1 Educational Service Unit #1 Providing Innovation, Leadership and Service Annual Report 2007-2008 A Note from the Administrator... This Annual Report serves the following purposes: to meet legal requirements as set forth by state statute; to provide information about ESU #1 activities to our schools, the ESU #1 Board and the public; to provide a benchmark in our continuous improvement journey; and to provide data by which decisions can be made. ESU #1 primarily provides contracted services to districts as determined by the needs of each individual school district. ESU #1 maintains a staff of highly qualified individuals who provide exceptional service at a reasonable price. In addition to the contracted services, each district receives assistance through Core Services, which include staff development, technology and media services. There are also a variety of grants that have been secured by ESU #1 that allow school districts additional funding and support in mandated areas. It is our intent to be sensitive to the requests of our twenty-four K-12 school districts and partner with them to meet changing needs through professional expertise, training and support. School districts have come to rely on ESU #1 as an expert in the areas of special education, core services, grant activities, and cooperative purchasing programs. Within this report you will learn about the progress we are making in providing quality service to our schools. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I thank you for taking the time to review this annual report. Should you have any questions after reviewing this information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Dr. Bob Uhing, Administrator ESU #1 211 Tenth Street Wakefield, NE 68784 Phone: (402) 287-2061 Fax: (402) 287-2065 www.esu1.org
Transcript
1
Educational Service Unit #1Providing Innovation, Leadership and Service
Annual Report 2007-2008
A Note from the Administrator...This Annual Report serves the following purposes:
to meet legal requirements as set forth by state statute; to provide information about ESU #1 activities to our schools, the ESU #1 Board and the public; to provide a benchmark in our continuous improvement journey; and to provide data by which decisions can be made.
ESU #1 primarily provides contracted services to districts as determined by the needs of each individual school district. ESU #1 maintains a staff of highly qualified individuals who provide exceptional service at a reasonable price. In addition to the contracted services, each district receives assistance through Core Services, which include staff development, technology and media services. There are also a variety of grants that have been secured by ESU #1 that allow school districts additional funding and support in mandated areas. It is our intent to be sensitive to the requests of our twenty-four K-12 school districts and partner with them to meet changing needs through professional expertise, training and support.
School districts have come to rely on ESU #1 as an expert in the areas of special education, core services, grant activities, and cooperative purchasing programs. Within this report you will learn about the progress we are making in providing quality service to our schools. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I thank you for taking the time to review this annual report. Should you have any questions after reviewing this information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
About ESU #1Educational Service Unit #1 provides services to local school districts in Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Knox, Thurston and Wayne counties in Northeast Nebraska.
ESU #1 is one of seventeen ESUs statewide. Educational Service Units were created by the Unicameral in 1965 and later placed under the jurisdiction of the Nebraska Department of Education. Historically, the purpose of the ESU has been to provide services that a school district could not economically or efficiently provide for itself. As the school districts identified their needs, a diversity of services offered by ESUs developed.
ESU #1 is headquartered in Wakefield and provides a variety of special education, staff development, technology and media services to the twenty-four school districts in its six-county area. ESU #1 also operates a Severe and Profoundly Handicapped Program and Behaviorally Disordered Program in Wayne at Tower School.
In 2007-08, ESU #1 served an estimated 12,200 school age students, 400 early childhood students and 1,200 teachers through direct or indirect services.
ESU #1 Board of DirectorsESU #1 Board of DirectorsESU #1 Board of DirectorsThe ESU #1 Board of Directors consists of one member from each county and four At-Large members. The term of office is four years. The Board meets in regular session on the second Tuesday of each month at the Central Office, located in Wakefield.
The ESU #1 Board of Directors consists of one member from each county and four At-Large members. The term of office is four years. The Board meets in regular session on the second Tuesday of each month at the Central Office, located in Wakefield.
Chairman Dave Dowling ~ Cedar County
Vice-Chairman Fred Boelter ~ Knox County
Secretary Ron Wenstrand ~ Wayne County
Members Kelly Ballinger ~ Thurston County Joy Bock ~ Dixon County Stan Copple ~ Dakota County
Members At-Large Rodney Garwood Wayne Goeden Rich Higgins Linda Steele
Ex-Officio Members Stuart Clark ~ Treasurer Lisa Salmon ~ Recording Secretary
Providing Innovation, Leadership and ServiceAnnual Report 2007-2008
ESU #1 Advisory CouncilESU #1 is accredited by the Nebraska Department of Education and is assisted by an Advisory Council, which is composed of area administrators who represent both the small and large schools within the service area. The Advisory Council reviews, recommends and supports services offered by ESU #1. Those members currently serving on the Council include: Tom Becker (President) Emerson-Hubbard (Dixon County) Steve Rector (Vice-President) South Sioux City (Dakota County)
Scott Swisher Hartington (Cedar County) Fred Boelter Creighton (Knox County) Joe Sherwood Pender (Thurston County) Bill Heimann Wakefield (Wayne County) Bruce Blanchard Santee (Class II Schools)
Special Education ServicesThe ESU #1 Special Education Department consists of a diverse group of professionals from a variety of backgrounds with a shared commitment to improving the quality of education for students. ESU #1 Special Education staff is comprised of experts in many areas of education who work collaboratively and take initiative to problem solve and build relationships in an ongoing effort to improve student learning.
Program SupervisionThe primary function of the Special Education Director is to recruit qualified personnel to fulfill the requirements of contracting districts in addition to the assignment, supervision and support of staff. A secondary function is to provide consultation to area districts that includes budget assistance, student placement, federal and state mandates and other related issues.
AudiologyThe Audiology Department, consisting of one full-time certified/licensed audiologist, is responsible for screening, identification, referral, follow-up, hearing conservation, equipment management and data collection for comprehensive audiological services. Over 9,239 children participated in the 2007-08 hearing screening, of which approximately 1,323 were identified as having temporary or permanent hearing problems.
ESU #1 BudgetBudgeted Revenue:
General Fund 3,812,000Special Education 4,200,000School Services 660,000State Funds 468,599Federal Funds 1,500,000Property Tax 679,861TOTAL 11,320,460
Budgeted Expenditures:General Fund 3,731,575Special Education 4,225,000Core Service/Infrastructure 878,885State/Federal/Local 2,485,000TOTAL 11,320,460
3
Providing Innovation, Leadership and ServiceAnnual Report 2007-2008
Special Education Services, continued
Speech/LanguageESU #1 Speech/Language Pathologists are responsible for the identification and remediation of children with communication problems. They strive to reduce or eliminate speech/language difficulties that interfere with a child’s ability to communicate and to derive full benefit from their district’s educational programs.
The ESU #1 Speech Department, which includes 18.3 full-time equivalency staff members, evaluated and/or served 655 students ages birth to 21 during the 2007-08 school year. Identified students received direct services and/or consultation in the areas of language, articulation, phonology, apraxia, voice, fluency and literacy readiness and enrichment.
Deaf EducationThe ESU #1 Deaf Education Department has and continues to provide direct and consultative services to students who have a verified hearing loss in an effort to improve their quality of life. In 2007-08, the .85 full-time equivalency staff member served 21 students, ages birth to 21.
School PsychologyThe ESU #1 School Psychology Program provides services in consultation, assessment and intervention to assist educators, parents and other professionals in understanding the learning, social-emotional and behavioral needs of students and in identifying effective strategies to help children be successful learners.
During the 2007-08 school year, 300 students received individual psychological services from 9.4 full-time equivalency staff members. In addition, ESU #1 Psychologists continued their work to implement forward-thinking programs such as Response to Intervention (RtI) and Improving Learning for Children with Disabilities (ILCD).
Providing Innovation, Leadership and ServiceAnnual Report 2007-2008
4
5
Physical and Occupational TherapyThe ESU #1 Physical Therapy Program addresses the areas of gross motor skills, orthopedic concerns, impaired mobility and adaptive equipment/positioning needs that interfere with the student’s educational performance. In 2007-08, the 2.0 full-time equivalency staff members served 53 students.
The ESU #1 Occupational Therapy Program addresses the areas of feeding and self-help skills, fine and visual motor skills, visual processing skills, sensory processing, positioning and adaptive devices or equipment. In 2007-08, the 4.0 full-time equivalency staff members served 298 students.
TransitionThe ESU #1 Transition Program is designed to help students with disabilities acquire the necessary skills and experiences to move into adult living. The Transition Specialist should be an integral part of the transition team, working with special educators, counselors, parents, students, potential employers and adult service providers. During 2007-08, the 1.00 full-time equivalency Transition Specialist made 3,643 personal contacts.
VisionThe ESU #1 Vision Program is designed to meet the individual needs of students with verified visual impairments. The goal is for each student to acquire the attitudes and skills necessary to function more fully as participating members of society. During the 2007-08 school year, one Vision Specialist served 15 students in five districts across four counties.
Providing Innovation, Leadership and ServiceAnnual Report 2007-2008
Special Education Services, continued
Early ChildhoodThe goal of the Early Childhood program is to provide appropriate comprehensive services to all children who are referred, ages birth to five, and are verified as behaviorally disordered, deaf, developmentally
handicapped or children with other health impairments. In 2007-08, 4.7 full-time equivalency Early Childhood teachers worked with other departmental staff to evaluate and/or serve 139 early childhood students.
Early Development NetworkThe Early Development Network strives to help families of children with special needs below age three: understand their child’s disability and
provide assistance in dealing with situations that interfere with the child’s development; find services to meet developmental, educational, financial, health
care, child care, respite care, and other needs; work with multiple providers to make sure services are provided as needed; and become coordinators of services for their own
children in the future.
The Early Development Network, which is comprised of three staff members and one supervisor, evaluated 132 new students, ages birth to three, during the 2007-08 school year.
Tower School Severe and Profoundly Handicapped ProgramThe ESU #1 Tower School S/P Program is designed to meet the educational, emotional, social and physical needs of students placed in the program who have been diagnosed as Mentally Handicapped: Severe/Profound.
During the 2007-08 school year, one certified teacher, along with other itinerant service providers and 10.4 Paraeducators, served 11.32 students from six school districts.
Tower School Behaviorally Disordered ProgramThe goal of the ESU #1 Tower School BD Program is to teach students placed in the program appropriate behavior required to function positively within a traditional academic and social setting.
During the 2007-08 school year, one certified teacher, along with other itinerant service providers and 3.25 Paraeducators, served 7.47 students from ten school districts.
Providing Innovation, Leadership and ServiceAnnual Report 2007-2008
6
7
Core ServicesESU #1 Core Services includes staff development, technology, and instructional media personnel. The primary focus of the Core Service area is to improve student learning through the use of instructional training for teachers, technology training for both staff and students, and the provision of ancillary resources through the media center.
Staff DevelopmentStaff Development is built around areas of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. During the 2007-08 school year, the three member team assisted and supported districts in the following ways: Faciltating Data Retreats; Overviewing the North Central (NCA) School Improvement Process as well as the Nebraska Continuous Improvement Process (CIP); Preparing for External Visits; Curriculum Alignment; Reading Strategies and Interventions; Six-Trait Writing Instruction and Assessment; Writing in the Content Areas; and 21st Century Teaching and Learning.
Technology InfrastructureThe primary goal of the ESU #1 Technology Department is to provide expert advice and consultation. During the 2007-08 school year, Distance Education was a priority for the Technology Department, as all schools in the ESU #1 service area are fully-engaged in the project. Classes, including college courses geared specifically toward high school students, are being sent and received throughout our area and ESU #1’s participation in Network Nebraska is being replicated by others within the state.
Technology TrainingThe ESU #1 Technology Trainer assists students, teachers, support staff and administrators by providing instruction in the areas of technology, technology integration and instructional materials. During 2007-08, ESU #1 piloted a program for online courses with NROC and Hippocampus using Angel Learning Management System. ESU #1 also provided PowerMedia Plus to all ESU #1 students and teachers. PowerMedia Plus includes all media types with 3,300 videos, 23,000 core concept clips, 6,000 audio files, 5,000 printed resources and 25,000 images, photos and illustrations, as well as 15,000 quiz questions and 1,000 pre-made quizzes.
MediaThe ESU #1 Media Center provides instructional materials including educational programs, as well as online streaming, laminating, die cuts, delivery services, binding, CD/DVD duplication and satellite programming to teachers within the ESU #1 area.
Providing Innovation, Leadership and ServiceAnnual Report 2007-2008
Providing Innovation, Leadership and Service211 Tenth Street
Wakefield, NE 68784Phone: (402) 287-2061Fax: (402) 287-2065www.esu1.org
