Special Education and Student Services Newsletter on March 2

1. Prayers and Best Wishes
There are several staff whose children are struggling with health and medical issues.  On behalf of myself and our Special Education and Student Services Department - I would like to wish their child, them and their families all of our prayers and best wishes for upcoming successful surgeries and full recoveries. 

2. Child Development Day
Child Development Day will be held on Thursday March 8 from 8:00 to 6:30 pm. We hold developmental screenings for children ages 2 to 4 years of age, Pre-Kindergarten registration for 12-13, and Kindergarten registration for 12-13. Set up for CDD will be Wednesday March 7 from 3:20 to 4:15 for anyone who can help.

3. School Shootings
I recieved the information below from CESA 10 in regards to the recent school shootings in Ohio and situation in Sparta, Wisconsin. 

In light of the tragedy this week in Chardon, Ohio, SAMHSA has sent out this resource. SAMHSA also has evidence based practices on their site. http://blog.samhsa.gov/2012/02/29/copingwithtragedy/

This school shooting, coupled with the information about a student in Sparta, Wisconsin who had a list of students he wanted to harm due to alleged bullying he had endured, has many adults on edge. Those of you in schools know how bullying affects our students. While I don’t think we should use these situations to advance our cause, it does seem ill advised for our government to continue defunding Safe and Drug Free Schools. Let your elected officials know now is not the time ignore school safety. We need to advocate for our students and our schools.

Carol Zabel: AODA, GT and School Counseling Consultant

4. Student Services Team
The Medford Area Public School District maintains a Student Services Team to help provide safety, psychological, counseling, mental health, nursing, and other resources.

Our team:
* Joseph Greget: Director of Student Services/Special Education
* Donald Everhard: Associate Elementary Supervisor and School Safety/Crisis Plan Coordinator. He is also a licensed social worker, guidance counselor, and police officer
* Rich Burghaus - Police Liaison
* Jessica Martin - MAMS/MASH Dual Licensed School Psychologist/Guidance Counselor
* Barb Krenz - MAES/SES School Psychologist
* Jill Koenig - School Nurse
* Marjorie Marksteiner - Mental Health Counselor
* Louann Stanton - High School Counselor
* Terry Lybert - High School Counselor
* Jackie Strick - Middle School Counselor
* Jan Farmer - Middle School Dual Licensed Guidance Counselor/Special Education Teacher
* Sue Eloranta - Elementary Counselor
* Richelle Woller - PBIS Internal Coach/Special Education Teacher

5. Early Childhood Student Teaching
Megan Budgreau will be completing her pre-student teaching through the University of Wisconsin Stout at MAES.  The dates Megan will be here are: March 2, March 16, April 13, and April 27.  She will be here from 7:45 to 3:30.  Megan will work under Amber Fettes and Tasha Daniels. There will also be time and lessons taught in a Kindergarten classroom. Megan can be contacted at the following email address if needed: budreaum@my.uwstout.edu

6. Special Education Student Teaching
Kellie Keene will be starting her special education student teaching on March 5. Her schedule will include: 1st hour - Wilson Reading with Kathy Schumacher. 2nd hour - History with Paul Boettcher. 3rd Hour - Inclusion support with Roger Poulter. 4th Hour - Math with Nathan Bluhm. 5th Hour - Western Civ with Nathan Bluhm.  6th to 8th hour at Alternative HS.

7. Facebook and Other Social Media Class
We have 16 school, community, and business people signed up for our Facebook and Other Social Media Class.  This will take place on Monday March 5 from 4:00 to 5:30 in the MASH PC Lab. 

8. March Building Special Education meetings
March 6 = MAES (review best practices in writing IEPs)
March 13 = MAMS (review scheduling for 12-13)
March 20 = MASH (review reading/math programs and scheduling for 12-13)

9. Speech Language
Eliza Decker will be returning to her normal schedule on Tuesday March 6th.  I would like to thank Mark Arndt for filling her position during the interim.  Mark's last day will be Monday.

10. LTS School Psychologist
We were not able to find a long term substitute school psychologist for MAMS/MASH School Psychologist Jessica Martin.  I will be fulfilling those responsibilities in her absence.  As such it might be better to reach me at her extension 226 at MAMS or calling/texting my cell phone 715-560-0171.  I still don't have the hours set up specifically when I will be at MAMS vs. DO. Majority of time will be at MAMS. I will be starting to test students during and after-school starting March 5th. 

Best wishes to Jessica Martin and her daughter for a safe birth.

11. Taylor County Interagency Communications Committee on March 15
This is our annual meeting of county wide judicial, district attorney, police/sheriff, school district, human services, student services and county wide professionals. Here is the agenda:

* Wisconsin Act 309 update - Bullying, School Safety Plans, School Safety Drills, and Sharing Information Across Systems - presentation by Steve Fernan from DPI

* Carrying Concealed Weapons Law in Schools - presentation by Donald Everhard

* Cyberbullying/social networking/bullying & girls and legal implications

* Mandatory Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting training

* Truancy

* Round table updates

12. Taylor County Early Childhood Sub-Committee
Friday March 16 from 1:30 to 3:30 at the D.O. We will be discussing Week of the Young Child

13. Federal Funding Conference
Jeff Albers, Laura Lundy, and I attended the Wisconsin Federal Funding Conference.  Handouts from the conference are available on flashdrive if you are interested in seeing any of them.  We learned more about: IDEA Funding and School Wide Title I Services, Maintenance of Effort, IDEA, Title I, High Cost Special Education Aid, Categorical Aid, Coordinated Early Intervening Services, and more.

14. Expert 21 Curriculum
I will be looking at scheduling a training on the Expert 21 curriculum during summer 2012. Expert 21 is our curriculum at MASH which is used for students once they exit out from Read 180.