events

Paraeducator Online Training includes: 140 self-paced courses covering general education and special education environments. Courses that are organized into bite-sized units and are perfect for training days. Posttests at the end of each course that are automatically graded. Training and assessments to highly qualify your paras and meet Title I requirements. Transcripts and course certificates that paraeducators can access to document their training. Content that aligns with CEC standards for paraeducator and is endorsed by CASE. Research-based content written by experts in the field. Dual format courses: Video-based and Text-based versions available!

Synergy & Leadership Exchange is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to fostering collaboration to advance the development of ethical citizens, providing educational resources, and celebrating achievement and best practices in Minnesota schools, businesses, and communities. Your tax-exempt donation to Synergy & Leadership Exchange supports the Gathering of Champions, Minnesota Schools of Character & Promising Practices program, Minnesota Ethical Leadership Awards, Character Recognition Awards, Reach for the Stars catalogue and much more!

Synergy & Leadership Exchange is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to fostering collaboration to advance the development of ethical citizens, providing educational resources, and celebrating achievement and best practices in Minnesota schools, businesses, and communities. Synergy is a membership organization that asks members to commit to actively advocate for and create school cultures that value academic achievement while supporting the development of the whole person. It seeks to provide expanded opportunities for students to excel while supporting teachers, schools and classrooms in this work. In addition to membership fees, donations, service revenues and earnings from several endowments, Synergy raises funds and in-kind contributions to underwrite its work of fostering collaboration with business, family, community and faith organizations for the development of ethical citizens, facilitating student and educator recognition programs and supporting academic enrichment opportunities.

SCSC Writing Contest entry fees. To learn more about the writing contest and submit your entry, visit www.mnscsc.org/writing-contest.

Minnesota’s Regional Center of Excellence in conjunction with Minnesota’s Regional Service Cooperatives and Minnesota’s Department of Education will again provide another year of facilitating a Professional Learning Community for Principals in the South Central Service Cooperative’s region. This learning community is intended to be a bedrock of support for principals based on a trusting, supportive and collaborative environment. Topics will be framed within the scope of instructional leadership and drawn from the groups based on need, interest and impact. Such topics could include the principal’s role in carrying out a district’s mission, addressing equity issues, advancing change, aligning the curriculum and instruction to standards, working with school leadership teams to advance initiatives, addressing equity and school culture, and meeting the obstacles that come with multiple hats, the complexity of need, excessive expectation and too little time. The choice of topics is aimed at supporting continual improvement directly aligned to the day-to-day context of the principal’s efforts while moving in a sustained direction. We plan to spend time every session on “Overcoming Human Barriers to Provide an Equitable Education.” This is intended to be a group of principals for principals! The cohort will meet seven times between early October 2022 and early May 2023. Each meeting will be from 10:00 am-1:00pm at the South Central Service Cooperative (SCSC) with time for check-in, new learning (10:00am-12:00pm), and learning from each other opportunities during lunch (12:00pm-1:00pm). There is a $75 registration fee. LUNCH is included. Meeting DatesWednesday, October 5Wednesday, November 16Wednesday, December 14Wednesday, January 11Wednesday, February 22 Wednesday, April 5 Wednesday, May 3 Please contact Kip Lynk at klynk@mnce.org or kip.lynk@swwc.org with any questions. Winter weather note: SCSC will be closed if Mankato School district closes due to winter weather.

MN Regional Low Incidence Projects Region 9 and SCSC are offering a bonanza of learning! See the schedule for more information. flyer

The Regional Technology Directors Community of Practice is open to anyone who is tasked with managing educational technology environments in the public or private sectors in South Central Minnesota. The Regional Technology Directors meet four to five times per school year to share information, problem solve and receive updates from national, State and regional education and governmental agencies. This Community of Practice is sponsored by the South Central Service Cooperative and the SOCRATES (the South Central Regional Area Telecommunications System).Lunch is provided.Planned meeting dates are: October 12, 2022, December 7, 2022, February 8, 2023, and April 19, 2023. There is a virtual meeting option for participants that are not able to attend in person. Email Dave Paschke dpaschke@mnscsc.org to receive a virtual meeting link. Winter Weather NOTE: South Central Service Cooperative (SCSC) building will be closed if Mankato Public Schools close due to weather.

South Central Service Cooperative is proud to host this opportunity for area students in grades 6–8 to demonstrate their skills in mathematics. Through a partnership with Mankato Area Community Education and Recreation and Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS), SCSC will offer the Math Mania Tournament. Teams of five students will participate in individual, team and playoff rounds of competition surrounding mathematical thinking and problem solving. Coaches are provided sample problems in advance of the competition and solutions for reviewing with teams afterward. Team and individual awards will be presented at a ceremony following the competition. Schools or other youth groups are invited to form teams, or students can register individually and will be placed on teams for the competition. We look forward to seeing all our “math maniacs!" Want to participate virtually? Contact Mary Hillmann for more information.

Communities of practice harness the power of the group, helping leaders make connections that foster collaborative problem solving and professional growth. Our intent is to have three regularly scheduled (Community of Practice) meetings for school nurses each year that support leadership and professional growth initiatives and provide opportunities for communication and collaboration. This years dates: Oct 13th, Jan 19th, ( FEB 16th rescheduled) April 20th

Register at: https://forms.gle/HyBzZCegjajcsgmD7 Are you looking for an Integrative STEM Program that: Is Standards Based? Is a project/problem based curriculum that has students integrating Science and Math through engineering and technology. Has variety and flexibility to fit your requirements? Lesson plans that are easy to reconfigure to meet classroom needs? Easy to follow lesson plans, with “Big Ideas” and “Learning Targets” clearly identified? Complete materials lists that are easily sourced? The Engineering byDesign TEEMS program meets these needs and more! Learn more about the Engineering byDesign program at mnebd.org. The Introductory session will include: An overview of the K-12 Engineering by Design Program An experience in a 6 “E” learning activity In Depth introduction to grade level coursework An “Active” learning experience One month access to the Engineering byDesign “BUZZ” LMS Cost: FREE! The Minnesota Technology and Engineering Educators Association is sponsoring this workshop. Lunch is included.

Register at: https://forms.gle/HyBzZCegjajcsgmD7 Are you looking for an Integrative STEM Program that: Is Standards Based? Is a project/problem based curriculum that has students integrating Science and Math through engineering and technology. Has variety and flexibility to fit your requirements? Lesson plans that are easy to reconfigure to meet classroom needs? Easy to follow lesson plans, with “Big Ideas” and “Learning Targets” clearly identified? Complete materials lists that are easily sourced? The Engineering byDesign TEEMS program meets these needs and more! Learn more about the Engineering byDesign program at mnebd.org. The Introductory session will include: An overview of the K-12 Engineering by Design Program An experience in a 6 “E” learning activity In Depth introduction to grade level coursework An “Active” learning experience One month access to the Engineering byDesign “BUZZ” LMS Cost: FREE! The Minnesota Technology and Engineering Educators Association is sponsoring this workshop. Lunch is included.

Dates: February 28 2023Check-in Time: 8:00 am – 8:30 amTraining Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Dates: March 1-2 2022Check-in Time: 8:00 am – 8:30 amTraining Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

The Young Writers & Artists Conference (YWAC) offers students the opportunity to explore a variety of subjects related to writing and creative arts. YWAC utilizes a number of authors, artists, educators, experienced writers, and business leaders as conference facilitators. These local and regional talents inspire youth and encourage them to take their own talents to new levels. If you are attending with a group, please make sure you have selected the correct date for registration. A brochure of sessions can be found at www.mnscsc.org/ywac.

The Young Writers & Artists Conference (YWAC) offers students the opportunity to explore a variety of subjects related to writing and creative arts. YWAC utilizes a number of authors, artists, educators, experienced writers, and business leaders as conference facilitators. These local and regional talents inspire youth and encourage them to take their own talents to new levels. If you are with a group, please ensure you know which date (March 7 or March 8) your group is attending prior to starting your registration.

The Young Writers & Artists Conference (YWAC) offers students the opportunity to explore a variety of subjects related to writing and creative arts. YWAC utilizes a number of authors, artists, educators, experienced writers, and business leaders as conference facilitators. These local and regional talents inspire youth and encourage them to take their own talents to new levels. If you are attending with a group, please make sure you have selected the correct date for registration. A brochure of sessions can be found at www.mnscsc.org/ywac.

The Young Writers & Artists Conference (YWAC) offers students the opportunity to explore a variety of subjects related to writing and creative arts. YWAC utilizes a number of authors, artists, educators, experienced writers, and business leaders as conference facilitators. These local and regional talents inspire youth and encourage them to take their own talents to new levels. If you are attending with a group, please make sure you have selected the correct date for registration.

The purpose of this training is to enhance school leaders' skills in facilitating conversations with meaningful feedback. This training includes a particular focus on incorporating culturally responsive equity-centered practices into your feedback. The six-hour session will include opportunities to: - Reflect on your practice - Learn about facilitating meaningful feedback conversations (centering cultural responsiveness and equity) - Practice utilizing a research-based four-part rubric on four areas of providing feedback: Centering relationships, Evidence use, Differentiated questioning, and Leading to action Audience: Any school leader or teacher leader Please contact Kip Lynk at klynk@mnce.org or Kip.lynk@swwc.org with any questions. WINTER WEATHER: South Central Service Cooperative (SCSC) building will be closed if Mankato Public schools close due to winter weather.

Structured Teaching is the foundation to classroom engagement. It is creating systems for students to be independent and increases the level of engagement by providing the visual clarity and structure to the student day, segments of the day (such as teaching time, independent work) and to the work the student needs to complete. It focuses on generalization of skills in other environments allowing the student to function independently with visual and structural prompts versus requiring a person to provide verbal prompts. Utilizing the elements of Structured Teaching sets the stage for staff to implement other evidence based practices and best practice instructional methods for people on the ASD spectrum and other disabilities. Structured Teaching Session 3: Creating tasks that speak to the student.You have your environment set up, you are utilizing individual schedules, you have designed a work system, now what?How do you create work for your student and how do you know what work they can do? This session will provide more depth to the determining, teaching and creating work for our students to do independently using the principles of structure. This will be a make and take opportunity. We will create pre-determined tasks as well as you will create your own tasks. Link to Event Flyer

Our event is terrific! Please come.

This conference is for professionals supporting student mental and physical health in schools. Join us at any of the three locations: Mankato, Rochester, and Marshall.Please select one location during registration.on. Lunch will be provided by Medica at each locationCEU's available upon requestAgendaFlyer

Come to the first ever Southern Minnesota School Health Conference. Join your fellow educators from the whole southern 1/3 of the state at 3 separate sites to collaborate and learn about ways to support our students and colleagues’ health and wellbeing and leave inspired by nationally famed speaker Principal El.

As part of the 125 clock-hour requirement for license renewal, the Minnesota Legislature, by statute, requires ALL teachers to show evidence in specific areas to renew a license.These sessions are offered in one day and the times and areas are: 1. Cultural Competency* 8–9 a.m. 2. Early Warning Signs of Mental Illness 9–10 a.m. 3. Suicide Prevention 10–11 a.m. 4. English Language Learners 11 a.m.–12 p.m. 5. Reading Preparation 1–2 p.m. 6. PBIS/Accommodations 2–3 p.m.* If attending Cultural Competency, you will receive additional instructions on assignments that need to be completed in advance of attending the session (a self-assessment and multiple readings).Participants may register for all six areas for $350 or choose individual sessions for $60. Each session will have a set of materials for further study. Lunch is on your own.

The Regional Technology Directors Community of Practice is open to anyone who is tasked with managing educational technology environments in the public or private sectors in South Central Minnesota. The Regional Technology Directors meet four to five times per school year to share information, problem solve and receive updates from national, State and regional education and governmental agencies. This Community of Practice is sponsored by the South Central Service Cooperative and the SOCRATES (the South Central Regional Area Telecommunications System).Lunch is provided.Planned meeting dates are: October 12, 2022, December 7, 2022, February 8, 2023, and April 19, 2023. There is a virtual meeting option for participants that are not able to attend in person. Email Dave Paschke dpaschke@mnscsc.org to receive a virtual meeting link.

Students in grades K–12 are invited to join us at Mankato East High School for a regional chess tournament, Saturday, Jan. 14, 8–11:30 a.m.! This contest will recognize the top winners of each age / grade division. Awards presentation will follow final rounds. Snacks provided for players.

South Central Construction Trades Boot CampThe Construction Trades Boot Camp is designed to give high school students an in-depth exposure to different union building trades. Students connect with union trade representatives who share their experiences and information about the apprenticeship process while working on different projects each day! Camp Details: NO COST to attend (local sponsorships make this camp FREE to students!) Lunch and snacks are provided each day June 19-23 and 26-30, 2023 9am-3pm daily Camp will begin and end each day at East High School in Mankato.2600 Hoffman RoadMankato, MN Please fill out the PRE-SURVEY form after registration (another link will be made available via email after registration)

As part of the 125 clock-hour requirement for license renewal, the Minnesota Legislature, by statute, requires ALL teachers to show evidence in specific areas to renew a license.These sessions are offered in one day and the times and areas are: 1. Cultural Competency* 8–9 a.m. 2. Early Warning Signs of Mental Illness 9–10 a.m. 3. Suicide Prevention 10–11 a.m. 4. English Language Learners 11 a.m.–12 p.m. 5. Reading Preparation 1–2 p.m. 6. PBIS/Accommodations 2–3 p.m.* If attending Cultural Competency, you will receive additional instructions on assignments that need to be completed in advance of attending the session (a self-assessment and multiple readings).Participants may register for all six areas for $350 or choose individual sessions for $60. Each session will have a set of materials for further study. Lunch is on your own.

Dive into reading with our reading academy series at South Central Service Cooperative Conference Center! Select one of the reading lists, enjoy reading through the books and submit an online review (2–3 sentences) for each book you read. Then convene on June 23, 2023 (The Art and Science of Reading Comprehension) for a day of networking, best practices, book discussions and literacy resources. To receive appropriate credit hours and certificate of completion, participants are required to fulfill the requirements on their selected reading list and provide their reaction to the book and how it could be used in the library or classroom setting or incorporated into an activity. All reading reviews must be submitted no later than one week before the workshop date. To view reading lists and submit your reviews, visit www.mnscsc.org/reading.

Transportation Works! Get Your Future In Gear! is a 3-day summer camp for students in grades 9-12 to interactively learn about careers in transportation. Tours and hands-on activities will allow students to explore and engage in this exciting and rewarding field. The camp will run from 9-4 each day, and will start and end at South Central Service Cooperative (2075 Lookout Drive in North Mankato). Meals and snacks will be provided. Students will be traveling via school bus to multiple locations each day. If you need specific transportation assistance (e.g. wheelchair bus), please email the contact below. Please fill out the RELEASE FORM prior to the event. A credit card is required to register through this system. If you are not able to pay via credit card for this registration or need information on scholarships, please contact: Kim Muellerkmueller@mnscsc.org

Dates: August 1 2023Check-in Time: 8:00 am – 8:30 amTraining Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Dates: November 3 2023Check-in Time: 8:00 am – 8:30 amTraining Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Dates: March 5 2024Check-in Time: 8:00 am – 8:30 amTraining Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm