Reaching OUT

Winter 2013

Reaching OutA Community Education Magazine

Volume 8, Issue 1 711 St. Joseph Ave.P.O. Box 364Berrien Springs, MI 49103

www.berrienresa.org

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 2

ContentsFeatures

12

This Website is Too Confusing 5

The Compass 6

A Dog’s Life 8

Recognizing Those Who Support Us 10

Virtual Showcase 12

1+1 Coming to Brandywine High School 14

Parents as Teachers Program 16

We’re 50 and Still Going Strong 19

Preparing for the Future 20

Blossomland Beats the Odds 24

The views and perspectives shared in “Reaching OUT” do not necessarily reflect those of the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency, affiliated schools, staff or board members.

22

Contents

14

Cover Photo: Unveiling of the 1+1 Program Site at Brandywine High School.

DetailsLetter from Superintendent Ivers 4

Legislative Breakfast Held at RESA 22

Board of Education Action 23

Berrien RESA complies with all federal and state laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination, and with all requirements and regulations of the United States Department of Education and the Michigan State Department of Education.

22

6

Happy birthday!RESA Celebrates

50 Years of Education

his year marks a significant milestone for our organization. It is our 50th birthday. For 50 years, Berrien RESA has provided leadership, innovation, and results for students, schools and the community.

Created in 1962 by the Michigan Legislature to provide programs and services that are highly specialized or too expen-sive for an individual school district to offer, today’s ISD/RESAs work with local schools, the Michigan Department of Education, higher education and local communities to deliver cost-effective, research-based, student-centered educa-tion.

ISDs not only deliver programs that are student-centered, they endorse the ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervi-sion and Curriculum Development)-advocated comprehensive and coordinated education approach that promotes the development of the whole child—helping to ensure that all children are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and chal-lenged.

Throughout the school year Berrien RESA and Michigan’s other 56 ISDs will be working with local community groups, the business sector and our legislators to reinforce the importance of educational service agencies. As you all know, education expectations, funding, regulations and the way in which we deliver services is changing every day. With this birthday celebration comes an opportunity for us to broadcast what we have accomplished over the last half-century as well as advertise what we plan to do in the future. We have so much to be proud of, but more importantly, so much more that we can do to push education to its highest potential.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kevin M. Ivers,Superintendent

Berrien RESA Board of Education

President Sharon Kalling Vice Pres. Cathy J. Bair Trustee J. Allene Smith Treasurer Linda Holt Secretary Tom Fanning

T

This Website it Too Confusing!Berrien RESA to unveil a new homepage

T his winter, Berrien RESA’s homepage will have a fresh, new

look! In an effort to make it easier for our three target audiences to navi-gate our site (parents, educators and students), we are reducing the amount of text found on the page as well as streamlining its functionality.

Since our major website redesign in 2008, the amount of information and re-sources included on the site has grown exponentially. The site is now home to forms, handbooks, links, reference guides, newsletters and tips that are used by a wide variety of audiences. While it is important to have useful information online, it is more important for the information to be easily acces-sible. Therefore, Berrien RESA felt it was time to modify how website visitors filter through the pages; making it user-based rather than an overwhelming organizational maze.

When the new homepage is launched, users will see a number of new op-tion buttons to select from that will push them toward age-based menu choices that are inclusive of general education and special education services. For instance, if I am a student, I would select the “student” button. From there, I would have to select my age category. If I chose the age range of 13-18, I would be exposed to topics such as peer-to-peer programs, Career Pathways, ACT sign-up information, transition planning, community activities and Mathematics and Science Center application information. If I then selected one of those subcategories, Career Pathways perhaps, I would be directed to the current Career & Techni-cal Education page about Career Pathways.



Student Achievement Focus Area:

Capacity for Instruction and Leadership

School Improvement Category:

Leadership

Personnel and Professional Learning

Subject: Art Education

CANCELLATIONS:

Registratio

n fee w

ill be re

funded only if ca

ncella

tion is

received tw

o working days p

rior t

o the w

orkshop st

art date. Y

ou must

send an e-mail c

ancella

tion

notice to

jo.uria

s@berri

enresa.org containing th

e title of t

he worksh

op. Your r

eply messa

ge will

be your confirm

ation.

To view all of B

errien RESA’s

profe

ssional d

evelopment opportu

nities,

please visi

t

www.berrienre

sa.org

/development

In accord

ance w

ith Secti

on 504 of the Rehabilit

ation Act

of 1973, it

is th

e policy of t

he Berrien Regional E

ducatio

n Service Agency

to pro

hibit dis-

criminatio

n on the basis

of handica

p against qualifi

ed handicapped perso

ns, in admiss

ion or acc

ess to

, parti

cipatio

n in, o

r treatm

ent of e

mployment in, it

s pro

grams

and activitie

s. Inquirie

s regard

ing this p

olicy sh

ould be directe

d to Human Reso

urces,

Berrien RESA, 7

11 St. J

oseph Avenue, B

errien Sprin

gs, MI 4

9103; te

lephone (269)

471- 7725; fa

x (269) 4

71-2941.

Please note: P

articip

ants with

physical o

r dietary lim

itatio

ns or r

equirements

are asked to

notify th

e worksh

op coord

inator w

ith any sp

ecific n

eed before th

e worksh

op/

event so appro

priate acc

ommodations c

an be made.

Berrie

n RESA

Toda

y’s P

urpos

e - To

morrow

’s Prom

ise.

Arts E

ducato

rs Fall

Open Hou

se

Featuring Area arts

and cultural organizations

September 19, 2012 fro

m 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The Arts E

ducato

rs Fall

Open Hou

se

is a perfe

ct networking opportunity fo

r art educators a

nd

area arts and cultural organizatio

ns. Informatio

n about student

field trips a

nd teacher discounts w

ill be sh

ared.

Also look fo

r great give-aways a

nd a raffle fo

r teachers!

Cost: $5 at th

e door. Light re

freshments w

ill be provid

ed.

Questio

ns? Please contact L

iz Andrews, B

errien RESA A

rts E

ducation

Consultant, at eliza

beth.andrews@berrie

nresa.org.

This ev

ent is

spon

sored

in pa

rt by

the Fred

erick

S. U

pton F

ound

ation

TO REGISTER, V

ISIT:

http://www.solutionwhere.com/berrienresa/cw/showcourse.asp?147

If you

are a

n arts

or cu

ltural

organ

izatio

n, plea

se sel

ect “a

gency”

when

regis

tering.

Hey

K-12

Coun

selor

s!!!

CANCELLATIONS:

Registration fee will be refunded only if c

ancellation is received two working days prior to the workshop start date. You must send an e-mail cancellation

notice to [email protected] containing the title of the workshop. Your re

ply message will be your confirm

ation.

To view all of B

errien RESA’s professional development opportunities, please visit

www.berrienresa.org/development

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilita

tion Act of 1973, it

is the policy of the Berrie

n Regional Education Service Agency to prohibit dis-

crimination on the basis of handicap against qualified handicapped persons, in

admission or access to, participation in, or tr

eatment of employment in

, its programs

and activities. In

quiries regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources, Berrie

n RESA, 711 St. J

oseph Avenue, Berrien Springs, M

I 49103; telephone (269)

471- 7725; fa

x (269) 471-2941.

Please note: Participants with physical or dietary lim

itations or requirements are asked to notify

the workshop coordinator with any specific need before the workshop/

event so appropriate accommodations can be made.


Capacity for Leadership

School Improvem

ent Category: Personnel and Professional Learning

Leadership

Subject: Educational Counseling

Berrien RESA

Today’s Purpose - Tomorrow’s Promise.

TO REGISTER, VISIT:

http://www.solutionwhere.com/berrie

nresa/cw/showcourse.asp?31

Session Dates

•September 21, 2012 at Lake Michigan College,

Napier Campus

•November 30, 2012 at M

ichigan Works!,

Benton Harbor

•February 15, 2013 at Berrie

n RESA

•April 1

9, 2013 at Lake Michigan College,

Napier Campus

All sessions will begin at 7:45 a.m. and end at 11

a.m.

The sessions are free of charge.

Registration deadlines vary.

Want

information on

student career

planning?

Want

to learn what

community

resources are

available?

Interested in best

practices and

networking with

fellow colleagues?

2012 Counselo

r

Academy Se

riesthen plan on attending the

Counselor Academies, sponsored by Berrien County Career

and Technical Education, provide counselors with profes-

sional development opportunities for student career planning,

available community resources, counseling best practices,

and also provide opportunities for in

formation exchange. De-

tailed agendas to be determined.

Questions? Please contact Buzz Calvert, B

errien RESA

CTE Consultant at buzz.calvert@berrie

nresa.org

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Capacity for D

ata Use/Analysis

School Improvem

ent Category:

Data and Inform

ation Managem

ent

Teaching for Learning

Subject: Assessments

Creating Effective and Meaningful Assessments:

Building High Quality Assessments and Item Banks

Featuring presenter Cori Carr

September

26 and 27, 2012

8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Berrien RESA Conference Center

K-12 teachers are encouraged to attend. Registration Cost: FREE!

CANCELLATIONS:

Registration fee will be refunded only if cancellation is received two working days prior to the workshop start date. You must send an e-mail cancellation

notice to [email protected] containing the title of the workshop. Your reply message will be your confirmation.

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, it is the policy of the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency to prohibit dis-

crimination on the basis of handicap against qualified handicapped persons, in admission or access to, participation in, or treatment of employment in, its programs

and activities. Inquiries regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources, Berrien RESA, 711 St. Joseph Avenue, Berrien Springs, MI 49103; telephone (269)

471- 7725; fax (269) 471-2941.

Please note: Participants with physical or dietary limitations or requirements are asked to notify the workshop coordinator with any specific need before the workshop/


Questions? Please contact Eric Hoppstock,

Assistant Superintendent and Chief Academic

Offers at [email protected].

Berrien RESA


To view all of Berrien RESA’s professional development opportunities, please visit


TO REGISTER, VISIT:


SB-CEU Credits Pending!

Total Credits: 1.1

Cost: $10

(Must attend both sessions.)

Day 1:

In this course, participants will evaluate and understand the purpose of assessments, learn how to

create a test blueprint that aligns to their curriculum map, and understand the principals of good

assessment construction and universal design to create high-quality assessments.

Participants will learn answers to questions such as “What is the purpose for assessments?”, “Which

assessment methods are most effective for assessing various standards?”, and “What is the

process of planning an assessment?” This hands-on session will guide participants as they create

their own assessment blueprints which can be used as a guideline for building future assessments.

Day 2:

On the second day of this course, participants will understand the importance of utilizing high-

quality assessment items including assessing the intent of the measure, determining reliability and

validity of items, and understanding why these components are so critical for student evaluation.

This hands-on presentation will guide attendees through the process of writing quality items based

on research-based item design elements, help them recognize quality items, and provide them

with an understanding of how to develop an item writing process best suited for their district’s

needs. Additionally, participants will learn how to deconstruct state standards to understand what

is being demanded of students and how best to create items to demonstrate proficiency of

standards.

Student A

chievement Focus A

rea: C

apacity for Instruction

School Im

provement C

ategory: Teaching for Learning

Subject: S

pecial Education, A

SD

CANCELLATIONS: Registration fee will be refunded only if cancellation is received two working days prior to the workshop start date. You must send an e-mail cancellation notice to [email protected] containing the title of the workshop. Your reply message will be your confirmation.

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, it is the policy of the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency to prohibit dis-crimination on the basis of handicap against qualified handicapped persons, in admission or access to, participation in, or treatment of employment in, its programs and activities. Inquiries regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources, Berrien RESA, 711 St. Joseph Avenue, Berrien Springs, MI 49103; telephone (269) 471- 7725; fax (269) 471-2941.

Please note: Participants with physical or dietary limitations or requirements are asked to notify the workshop coordinator with any specific need before the workshop/event so appropriate accommodations can be made.

Berrien RESAToday’s Purpose - Tomorrow’s Promise.

To view all of Berrien RESA’s professional development opportunities, please visit www.berrienresa.org/development

TO REGISTER, VISIT: http://www.solutionwhere.com/berrienresa/cw/showcourse.asp?152

Asperger Syndrome February 28, 20138:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Featuring Berrien RESA Autism Consultants Kathy Hickok and Danea Gorbett and Berrien RESA School Psychologist Jasmine Good

This training is intended for participants educating students with Asperger Syndrome (AS). The training explores characteristics of students with AS and effective practices identified in the literature to support students in their school environment. Relevant theories are covered, including social attribution theory and theory of mind, which are critical to supporting the social, emotional and behavioral development of students with AS. In this workshop, the Path A/Path B strategy is used to teach participants how attributions impact decision-making and responses to the behaviors of students with AS.

Target audience: Teachers (general and special education), counselors, speech pathologists, school social workers and school psychologists

Registration Deadline:

February 14, 2013

Cost: $10

Location: Berrien RESA Conference

Center

Questions? Please contact Berrien RESA ASD Consultants Danea Gorbett, at [email protected]

or Kathy Hickok at [email protected].

SB-CEU Credits Pending! Total Credits: .6 Cost: $10

The Compass Professional Development Magazine

errien RESA offers hundreds of training opportunities each year to educators, keeping them up on the latest research and teaching methods. These offerings can

be viewed at any time by visiting the RESA homepage and clicking on our new online professional development maga-zine, The Compass. The Compass allows viewers to review current and future offerings categorized by Student Achieve-ment Framework category, subject and School Improvement topic area. The Compass made its debut the last week of August and to date, the magazine has received over 60,000 “hits” from nearly 11,000 unique visitors.

“Teaching and learning for our educators and administrators is a critical part of the education process,” said Assistant

B

http://www.berrienresa.org



Capacity for D

ata Use/Analysis

School Improvem

ent Category:

Data and Inform

ation Managem

ent

Teaching for Learning

Subject: Assessments

Creating Effective and Meaningful Assessments:

Building High Quality Assessments and Item Banks

Featuring presenter Cori Carr

September

26 and 27, 2012

8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Berrien RESA Conference Center

K-12 teachers are encouraged to attend. Registration Cost: FREE!

CANCELLATIONS:

Registration fee will be refunded only if cancellation is received two working days prior to the workshop start date. You must send an e-mail cancellation





471- 7725; fax (269) 471-2941.

Please note: Participants with physical or dietary limitations or requirements are asked to notify the workshop coordinator with any specific need before the workshop/


Questions? Please contact Eric Hoppstock,

Assistant Superintendent and Chief Academic

Offers at [email protected].

Berrien RESA




TO REGISTER, VISIT:


SB-CEU Credits Pending!

Total Credits: 1.1

Cost: $10

(Must attend both sessions.)

Day 1:

In this course, participants will evaluate and understand the purpose of assessments, learn how to

create a test blueprint that aligns to their curriculum map, and understand the principals of good

assessment construction and universal design to create high-quality assessments.

Participants will learn answers to questions such as “What is the purpose for assessments?”, “Which

assessment methods are most effective for assessing various standards?”, and “What is the

process of planning an assessment?” This hands-on session will guide participants as they create

their own assessment blueprints which can be used as a guideline for building future assessments.

Day 2:

On the second day of this course, participants will understand the importance of utilizing high-

quality assessment items including assessing the intent of the measure, determining reliability and

validity of items, and understanding why these components are so critical for student evaluation.

This hands-on presentation will guide attendees through the process of writing quality items based

on research-based item design elements, help them recognize quality items, and provide them

with an understanding of how to develop an item writing process best suited for their district’s

needs. Additionally, participants will learn how to deconstruct state standards to understand what

is being demanded of students and how best to create items to demonstrate proficiency of

standards.

Student A

chievement Focus A

rea: C

apacity for Instruction

School Im

provement C

ategory: Teaching for Learning

Subject: S

pecial Education, A

SD

CANCELLATIONS: Registration fee will be refunded only if cancellation is received two working days prior to the workshop start date. You must send an e-mail cancellation notice to [email protected] containing the title of the workshop. Your reply message will be your confirmation.

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, it is the policy of the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency to prohibit dis-crimination on the basis of handicap against qualified handicapped persons, in admission or access to, participation in, or treatment of employment in, its programs and activities. Inquiries regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources, Berrien RESA, 711 St. Joseph Avenue, Berrien Springs, MI 49103; telephone (269) 471- 7725; fax (269) 471-2941.

Please note: Participants with physical or dietary limitations or requirements are asked to notify the workshop coordinator with any specific need before the workshop/event so appropriate accommodations can be made.

Berrien RESAToday’s Purpose - Tomorrow’s Promise.

To view all of Berrien RESA’s professional development opportunities, please visit www.berrienresa.org/development

TO REGISTER, VISIT: http://www.solutionwhere.com/berrienresa/cw/showcourse.asp?152

Asperger Syndrome February 28, 20138:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Featuring Berrien RESA Autism Consultants Kathy Hickok and Danea Gorbett and Berrien RESA School Psychologist Jasmine Good

This training is intended for participants educating students with Asperger Syndrome (AS). The training explores characteristics of students with AS and effective practices identified in the literature to support students in their school environment. Relevant theories are covered, including social attribution theory and theory of mind, which are critical to supporting the social, emotional and behavioral development of students with AS. In this workshop, the Path A/Path B strategy is used to teach participants how attributions impact decision-making and responses to the behaviors of students with AS.

Target audience: Teachers (general and special education), counselors, speech pathologists, school social workers and school psychologists

Registration Deadline:

February 14, 2013

Cost: $10

Location: Berrien RESA Conference

Center

Questions? Please contact Berrien RESA ASD Consultants Danea Gorbett, at [email protected]

or Kathy Hickok at [email protected].

SB-CEU Credits Pending! Total Credits: .6 Cost: $10 Student Achievem

ent Focus Area: C

apacity for Instruction and Leadership

School Improvem

ent Category:

Personnel and Professional Learning

Subject: Student Achievement Fram

ework

CANCELLATIONS: Registration fee will be refunded only if cancellation is received two working days prior to the workshop start date. You must send an e-mail cancellation







471- 7725; fax (269) 471-2941. Please note: Participants with physical or dietary limitations or requirements are asked to notify the workshop coordinator with any specific need before the workshop/


Berrien RESA


TO REGISTER, VISIT:


Austin Buffum presents:Pyramid Response to Intervention (RTI), Professional Learning

Communities, and How to Respond When Kids Don’t Learn

November 5, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Berrien RESA

Target Audience:

SAF building principals, building leadership teams and process coaches, school

psychologists, school social workers, curriculum directors and teaching consultants.

Registration Deadline: October 22, 2012

Registration Fee: There is no charge for SAF Cohort 1 schools or coaches.

A $50 fee is applicable to non-cohort attendees.SB-CEU Credits Pending!

Total Credits: .5 Cost: $10 (5.75 workshop hours)

Response to intervention (RTI) is our nation’s best hope to ensure

high levels of learning for all children. Federal law since the

reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Improvement Act (IDEIA) in 2004, RTI’s underlining premise is that

schools should not delay providing help for struggling students

until they fall far enough behind to qualify for special education,

but instead should provide timely, targeted, systematic interven-

tions to all students who demonstrate need.

•Understand why RTI is most effective when implemented on the

foundation of a professional learning community (PLC).

•Learn how to create three tiers of interventions—from basic

to intensive—to address student learning gaps. Learn what a

successful program looks like and understand how to make RTI

work in your school.Questions? Please contact Ann Marie Shell,Berrien RESA Teacher Consultant at

[email protected]

errien RESA offers hundreds of training opportunities each year to educators, keeping them up on the latest research and teaching methods. These offerings can

be viewed at any time by visiting the RESA homepage and clicking on our new online professional development maga-zine, The Compass. The Compass allows viewers to review current and future offerings categorized by Student Achieve-ment Framework category, subject and School Improvement topic area. The Compass made its debut the last week of August and to date, the magazine has received over 60,000 “hits” from nearly 11,000 unique visitors.

“Teaching and learning for our educators and administrators is a critical part of the education process,” said Assistant

Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer Eric Hoppstock. “In order for our students to have access to cutting edge resources and best practice in academics, our staff members also need to be up-to-date with their own training. This year, to make it even easier for educators to learn about Berrien RESA’s course offerings, we have launched a new online professional development magazine. By simply clicking on the online magazine, educators will be directly linked to a portal where they can register for the professional develop-ment activity.”

When visitors are looking at individual course offerings, the links on the page automatically highlight in blue, allowing the viewer to be directly forwarded to the registration page

in Coursewhere (Berrien RESA’s professional development registration tool) for that specific workshop.

“This is another example of how Berrien RESA has grown over the years to adapt to new technology to promote re-sources for the education community,” explained Dr. Kevin M. Ivers, Berrien RESA Superintendent. “We are demon-strating that our organization understands current needs and embraces tools to help connect educators with resources. The Berrien RESA Compass meets a tremendous need of our local districts in that we have matched their professional development needs based upon Michigan’s Common Core Standards and School Improvement requirements through interactive and easy-to-use system.”

RESA events are open to the education community and of-ten, the general public. For questions related to registration, please contact Jo Urias at (269) 471-7725 ext. 1149.

For questions related to State Board-Certified Education-Clock Hours, please contact Sue Kruck at ext.

1116.

*Individuals using Firefox as their Internet browser may have diffi-culty locating The Compass on the

RESA website. Please use Inter-net Explorer or Google Chrome.


Capacity for Leadership

School Improvem

ent Category: Personnel and Professional Learning

Subject: Homeless Education

CANCELLATIONS:

Registration fee will be refunded only if cancellation is

received two working days prior to the workshop start date.

You must send an e-mail cancellation notice to jo.urias@

berrienresa.org containing the title of the workshop. Your

reply message will be your confirmation.

Berrien RESA




Homeless Education Liaison Network Meeting

(#13-032)October 25, 2012

8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Presented by:

Pam Kies-Lowe, MDE State Consultant

Jon Behrens, MDE Regional Monitor

Joyce Miller, McKinney Vento Project Coordinator

Continuum of Care Coordinators

Shelter Representatives

Audience: District Homeless Education Liaisons

Registration Fee: No charge

TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT, PLEASE GO TO: http://www.so-

lutionwhere.com/berrienresa/cw/showcourse.asp?146

Location: Van Buren ISD Conference Center

490 South Paw Paw Street

Lawrence, Michigan

Registration deadline:

October 12, 2012

This required session for district homeless education

liaisons will provide statewide updates and technical

assistance regarding identification and services for

homeless students and their families. Student support

materials will be disseminated.

Questions: Please contact Joyce

Miller, Berrien RESA

Homeless education

Consultant at joyce.

[email protected]

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, it is the policy of the Berrien Re-

gional Education Service Agency to prohibit discrimination on the basis of handicap against qualified

handicapped persons, in admission or access to, participation in, or treatment of employment in,

its programs and activities. Inquiries regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources,

Berrien RESA, 711 St. Joseph Avenue, Berrien Springs, MI 49103; telephone (269) 471- 7725; fax (269)

471-2941. Please note: Participants with physical or dietary limitations or requirements are asked to notify the

workshop coordinator with any specific need before the workshop/event so appropriate accom-

modations can be made.

http://www.berrienresa.org


rea professional dog trainers, Leslie Krouk and Rachel Klitchman are volunteering their time training students how to handle dogs in Sheryl Voege’s pre vocational classroom at Lighthouse Education

Center. In the past, Rachel has been involved with pairing abused and neglected dogs with prisoners for training and then, obtaining placement for the dogs. As a result, they are implementing a pilot program in Ms. Voege’s room pairing dogs with students who have emotional impairments. Their goals are to increase positive social and communication skills, trust in relationships as well as sensitivity towards animals and people. Ultimately, these skills will translate into work readiness. This researched-based program is oriented to the goals from “Teaching Empathy: Animal-Assisted Therapy Programs for Children and Families Exposed to Violence.”

Ms. Voege’s class is not only enjoying this unique program but is also gain-ing insight into following instructions, providing and/or interpreting verbal and non-verbal communication, and are obtaining specific work experience supervised by professional dog handlers.

A Dog’s LifeLighthouse Education Center Goes to the Dogs!Written by LEC staff

A

Stu

dent

s le

arn

and

impl

emen

t th

eir

dog

hand

ling

ski

lls!


R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 10

Recognizing those who support usRESA Celebrates the 2012 Partnership Awards

Lions Club of St. Joseph in collabo-ration with Lions District 11-B2

Krasl Art CenterHeritage Museum and Cultural Center

Lake Michigan College

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 11

I n October, Berrien RESA hosted its third annual Partnership Awards. This prestigious event celebrated 6 community members/organizations for their commitment to fostering relationships that have encouraged

student development and achievement.

Being selected as a Partner in Education is Berrien RESA’s highest accolade. This year’s award recipients were:• Best Friends 4H Club• Circle C Stables• Heritage Museum and Cultural Center• Krasl Art Center• Lake Michigan College• Lions Club of St. Joseph in collaboration with Lions District 11-B2

Awardees were nominated by staff members and were also selected by a superintendent’s committee based upon their continued efforts to support educational pursuits.

“These organizations have now been set aside from their colleagues in that they are being recognized for their long-standing commitment to education,” said Dr. Ivers during the awards reception. “This commitment can be recognized in their mission statements, in the services they offer, in the products they make and in the hearts of their employees. By committing themselves to supporting education, their agencies become stronger, our communities become more connected and our County’s children have a better chance to succeed.”

Best Friends 4H ClubCircle C StablesLions Club of St. Joseph in collabo-ration with Lions District 11-B2

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 12

Virtual ShowcaseFrom Blowing Glass to an Online Gallery

Students participating in Fired Up! program at Waterstreet Glassworks work with Berrien RESA Instructional Tech-nologist Josh Bridges and Arts Education Consultant Liz Andrews to establish an online gallery where they are able to upload images of their glass works for display, to sell and to include in their portfolios.

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 13

tudents in the Fired Up! program at Water-street Glassworks in Benton Harbor had

the opportunity to create a virtual showcase of their works during a recent workshop presented by Berrien RESA’s Technology Consultant, Josh Bridges, and Arts Education Consultant, Liz Andrews. Together, they demonstrated how stu-dents could use an iPad® to establish an online portfolio by taking photos of their pieces and describing their artwork in a virtual arena.

The goal of the project was to create an acces-sible digital portfolio for students to use as part of their graduation requirements, entrance into college or art schools and as a way to sell their products.

S

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 14

1+1 Coming to Brandywine High SchoolPartnership in ActionWritten by Karen Heath, Berrien RESA Supervisor of Communications

I n October, Brandywine High School hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony un-

veiling the newest addition to the Berrien County PA 56 Consortium; a consolidated program between Lake Michigan College and Brandywine, which is on track to become a state recognized 1+1 Machine Tool Manufacturing Program next year. The Program is an answer to a call by Governor Rick Snyder to prepare students to meet college and career readiness goals by increasing program occupational skills and rigor through Career & Technical Education.

Berrien RESA’s PA 56 Consortium (the governing body overseeing Berrien County’s Career & Technical Education or CTE programs) has been working with Lake Michigan College and Brandywine High School over the past several months to develop this unique partnership. The 1 +1 Program, once fully implemented, will allow students to complete 50 percent of their associate’s degree during their junior and senior years of high school before going on to college to finish their degree. In the high school, students participate in college-level math and English language arts classes. By doing this, students will feel like they are participating in what the

“This is a win-win for both the College and the District, since it allows us to share facilities, equipment, and instructors. Most of all, the winners are today’s students, who will go on to success-ful careers in a high demand field.”

-Dr. John Jarpe, Superintendent of Brandywine Community Schools

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 15

average freshman would experience at a traditional college or university. When entering college and having already completed two years of coursework, the 1+1 program students are able to continue focusing on their manufacturing classes; meaning that there is a seamless transi-tion between high school and college, and most importantly; no momentum is lost!

For Brandywine, the 1+1 concept came to fruition when they learned that Lake Michi-gan College was interested in consolidat-ing their Bertrand Campus manufacturing lab. In an effort to share costs and meet LMC’s goal of consolidating, Brandywine (through the PA 56 Consortium) was able to seize the opportunity to grow their Manufacturing Program. Not only will the new program offer greater opportunities to students participating in Career & Tech-nical Education across Berrien County, students will have a head-start in their careers, be exposed to college expecta-tions through Lake Michigan College’s articulated offerings but will also meet the Governor’s expectations to be college and career ready.

Under the new collaboration, the College has moved 19 mills, lathes, and surface

grinders from its Bertrand Crossing cam-pus in Niles to Brandywine High School. Brandywine will teach manufacturing and machine skills to high school students from several districts in southwest Michi-gan. LMC will use the lab to conduct Early College credit courses for juniors and seniors from Brandywine and other high schools. The College will also offer col-lege level classes that lead to certificates and degrees for traditional aged and adult students.

College officials noted that the space made available by the transfer of equip-ment to Brandywine will be converted to general classroom space to accommo-date growing enrollments at the Bertrand Crossing campus.

“Dr. Brian Pyles, Regional Director of Career & Technical Education at Berrien RESA, facilitated the partnership between Lake Michigan College and Brandywine High School to locate the Machine Tool Manufacturing program for both high school and college students on Bran-dywine’s campus,” said Dr. John Jarpe, Superintendent of Brandywine Community Schools and Chair of the PA 56 Con-sortium. “This is a win-win for both the

College and the District, since it allows us to share facilities, equipment, and instruc-tors. Most of all, the winners are today’s students, who will go on to successful careers in a high demand field.”

“This will be an enormous opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Brian Pyles, Ber-rien RESA’s Regional Director of Career & Technical Education. “This Program will be a catalyst for growth in our manufac-turing industry. Currently, there are open positions at a number of local machine and tool shops, however, these positions are remaining unfilled due to a lack of skilled employees. The 1+1 Machine Tool Manufacturing Program will answer that call by training students early to become skilled professionals with college degrees. As an industry leader, I would be knocking down the door at Brandywine looking for my future employees!” The concept of 1+1 programs is a national trend, however for the southwest region of Michigan, Brandywine will be one of the first. It is the goal of the PA 56 Consortium to have the Machine Tool Manufacturing Program serve as the model for other local districts, potentially expanding into additional Career Pathways.

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 16

Parents As TeacherS ProgramFocus on parenting skills

T he Berrien RESA Parents as Teachers (PAT) pro-gram is an innovative school readiness program that

is offered throughout Berrien County. It is a service that is free to any parent in Berrien County who is pregnant or has a child under the age of three. The research is clear that the first three years of a child’s life are critical for lay-ing the foundation for all future development and learning. Because the first few years are so important – parents are their children’s first and most influential teachers!

Berrien RESA started this program 9 years ago as part of their early education/intervention services. We know that supporting parents with information and encouragement when their children are very young pays-off for all of our school districts in many ways. The children whose parents participate in PAT are more likely to come to school con-fident, competent and ready to learn. In addition, if there are concerns regarding a child’s development, parents are supported in their efforts to remediate those delays and/or utilize additional resources (such as the Berrien RESA Early On program). When these developmental delays are identi-fied early – it is likely that fewer special education services will be needed in the future.

Parents as Teachers offers families two types of services. The first is our Group Connections. Currently we offer Read, Play & Learn Playgroups in 15 locations throughout the county each month of the school year. These are a wonderful opportunity for:• Parents and children to have fun together, • Parents to meet other parents in their community, • Parents to get age appropriate and fun child activities

ideas, • Parents to have access to parent educators and educa-

tional materials,• Parents to learn the foundations of literacy,• Children to learn to play with other children their age,• Families to go home with a new, free children’s book

they can enjoy together!

In addition to playgroups, we offer other family events throughout the year: Reading by the River, Books on the Bluff, Welcome Winter, and Picnic in the Park.

The second service we offer is Personal Home Visits. We currently have 9 Certified Parent Educators (PEs) who visit with families in their homes. The visits last about 1 hour and occur 1 – 4 times a month, depending on the needs/in-terests of each family. At those visits, PEs bring an age ap-propriate activity for the parents and children to do together. That activity is used as a way to help parents to see how their children are developing and learning, and to give them ideas for ways they can enhance that learning with things they have in their homes.

The PAT TreeThe PAT Tree is a wonderful way to illustrate to parents what Parents as Teachers is all about. The program is “rooted” in each family’s unique values and priorities. We spend a lot of time listening and getting to know each family so that we can individualize this program to their unique interests and needs. We get to know the values that are important to them and how their experiences and cultural identity and influence their goals for their children. The trunk of the tree illustrates how we help parents to iden-tify the areas in which they feel confident as well as areas where they might like more information or to feel more con-fident. These topics include typical parenting topics (disci-pline, safety, sleep, routines), parenting behaviors (nurtur-ing, responding, communication, and supporting learning), and knowledge of child development. If during this process parents identify needs that are beyond the scope of PAT, we help them to access additional community resources. The branches of the tree show the 5 areas of development that we help parents learn about and we screen to be sure that children are developing adequately in all areas: intel-lectual, language, motor, social/emotional, and health. The leaves of the tree show the three major focuses of school readiness and success: literacy, behavior, and approaches to learning. We help parents to know why these things are so vital to school success – and more importantly, how they can help their children acquire these important skills.

This wonderful program is free and open to any family who would like to have this wonderful information. If you or anyone you know would like more information, please call Kerenda Applebey, PAT Coordinator, Berrien RESA, (269) 471-7725 ext 1330.

Submitted by Kerenda Applebey, Parents as Teachers Coordinator

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 17Parent as Teachers

Parent Issues & Confidence

Family Well-Being

Parent-Child Interaction

The Parents as Teachers Program is rooted in your family’s unique values & priorities.

ChildDevelopment

Family Values and Cultural Identity

IntellectualLanguage

Motor

Social /E

motional

Health

Program Focus Areas

School Readiness

Pre-Lit

eracy

Approaches to

Learning

Positive Behavior

“W

orking together with families to ensure that young children

are competent, self-assured, and ready for school.”

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 18

2000s

2,157,875 children attend Michigan’s public schools

Michigan Constitution requires Gov. to appoint State Superintendent

(John D. Pierce)

Michigan becomes a state (1837)

State system of public education is

born (1837)

Congress enacts Elementary and

Secondary Education Act,

expanding opportunities for

low-income students

State requires ISDs to oversee

special education

ISDs begin operating regional vocational-technical programs,

offering students more opportunities, saving local

districts money

632 public schools in Michigan

Congress requires schools to provide equal access to education for children

with disabilities (Special Education)

Apple begins donating “Apple 1” computers to schools

Michigan Department of Education has

2,322 employees

Congress authorizes Carl D. Perkins Act, providing money for vocational-technical education

Michigan Department of

Education workforce falls

to 1,144

Constitutional amendment allows charter schools to

receive state funding

Michigan Legislature lifts enrollment caps

for charter and cyber schools

Michigan Department of

Education workforce drops to 505

Proposal A property tax reforms shift

school funding to state

ISDs play central role in new Great Parents,

Great Start early childhood education

initiatives

ED YES!begins

(state school accreditation

system)

Michigan Department of Education has 695

employees, 70% fewer workers than in 1982

ISDs provide schools professional development, curriculum support

needed to meet rigorous high school graduation requirements of the Michigan Merit Curriculum

Congress reauthorizes federal education act in the form of

“No Child Left Behind,” requiring standards-based

education reform

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

broadens rules ensuring an appropriate education for children with disabilities

851 public schools in Michigan (including

charter schools)

State Department of Education puts ISDs in charge of each county’s

Great Start Readiness Program

State raises the requirements for satisfactory performance on standardized tests

783 public schools in Michigan (including

charter schools)

State allows ISDs to seek taxes to fund

vocational-technical education programs

operated by individual districts

The people ratify 2nd Michigan Constitution

State Superintendent becomes an

elected position

Law requires each county

to elect a Superintendent

for Schools (1867)

State allows counties with population of 250,000+ to

form county districts6,386 public schools in Michigan

State forms county Boards of Education to appoint

superintendents, consolidate schools (1947)

State forms first Board of Education

State law requires public schools

to educate children free of charge

State creates REMC

Association allowing ISDs

to help schools save money on

technology, other

purchases

Michigan’s “Ready to Succeed Partnership” first statewide effort to focus

attention on early childhood education

2,149 public schools in Michigan

State report calls for creation of

ISDs (1956)

State authorizes schools to seek taxes for special education

Judges rule racial segregation in schools unconstitutional (1954)

Law changes allowing all counties to form

county districts (1949)

State adopts new Common Core State Standards for students in K-12; ISDs begin training efforts

YouTube posts first video

US men’s basketball “Dream Team”

wins Olympic gold

Voters adopt Legislative term limits

“Survivor” debuts on television

9/11 attacks

Michael Jackson releases “Thriller”

Sally Ride becomes first

American woman in space

Detroit Tigers win World Series

Berlin Wall comes down

The movie “Jaws” breaks

box-office records

US celebrates Bicentennial “Star Wars”

opens in theaters

Great Britain elects Margaret

Thatcher its first female

prime ministerCNN debuts as first 24-hour news channel

First Earth Day

“Sesame Street” premieres on PBS

Computer systems linked to form decentralized network –

now called the Internet

Neil Armstrong walks on moon

Beatles debut in America

Lee Harvey Oswald assassinates

President Kennedy

Motown Recordsspins label in

Detroit

Dr. Christiaan Barnard performs

first heart transplant

Texas Instruments markets first handheld calculator

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dies at gunman’s hand

Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone

228,629 children attend Michigan’s

public schools

First Harry Potter book published

Chrysler acquires American Motors

The World Wide Web debuts as publicly available service on the Internet

1,612,425 children attend

Michigan’s public schools

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 19

We’re 50 and still going strong!Celebrating all that ISDs/RESAs do

SDs are the Michigan-made vehicle for advancing pub-lic education.

Created in 1962 by the Michigan Legislature to provide pro-grams and services that are highly specialized or too expen-sive for an individual school district to offer, today’s ISDs work with local schools, the Michigan Department of Education, higher education and local communities to deliver cost-effec-tive, research-based, student-centered education.

ISDs not only deliver programs that are student-centered, they endorse the ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervi-sion and Curriculum Development)-advocated comprehen-sive and coordinated education approach that promotes the development of the whole child—helping to ensure that all children are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and chal-lenged.

Currently, Michigan’s ISDs:

• Support Career and College Core Curriculum Standards and deliver associated professional development.

• Offer student program options including New Tech, Early and Middle Colleges, Virtual Academies, STEM and STEAM through Career and Technology Education, alter-native online education programs like Widening Advance-ments for Youth and chartered public school academies.

• Expand Career and Technical Programs in collaboration with business and industry.

• Oversee the expansion of high-quality Early Childhood Block Grant Programs.

• Provide regional consolidated business, administrative and student support service operations to increase ef-ficiency and effectiveness.

• Deliver instructional and operations technology infrastruc-ture, devices, platforms, online content and assessment and professional development.

• Develop a multi-tiered system of support to provide stu-dents with the help they need before they fail.

• Initiate Early College and College Acceleration model development and scale up.

• Provide services for students with disabilities.• Supply school improvement services for priority schools.• Improve teacher quality through professional develop-

ment opportunities.

In addition, through their statewide association—the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA)—ISDs are:

• Developing and promoting additional collaborative activi-ties that produce efficiencies and expand services to school districts.

• Addressing policy and legislative action that supports and enhances student achievement.

• Leading in the development of sustainability for Michi-gan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative (MiBLSi) and other multi-tiered systems of support to pre-vent school failure and enhance teaching performance.

• Leading in the development of world-class educational strategies in Michigan. Efforts include:

• Working with other statewide organizations to build and implement a statewide, comprehensive early childhood system,

• Detecting/developing high-quality, low-cost online, blended, and virtual learning strategies to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of public education in Michi-gan, and

• Identifying “pockets of innovation” in local schools and ISDs, providing network links, supporting initiatives of transformational leadership and helping scale successful programs and services.

Today’s ISDs are advancing public education. Individually or in collaboration, they train teachers, teach students, involve parents, support schools, deliver technology, pilot innova-tions, develop alternatives, forge partnerships, engage busi-ness, build capacity, secure funds, educate citizens, consoli-date services, and employ economies of scale, all to expand the learning opportunities for Michigan’s children.

ISDs provide increased opportunities for innovative, student-centered learning that’s flexible, cost-effective and supports the whole child. These time-tested, Michigan-made agencies hold the needed expertise, experience and connections to de-liver an expanded “Any Time, Any Place, Any Way, Any Pace” public school learning model for Michigan.

I

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 20

Preparing For the FutureTransition to the workforceSubmitted by Amy Hume, A Berrien RESA Transition Coordinator

High school teachers across the County are looking at student transition plans and identifying additional resources to help students improve post-high school outcomes. Lighthouse Education Center’s high school teachers and paraprofession-als created a Professional Learning Community (PLC) dedicat-ed to improving student readiness for jobs or education after leaving Lighthouse. The staff, along with Michigan Rehabilita-tion Services (MRS) have been helping students find jobs over the years; however, LEC staff expressed concern students may not be ready for jobs. The LEC PLC wanted students to understand the “soft” skills necessary to be successful on the job or at school. To help students gain these soft skills, LEC and MRS invited Michigan Works! in classrooms across the County to provide a perspective of what employers want and to explain why it is important to focus on these skills while still in high school.

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 21

Megan McCausland, representing Michigan Works!, gave students at LEC an unfettered look at what em-ployers are looking for in the people they hire. Students were able to learn what employers want - first hand. For example, Megan told the students that a manufac-turing company (which molds bathtubs in Dowagiac) needed to hire 300 people to fill 100 jobs because they anticipated that the majority of the workforce that they had available to them would not be socially or educa-tionally prepared for those jobs. The company knew that many of these 300 workers would not understand the link between hard work and employment retention. Having explained that to the students, Megan shared that employers want students to come to them prepared and ready to work to keep their jobs. It is expensive for companies to hire extra workers in hopes that a few

good employees will rise to the top. Megan added that building the link between employers and educators is key to preparing students for work. Algebra II is important, but just as important as knowing that it is expected that employees show up every day, on time. Over time, Megan will help the students explore the top four industries in Berrien County and related careers. They will hear from local employers about what they want and need in employees and work our way from a look at the large perspective to small group exploration of various available careers within Career Pathways.

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 22

he Berrien/Cass School Boards Association along with Berrien RESA and Lewis Cass ISD hosted their annual Legislative Breakfast earlier this fall. Attending the event were Congressman Fred Upton, Senator

John Proos, and Representatives Al Pscholka and Sharon Tyler. Discussion topics focused on ballot proposals, school funding and a variety of other legislative concerns. While given the opportunity to provide a brief legisla-tive update at the end of the breakfast, the focus of the morning were questions asked by local school board members and school officials. Additionally, Rep. Sharon Tyler thanked the audience for allowing her to serve in the Michigan House of Representatives. Tyler was recently elected as Berrien County Clerk succeeding Louise Stine.

legislative breakfast held at ResaLegislators answer local district questions

T

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 23

errien RESA to return $5.8 million to local schools districts this year

During November’s Berrien Regional Education Service Agency’s Board of Education meeting, area public schools learned that they will be receiving $5,826,000 in special education reimbursement over the course of the school year. The dollars are a result of excess fund equity and county millage allocation from the organization’s special education budget.

It has been Berrien RESA’s policy to direct excess special education funding to area public school dis-tricts to reimburse a portion of their special educa-tion expenditures from the prior year. The surplus derives from two sources, Fund Equity and Act 18 dollars levied through a county Special Education millage.

“Berrien RESA strives to provide the best educa-tional services to area students while at the same time being fiscally responsible,” said Berrien RESA Superintendent Dr. Kevin M. Ivers. “All schools are experiencing difficult financial times as a result of increased costs and limited revenues. This supplemental revenue will offset each local district’s cost of providing special education programs and services.”

Dr. Ivers was careful to point out that schools can-not expect such allocations to occur every year. With all the changes to public education coming from the Legislature, it is difficult to determine what reimbursements will be available for local districts in the years ahead.

“While I cannot guarantee the future returns, I am pleased that our Board has honored their long-standing policy to return any additional funds that we have back to schools. The districts benefit, the teachers benefit, and most of all, our children benefit.”

errien RESA School Board Urges Congress to Stop Harmful Budget Cuts

Federal education programs face more than an 8 percent budget cut next year unless Congress intervenes; and, the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency school board has adopted a resolution urging Congress to stop these across-the-board cuts that would have a devastating im-pact upon the school district.

The across-the-board cuts to federal education programs that benefit the RESA would occur under a process called sequestration (defined as the cancellation of budgetary resources) that was enacted under the Budget Control Act of 2011. For the center-based and county-wide programs operated by the RESA, a budget cut of 8.2 percent in fed-eral funding would mean cuts to Title I grants for instruc-tional support, Title II Teacher Quality State Grant, IDEA Section 611 grant funding and funds for Career & Techni-cal Education.

Nationwide, sequestration would cut education funding by more than $4 billion, and would affect the Berrien RESA’s budget by more than $555,475 at a time when states and local governments have very limited capacity to absorb further budget cuts.

“Given the budget cuts and adjustments to employee ben-efits our district has made in recent years, there is simply very little, if anything else, left to cut,” said Dr. Kevin M. Iv-ers, Superintendent of Berrien RESA. “Any further cuts in education funding could adversely affect the quality of our education programs. This federal funding is used to sup-port the education of our most at-risk students. Without this funding, students may not be reading at grade level and their ability to graduate on –time may be jeopardized.”

The resolution adopted urges Congress and the Admin-istration to amend the Budget Control Act to mitigate the drastic cuts to education that would affect our students and communities, and to protect education as an invest-ment critical to economic stability and American competi-tiveness.

Currently, bipartisan negotiations are underway in Con-gress to develop an alternative to sequestration. Berrien RESA’s School Board’s resolution indicates the communi-ty’s awareness of this critical issue and is being forwarded to members of Congress to urge their support to avert the sequestration.

Board of Education Action

BB

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 24

Berrien RESA’s center-based program for students with cognitive impairments, Blossomland Learning Center (BLC), was recently recognized by the State of Michigan as a school that is “Beating the Odds.” Schools with this designation have achieved a significant academic status in that they are now considered a Reward School. Reward Schools consist of schools in the top five percent statewide in terms of student proficiency, top five percent in terms of student improvement, or schools that are “Beating the Odds.” The Reward School designation is part of Michigan’s new statewide accountability system authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility request approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

“We are quite proud of this distinction,” said Dr. Kevin M. Ivers, Superintendent of Berrien RESA. “The students who attend BLC face a multitude of academic challenges as well as cognitive disabilities. By recognizing the students’ successes at the state and federal level signifies that we are truly beating the odds; that all students’ achievements are worth celebrating, even if their goals are not the traditional goals we commonly associate with general education.”

Every student who receives their education through Blossomland Learning Center is considered a special educa-tion student. This status enables the students to receive an Individualized Education Program or IEP. The IEP is carefully crafted by a team of educational consultants, teachers and the student’s family to ensure that their academic goals are appropriate while at the same time meeting state and federal standards. The IEP goals may include the successful completion of tasks such as counting currency and writing complete sentences to learning how to raise their hand to ask questions or feeding themselves. The range of expectations varies greatly on the individual student ability.

“What is so significant about being considered a ‘Beating the Odds’ schools is that our students are achieving their IEP goals, even though they may have a severe impairment,” said BLC Principal Tina Lawson. “Often our students are not thought of as being able to contribute to society or ever be able to be independent. Our students are proving that perception wrong every day. We have students who are looking for volunteer and employment opportunities. We have students who use technology to communicate their needs when before, had no means of talking. Our kids are truly beating the odds, and at the same time, exceeding expectations. I am very proud to be recognized with this status.”

Thanks to their “Beating the Odds” status, BLC is now eligible for special Rewards Schools opportunities. The op-portunities will be announced to BLC throughout the school year.

Blossomland Beats the oddsProgram recognized by the state

for student performance

R.O. Winter 2013 ○ 25

In Memory...Our hearts go out to all of the families impacted by the terrible tragedy that took place on Friday, December 14, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the Newtown Public School District.

As educators, we our entrusted with our world’s most precious gift, our children. As we spend each day with our students in the classroom, we have the privilege of inspiring their young minds and the opportunity to shape the direction of their future. We witness first-hand their successes and hold their hands during their struggles. We are their cheerleaders, advocates and sometimes, their only friend. As educators, we so deeply are invested in the success of our children that we are willing to make every sacrifice for them. That is exactly what the faculty at Sandy Hook did for their children. And for that, we are all forever indebted.

Reaching OUT

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Transcript of Reaching OUT