Dear FY11 Potential New 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Applicants:

This Ohio Department of Education (ODE) e-mail is being sent to organizations that have expressed an interest in submitting a new FY11 21st CCLC grant application. A mandatory overview session has been scheduled for January 28, 2010 beginning at 1:00 P.M. EST. The online Elluminate webinar will provide an overview of the FY11 21st CCLC grant guidelines, application process, and the electronic application submission system. Attachments that will be referred to during the overview are here:

Overview
New Applicant Overview
FY11 RFA
Letter of Intent

On January 28, 2010, click the following link to join the 21st Century FY11 New Applicant Mandatory OverviewElluminate webinar:
http://elluminate.fcesc.org:8080/join_meeting.html?meetingId=1247852177097. The link will not work until approximately 30 minutes prior to the start of the session on January 28, 2010.

Enter your email address, and your first and last name at the login prompts. This meeting requires the following password to join: overview (case sensitive)

The session will start at 1:00 P.M. EST and end at approximately 3:00 P.M. EST.

If this is the first time you will be using Elluminate, you may be prompted to download some software which may take anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes depending upon your Internet connection speed. You can pre-configure your system with the required software by going to the support page located at: http://elluminate.fcesc.org:8080/support.help.

You will need a microphone and speakers to be able to talk and hear while you are in the Elluminate meeting.

Due to a limited number of Elluminate seats (95) we ask that if you have more than one staff member who would benefit from the overview, please accommodate the limitation by only having one individual log-in or if you should experience difficulty logging into the webinar you may join via a back-up audio-only conference call. The audio tool-free call-in number is 1-866-551-1530. PIN 4557388#.

You must register through the ODE STARS system for this webinar. Click the following link to begin the registration process: https://safe.ode.state.oh.us/portal/.
For STARS technical assistance, you may contact Carolyn George at 614-995-5042.

Other 21st CCLC questions can be directed to your ODE 21st CCLC team at 877-644-6338.

We look forward to talking with you on the 28th.

Regards,
ODE’s 21st Century Team[Sims, Connie] dl

Dear Community School Sponsors:

For your information, here is some information regarding the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program and a webinar on the subject that will be delivered later today.

Dear FY11 Potential New 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Applicants:

This Ohio Department of Education (ODE) e-mail is being sent to organizations that have expressed an interest in submitting a new FY11 21st CCLC grant application. A mandatory overview session has been scheduled for January 28, 2010 beginning at 1:00 P.M. EST. The online Elluminate webinar will provide an overview of the FY11 21st CCLC grant guidelines, application process, and the electronic application submission system. Attachments that will be referred to during the overview are here:

Overview
New Applicant Overview
FY11 RFA
Letter of Intent

On January 28, 2010, click the following link to join the 21st Century FY11 New Applicant Mandatory OverviewElluminate webinar:
http://elluminate.fcesc.org:8080/join_meeting.html?meetingId=1247852177097. The link will not work until approximately 30 minutes prior to the start of the session on January 28, 2010.

Enter your email address, and your first and last name at the login prompts. This meeting requires the following password to join: overview (case sensitive)

The session will start at 1:00 P.M. EST and end at approximately 3:00 P.M. EST.

If this is the first time you will be using Elluminate, you may be prompted to download some software which may take anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes depending upon your Internet connection speed. You can pre-configure your system with the required software by going to the support page located at: http://elluminate.fcesc.org:8080/support.help.

You will need a microphone and speakers to be able to talk and hear while you are in the Elluminate meeting.

Due to a limited number of Elluminate seats (95) we ask that if you have more than one staff member who would benefit from the overview, please accommodate the limitation by only having one individual log-in or if you should experience difficulty logging into the webinar you may join via a back-up audio-only conference call. The audio tool-free call-in number is 1-866-551-1530. PIN 4557388#.

You must register through the ODE STARS system for this webinar. Click the following link to begin the registration process: https://safe.ode.state.oh.us/portal/.
For STARS technical assistance, you may contact Carolyn George at 614-995-5042.

Other 21st CCLC questions can be directed to your ODE 21st CCLC team at 877-644-6338.

We look forward to talking with you on the 28th.

Regards,
ODE’s 21st Century Team[Sims, Connie] dl

SST 13 has planned the second in our series of workshops for parents and families of children with disabilities.  The Parent Advisory Council (PAC), responding to the needs of families in Region 13, determined that a workshop/training on “Behavior” was of critical importance.  While it is also important to understand what schools are required to do, when behavior is the issue, families wanted to hear what was actually happening in schools.  The presenters for this workshop will include people who are helping school teams develop behavior plans that work!

The presentations, during the school day and repeated in the evening, will address behavior issues that affect students with autism, cognitive disabilities, ADHD, learning disabilities...in fact, all disability groups.  Practical examples and ideas, with helpful resources, will show participants how to develop a behavior plan for any student.

Please share the attached flyer with parents and families of students with disabilities.

Sue Bitsko, Consultant
Family Network Coordinator
State Support Team 13
HCESC/CRES
1301 Bonnell St., 3rd Floor
Reading OH 45215
(513) 674-4261
sue.bitsko@hcesc.org

The new issue of "...what's for lunch?" is now available at the link below.  

This Month's Headlines Include:

- NSLP and FORMS - Working Together to "Feed More Kids"
- Best Practices: How to Improve the School Lunch Experience
- FRAC Releases New School Breakfast Reports
- Prepare Now for Summer Feeding!
- Best Practices: Fresh, Popular Items Sell

At FSS, we strive to make each issue of the “…what’s for lunch?” e-newsletter as enjoyable as it is informative. We’d love to hear your feedback/reaction to this month’s editorial content. If you have any suggestions for articles that you’d be interesting in reading about in future issues, we’d love to hear that as well.
Please send your suggestions and comments to: lercanbrack@foodserve.com.

Jan. 25, 2010

Good morning,

I hope this weekly message finds you a bit relaxed. It is hard to believe that the end of January is just around the corner. Across the state, students are now enmeshed in the second semester and hopefully are able to focus on their learning and accept the many challenges that are offered to them daily.

The end of January always brings the Governor’s annual message. Governor Ted Strickland will deliver his annual State of the State address tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 26, at noon. The address may be viewed on your local television station as well as at www.ohiochannel.org. Should any part of his message involve education, I will be sure to send that information to you.

As I am certain you saw last week, Ohio has submitted its application for the U.S Department of Education’s Race to the Top (RttT) program. We won't know until April if Ohio has been awarded funds, but I want to thank the many ODE staff members, and those of you in the field, who helped craft Ohio’s application.

With the application now in the hands of the USDOE, the frenetic pace that has defined our lives for the last two months has slowed a bit. However, there continues to be much work happening at ODE and across the state Although the last several EdConnection messages were primarily focused on RttT, we have been busy working on other initiatives as well. Staff members in the Center for the Teaching Profession are working on developing transition plans to the new licensure structure defined in House Bill 1. Staff members in our Early Childhood Office are reviewing all-day kindergarten waiver requests. We also have been busy reviewing comments regarding the science and social studies standards that are currently under development, as well as continuing our involvement in the national Common Core standards effort.

The remainder of the year promises to be busy for all of us in Columbus as well as throughout your districts. I will continue to keep you informed about the work we do and how it might affect your district or your role.

Many of your EMIS coordinators have begun reviewing data and calculations that were uploaded into the Secure Data Center (SDC). The process of reviewing information before it is released on the local report cards issued in August is critical to ensuring the information that appears on your district’s report is complete and accurate. While it may be tempting to talk publicly about some of the information you may see in the SDC, I would caution you that this information is still subject to review and revision. What you see in the SDC now may vary from what is reported in August. ODE does not release official “final” information until the report cards are produced in August.

As of this writing, the rains have descended upon Columbus. I wish you sunny days this week!

Here are additional items that may be of interest:

• Training sessions to support military families offered
• Updated OEDS Directory is available
• Women Making History eighth-grade essay contest entries due April 23
• Orange City Schools honored for digital technology efforts
• SAMMY award program applications available
• Spotlight on Sycamore Junior High School, Sycamore Community City Schools

Training sessions to support military families offered
To help school districts effectively serve the 34,000 children of military families who attend Ohio schools, ODE and the Ohio National Guard are offering two sessions of a nationally recognized training program. Titled Guard and Reserve Institute: Supporting Children of the National Guard and Reserve, the sessions will take place March 3-4 in Columbus and May 12-13 in Cincinnati.

The program is appropriate for all educators, especially K-12 counselors. Members of the National Guard and Reserves and their families also will benefit. There is no fee to attend the institute, conducted by the Military Child Education Coalition. Continuing education unit and graduate credits are available. Learn more about and register for the institute by clicking here. Other educational opportunities are described at www.militarychild.org. For information on accommodations, contact Christine Kane at (614) 466-9520 or christine.kane@ode.state.oh.us.

Updated OEDS Directory is available
An updated Ohio Educational Directory in Adobe PDF format is now posted at the bottom of the OEDS Web page. This document, which is updated annually, may be downloaded and printed locally. Throughout the year, more current directory information may appear in the online Ohio Educational Directory System (OEDS-R) because this decentralized data system allows organizations that do business with ODE to update their own data. In addition to public schools and districts, these organizations include joint vocational school districts, community schools, educational service centers and nonpublic schools.

OEDS-R is the official source for the EdConnection distribution list, as well as other important communications from ODE. Districts should regularly ensure that their OEDS administrator updates this contact information when staff changes are made. If you are not sure who your administrator is, you can look up that name in OEDS-R by following the directions outlined here, or visit education.ohio.gov and search for: OEDS administrator.

Women Making History eighth-grade essay contest entries due April 23
Eighth-grade teachers can commemorate Women’s History Month in March by encouraging their students to enter the 2010 Women Making History Essay Contest by the April 23 deadline. The competition is sponsored by the Governor’s Office for Women’s Initiatives and Outreach, the Ohio Interagency Council on Women and Girls, and the Ohio Department of Education.

Essays of 400 to 600 words should focus on a woman who has made, or is making, history. Recognition for writers of winning and honorable mention essays in five categories will include a day of learning and activities in Columbus during June, known as Women in State Government Day. That day, the students, teachers and adult chaperones will be invited to attend a lunch recognition ceremony with Ohio’s First Lady, Frances Strickland. The five winning writers also will be recognized at the 2010 Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in August. To view contest details and access the Essay Submission Kit, please click here. For more information, contact Virginia Moore at (614) 728-2759, or virginia.moore@ode.state.oh.us.

Orange City Schools honored for digital technology efforts
Orange City Schools in Cuyahoga County recently received national recognition for its use of digital technology to engage students, parents and the community while enhancing district governance and operations. The sixth annual Digital School Districts Survey named 30 districts or school boards overall, ranking Orange City ninth in the nation among school districts with 2,500 or fewer students. The survey identified 10 top districts demonstrating the most comprehensive use of digital standards in three categories based on enrollment. The competition is sponsored by the National School Boards Association, e.Republic’s Center for Digital Education and the online newsletter Converge. Congratulations, Orange City Schools!

SAMMY award program applications available
The School Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) awards competition is accepting applications for grade 12 student-athletes through March 5. Selection is based on academic performance, athletic excellence, leadership, community service and experience as a milk drinker. The 25 winners selected will receive $7,500 college scholarships, trips to Disney World and will be pictured, along with their milk mustaches, in congratulatory advertisements.
The SAMMY awards are sponsored by America’s Milk Processors, USA Today, the American Association of School Administrators, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, The American School Counselor Association and the National School Public Relations Association. Educators may nominate students, or they may nominate themselves. For more details and the online application, click here.

Spotlight on Sycamore Junior High School, Sycamore Community City Schools
Thirteen years ago, Sycamore Junior High School students and staff began responding to the needs of Cincinnati’s homeless population in an effort now known as the “The Sandwich Project.” Every week students make sandwiches on long cafeteria tables filled with bread, bologna, cheese and mustard. Most students also contribute a few dollars for ingredients. A group of busy hands usually makes 250 sandwiches in a half hour. A Parent Teacher Organization volunteer takes the sandwiches to the Mercy-Franciscan at St. John’s meal program in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine district. Students sometimes help distribute the food. Since the project began, the school has delivered more than 150,000 sandwiches to the program. In addition to this project, students often volunteer when other opportunities arise.

If you would like to share news about a service project involving a group of your students who are helping the community, please send an e-mail with “Spotlight” and your school name in the subject line to superintendent@ode.state.oh.us. We also are pleased to learn about any curricular connections to projects and to receive digital images of these activities.

Note: You also may find this document online at education.ohio.gov by searching keyword: EdConnection. If you have questions, comments or suggestions about this weekly e-mail or would like to be added to the mailing list, please feel free to contact me at superintendent@ode.state.oh.us.

Follow ODE’s Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/OHEducation.

In preparation for the All County Task Force meeting, featuring Kathe Shelby and Stan Hefner, on February 18th, we are collecting and compiling your specific questions about CORE curriculum and the impact on students with disabilities.  Please send any questions you would like addressed to Deb McGraw (Debbie.mcgraw@hcesc.org) or Deb Durbin (Durbin_d@ccesc.org).  We need an accurate head count to be sure we have enough space for all participants who want to attend.  Please call Terri Densford at 674-4278 and let her know the number of folks attending from your district.  We look forward to seeing you on the 18th!

Sent for:  Susan Burns
By:  Terri Densford
Support Staff, SST Region 13/HC CRES
1301 Bonnell, 3rd Floor Suite
Cincinnati, OH  45215
674-4278
terri.densford@hcesc.org

Dear Colleagues,

    As many of you have focused upon Response to Intervention (RtI), Positive Behavior Support (PBS), or tiered intervention supports either as part of the Ohio Improvement Process (OIP) or via your district strategic planning, we are pleased to offer a great professional development opportunity to support meeting improvement indicators and improve student outcomes.

Our RtI Course Series, Implementation of a Comprehensive Response to Intervention Framework: Strengthening Tier 1 Reading, is a 4-day series for district and building leadership teams initiating a Response-to-Intervention framework. This professional development provides critical content to understanding RtI and key factors in implementation of a RtI framework for reading, as well as structured guidance and support in implementation during team planning time.

Please see the attached flyer for further information and feel free to call with any questions. We look forward to working with you.

Wendy Strickler

Wendy Strickler, Ph.D.
Educational Consultant
HCESC-CRES
1301 Bonnell Avenue
Reading, Ohio 45215
674-4311
wendy.strickler@hcesc.org

Jan. 20, 2010

Greetings:

After an exhaustive process to outline the current educational context in Ohio and to strategize our next steps for education reform, I am pleased to share the results of our work crafted in Ohio’s Race to the Top (RttT) application. The complete application and appendices can be found here. The document is expansive across each of the four assurance areas and there is much information to digest. A summary document also is included on this Web page. This summary is intended for you to use at staff meetings, board presentation, etc., when the complete application is too unwieldy. Please remember that the application outlines a comprehensive reform initiative. The application was constructed in response to prescriptive guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE). Several initiatives are interconnected, such as the use of data to improve educator quality, and should be viewed as a package, not individual components.

For local education agencies that completed memoranda of understanding for the application, additional guidance and support regarding next steps is forthcoming. We will be in contact with you within the next 10 days to share “next steps.”

Thanks for your continued support and have a great rest of the week.

Sincerely,

Jan. 19, 2010

Good morning,

Unfortunately, this past week brought all of us a huge dose of sobering reality and also placed most of our troubles and concerns into perspective. The devastation in Haiti is unimaginable and the outpouring of support must continue as Haiti tries to recover. Please accept my heartfelt thoughts for any of your staff or community members who have family and friends in Haiti. Ohio may receive some children through various community organizations’ sponsorships. Should this occur, ODE will do all we can to assist with transition issues. If you are aware of such activities in your community, please connect with ODE so that we can track numbers across the state.

I do have some exciting news to share with you. Last Thursday, we learned that Ohio has once again improved its ranking in the annual Education Week Quality Counts report. According to the 2010 report, Ohio’s educational system is now fifth in the nation, up from sixth last year and seventh in 2008.

The focus of this year’s report, Quality Counts 2010: Fresh Course, Swift Current – Momentum and Challenges In the New Surge Toward Common Standards, examines the effort by states to develop common standards. The Common Core standards in mathematics and English language arts are under development in a state-led process that is being facilitated by the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Boards of Education. Currently, 51 states and territories are participating in the process. You may access the report here for free until Jan. 21.
Thanks to each of you for your efforts in making Ohio a national leader in education. I recognize that a tremendous amount of focused, deliberative work is occurring in districts across the state and you are to be applauded for being an important part of this vital work. Your staffs, students and their families are also to be applauded for the many ways in which they work tirelessly on behalf of Ohio’s students. I am proud to be your colleague.
While we have not experienced a major outbreak of H1N1 this year, it’s never too late to protect yourself and your school community. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH), working with its local, state and federal partners, is encouraging those who have not received their H1N1 vaccination to do so. For more information on the H1N1 flu or to find a clinic in your neighborhood, visit www.flu.ohio.gov or call the ODH H1N1 information line at (866) 800-1404. The information line is open between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Also, last week, the State Board of Education held its monthly meeting. Many of the 19 public and private schools selected for the No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools awards program were honored by the State Board during the meeting. This national recognition program honors elementary and secondary U.S. schools that make significant progress in closing achievement gaps or whose students achieve at the highest levels in their state.
The Blue Ribbon Schools program exemplifies the goal of helping all students succeed at high levels, including those that are economically disadvantaged. Congratulations to the award recipients! For more information about the awards program and to view the list of Ohio’s Blue Ribbon Schools, click here. It was an honor, indeed, to celebrate these schools.

Much of the past three weeks was focused on completing Ohio’s application for the federal Race to the Top (RttT) program. This flurry of activity, often extending past midnight on most days, was the culmination of several months of thinking, researching, data analysis and writing by ODE staff and many stakeholders. It was very rewarding to be part of such a focused, committed group. I want to also thank the many districts and community schools who have signed on to assist with this complex, but important work. Later today, we will be submitting Ohio’s application for the RttT. We will be sending out a special EdConnection thatprovides you with a link to more information about the application.

Have a warm and productive week.

Sincerely,

Here are additional items that may be of interest:

• ARRA correction period begins tomorrow
• New immunization requirements announced for 2010-2011
• SPARK Physical Education Training Grants Expanded for Grades 3-6 Teachers

Ohio Global Institute 2010 accepting applications

• COSI offers open house for science teachers on Saturday
• Spotlight on Marshall Elementary School, Talawanda City Schools

ARRA correction period begins tomorrow
School treasurers are receiving information this week about U.S. Office of Management Budget guidance regarding second quarter reporting for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. Because the federal guidance arrived Dec. 18, the final day of second-quarter data entry for many LEAs because of holiday schedules, a correction period for this data will be held from Jan. 20 to Feb. 9. For more details, click here and see the Jan. 12 document under the heading Data and Reporting Guidance.

New immunization requirements announced for 2010-2011
Schools will have new immunization requirements for the 2010-2011 school year from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). As you may remember, the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3313.67 and 3313.671 indicate that schools are responsible for ensuring that students who enroll in school have immunizations required by ODH. The statute also states that schools are to keep records of the immunizations.

The requirements do not include new immunizations; rather, the schedule for when students receive them has been changed. Please integrate the new requirements into your Fall enrollment information and prepare to share this information with families. The changes in requirements are:

• The addition of a diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (Tdap) booster for seventh-grade students;
• The addition of a second dose of varicella (a progressive requirement starting with kindergarten for 2010); and
• The fourth dose of polio being administered on or after the fourth birthday.

The most significant change is the Tdap booster for seventh-grade students, because currently only 30 percent of these students have received this inoculation. For more information, call the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Immunization Program hotline at (800) 282-0546. Further information, including a summary of all required immunizations, can be found on the ODH Web site by clicking here.

SPARK physical education training grants expanded for grades 3-6 teachers
The Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) training programs, previously announced for middle school physical education teachers, have been expanded to include teachers of grades 3-6. SPARK offers a research-based curriculum that teaches movement knowledge, motor skills, healthy lifestyles, and social and personal skills. The elementary SPARK grant application is due Feb. 15 and the middle school application process closed last Friday.

ODE’s Office for Safety, Health and Nutrition will award individual grants to 80 elementary and middle school teachers to cover two days of training on the SPARK curriculum. Teachers will receive program manuals, CDs and fitness software, and schools will receive $100 for each day of training to help cover the cost of substitute teachers. Additionally, grant recipients will receive technical support from the SPARK training staff and the ODE Healthy Schools program consultant.

For more information and the grant application, click here or visit education.ohio.gov and select the “Physical Education Grant Applications Due” home page link.

Ohio Global Institute 2010 accepting applications

Applications are now available for the Ohio Global Institute, which will be held Aug. 3-5 at The Ohio State University. Ohio teachers of English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, fine arts, world languages, career programs or technology in grades K-12 may apply. One hundred teachers will be selected for the institute, with priority given to school teams. The application deadline is March 20.

This three-day institute for teachers in grades K-12 is presented collaboratively by the Ohio Department of Education; the Ohio Geographic Alliance; the Gerald H. Read Center at Kent State University; and The Ohio State University’s Office of International Affairs, Wexner Center for the Arts and Area Studies Centers.

Primarily funded by a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation and contributions from partner organizations, this event will provide teachers opportunities to:

1. Share best practices in international education;
2. Obtain new resources and tools for incorporating international content across curricula;
3. Develop action plans for their classrooms and schools.

Each selected participant will be charged a $100 registration fee. To register, click here. For more information, contact outreach@oia.osu.edu.

COSI offers open house for science teachers on Saturday
Teachers are invited to attend COSI in Columbus free this Saturday to participate in two special programs. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at COSI Science Day, hear talks by experts in robotics and participate in related demonstrations and activities. At the Teacher Share-A-Thon from 10 a.m. to noon, teachers can share special demonstrations and/or lessons on any science topic with other teachers. Please bring extra copies of materials so colleagues can take new ideas back to their classrooms. Teachers are admitted free with valid school identification. Regular admission rates apply to additional family and friends. Snacks will be provided; lunch is on your own.

For more information, contact Mary Ann Wojton at mwojton@mail.cosi.org or Melanie Retterer at melanie.retterer@swcs.us, or visit http://bit.ly/52clU3.

Spotlight on Marshall Elementary School, Talawanda City Schools
At Marshall Elementary School in Oxford, students begin every Wednesday morning in the gymnasium for their WOW! (Wide Open Wednesday) meeting. For this program, each classroom is responsible for creating a short presentation on what they are currently learning. However, the first Wednesday of each month is reserved for the Developmental Asset of the Month, which is presented by the guidance counselor and a group of fifth-grade students.

In December, Marshall Elementary focused on Service to Others and the service project “Pennies for Pets” was selected. Students collected more than 42,000 pennies to donate to the local Animal Adoption Foundation, a nonprofit shelter. As a thank you, the foundation’s staff brought Frankie, a dachshund-corgi-hound mix, to the January WOW meeting and encouraged students to continue providing service to others.

If you would like to share news about a service project involving a group of your students who are helping the community, please send an e-mail with “Spotlight” in the subject line to superintendent@ode.state.oh.us. We also are pleased to learn about any curricular connections to projects and to receive digital images of these activities.

Note: You also may find this document online at education.ohio.gov by searching keyword: EdConnection. If you have questions, comments or suggestions about this weekly e-mail or would like to be added to the mailing list, please feel free to contact me at superintendent@ode.state.oh.us.

In October, the Ohio Department of Education notified districts about a way to add student names to the Value-Added diagnostic information (EVAAS). This is a reminder that Jan. 31 is the final deadline to complete work with your ITC to add student names for the diagnostic information provided by SAS for the 2008-2009 school year data through the Ohio EVAAS Web portal.

Since Ohio began using its Value-Added measurement three years ago, it has had a definite impact on the state’s Local Report Card Ratings. Many districts have provided positive feedback on the usefulness of this diagnostic information.

One complaint that ODE has often heard during that time is that the Web portal provides only student ID numbers, not student names. ODE understands that without a clear mandate from FERPA allowing SAS to have student names, the EVAAS reports were time-consuming.  

Recent changes in FERPA, however, have specifically addressed the issue of granting third-party contractors acting on behalf of a school district to have access to student names.

Please remember that for the 2009 EVAAS data, only students who took the OAT (grades 3 through 8) and counted for the full academic year will appear on the EVAAS reports.   

This procedure is completely voluntary and must be done on a district-by-district basis (including community schools).  All school districts and community schools that use an ITC for its student software package must work through the ITC to facilitate the necessary assurances and send the data that will link the names and student IDs to populate the EVAAS reports.

For more information about how to work with your ITC to send the name-student ID crosswalk, contact your ITC. They have been given instructions on how and when the data can be sent to SAS. 

If you have any questions regarding the use of the EVAAS Web site or how the reports on that site might benefit your district, please discuss it with your District Value-Added Specialists (DVAS) or contact a regional Value-Added specialist in your area. For more information, e-mail: vainformation@ode.state.oh.us.

Who Does This Effect: All Employees that are based in the United States.
I thought this was important enough to send out to everyone.  As usual the scammers will be out in force looking for ways to get your information.  Please take a few minutes and read this article. As always, feel free to send it to your family and friends.
If you have problems or concerns, please contact the Solution Center via email at helpme@cengage.com or phone at 1-800-443-3941 and a case will be opened to discuss the specifics of the request with the user.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Robert Hotaling
Cengage Learning Security Officer

Link to the article below:
http://greatermd.bbb.org/article/bbb-alerts-consumers-about-us-census-workers--10338

BBB Alerts Consumers about U.S. Census Workers:
For years, Better Business Bureau has educated consumers about not giving out personal information over the telephone or to anyone who shows up at their front door.  With the U.S. Census process beginning, BBB advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft.
 The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country.  Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race and other relevant data. 
 “Most people are rightfully cautious and won’t give out personal information to unsolicited phone callers or visitors, however the Census is an exception to the rule,” said Angie Barnett, President and CEO of BBB Greater Maryland. “Unfortunately, scammers know that the public is more willing to share personal data when taking part in the Census and they have an opportunity to ply their trade by posing as a government employee and soliciting sensitive financial information.”
The Census data will be used to allocate more than $300 billion in federal funds every year, as well as determine a State’s number of Congressional representatives. Households are actually required by law to respond to the Census Bureau’s request for information.
 During the U.S. Census, households will be contacted by mail, telephone or visited by a U.S. Census worker who will inquire about the number of people living in the house. Unfortunately, people may also be contacted by scammers who are impersonating Census workers in order to gain access to sensitive financial information such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers.  Law enforcement in several states have issued warnings that scammers are already posing as Census Bureau employees and knocking on doors asking for donations and Social Security numbers.
The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

• If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions.  However, you should never invite anyone you don’t know into your home.
• Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.  While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, it will not ask for Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers nor will employees solicit donations.
• Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail or in person at home.  However, they will not contact you by e-mail, so be on the lookout for e-mail scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an e-mail that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Cengage Learning Solution Center
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This is a reminder that the Hamilton County Task Force/PPD meeting will be held Thursday, January 21st at CRES. There will be coffee & networking at 8:00 am with the meeting following from 8:30 – 11:00 am.

Sent for: Bill Bogdan

By: Terri Densford
Support Staff, SST Region 13/HC CRES
1301 Bonnell, 3rd Floor Suite
Cincinnati, OH 45215
674-4278
terri.densford@hcesc.org

             In December Senate President Bill Harris appointed me to the Ohio School Funding Advisory Council. The Council was created by H.B. 1 and is charged with presenting the state board of education and the general assembly with “recommendations for revisions to the educational adequacy components of the school funding model…” {Also known as the “Evidence Based Model”] Specifically, the Council is to analyze the adequacy of the model’s financing of special education, gifted education services, career-technical education, arts education, services for limited English proficient students, and early college high schools. The Council’s report, which is due December 1, 2010, also must include:

·         Recommendations for a student-centered evidence-based model for schools that uses a per pupil level of funding to follow a student to the school that best meets the student’s learning needs;
·         A study of current funding for joint vocational schools;
·         A study of the current educational service center system
·         An examination of the existing structures and systems that support compensation and retirement benefits for teachers;
·         A consideration of whether community schools and STEM schools should be subject to the expenditure and reporting standards adopted under 3306.25 of the Revised Code and the accountability requirements of sections 3306.30 to 3306.40 of the Revised Code [go here to review Code sections: http://codes.ohio.gov/]; and
·         An analysis of the effects of open enrollment on students and districts, and recommendations for ensuring that open enrollment policy and financing is equitable for students and districts.

Although the legislation provides some flexibility and suggests other areas that may be examined by the Council, since the initial report is due in less than eleven months, it is likely that the other areas will have to wait and will be reviewed for subsequent reports, which will be due by July 1st of even numbered years.

Of particular interest to community schools, other than items one, five and six above, is section 3306.291 of the legislation which created a “subcommittee to foster collaboration between school districts and community schools.” This subcommittee, which I will serve on, is required to recommend “fiscal strategies, including changes to the funding model … that will provide incentives and compensation for Ohio school districts and community schools to enter into collaborative agreements that result in creative and innovative academic programming for students and academic and fiscal efficiency. The report of this subcommittee must be provided to the general assembly no later than September 1, 2010.

                As you can see, there is a lot of work that needs to be done in a fairly short amount of time.

                An examination of the Ohio School Funding Advisory Council membership reveals that there are not many members who are representative of community schools. There is one parent of a community school student, Dave Huelsman, whose child attends Oakstone Academy; the community school sponsor representative is Robyn Essman, who works for the Columbus City Schools; and, the community school fiscal officer is Alan Hutchinson from the ESC of Central Ohio.

                Given the dearth of community school representation on this 28 member Council, which is stacked with superintendents, administrators, teachers, union representatives and others with a traditional public school background, I would like to be in as strong a position as possible to advocate on behalf of the interests of community schools. To do this, I felt it was important to solicit your input. I hope you will take the time to provide me with your insights, ideas and recommendations, particularly with respect to fostering collaboration between districts and community schools. Also, if you have comments regarding subjecting community schools to the additional reporting and accountability measures identified in the legislation, I would be interest in hearing these as well.

                The Council’s next meeting will be January 19th, and we will be meeting at least twice a month through the balance of the year. You may provide your comments, and any supporting documents you may wish to send, to me at lukich.richard@constellationschools.com. Although you are free to call me at 216-647-3200, or fax documents to me at 216-901-0779, email would be my preferred method of contact.

                There have been numerous committees, commissions and panels assembled in the past to examine many of the same issues that the Ohio School Funding Advisory Council is currently reviewing, and, in most instances the reports and recommendation of these groups have ended up collecting dust on a shelf. I am hopeful that the work of the Council won’t suffer the same fate. However, regardless of whether the work of the Council results in any real change, it is important for those of us involved in community schools to voice our concerns, provide our input, and attempt to have some impact on shaping future policy and legislation that could dramatically effect our ability to continue serving the children and families who are depending on us.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Very truly yours,

Richard A. Lukich, Chairman
Constellation Schools

Colleagues,

As of this week, I will no longer serve as Co-Director of CRES and will return to my duties as Director of Special Education at CCESC. Kathy Sturges will assume full responsibility as Director of CRES. I will continue to attend meetings at ODE as the “SPEC” for the region, assist with task force meetings and will continue to facilitate the regional workgroup that was formed to increase results for SWD. 
I truly enjoyed this leadership role and the opportunity to meet and network with many wonderful people doing great work with children in districts throughout our region.  But as many of you know, I live in Brown County and the drive to CRES was, at minimum, 1.5 hours (in good traffic!).  Trying to balance my responsibilities at CRES and at CCESC while spending a great deal of time each day on the road proved to be more of a workload than I expected. 

I am honored to have been afforded the opportunity to serve (even if for a short time) as Co-Director of CRES along with Kathy.  I will continue to support the work of CRES and assist Kathy in any way possible as she assumes the role of Director.   Kathy has a team of fabulous people to assist her in maintaining the provision of quality services to children, families and districts in our region.  I appreciate everyone’s support and understanding of my decision and I look forward to my continued participation in much of the work!

My sincere thanks to all of you.

Deb

Deb Durbin
Director of Special Education
Clermont County Educational Service Center
2400 Clermont Center Dr., Suite 202
Batavia, OH  45103
513-735-8300

Note: This bulk e-mail does not apply to Community School LEAs, JVS, MRDD, or ESC. It is being sent to the superintendent, treasurer, CCIP Consolidated Application District Contact, and Title I Contact. A new Web-based application to assist districts required to report Title I Comparability was activated on December 22, 2009. This system, which is accessible through the SAFE Account, will enable districts to determine comparability by using data already submitted to ODE through OEDS-R, CCIP, and EMIS. If your district is required to complete the report and has not yet submitted it or if the older version of the Excel report form was returned to be corrected, please complete the comparability report using the new Web-based system. Data reliability and source documentation will be enhanced as a result of interfacing with EMIS, OEDS-R and the CCIP. The new tool is automated and will run all the algorithms, once the data is entered and verified, to test comparability. The Web-based system will reduce the amount of time and effort required to report comparability when compared to the older Excel reports. Districts required to complete the comparability report will receive the following Web-based message: Upon review of OEDS-R and CCIP data, it has been determined that your district is required to submit a Comparability Report. This email is a notification that the Web-based comparability system is available to submit the Comparability Report to ODE. If you have any questions, please contact Comparability@ode.state.oh.us. PLEASE NOTE: The district is NOT required to use the Web-based system if the district has already submitted the Comparability report to ODE using the old Excel form and it was approved. For this reason, we ask that you not submit another report in the Web-based Comparability Application System since we will use the Excel report as the official report. The requested date to submit the Web-based Self Report is on or before February 1, 2010. Web-based Title I Comparability Application Directions for FY10 can be found in the CCIP Doc Library under Financial Information, Comparability-Title I. Reminder: Always enter current school year 2009-2010 data no matter which method you are reporting. If using the student/instructional staff ratio method, be sure to enter current school year (SY2009-2010) pupil enrollment and instructional staff full time equivalency as determined within a relative period of time. If using the per pupil expenditure or student/instructional staff salary ratio method, enter current school year (SY2009-2010) pupil enrollment, instructional and curriculum material allocations or monies budgeted for base instructional staff salaries. Contact information: Technical assistance with the Web-based system: Karl Koenig (614-752-1597) Comparability assistance: Ed Peltz (614-752-1571) or Elena Sanders (614-752-1561)
PLEASE NOTE: This message and any response to it may constitute a public record, and therefore may be available upon request in accordance with Ohio public records law. (ORC 149.43)

From: Geis, Karlyn [mailto:Karlyn.Geis@ode.state.oh.us]
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 11:30 AM
Subject: FW: Reminder

Dear Community School Administrators and EMIS Coordinators:

Please note that  only 60 community schools have reported data to the December Child Count reporting period. This reporting period will close on January 15, 2010. Please make sure that you submit all required data for your school. More information is provided below.

Thank you,

Karlyn

Karlyn J. Geis
Data Manager, Office of Community Schools
Ohio Department of Education
Desk: 614-466-9208

Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 10:42 AM
To: Geis, Karlyn
Subject: Reminder

The Office for Exceptional Children would like to remind you that the December Child Count reporting period is open for only a couple more weeks.  This data determines federal funding and becomes the official “count” of students with disabilities for all LEAs. Thus far, approximately 60 Community Schools have submitted NO December data.  If you haven’t yet submitted your data-the time to do so is NOW. If you have submitted data – please check any error reports that you have received, and make necessary additions or corrections.

Thanks.