MRVED Business

Call for MELT Presentations & Session Ideas

The MRVED is once again looking for people to present at the annual MELT conference in January.  The 2014 installment of the MELT will be held at Lac Qui Parle Valley High School on January 20.  This is a great day to showcase some of the great things you are doing in your classrooms.  Presenters will be paid a small stipend for their efforts.  If you are interested in providing a session, please click on the link below and fill out the form.  Filling out the form does not guarantee or bind you to providing a session.  If you don't want to present, but have great ideas for possible sessions, please click on the correct link below to provide the MRVED with your suggestions.

If you are willing to present and provide a session click HERE

If you do not want to present, but have ideas for sessions, click HERE

TAC Meeting Update
The Teacher Advisory Council met on Tuesday, September 24 for their first meeting of the year.  The morning was spent doing a "big picture" activity and evaluating where our districts are with certain initiatives.  There was great educational conversation around each one of the initiatives.  The afternoon was spent brainstorming possible MELT sessions.  Overall it was a great day with awesome conversation!

Meet the MRVED- Pam Bruns

Pam is an office assistant for the MRVED and ALC offices.  She returned to MRVED in 2004 following a 13 year retirement to be home with her children. Pam maintains the Independent Study program records for MRVED/Montevideo Valley Area Learning Center, and the Adult Basic Education records for our region.  Pam and her husband Gary have two children Molli, a senior at Minnesota State Mankato and Derek, freshman at University of St. Thomas, St. Paul.  She enjoys time at Lake Florida with family and friends, playing a little golf and reading. Pam is an active member at Trinity Lutheran Church with Worship Team and the annual Trinity Drive-In committee.

MRVED Business

Week Ahead
We will have a busy week at the MRVED next week as the Teacher Advisory Council will be in on Tuesday, the Superintendents on Wednesday, and agriculture instructors will be touring K&M Manufacturing on Thursday.  Please be sure to check the MRVED calendar for all the meeting dates this upcoming school year. We look forward to working with all of you.

Meet the MRVED

Meet Mary Brown. Mary is the Administrative Assistant for the MRVED. She is originally from the Iron Range, spent several years in the Twin Cities area, and moved to Montevideo in 1992. She joined the MRVED in 1993 and has seen many changes over the years. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Northern Michigan University and in a former life worked as a probation officer (who knew???). She and her husband have a daughter, Lana, who is an athletic trainer in northern Minnesota, and a son, Matthew, who owns Prairieland Builders in Montevideo and is married with two “beautiful” daughters with a third baby on the way. Mary enjoys playing with her grandbabies, cooking, baking bread, and spending time 320 miles north at their cabin on Lake Vermilion.

MRVED Business

MRVED Email Change
The MRVED has changed email addresses, please update your email address book to reflect the change.

Mary:  mbrown@mrved.net

Karen: kjacobson@mrved.net

Brandon: braymo@mrved.net

Pam: pbruns@mrved.net







ECFE Meeting Update
The Early Childhood educators gathered at the MRVED on August 8 for their annual best practice meeting.  The day started with a phone conference with the Minnesota Department of Education about the new Parent Aware 4 Star Rating program as well as the Early Childhood Scholarships available.  Next, the group split into educators, parent educators, and coordinators to network.  There was some great discussion in both groups, and all walked out with some ideas that can be used in their classroom.  Brandon spent a little time talking about technology and the group participated in an activity that really made them think.  It was an awesome time with some awesome people!


Meet the MRVED Staff

Meet Brandon Raymo. Brandon is the Assistant Director of the MRVED. Brandon joined the MRVED in the summer of 2011. Previous to coming to the MRVED, Brandon taught 7-12 grade social studies at Yellow Medicine East and was their tech integrationist. He has a strong background in educational technology, obtaining his masters in educational technology from Minnesota State Mankato in 2011. Brandon enjoys spending time with his wife Katie and 2 girls Adelyn (5) and Gretta (9 months). In his spare time he has been involved with amateur baseball for the past 12 seasons and also coaches the Montevideo Junior Varsity baseball team. If he's not on the baseball field, you can find him broadcasting sporting events around the area for KDMA/KMGM/KKRC.