Smoky Hill
FOR TEACHERS
You are all superstars. The work you do cannot be adequately praised and we salute you for your dedication to the next generation and to our communities. That is why we are honored to offer numerous workshops that will allow you to supercharge your teaching skills, making sure you are always at the vanguard of the education field. Please browse our selection of classes and know that you are welcome to attend as many as you wish. Rest assured that all of our workshops, and the consultants who teach them, are here to help you achieve your full potential by connecting credible, cutting-edge research to the practice of teaching.
Content Cadres
Leadership Cadre
Being a building principal can sometimes be a lonely job. These meetings are designed to offer an opportunity to share concerns, get feedback, and support your fellow building principals. We will discuss the hot topics of the day, special concerns or questions that you have from your building, and what trends or requirements are on the way in education. We will occasionally be joined by Kansas administrators, policymakers, and content area experts as well to share their points of view on current topics. A great opportunity to collaborate with your colleagues without having to leave your building!
For more information contact Chris Moddelmog at
cmoddelmog@smokyhill.org.
Mathematics Cadre
The Mathematics Cadre is an opportunity for educators to connect with each other and discuss how to support student, staff, and parents in the area of mathematics. Join fellow educators in understanding ways to maintain quality instruction and support the standards for mathematic practice during the school year. Participants will determine the discussion topics and areas of focus. Meetings will be via Zoom and will be recorded for those unable to attend in person.
For more information contact Jolene Goodheart Peterson at
jgoodheartpeterson@smokyhill.org
SECD Cadre
The SECD Support Cadre is an opportunity for educators to connect with each other and discuss how to support student, staff, and parent social-emotional learning and skills. Integrating Social, Emotional, and Character Development structures, practices, and teaching consciously and specifically will be essential throughout the school year. The discussion topics will be determined by the group - what is working, what is not working, what help is needed, or what participants want more information on.
For more information contact Noalee McDonald-Augustine at
nmcdonald@smokyhill.org.
Tech Directors' Cadre
The Smoky Hill Technology Cadre is open to any technology coordinators and educators who are integrating technology for improved student learning in their districts’ classrooms. While we offer new and updated training and information, we also want to allow time for the exchange and discussion of all of the group members’ ideas for using technology in schools and classrooms. Topics discussed include using technology for teacher professional learning as well as for student learning, using available Internet databases and resources, 21st Century Literacy Skills for students and educators, and exploration of new technologies. Each session will include an ‘open agenda’ time for discussion and research on any topic that is brought to the group. The main goal of this workshop is to develop a learning community in which technology coordinators will learn and share best practices for using and managing technologies to improve student and educator learning environments.
For more information contact Chris Moddelmog at
cmoddelmog@smokyhill.org
Instructional Coaching
We offer a variety of coaching and mentoring services at Smoky Hill Education Service Center. Our instructional coaching services empower K-12 school leaders and teachers to align their instruction and curriculum with readiness standards and motivate students to achieve their career and college goals.
Our consultants partner with teachers for job-embedded professional learning that enhances teachers' understanding of students, the curriculum, and pedagogy for the purpose of solving problems that impede teacher success and pursuing interests that enhance teacher success.
We believe coaching has several significant components:
Coaching is a partnership.
Coaching is job-embedded.
Coaching is about professional learning.
Coaching enhances teachers' capacity.
Coaching supports reflection about students, the curriculum, and pedagogy.
Coaching helps teachers enhance their success as teachers.
Quality teaching practices influence student achievement. Instructional coaching practices influence the quality of teaching. Instructional coaches are an incredibly important part of the student achievement equation.
Both in-person and virtual options are available.
Virtual Instructional Coaching
The virtual coaching model supports classroom teachers with just in time, on-demand support to address student needs. Key to the coaching is modeling of effective instructional practices and use of data.
Earn Graduate Credit Hours with SHESC Workshops
Smoky Hill Education Service Center (SHESC) has partnered with MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) to provide you with graduate college hours for trainings you attend. MNU is an affordable way for you to earn credits.
Many of the workshops and trainings that we provide are eligible for graduate credit from MNU.
Visit our Workshops page for details on all upcoming SHESC workshops.
To register for all upcoming workshops click HERE and you will be redirected to our registration site.
Once you complete a SHESC workshop, you will receive an email with all the information you need to enroll and complete the process of earning MNU credit.
For every six-hour training opportunity, you have the option to earn 0.5 college graduate hours.
Each 1/2 credit costs $45. All classwork and payment is completed online through MNU.
All classwork is due seven days after the initial training, and you will send it directly to MNU.
Once you complete this initial training, you have the opportunity to earn additional credit through MNU’s STAR program and have up to one year to complete these requirements.
General Overview of the STAR Program:
Part 1: Knowledge: Basic Reflection - Attend the initial training and complete the reflection activity within seven days to earn 0.5 credit for each 6 hours of training. Within one year you can complete these additional parts to earn more credit. They have to be completed in sequence. You do not have to do all of the parts. All work from Part 1 - Part 5 is turned in directly to MNU on the same reflection document.
Part 2: Knowledge: Context and Learner (0.5) - Study more about the topic and apply the learning to how it impacts student and teacher achievement.
Part 3: Application: Instructional Planning, Assessment, and Implementation (1.0) - Create an instructional plan for a unit of study using what you learned and develop a hypothesis related to the impact on student achievement.
Part 4: Impact: Data and the Student (0.5) - Analyze the effectiveness of the unit of study in terms of your initial hypothesis and the data you collected.
Part 5: Impact: Reflection and Leadership (0.5) - Reflect on the impact of the unit of study and how you will use what you learned in the future.
Contact Dr. Lydia Gerzel-Short at lgerzel-short@smokyhill.org with questions about college credit for workshops.
Bullying Prevention
Anti-Bullying Service Available
SHESC can assist your district in preventing bullying among your students.
Kansas Anti-Bullying legislation implemented in 2008 requires all school districts to have an Anti-Bullying Plan.
Smoky Hill ESC has only one stance on bullying: It must stop. But we also know that is easier said than done.
If your school is looking for resources to meet this legislative requirement and to stop bullying, SHESC has what you need. We have programs and packages that can fit your individual needs and budget. We are ready to help stop bullying.
The question is, “Are you?”
Programs and services are available to help you review, update, develop, and implement the following components of your Anti-Bullying Plan:
District Needs Assessment – K-12 Student and Teacher Survey and Disaggregation
Written Policies
Procedures for Reporting and Documenting Incidents
Disciplinary Procedures
Staff Training and Resources
Instructional Coaching
Student Curriculum and Resources
Student Workshops
Parenting Workshops and Resources
Program Evaluation Procedures
For an anonymous reporting solution to identify and help prevent bullying, self-harm, and violence, SHESC's partnership with STOPit Solutions provides a proven system. A free demo and more information are available.
If you have questions, please contact Noalee McDonald-Augustine at 785-621-4414 or NMcDonald@smokyhill.org.
STOPit is an anonymous reporting solution used in thousands of schools worldwide to help keep students safe and make administrators’ jobs easier.
Through a mobile app, web, and phone reporting, STOPit helps administrators identify and even prevent school bullying, student self-harm, and acts of violence.
Benefits to administrators include:
24-hour incident monitoring with early warning sign triage
Tools to help get in front of issues and manage risk
Resources about issues and resolutions
Training and promotion services
STOPit is available at a discounted rate to any school in Kansas. Visit stopitsolutions.com/shesc to arrange for a free demo of this product with Nick Zema.
Contact Zema at nzema@stopitsolutions.com or 908-748-4552.
Virtual Instructional Coaching
The virtual coaching model supports classroom teachers with just in time, on-demand support to address student needs. Key to the coaching is modeling of effective instructional practices and use of data.
Some of the areas included in the coaching: ELA/Reading, Math, SEL, ELL, Leadership, and Culturally Responsive Teaching.
For questions or additional information, contact Dr. Lydia Gerzel-Short at lgerzel-short@smokyhill.org.
Crisis Management
Prevention/Planning/Responding/Recovery
Smoky Hill Education Service Center's Crisis Management Program assists schools in preventing, planning for, responding to, and recovering from any emergency or crisis that may happen at schools or nearby.
Contracting with SHESC for crisis management prevention and intervention means help with creating a plan to communicate before, during and after a crisis with students, staff, journalists and the community.
Smoky Hill ESC will also help with ensuring the safety of students and staff, protecting the district's property, and restoring normal educational processes as quickly as possible.
For more information contact:
Noalee McDonald-Augustine, (785) 621-4414 nmcdonald@smokyhill.org
Curriculum Services
SHESC Can Help Develop a Tiered System of Support
Curriculum alignment is an effective tool for improving teaching and learning. This support can be individualized for each district with the goal of transforming and improving your curriculum.
This can range from the first steps of the process to more advanced diagnostic stages of curriculum development using data to drive instruction.
The focus is on aligning curriculum to state standards and using curriculum maps to eliminate gaps and redundancies in the curriculum. Service Center staff can also work with your district to develop a plan for aligning your district curriculum.
For more information, contact Dr. Lydia Gerzel-Short at (785) 825-9185 or lgerzel-short@smokyhill.org.
Mathematics Instructional Curriculum & Resource Adoption Process
Implementation of the 2017 Kansas Mathematics Standards is complex and requires many components to be effective in developing mathematics learning for all students. Districts should always look for ways to better meet the needs of their students and propel them into becoming successful in any academic career or professional path that they choose.
Curriculum and other instructional resources play a significant role in the mathematics that is taught and learned. Educators will remember from education courses the various types of curricula explained by research. The types described by Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead, & Boschee (2012) are the recommended curriculum, written curriculum, supported curriculum, taught curriculum, tested curriculum, and learned curriculum. When researching and analyzing curriculum keep in mind the outcomes expected for your school or district and how the different types impact what students actually learn.
It is difficult to separate curriculum from the instructional practices employed by teachers when analyzing effectiveness. A quality curriculum should be provided to educators but quality professional development that is continuous and focused must also be provided (National Research Council, 2001). Educators should be aware of the interplay between the curriculum adopted and the instruction provided.
Once a curriculum is provided to educators, a purposeful and thoughtful plan must be utilized when implementing the units and the individual lessons. This does not mean that the curriculum is adhered to without thought toward the needs of the students that are in the classrooms. Educators need to understand those educational needs and make informed modification and adaptations within the curriculum as necessary, without losing sight of the end goal in mathematics. Maintaining rigor is essential!
As a committed mathematics educator, I believe that all students can learn mathematics at high levels and that all students deserve a robust, rigorous, and appropriate education. Mathematics education is constantly evolving, and, as a result, mathematics resources continually evolve.
Let Smoky Hill Education Service Center help you and your staff build an aligned, coherent, and rigorous mathematics curriculum.
For more information, contact Jolene Goodheart-Peterson at 785-825-9185 or at jgoodheartpeterson@smokyhill.org.
Data Analysis to Support Academic Growth
Data is key to supporting student academic growth. Putting in place systems that support the analysis of data and making connections to instruction is an important process to support not only interventions but core instruction. Training is focused on giving districts, schools, and teachers the skills they need to ensure learning for ALL students.
For more information, contact Dr. Lydia Gerzel-Short at 785-825-9185 or at lgerzel-short@smokyhill.org.
Mathematics Program Development & Support
Implementation of the Kansas Mathematics Standards is complex and requires many components to be effective in developing mathematics learning for all students. It requires teachers to have a deep understanding of the mathematical knowledge that they are expected to teach and a clear view of how student learning of that mathematics develops and progresses across grades. It also requires research-informed teaching practices that support the mathematics learning of all students. Smoky Hill Education Service Center is here to meet your needs in developing a rich mathematics program. We can help you diagnose your needs and take the necessary steps to improve student learning and achievement. Below are a few areas in which we can coach you in this process:
Curriculum or resource adoption
Curriculum or resource mapping and alignment
Evidenced-based intervention strategies and RTI support
Evidenced-based instructional strategies
Using data to support instructional decisions
Development and analysis of acceleration programs
Effective math instruction and program implementation
Integrating the use of mathematical tools and technology
Let Smoky Hill Education Service Center help you create a mathematics program that will better meet the needs of your students and propel them into becoming successful in any academic career or professional path that they choose. We listen, we collaborate, and we help you build, implement, and execute a plan to bring about real, sustainable change. As a hands-on partner, we will meet you where you are - with the team and resources you have, and the goals you wish to achieve.
For more information, contact Jolene Goodheart-Peterson at 785-825-9195 or at jgoodheartpeterson@smokyhill.org.
Literacy Support and LETRS Training
LETRS: Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling
LETRS training is focused on delivering evidence-based reading instruction and intervention based on structured literacy. It is set up in modules that address each of the elements of structured literacy targeted at specific grade levels. Training is focused on the needs of all students and supporting students needing intervention. Includes data analysis as well as developing tiered systems of support. Customized training is also available in all areas of literacy, as well as in data analysis and interventions.
For more information, contact Dr. Lydia Gerzel-Short, SHESC Assistant Director, at lgerzel-short@smokyhill.org.
Social, Emotional and Character Development
SHESC provides programs and services to assist schools to develop a safe, caring, supportive and intentional culture. These services are designed to help students succeed academically, vocationally and personally.
Help schools and districts develop effective character education, an anti-bullying program, or both.
Integrate Kansas SECD Model Standards into the curriculum.
Develop staff training to meet district or school needs, including 11 Principles of Effective Character Education, Power2Achieve Toolkit and Ruby Payne’s “A Framework for Understanding Poverty.”
Establish district and building policies and core principles.
Form procedures for reporting and documenting bullying incidents, including STOPit.
Respectful and effective disciplinary procedures, using Conscious Discipline.
Provide student curriculum, including Power2Achieve.
Create custom K-12 student workshops.
Provide parenting workshops and resources.
Supply relevant materials through the SHESC resource library.
For more information, please contact Noalee McDonald-Augustine at 785-621-4414 or nmcdonald@smokyhill.org.
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
STEM education integrates the four disciplines - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - into a blended learning environment with an emphasis on using the scientific method to solve real-world problems.
Smoky Hill Education Service Center can provide professional learning opportunities to enhance your STEM programs.
Contact us for more information.
Tiered Systems of Support
Looking for Ways to Improve Learning for All Students?
SHESC Can Help Develop a Tiered System of Support
The goal of a Tiered System of Support is to provide an integrated systemic approach to meeting the needs of all students and using resources in the most effective and efficient way—enabling every child to be successful.
This is accomplished by:
Being prevention oriented - Knowing who needs support early each year and putting those supports in place.
Implementing evidence-based practices for all students and tailoring interventions based on student need.
Using progress monitoring data to know when to make a change.
These practices set up a system to provide students at risk of - or already experiencing - school difficulties with interventions that prevent additional problems. This approach is different because assessment and instructional practices are integrated into an objective, data-based system with built-in decision stages.
Supporting the Learning of All Students
What We Know
The earlier school staff can assess students’ needs and identify those with difficulties, the quicker and less expensive the task is to help those struggling learners catch up.
The longer a student goes without assistance, the longer the remediation time and the more intense the services must be.
There is emerging evidence that many students who struggle in the early grades cannot catch up if we wait until 3rd or 4th grade to deliver intensive remediation.
What it Looks Like
Tiered systems allow schools and districts to ensure that supports within the entire system are provided in a coordinated way, including:
Students receive the help they need quickly.
Data is used for all instructional decisions.
Student progress is monitored frequently to ensure efforts are on track.
Ineffective practices are discontinued immediately.
Support is provided to teachers throughout the process.
Smoky Hill Education Service Center can help you developed a tiered system of support in your district. For more information, contact Dr. Lydia Gerzel-Short, lgerzel-short@smokyhill.org.
Volume Purchasing
Saving Organizations Money Through Negotiated Pricing
SHESC's Volume Purchasing Program offers access to discounted products and supplies for any non-profit organization (including educational and governmental organizations) located in Kansas.
For Smoky Hill Education Service Center charter and associate members, this is a free benefit included with membership.
For non-members, there is NO regular maintenance fee or sign-up fee to register for volume purchasing; only a small 2% administrative fee, based only on the price of any items purchased, will be assessed quarterly. (This excludes any shipping fees or other supplier fees for the purposes of determining the fee.)
Current category areas include technology products (from CDW-G), the full online catalogs of School Specialty and Frey Scientific, athletic supply, cafeteria supply, cafeteria food, card stock and copy paper, COVID-19 prevention supplies, custodial supply, furnace filters, lighting, and lumber.
For more information, visit go.smokyhill.org/vp or contact Lois Hanchett, Volume Purchasing Assistant, at vp@smokyhill.org or 785-825-9185. You can also fill out the form below to inquire for more information.
The Smoky Hill Volume Purchasing program saves school districts and other organizations money!
For more information, contact Diane Mann at 785-825-9185.
For current catalogs in PDF format, please use the buttons below.
ARE YOU A SUPPLIER?
SHESC Volume Purchasing is a great opportunity to expand your customer base, to bring attention to your brand, and to help to give back to Kansas communities by helping to connect them with your products at a competitive discount.
Visit go.smokyhill.org/requests-for-bid to see requests currently open for bids, as well as past bid requests on our institutional posting board.
For more information or to receive an invitation to bid on an upcoming request, contact Chris Moddelmog at 785-825-9185.
PLEASE NOTE: When checking out with CDW-G, if you see an option to check out as a "Guest" DO NOT use this option. You will need to create a full account. Failure to do so will result in incorrect billing!
Several popular product categories are also listed on the start page, including Interactive Flat Panels, Projectors, Color Printers, Black and White Printers, Microsoft Software & Adobe Software Licensing (Contact the account team at the link directly for a quote)
To register for the first time in ESM Purchasing, enter your email address and click "Forgot Your Password." Follow the directions and set your password.
If you are not entered into the system yet, you will not be able to register. Email vp@smokyhill.org with your Email Address, District Name, USD Number, Ship to and Bill to Addresses and Phone Number. You will receive notification when you can register.
Digital Citizenship and Technology
Programs for Students, Teachers, and Community Members
Technology has created many opportunities for people to learn, communicate, and interact in the 21st century. However, it has also increased the chances that they will be targeted by scammers, spammers, phishers, and predators. As more people get involved with remote learning, social networking, online communications, and e-commerce, it becomes more important that they know how to act safely and protect themselves while in cyberspace. These Smoky Hill ESC programs focus on suggestions for being a good digital citizen.
For Questions or Additional Information, Contact: Chris Moddelmog at 785-825-9185 or cmoddelmog@smokyhill.org.
Fast ForWord
The company Scientific Learning has combined years of neuroscience research with the latest multimedia technology in developing the Fast ForWord family of products. These learning activities help students attain the language and reading skills necessary to achieve the requirements of state language arts standards.
After working on Fast ForWord exercises, students often find they have mastered the basic skills they need to fully engage in their educational experience, not only in language arts, but also across the curriculum, as language and reading comprehension are keys to every subject area.
Fast ForWord K-12 products also correspond to the requirements of most dyslexia legislation for an instructional program.
Fast ForWord products provide assessment, intervention and proven results, which align directly with the goals of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Read more information about Fast ForWord here and contact Mary Alpers at malpers@smokyhill.org for more information about what Smoky Hill Education Service Center offers with the program.
Learn360 is a great media-on-demand service, which allows subscribers to stream or download thousands of video clips and other K-12 educational media.
The content is searchable by keyword, subject, grade level, state standard, media format and more.
Users have access to content provided by a variety of vendors including National Geographic, History Channel, Bennett Watt, Sunburst, A&E, and many other well-known publishers. With all content thoroughly vetted and age-appropriate, users can feel confident they'll avoid unpleasant surprises inherent in a basic internet search for video.
Videos and individual video clips are correlated to Kansas College and Career Ready Standards. All videos can be easily viewed on any device - including desktop computers, laptops, tablets and even smartphones. Everyone in the school district, including students, can access media anytime, anywhere.
Learn360
Digital Media Content is Available Through SHESC
Smoky Hill ESC Partners with Learn360
A robust administration functionality offers a variety of reports, site customization, and connections to district media content.
To learn more about Learn360, preview accounts are available through Smoky Hill Education Service Center.
If you have questions or need more information, contact Chris Moddelmog at 785-825-9185.
Resource Library
Search and see what we have available in the library
Library items are available for checkout by employees of our member school districts.
Most items are checked out for a period of four weeks. New items are available for a period of two weeks.
If you would like to put items on hold or reserve them online you will need a patron barcode and password. Click here to register.
If you would like assistance finding items you may email Nicole Harmon-Hendrix at library@smokyhill.org or call her at 785-825-9185.
From books and videos to puppets and science kits, there are resources to fit teachers' needs in the SHESC Resource Library.
Feel free to stop by our Salina office at 605 East Crawford St. and see what we have available.
Adventure Program
Looking for Something EXCITING and HANDS-ON for Staff or Students?
Try the Smoky Hill ESC Adventure Program!
The Smoky Hill Adventure Program - and the NEW Smoky Hill Virtual Adventure Program - is an adventure education service dedicated to personal and professional growth and development through experiential learning (experience, reflection, generalization, and application). Experiential learning emphasizes three areas:
• Individuals learn best when they are personally involved in the learning experience.
• Knowledge has to be constructed by the individual if it is to mean anything or make a difference in his or her behavior.
• A commitment to learning is highest when one is free to set his or her own learning goals and actively pursue them within a given framework.
This learning process can help students increase knowledge, develop skills, and clarify values. It also allows participants to be involved in individual and group challenges that support and enhance Social, Emotional, and Character Development skills. These challenges require a combination of teamwork skills, individual commitment, problem solving, goal setting, and emotional risk-taking.
Smoky Hill Virtual Adventure Program
The NEW Smoky Hill Virtual Adventure Program provides a perfect event for individuals to practice and grow these skills through a virtual experiential learning opportunity.
In this current Continuous Learning environment, building relationships and teambuilding can be a challenge, and having students work as a team when they are not physically next to each other can be difficult.
Educators may also need to reconsider what problem-solving lessons look like because most of us have a shorter attention span for a virtual classroom. We are simply not used to being engaged on a screen for such long periods.
You may not be able to take your students outside, but we can bring virtual teambuilding opportunities to your students. Whether students are working in-person or virtually, non-academic skills, including effective communication, teamwork, strong work ethic, perseverance, self-discipline, and critical thinking are essential. What do you have in place to give students the opportunity to get hands-on experience developing, struggling with, and reflecting upon these skills?
These virtual experiences will be active, with participants working together in small groups as well in a large group. This is an excellent opportunity for you and your group to experience something engaging, encouraging, constructive, and extremely educational.
On-Site Adventure Program
If you are unable to travel with your group, but still want an in-person teambuilding experience, then portable equipment, games, and initiatives can be brought to your building for an On-Site Adventure Program. On-site experiences can range in time from one hour to a full-day and can serve as a standalone event. Virtual Adventure Programs can also serve as a standalone event.
The Smoky Hill Adventure Program can be designed to fit your individual needs, budget, and goals. Specific programs are available for students; staff; individuals with physical, emotional, or mental disabilities (in any combination); at-risk youth; student organizations or teams; corporate groups; and youth groups.
Program goals can include:
Taking opportunities for healthy risk-taking and success
Strengthening communication and conflict-resolution skills
Improving problem solving and critical-thinking skills
Enhancing self-esteem and self-awareness
Developing trust in oneself and others
Promoting responsibility and leadership
Building cooperation and teamwork
If you have questions, please contact Noalee McDonald-Augustine at 785-621-4414 or McDonald@smokyhill.org.
Rosetta Stone
Smoky Hill Education Service Center is making available Rosetta Stone “tickets” to be used by language learners. These tickets will be distributed to schools. Schools may distribute these tickets to students, families, employees, community members, etc. in order to teach or learn a foreign language.
The tickets are good for all levels in the language of choice of the ticket holder. This covers five levels for Chinese (Mandarin), English (American), English (British), French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish (Latin America) and Spanish (Spain); or three levels in all other available languages. The ticket is good for one year of access from the time of enrollment into Rosetta Stone Classroom, which has 25 languages available.
Languages offered in Rosetta Stone are: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Dutch, English (American), English (British), Filipino (Tagalog), French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian (Farsi), Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish (Latin America), Spanish (Spain), Swedish, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
Smoky Hill ESC will continue to offer these tickets for $115 per ticket for the language of choice. The same option is $499 per single subscription on the Rosetta Stone website - representing a savings of more than 78% off the retail price!
Contact Carrie Sloderbeck at 785.825.9185 or rosettastone@smokyhill.org for more information.