Let’s Rally!    Enthusiasm, Energy, and Excellence!

Have you been looking for professional development that is practical, relevant, and meaningful to you? In a collaborative effort, the Region 10 IHE has joined with colleges, universities, and regional special education leaders to provide a high quality, professional development opportunity that will increase your knowledge, skills, and application of effective practices that work in everyday situations.

The Region 10 Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) Collaborative’s purpose is to “build collaboration around teacher recruitment, professional development, and retention of qualified special education teachers to develop a common voice for Southeast Minnesota around education topics and take action for lasting impact.”

Never before has something like this been done in Southeast Minnesota!

Participants will leave with the ability to successfully execute the strategies provided throughout the day.

Request for Proposals

(https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2019letsrally) (PDF Version)

50-minute sessions

We are pleased to open the request for proposal (RFP) application process for the 2019 Region 10 Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) Conference, Let’s Rally!  Enthusiasm, Energy, and Excellence!  

Proposal Submission Directions

To submit a proposal, please complete the RFP form in its entirety.

Presenters (up to 2) will receive a FREE conference registration.

Proposals will be accepted until midnight CDT on March 10, 2019.

Who should submit proposals?

Special Educators, General Educators, Preservice Teachers, Higher Education Staff/Professors, Itinerant Teachers, Mental Health Staff, County Staff, State Staff, DEED Staff, MDE Staff, anyone making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities!

Accepted presenters WILL need to register and will be provided a discount code.

If you have questions concerning the completion of a proposal or the submission process, contact the Region 10 IHE planning team at: cwernau@zumbroed.org or mbreitsprecher@zumbroed.org

Proposals should include experience-based practices (B-21) in one of the pillars;

• Mental Health
• Educators’ Self Care
• Behavior
• Legal Issues
• Transition
• Paraprofessionals
• Instructional Practices
• Instructional Coaching

Proposals are to be based on your experiences in improving outcomes for students.

Timelines

• Sunday, March 10, 2019 (midnight): Proposal deadline
• Thursday, March 14, 2019: Applicants notified they are accepted
• Friday, March 15, 2019: Registration opens
• Monday, July 22, 2019: Presentation materials due to conference planner
  (Presentation resources:  PPT accessibility and Making accessible electronic documents MNIT).  

Accessibility

Presentations need to be formatted to offer accessibility for audience members with hearing or vision impairments. We will have ASL interpreters on the presenter platforms. Video type media needs to be captioned. Projection images (ex: PowerPoints) need to be prepared so they pass the accessibility checker provided by the PPT app. Please see our presentation resources section to learn more about other things to keep in mind as you prepare your presentation. DON’T let this stop you from applying—we are here to guide you through this process.

Presentation resources:  

• PPT accessibility
• Making accessible electronic documents MNIT).

For questions, please direct them to:

• cwernau@zumbroed.org or
• mbreitsprecher@zumbroed.org or
• klucht@zumbroed.org

Thank you in advance for your interest, and we hope to see you on August 7, 2019.

Attachments for further information:

Let's Rally Conference RFP (1).pdf

PowerPointGuidelines-PresenterResources.pdf

Dear Participant,

My name is Brittany McCreary, and I am a school psychology doctoral candidate at Stephen F. Austin State University, in the Department of Human Services.  I am under the supervision of Jillian Dawes, Ph.D., LSSP, NCSP, BCBA and Luis Aguerrevere, Ph. D.  I am collecting data for my doctoral dissertation, which explores how professional ethics, ethical decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration are addressed in teacher education programs.  Using an online survey, information about these factors will be collected and examined. Thank you in advance for your participation in this survey.  
 
Should you agree to participate in this research, you will be asked to complete an online survey.  You will be asked 22 questions about your engagement in the teaching of professional ethics, ethical decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration, and demographics.  The survey should take no more than 10-15 minutes to complete.
 
Your decision to participate or decline participation in this study is completely voluntary and you have the right to terminate your participation at any time without penalty.  If you do not wish to complete the survey, just close your browser.  Any responses you have provided prior to closing your browser will be removed from data storage and analyses.
 
There are no risks to individuals participating in this research beyond those that exist in daily life. Although there are no direct benefits to you by your participation in this study, the data obtained will inform teacher preparation programs of best practices, guide training and professional development, contribute to the literature regarding ethics and education, and may aid in drafting policy about professional ethics in education.  There will be no financial or other compensation for your participation in this research.
 
Your privacy and confidentiality will always be maintained. The researcher will not know your Internet Protocol (IP) or computer address when you respond to this Internet survey.  The researcher will not share your identifiable or individual information with anyone.  The researcher will be the only person authorized to view and access the survey data.  If you have any questions or concerns about this study or if any problems arise, please contact:
 
Researcher:
Brittany McCreary
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Human Services – School Psychology
Stephen F. Austin State University
936.671.3002
lowtherbl@jacks.sfasu
 
Advisor:
Jillian Dawes, Ph.D., LSSP, NCSP, BCBA
Assistant Professor
Department of Human Services – School Psychology
Stephen F. Austin State University
936.468.1686
dawesj@sfasu.edu
 
If you have any questions or concerns about your rights in this research study, please contact the SFASU IRB, with IRB Case #AY-2019-2012:

IRB Chair:
Luis Aguerrevere, Ph.D.
Chair, Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, Tx 75962
936.468.1153 
aguerrevle@sfasu.edu 
 
Following the link below indicates that you have read the description of the study and you agree to participate in the study.

Follow this link to the Survey: 
Take the Survey

Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
http://sfasu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_410oke6O98jFZQh?Q_DL=9EO8wmpptDlhiV7_410oke6O98jFZQh_MLRP_8deLY3EP7FywUM5&Q_CHL=email

ChangeMakers: Black Minnesotans making history

Evan Frost , Christine T. Nguyen · Feb 1, 2019

Black History Month celebrates and honors the accomplishments of black Americans through time.

Every weekday this February, MPR News is featuring black Minnesotans who are making history right now across the state. Each profile will discuss what being black in Minnesota means to them, a bit about their background and their hopes for the future.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/02/01/changemakers-black-minnesotans-making-history?utm_campaign=MPR+News+-+AM+Edition+-+No+Social&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sfmc_&utm_content=

We would appreciate your participation in a study we are conducting to get a deeper understanding of workforce shortages in school psychology around the country. Our primary goal is to determine a number of variables that impact recruitment and sustainability of our workforce. A secondary purpose is to use the results to make a set of recommendations that might influence the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), state policies/legislation, university training programs, and state associations. And finally, we hope the results will assist school districts as they engage in recruiting and maintaining a sustainable school psychology workforce. This survey has been approved by the Appalachian State University's Institutional Review Board. The survey can be found at the link below. It should take about 30 minutes to complete and is completely voluntary. 

 

https://appstate.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1M7yu5XidgQYCH3

 

We appreciate your participation in this school psychology workforce study. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Dr. Jim Deni at denijr@appstate.edu.

Dr. Jim Deni, Primary Investigator 

Appalachian State University, School Psychology Trainer 

Haley Black, Graduate Student, School Psychology 

Hannah Walls, Graduate Student, School Psychology

Megan Gillespie, Graduate Student, School Psychology

In the voices of a group of Parkland female students, the following link shares their thoughts, feelings, reflections, and future.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/14/podcasts/the-daily/parkland-stoneman-douglas-school-shooting.html

Thank you for your ongoing advocacy for Safe Schools in Minnesota.  As legislation for Safe Schools comes forward, we urge you to make your voice heard for our essential roles in School Crisis Prevention and Intervention.

Join us for our Day at the Hill   March 5, 2019   MSPA members Free

For more information: https://www.mspaonline.net/event-3262420 or email mleifgren@gmail.com

Commissioner Ricker and Commissioner Ho to Host Listening Session at Minnesota Homeless Education Conference Wednesday ROSEVILLE, MN- Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker and Minnesota Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho will be hosting a listening session in St. Cloud Wednesday with attendees of the Minnesota Homeless Education Conference. Homeless liaisons, educational staff, school administrators, continuum of care coordinators and professionals working with children and families experiencing homelessness will have the opportuntiy to share their feedback on how to best serve students experiencing homelessness. The session is one in an ongoing effort to meet with teachers, parents, school staff, students and community members across Minnesota about how to ensure that every student gets the highest quality education possible. WHO: Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker, NBCT Minnesota Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho Attendees of the Minnesota Homeless Education Conference WHAT:  Commissioner Ricker and Commissioner Ho will host a listening session with attendees of the Minnesota Homeless Education Conference to hear ideas on how to best serve students and families experiencing homelessness in Minnesota.  WHEN:  8:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 13, 2019  WHERE:  St. Cloud River's Edge Convention Center Herberger Suite 10 4th Ave S., St Cloud, MN Contact Emily Bisek at emily.bisek@state.mn.us with any questions.

March 5, 2019

8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

41 Sherburne Ave, St Paul, MN 55103 (Education Minnesota Building)

MSPA Members … Free

Non-Members… $45.00

8:00 - 8:30 a.m.  Morning beverages, fruit, and breads

Lunch provided – please indicate dietary restrictions

Morning Session:

Strategic goals for School Psychologists

Dialogue and Collaboration

Prepare to meet with your representatives

6 CEU’s

Please email mleifgren@gmail.com to register.

Dear Advocate,

Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee held its first hearing on the topic of gun violence in 10 years. The primary bill discussed - H.R. 8: The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 - has 231 cosponsors; a majority of House members. The bill would enforce current background check laws, close the gun show loopholes, and keep guns out of the hands of people who are currently prohibited from having them. You can watch the full committee hearing here.

The Senate has a companion version of the bill, S. 42, and another bill, S. 193 ("Ethan's Law) that would enforce and encourage safe firearm storage procedures.

All of these bills are critically important to begin to curb the gun violence epidemic that we are experiencing in our country and protect our kids at home and school. As an advocate who has taken action on school safety before, we hope that you can take 5 minutes to send a letter to your congressional representatives, asking them to support these bills. 

Take Action 

Again, the process to send a letter to your representatives will take just a few short minutes and can make a HUGE difference. Thanks for all that you do to support safe and healthy kids in your community.

-NASP Advocacy

https://bsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5p9xbZo524dCjlP

Purpose of the Research: The identification of Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) has been a fiercely debated topic within school psychology research and practice. Despite a plethora of research examining the conceptual and psychometric issues underlying SLD identification, there has been relatively little research examining how school psychologists and other stakeholders (i.e., members of multidisciplinary teams) make SLD identification decisions, particularly using pattern of strengths and weaknesses (PSW) approaches, which is problematic given its apparent increasing use (Maki & Adams, in press). The purpose of the present study, therefore, is to examine how school psychologists use assessment data to make SLD identification decisions using PSW.

Principal Investigator: Kathrin E. Maki, Ph.D, Ball State University (kemaki@bsu.edu   765-285-8504)

Statement from Commissioner Brenda Cassellius ROSEVILLE – Today, Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius issued the following statement in response to recommendations made in a report by the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Commission on School Safety: “Too many of our children do not feel safe in school, and too many children are dying because of senseless gun violence in this country. It is time to treat this epidemic for what it is – a public health crisis. Solutions that don’t involve common sense gun restrictions are merely empty promises and fall short of the full protection our children deserve. “Furthermore, rolling back the protections of students who are disproportionately suspended is unconscionable and has no place in a package of school safety provisions. Those protections should be retained as fundamental in our work to provide students with their right to an equitable education.  “Federal and state leaders must enact real reforms. I encourage policymakers to pick up the mantle of Governor Dayton’s leadership, and focus on preventing these terrible tragedies from happening by enacting seriously needed in-school supports, including more school counselors, mental health supports for students, and additional funding to improve the security of aging school facilities.”