This week’s issue of Friday News includes:

  • Handouts, resources from Culture of Poverty Awareness, State of the PLAEA Union
  •  Photo album from the Grand March of the Prairie Lakes AEA Prom
  • Attitudes poem
  • Recognizing staff celebrating milestone years of service
  • Please help promote PD opportunities!

Reflections, resources from our PLAEA “prom”
Please be sure to say “Thanks” to the presenters from the Learning Supports Team (Deb Lenertz, Linda Linn, Amy Gilman, Denise Wasko, Mary Kay Sharkey and Julie Nadrchal) who led the morning session that focused on “A Framework for a Culture of Poverty.” As promised, the resources that were part of that learning are below:

Map of the 2007-08 percentage of students eligible for free & reduced lunch by district
Student achievement data for grades 4, 8, 11 - free & reduced lunch eligible, non-free & reduced lunch eligible and state data
2007-08 percentage of students eligible for free & reduced lunch by school building
Resources - definitions/descriptions
Resources grid
Hidden rules of economic class
Registers of language

Resources from Dr. Kay’s State of the Union address:
Quantative data from the 2008 Customer Survey
Qualitative comments from the 2008 Customer Survey

View the photo album from the Grand March of prom.

Atittudes
The following poem was shared by Michelle Laughlin at the recent State AEA Board of Directors Conference. Michelle was born without legs and a left arm and considers it a blessing to be able to educate people about just how rich and diverse lives of people with disabilities can be. No direct cause has ever been related to having been born this way, yet she has not let that deter her spirit. She is an inspirational speaker, and is currently the Student Disability Services Coordinator at Drake University. Check out her story and the poem written by from Charles Swindell

Attitudes

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The Only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our ATTITUDE.

Celebrating our staff milestones

Last Friday, we recognized staff members who are celebrating milestone years of services with Prairie Lakes AEA. Through merger, moves and transitions, our staff has stayed true to their passion and recognized the impact of attitude while serving students, schools, and the community. We thank each one for their dedication!

Staff members who are retiring from Prairie Lakes AEA
Carol Scott-15 years of service-Storm Lake AEA
Barb Schons-33 years of service-Storm Lake AEA
Ceil Triggs-20 years of service-Storm Lake AEA
Cheri Maehl-24 years of service-Fort Dodge AEA
Betsy Moritz-18 years of service-Estherville AEA
Rebecca Nelson-15 years of service-Fort Dodge Youth Shelter Care
Trudy Anderson-20 years of service-Webster City AEA
Mary Paulson-32 years of service-Estherville AEA
Jan Kollasch-25 years of service-Algona AEA
Ruby Purcell-32 years of service-Fort Dodge AEA

Staff members celebrating 30 years of service
Carla Berkler-Rockwell City AEA
Ann Gale-Algona AEA
Kathy Pomrenke-Storm Lake AEA
Don Messmer-Fort Dodge AEA
Gary Petersen-Storm Lake AEA
Sandra Johnson-Pocahontas AEA
Cheryl Petersen-Storm Lake AEA
Theresa Golden-Spencer AEA

Staff members celebrating 25 years of service
Jan Kollasch-Estherville AEA
Sandy Spangler-Pocahontas AEA
Deb Shelton-Fort Dodge AEA
Susan Rasmussen-Jefferson AEA
Rich Feilmeier-Storm Lake AEA
Mary Pauk-Webster City AEA
Steve Beeghley-Pocahontas AEA

Staff members celebrating 20 years of service
Maureen Salinas-Storm Lake AEA
Shannon Hagen-Jefferson AEA
Diane Nelsen-Estherville AEA
Trudy Anderson-Webster City AEA
Bonita McLarnan-Pocahontas AEA
Pat Albright-Rockwell City AEA

Staff members celebrating 15 years of service
Jill Nedved-Pocahontas AEA
Harriet Adams-Pocahontas AEA
Shannon De Moss-Fort Dodge AEA
Rebecca Nelson-Fort Dodge Youth Shelter Care
Mary Kay Sharkey-Fort Dodge AEA
Carla Haupert-Jefferson AEA
Carol Scott-Storm Lake AEA
Brenda Prentice-Spencer AEA
Denise Engelby-Algona AEA
Paula Laughlin-Fort Dodge AEA
Diane Capesius-Algona AEA
Jean Christensen-Fort Dodge AEA

Staff members celebrating 10 years of service
Lisa Lohman-Pocahontas AEA
Linda Linn-Spencer AEA
Coletta Jaeger-Estherville AEA
Jackie Ohl-Spencer AEA
Joy Weier-Algona AEA
Jim Hebert-Fort Dodge AEA
Deb Gade-Pocahontas AEA
Jill Heinen-Algona AEA

Enlisting YOUR help to promote PD opportunities
As you work with teachers, administrators and other educators, we need YOUR help in sharing the news! Click on the following links for the specific brochures. Click here for the complete packet!

PD opportunity for elementary math teachers
PD opportunity for secondary math teachers
PD opportunity for elementary science teachers
Word Journeys/Kathy Ganske workshop
TI-nspire - graphic calculator PD opportunity for high school math teachers
Integrating Instruction & Technology for the 21st Century Learner - This is a MUST for middle school-level educators who desire information, tools and ideas on using technology to teach our digital natives.