Member Newsletter
October 2015 
 
Are you considering PBIS in your schools? Join us on December 1st from 9:30am - 11:30am in Marshall.  Applications for Cohort 12 PBIS Implementation Schools will be coming out in October!  This information session will be held for schools who are interested in applying for Cohort 12 PBIS Implementation Grant.  This information session will include an overview of PBIS, the parameters of the grant,including school expectations and grant expectations, and assistance in filling
out the grant application.  If you are interested in attending please contact Dawn Christensen at dawn.christensen@swsc.org If you have any questions regarding PBIS, please contact Bob Braun at
 
Rent It Before You Buy It!  Coming soon from Cooperative Purchasing... Double Robotics! A Double telepresence robot gives you a physical presence at work or school when you can't be there in-person.  Double can be used in many ways,including building hybrid classrooms with both online and in-person students and showcasing innovative technology. It can bring the learning environment of a classroom to a homebound or hospitalized student.  Be watching for more information!

Standards Based Grading: SWWC will be hosting a professional development series around Standards-Based Grading. The series will be divided into two tracks. Track 1 will be for districts just beginning the process or thinking about starting the process of changing from a traditional grading system, to Standards-Based Grading. Two days of professional development are currently planned for districts interested in Track 1.  The first day will be on November 18, at the Maynard Event Center. The second day will be offered on March 2, with the location to be determined. Track 2 will be geared towards districts that have begun the change to Standards-Based Grading, and perhaps have several grade levels and/or content areas that they are currently implementing, but need to continue the work, with support. One day will be offered this year, with the possibility of a follow up date in late Spring of 2016. This professional development day will be held on January 20, 2016,  with the location to be determined. The plan is to continue both Tracks into the 2016-17 school year and beyond.The 2015-16 professional development days will be facilitated by Matt Townsley and Nathan Wear from Solon Community School District. Matt and Nathan have led this systematic work not only at their district in Iowa, but in other districts as well. They have been asked to speak at several national conferences to share their experience and expertise. The 2015-16 days are intended for administrators and/or Leadership Teams. School Board members are welcome as well. If you are wondering who to register to attend, think about who will be leading this work back and your district. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Gregoire, Director of Teaching and Learning at 507-537-2294 or lisa.gregoire@swsc.org. 
Administrative Updates

Recent injury reporting changes made by federal OSHA are now in effect in Minnesota
MN OSHA adopted the new federal OSHA injury reporting requirements, which will change the types of injuries that must be reported to Minnesota OSHA. These requirements went into effect October 1, 2015.
The list of injuries that must be reported now includes:
   - All work-related fatalities
  - All work-related inpatient hospitalizations of one or more employees
     (changed from three or more employees)
   - All work-related amputations
   - All work-related loss of an eye
 
All employers, regardless of OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping exemptions, must report these injuries to OSHA. Work-related fatalities must be reported within 8 hours, while any hospitalization of an employee, an amputation, or eye-loss injury must be reported within 24 hours of learning about the incident.  These injuries can be reported by calling the Minnesota OSHA office during normal business hours at 651-284-5050 or (800) 321-OSHA (6742) any time. Although federal OSHA adopted a new list of industries that are not required to maintain the injury and illness reports (OSHA 300 logs), MN OSHA has not and will not adopt these exemptions. In Minnesota, all employers with more than 10 employees must maintain an OSHA 300 log. For questions please contact Christine at 507-537-2262 or  christine.schmitt@swsc.org

Save the Dates
March 13-14 -- This is IT2 2016 Technology Conference in Redwood Falls
April 13 -- Annual School Business Staff Conference in Marshall 
Education Updates
 
Alternative Schools Update:  As of today, all of our alternative learning programs have openings for students.  Contact Tish with questions at tish.kalla@swsc.org.  
 
K-12 Physical Education & Health Educators Workshop:  Join us on November 11th from 9am - 2pm at SWWC Marshall for a day designed especially for K-12 PE & Health Educators.  Learn about and share strategies/resources to meet the new PE and Health Standards, to integrate technology, to promote active classrooms and have time to network with their job-alike colleagues and learn about state and national PE/Health organizations. Presenters: Samantha Nelson, Willmar Public Schools, Lisa Gregoire & Christy Hemp, SWWC.  Register here. 

Junior High Knowledge Bowl Registration Deadline: November 17. Contact Gail at gail.polejewski@swsc.org with any questions. More information can be found at www.swsc.org/KB. 
 
Upcoming Student Activities  Find more info on these events at www.swsc.org/studentactivities  
Encourage the Love of Writing! Do you know students who are talented story tellers or love to read books? Get them involved in the 12th Annual Creative Writing Contest. This contest is open to students in grades 3-12. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to use their imaginations to generate creative fiction and nonfiction stories and poems. Use this as a classroom project or encourage students to enter on their own. Contest rules and guidelines must be followed for a chance to be one of the top three place winners. The top place winners will be invited to an Awards Ceremony in April. The submission deadline is January 15, 2016, so students will have plenty of time over holiday breaks to use their imagination to create incredible writings.  
 
Meet an Author or Illustrator! Encourage your school to meet a true author and/or illustrator during the 2016 Author & Illustrator Program. The SWWC Student Activities Department has lined up two great presenters: Carrie Harman and Blake Hoena. Presenters will walk through their journey of how they create ideas for books and illustrations; explain what it takes to be an author or an illustrator and show the end result; getting kids excited about writing. Register your school to give K-6 elementary students an opportunity to use their imaginations to start creating their own book.

SWWC presents the 24th Annual Conference for Young Writers for students in grades 3-8 on January 6, 2016. This year's keynote speaker, Ryan Jacobson, was born in Redwood Falls and grew up in Pipestone. He has been an author for more than 10 years and he prides himself on writing high-interest books for all ages. He has high energy and is a lot of fun; your students will love him.  Encourage students to write about fiction, fantasy, truth, personal adventures, poetry, building characters and much more. There is more to writing than just a piece of paper and a pen, come and learn inspiring ways to write about monsters, like a cowboy, how to hook an audience or write a comic book, write like a reporter and more. See the brochure, sessions and registration sheet at www.swsc.org/studentactivities.

Upcoming Special Education Workshops
 



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