ESD 105 Partners with Heritage University to implement a local Master in Social Work program, focused on school-based social work and mental health beginning spring 2024!
We are excited to share that ESD 105 has been selected as one of only two grant recipients in Washington State to be awarded with a Mental Health Service Professional Grant through the Department of Education, the other being UW! This grant will provide more than $1 million annually for the next five years to support the new partnership between ESD 105 and Heritage University known as "Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium". This will be a local program where students can earn a Master in Social Work, focused in school-based social work and mental health.
This new program is intended to help support the great need in our region to fill mental health provider positions by ensuring that local students who are interested in practicing school-based social work and mental health therapy, have access to high-quality programming while remaining close to their communities.
Both organizations will play integral roles in the design, implementation and delivery of this new programming. While Heritage University will be designing the coursework and offering the degree, ESD 105 will be partnering with local school districts to oversee internships. These unique internships will allow program students the opportunity to gain skills in social work and clinical mental health therapy in a school setting. School districts partnering with ESD 105 to host internships include Union Gap, Wapato, Toppenish, Mt. Adams, Granger, Mabton, Grandview, Royal and Wahluke.
This “grow your own” consortium, which has the support of the Yakama Nation, seeks to open pathways for candidates from historically underrepresented groups, such as those who identify as Indigenous and/or Hispanic/Latino. Of this new offering, Emily Nelson, ESD 105 students support director, says, “We believe that representation in school and clinical settings has a positive impact on the success of our Pre-K to 12th grade students. Through the Yakima Grow Your Own Consortium, we seek to help build a more diverse workforce that reflects and connects with our growing student population. We are excited to support the growth of professionals in our region and to help address the workforce shortage in mental health and social work that impacts access to care. ”
We are excited to partner with Heritage University and local school districts for this new endeavor and look forward to sharing updates in the coming years!
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There's still time to schedule your trip to Olympia to advocate for your district, staff and students!
Today is day 30 of the 2023 Regular Session and there is still plenty of time to meet with our legislators to help provide valuable insight into the importance of addressing our key priorities!
As educational leaders, your stories, experiences and first-hand knowledge of current issues facing our students and schools is essential for legislators to have a true understanding of what they can do to positively impact the lives of Washington State students!
We encourage leaders to sign-up to visit with our legislators. Once you have signed up, Melissa Gombosky will help schedule your meeting.
If you have any questions, please contact ESD 105 Superintendent, Kevin Chase.
Download Regional 2023 Key Priorities
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This week is National School Counseling Week !!
School counselors have a huge impact on the success of our schools because of the connections they create with our students and the work they do each day to help them realize and plan their own pathways for the future. This week, the American School Counselor's Association, asks us to join them in celebrating this impact. There are several resources available on their website to help you give thanks this week.
At the ESD, we'd love to help! It's really simple! Just download a sign and then ask your school counselor to answer the question on the sign. Take a picture of them holding the sign and send it to us by this Thursday (2/9/23)! On Friday we will post these signs to our social media pages.
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Fantastic FREE literacy learning opportunities for educators, administrators and interested community members!
Glean Education is providing a free Structured Literacy Course Bundle. This bundle is intended to support Structured Literacy implementation fidelity among the state’s teachers to increase equity of reading interventions among all students. The practicum is aligned with the International Dyslexia Association’s teacher practice standards and designed to support implementation of Washington’s HB6162 in enabling educators to better understand the Structured Literacy instructional supports referred to in the bill.
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Glean Education: Upcoming FREE Expert Webinar Series
February 16, 2023 from 3 -4 PST
Using Data-Based Decision Making to Intensify Instruction after Literacy Assessment
A nationally-recognized expert on MTSS, Kim St. Martin explores how teachers can understand and use their literacy assessment data to make instructional decisions for their students across the Tiers of instruction.
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March 16, 2023 from 3 -4 PST
Overview of PBIS: The Importance of Behavioral Supports within an MTSS Framework
Two Directors at the May Institute, Bob Putnam, Ph.D. and Christine Downs, M.A. share an overview of PBIS and high-leverage strategies to build systems for behavioral supports and ensure a comprehensive MTSS framework.
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| Join colleagues in learning about how Children's Village has supported our students and families for 25 years & take a tour of their amazing facility!
ESD 105 has been a strong supporter of Children's Village since their opening 25 year ago. The work Children's Village does in our community is essential in providing support to our students (and their families) through some of their most difficult times and toughest struggles.
On February 16th, representatives from Children's Village will be joining superintendents at WASA-SCR for a short presentation about the history of the partnership between Children's Village, the ESD 105 and our districts' schools.
While we recognize that most of our educational leaders are aware of the impact Children's Village has in our community, we realize that not all have had the chance to visit their facilities to see their work in action!
Following WASA-SCR, superintendents and their designees and special education directors are invited to take a tour of Children's Village. The tour will conclude with an informational session led by the CEO's of Children's Village and Memorial Foundation to share about future expansion of their facilities and the programs they offer!
When is the tour?
February 16, 2023 from 1-2:15PM
Where should I meet?
3801 Kern Road
Yakima, WA 98902
This tour is intended for:
Superintendents & Designees
Special Education Directors
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Help spread the word!
This FREE COMMUNITY EVENT is open to any family in our region.
March 23rd @5:30PM
Families from across the south central region of Washington State are invited to join us for a night of family fun and learning about how to support and protect our kids from dangerous substances like Fentanyl!
Dinner and childcare for students in grades K-5 is provided at this FREE FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT!
Parents will participate in Hidden In Plain Site, receive Narcan training and walk away with FREE Narcan kits. All programming is provided in both English and Spanish.
Ways schools/districts can help us spread the word:
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Share our Healthy Youth, Healthy Families Facebook event to your Facebook pages
- Send our flyer home with students or make them available in your offices
- Use our graphics and the event description to invite your families and staff
- Send a personal invitation to families who you think may specifically benefit from this opportunity (students who have been caught with substances at school, etc.)
Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about this event. Contact Emily Contreras at emily.contreras@esd105.org
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Spring 2023 ESD 105 Regional 5030-Comprehensive School Counseling Program Workshop
April 11th
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tailored to CSCP (Comprehensive School Counseling Program) site teams (including supervising administrators), this full-day working session will provide opportunity for distraction-free, off-site analysis and planning time. Walk away with an actionable, realistic plan for aligning your CSCP to evidence-based practice at Tiers 2 and 3, as well as evaluation of the CSCP’s impact on student outcomes, efficiency, and effectiveness.
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