2019 Delegate Assembly Professional Development

Thirty Offerings Include Safety, Child Trauma, Compassion Fatigue

NSEA members at Delegate Assembly will be able to select from a menu of professional development sessions. These sessions, all scheduled for Friday, April 26, are open to delegates, non-delegates and even non-members. Non-delegates who plan to take part must register their intent to participate

Early Session: 6-6:45 p.m.
  • Overcoming Stress Through the Use of Mindfulness Techniques, with Tonya Vyhlidal.
    Learn how Mindfulness can be applied to your work and home life to help you overcome your stressors and achieve improved wellbeing.
  • The Mind Inside, Bekah Bauman & Brittany Mascio.
    The Mind Inside, an I Love Public Schools docuseries, explores mental health issues in Nebraska schools.
  • An Introduction to Child Trauma, with Jack Bangert & Kathie Garabrandt.
    Explore the definition and scientific evidence for child trauma/toxic stress and the affect of this trauma on students.
  • Education Support Professionals, with NSEA Organizational Specialist Judy Roach.
    For NSEA ESP members to learn more about the ESP program and opportunities.
  • DA/RA 101 & Parliamentary Procedure with the NSEA Executive Committee of Jenni Benson, Paul Schulte, Tracy Hartman-Bradley & Linda Freye.
    An overview of Delegate Assembly with the NSEA leadership team. New delegates are encouraged to attend.
  • BCBSNE Healthcare Resources, with Courtney Ray.
    Learn how to use BCBSNE resources to access your plan, estimate costs for procedures and services and the value of telehealth.
  • Let’s Get BlendED, with NSEA Organizational Specialist Isau Metes.
    The Four types of Blended Learning Environments and an introduction to hyperdocs.
  • Navigating the Student Program, with London Bercey, Kristen Sedlacek, Heather Fritz.
    SEAN President London Bercey will guide you through the student program and what is going on at the state, local and national levels.
  • Higher Education: Issues and Concerns with NSEA Organizational Specialist Rich Wergin.
    Explore a number of issues and concerns shared by our new hires and members in Higher Ed.
  • Retired Educator? How to be an Effective Advocate, with De Tonack and Jason Hayes.
    Learn how to lobby your state senator to help create positive change in the classroom and the profession.
  • Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee, Eddie Ventura & NSEA Organizational Specialist Michelle Raphael.
    The annual meeting of EMAC. 
Session I: 7:45-8:30 p.m.
  • An Introduction to Child Trauma, with Jack Bangert & Kathie Garabrandt.
    Repeat of 6 p.m. session.
  • Estate Planning Basics with Kramer Lyons.
    This session will cover basic issues the average person should think about when developing an estate plan.
  • A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Legislature, with NSEA Director of Public Policy Jason Hayes.
    The latest statutory changes in education and school finance law.
  • The GIFT of Social Emotional Learning, with Tom Whisinnand.
    Learn about Sanford Harmony and how you can use this FREE curriculum at your school, and in your classroom.
  • And Still They Persist: Native American Indian Mascots… a Nebraska Tradition, with Jose Soto.
    A look at evolving discussions of the racial/cultural/ethnic insensitivities surrounding some Nebraska high school sporting events and programs.
  • Challenging Racism Through Stories and Conversation, with Palma Joy Strand.
    An intro to the Challenging Racism conversations in which teachers gain skills needed to talk about race and racism with students, colleagues and communities.
  • Motivation with Complex Text, with Beckie Tuttle.
    By building background knowledge, going back into the text, and having a choice of what is read, reluctant and regular readers will gain reading skills.
  • Mindsets for Learning: Elevating Everyone to the Status of Learner, with Sarah Brown Wessling.
    One of the most powerful ways to engage learners is to be transparent about our own learning. Explore the mindsets that matter to learning and how to transfer our own experiences to the classroom.
  • The Evolution of Safety and Security in the K-12 Environment, with Joseph Wright.
    What are reasonable and actionable best practices that can keep students and staff safe at school?
  • When A Concussion Isn’t Mild: Surviving Concussion in the School Setting, with Rachel Kluthe.
    A middle school math teacher, Kluthe suffered a life-changing “mild traumatic brain injury.” Hear her story as well as how to accommodate students or teachers facing such challenges.
Session II: 8:45-9:30 p.m.
  • President’s Parlor, with NSEA President Jenni Benson.
    Visit with NSEA President Jenni Benson.
  • The Mind Inside, with Bekah Bauman & Brittany Mascio.
    Repeat of earlier session.
  • Us vs. Them to We.....Collaboration with Our Administrators and School Board, Deb Lyons.
    How the Hastings Education Association went from facing a school board attorney negotiator and hard feelings on both sides to becoming a team working together for student success.
  • Talking Their Way to Knowing: Creating Discussions that Teach Thinking, with Sarah Brown Wessling.
    Explore what to do before, during and after a discussion to help students take ownership over both the conversations and their learning.
  • Bargaining in Public, with Molly Davies & Bobby Miller. 
    The Omaha Education Association held public bargaining sessions for two years, with benefits and pitfalls. Learn from OEA and consider this strategy to help your members see why they pay dues.
  • Continuing Excellence in Evolution of EHA Heath Care Benefits, with Greg Long.
    Your EHA advocate will give an in-depth explanation of health care plan designs while focusing on individual’s needs. There will also be a Q&A.
  • What is Compassion Fatigue; Do You Have It? with NSEA Organizational Specialists Mandy Faripour & Judy Roach.
    This will help you identify whether you have compassion fatigue and offer tools to care for yourself.
  • Supporting Beginning Teachers Through Union and Member-led Mentoring, with NSEA Organizational Specialist Cindy Copich.
    Learn of NSEA’s virtual mentoring and instructional coaching program and how it supports beginning teachers. A panel of mentors and mentees will offer a Q&A.
  • Boosting Attendance for Student Success, with Lisa Utterback & Alan Bone.
    Learn of the connection between school attendance — especially in early grades — and lifelong success. Learn of challenges related to chronic absence and how metro districts work together to get kids to school every day.
  • NGEN: Engaging Early Career Educators in your Local and Statewide, with Organizational Specialist Heather Fritz.
    Learn how to engage early career educators.