This September, Joe Peitzmeier took the stage representing Educational Service Unit 2 in Kearney, NE at the annual Governor’s Wellness Awards. “The Governor’s Wellness Award recognizes businesses within their communities that have demonstrated and implemented a wellness culture within their organizations,” Governor of Nebraska Pete Ricketts stated. The Governor’s Wellness Awards fall into three categories: Sower, Grower, and Harvester. Educational Service Unit 2 was recognized as a “Grower,” which awards organizations showing significant improvement in healthy behavior. Educational Service Unit 2 would like to thank Joe Peitzmeier for not only representing the company at the awards ceremony, but helping our employees learn and implement healthier habits and behaviors.

Virtual Reality is one of the newest tools being deployed in today's classrooms to assist in the explanation of complex subject matters. Recently the EMT Class at P2T (Pathways 2 Tomorrow) in West Point began using the Oculus VR system to explore human anatomy, specifically how the different body systems and organs work together to maintain homeostasis. P2T Health Science Teacher and EMS Instructor Daniel Bridges says that students have been excited about using virtual tools and training to really get a better look at the human body. Bridges says the students can gain a much deeper level of understanding of anatomy in his classrooms by using the VR system. Pictured is Bancroft-Rosalie Senior Kelsey Larsen using the Oculus VR system as she spends time in the virtual world looking at the functions of the heart. Oculus will be introduced as the year continues in other health science classes at P2T including Principles of Biomedical Science. For a quick video demonstration of the Oculus virtual world, you can go to YOU by Sharecare | Sharecare (May not be suitable for those with trypophobia)

The Crisis Prevention Institute's Nonviolent Crisis Intervention training teaches educators practical skills and strategies to safely manage disruptive or difficult student behavior while balancing the responsibilities of care.

Imagine a school where challenging student behavior is managed early using preventive techniques, where a competent and confident staff understand that it's not about being strong enough to use force, it's about being strong enough not to.

From a raised voice to a physical assault, the appropriate staff interventions for all levels of risk behavior are addressed. CPI training gives educators a solid framework for decision making and serves as a foundation for a system-wide nonviolent crisis intervention training plan.

The program supports PBIS strategies and can be fully integrated into the PBIS process.

CPI Rates:

Consortium Districts:

New Certification: $30/person

Re-Certification: $25/person

ESU 2 Non Consortium Districts:

New Certification: $40/person

Re-Certification: $35/person

**Plus travel expenses for onsite training

Outside ESU 2 Districts:

New Certification: $50/person

Re-Certification: $45/person

**Plus travel expenses for onsite training

All registration fees include expertise fees, instructional materials and essential food/ and beverage service.

Additional, upcoming CPI Renewal Certification training dates include:

New Certification:

September 5, 2019

October 3, 2019

Re-Certification:

September 9, 2019

October 10, 2019

If you are interested in all or large staff training at your district, contact Michael Feit directly.
mfeit@esu2.org or 402.202.2546

While there are many online resources the Educational Service Unit provides to our districts, last fall, a few schools embarked on a pilot for the very popular online resource Vocabulary.com. This resource aids students in learning words, not only through context clues and definitions, but through games and friendly competition. Fremont, one of our districts who is very familiar with this resource has received its first Vocabulary.com certification. Dana Fontaine, Fremont Public High School’s media specialist has earned the title of a certified educator in Vocabulary.com.

This certification is no small feat as those enrolled in the Certified Educator program must:

• Certified Educator Course, online or on-site
• Three-part qualifying exam
• Implementation task rubric

Once a candidate has completed these tasks, they will be awarded:

• 3-year certification
• An official certificate with course hours
• A Certified Educator badge on your Vocabulary.com profile page
• A Certified Educator email signature graphic

The program is free and available online to all educators consisting of webinars, exams, as well as a demonstration of knowledge of the resource through implementation tasks within the resource.

We want to congratulate Dana on her new certification and for spreading the word about words to each and every one of her students, one click at a time.