MRVED Update - September 28, 2023

MRVED Business

MRVED Meetings

Wednesday, October 26, 2022 - Superintendents' Council Meeting

Friday, October 28, 2022 - Principals' Council Meeting

Welcome Back

Welcome back to the 2022-23 school year. It's been fun to see all the smiling faces back in the buildings with lots of learning happening. The MRVED staff wishes you the best school year ever. If there is anything we can do to help you accomplish your goals please don't hesitate to call or email any one of us. Our main goal is to be of help and service to our member school districts. Have a great year!

Karen Jacobson - Director

Brandon Raymo - Assistant Director

Katie Raymo - Administrative Assistant

Pam Bruns - Administrative Assistant

October 19th Common Inservice Day

The MRVED has prided itself on providing high quality professional development opportunities for the past 25 years. For the past 6 years our nine school districts have collaborated during 3 common inservice dates per school year. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances with our keynote speaker, the October 19th common MRVED inservice date will now be converted back to district controlled time. The MRVED is thankful to the Benson School District for being willing to host the day. Your administration will be in contact with you about your individual plans for the October 19th inservice day. We look forward to coming together during the MELT Conference on January 16, 2023 at Lac qui Parle Valley High School.

MELT Call for Presentations

The 2023 MELT will once again be held at Lac qui Parle Valley High School on January 16, 2023. This conference is the envy of many around the state of Minnesota. There aren't very many school districts in the state of Minnesota that send their whole staff to a conference like this, let alone 9 school districts!

Each year, we rely heavily on local presenters to share what they are doing in their classroom. This year is no exception. There are so many great things happening in all our classrooms. Please consider sharing your ideas & talents with your colleagues. There is a stipend and perks to presenting.

The Call for Presentations is NOT a guarantee or agreement to present. It is simply providing your name and idea for the committee to consider. Brandon will contact you by the middle of October if your session is selected.

MELT Call for Presentations Link

Paraprofessional Conference Recap - August 17, 2022

MRVED hosted the annual Paraprofessional Conference on August 17, 2022 at Benson High School. Over 120 paraprofessionals attended the conference and participated in a variety of breakout sessions throughout the day. The day started with a general session focused on poverty presented by Heather Jesertiz and Angela Larson from United Community Action Partnership. After the general session there were breakout sessions the remainder of the day. Breakout sessions that were offered are listed below. Thank you to all that attended and to those that were willing to present.

Poor vs. Poverty Follow-Up - H. Jeseritz & A. Larson	Para 101; Karen Jacobson	Phrases para la classe - Ana Pieda & Missy Ochsendorf
Minnesota Standards Update - Brandon Raymo	Why I'm Right and You're Wrong - Dr. Jennie Gunlogson	Suicide Prevention - Brian Skogen
From Para to SPED Track - SMSU Professors	Fine Motor Strategies - Peggy Knutson	Intro to Google Apps - Aimee Thalberg
What is LETRS? - Sheri Schneider	Immigration Process - Rafael Antonio Valenzuela Charver	Behavior Regulation Strategies and Supports - Angie Young
Race and Culture for Ourselves & for our Students - Hope Schmidt	What Would You Do? - Brandon Raymo	Math Tips, Tricks, & Games - Karen Hartke
Para 201 - Karen Jacobson

Professional Development

Perpich Center Regional Arts Teacher-Leader Network

The Regional Arts Teacher-Leader Network is a virtual cohort of Minnesota arts educators (dance, music, theater, visual & media) working collaboratively through multi-year professional development to advance their leadership skills and classroom practices. This opportunity is hosted by the Perpich Center.

While an Interest Form is available now, more detailed information will be coming as applications open, which they are anticipating will be in late October. Applications will close in December with an anticipated start date of January 2023. As this is a multi-year professional development network, applications may not open again for two or more years.

SWWC It2 Conference

Date: October 27-28, 2022

Location: Willmar Event Center

What: The conference begins on Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 1:00 pm with a series of concurrent sessions. New this year, the Exhibit Hall will have exclusive hours during the conference from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, during which appetizers and refreshments will be available. Our Exhibit Hall challenge will make a return this year, which is your ticket to enter the drawings for some awesome door prizes. The conference will resume on Friday, October 28, 2022. Our keynote speaker, Steven Baule, will begin the day at 8:00 a.m. with breakout sessions to follow. The breakout sessions should conclude around 3:00 p.m. with the door prize drawings held after.

Registration Link

Standards Update

In the past four years we have seen updates to the ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies state standards. While implementation of these standards are a few years away, there will still be valuable work that needs to be completed to be ready for implementation and the first testing of the new standards. Currently all four documents are in the rulemaking process. This process can take upwards of two years after the final draft has been completed. Sometime this winter we should see ELA and Science exit the rulemaking process and move into implementation. Social Studies and Math will likely be in rulemaking throughout this school year.

There are significant changes in all the standard areas, so an implementation plan should be in place in all our districts to prepare ourselves for the first testing of the new standards. All new standards are linked below. Please note - these standards are NOT what our students are CURRENTLY being tested on.

ELA Standards

Math Standards

Science Standards

Social Studies Standards

Brandon's Books to Read for 2022-23

I always enjoy getting book suggestions from people. It helps me narrow down my search for the next book I'll read. Here is my list of professional books I am currently reading, have recently read, or are on my list to read.

Dare to Lead - Brene Brown

Teach Like a Champion - Doug Lemov

Leaders Eat Last - Simon Sinek

You Win in the Locker Room First - Jon Gordon & Mike Smith

The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More, & Change the Way You Lead Forever - Michael Bungay Stanier

MRVED Update - September 15, 2021

MRVED Business

Upcoming Meetings

September 21st - Title III Paraprofessionals

September 22nd - Superintendents' Council

September 23rd - Teachers' Advisory Council

September 24th - Title III Teachers

Welcome Back

Welcome back to the 2021 school year! The MRVED hopes the best for you in the 2021-22 school year. After a full year of bouncing in and out of distance learning due to COVID, people are hoping for a "normal" school year. We challenge you to think about what the new normal will look like. Although COVID teaching was not fun, what can we learn from last year that will make us better educators, leaders, and students for the 2021-22 school year?

Paraprofessional Conference Recap

The 2021 Paraprofessional Conference was held in Benson on August 18, 2021. Over 150 paraprofessionals attended the training and had the opportunity to partake in over 20  sessions. There were many positive comments about the training from the attendees. Thank you to Benson schools & staff for helping the MRVED put on this successful annual conference. Thank you to the MRVED superintendents for investing in training for the people that work closest with some of our most precious cargo - our kids.

Looking Ahead

Planning for the 2021-22 MRVED Common Days began in the Spring of 2021. Our Teacher Advisory Council met and discussed format and topics for the day. The following was sent to the Superintendent Council for approval.

October 20, 2021 - Virtual (Topic - Leadership)

January 17, 2022 - In- Person MELT Conference at LQPV

April 14, 2022 - TBD

Obviously, with the ever changing COVID pandemic, even the best plans could be disrupted. 

October 20, 2021

The October 20, 2021 MRVED Common In-service day will be held virtually this fall. The MRVED is excited to announce that Jon Gordon will be our keynote speaker in the morning. Jon is a best-selling author and world-renowned keynote speaker. Jon has worked with sports teams ranging from the L.A. Dodgers to Clemson Football and Fortune 500 companies such as Campbell's Soup, Dell, and Snapchat. He is a highly sought after speaker.

More details on accessing the Keynote will be coming in the near future.

There will also be time throughout the day to collaborate virtually with others in your grade level and/or content area. Please see the network facilitator sign-up information below.

October 20, 2021 Networking Groups

The MRVED is also looking for teachers to host networking sessions within their grade level or content area. The networking groups will take place from 10:30 to Noon and will be hosted on the platform of the teacher hosting the meeting. Networking facilitators will be paid a stipend of $100 for their time and effort. If you are interested in being a networking facilitator, please sign-up HERE, deadline to register to be a facilitator is the end of the day October 8th.

Facilitator Expectations

• Start & End the meeting on time
• Provide the virtual meeting space (Link to the meeting)
• Keep the meeting time positive
• Facilitate a brief Jon Gordon follow-up
• Attend a short virtual meeting with Brandon on October 13th at 3:15

Book Study - The Power of Positive Leadership

Through popular demand, we'll bring back the MRVED Update Book Study. This fall we will go through Jon Gordon's book, The Power of Positive Leadership. If you wish to follow along with the book study, please purchase the book. We'll start discussing the book in the next MRVED update. In the next update, we will go through Chapter 2. The discussions questions and reflections in this blog are in no way a replacement for purchasing the book. The Power of Positive Leadership is a quick and easy read. You will not be disappointed in purchasing this book...in fact, I'm also reading Row the Boat by Jon Gordon and PJ Fleck at the same time!

You can sign up for Jon Gordon's Positive Leadership Challenge. It's a free 7-day challenge to help you become a better leader and create positive results.

MRVED Update - September 9, 2020

Upcoming Meetings

September 9, 2020 - MRVED Board Meeting (Virtual)

September 17, 2020 - Teachers' Advisory Council Meeting (Virtual)

September 18, 2020 - Principals' Advisory Council Meeting (Virtual)

September 23, 2020 - Superintendents' Council Meeting

September 25, 2020 - Title III Teachers' Meeting

Welcome Back

Welcome back to the 2020-2021 school year! We hope you had a rejuvenating summer and were able to put school in the rearview mirror for a little while. Last year was tough and this year looks to be just as difficult. Please know that the MRVED is here to provide support for you and your district wherever/whenever we can. If there is anything we can do, please do not hesitate to ask. Many times, if we don't have the expertise to help in a certain area, we can direct you to someone who does. Although this year looks to be just as challenging as last school year, know that you are surrounded by many people that support the tough work you are doing every day.

As with everything else, the MRVED Common In-Service days will most likely look a little different. The October date will feature a keynote message by Carla Tantillo Philibert. More information will be coming on the October date. The MELT Conference in January will still happen, however it will look different and offer virtual options. The April 1 date is a long ways off and our Teacher Advisory Council will be developing a plan throughout this fall.

The MRVED Common In-Service Dates

October 14, 2020 - Virtual

January 18, 2021 - MELT (TBD)

April 1, 2021 - TBD

MRVED Paraprofessional Conference Recap

On August 19, 2020, the MRVED hosted their first ever virtual conference for the paraprofessionals. The day started with a keynote by Carla Tantillo Philibert from Mindful Practices. Carla spoke about the importance of SEL and provided the paraprofessionals with a handful of awesome strategies they can use with their students. Teachers will have the opportunity to see Carla virtually during the October common inservice. After the keynote, the paraprofessionals participated in a handful of breakout sessions from trauma to good posture when working online to math and reading support. Overall the day went really well. The MRVED staff learned much about hosting a virtual conference and look to make improvements for each event. A huge thank you to our presenters, participants, and Katie in the MRVED office for handling registration and questions. You are all ROCKSTARS!

Minnesota Standards Update

Minnesota is in the middle of a massive standard review process. I thought it worthwhile to take a look at where each content area is at on the Minnesota Department of Education Timeline

Arts - Revised in 2018 - Was making its way through rulemaking to determine implementation. 2018 Standards

Science - Revised in 2019. Approved by the commissioner in 2020. Still in rulemaking to determine implementation. Commissioner recommends full implementation by 2023-24. 2019 Standards

Language Arts - Revised in 2020. Awaiting commissioner approval. Implementation will be made in rulemaking this year. 2020 ELA Standards Draft

Social Studies - Revised this year. Review Timeline

Math - Will be revised in 2021. 

Physical Education - Revised/adopted SHAPE America's in 2017. Reviewed every 10 years.

Health, Career and Technical Education, and World Languages - Established locally

Distance Learning Tool of the Week - Google Meet Breakout Rooms

If you are looking for a way to do breakout rooms within Google Meet, try the Google Meet Breakout Rooms extension. If you are looking for more information on how this works, join the Google Meet Breakout Rooms Facebook Group or visit the website.

MRVED Update - September 11, 2019

MRVED Business

Upcoming Meetings

September 11, 2019 - MRVED Board (6:00 p.m.)
September 11, 2019 - Community Ed Directors
September 13, 2019 - Principals' Council
September 17, 2019 - TAC
September 20, 2019 - Title III Paras
September 25, 2019 - Superintendents' Council
September 27, 2019 - Title III Teachers

Important Dates 2019-20 School Year

October 16, 2019 - Common Inservice Day
January 20, 2020 - MELT Conference at LQPV
April 9, 2020 - Common Inservice Day

October 16, 2019 Common Inservice Day

Registration will be sent out next week!  Please watch your email for the registration link😀

The morning will be a presentation by Willow Sweeney Flaherty on
Social Emotional Learning.  The afternoon will be district time focused on Social Emotional Learning implementation.

Welcome Back

Some of you have been back for a month already, while some of you are into your 2nd week.  Welcome back to the 2019-2020 school year.  Each year brings new excitement as new children fill your classroom.  The MRVED wishes that each of you has your best year ever!

What is the MRVED?

For those of you that are new or for those of you have need a recap.  The Minnesota River Valley Education District (MRVED) is a consortium of nine school districts in Southwest/Western Minnesota.  The districts include Benson, Dawson-Boyd, Lac qui Parle Valley, Lakeview, Minneota, Montevideo, Ortonville, Renville County West, and Yellow Medicine East.  Our goal is to help our member districts achieve their goals.  To do this, the MRVED offers a wide variety of services to their member districts, including, but not limited to; professional development, grant writing, strategic planning, online learning, etc...  If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask.

Summer Recap

The MRVED staff was busy all summer between summer school at the ALC, planning for the upcoming school day, providing a workshop for substitutes, among other regular duties.  One of the highlights of the summer was being able to train 10 people interested in becoming a substitute teacher.  Substitute teachers can be so difficult to find, so in an effort to increase the pool, we decided to start offering these trainings.  The MRVED will continue to offer substitute teacher training a couple times a year.  If you know of someone with a 4-year degree and is currently looking for some part-time work, subbing is perfect for them!

The MRVED also debuted a new website.  It is a work in progress, but things are up and running.  In the near future, there will be directions on how to sign-up for announcements via text message from the MRVED.

MRVED 30th Anniversary

The MRVED celebrated 30 years of existence this past summer.  The core of the organization has stayed the same with collaboration playing a large role in the efforts of the MRVED.  However, faces, goals, initiatives, have all changed over the course of the years and will continue to evolve over the next 30 years.

Lead Like a Pirate

Each year we examine a few books in the update.  Typically a chapter or two is covered every two weeks, so it is very easy to follow along.  Brandon provides his thoughts on the chapter along with a quick synopsis of what was written.  Brandon's writing is by no means a substitute for reading the book.  This Fall, Brandon will be taking a look at the book, Lead Like a Pirate by Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf.  If the title sounds familiar, it should!  Last year, we had the opportunity to hear from Shelley's husband, Dave on his book Teach Like a Pirate.

Even if you are not an administrator, this is a great book for any leader.  You could be your PLC leader, lead negotiator, head baseball coach, etc... This book is going to offer simple bits of advice on how to lead a team of people.  In the next update, we will examine the first two chapters on Passion and Immersion.

Welcome Back

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to school!  We hope that your summer was relaxing and rejuvenating.  2017-18 is going to be the best school year ever.  We can't wait to interact with the 650+ teachers of the MRVED in the coming school year.

This year is going to be an AWESOME year as a MRVED.  One of the highlights this year is that we have not one, but TWO top-notch big name speakers coming to speak to us.  This Fall Kayla Delzer will be in attendance at our first common in-service day.  If you have not seen or heard Kayla, she is phenomenal and you are in for a real treat.  You can check out her website HERE.  More information will be coming about the October common day soon, in the meantime, here is her TEDx talk from 2015.

Then, this Spring, George Couros will be keynoting our Spring common in-service day.  Couros is another rock star presenter that delivers a great message to all educators.  You can find more information about him HERE, or check out his TEDx talk from 2013.

We also can't forget that MELT 2018 is going to be the best yet!  Featuring some of our very own rock star teachers sharing and showing inspiring things happening in their classrooms.

We can't wait for all the great opportunities we have before us this year.

#weareMRVED

#WeAreMRVED

For those of you on Twitter, we are encouraging the use of the hashtag #WeAreMRVED to promote great things happening in your school or classroom.  If your classroom or school uses Twitter give us a follow and we will follow you back.

@MNRVED

Arts Standards Review Process

Are you interested in helping to review and revise Minnesota’s K-12 arts standards? Consider joining the Arts Standards Review Committee! Before applying to the committee, please read the Assumptions for Guiding the Standards Committee’s Work and the Standards Review Timeline documents posted below. Serving on the committee requires an intense time commitment of at least one two-day and nine full-day committee meetings from October 2017 through May 2018. The initial two-day meeting is scheduled for October 30-31, 2017, at the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), and is required of all committee members. Applications will be accepted August 22-September 19, 2017. Committee members will be announced on the MDE website on September 29, 2017.

MDE and the Perpich Center for Arts Education will cover mileage costs for all committee members as well as meal and lodging costs for those travelling from great distances. MDE and the Perpich Center for Arts Education also will cover the cost of substitutes for all teachers selected for the committee. For more information about the standards review process, contact Alina Campana (763-279-4183).
Minnesota Department of Education Website

Tech Tip - SeeSaw

If you have been looking for a way to use the tablets in your classroom?  Look no further than SeeSaw.  SeeSaw is an AWESOME App that allows students to capture their work and then easily submit to the teacher.  SeeSaw is great for K-12, but probably geared more toward the Elementary level.  If you think signing in to the app will be an issue for the kids, it's not.  You can setup your class list and student log in is a breeze.  Students can also scan a QR code or create their own accounts, depending on age.  The app works if students have their own device, or if you have a classroom set.  It does not matter your age group or how your devices are distributed, this app works in ALL environments!  Teachers who have used this app, absolutely love it!  It's free, give it a try right away this 1st quarter.

Innovator's Mindset

For the past couple years we have highlighted a couple books in the MRVED Update.  Last year we looked at What Great Teachers Do Differently by Todd Whitaker.  This year we will examine The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros.  Couros will be the keynote speaker for our common in-service date in March 2018.

I highly recommend purchasing the book The Innovator's Mindset and following along as we examine a chapter for each MRVED Update this year.  This book is amazing and could possibly change the way you approach your classroom on a day to day basis.  Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

MRVED Business

Welcome Back

Some schools have been in session for a couple of weeks already!  Welcome back to the 2015-16 school year.  We hope your summer was rejuvenating and you are ready for another great year of learning.  As always, the MRVED is here to help you meet your educational goals for your classroom and school.  If you ever need any help meeting your goals, please give the MRVED a call.  We are here to serve our member schools.

MRVED Mussel's Field Day with CURE with Bernard Sietman

About Bernard Sietman

You will be hard pressed to find anyone as passionate and as knowledgeable about mussels as this transplanted Missourian. Since 2002, he has worked across Minnesota surveying mussels. One of the more exciting aspects of his job is the potential discovery of a new species in the Minnesota River Basin, the Mapleleaf.

Bernard received his Master of Science degree in Biology from the Emporia State University where he studied the ecology and genetics of freshwater mussels in two local rivers. After graduation he worked as a Natural History Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation surveying freshwater mussels, conducting landowner interviews and assisting with stream fish surveys. Sietman spent time as an Aquatic Ecologist and Assistant Technical Scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Here he assisted with overseeing of a nationally renowned mollusk and fish collections.

When: October 9, 2015 from 9:00 - 2:30

Where: Meet at Yellow Medicine East High School Board Room at 9:00 for an introduction and presentation by Bernard.

Who: All K-12 Teachers. There will be many applications to science and history.

Lunch: Provided

Transportation to the River from Granite Falls: Provided

What to bring: dress for water, bring boots or water shoes and an extra set of dry clothes. Other things to consider are a walking stick to support you while walking in the water, sunscreen and bug spray. There is an outdoor bathroom facility available on site.

Cost: Free - Funds provided by CURE and MRVED

(Nonmembers of MRVED $10 per person - covers lunch and transportation)

Registration: Register by September 25. Space is limited. Click here to register.

MRVED UPCOMING MEETINGS:
September 16, 2015 MRVED Board (7:00 p.m.)
September 18, 2015  Principals' Council (11:30 a.m.)
September 22, 2015 Teachers' Advisory Council
September 23, 2015  Superintendents' Council

Welcome Back

Welcome Back
The MRVED staff would like to welcome all teachers to the 2014-15 school year.  We hope your summer was relaxing, rejuvenating, and enjoyable.  If you are new to the MRVED, or are a returning veteran, please note that the MRVED is here to support you.  We can assist you with anything from curriculum alignment, to grant writing, to technology integration, and anything in between.  Do not hesitate to call and ask if we can be of service to you.  We are in the office M-F from 7:15-4:00.  If you are still curious as to what we do at the MRVED, please check out this MRVED Services Chart.