy and happy to do it! If you have any questions regarding these events, please reach out to ndseec.info@k12.nd.us or visit www.ndseec.com.
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