ESU #1 Agency Improvement ProcessAnd Upcoming Quality Assurance Review (QAR) Visit

Special Edition Staff NewsletterOctober 2011

ESU EDUCATORTHE

Providing Innovation, Leadership and Service

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Our Championship GameE S U # 1 A d v a n c E D V i s i t :

Anyone who has ever played sports or been a part of a team might identify our upcoming AdvancED Visit as ESU #1’s championship game. You often hear the coaches of winning teams recognizing that in order to be champions, the team as a whole must buy into and participate in the process of improving their game every single day.

Our ESU #1 staff members have definitely worked to follow that same model, seeking improvement every day, year after year. Each of you have in some way been involved in the AdvancED process in preparation for our upcoming accreditation visit next week. Hours of planning, meeting, organizing, and working on various aspects of improvement have gone into making ESU #1 an agency on the cutting edge of the education field. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your hard work and share with you how pleased I am to be working with such an outstanding group of educators.

As we make final preparations for this QAR visit, I want to assure you that you shouldn’t feel worried or nervous about having a team examining our work. Together through these last few years, we have all been completing the heavy lifting as we worked on our agency improvement process and as we ultimately began preparations for this championship game, our accreditation review. Now is the time to look forward to the visit and to share your story with the team. Our AdvancED team is an outstanding group of educators from Nebraska and across the United States. Together they will be reviewing not only our agency and how we operate, but what has been taking place at our Unit over the last few years as we have worked on agency improvement. I would ask that you please make the team feel welcome and I encourage you to share your part of the ESU #1 story if you have a chance to visit with them.

And think of this special issue of our staff newsletter as the ESU #1 version of the Tunnel Walk at a Huskers game. We should all be excited about this visit and the opportunity to take ESU #1 to its highest level as a service agency. Staff, you have prepared exceptionally well. Be confident and enjoy the AdvancED visit!

By: Dr. Bob Uhing, ESU #1 Administrator

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The Quality Assurance ReviewEvery five years ESU #1 participates in an accreditation review to meet the requirements of the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE). This year, ESU #1 is conducting a Quality Assurance Review (QAR) in tandem with NDE’s accreditation review. AdvancED, an international accrediting agency, utilizes the QAR for their accreditation process.

The Quality Assurance Review focuses on three processes: interviews, artifacts, and observations. Throughout the three-day QAR visit, team members will be conducting interviews, examining artifacts, and making observations, looking for evidence to support the Standard Assessment Report (SAR). After careful deliberation, the team will make an accreditation recommendation, prepare a detailed report for ESU #1, AdvancED, and NDE, and share their preliminary findings during their Oral Exit Review on Wednesday morning, October 19th.

ESU #8 will also be participating in this process, hosting their own QAR team visit at the same time as our visit. Although ESU #1 and ESU #8 collaborate on a variety of projects, including agency improvement, both agencies will be conducting separate QAR reviews. One session, attended by both QAR teams, will be held jointly on Monday, October 17th, but after its conclusion, the QAR teams will separate and continue working with their respective ESUs.

E S U # 1 A d v a n c E D V i s i t :

Sunday, October 16th - Divots Events Center, NorfolkThe QAR team arrives and are welcomed with an orientation and a chance to get acquainted over dinner. A general agency overview will also be presented to the team and they will have a chance to visit with Administrator Bob Uhing and SPED Director Stuart Clark.

Monday, October 17th - ESU #1 Central Office, WakefieldAfter a brief joint meeting with both ESU #1 and ESU #8 where agency collaboration is highlighted, the ESU #1 QAR team will travel to the Central Office, where they will have the opportunity to interview a number of ESU #1 employees. Interviews are scheduled with the Administration Team, Leadership Team, SPED Coordinators, Technology Coordinator and Staff Development Team, Superintendent Advisory Council, Support Personnel, NDE Staff, and Board Members. The QAR team will then travel back to Divots Events Center, where they will continue their working session.

Tuesday, October 18th - School Districts and Program VisitsThe QAR team will be given the opportunity to visit several of the school districts in the ESU #1 service area where they will speak with school staff and ESU employees serving those districts. The team will be broken into three groups and each group is scheduled to visit different schools. Visits will be made to Tower School, Pender Public School, Randolph Public School, Wayne Public Schools, Walthill Public Schools, Wausa Public School, Wayne State College, ESU #1 Central Office, Creighton Public School, Wakefield Preschool, and Winside Public Schools. A conference call will also be made to South Sioux City Public Schools. Upon the conclusion of these visits, the team will return to Divots Events Center for their continued working sessions.

Wednesday, October 19th - ESU #1 Central Office, WakefieldOn the final day of their visit, the QAR team will travel to the Central Office to conduct follow-up interviews to verify standards and quality assurance practices. At this time they will conduct any final review of the artifact documents and the Lead Evaluator will have an opportunity to visit with Administrator Bob Uhing. After a final working session, the team will present their Oral Exit Report, during which everyone is invited to attend. This will conclude their visit and the team will make their departure.

The Schedule of Events

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Claudia CoughranClaudia Coughran is serving as the Lead Evaluator for the Educational Service Unit #1 AdvancED accreditation visit. She has served on six visits over the past year and has worked with AdvancED in all parts of the country. Her areas of expertise include education reform at the school, district and regional levels, preK-adult literacy, working with children living in poverty and/or English language learners, and addressing the unique needs of small rural school systems.

Ms. Coughran has worked in public education for over 20 years as an elementary and high school teacher, K-12 District Literacy Specialist, County Curriculum Coordinator for Small Rural Districts, and County Director for Curriculum/Instruction before becoming an independent Educational Consultant. She is a member of Phi Delta Kappa, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the National Staff Development Council, and the International Reading Association.

Ms. Coughran holds certifications to teach PreK-Adults in Multiple Subjects, a Language Development Specialist Certificate, and an Administrative Services Credential in the state of California as well as a Bachelors of Arts in Speech Communication from California State University, Fullerton and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Chapman University. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Organizations and Leadership from the University of San Francisco. Claudia lives in the San Luis Obispo area on the central coast of California with her husband and dog. Their adult son lives in Oregon.

Suzanne WhislerSuzanne Whisler is serving as the Vice-Chair for the Educational Service Unit #1 AdvancED accreditation visit.

Suzanne is a Professional Development Coordinator with Educational Service Unit #4 in southeast Nebraska. She has 28 years of experience in education working as an elementary teacher, High Ability Learner Coordinator, and in her current position as a Professional Development Coordinator.

Suzanne received her Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education and her Masters of Arts in Education from Peru State College. In addition, she received an Assessment Endorsement from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Suzanne has served on several school improvement teams and has chaired AdvancEd QAR visits for Nebraska schools as well.

Meet the ESU #1 QAR TeamKris L. ElmshaeuserKris Elmshaeuser has served as the Director of Special Education at ESU #16 for the past 11 years.

Kris graduated from Concordia College in Seward, Nebraska, in May 1982 with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. In May 1991, she received her Learning Handicap Credential and Resource Specialist Certificate from the University of California-Riverside. In May 2002, she received her Masters in Special Education Administration from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. And in 2008, she received her Education Specialist in School Superintendency from the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

Kris has worked as an elementary teacher and special education teacher in Missouri, California, Wyoming, and Nebraska. She is currently a member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the Council of Administrator for Special Education (CASE), the Nebraska Association of Special Education Supervisors (NASES), and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA). She served on the Executive Board for NCSA from 2006-2009 and was the President of the NASES organization 2007-2008.

Kris and her husband have lived in Ogallala, Nebraska, for the past 17 years and have four sons.

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Dianne LitzenburgerDianne Litzenburger, Director of Communication Services at Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District in Michigan for the past 11 years, has almost 30 years experience in journalism and marketing. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.

Among her careers, Dianne has been a newspaper journalist, marketer, strategic planner, and has done numerous trainings on crisis communications, media relations, customer service, strategic planning and school improvement, among others.

Community involvement is a big part of Dianne’s life. She has served as a mentor with Leadership Little Traverse (obtaining the first Mentor of the Year Award in 2006); mentored Petoskey High School seniors through the Rotary Club of Petoskey STRIVE program; she is a past President of the Rotary Club of Petoskey; serves on the Little Traverse Conservancy Board and is past chair of that organization; has volunteered with the Women’s Resource Center on numerous projects and served on the board; is past president of the Michigan School Public Relations Association; and currently serves on several national school PR committees.

Matt BlomstedtMatt Blomstedt serves as the Executive Director of the Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council (ESUCC).

In this capacity Matt works with all 17 of Nebraska's ESUs and oversees each of the ESU Coordinating Council statewide projects. Additionally, Matt directs the ESUCC's governmental relations in working with state government, including the Nebraska Legislature and the Nebraska Department of Education.

Matt was hired by the ESUCC in December of 2008. Previously he had worked as a research analyst for the Education Committee of the Nebraska Legislature as the Executive Director of the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association, and in several consultant roles and education policy roles throughout his career.

Matt has a Masters of Community and Regional Planning degree and is working to complete his PhD in Educational Administration at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Matt and his family live in Central City, Nebraska.

Kristine K. MorrisMs. Kristine Morris, Chief Deputy Superintendent for the Maricopa County Education Service Agency in Arizona since May 2009, has spent her entire career teaching in and providing leadership for public schools throughout Maricopa County. As Chief Deputy Superintendent, Ms. Morris provides collaborative leadership in the development of the agency into a nationally recognized Educational Service Agency known for quality innovations in teaching, learning, and leadership for the fifth largest county in the Nation.

As a former teacher, principal, and district office administrator, Ms. Morris has a broad range of educational experiences that guide the day-to-day operations of her agency. Her leadership, integrity, and student focus, along with her delivery of high-quality professional development, teacher evaluation, and use of data for school improvement help to define the office as a high-quality service agency meeting the needs of students and educators across the county.

Ms. Morris demonstrates excellence in serving students and families from pre-school through high school in highly diverse districts from low to high socio-economic status. This broad range of experience affords her a unique perspective on the variety of needs facing a diverse county.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in Education, Science and is a Doctoral Candidate at Arizona State University, and earned her Master of Education in Educational Leadership from NAU. Ms. Morris is a second generation Arizona native who lives in Tempe with her husband David.

Meet the ESU #1 QAR TeamLead Evaluator Claudia Coughran

The Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Often, there are many questions posed by ESU personnel regarding Agency Improvement. Answered here are several frequently asked questions about the continuous improvement process.

What does AdvancED accreditation mean for the ESU? AdvancED is national accreditation, something very few ESUs across the nation have achieved. National accreditation brings universal recognition to the ESU standards we have achieved. In Nebraska, currently there are only two ESUs that are AdvancED accredited - ESU #4 and ESU #6. After the ESU #1 QAR visit, we hope to have joined the ranks of our counterparts. Once achieved, we will promote our accreditation through various ESU #1 avenues - website, logos, print media, etc.

When the QAR visit is over and we have achieved accreditation, what happens next?As an agency, we will continue to work on continuous improvement. The process doesn’t stop - it just keeps going. We won’t miss a beat!

• The Agency Improvement team will continue to meet monthly, facilitating the activities of the continuous improvement process.

• The Staff Developers will co-facilitate with department team leaders, analyzing department data, determining department goals, and developing action plans to meet those goals.

• All Staff Day activities will continue to include Agency Improvement efforts.

• Additional activities yet to be determined may also be established.

What can I do to support Agency Improvement?Every ESU employee plays a role in continuous improvement. Setting professional goals as a department and working to achieve them is each person’s responsibility. Many employees set individual professional goals that support the department goals. This is critical for continued improvement.

In addition, each ESU employee can assume leadership within the agency to best support continuous improvement efforts. This might be to serve as a committee member or as committee chair. Often, it simply means striving to improve as an instructional leader.

For more information about accreditation, what it is, how it is done, and why it matters, we encourage you to visit the AdvancED website at: www.advanc-ed.org

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Artifact Documentation One of the preparations made for the upcoming QAR visit was the gathering and organization of artifact documents. In order for the team to review our agency and the work we produce, it was necessary to gather various forms of documentation to give them a glimpse into our day-to-day operation.

Together the Agency Improvement Team reviewed the requirements of the standards and brainstormed documentation that might demonstrate the agency’s work as applied to each of the seven standards. Using a shared dropbox folder, team members uploaded countless files, pictures, and documents.

Next came the daunting task of organizing the documents according to category and determining which standard(s) they applied to. Files were renamed, folders were created and moved, documents were categorized and arranged.

Once organization efforts were completed, the files were burned to USB drives and then mailed to each of the six QAR team members for their review.

The types of documentation selected were varied in an effort to accurately represent the many different kinds of programs and services offered by ESU #1. The artifact documentation included a profile, flyers, newsletters and various publications, meeting minutes and agendas, photographs of All Staff Day activities, videos, the Standards Assessment Report (SAR), vision and mission documentation, maps, charts, data analysis, grants, policies, and many many more!

In total, the artifact documents numbered just under 4,500. While this is certainly not a comprehensive set of documents, it is a representative collection that helps portray the many different projects and tasks regularly completed by ESU #1 staff.

The seven AdvancED Accreditation Standards are:Vision and Purpose – The institution or educational system establishes and communicates a shared purpose and direction for improving the performance of students and the effectiveness of the school/system.

Governance and Leadership – The institution or educational system provides governance and leadership that promote student performance and school/system effectiveness.

Teaching and Learning – The institution or educational system provides research-based curriculum and instructional methods that facilitate achievement for all students.

Documenting and Using Results – The institution or educational system enacts a comprehensive assessment system that monitors and documents performance and uses these results to improve student performance and school effectiveness.

Resources and Support Systems – The institution or educational system has the resources and services necessary to support its vision and purpose and to ensure achievement for all students.

Stakeholder Communications and Relationships – The institution or educational system fosters effective communications and relationships with and among its stakeholders.

Commitment to Continuous Improvement – The institution or educational system establishes, implements and monitors a continuous process of improvement that focuses on student performance.

AdvancED ESA accreditation is a systems approach to embed and sustain improvement. The AdvancED Accreditation of ESAs is based on a national protocol and:

• Provides a research-based national protocol for education service providers committed to systemic, systematic, and sustainable continuous improvement

• Builds the capacity of the agency and its client districts to increase student learning• Stimulates, supports and examines how all elements of a system work in harmony• Ensures all people, processes, departments and operations of the agency work in concert

(focused, aligned, connected)• Strengthens efforts to provide accountability to clients• Encourages growth beyond compliance to achieve excellence• Promotes continuous, not episodic, improvement

To learn more about AdvancED accreditation for an ESA, visit: www.advanc-ed.org

AdvancED Accreditation for Education Service Agencies

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Agency Self Assessment

SummaryIn preparation for the upcoming QAR visit, the Agency Improvement Team was directed to complete a Standards Assessment Report (SAR). This extensive report, which totaled 49 pages upon completion, included a summary of services provided by ESU #1, as well as a self assessment of our agency and how ESU #1 is working on each of the seven AdvancED standards.

To conclude the SAR, four focus questions were addressed to help summarize the report and the agency’s self assessment. Agency trends, themes, or areas of focus were identified and included the continual review and update of agency and department goals,  collection  and  analysis  of  various  data  sources,  seeking  feedback  to  improve  on  services  provided,  maintaining  and  improving  stakeholder  relationships,  collaboration  with  other  agencies,  and  collaboration  between  and  among  departments  by  ESU  #1  staff  members.

The  exceptional  ESU  #1  staff,  as  well  as  collaboration  and  a  general  willingness  of  employees,  at  all  levels,  to  work  together  to  enhance  the  services  provided  to  school  districts  were  identiAied  as  agency  strengths.    An  additional  strength  noted  was  a  focus  on  the  agency  mission  and  vision  statements  and  their  use  in  guiding  decision-­‐making  efforts.    Challenges  identiAied  included  maintaining  quality  services  in  light  of  economic  and  other  issues  outside  of  the  ESU’s  control,  as  well  as  communication  both  internally  and  externally,  and  difAiculty  establishing  a  direct  connection  between  ESU  #1  services  and  increased  student  achievement.    

This self assessment provided an opportunity for the administration and staff to reflect on our agency and celebrate areas of strength and acknowledge areas of challenge. Challenges identified through both the SAR and the accreditation visit will be used to focus agency improvement efforts, directing future data analysis, goal setting, and action planning. Throughout this process, ESU #1 will be better equipped to sustain, enhance, and improve the quality of services provided to our stakeholders.

If you would like to view the Standards Assessment Report (SAR) in its entirety, please

contact Sarah at the Central Office.

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The Oral Exit Reviewand Beyond...

Leaving ESU #1 with direction for the future is the goal of the Quality Assurance Review (QAR) team’s Oral Exit Review. On the final day of the visit, Wednesday, October 19th, the Chair of the team will deliver the Oral Exit Review. The Oral Exit Review is a preview of the recommendation for accreditation that the team will provide to AdvancED, as well as a preview of the detailed report developed from the visit. The report will arrive within approximately four to six weeks.

During the Oral Exit Review, the Chair will share five essential items. First, an overview of AdvancED will be given, as well as an explanation on what it means to be AdvancED accredited. Second, a summary will be presented of the commendations the team identifies. The commendations focus on what we are doing “right” and offers kudos for these processes. The third item shared will be the required actions. Required actions are just that — the action steps ESU #1 will need to take in the next two years to meet the expectations of AdvancED. Every QAR visit results in commendations and required actions. Fourth, there will be a recommendation for accreditation and finally, a thank you to the ESU for their hospitality.

As an agency, we will analyze the required actions carefully, and develop a process for accomplishing them. Within two years, we will complete the

Accreditation Progress Report (APR), highlighting our progress towards meeting the required actions.

Any employee that is at the Central Office during the Oral Exit Review, which is scheduled to be held at 11:00 am, is

welcome to participate. This is a wonderful opportunity to interact with the team, celebrate

our accomplishments as an agency, and explore next steps for the future.

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By: Stuart Clark, ESU #1 Director of Special Education

We are in the midst of major changes to education in Nebraska. As our schools struggle with shrinking revenue streams and declining enrollment, the state and federal governments are imposing greater demands and expectations. ESUs were created to help districts meet their statutory responsibilities in the most cost effective manner possible. While we have met this mandate admirably for decades at ESU #1, today we are being asked to respond in ways never before imagined.

Despite the challenges and changes, we can be encouraged that we are rising to the occasion. This month, ESU #1 is going through the final steps of obtaining international accreditation through AdvancED. Receiving this highest standard of quality will help assure that our Unit remains viable in the eyes of legislators as well as showing our schools that we pursue excellence on their behalf. The Quality Assurance Review (QAR) external team visit will provide us with the feedback we need to further the continuous improvement process that's been implemented over the past several years. AdvancED accreditation will result in more than just a a certificate to hang on our wall or website, for it has already focused and coordinated the efforts of nearly 100 individuals and given us a roadmap for the future.

Another reason for hope is the way our Unit has responded to education's shift to data-based decision-making. ESU #1 has taken the lead in Nebraska by helping provide the tools our districts need to improve student achievement. MAP and AIMSweb allow districts to measure student performance against national norms throughout the year. The nature of the instruments also informs instructional decision-making in real time so students that would otherwise fall through the gaps can receive interventions to get them on track to achieve with their peers. The result is a framework under which our schools have the information they need to improve student achievement scores and better meet the individual learning needs of the diverse student populations they serve.

Change is difficult. Change is stressful. Most of us would not elect to make major changes unless forced to. But change is upon us and the data is clear that there are problems in education that must be addressed. The discomfort that we're experiencing in the midst of change is tempered by opportunities it provides. It has never been more essential for ESU #1 to live up to our motto of Providing Innovation, Leadership, and Service. We are in a unique position to have incredible impact on the lives and learning of children in our area. That is both our passion and our calling. It drives us and guides us. We can take comfort knowing the stress of today helps result in better outcomes for schools and students. Our focus on data allows us to measure that growth. Changes will continue to impact education in Northeast Nebraska and ESU #1 staff must be there to serve as the innovative leaders our schools need. I am thankful for the expert services we provide and encouraged by the professionalism and concern for individuals with which we do it.

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Educational Service Unit #1211 Tenth Street

Wakefield, NE 68784Phone: (402) 287-2061

Fax: (402) 287-2065www.esu1.org

Vision:ESU #1 will model excellence by helping schools

increase educators’ effectiveness and studentlearning as a result of expert services.