Agency Collaboration: Building Relationships One School at a Time Pam Brezenski; Nebraska Educational Service Unit #13 Barb Ehrhart; Gering Public Schools Special Services Director Calico Cowan; Gering Freshman Academy Secondary Special Education Staff Jamie Soper; Kimball Public Schools Special Services Director Jill Trautman; Gering High School Secondary Special Education Staff
Kohler, P. D., Gothberg, J. E., Fowler, C., and Coyle, J. (2016).
Kohler, P. D., Gothberg, J. E., Fowler, C., and Coyle, J. (2016).
ESU #13 • 21 High School Districts • 19 Rural Schools • 1 Transition Specialist/Coordinator • 1 VR Office • 1 DHHS Office • 1 DOL Office
Transition Programming Capacity Building Needs Geographical Elements and Frustration of Teachers Structure of the High Schools and Differences Understanding Roles and Responsibilities of Different Resources
Purpose • Explore areas of growth to meet stakeholder needs • Increase understanding of agencies and resources available • Focus on school goals • Reduce the stress of Secondary Transition Staff
Process • 1) Explore Wishes, Hopes, and Dreams • 2) Use the Guide to Begin Conversation and Just Talk and Share • 3) Follow Up Meeting • The schools dictate the next steps……………………..
• A lack of providers in the area. Limited number of job support providers, non-specialty providers and this makes it difficult have a student transfer over to adult life. • Job transitioning-when students attend school outside of their community, they struggle to transition to a new job. 1) Explore our Wishes, This could be set up before they move home. • Independent living opportunities-it’s a struggle to have Hopes and Dreams them live on their own • Amount of $ for resources • Starts the conversation • Employer attitudes towards employing individuals with disabilities • Explores areas of needs • More resources in this part of the state • Examines chief concerns • Clearer Communication between all stakeholders • Hands on Opportunities • More Realistic Opportunities • They want a step by step process to allow direction • Students to break barriers and pre-conceived notions • Work experiences and community employer attitudes.
2) Use the Guide and Matrix as a Resource Nebraska Department of Education (2016)
3) Follow Up Meeting • Held with School Staff and Esu 13 Transition Coordinator • Revisit the meeting notes • Organize information into a plan
Gering High School 1) Initial Capacity Building Meeting With Agencies Nebraska VR Counselors, Nebraska VR Employment Specialist, Nebraska Department of Labor, League of Human Dignity, Department of Health and Human Services, State Career Development Staff, State Transition Director, Special Educators, Student Services Director, ESU 13 Transition Coordinator 2) Follow Up Meeting to Discuss Results/Begin Planning Gering High School Student Services Director, ESU 13 Transition Coordinator, Special Educators from all schools, 3) Assessment Plan and Coursework Alignment Meeting Gering High School Student Services Director, ESU 13 Transition Coordinator, Special Educators, School Psychologists 4) Development of the Google Portfolio Gering High School Student Services Director, ESU 13 Transition Coordinator, Special Educators, School Psychologists, Gering Technology Support Staff 5) Collaborative Follow Up Meeting Nebraska VR Counselors, Nebraska VR Employment Specialist, Nebraska Department of Labor, League of Human Dignity, Special Educators, Student Services Director, ESU 13 Transition Coordinator
Current Results…. Creation of an Creation of a Google Creation of Google based Assessment/Instructional Website Data Tool to Allow School Specific Informal Plan that Horizontally Aligns Students to Share all Assessments to Identify all Transition Activities Transition Activities With Stakeholder Needs Within the School Agencies Planning for Activities that Reach Beyond the School Follow Up Meetings to Borders and Utilize Capacity Identify New and Changing of the Community Through Information Collaborative Instructional Planning
Transition Continuum Planning Assessments, Activities, Courses
Google Web Page for Information Sharing • Information Will be shared at the event.
Kimball High School 1) Initial Capacity Building Meeting With Agencies Nebraska VR Counselors, Nebraska VR Employment Specialist, Nebraska Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Special Educators, Student Services Director, ESU #13 Transition Coordinator 2) Follow Up Meeting to Discuss Results/Begin Planning Kimball High School Student Services Director, ESU 13 Transition Coordinator, Middle School (7-8 th ) Special Education Teacher, High School (9-12) Special Education Teacher
Current Results…. Creation of an Assessment/Resource Identification of Key and Activity Plan to areas for further We Aren’t Finished Yet! address Transition Collaboration Needs
Assessment Plan
Transition Activities Plan
References Kohler, P. D., Gothberg, J. E., Fowler, C., and Coyle, J. (2016). Taxonomy for transition programming 2.0: A model for planning, organizing, and evaluating transition education, services, and programs. Western Michigan University. Available at www.transitionta.org. Nebraska Transition. (2017). Transition Planning Guide. http://transition.ne.gov/transition-planning-guide
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