A PUBLICATION OF THE NEBRASKA COUNCIL OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
Summer 2020
www.NCSA.org
2020 ADMINISTRATORS’ DAYS July 30-31, 2020 Virtual Conference
Featured Speakers
Mike Veny
Frank DeAngelis
Danny Brassell
Reg Leichty
Mental Wellness in Times of Uncertainty
On Any Given Day
Bringing Joy Back into Education
Federal Update
ADMINISTRATORS’ DAYS 2020 is just around the corner! This annual event for all Nebraska School Administrators provides the opportunity to gain the latest information and development on issues schools are dealing with in Nebraska, motivation from national speakers, and connect with other educational leaders and vendors. Administrators’ Days 2020 has pivoted from an in-person event to a virtual conference that will still provide an exceptional experience including many of the activities that make Administrators’ Days so special. The virtual format will provide networking opportunities and meet-ups, give aways and prizes, and allow you to view recorded sessions after the event, so you’ll be able to gain learning from ALL sessions. We hope to see you online in July!
Schedule Thursday - July 30 9:00-9:15 9:15-10:15 10:15-10:30 10:30-11:15 11:15-11:30 11:30-12:15 12:15-1:00 1:00-2:00 2:00-2:15 2:15-2:30 2:30-3:15 3:15-3:30 3:30-4:15
Welcome
Mental Wellness in Times of Uncertainty - Mike Veny Exhibit Engagement Select-a-Session 1 Exhibit Engagement Select-a-Session 2 Exhibit Engagement/Break Award Presentations
Bringing Joy Back into Education - Danny Brassell Exhibit Engagement Select-a-Session 3 Exhibit Engagement Select-a-Session 4
Friday - July 31 9:00-9:30 Welcome and Honors 9:30-10:00 Federal Update - Reg Leichty 10:00-11:00 On Any Given Day - Frank DeAngelis
Learn more and register online at ncsa.org
C ONTENTS
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Districts Navigate Uncertainty, Clouded Pandemic Course to Meet Needs of Communities, Families and Students
BY TYLER DAHLGREN
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When Opportunity Meets Preparedness: Digital Age Pedagogy Website Houses Emergency Remote Learning Resources
BY TYLER DAHLGREN
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A Message that Changed Everything
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Checking in with the Commissioner
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NCSA Honors Retirees
BY DR. LAURA BARRETT BY TYLER DAHLGREN
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Affiliate Awards
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Checking in with Nebraska Public School Advantage
BY TYLER DAHLGREN
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23 Sponsorship
NCSA Election Results
BC Calendar of Events
NCSA EXECUTIVE BOARD 2019-2020
Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Terry Houlton Vice Chair. . . . . . . . . Sheri Chittenden Immed. Past Chair. . Dr. John Skretta NASA Representatives President. . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Mark Adler President-Elect. . . . . Dr. Jeff Edwards Past President. . . . . . . . . . Greg Sjuts NASBO Representatives President. . . . . . . . . . . . Erin Heineman President-Elect. . . . . . . . . . . Pam Roth Past President. . . Jason Buckingham NAESP Representatives President. . . . . . . . . . Tammy Schaefer President-Elect. . . . . . . . . Sara Paider Past President. . . . . . . . Casey Slama NASES Representatives President. . . . . . . . . . Dr. Laura Barrett President-Elect. . . Lona Nelson-Milks Past President. . . . Dr. Terry Houlton NSASSP Representatives President. . . . . . . . . . . Ross Ricenbaw President-Elect. . . . . . Brad Jacobsen Past President. . . . . Sheri Chittenden NARSA Representative President. . . . . . . . . Dr. Dallas Watkins NCSA STAFF Dr. Michael S. Dulaney Executive Director/Lobbyist Dr. Dan E. Ernst Associate Executive Director/Lobbyist Amy Poggenklass Finance and Membership Director Megan Hillabrand Professional Development Manager
NCSA MISSION
The mission of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA) is to be an effective leader for quality education and to enhance the professionalism of its members. NCSA Today is a benefit of membership in the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, 455 South 11th Street, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68508. Telephone 402.476.8055 or 800.793.6272. Fax 402.476.7740. Annual membership dues are $335 (active members), $125 (associate members), or $50 (student members). NCSA Today is published quarterly. Send address changes to NCSA, Membership, 455 South 11th Street, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68508. Copyright ©2019 by NCSA. All rights reserved.
Tyler Dahlgren Communications Specialist Carol Young Executive Administrative Assistant Connie Hilker Administrative Assistant The opinions expressed in NCSA Today or by its authors do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators. SUMMER 2020 NCSA TODAY
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P AN D E M I C R ES PO N SE
Districts Navigate Uncertainty, Clouded Pandemic Course to Meet Needs of Communities, Families and Students By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist
Part One: Initial Response
component to its All-Hazards Emergency Response Manual, an installment that began in late February.
Superintendent Dr. Travis Miller and the administrative team at Bayard Public Schools had been keeping an eye on international news, and first dove into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s flu pandemic guidelines in late February. February, when groups of people still gathered in public and classrooms buzzed with students eyeing the school year’s final stretch. February, before the world was tipped upside down.
“Suddenly, it felt urgent,” said SPS superintendent Rick Myles. “Even, then, I didn’t at all expect, as we were putting the finishing touches on the plan, that our area schools would be advised by the PPHD to announce a move to a remote learning environment just two weeks later.”
“Talk about a whirlwind.”
With a sense that COVID-19 could alter the course of school’s final two months, Dr. Miller and his team studied resources like the CDC and the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA). The district heeded the guidance of the Panhandle Public Health District, who was growing worried about the outbreaks in Colorado and the return of panhandle residents from popular mountain ski resorts. “We had reviewed all of those guidelines and incorporated what we’d gathered into a district response plan that our Board of Education approved at a meeting in early March,” said Miller. “Little did we know, a week later we would be closing our doors for the rest of the year.”
That was March 15th, a Sunday night, and in the central part of the state, Minden Public Schools superintendent Jim Widdifield was four days into preparing his district as best he could for the impending uncertainty and joined a webinar where Commissioner of Education Dr. Matt Blomstedt addressed administrators from across the state. Minden was coming off Spring Break, a four-day weekend, and held classes on Monday the 16th for the final time. “Talk about a whirlwind,” said Widdifield, who called an emergency staff meeting that Monday night. On Tuesday morning, schools across the state, and the nation, were vacant. That’s when the work really began.
Part Two: Communication Efforts
Little more than 20 miles to the west, Scottsbluff Public Schools was in the process of adding an “Infectious Disease”
“Everybody knew this wasn’t a one-person job. We all had the carpet ripped right out from underneath us. We were going to be in it together.”
Sack lunches wait to be delivered to Bayard students. “The thing I’m most proud of is the way our team has really worked to make sure we have a good continuity of nutrition plan for students,” said Dr. Travis Miller.
Bayard Schools aide Stacey Jones carries two handfuls of sack lunches to the district’s fleet of vehicles, which delivered around 600 meals to students each day during the pandemic, while elementary principal Matthew McLaughlin helps in the background.
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PA NDE MIC RESP ONSE
Cook Sally Wright and the team at Bayard Schools prepare and deliver 600 meals to students every day. Efforts behind food distribution were all-hands-on-deck.
The following four days are still an astounding blur for Widdifield, who watched his staff come together to launch a lunch program, delve out devices and resolve internet-access issues in a well-orchestrated flash.
Bayard Schools’ Laura McLaughlin assembles meals for students during the pandemic closure. The district utilized a fleet of transportation vehicles and a staff-wide approach to deliver 600 meals to students each day.
Staff response in Bayard, Minden and Scottsbluff was much the same. Valiant, with an undeterred devotion to student well-being and progression, both in curriculum and in day-today life.
“We refused to let 840 kids walk out of our doors in the middle of March without direction,” Widdifield said. “We were going to put something together and we were going to make it look the best we could with what we had. It was a great effort by our staff and our administrators.”
“Our staff members never wavered from our mission, which is ‘Every Child, Every Day,’” said Myles. “It was as if everyone knew they had a job to do, and quickly went about the business of getting it done.”
In Bayard, Dr. Miller didn’t wait to send out the district’s COVID19 response plan to staff, who received the document on the same night that it had been approved by the board. The district called on ESU 13, who came out to train BPS staff in Zoom and provide a helping hand in the shift to remote learning.
SPS contacted Allo Communications and other area providers and developed a list of families without internet access, checking those families off the list one-by-one over the next two weeks until each student was connected with the necessary equipment and access. Allo even provided 60 days of service to families at no cost.
“The team at ESU 13 has been leading in distance learning for 20 years now, with the Western Nebraska Distance Learning Consortium, and our schools and our students are no strangers to it,” said Miller. “Their leadership and the systems that they have established to support learning in a rural and remote environment were incredibly beneficial when we had to change to a COVID-19 response mode of operating our schools without students in the buildings.”
In Minden, there were no ifs, ands or buts about it. For their students, the school was going to make it work. Widdifield put out surveys to garner an idea as to what internet access and technology was available to students at home. USA Communications, Charter Spectrum, and other internet providers stepped up in bringing Wi-Fi access to students without prior connection.
Scottsbluff held a district-wide Zoom meeting two days after it was announced that the 2019-20 school year would be completed in a remote form. Nearly 500 employees were logged in as the administrative team discussed the future.
“We put hotspots in Heartwell and Upland, two really small communities whose kids come to Minden, so that they had a place to access the internet with their school devices,” Widdifield said. “It was a community effort and just a positive thing to see.”
“Our staff needed a little time to get their own lives in order and we asked that they take the next week to reorient themselves to teaching from home and to increase their skill with the technology we had available to us,” said Myles. “Allowing them this time to purposefully begin to emotionally adjust and intellectually prepare for what was coming was, perhaps, the most important decision we made.”
The shift to remote learning was one that had to be done remarkably fast. To make it happen, Widdifield explained, everybody had to step up. The story of how it was accomplished couldn’t be told without the families of the students stuck at home. Continued on page 6 >>
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PAN D E MI C R ES PO N SE “Our parents have been incredibly supportive,” said Miller. “We’ve asked them to take on roles they’ve never had to, and they’ve stepped up to the challenge. Whether it be providing a great place in their homes for students to access instruction through the internet, or increased supervision roles, time and time again our parents have supported the educational endeavors of the school.”
Part Three: Food/Nutrition Distribution “We’ll go broke before we let kids go hungry.”
The pandemic’s ripples reached beyond the locked doors of school buildings. Far beyond technology integration and an honorable attempt at keeping curriculum on course. Staying home sounds simple enough, but for some, that’s where the pandemic’s punch lands the hardest. For school districts, it’s in those places that the most important work is being done. “The thing I’m most proud of is the way our team has really worked to make sure we have a good continuity of nutrition plan for students,” said Miller, whose staff is delivering about 600 meals to students each day. “Our staff did a terrific job of putting together a school nutrition plan that involved utilization of our bus drivers and our fleet of transportation vehicles, along with some para-educators and administrators, who are delivering the food daily.” In April, Minden Public Schools provided more than 9,000 total meals. A group of community businesses started to help with meal services as folks in the area began losing jobs or seeing a deduction in hours. “That’s a big thing about this community,” Widdifield said. “When things are not going well, or if someone needs help, there’s twenty-five people who’ll step up and take on whatever it is that they’re struggling with. Everyone was on the same page, and the administration and board was adamant that we’ll go broke before we’ll let kids go hungry.”
Bayard Principal Matthew McLaughlin and staff prepare and assemble meals for students. The sack lunches were delivered by one of the school’s transportation vehicles each day through the pandemic shutdown.
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In Scottsbluff, two of every three students qualify for free or reduced lunch. For the most unfortunate, not eating at school could mean not eating at all. Each week, the district distributes more than 5,000 meals to its families. “Additionally, with a primary focus on the mental health and emotional safety of our children, our counselors and LMHP’s, and our two alternative school programs, have connected families with resources that are intended to replicate the safety net that exists during more conventional times,” said Myles.
Part Four: The Class of 2020
“What this class has endured, we hope this will lead to a sense of closure for these kids and, hopefully, will make our alumni stronger in the future.” One of Bayard’s seniors said something in early April that really stuck with the school’s superintendent. “I may have had my last day of school, and I didn’t even know it,” said the student. “I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to anybody.” Students across Nebraska are surely feeling the same way, the weight of a void left by a lack of closure, but school districts are rallying in inspiring ways to provide the Class of 2020 with the special send-off they so much deserve. In Bayard, for example, a professional videographer was hired to work with staff to prepare a virtual graduation video that was streamed through the district’s Striv account and then shown at the Midwest Theater’s “Pop-Up Drive-Up” theater at the Legacy of the Plains on the Monday after a planned virtual ceremony. City streets were lined with banners recognizing each graduated senior and, in May, the senior cruise tradition was car-
The staff at Minden Public Schools provided more than 9,000 total meals for students through the month of April despite the school doors being closed due to the pandemic.
PA NDE MIC RESP ONSE ried on. The district also provided each graduate with a set of alumni recognition pins, a new tradition that Miller hopes will continue on for many years to come. “What this class has endured, we hope this will lead to a sense of closure for these kids and, hopefully, will make our alumni stronger in the future,” said Miller, who still hopes to honor graduates in a physical ceremony down the road. For two months, Widdifield has seen staff members across the board step up to keep district operations moving in the right direction, and that was no different when it came to graduation. “It was our goal to recreate our graduation program the best that we could in a virtual sense,” the second-year superintendent said. “The only thing we couldn’t recreate very well was the choir and the 1200 people who would be sitting in the gym for the ceremony, but I think everything else we were able to do a really good job with.”
Part Five: Keep on Keeping On
“We’re going to give it our best to provide our kids with the best possible education and experiences in whatever format we’re allowed to have in the future.” Teachers, Widdifield feels, are inherently creative people, problem-solvers and innovators in a time where everybody in education is being asked to, well, solve problems and innovate. “For us, I think we did get it right,” he said. “Our teachers have a knack for coming up with some amazing ideas that have kept the kids engaged in learning and moving forward.” The new norm, though it changes by the day, is one of isolation, where most connections are made digitally. For school districts, it’s been worlds away from ideal, though there have been moments that are nothing short of remarkable. Triumphs and achievements, worthy of celebrations, and the ordinary musings of confinement, worthy of a laugh. “When it’s time for PE, my elementary students (at home), make a lot of noise in the living room with their karate moves and running-in-place and sit-ups and calisthenics,” said Dr. Miller, the father. “I’ve heard my kids playing their trombones or singing from their bedrooms while they’re doing their music classes. We’re trying to continue to provide opportunities academically and in the exploratory classes as well.”
In Bayard, the school district went to great lengths to make sure the Class of 2020 had a special graduation experience. The district worked with several community partners in holding a weeklong celebration honoring its graduates, who each had a banner on display in the town.
holding a community clean-up day. What school is going to look like in the fall is still a relative mystery, but that doesn’t mean districts are allowing themselves to be stuck in neutral. School doors are closed, for now, but schools themselves were never closed. “While we don’t know what school will look like in the fall, I have full faith and confidence in the students, in our community and in our teachers that we’re going to give it our best to provide our kids with the best possible education and experiences in whatever format we’re allowed to provide,” said Miller. Widdifield is planning on welcoming students back to Minden Public Schools on August 13 until he is told otherwise. And even then, the district has contingencies in place to keep on keeping on. “We have to keep moving,” he said. “I’m not waiting for this thing to decide what it’s going to do, because as soon as you do that you’re already behind. We’re not waiting.” The pandemic has brought with it many challenges, said Myles, the most prominent being a sudden reliance on remote learning. He feels his staff was successful in implementing an effective model with very little time to prepare. Still, there’s no substitute for the real thing, and school districts eagerly await the return of their students. “No matter what we do and how creative our instructors are, there is no confusion on anyone’s part that this modality is as good as face-to-face learning,” Myles said. “We have schools for a reason.” ■
Bayard students put their skills on display during a virtual talent show and the district continued with its yearly tradition of
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P ART N E RS H I P
When Opportunity Meets Preparedness: Digital Age Pedagogy Website Houses Emergency Remote Learning Resources By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist Born out of a BlendEd pilot program established by a committee comprised of the Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council (ESUCC), professionals from select ESUs and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA), the Digital Age Pedagogy site initially existed as a hub for resources illustrating best practices in blending online and offline instruction to enhance teaching and learning. The ESU-NCSA BlendEd Pilot project approached best practices in blended learning from a systems level, focusing on administrators, technology coordinators and educators. “We’re trying to promote differentiation during direct instruction, so that students get the instruction they need at the level that they need it,” said Dr. Nicholas Ziegler, Technology Integration Specialist and World Language Coordinator at ESU 5. “We’re also trying to promote some degree of student Dr. Nicholas Ziegler control over how they practice that content and how they are showing what they know. We’re promoting self-regulated learning, or student autonomy, through things like self-assessment.” To this day, more than a dozen of the original 27 Nebraska school districts that made up the first cohort are still promoting and expanding their use of best blended learning practices. “That’s extremely exciting,” said Ziegler. “They’ve done extremely good work.” When the COVID-19 pandemic altered the course of education like nothing has before and forced every school in Nebraska to close their doors to students, the Digital Age Pedagogy website became, in an extremely short amount of time, an integral resource in itself for school leaders and educators searching for short-notice guidance on Emergency Remote Learning. “We’re in an unprecedented moment in time, and the real goal is to help educators think through manageable expec-
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tations and towards manageable chunks of information that they can engage students with over the span of a week.” said Ziegler. The site is easy to navigate and directs instruction towards the two options provided by the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) in its recently-issued Continuity of Learning Plans guidance document; Educational opportunities and enrichment opportunities. Educational opportunities are defined as teacher-led learning experiences that incorporate research-based practices and direct instruction. The website houses weekly plan templates for student learning, designed to ensure students are grasping objectives and meeting learning goals. Enrichment opportunities, meanwhile, allow students to progress at their own pace on their own path, with less emphasis on instruction in mastery-based approach. “Our recommendation to educators is to really consider that student-learning experience,” Ziegler explained. “If we’re thinking through enrichment opportunities, let’s engage kids in those gamified, independent learning platforms, which are highly-engaging. Kids will have fun while solidifying their understanding of those core concepts, those core skills, inside of that continuum or continuation of learning in a grade level or across grade levels.” While it remains unclear when life, inside and outside of the educational realm, will return to normal, Ziegler believes that when we do reach that point, experiences shared over the next several months are going to ultimately prove beneficial. “If we can get educators on board with creating these student learning plans and manageable expectations, then once we get moving forward, whenever that may be, we are going to be in a good spot to then push people even further into diving into those resources around blended-learning practices,” he said. The website was created through a collaborative effort. Ziegler can’t stress that fact enough. As many as six ESUs and the ESUCC were represented on the leadership team
PA RT NERSHI P that worked tirelessly to morph the site into something suited for the immediate needs of school districts struck with the reality of having to separate students from teachers in the middle of March. Right now, those districts are doing whatever it takes to keep the 2019-20 school year on the tracks. Down the road, though, moving forward in such uncertainty will pay dividends. “We feel that engaging educators with these resources throughout remote learning will enhance educator effectiveness, improve student performance and lead towards a transformation of classroom instruction,” said incoming ESUCC Digital Learning Coordinator Andrew Easton.
Andrew Easton
Speaking of collaboration, the ESU leadership team Ziegler mentioned teamed up with NDE to hold the Future Ready Conference on June 15 and 16. The online conference is totally free and open for all educators. The first day focused on supporting educators in remote learning, while the second was geared more towards transforming classroom instruction. The Future Ready Conference offered strands for administrators, tech coordinators, guidance counselors, librarians, and post-secondary educators too. “It’s very possible that at the beginning of this next academic year, either across the state or in pockets inside of our state,
we’re still going to have remote learning occurring, so the conference is really going to look at what we’ve done and what we can do to leverage our plans moving forward,” said Ziegler. “The main goal of the conference is to help students be successful in today and tomorrow’s job markets.” The website, much like the landscape of education, will continue to evolve, a fluid home to remote learning resources and professional learning opportunities. Ziegler encourages educators and administrators to explore the site and all it has to offer. “It’s meant to be free and open,” said Ziegler. “All of the content is licensed creative commons. We just ask that you attribute us, the digital age pedagogy team, and you don’t profit off of the resources. It’s imperative, now more than ever, that we come together and share what’s working well, what’s not working well, and that we are flexible and willing to adapt to meet the needs of the times.” If the education community comes together in this time, then an adage Ziegler often hears from ESUCC Director Dr. Kraig Lofquist will continue to ring true. “Dr. Lofquist feels that this is an example where opportunity has met preparedness,” said Ziegler. “Over the past decade, we have worked to solidify our understandings of best practices around digital age pedagogy, and in short order we were able to adapt those resources to meet the need of emergency remote learning.” ■
Nebraska School Administrator Workshop: Title IX: New Requirements Training Presented by the Perry Law Firm
Livestream - Join from your computer Tuesday, August 4 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
(1-hour lunch break will be provided)
Learn more and register at ncsa.org SUMMER 2020 NCSA TODAY
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A Message that Changed Everything By DR. LAURA BARRETT, NASES President
We know that there are many different events that have shaped our country. Each of us can recall where we were when certain events occurred that changed our perception of things. Based upon your age, that could be the JFK assassination, bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Challenger Barrett exploding, the Twin Towers falling, or now the COVID-19 pandemic. While this pandemic isn’t an isolated moment in time like the other events, there are some moments that stand out and when you look back, you know it was a turning point in the situation. I believe for many of us, it was the message that the NSAA had made changes to Boys State Basketball, a sacred right of passage in our state. When we read that, we knew it was big, but none of us could have predicted what the next few days, weeks and months would bring. I know where I was when I received that message, I was in Denver visiting day treatment programs as we looked to start one in the Panhandle. The news alerts started pouring in after that. The NBA, MLB, NHL all suspended seasons. Tom Hanks was diagnosed. March Madness was cancelled. The next days were a blur for many of us. We learned new terms like community spread, social distancing, alternative learning environments, directed health measures and so many more. Over the course of the next few months, our state banded together to show that the saying is true, there really is no place like Nebraska. During this time it would’ve been easy to freeze up and do nothing, but across our state, administrators and educators stepped up and began to design learning environments that were unlike any we had ever seen before.
Serving as president of NASES during this time gave me a unique vantage point. I had the opportunity to witness firsthand the great things that were happening in a time of chaos. I always love watching Jimmy Fallon write his Thank You notes on the Tonight Show, so I thought it would be appropriate to use this opportunity to share some Thank You notes that I feel need to be written about the great things that I witnessed:
Dear Nebraska Department of Education,
Thank you for supporting districts as we focused first on the safety and welfare of students and families and then on providing academic support. You have been by our side providing guidance, support and resources to navigate this new world for all of us.
Dear ESUs,
Thank you for taking the lead in working with our health districts in guiding decisions related to the directed health measures. Your professional development and support has been extremely valuable for all school districts as we look to provide education in a different format.
Dear Social Media,
Thank you for giving us a platform to share stories across the state of all the ways schools are stepping up to fill a need in their community, from providing Internet access, meals, supplies and so many other things to continue to support students as they learned in this fourth quarter.
Dear NASES Executive Board,
When we heard concerns about how to provide a free, appropriate public education for students with disabilities, rather than let people worry, wonder and flounder, you stepped up and worked with the NDE to provide ideas about what a continuity of learning could look like. Thank you regional representatives for offering opportunities to collaborate.
Over the course of the next few months, our state banded together to show that the saying is true, there really is no place like Nebraska... administrators and educators stepped up and began to design learning environments that were unlike any we had had ever seen before.
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A FFILIA T E LE A DERSHI P Dear Nebraska Administrators,
One of the greatest pieces that I have seen come out of this is the collaboration across the entire state, regardless of location or size.Your leadership has supported teachers, families and students in ways we never imagined possible. Thank you for proving that we are one state united in providing access to all students.
Dear Teachers,
There aren’t enough words to thank you for flipping your learning to an alternative learning environment overnight. What you did was nothing short of amazing and proves that teachers are some of the greatest and most adaptive people out there!
Dear Families,
Thank you for stepping into a role of teacher/tutor/tech support with little notice. We know that you were balancing so many things during this time and it wasn’t always easy to do it all.
us as we figured this all out. Your lives were interrupted and celebrations were modified. This doesn’t make the accomplishments any less impressive. YOU are the reason we are here and we have missed you every day. If I could go back in time and talk to the person who was reading that first message about the change in boys state basketball, what would I tell her? I would start by saying stock up on hand sanitizer and buy some shares in Zoom. Then, I would say to take a deep breath, it is going to be a wild ride. I would recommend phoning a friend early and often. No one got through this alone, we are getting through this because we utilize our networking systems like NCSA, our national organizations and informal networks that we have across the state. I am proud to be a member of an organization that has focused on educating all students. While we know this is not the end or even the hardest part of this situation, the lessons that we have learned will move us forward and continue to prove why Nebraska is such a great place. ■
Dear Students,
Thank you for your persistence, dedication and patience with
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CO MMI S S I O N ER ' S R EPO R T
Checking in with the Commissioner By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist The Commissioner of Education reflects on the timeline of how this played out, this world-altering pandemic that forced schools to seal their front doors shut with next-to-no notice and sent students and staff into quarantine two months before the final bell was supposed to ring. Even now, on the morning of May 28, two-and-a-half months after COVID-19 turned the world upside down and only a handful of hours before he was set to join Governor Pete Ricketts and Dr. Andre Kalil on a Live Town Hall broadcast by NET, Dr. Matt Blomstedt nods and raises his eyebrows slightly when asked about the abruptness of it all.
notion of values-based and values-driven decision making,” Blomstedt said. “Everything we’ve done since, not that it’s perfect and not that everyone always agrees completely with everything, but it’s been focused on people and safety.” After the floods of 2019, Dr. Blomstedt is no stranger to leading through uncertainty. This threat, one of an ‘invisible enemy’, is different, but schools have shown the same kind of resolve over the last few months as they did then. “It’s remarkable what schools, what administrators and teachers, have done,” he said. “They shifted an entire system to feed students, to respond to the social and emotional needs of families and kids, and they’re still doing that every single day. I wouldn’t trade being in Nebraska for anything.”
Dr. Matt Blomstedt
The Nebraska Department of Education had the coronavirus on its radar as early as February 28, and around that time Blomstedt began to hold conversations with the governor centering on plans if the situation were to escalate. Escalate, it did.
The challenge for school administrators now, said Dr. Blomstedt, is waiting for directives to come from the state level. At the state level, meanwhile, the challenge has been waiting for directives to come from the federal level.
“By the next Monday, I was asking our team to build a COVID-19 response website, which went live (shortly after),” said Blomstedt. “By Wednesday (March 4th), we were being briefed by Dr. (Gary) Anthone and the epidemiologists from the Department of Health and Human Services.”
“Hopefully, what we’re seeing by the time we are in July, is the decision-making process returning to folks at a local level with state guidance and support,” said Blomstedt. “In any crisis, it’s going to be the local leaders and the local response that makes a real difference. It’s important for people to understand the threat, the challenges and the needs specific to their town, to their area. We’ll provide the best guidance we can, but it’s not going to be perfect for everyone and they’re going to have to adjust for very specific local circumstances.”
Dr. Blomstedt attended a show choir event at Lincoln Northeast the following Saturday.. He spent much of the day on the phone and held conversations with Fremont superintendent Mark Shepard, whose community had experienced the first outbreak, and the governor’s office. Blomstedt hasn’t had a free moment since.
NDE has continuously offered resources to school districts since early March, including the Launch Nebraska website, which offers tools and support for unfinished learning and restarting schools. The website (www.launchne.com) is a comprehensive guide for school districts to utilize as fall approaches.
“I was involved in every single positive case that was being identified in that first week,” said Blomstedt, who was also involved in the decisions being made regarding the state basketball tournament.
“The intention behind Launch Nebraska is to scale the knowledge base around this environment and to help provide a resource for schools to make solid decisions at a local level,” said Blomstedt, whose NDE team collaborated with the Department of Health and Human Services and the University of Nebraska Medical Center in building the expansive site. “It’s a combination of our best state and local thinking around how to address moving forward.”
On March 11, Dr. Tom Osborne came to speak with the NDE staff. In the early stages of the whirlwind, the Hall of Fame coach’s words touched Blomstedt, and continue to influence the leadership he’s provided through adverse circumstances. “It was a stressful day, but oddly enough, sitting there and listening to Dr. Osborne speak to our staff, it reinforced the
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NDE will make changes based on local areas, said Blomstedt, and will strive to give districts flexibility when it comes to handling specifics.
C O MMIS S IO NE R'S REP ORT “Things as simple as facemasks are sometimes not so simple,” said the commissioner. “You may have students who have experienced trauma, and a facemask isn’t going to be acceptable. It’s a percentages game, of getting the majority of folks managing the situation as safely as possible, and then troubleshooting otherwise. Schools are really good at that. They always have been.” When he does take a moment to step back and reflect from a broader lens, the efforts put forth by Nebraska’s schools do fill Blomstedt with pride. “The depth of thought at a school level, where it’s clear that their leadership in a community is critical, has been incredible,” he said. “Our schools have organized partnerships within the community to address broader community needs. What our schools have done as far as food security, and beyond curriculum and content, the social/emotional side of schools contact with families has been amazing.” Dr. Blomstedt praised the work done by ESUs throughout the state in making the transition to remote learning a possibility. Service Units were among the first contacts Blomstedt made when the pandemic materialized, part of an effort to create
a network that would make it possible to listen and engage with all of the schools in the state. “They’ve done a yeoman’s work to keep and maintain regular conversation points,” Blomstedt said. “It’s not always easy on them. We put them right in the middle of it, but I very much appreciate what they’ve done to help organize the school district voices around major themes. It’s been truly remarkable work on their front.” Each summer, we ask Blomstedt to peer into his crystal ball, to place his finger on a few topics or issues that he sees as pertinent to the upcoming school year. This summer’s crystal ball was a touch clouded, but the commissioner hopes that, by the fall, we’ve figured out the best way to manage circumstances at the most local decision point possible in order to keep people safe. “School will look different in the fall, and we’re going to have to be prepared to be flexible,” Blomstedt said. “It’s really about people, first. We’re trying to make sure that our communities, our families and our children are, number one, safe and cared for, and, two, that education in and of itself is a critical part of the recovery.” ■
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SUMMER 2020 NCSA TODAY
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NCSA Honors Retirees Each year NCSA is sad to lose but happy to congratulate our members in education who are leaving the profession due to their long-deserved retirement. We are honored to share with you a glimpse of their future plans or just a bit of advice that only those who have worked with children and parents for so long can give! Please note: The NCSA staff made every effort to include all those individuals who responded to our request for information on retirements. Tim Allemang 7-12 Principal Elmwood-Murdock Schools I will miss everyone, but mostly the students! We must always remember to place them first. I look forward to doing a lot of fishing and golfing, but most importantly, spending time with my family and friends. Keep fighting the good fight!!! Jill Bates Assistant Administrator ESU #8 It has been an honor to work with dedicated and forward-thinking educators from across the state. I truly value the professional relationships established during my 41-year career. Thank you for your encouragement, support, and friendship. Remember, healthy children learn better. Tom Becker Superintendent Rock County Public Schools I have enjoyed being in education for 43 years. This has provided me a great opportunity to see the many changes that have taken place in education. When I started technology was not something we talked about. Today, with COVID19, technology is how our teachers are remotely connecting with their students. What is really great about education is you are always learning something new. To do this, I have had many teachers and administrators help me, and I appreciate their help. Being part of an association, NCSA, that supports administrators and good education, makes a big difference in today’s world. I want to thank NCSA for their leadership in education. Like I said, I have enjoyed my years but I never dreamed I would finish out my career by remotely connecting with students, staff, and board members – but change is good and this will lead to a new era in education.
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Dr. Toby Boss Director of Professional Development ESU #6 I’ve been blessed for the past 38 years to be part of a wonderful profession. The old adage is “the person at the top of the mountain didn’t fall up there”. It’s also true that they didn’t get there by themselves. At one point or another in each of our careers somebody saw something in us and gave us a chance. Those individual moments don’t seem like much, such as moving from teaching into administration, but taken in totality they become life-changing. So I have two things for you to consider. First, when you get the opportunity to give someone a chance; cherish it. Secondly, go out and thank those folks that gave you a chance at those pivotal moments. I owe a big thank you to Ron Hudson, Bob Meyers, Jim Ossian, Dan Ernst, Phil Warrick, Tammy Heflebower and Don Fritz for taking a chance on me. Rusty Droescher 7-12 Principal Oakland-Craig Public Schools I’ve enjoyed almost all of my 34 years in education. All but this last quarter. I hope E-learning never becomes the NORM for our learning environment. This will never replace the power of direct contact with our students. Sheri Fillipi Principal Wake Robin Elementary School Bellevue Public Schools During my 25 plus years as an administrator, I have had the opportunity to work with amazing educators who have made my work enjoyable and easy. I have enjoyed serving fabulous students and their families in some outstanding districts. I appreciate NCSA and have loved being involved in this fine organization. What a great ride! Teresa Frields Director of Assessment/Curriculum/SIP Nebraska City Public Schools Education has provided me an extraordinary career and I have been extremely privileged to work with incredibly talented professionals throughout my 40 years. I will forever promote a love of public education and be grateful that my chosen profession was always more than a job, but a passion of shared learning and dedication to staff and students. I wish you all the very best and thank each of you that have
RE T IREMENT enriched my life. Stay strong and always keep our youth at the center. Lance Fuller Director Human Resources Kearney Public Schools I can’t believe I’m retiring at 39! Wait, what… this just in. My wife has informed me that I am, in fact, NOT 39. Nor have I been in quite some time. Alrighty then. I’ve been so fortunate in my career to work with outstanding individuals who have influenced me as a leader and as a person. I’m thankful to have learned from some of the best educators in the business. And I will be forever grateful. I can only hope to have served as half the mentor of those I was blessed with. When asked about ending my career during such an unprecedented time in our history, I reply with this thought to ponder. Shortly after announcing my retirement, the entire American educational system essentially shut its doors. Coincidence? I’ll let you decide. Brian Gegg Superintendent Shelton Public Schools I want to take this opportunity to thank the NCSA, all of the teachers, administrators, and school board members that I’ve had the privilege to work with during my career in education. It’s through your hard work, support, and dedication that made it such a wonderful experience. God bless and good luck in the future. Dr. Jamey Haley Superintendent Wood River Rural School The educational community of Nebraska has been very welcoming and positive to me since I arrived in Wood River several years ago. I thank my colleagues for the wonderful experience, and best wishes as you lead our schools and communities. Kyle Hoehner Principal Lexington High School I am thankful to have been blessed to work at two outstanding Nebraska schools the past 39 years: the first 26 years teaching and coaching at Kearney High School and the past 13 in administration at Lexington High School. Without question, the one thing that has brought me the greatest joy are the wonderfully creative, complex children who have made my work in education a genuinely significant, impactful and important labor of love! I am equally appreciative of the camaraderie of my educational peers who have provided
significant support and friendship throughout my tenure. A special thanks to the NCSA and the ambassadors who consistently “walk alongside” the organization’s members to ensure that Nebraska schools are absolutely the best of the best! Dr. Don Johnson Superintendent Fort Calhoun Community Schools It has been an honor and a calling to serve with such good and honorable people. I appreciate everything NCSA has done for our district over the years and I wish everyone God’s blessings. Jeff Johnson Principal Papillion-LaVista South High School I have been blessed to work in some amazing communities (Plainview, Norfolk, Grand Island and Papillion-LaVista) and have enjoyed building relationships with colleagues from around the state. You all do an outstanding job and I wish you all the best. Always remember we are “Better together”. Kathy Latta Principal Southwest Public School Elementary In my 35 years in education, the thing that stands out the most for me is the level of dedication and caring for students from the classroom teachers with whom I’ve worked. Carry on! Julie Martin Principal C Ray Gates Elementary School Grand Island Public Schools It is with excitement and sadness that I retire from a beloved profession in education. I have had the pleasure to work across the state as both a teacher and an elementary principal. I have served with so many strong fellow educators that truly believed in putting students first. Embracing the joy of watching students, teachers, and parents grow has fueled my soul. Networking amongst the best has been truly a passion as I have learned from so many of you. I salute you all and remind you to give thanks to those around you! Dr. Al Meier Superintendent/Elementary Principal Deshler Public Schools Thank you to all the educators who helped me throughout my career. Continued on page 15 >>
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RE T I RE ME N T David Melick Director of Finance & HR Columbus Public Schools I have been a member of NCSA since 1984, and have always appreciated the leadership in all facets of education provided by this great organization. My time in NSASSP, NASA, and finally NASBO and NASPA has provided me with numerous professional learning opportunities, a great network of outstanding educators, and the opportunity to be involved in leadership in those affiliates. Coordinating the dissemination of negotiations updates for 10 years has granted me insights into teacher negotiations that I wouldn’t have had otherwise and the regular interactions with other superintendents and business managers was great. I also enjoyed many years of helping kick off Administrators’ Days performing with the singing administrators. Now I plan to experience the NCSA membership through NARSA. Keep up the great work NCSA! Dr. Suzanne Melliger Principal Pershing Elementary School Lexington Public Schools It’s been a great ride! After 40 years of spending time working alongside great teachers and administrators, I am retiring with mixed feelings. While I am sad to say goodbye to the hugs, laughter, intellectual banter and challenges that come with the principal’s job, I look forward to the next chapter of my life. Continue your great work, friends, and stay safe! Jim Moore Assistant Principal Crete High School Thank you to all my colleagues for the professional guidance and friendships over the years. It’s all about relationships and it doesn’t get any better than the public schools in Nebraska. Mark Norvell Superintendent Fillmore Central Public Schools I have been blessed to have spent 42 years in education. I am appreciative of all the friends I have made in teaching, coaching, and being an administrator. Most of you helped me in some way during my career. Being around kids is not a bad way to spend your life; and I feel very fortunate to have been able to do that. Thank you to all for your support during my superintendent tenure-it was necessary!
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David Owen 7-12 Principal Burwell Public Schools What a way to go out. COVID-19 has changed many of my plans. Best of luck to all of you in the future. Stephanie Owen Business Manager Creek Valley Schools Being a business manager has been a very challenging, yet very rewarding career. So many challenges over the years! My work and friendship with all staff and the Board of Education has been extremely rewarding – but the best has been the students’ smiling faces and warm greetings and hugs! I will miss them all! Dan Polk Superintendent Elgin Public Schools Stay strong and continue to do what is best for students, not what is easiest for them or anyone else. Be there day in and day out to advocate for them, teach them and show them how to become better students, citizens and people. As we all know it’s not always a pleasant process; but it is one that is needed more now than ever. I could not have had the career I’ve had without the support of my wife Deb and I truly admire you all for the path you have chosen and the work you do. God Bless! Steve Rinehart Superintendent Osceola Public Schools With 10 grandchildren becoming more involved in high school activities it is time to change paths after 38 years in Nebraska public schools. I could not imagine not being an educator and helping to develop and shape young people into productive adults. I hope that I have provided the guidance that many youth of today are seeking. I will always cherish the relationships I have developed with my former students. Now it is time to help guide my grandchildren! I wish all my colleagues the best as they continue to promote Nebraska public education!! Rusty Ruppert Superintendent Sargent Public Schools In the almost half century (49 years) that I have been in education there have been many, many changes. But the most important things have remained the same. Kids and col-
RE T IREMENT leagues. To all of those along this journey that have helped me grow as an educator and an administrator, thank you! Thanks to my family for their unending support and thanks to God for the blessings He has seen fit to share with me. Remember, Success is not owned, it is leased and the Rent is due every day. Dr. Dennis Shipp Superintendent Bertrand Public Schools After 38 years in education, all I can think to say is “thank you” to the many students, teachers, and administrative peers that have shaped my educational career. Don Crowder, Gary Oxley, and Tim DeWaard were outstanding mentors along the way. Also, a thank you to the many administrative friends that helped make a tough job…rewarding. Lastly, the most important thank you goes to my wife, Teresa. Being the spouse of an administrator can be very difficult. Good luck to all of my administrative friends as you work to bring education back “into” schools. Take care. Dr. Mike Sieh Superintendent Stanton Community Schools My dad always said that you could never have enough friends! I have enjoyed getting to know and learn from all my colleagues and friends throughout my educational career. I hope that I was able to contribute a fraction of what I have learned from others to those around me. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives! Mark Sievering Superintendent Arnold Public Schools Have you ever had the feeling you’ve done something before? Two years ago, I thought I was going to retire, and wound up teaching high school English (no, I had NOT been an English teacher before I became an administrator). The joke around the school became that last year would be my “second annual retirement”! In late spring, I answered the call for a school needing a part-time interim superintendent. So …. This year will be my THIRD ANNUAL RETIREMENT, and I am planning on this being the retirement that actually “sticks”! Currently I am looking forward to some more discretionary time, but also living the “lifelong learner” idea, as I am embarking on a doctoral degree in Educational Ministry.
Mark Smith Principal Plattsmouth Middle School It has been a pleasure to serve the students and families as a teacher, coach, and principal for the last 33 years. I am going to miss the relationships the most. Thanks to the rest of you for serving as well. Ken Thiele Principal Aurora Middle School Thank you NCSA for your continuous support to all public school administrators, and especially to me during my 30 years as a school principal. To say that I have loved every minute as an administrator, would be an exaggeration, but to say it has been very rewarding would be extremely accurate. I would also like to THANK the Aurora community for the opportunities provided to me during my 28 years as Aurora Middle School principal. Aurora is not only a terrific community and school system, but a tremendous place to raise a family. Thank you NCSA and Aurora Public Schools for the opportunity to serve students and families. Dr. Caroline Winchester Superintendent Chadron Public Schools The networking with everyone at various meetings is a strength of NCSA and greatly appreciated over the years. Bob Zagozda Chief Financial Officer Westside Community Schools I’ve enjoyed meeting people from all over the state who have been so helpful in sharing their expertise. Best of luck, and thanks to you all for a job well done serving students.
Continued on page 18 >>
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Also Retiring: Dr. Michael Ashton Superintendent Archdiocese of Omaha David Barrett Principal Adams Central Public School Tami Clausen (retired December 2019) Business Manager Logan View Public Schools Rob Hanger Superintendent Palmyra District OR-1
Gene Haynes Principal Omaha North High School
Terri Martin Director of Curriculum & Assessment Gering Public Schools
Kirk Hughes Superintendent Crawford Public Schools
Darus Mettler Director of Special Education ESU #7
Dr. Jami Isom Superintendent Valentine Community Schools
John Osgood Principal C L Jones Middle School-Minden Public Schools
Don Jacobs Principal Pawnee City Public Schools Dana Jeppson Superintendent McPherson County Schools
Dr. Dale Rawson Superintendent Mead Public Schools
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A FFILIA T E AWARDS
NSASSP Announces 2020-2021 Nebraska High School Principal of the Year By JEFF STEINBECK, NSASSP Public Relations Representative The Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals has selected Susan Cassata as the 2020 High School Principal of the Year. This award is presented annually to a principal who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in their school, region, and at the state level. The award Cassata honors principals who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of: Personal Excellence, Collaborative Leadership, Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Personalization. Ms. Cassata has been in education since 1992 and has been the Principal at Lincoln East High School since 2008 and also has served as the Assistant Principal at Lincoln North Star High school from 2005-2008. Prior to working in school administration she taught Social Studies and was an Educational Coordinator at Lincoln Southeast High School. She has also worked as an Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership at Doane College. Ms. Cassata, a native of Fremont has been a member of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA), the Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals (NSASSP), and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) for 10 years. Dr. Matt Larson, Associate Superintendent for Instruction at Lincoln Public Schools stated, “One of Nebraska’s highest-achieving high schools, the Lincoln East culture Ms. Cassata has collaboratively nurtured with staff is not only one of high academic expectations and accomplishment, it is also a culture known for its inclusive, caring and supportive environment.” A Lincoln East Senior, Pranav Rajan states, “In my life, her encouragement is something that has positively influenced my attitude towards school and education. Overall, Ms. Cassata’s presence creates a fun environment where I can enjoy learning and feel safe.” Dr. Patrick Hunter-Pirtle, Director of Secondary Education at Lincoln Public Schools notes, “If I need an opinion or feedback, Sue is usually the first person I contact because I know
Sue will be honest. Sue is excellent at asking questions to help me navigate to the best decision.” Ms. Cassata received her Bachelor of Science degree in History from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1991. In 2001, she earned her Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Doane College. Ms. Cassata has been the PBiS committee chair at Lincoln East High School and has been an active member of the Lincoln Schools district appraisal committee. She has attended the Solution Tree Professional Learning Communities at Work conferences and in 2008 she visited China with the Confucius Institute. In 2018, Susan received Principal of the Year recognition from the Region 1 principals group. Congratulations to Susan Cassata for her outstanding performance as a Secondary School Principal at Lincoln East High School. Ms. Cassata will represent Nebraska and NSASSP at the National Principals Conference hosted by NASSP in October of 2020! NSASSP appreciates the contributions to the profession and is proud to name Susan Cassata of Lincoln East High School the 2020 High School Principal of the Year! ■
"One of Nebraska's highest achieving high schools, the Lincoln East culture Ms. Cassata has collaboratively nurtured with staff is not only one of high expectations and accomplishments, it also a culture known for its inclusive, caring and supportive environment." — Dr. Matt Larson, Superintendent for Instruction at Lincoln Public Schools
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AFF I LI A T E A WAR D S
NSASSP Announces 2020-2021 Nebraska Middle School Principal of the Year By JEFF STEINBECK, NSASSP Public Relations Representative The Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals has selected Dr. Scott Ingwerson as the 2020 Middle School Principal of the Year. This award is presented annually to a principal who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in their school, region, and at the state level. This award Ingwerson honors principals who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of: Personal Excellence, Collaborative Leadership, Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Personalization. Dr. Ingwerson has been in education since 2000. He has been the Principal at Millard North Middle School since 2012 after serving as the Assistant Principal there for five years. He has also been the Dean of Students at Logan Fontenelle Middle School and Mission Middle School in Bellevue. Before that he taught Biology and coached at Platteview High School. Dr. Ingwerson is a native of Nehawka, NE and attended Conestoga Public Schools. He is a member of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA), the Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals (NSASSP), and the Association for Supervision of Curriculum and Development (ASCD). In 2014 and 2018 Ingwerson was selected by
"I have had the unique opportunity to observe his knowledge, skills, and disposition from many seats, and I have learned from him in each of these roles." — Dr. Heather Phipps, Associate Superintendent of Educational Services of Millard Public Schools
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the Region II principals as the Outstanding Middle School Principal. Dr. Heather Phipps, the Associate Superintendent of Educational Services of Millard Public Schools states, “I have had the unique opportunity to observe his knowledge, skills, and disposition from many seats, and I have learned from him in each of those roles. I am a better administrator, evaluator, and leader because I have worked with him.” Dr. Phipps continues, “He is an engaged participant in the Millard Public Schools Foundation fundraising efforts and is an active member of his community.” Carly McCulloch, a parent of Millard North Middle School students noted, “In any number of scenarios, Dr. Ingwerson is the first person to tell you great things about your kid.” She also added, “He is the first person to help you see what you are doing right as a parent.” Dr. Ingwerson has served as the NSASSP Region II President for two years from 2017-2019 and has also served as the Region II treasurer for three years previous to serving as president. His school was recently featured by Nebraska Loves Public Schools during their film series The Mind Inside. He has also presented at the NCSA State Principals Conference and has been a presenter for Doane College’s Educational Leadership Program and for the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s graduate classes. Dr. Ingwerson received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education while majoring in Unified Science and Biology from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri in 1999. He then earned his Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Doane College in 2005 and received his Doctorate of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2015. Congratulations to Dr. Scott Ingwerson for his outstanding performance as Middle School Principal at Millard North Middle School. Dr. Ingwerson will represent Nebraska and NSASSP at the National Advocacy Conference hosted by NASSP in March of 2021. NSASSP appreciates the contributions to the profession and is proud to name Dr. Scott Ingwerson of Millard North Middle School the 2020 Middle School Principal of the Year! ■
NPS A UP DATE
Checking in with Nebraska Public School Advantage By TYLER DAHLGREN, NCSA Communications Specialist I didn’t know it at the time, walking happily around the Nebraska ProStart Culinary Competition on March 5th, chatting with chefs and chopping it up with seriously-skilled cooks, but NPSA’s school year of storytelling was about to end with a soufflé. For a writer tasked with finding and telling stories which illustrate the sheer awesomeness of Nebraska’s public schools, the 2019-20 school year was an all-timer, even if the calendar was cut two months short. In the condensed second semester alone, I entered a virtual reality in Bertand’s library, watched a heartwarming game of kickball in O’Neill, discovered the power of mentorship in Gothenburg and Chappell and stepped into the world of an FFA super-team in Atkinson. When the COVID-19 pandemic altered the course of the school year in mid-March, the power of public education continued to shine through layers and layers of uncertainty. Schools transitioned to remote learning. Quarantine became the new norm. Zoom participation sky-rocketed. But your stories were still there to be told. NPSA launched its Senior Spotlight series. On March 15th, that name was way more original than it sounds now. We caught up with memorable members from the Class of 2020 from Pierce, Adams Central, Fullerton, Creek Valley and Holdrege. We gained remarkable insight from the state’s FBLA and FCCLA presidents and we learned that students, just like us, are just trying their best to put one foot in front of the other. To move forward. To take the next step. Their schools have been there every step of the way.
You’ve all navigated the pandemic in incredible ways. The meals districts are distributing on a daily basis, the different ways teachers are staying in touch with their students, and the leadership through unavoidable uncertainty from our state’s administrators, those stories could fill the pages of an epic novel. Schools have stories. You have stories. Now, you have more than ever. When the bell rings again, we’ll be right there to help tell them. *NPSA is always looking for story leads. There are great things going on in your district. Share them with us by emailing tyler@ncsa.org or dropping us a lead on the NPSA website! Visit www.nebraska-advantage.org for more. ■
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NCSA Election Results The Nebraska Council of School Administrators is pleased to recognize our new president-elects for the 2020–2021 year. Each affiliate president-elect is selected by their peers through the affiliate election process. We thank you for taking the time to vote and encourage you to always participate in election process of your affiliate. It is a great honor to have been voted into office by your professional colleagues. We are very fortunate to have highly qualified and successful school administrators that are willing to run for leadership positions within their affiliates. We salute all those individuals that were willing to accept a nomination to have their name on a ballot. Your affiliates remain strong because of quality administrators willing to lead. In addition to the new role within their affiliate associations, we would also like to welcome the president-elects to membership on the NCSA Executive Board, our organization’s governing body. The new executive board members are well qualified to serve and begin their official term on the NCSA Executive Board on September 1, 2020. We look forward to their participation on the board and guidance of the organization. We congratulate and welcome our new President-Elects:
NAESP
NASA
NASBO
NASES
NSASSP
Mrs. Erin Gonzalez, Harvey Oaks Elementary School
Mr. Kevin Wingard, Milford Public Schools
Dr. Liz Standish, Lincoln Public Schools
Ms. McKayla LaBorde, ESU #3
Mr. Dustin Mitchell, Sutherland Public Schools
NCSA Elects 2020–2021 Leadership In addition, at the May 27, 2020, NCSA Board Meeting, elections were held for the 2020-2021 board leadership positions. We are excited to announce the 2020-2021 Chair and Vice Chair of the NCSA Executive Board: Chair (left) Dr. Mark Adler Ralston Public Schools Vice Chair (right) Mr. Ross Ricenbaw Waverly District 145 Middle School
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Humanex Ventures Angelina Cunning angelina.cunning@ humanexventures.com 2900 So. 70th Street, Ste. 100 Lincoln, NE 68506 402-486-1102 humanexventures.com Modern Images Bradley Cooper brad@champshots.com 13436 So. 217th Street Gretna, NE 68028 402-991-7786 misportsphotography.com National Insurance Steve Ott sott@nisbenefits.com 9202 W. Dodge Road, Ste. 302 Omaha, NE 68114 800-627-3660 nisbenefits.com Nebraska Liquid Asset Fund Barry Ballou balloub@pfm.com 455 So. 11th Street Lincoln, NE 68508 402-705-0350 nlafpool.org
Nebraska Safety Center Mick Anderson andersonmd@unk.edu West Center, 220E Kearney, NE 68849 308-865-9393 www.unk.edu/offices/ safety_center OnToCollege John Baylor john@ontocollege.com P.O. Box 30792 Lincoln, NE 68503 402-475-7737 ontocollege.com TeamMates Mentoring Program Beth Roberts broberts@teammates.org 6801 “O” Street Lincoln, NE 68510 877-531-8326 www.teammates.org The Clark Enersen Partners Jennifer Koolen 1010 Lincoln Mall, Suite #200 Lincoln, NE 68508 402-477-9291 jennifer.koolen@clarkenersen.com www.clarkenersen.com TRANE Dave Raymond dave.raymond@trane.com 11937 Portal Road La Vista, NE 68128 402-452-7762 trane.com/omaha UNANIMOUS Matt O'Gorman matt@beunanimous.com 8600 Executive Woods, Ste. 300 Lincoln, NE 68512 402-423-5447 beunanimous.com
Awards Unlimited Tim Moravec tmoravec@awardsunlimited.com 360 SW 27th Street Lincoln, NE 68522 800-950-3553 www.awardsunlimited.com Cheever Construction Doug Klute Cheever Construction 3425 North 44th Street Lincoln, Nebraska 68504 402-477-6745 dklute@cheeverconstruction.com Edgenuity - Odysseyware Crystal Church, Ed.S 8860 E. Chaparral Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85250 314-750-0494 crystal.church@edgenuity.com https://www.edgenuity.com Renaissance Heather Miller heather.miller@renaissance.com 2911 Peach Street Wisconsin Rapids, WI 55494 800-338-4204 ext. 4712 www.renaissance.com Software Unlimited, Inc. Corey Atkinson caa@su-inc.com 5015 S. Broadband Lane Sioux Falls, SD 57108 605-361-2073 su.inc.com
BRONZE SPONSORSHIP Kearney Visitors Bureau Sarah Focke sfocke@visitkearney.org PO Box 607 Kearney, NE 68848 800-652-9435 visitkearney.org
INTERESTED IN A SPONSORSHIP? CALL (402) 476-8055
PRSRT STD. U. S. POSTAGE PAID LINCOLN, NE PERMIT NO. 951
Nebraska Council of School Administrators 455 So. 11th Street, Suite A • Lincoln, NE 68508-2105 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
CALENDAR OF EVENTS JULY July 29 – 31
Administrators' Days – Virtual
AUGUST Aug 4
Title IX: New Requirements Training – Virtual
SEPTEMBER Sep 24
School Safety and Security – Virtual
OCTOBER Oct 14 – 15
Labor Relations – Holiday Inn – Kearney
NOVEMBER Nov 2
NE Fall Ed Tech Conference – Younes Conf Center – Kearney
Nov 4
Emerging Superintendents Workshop – NCSA – Lincoln
Nov 18 – 20
State Education Conference – CHI Center – Omaha
DECEMBER Dec 2
Legislative Preview – Cornhusker Marriott – Lincoln
Dec 10 – 11
State Principals Conference – Cornhusker Marriott – Lincoln
*Region meeting dates can be found on the NCSA website.
NATIONAL CONVENTION DATES NASSP – July 7-9, 2020 – National Harbor, MD
AASA – February 15-17, 2021 – New Orleans, LA
