2015-16 OAISD Interworkings, Issue1

INTERWORKINGS 2015–16•Issue No. 1OTTAWA AREA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT

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on the

CoverMaranda Park Party

Kollen Park, HollandJuly 16, 2015

3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Superintendent’s Message

4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Newsbits

5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ottawa Area Schools Doing More . Together .

6-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annual Celebration Breakfast: Enjoy the Ride!

8-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meet Pete

10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CTC Career Camp Continues to Grow

11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REMC7 Wins State Award

13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OAC Summer Session

14-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meet Your Colleague

16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summer—A Time to Get futurePREP’d

17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pet Parade

18-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Building Pride

22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Welcome New Employees

23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IT’s Cool

2015

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OTTAWA AREA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICTINTERWORKINGS 2015–16•Issue No. 1

Pete Haines

As I sat down to compose my first written message to nearly 500 of the newest people in my life, I began reflecting on my first weeks at OAISD, and the term that consistently came to mind was “new.” There is much to be said about learning a new role, while meeting so many new people at the same time. It suffices to say, while I have much to learn and many to get to know, it is clear to me there is a great deal to appreciate about this remarkable new opportunity. And, like Steve Gilliland said at the annual Celebration Breakfast event, I plan to enjoy the ride.

I thought you might enjoy some insight into my transition which included a move of residence. My family and I are now settled into a new home on the “quieter” side of the bridge in Spring Lake Township, but in the Grand Haven School District - frankly, closer to Ferrysburg than anywhere else. And, for the first time we have neighbors…much closer than we could have ever imagined, but all is well!

One of the most intriguing rituals I’ve encountered while meeting new people in the area is telling them what I do “for a living.” I always begin by saying, “I work in the public schools, for Ottawa Area ISD.” Almost without exception, I am greeted with a puzzled look that’s often followed by the question, “What is an ISD?” I’m certain many of you have had the same experience. Some people actually ask the question, but others just have it written on their face. So I go on to explain that we provide highly specialized instructional services for a variety of student populations and follow with a list of core services we provide beyond direct instruction.

Invariably their response is, “Oh, you work with children with disabilities.” Yeah, they didn’t hear me, or maybe I need to refine my explanation. While trying to hide the fact that the

word “disability” is a pet peeve of mine, I then talk about how excited I am to be a part of providing services to students with all different types of learning needs, and at a much broader age range than those I served in a local district. I have some work to do to complete each of those conversations. It’s important work, and I embrace the opportunity. If we could only eliminate the term “disability” from the English language.

In the spirit of that idea and all things new, I’d like to propose a new entry in Webster’s next edition. I

propose a term that represents our efforts to respond to individual learning needs and

to provide opportunities that celebrate the unique talents of each child. This term describes the way we seek to identify what is unique about each child we serve before we prescribe for his or her instructional needs. It describes how we serve the “differently enabled.” I propose we squeeze that

into a new term: DIFFABLED. This term is not meant to be used as a label

rather one that celebrates the fact that all human beings are differently enabled. I

know, it might sound corny… but doesn’t it more accurately reflect our passion for providing the best

possible educational experience for each child?

I like it. Although, I notice it has a squiggly line underneath on my Word document. My next letter is to Microsoft!

Thank you for the warm welcome to the OAISD neighborhood! I look forward to meeting each and every one of you as we move forward together on this journey to inspire and cultivate the potential of the students we serve, working collectively to fulfill a common purpose.

Enjoy the Ride As We Define Our Collective Purpose

diffabled[dif-ey-buh-ld]

noun1. combination of “differently enabled.”

adjective2. to identify what is unique about each

child served, before determining their instructional needs.

Superintendent’s Message

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OTTAWA AREA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT INTERWORKINGS 2015–16•Issue No. 1

. . . things that are good to knowNewsbits

Professional Development Did you know OAISD offers free Professional Development for its employees? Classes are offered both online and in person. Weekday sessions start after 4:00. Saturday sessions end before noon. Learn more here, including dates and times.

Tech Over the summer, every ESB conference room received a new audio/visual (AV) system. To help you navigate this new system, the Technology Services team created and posted detailed instructions next to the AV touch panel in every conference room. If you would like help using the system for an upcoming conference or meeting, please create a work order for assistance prior to the event. As always, contact the Help Desk at ext. 3000 if you have questions.

United for a Cause Cooler temps bring football games, tailgating, and the kick-off of fundraising efforts for United Way! At the annual Indoor Tailgate in October, ESB employees supported their favorite college football team and raised $270 for United Way. In November, the ever-popular Chili Cook-off rustled up $214 with a new twist when CBI students and staff visited and did the cooking. The annual Online Auction where employees donate handmade items, service gifts, or delicious baskets of goodies is on deck for December so keep an eye out for more information on how to donate and buy. And kicking off the new year will be French Toast Friday’s. Yum! With everyone’s participation, we can make this school year’s fundraising our best ever.

Health$hares Fitness Library Relocates

Health$hares Fitness Library is now located just inside the door of the west end of the Instructional Services department across from Stacey Sills in the ESB. Check out information on healthier living or borrow a workout video to try out at home. All are provided free of charge.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10QgZjPm1MB8BUHshIO0BbrJg7IrxoEHab5ElD3QmXRQ/edit

INTERWORKINGS 2015–16•Issue No. 1

Representatives from OAISD and Holland and Zeeland Public Schools participated in the promotion of the Doing More. Together. initiative at the Maranda Park Party at Kollen Park in Holland in July. A record-breaking crowd of over 8,000 families came out to enjoy the fun and free family-centered activities, and many had the opportunity to learn more about the excellent educational options in the region.

Holland Public Schools Communications Coordinator Tom Page who helped with the DMT tent shared his appreciation for the coordinated effort to promote area schools.

“The OAISD group had everything set up perfectly,” Page said. “We took advantage of Maranda’s ability to bring big crowds of young families together and were able to represent the wonderful schools

in our area well. Chalk another one up for Doing More. Together.”

A team from OAISD’s Early Childhood Education department also attended the park party to inform community members of the

resources available to them and their children through OAISD.

“It is always a good time getting out and talking with families with young children,” Kathy Peppin, early childhood coordinator, said about the event. “They are especially excited when we tell them about the potential for free Great Start Readiness Preschool, Early Childhood resources and upcoming events in our community!”

Employees Participate in Maranda Park Party to Build Community Awareness of Education Services

DMT Partner Update Ottawa Area Schools Doing More. Together. initiative is proud to partner with 29 local businesses and community organizations including the newest partners:

• Coopersville Area Chamber of Commerce

• Ottawa County Deputy Sheriff ’s Association

• Sweet Temptations

Rose Zainea-Wieten, executive director of the Coopersville Area Chamber of Commerce, says she sees a great deal of value to a program such as this.

“Ottawa area schools think ‘outside the box’ to provide unique educational experiences for their students which in turn helps Coopersville and the greater region remain a vibrant, active place to live, work and play,” Zainea-Wieten said. “This partnership initiative offers a much needed outlet to celebrate the high-quality education Ottawa area schools provide as they prepare area youth to be the savvy business leaders of tomorrow.”

We are continually looking for OAISD employees to contribute DMT story ideas and appreciate your help to promote the initiative with family, friends and other community groups!

http://doingmoretogether.org/stories/

(L-R) Stephanie DeDoes, CTC and Joannie Rauckhorst, Facilities/Communications

Early Childhood(L-R): Chuqui King, Kathy Peppin and Lori Bryant

Doing More. Together.DMTnews

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http://doingmoretogether.org/

Over 450 OAISD employees took over the Doubletree Inn & Resort in Holland on September 3 for the annual Celebration Breakfast and enjoyed catching up with familiar colleagues, meeting new co-workers, eating a delicious breakfast, and getting “Ready, Set, Go!” – the event theme - to officially launch the 2015-16 school year.

“I always look forward to the excitement in the air surrounding the new school year,” Denise Dhuse, human resources specialist, said. “It’s nice to see people reconnecting after time off and having the entire group together in one setting.”

OAISD Celebration BreakfastDawn Hoffman, administrative assistant for the Ottawa Area Center, shared her positive feelings about the event.

“It’s nice to see staff members from other buildings who we may speak/work with all year, but rarely get

to see in person,” Dawn said.

OAISD employees happily welcomed back Hall of Fame speaker Steve Gilliland as the Celebration Breakfast keynote, and laughed aloud to his humorous yet inspirational message, “Enjoy the Ride.” Telling funny anecdotes sandwiched between thought-provoking statements, Gilliland’s takeaway for

the group was if you want to achieve true success and fulfillment, discover an enthusiasm for your

work and personal life and, “Enjoy the Ride!”

Enjoy the Ride!

(L-R): Tracy Burklow, Heather Hester, Maggie Whaley, Rachel Brunink-Morlock, Amanda Meengs, and Kim Tufer.(L-R): Nate Vandam, Josh Bourdon, Mike Mummert, and Ryan Crockford


Steve Gilliland, Speaker/Author

Peter Haines, Superintendent

Julie G

illespie, Deputy Superintendent for Operations

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OAISD Celebration BreakfastThis annual breakfast event also serves as a great opportunity to introduce new employees to the culture of the organization. This year, one of those new employees was our new superintendent, Pete Haines.

“I was left a bit speechless by not only the message from our speaker, but the reaction in the room,” said Pete. “I am eager to have opportunities for more personal connections to the members of this great family.”

Along with Gilliland, Pete is encouraging all employees to “Enjoy the Ride!”

Enjoy the Ride!(L-R): Stacey Sills, Terri Drooger, LeAnn Szymanski, Lynn Potter, Bev Schroeder, Connie Shingledecker, Karen Kooiker, and Jen Pike

(L-R): Pam Fodrocy, Denise Callaghan, Board VP Jose Gomez, Cheryl King, Jill Landman, Amanda Schuster, Nicole Gitler, and Ben Gitler

(L-R): Diane Graf, Kathleen Niemerowicz, Brie Floyd, Lucas Bultema, Lynette Brown, Connie Mitchel, Missy Meekhof, and Pat Oosterhouse.

(L-R): Jack Terhaar, John Holdmann, Bill Campbell, Will Tenter, Rock Ruthsatz, Terry Kraker, Scott Hale, Jonathan Yonker, and Steve VanDyke.

(L-R): Tracy Burklow, Heather Hester, Maggie Whaley, Rachel Brunink-Morlock, Amanda Meengs, and Kim Tufer.

Eric Packer, OAISD Board PresidentJul

ie Gille

spie, Deputy Superintendent for Operations

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OAISD: What is your favorite NHL team? Pete: Sorry, this one is too obvious. I’m all about the Redwings. I don’t keep a lot of sports memorabilia, but the Justin Abdelkader autographed Redwings hat is in my office today.

What is your favorite restaurant in Ottawa County so far?We have many yet to visit, but I will say we really enjoyed the Piper. Its recent closure is a terrible loss to the community.Incredible salmon!

If you could personally witness anything that has ever happened, what would you want to have seen?I’d have been happy to have cheap seats in a stable in Bethlehem, a little over 2,000 years ago.

Who was your favorite teacher when you were in school and why?Mr. (Tom) Maurer. Mr. Maurer made me think like no other in my time in school. He taught me math…but so much more about people.

Where is your favorite place to travel?Truly, anywhere, so long as both daughters can join. That gets more difficult as they grow up.

If you could repeat one vacation that you’ve taken in your life, which would it be and why?We traveled to South Dako ta as a family. We were moved by the simplicity. It wasn’t so much about being tourists, as engaging in a part of our country we didn’t know. My daughters Olivia and Rachel panned for gold, participated in a dinosaur dig, and we were able to to keep four small rocks from the carvings at Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse to place in our home landscaping. Those four rocks stood out oddly on our real estate listing as property to be retained by the seller.Mt. Rushmore


Meet PeteThank you everyone for your question submissions for Meet Pete. We received nearly 20 questions. Pete randomly drew and answered the 10 questions below, and will answer the rest throughout the year via email updates or other communication.

Remember, the opinions expressed here are purely for fun, any disagreements on hockey teams and favorite places to travel must be taken up with the man himself.

You Asked, Pete Answered!

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How long have you been married?I had to bite my tongue to avoid a smart response to this one. J I married my high school sweetheart, now 26 years ago. But, she says she gets credit for 32, as we dated for six years prior. No parole in sight.

If you could be a superhero, who would you be and why?Geez. This one ought to be easy. I loved Saturday mornings and even Batman after school. But, I can’t imagine any of them I’d really want to be. That’s a ton of pressure! And, who wants all that attention? Not to mention unflattering attire.

What is the most surprising thing we don’t know about you?I think you’d be surprised about my diverse and eclectic interests. Serving children is what I do for a career, because it seems so much more meaningful than other opportunities. But, I enjoy working with my hands. As a child, I was easily distracted, typically by opportunities to draw or make things from any material available. I enjoy cars, not for the flash, but for the cultural significance the automobile has in our world. I’ve restored classics, raced sports cars, but mostly celebrate the story each one would tell, if able.

What was your favorite toy growing up?That’s an easy one, my favorite toy was the GI Joe Talking Action Soldier. When you pulled the red string, he would say “GI Joe, US Army, reporting for duty.”

G.I. Joe Talking Action Soldier

Crazy Horse

Detroit Red Wings

Justin Abdelkader


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CTC Career CampThis summer, Career Camp—a one-week program held at CTC for middle school students—provided a record number of students with the chance to explore future career options in a safe, fun and hands-on learning environment.

Since the program was reinstated in 2012, attendance at the annual camp has increased each year growing from 250 students the first year to 600 this summer.

“Middle school is the perfect time for students to gain exposure to CTC so they can begin to think about how it might fit into their high school experience,” said Val Putnam, assistant superintendent for career and technical education and adult learning. “In addition to gaining real world experience and skills employers are looking for, with the right planning CTC programming can offset the high cost of college by allowing students to earn a significant amount of college credit before they graduate from high school.”

The program offered twenty-two different career fields for students to explore including engineering, construction, culinary skills,

marketing and teaching, to name a few. A new addition to the programming this year was CSI Tech Center.

Kristen Bunn, marketing and college liaison for CTC said, “Students in CSI Tech Center learned about working on a crime scene from a retired Ottawa County Deputy Sheriff who brought real-life experience to the classroom. The class filled up quickly so I’m sure it will be back next year!”

“Career Camp is a fantastic way for middle school students to get to learn about CTC and themselves,” said Dave Searles, director for Careerline Tech Center. “Watching this program grow year after year tells us we are providing a needed service for OAISD students which makes us extremely proud.”

Breaks Attendance Record

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The Regional Educational Media Center (REMC7) housed at the Educational Services Building and serving Ottawa and Allegan County schools, led the state for the greatest increase in cost savings on purchases made by non-profits in the state of Michigan with $1,653,759 through the REMC Association of Michigan $AVE Bid Project for the 2014/15 school year.

The $AVE Bid Project allows ISDs and local districts to purchase everything from paper and pencils to computers, software, and hardware from approved REMC vendors at discounted prices through their local REMC. The Regional Educational Media Center Association of Michigan (REMCAM) $AVE Bid staff put all vendors who apply for the approved vendor list through a vigorous vetting process to ensure the quality of their goods and services.

“Our sales increased 40.3% over our past year in REMC7, which is Ottawa and Allegan counties,” said Anne Thorp, OAISD instructional technologist and REMC7 director. “Needless to say, we are pretty excited.”

Thorp said qualifying orders can be made by one teacher, a building, or by an entire district. “Even hospitals can make purchases through this resource and REMC7 receives credit,” said Thorp. “Essentially, any non-profit in Ottawa and Allegan counties is eligible to use this service.”

The money saved by districts is put back into the REMCAM budget and used to create statewide programs that impact all Michigan schools, educators and students.

One such program is the Blended Learning in the Classroom Project, co-authored and managed by Thorp, that prepares instructors to implement their own blended learning environment which combines both online and in-person learning experiences. The four-year-old and approximately half million-dollar project has benefited over 1,000 teachers statewide to date and is still in operation. Each REMC in the state is also awarded $2,000 to put toward their own professional development sessions or conferences thanks to the $AVE Bid savings.

“We inform our affiliates and constituents about the $AVE Bids at meetings, and I introduce it at every PD offering,” said Thorp. “It’s rewarding to see our hard work pay off which in turn saves our districts money, but ultimately students throughout the region are the true benefactors of this great cost-saving program.”

REMC7 Wins State Award

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For many Ottawa Area Center (OAC) instructors, the school year doesn’t end in June. Summer school services for

OAC students in the Severe Multiple Impairment (SXI) and Severe Cognitive Impairment (SCI) programs along with students who have moderate cognitive impairments

or autism spectrum disorder participate in educational programs through August.

“Many students require consistency and struggle with transitions,” OAC Director Brian Pianosi, said. “These summer services provide a bridge between the end of the school year and the start of school allowing students to maintain their skill level to be more successful.” OAC offers both a 12-day program ending in July and a 28-day program that runs through most of August.

The summer sessions allow students and staff to focus on goals and objectives in the classroom along with swimming, working in the sensory room, and music. With the warmer weather students also enjoy playing outside on the playground, walking on the nature trail, or going on a

wagon rides.

Another yearly summer activity for students involved in the

28-day program is a trip to the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival downtown carnival. Staff and students attended the annual “Special Needs Day” as guests of Skerbeck Family

Carnival and the Coast Guard Festival Committee.

“Most of our students wouldn’t have a chance to attend the

carnival without this day set aside just for them,” said Debbie Yonker, occupational therapist for OAC. “Our kids may have mental impairments but they are kids first and they still like to have fun.”

Through contributions by a generous donor, Skerbeck Family Carnival and the Coast Guard Festival Committee an unlimited ride wristband, lunch, and even a stuffed animal were provided free of charge to all OAC students.

Bridging the Gap with Summer ServicesOAC Summer Fun

These summer services provide a bridge between the end of the school year and the start of school allowing students to maintain their skill level to be more successful .”

Brian PianosiOAC Director


Covenant Life Church generously offered their space to students and staff free of charge to use as a “home base” for eating, restrooms and cool shelter.

With nearly 200 students attending, physical therapist assistants (PTAs) from Baker College-Muskegon volunteered their time to help with the students as a service learning project. Nearly 40 Baker students helped OAC students get on and off carnival rides and return to their transportation at the end of the day.

“I enjoy giving the students something fun to look forward to,” said John Baker, Baker College PTA student. “I’m happy to help give them the opportunity to get out of their classrooms and enjoy the Coast Guard Festival carnival.”

Photo Credit: Grand Haven Tribune

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While many of us are trying to hang on to the last days of warmer weather, our new Human Resources Generalist Julia Plaggemeyer is already getting plans together for winter.

“I’m looking forward to running in the winter,” she said. “I really like doing the Yankee Springs Winter Challenge, Frostbite Marathon Relay and training for my favorite race, the Gazelle Girl Half Marathon.”

Julia attended Hope College for undergrad and has a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan. In Ann Arbor, she worked as a career services coordinator at Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living helping adults with disabilities get back into the workforce. While she and her husband, Bryce, loved living in Ann Arbor with their two young daughters, Olivia and Nora, she is excited their kids can grow up in the beautiful town of Holland.

Meet Your ColleagueJulia Plaggemeyer

Julia’s family (L-R): Julia, Nora, Olivia, and Bryce

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Training run in Saugatuck

“We enjoy what West Michigan has to offer like going to the beach, farmers’ market, the street performer series, and spending time with friends and family,” Julia said. “It’s so easy to take for granted that we only live a quarter mile from the beach when people drive for hours to enjoy our town.”

When asked about her favorite part of her job since starting at the end of June, she said the best thing so far is how everyone is so warm, welcoming and easy to work with. She also said that everyone who works here honestly likes it.

So take a minute to stop by Julia’s office at the ESB. If you aren’t sure where it is, just look for maize and blue during football season. You can take the girl out of Ann Arbor, but you can’t take the Ann Arbor out of the girl.

Fifth Third River Bank Run

Gazelle Girl Half Marathon

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This summer, five ISD instructors participated in futurePREP’d programming—IChallengeU, IChallengeUth, Sundae School, and Unite4Insight—along with 105 other instructors from OAISD member schools. They learned new skills to bring back to their classrooms for more effective student engagement.

Teachers who apply and are selected to work in the futurePREP’d programs participate in Project Based Learning (PBL) training through the Buck Institute for Education (BIE), a recognized leader in PBL training. This intense training which occurs prior to the program kick-offs focuses on bringing students into the learning experience through “driving questions” designed to make learning more meaningful and engaging for students.

“Through PBL training, teachers are able to lead students to learn through real-life, connected experiences,” said Jason Pasatta, career and technical education development director. “Connecting classroom lessons to real-world careers and jobs enhances students’ learning experiences and helps to form critical thinking skills that will last a lifetime.”

“The IChallengeU program was a great experience. It gave me a new way to look at content and how I present it to my classroom,” said Bill Wolbrink, media communications instructor at CTC. “I really enjoyed interacting and working side-by-side with other OAISD teachers with different backgrounds and talents.”

Another summer program, Unite4Insight, which is offered in partnership with The Chamber- Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg, gives teachers the opportunity to bring real-world learning back to OAISD classrooms. The program pairs veteran futurePREP’d educators with local businesses, June through August, to observe day-to-day business operations and get up-to-speed on the real-world skills their students need in today’s workforce.

Careerline Tech Center Teacher Academy Instructor Gwen Luban worked with Kids’ Food Basket (KFB), a nonprofit organization focused solely on childhood hunger.

“With the connections I made through Unite4Insight, my students will create an inaugural awareness campaign

for staff and other CTC students to highlight the link between brain development/child

development and good nutrition,” Luban said. “By working directly with KFB, our education students can see firsthand the impact that project-based learning has on students so they better understand the role they will move into as teachers.”

Luban also said she enjoyed working with and learning from other teachers from throughout

the region. A connection made with a local elementary teacher who created a physical fitness

calendar for his students seemed like a perfect pairing to benefit KFB for the long-term. “We plan to work together to create a tool for KFB coupling his fitness calendar with our nutrition information,” Luban said.

Summer—A Time to Get futurePREP’d

“The IChallengeU program was a great experience . It gave me a new way to look at content and how I present it to my classroom .”Bill WolbrinkCTC Media Communications Instructor

(L-R): Bill Wolbrink, Ken Toth, James Larsen and Gwen Luban. Not pictured-Nicole Gitler 16


Woodson and Pockets are the sun-loving felines who Cindy Carlson, instructor at Ottawa Area Center, and her family are proud to call their own. Woodson, who turned 18 in August,

likes to spend his day drinking water out of faucets, playing with catnip and relaxing on laps—either Cindy’s or one

belonging to a stuffed animal pig on her son’s dresser. Pockets, 13, is quite social and enjoys having Cindy’s

husband, Ron, scratch her ears and watching birds and squirrels at the feeders outside their family room window. In fact, she is there so often the birds don’t even leave the feeder when she jumps on the back of the couch to observe. Sounds like a win-win.

Parade

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n Phil Durek

Building Pride

“The facilities staff was wonderful! They went out of their way to make the move as painless as possible. A lot of planning went into the move and it really paid off.”

“Technology and Facilities made the move possible. Both departments are always willing to do anything and they do it with a smile on their faces! Seamless and structured move with hard working awesome attitudes! Love our peeps!”

“Big shout out to Bill Campbell and Scott Hale for double checking and triple checking to make sure I had enough boxes and always offering to help with the heavy stuff. Thank you for all you do—and the pleasant way you do those things. I appreciate their over-the-top customer service!”

“Adam and Mark from Tech Team totally rock and provided superior customer service as they had me up and running as soon as I moved in to my new digs. (I’m thinking Bill and Scott must have trained them!?)”

“Did I mention Bill Campbell and Scott Hale? They put Two Men and a Truck to Shame!”

“We moved ... who knew, it was so smooth! Thanks to our amazing staff!”

“There are not enough positive things I can say about the I.T. and the

Facilities team but I will try. From the flawless game plan (thank you

Coach Angela Brown and Team Captain John Wujcik) to the seamless

execution (thanks to Quarterback John, Running Backs: Adam Le and

Ryan Crockford, and Receivers: Scott Hale, Bill Campbell and Phil Durek) the move went off without a fumble. Their agility, flexibility and willingness to serve, no matter the change of game plan, trick play or audible that was thrown at them, was amazing! They were the MVPs for our winning Super Move!”

“Our entire technology team is awesome! Wendy Beamer had her staff ready to hit

the floor running. Adam Le (I.T.) and Ryan Crockford (Phone) met with me the day before my move to go

over where I was moving. I came in the next morning at 7:30 a.m.

and everything was already moved and working! No down time—I’ve

never experienced anything like this. Impressive! That is what you call exceptional planning. Kudos to all!”

“Scott Hale, with his upbeat attitude, was awesome in finding additional boxes for us—we let him know what we needed and empty boxes would show up in our space. He said to leave the empties outside our space and they would be taken. The boxes were removed promptly, too! Thank you, Scott!”

Staff in the Educational Services Building was literally “on the move” this summer as they transitioned to new workspace locations around the facility. It went so smoothly that it seemed as though it was no big deal. In reality, the smooth transition was due to excellent coordination, customer service, positive attitudes and patience. Many ESB employees expressed a desire to pass along special praise and thanks to members of the two departments that had a hand in moving everyone that relocated.

Kudos Galore for Facilities and Tech Services Teams

n John Wujcik

n Bill Campbell

n Scott Hale

n Angela Brown

n Steve VanDyke18 18

FACILITIES:n Angela Brownn John Wujcikn Scott Halen Bill Campbelln Steve VanDyken Brad Westhousen Phil Durekn Jonathan Yonker

TECH SERVICES:n Wendy Beamern Ryan Crockfordn Adam Len Mark Wiegerinkn Steve Wisen Matt Jagern Nate VanDam

“A big shout out to Phil Durek, who normally works at CTC but filled in for a vacationing employee at the ESB during one week of the move. Phil was helping someone else and noticed all of my boxes stacked inside my office. He stopped and asked if I was ready for the boxes to be moved, and where they needed to go...several trips later all were moved to my new digs. Thanks Phil! You rock!”

“Hats off to Angela Brown for her detailed game plan that was shared with all ahead of time so we knew what to expect and when it was happening. It’s impressive that 47 staff relocations and two office expansions were done so quickly and maintained on schedule. Way to go Angela!”

“The ‘Relocation of 2015’ should go down in history as the most organized move ever. The facilities crew was moving boxes and furniture out and cleaning offices/desks in order to be ready for the next tenant. When entering my new space, there wasn’t a trace of the prior tenant—even the drawers were wiped out clean.”

“Special thanks to John Wujcik who was ever so helpful with the expected hiccups that occur with moving. His prompt attention and cheerful disposition made any minor inconvenience quickly forgotten.”

“One of my filing cabinets wouldn’t close properly after being moved, and I brought it to Scott Hale’s attention. I told him it was no hurry as I knew they had bigger issues on hand with the move than fixing my drawer. Within minutes, Scott & John Wujcik were swapping my unit out with another one making sure I had a functioning cabinet. Facilities and Tech went above & beyond in customer service,! Way to go!”

“I was most impressed with the upbeat and positive attitudes of everyone involved in the move—from facilities, to I.T., those being uprooted, and even the ones who were moved to temporary spots. There was joking, laughter, compliments, lending hands . . . makes me proud to be a part of the OAISD team!”

Kudos Galore for Facilities and Tech Services Teams

n Adam Le & Steve Wise

n Ryan Crockford

n Wendy Beamer

n Nate VanDamn Matt Jager

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Building Pride

Lyndsey Fleser, Controller and Chris Lamer, Director of Finance Nominated by Melissa Anderson, Payroll Coordinator They are super knowledgeable and super helpful! They are always willing to help me with questions and tackle tough prob-lems. They are supportive, innovative, and fun to work with!

Terri Hop, Administrative Assistant for Special Needs Services Nominated by Nannette DeCook, Teacher Consultant for Visually Impaired Students Terri Hop is the gal I’d choose. It’s not just cause she wears awesome shoes. She rocks it when welcoming new staff. Since joining in July she’s made me laugh. Her emails are positive, warm and friendly. Emoji’s ;) plastered with many exclamaties!!! I feel like the only one she serves, But she treats everyone with positive words. She eased my way learning the OAISD And now I’m ready to work for free. . . Not really!

Don’t forget to keep

an eye on your email for your opportunity to tell

everyone about your amazing coworkers when you nominate them

for Building Pride. With school back in session, we look

forward to hearing from many of you for the next issue! Send

entries to: [email protected]

Phil Rowley, Technology Services Systems Engineer Nominated by Phil Calgaro, Networks Operations Manager

Phil Rowley rocks it... Customer focused/result driven...

Heidi Kiss and Heidi Householder, Administrative Assistants for the Superintendent and Human Resources, respectively. Nominated Anonymously

Shout out to our two Heidis—Heidi Householder and Heidi Kiss, Administrative Assistants at the ESB. Here is an acrostic poem of our two Heidi’s… there must be something about their names that make them so special!

Helpful Encouraging Inspiring Delightful a gIft

The two Heidis are a positive part of the ISD and so many of us would be lost without them. If you have ever had a problem/need you know they are a great resource, always willing to Help. They greet everyone with a smile, always willing to share a word of Encour-agement. They are kind, light hearted and fun, an Inspiration and Delight to us all! They give their very best in all they do and we want them to know that they are a gIft and we appreciate them!

Heidi Kiss (L) and Heidi Householder (R)

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Melissa Brown Business Services/ESBJaime Downing Business Services/ESB Erica Alderink Communications/ESB David Blakely CTCSteven NyKamp CTCMario Provenzano CTCColin Wujcik CTC Nannette DeCook District Services/ESBJulie Lensink District Services/ESBKatherine Oster District Services/ESB Sophia D’Agostino Early Childhood/ESBGrace Jourdan Early Childhood/ESBMelisa Phonthipsavath Early Childhood/ESB Julia Plaggemeyer Human Resources/ESB Theresa Boeve Infant/ESBLindsey Johnson Infant/ESBBridget Peters Infant/ESBAlyssa Wolffis Infant/ESB Mike Fine Instructional Services/ESB Cheyne LeVesseur MiBLSi/ESB

Nick Beukema OAITC/ESBBryce Boonstra OAITC/ESBDaniel Brown OAITC/ESBChristoper Chronister OAITC/ESBAdam Colburn OAITC/ESBDane Machiela OAITC/ESBTaylor Nellis OAITC/ESBBill Smith OAITC/ESBTyler Vredeveld OAITC/ESB Rhonda Russell Sheldon Pines Jena Cook Special Education/CBIMarcia Haslick Special Education/CBIKimberly Masterton Special Education/CBIJulie Powers Special Education/CBIMary Schaeff-Pickelman Special Education/CBI Paul Anderson Special Education/OAC Maggie DeMichieli Special Education/OACKrystal Draveling Special Education/OAC Christopher Farrar Special Education/OACCindy Kamphuis Special Education/OACEmily Krajewski Special Education/OAC Cortney Lowney Special Education/OAC Ashleigh Pippel Special Education/OAC Mitzi Rietman Special Education/OAC Brittany Sheffield Special Education/OAC Kristen TerHorst Special Education/OAC Amy VanderSlik Special Education/OACMaggie Whaley Special Education/OAC Peter Haines Superintendent’s Office/ESB

Employee Department/Building

from May to November, 2015

CBI Community Based InstructionCTC Careerline Tech CenterESB Educational Services BuildingM-TEC Thompson M-TECMiBLSi Michigan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative OAC Ottawa Area CenterOAITC Ottawa Area Information Technology Consortium

Employee Department/Building

Welcome New Employees

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Ah, that dreaded pop-up reminder---“Time to Change Your Password.” With so much of our time spent online, passwords are needed seemingly everywhere for work, healthcare accounts, banking, online stores, etc. With internet security frequently in the news, the phrase “secure password” is also. If you’ve ever wondered what exactly is a secure password and how do I create one, OAISD IT is here to help! This quick list of tips will guide you in selecting a secure password and help keep your internet accounts safe.

• Your password should never contain your username, real name (children’s/grandchildren’s), company name.

• Passwords should be a minimum of eight characters, but many online sources now recommend 12 characters or more.

• Never use your birthdate in your password. • When asked to change your current password, make it significantly

different from your previous password • Passwords should contain uppercase letters (A, B, C), lowercase letters

(a, b, c), numbers (1, 2, 3) and symbols (<, &, %, *) on the keyboard While it’s never suggested to use a word or name, if you must pick a name or word, find numbers/characters that closely resemble the letters in that word to give your new password security.

For example, if you know you will remember Spartans#1, change it to 5p@r+@n5#1. Or instead of kidssamandsusie change to k!Ds5@m&Su5!3. Still worried your password isn’t secure? These sites below provide free, secure password tests:

http://www.passwordmeter.com

https://www.microsoft.com/es-xl/security/pc-security/password-checker.aspx

IT’s Cool!Tips for Creating a Secure Password

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http://www.passwordmeter.com

https://www.microsoft.com/es-xl/security/pc-security/password-checker.aspx

2015-16 OAISD Interworkings, Issue1

Documents

Transcript of 2015-16 OAISD Interworkings, Issue1