UCSD #4 Special Education Department Shout Outs...

• We had our annual mentor day/ Disability IN Luncheon on Wednesday this week.  We had 23 students participate with almost twenty employers participating (only about half of them could attend the luncheon though).  That’s the most students and the most employers I think we’ve had since I’ve taken the reins.  I think Disability IN is really moving their services and what they help offer our students in a positive direction.  Bethany Shidler and her board deserve some credit related to how their services are progressing!  Overall I think it was a really positive experience for the students and employers that participated. 

The district spotlight this month shines on Carmen Campos, an advocate for families in the valley and specifically in Mountain View. She helps families new to the area transition into schools and provides essential information for building administrators and counselors. Carmen is often the first point of contact for new families and she takes time away from work to help incoming families complete necessary forms and documentation and to provide translation services, if necessary. Carmen's work helps students get the best start for the school year and her efforts with schools helps teachers welcome incoming students who may have English as a second language enter our classrooms with confidence and pride. Carmen's work helps us help those students who may need some additional support as they enter our schools.

MVHS recognizes our Activities Director, Social Studies Teacher, and Head Football Coach Dustin Rees - for the incredible job he does balancing so many responsibilities at MVHS! Between coordinating all of our fall activities, teaching in the classroom, coaching football, and helping support staff and administration with the day-to-day needs of our school, he truly does it all! What makes his work even more impressive is his commitment to helping our students grow, both in the classroom and on the field. He puts in countless hours behind the scenes to make sure our activities run smoothly, our students have great opportunities, and our staff feel supported. We appreciate his leadership, dedication, and willingness to jump in wherever he is needed. Thank you for all you do for MVHS!

This month's spotlight is for Lori Jensen. Last year Mr. Hamilton nominated Lori Jensen as an outstanding mentor to the WDE and she was recognized at the WDE’s TeacherCon teacher training in Casper this August for her hard work and commitment to the profession with a special Outstanding Mentor Award. For years, Lori has served as a mentor to new special education teachers and she has always taken the assignment very seriously. She's quick to set up a regular meeting schedule with the new teachers and she walks them through every aspect of the job the first year and throughout the year. She works hard to help us develop strong new special education teachers. For over thirty years, Lori has helped teach UCSD #4 students and help so many of them progress through middle school. She has consistently served as a positive role model for students and teachers during this time.

UCSD #4 Special Education Department Shout Outs...

• I'd like to thank a few veteran case managers for keeping the conversation alive about switching to an updated academic assessment. SPED case managers often use the Wood-Cock Johnson (WCJ 4) to assess students academic needs. Last year it was updated and is now the WCJ 5.  Basically all schools will have to switch to using the updated version within a year. Linda Newton, Lisan Jensen and Rhonda Behunin have kept up their research and kept the conversation alive about when we will switch to it. This fall we are buying the licenses to it (much of it is on-line now) and the three of them have agreed to start piloting/ use t with their students and then help other casemanagers as others begin to learn how to use the new assessment. They are leading the way!

MVHS gives a huge shoutout to our amazing Student Council Advisor, Kolby Christopher, for all of her hard work in making Homecoming Week such a success! From organizing activities and coordinating events to making sure all the little details came together, she went above and beyond to create a fun and memorable week for our students and staff. Homecoming takes a tremendous amount of time, planning, and energy behind the scenes, and we appreciate everything she does to build school spirit and create opportunities for our students to make lasting memories. Thank you for all you do to make MVHS a great place to be!

This month, the district spotlight shines on Kirsten Bird, who took an amazing group of young people to Washington D.C. for the FCCLA National Conference. She, along with some student participants, were present at this month's school board meeting to talk about their experience in our nation’s capital for that event.

UCSD #4 Special Education Department Shout Outs...

• Special thanks to the teachers that took time out of their summer to attend the WDE/ PLA 307 Teachercon Conference in Casper on August 3rd and 4th! All of our new special education teachers - Bethany Harbour, Kamryn Jenkins and Jolee Barker- attended and participated in the special education teacher track. HS English teacher Amanda Tinker also attended. It was a great opportunity for them all to do a little team building while getting some new ideas and info to kick their school year off with. Their willingness to participate in this event, I believe, speaks to their commitment to ensuring the provision of high quality education for our students. I'm very excited to have our new teachers on board and kicking off their year like this. They're going to be great teachers!

• During the conference our very own Lori Jensen was awarded the WDE Outstanding Mentor Teacher Award. The new UW President was there to hand them out in front of an audiend of 300 plus Wyo teachers and administrators. Unfortunately Lori had committed to travel prior to learning about the award and was unable to be there to accept it. Our crew accepted it for her though and we'll be presenting it to her later this month. Lori has formally and informally mentored teachers in the district since I've been here and likely for a many years prior as well. She takes this duty very seriously and she does an excellent job with it. Some of our finest SPED teachers have been trained up by Lori. She most definitely has earned this recognition! We are very proud of her. Great work, Lori Jensen! Thankyou!

• Once more I find myself thanking both Lucy Lyman and Matt Clark for being willing to change schedules and take on different responsibilities to help our newest EL student. This time it's at the kindergarten level - a new one for our district I'm told. Their willingness to help meet with the guardians and serve as interpreters is very helpful. As we work to screen/assess and develop an EL plan for the student, both of them will help and collaberate with teachers to this make a difference for the student. Thank you, Matt Clark and Lucy Lyman, for your time, willingness, effort and flexibility in helping us with students and families with EL needs!

July’s Spotlight is a recognition of Jesse Hawk and his Art Underground students and their recent return from an Art History Intensive trip to Europe. I appreciate Mr. Hawk providing this opportunity to students and also being thoughtful on fundraising opportunities. This is a unique opportunity that he provided to the students and I appreciate him taking on the challenge of coordinating this for the students.