The first option is to burn the content on to a DVD or CD. This is a great way to keep homework files from the past year. Burning to a disc is also a great option for photographs. You can use the disc in kiosks to make prints, or use in DVD players to watch slideshows of photos. If the class has done some iMovies, you can create DVDs of the projects for the students to keep.

A second option is external hard drives and USB drives. Today, the cost of storage is greatly reduced. The silver USB drive in the photo is my first pen drive I bought (years ago) and it is 64 MB. It cost me about $64 at that time. The blue USB drive is 1 GB and it cost me $5 (and that was a couple of years ago). Most external hard drives are just as portable as USB drives today. I use my external hard drive to back up my digital components for my classes: lesson plans, movie and music files, and presentations. USB drives are great for daily use in the classroom or small file transfers. Also, many Blu-Ray players have USB ports to play your digital movies. (As a father of five, a great way to take movies with us when we visit grandma and grandpa for Christmas.)

And then there is the cloud. The cloud has many options. On April 24, Google announced their cloud storage option, Google Drive. Apple has the iCloud, Microsoft has SkyDrive, and I bet your Internet provider has a cloud storage option. These options allow you to store your everyday digital files: documents, photos, videos, and music on the providers "cloud." The benefit of cloud storage is accessing files from anywhere and on almost any device.

Computers do crash, servers go down, and devices do run out of power. It is important to backup your digital work. And yes, I will be taking my own advice; I have some blank discs sitting on my desk just waiting for student work to be handed in.

When Mr. Street began working with the special education staff at the beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year he quickly began to inquire about common practices. Thus began a process headed by the ESU 10 Special Education Staff and School Psychologists to formalize ESU 10 verification practices. Throughout the current academic year, discussions centered on current practice at ESU 10 as well as determination of best practices. This project will continue into the summer with days devoted to developing ESU 10 Verification and Problem Solving Guidelines.

The expertise of school psychologists, speech/language pathologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing and the ESU 10 professional development department will be utilized to collaborate on this project. The special education department plans to have these guidelines ready to present to member districts in the fall of 2012.

The ESU 10 Continuous Improvement Process continues to move forward. It is our hope that this process will also help define our purpose and create better learning opportunities for all who we serve. It appears that our focus is getting more refined as we examine how we do business. The statewide ESU system is also becoming more focused in its efforts. The Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council has established four strategic plan priorities:
     • Improve ESUCC Processes and Identify Additional Stakeholders
     • Develop the ESU System 24/7 Technology Learning to Meet the Present and Emerging
       Needs of Nebraska's Schools
     • Accountability and Communication
     • Collaborative Working Relationships with Stakeholders

Many different initiatives are in discussion or early action stages that will address these strategies to the benefit of all school districts in Nebraska. More will be shared on a variety of topics once plans are finalized and contracts secured. So, rest assured that the wheels on the bus are always turning here at ESU 10. The bumps in the road are useful to jar us into clearer thinking from time to time to help guide us when we hit the forks in the road. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us at any time. This is one of those rare places where back seat drivers are actually encouraged.

Have a great summer.

Pleasanton High School senior Brady Darby's design has been chosen to be aboard the revolutionary Dragon rocket to be launched from Florida on Monday, April 30.

During this school year students from Pleasanton Public School and Norris High School have been conducting research experiments through the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program which entails them studying the effect of microgravity to the International Space Station. Darby's patch, which depicts Earth, the moon, and the space station is, the perfect choice for the contest, says his science teacher Alison Buescher.

"His design not only shows what the project is all about, it's done so well it is a great representation of our school." Darby's design was chosen among 77 students in grades kindergarten through 12^th grade. He says he was both honored and surprised when he found his design was chosen. "I didn't think I had a chance and was shocked when my design won."

He says he has quite a bit of experience in graphic design, which helped in his effort to complete the design. "I am very good with Photoshop and use it often." Buescher will be attending the rocket launch in Florida along with Norris High School science educator Cindy Larson-Miller. The patch selected to represent Norris Public Schools was designed by fifth grade students, Zoe Nielsen, Tanner Chambers, and Cassandra Morse. It, too, will aboard the Dragon rocket.

A project conducted by the advanced biology students from Norris High School was chosen to go aboard the rocket to the space station. The microgravity experiment and both mission patches will travel home with the astronauts on July 1 when the Mission 1 payload returns on the Russian Soyuz 29 rocket.

By Josh Salmon, Beacon-Observer

• "The overall presentation was fantastic! It kept my attention!"
• "It was the perfect start to a day!"
• "Top Notch!"
• "You hit the nail on the head with this one-I wouldn't change a thing!"

After such a positive response, we have decided to repeat the training on Saturday, June 2nd, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at ESU 10. If you or someone you know would like to register click here. The target audience is: parents, grandparents, foster parents, preschool teachers, childcare providers, college students, EDN services coordinators, respite providers, and related service providers and anyone else interested in the topic.

One of Science Olympiad's main goals is to bring academic competition to the same level of recognition and praise normally reserved for athletic competitions. Much like a football or soccer team, competitive Science Olympiad teams prepare throughout the year for tournaments.

Participating schools from Middle School or Jr. High and Senior High levels included Alma, Anselmo- Merna, Arcadia, Elba, Gothenburg, Grand Island Northwest, Kearney Catholic, Lexington, Loup City, North Loup-Scotia, Omaha Skutt Catholic, Ord, Paxton, Ravenna, SEM (Sumner-Eddyville-Miller), Spalding, and St. Paul.

Autism Spectrum Disorders are complex neurological disorders that typically appear during the first three years of life, impairing a child's ability to communicate and to relate to others. Symptoms range from very mild to severe. Parents often times are the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child or to recognize that their child has not reached the appropriate developmental milestones. If you have concerns about your child's development, experts encourage you to act now by contacting your local school district to request an evaluation or to speak to your pediatrician about having your child screened for an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Research shows that early intervention can result in significant improvements for young children.

The Nebraska Autism Spectrum Disorder Network provides up-to-date information and training as well as workshops statewide on a number of ASD topics for families and educators working with individuals on the autism spectrum.

For local, regional and national resources as well as ASD information across the lifespan, please visit the Nebraska ASD website.

Application forms for the 2013 Nebraska Teacher of the Year are available here. Applications must be completed and postmarked by midnight, August 10, 2012. A selection panel will review the applications, and the four or five teachers receiving the highest scores will be advanced. Finalists will be interviewed during October, and the Teacher of the Year will be selected from those finalists. An awards luncheon will be held in November.

Begun in 1972, the Nebraska Teacher of the Year program recognizes outstanding Nebraska certified teachers who teach in a pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 classroom setting, and who plan to continue in an active teacher status in a state-approved or accredited school. Three letters of support must accompany the application. Questions on the application seek information on educational background and personal development, community involvement, philosophy of teaching and learning, and the teaching profession from the viewpoint of the applicant.

Candidates must be:

• exceptionally dedicated
• knowledgeable/skilled
• respected/admired by parents, students, and peers
• active in the community in which they teach
• poised, articulate, and energetic
• able to inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities

The Nebraska State Education Association, Nebraska Council of School Administrators, Nebraska Association of School Boards, and corporate partners BlueCross BlueShield of Nebraska and Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) will present a monetary award to the Nebraska Teacher of the Year. Each of the remaining finalists will be given a monetary award from sponsoring corporate friends and education associations.
The Nebraska State Board of Education will provide a $1,000 grant to the Awards of Excellence winners and the Teacher of the Year to be used for a project of the teacher's choice in his/her school. Additionally, the Nebraska State Education Association, Nebraska Association of School Boards, Nebraska Council of School Administrators, SMART Technologies, BlueCross BlueShield of Nebraska, Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), the Nebraska Parent Teacher Association, Dillard's Department Store, Lincoln, and Nebraska Department of Education will present gifts, mementoes, and awards to the persons recognized.

The Nebraska Teacher of the Year Program has received financial support from The Sherwood Foundation, Union Bank & Trust Company, The Nebraska Academy of Sciences, Inc., and ConAgra Foods Foundation.
If you have need for additional information, please call (402) 471-5059 or email lora.sypal@nebraska.gov.

Well, I'm not really buying this rationalization either so here's what's on my mind this month - disaster recovery planning. It's something that no one really wants to consider, but things happen. There has already been an unprecedented tornado on the ground in Nebraska in February and the severe storm season is just starting. Computer viruses are an ever constant danger. We learned recently that fires do happen in school buildings. I listened intently to what Kirk Langer, Director of Technology Lincoln Public Schools, and Dr. Stephen C. Joel, Superintendent Lincoln Public Schools, had to eloquently say about the trials and tribulations of their experiences dealing with the man-made disaster that incinerated the administrative building in Lincoln. There are a myriad of other sinister situations just lurking out there that could cause mayhem.

It really does make one pause and think about what each of us learning institutions need to do to pro-actively protect information and inventory. The staff at ESU 10 will be taking a look at our situation and I would expect many of you will do the same. We will continue the process of making plans for ESU 10. Our attention has also turned to the school districts that we serve "to partner with our customers to meet this changing need through professional expertise, training, and support". How might we best serve you on this topic? I'm sure many discussions will be shared in the coming months.

With that it's time to concentrate on staff, salary, programs, and budget for the 2012-2013 school year so that ESU 10 can continue to best meet your needs. We are also finalizing the survey to extract your opinions about the current program of services. I just hope I do a better job at these tasks than I did at picking brackets for the NCAA basketball tournament this year. My wife is so far ahead of me in tournament prognostication skills that it isn't even funny. I am truly humbled.

How in the world could I have planned better to avoid this disaster? See - mayhem abounds!

The 21st Century Learner requires a different type of education to meet their needs and to equip them for their future. Today's students no longer respond to 30-minute lectures, worksheets, and uniform instructional methods. The modern student thrives in utilizing multi tasking, networking, multi-functional devices, all facets of technology, and highly engaging entertainment. The traditional method of the assembly-line, production-linebased education is no longer effective.

Student teachers coming out of colleges today are being taught to differentiate lesson plans during undergraduate classes and teaching experiences. These methods and philosophies are being used and implemented by young teachers; however, teachers who graduated 5, 10, or 20 years ago have not been equipped with the same mind-set, tools, and training. Too many times, experienced teachers are missing out on or are confused about the essential elements of differentiation that are
desperately needed with the current student population.

Roxanne Whiting and Carol Keiser have co-taught a classroom that has included students of varying abilities, and it is an on-going challenge to reach each student and offer individualized opportunities to develop mastery of the classroom content and critical thinking skills. Differentiated instruction has provided both of them and all of their students the opportunity to engage in the learning process by better understanding how each person moves through that process. They have implemented clear learning objectives, multiple intelligence surveys, tiered learning groups, and leveled methods of questioning. In addition, they have provided information, data driven instruction, and differentiated the process by which students demonstrate their understanding of the concepts. Differentiated instruction has become such a focus in education and has been so successful for the students in their co-taught classroom that Roxanne, Carol, and their administrator, Teresa Messersmith, believe the DI mind-set should become the basis for an education revolution throughout central Nebraska.

Teachers must be equipped to challenge the students individually and variably to meet the wide variety of learning styles and levels of thinking. After receiving the John Russell Applegate grant to attend an DI Intensive Institute in Orlando, Florida with nationally renowned educators, Roxanne, Carol and Teresa are excited to share the differentiated mind-set, practical tools, and everyday strategies in an engaging, interactive workshop titled, Digging Deeper With Differentiation In The 21st Century Classroom. This workshop will be held at ESU 10 on Monday, June 25, 2012 and will incorporate DI philosophies, tools, and examples to meet the tremendous need of teachers trying to effectively reach the students of today. Don't wait - register on ODIE today!