How to get students off your list

Here's how to get students off your list:

If you are the case manager, you have two options:

1. Transfer the student to a new case manager.
2. Exit the student. (goto Edit Setup for the student. Set the ‘Status End (exit reason) drop down list box (underneath ‘Status’) to the appropriate code.

If you are NOT the case manager, you can remove them from your list by going to the student’s forms page and clicking the ‘Remove from my list’ link just below the navigation buttons in the top/right corner of the page.

Note: If you ARE the case manager AND transfer the student, you’ll STILL need to do the step for when you are not the case manager after you complete the transfer.

Things you should know

I've been getting a few questions over and over this year. All these questions have already been answered on this blog. Below is a short list. Click on the links for a video answering the question.

1. How do I transfer a student to a new case manager?
2. A student is missing from my list. How do I see inactive students, exited students and students sent to me from other districts?
3. How do I request a student from another case manager?

SpEd Forms Upgrade

I upgraded the SpEd Forms server today. The biggest change seems to be a 'tabbed' menu at the top of the forms page. It should be pretty self explanatory.
In addition, the Department of Education posted new recommended Due Process forms at: http://children.state.mn.us/mde
The updated forms will be posted incrementally on SpEd Forms servers over the next few weeks.

New MN State Disability Website

I got this info this morning from Joan Breslin-Larson. The website looks clean and easy to use. Check it out!
(ST. PAUL) – Beginning today, Minnesotans have a single source on the Internet – www.mndisability.gov – for quick and easy access to state government-agency programs, products and services dedicated to disability issues.
“This is the ‘blue pages’ for state government disability resources,” said Dan McElroy, Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development and the project’s sponsor. “Our goal is to empower people with disabilities, their family members and friends, and anyone looking for an easy-to-access, easy-to-understand starting point on the Internet for state government resources.”
Site users can locate resources in any of four ways: by topic – such as education, employment, housing or transportation; by state agency; through an A-Z index; or by a search. The site currently has more than 220 links, each with a brief description of a program, product or service offered by various state agencies. The site will be updated on a regular basis and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as generally accepted accessibility standards.
Mndisability.gov is a collaborative effort of numerous state agencies, including the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, Commission Serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing People, Minnesota State Council on Disability, Ombudsman Office for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, State Services for the Blind, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Division, STAR and Rehabilitation Services. The Minnesota Office of Enterprise Technology designed and built the site.
The site was developed under the auspices of the state’s Drive to Excellence government reform initiative, which seeks to increase quality and customer service and reduce costs in the Executive Branch of state government.

Grade Level Rollover Complete

I've completed the grade level rollovers for SpEd Forms and AIMSweb. Student grade levels should now reflect where they will be in the Fall.
In the case of AIMSweb, they should also be moved to their correct school.

Grade Level Bumps

I'll be bumping up all student grade levels in SpEd Forms and AIMSweb on Friday, August 3 in the morning. After I'm done, the grade levels will reflect where the students should be this fall.
I hope everyone is having a great summer. I've been very busy! Right now we are rewiring our network to accommodate our expansion into our lower level and the installation of a new phone system. The coop is a disaster with everything moved around and wires hanging out of the ceiling. I may post pictures if I can find a few extra minutes.
Later!

Phone Number Changes

All of the direct dial phone numbers for the coop that began with 855 now begin with 454. For example, my number was 855-5531 and is now 454-5531.

SpEd Forms Server Scheduled Downtime - July 6

The SpEd Forms server will be unavailable, all day, July 6, 2007. The downtime is for maintenance at the network operations center in Brainerd where the server is housed.

SpEd Forms Updated

I just completed an update to our SpEd Forms software. Along with some third party billing updates, here's a list of changes for teachers:

1. The “Summary of Performance” is now available.
2. A companion extended school year checklist has been linked to the existing “Extended School Year” form.
3. On the forms menu, the “Special Education Data Sheet”, “MARSS Student Data” and “Release of Information” forms are now listed with the “Notice of District’s Proposed Action or Denial” for easy access.
4. When an evaluation report is finalized, a prompt now appears for the new student evaluation status and the evaluation date is updated in Student Setup.

Coop Retirements

I'd like to wish a fond farewell to Kathy Daly, Judy Stevens and Roberta Bohlke. They are retiring this year and will be missed. They all have different last days, so you'll have to check with them and wish them well!
(Who wants to bet which ones flunk retirement!)

PBEC Podcast Issue 9

This is the final podcast of the 2006-2007 school year. This issue covers:

1. There is a demo on this blog showing how to transfer a student to a new case manager.
2. There is a demo on this blog showing how to request access to a student.
3. Don't change student's grade level in SpEd Forms or AIMSweb. (I'll do that.)
4. Set up extended school year services just like regular ones, just set the dates.
5. We'll be getting a new server computer for SpEd Forms over the summer.
6. I'll be upgrading SpEd Forms the first week of June.
7. I'm expecting a major SpEd Forms upgrade with forms changes before September.
8. I'll be collecting SRI data next week and upgrading Read180 over the summer.
9. I'll be doing a session at the summer institute workshops in August.
10. Up to the MN*AT is in June. Just $10 a day!
11. I'll be posting important notices to the blog over the summer.
    

Have a great summer!

How To Request Access To A Student

I've put together a short Quicktime movie demonstrating how to use the 'Request Access' feature in SpEd Forms. The feature allows you to send a message to the current case manager to request access to a student's forms.
Click here to see the demo.

How To Transfer A Student To A New Case Manager

I've created a short Quicktime movie demonstrating how to transfer a student to a new case manager. Click here to see the demonstration.

How To View 'Exited' Students in SpEd Forms

If you've had a student 'disappear' from your list, it's probably because the student has had a status change and is 'inactive' or 'exited'. I've put together a short Quicktime movie demonstrating how to show students in your list who are 'inactive' or 'exited' in SpEd Forms. This is a reposting, but I think it's important as I've been getting alot of questions about it lately.
You can view it by clicking here.

Cognitive Coaching FoundationSM Seminar

A Cognitive Coaching FoundationSM seminar is again being offered in Brainerd by Loretta Norgon this summer: June 11-14 and Aug 13-16*.
Some of you took the full training a few years ago, and some completed the first half of the training at that time. If you are interested in the full eight days or if you would like to pick up the second four days; please get back to Loretta as soon as possible.
There will be no registration cost to Brainerd district employees.
Here's a link to the flyer.

New AT FYI Available

The newest (and last for the school year) AT FYI is available on our website.

Have you tried Google Scholar?

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Want to learn more? Click here. Or click here to try it.

Summer Institute

The Summer Institute workshop schedule is done. I'll be doing two sessions. One with Dr. Marc Markell on CBM and AIMSweb. The other I will be doing with Margaret Knebel. Margaret and I will cover SpEd Forms changes, AIMSweb and new Assistive Technology.

Up to the MN*AT Brochure

The brochure for the Up to the MN*AT conference has been released. It will be held June 25-28, 2007 at the MN Dept of Ed in Roseville. There are specific strands for AT in a flash and vision.
See you there!

Did You Know?

Here is a link to a video titled, Did You Know that Gaynard sent to the coop staff. It's about six minutes of interesting facts and predictions. It will make you think!