Support for Students Exposed to Trauma (SSET) and Bounce Back Non-Clinical (BB NC) Curriculums (Day 3 of 3) 

November 3, 2025

• ESU#3 Student Services
• Harvey, Amy

Support for Students Exposed to Trauma (SSET) and Bounce Back Non-Clinical (BB NC) Curriculums

September 8, 2025       - in person at ESU #3
    October 6, 2025       - Via Zoom
November 3, 2025        - Via Zoom 

Presented by:  Emily Arkfeld, LCSW - Papillion La Vista Community Schools and Molly Schnabel, LCSW - Papillion La Vista Community Schools

Description:
SSET and Bounce Back-Non Clinical(BB-NC) are a school-based group intervention for students who have been exposed to traumatic events and are suffering from symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
-Populations Served: SSET: Grades 4-12; BB NC: Grades K-5
-Participants that complete the training will be able to offer BOTH SSET and BB NC within their school or district.
-In 10 easy-to-use group lessons, students who participate in SSET and BB NC increase levels of peer and parent support, as well as learn a wide variety of skill-building techniques to reduce current problems with: anxiety or nervousness, withdrawal or isolation, depressed mood, acting out in school, impulsive or risky behavior

Learning Outcomes:
-Review the definition of trauma and its impact, especially in the school setting
-Overview of group sessions, with resources shared and time to practice
-Discussion of stakeholder buy-in, parent engagement, possible barriers

Consultation:  Consultation is a recommended component of the training in order to maintain skills and integrity to the field of trauma informed work. This consultation also provides ongoing support to new group facilitators as they navigate the dynamics of their school setting. Topics will include: engaging difficult or high needs children, collaborating with parents and other professionals, handling ongoing mental health needs for children and families, adjusting sessions when unplanned conflicts arise, etc. Consultation will be two scheduled sessions via zoom for all participants.

ASD Girls on the Spectrum . . . 

November 4, 2025

• ESU#3 Student Services
• Harvey, Amy

Girls on the Spectrum (Girls with Autism with Average to Above Average Cognition and
Verbal Skills) : Hidden in Plain Sight

Flyer

Presenters:  
Teri McGill - Metro Region ASD Network Coordinator
Beth Klootwyk - School Psychologist Elkhorn Public Schools
Nicole Heller - School Psychologist- Elkhorn Public Schools
Jennifer Johnson - School Psychologist- Wahoo Public Schools
Marci Haight - IT Specialist/parent of daughter on the Spectrum- Plattsmouth Public Schools                       

Audience:  All special education and general education teachers, counselors, psychologists,  parents, Administrators, and other professionals working with females on the autism spectrum.
Description:  
Participants will learn:
•Prevalence of girls on the spectrum along with the difficulties identifying girls on the     autism spectrum                   
•Red flags and characteristics specific to females and how females on the spectrum often  
  camouflage or mask key characteristics
•Consequences of not identifying girls on the spectrum
•Conditions that can co-exist in females with autism
•Specialized instruction and strategies to support girls with autism in the school setting
      
Special Note: 
This training will include a panel of females on the spectrum to give participants first-hand insight on how autism effects them during their day-to-day life.

ASD Girls on the Spectrum . . . Hidden in Plain Sight (virtual) 

November 4, 2025

• ESU#3 Student Services
• Harvey, Amy

NOTE:  WESTERN REGION ONLY
All other regions must attend in person at ESU #3
This registration link is for the live, virtual session. This training will not be recorded.

ASD Girls on the Spectrum . . . Hidden in Plain Sight

Presenters:  
Teri McGill - Metro Region ASD Network Coordinator
Beth Klootwyk - School Psychologist Elkhorn Public Schools
Nicole Heller - School Psychologist- Elkhorn Public Schools
Jennifer Johnson - School Psychologist- Wahoo Public Schools
Marci Haight - IT Specialist/parent of daughter on the Spectrum- Plattsmouth Public Schools                             

Audience:  All special education and general education teachers, counselors, psychologists,  parents, Administrators, and other professionals working with females on the autism spectrum.
Description:  
Participants will learn:
•Prevalence of girls on the spectrum along with the difficulties identifying girls on the autism spectrum                   
•Red flags and characteristics specific to females and how females on the spectrum often  
  camouflage or mask key characteristics
•Consequences of not identifying girls on the spectrum
•Conditions that can co-exist in females with autism
•Specialized instruction and strategies to support girls with autism in the school setting
      
Special Note: 
This training will include a panel of females on the spectrum to give participants first-hand insight on how autism effects them during their day-to-day life.

Planning a Bright Future: Secondary Transition (Day 2 of 2) 

November 5, 2025

• ESU#3 Student Services
• Harvey, Amy

Planning a Bright Future: Secondary Transition   Flyer
Region 2 Secondary Transition
Cohort Practitioner Focused Trainings

Session 1:  Transition Blue Print
Featured Speaker: Lindsay Brown from VR

Review the fundamentals of transition planning.
Review Indicator 13 checklist and connect it to transition documentation.
Meet local organizations in the afternoon during the Community Agency Fair.


Session 2:  Building the Transition Plan

Take a deep dive in the core components of a transition plan.
Build a compliant and effective transition plan in a workshop-style format.

Cognitive Coaching Foundation Training Session 5-8 (Day 4 of 4) 

November 7, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Part II: Cognitive Coaching (Days 5-8)

Cognitive Coaching Seminars® are an eight-day training. You must have completed Days 1-4 before you can take days 5-8. During days 1–4 you learned the Planning Conversation Map and the Reflecting Conversation Map as well as the tools of Cognitive CoachingSM. Days 5–8 will provide for skill refinement and understanding of the Problem-Resolving Map as well as strengthening your identity as a mediator of thinking and your use of the skills of pausing, paraphrasing, and posing questions.

• Integration of the maps and tools from Part 1
• Flexibility in coaching for human uniqueness
• Detection and mediation of cognitive shift
• Refined mediation skills and coaching capabilities
• Extended coaching skills to mediate self-directed learning in others when they are struggling with a problem
• Fluency with the tool cluster of pacing
• Enhanced personal acuity, ways of attending, listening, and responding
• Internalized Problem-Resolving Map
• Fluency with the tool cluster of leading
• Integrated maps and tools of Cognitive CoachingSM

HAL: Quiz Bowl - Elementary 

November 7, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

In order to give ESU3 districts priority for these events, if you are outside of ESU3 and want to talk about registering and pricing please contact Adam Larson.

Students competing in academic quiz bowl competitions will answer questions from a variety of topics.  

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event.

HAL: Extreme Math Elementary (Private) 

November 11, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

This HAL COMPETITION event is a morning of student math problem solving, collaboration, and logic questions.  Student teams of 4, 5, or 6 members will participate in a Sprint Round, Team Round, and a Problem Solving Round during the morning. 
The spirit of the morning is collaboration and math achievement in an effort to recognize the importance of math problem solving. 
•       Students in elementary schools are invited to participate.
•       Each round is timed and student accomplishment will be recorded.
•       Recognition will be provided for individuals in the Sprint Round and for teams in the Team Round.
•       There is no school winner or leader at the end of the event.


REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Schools must include how many teams of 4, 5, or 6 students.
Schools must provide the names of the team members per team.
Contact Adam Larson if you have enough teams to create your own day
ESU #3 will supply pencils.
Some calculators will be available, but schools may choose to bring their own.
School permission slips and all school field trip requirements are in effect.
At least one adult sponsor/teacher is required to attend with each school represented.
The adult sponsor/teacher will be asked to be a participant in supervision and correcting student papers from the morning.
Questions to alarson@esu3.org 

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event.

HAL: Extreme Math Elementary (Private) 

November 12, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

This HAL COMPETITION event is a morning of student math problem solving, collaboration, and logic questions.  Student teams of 4, 5, or 6 members will participate in a Sprint Round, Team Round, and a Problem Solving Round during the morning. 
The spirit of the morning is collaboration and math achievement in an effort to recognize the importance of math problem solving. 
•       Students in elementary schools are invited to participate.
•       Each round is timed and student accomplishment will be recorded.
•       Recognition will be provided for individuals in the Sprint Round and for teams in the Team Round.
•       There is no school winner or leader at the end of the event.


REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Schools must include how many teams of 4, 5, or 6 students.
Schools must provide the names of the team members per team. 
Contact Adam Larson if you have enough teams to create your own day
ESU #3 will supply pencils.
Some calculators will be available, but schools may choose to bring their own.
School permission slips and all school field trip requirements are in effect.
At least one adult sponsor/teacher is required to attend with each school represented.
The adult sponsor/teacher will be asked to be a participant in supervision and correcting student papers from the morning.
Questions to alarson@esu3.org 

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event.  

HAL: Pop Art Favorites (Private) 

November 12, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Pop Art Favorites

How are your favorite products marketed? We will discuss product brands, logos, labels and how they are marketed. I will share works from a few favorite pop artists, Burton Morris in particular, and how they depicted very common brands in their artwork. They will choose a logo to paint using acrylic paint sticks and watercolor pencils. We will use a sharpie to add details to the piece. Through this workshop, students will learn the process of creating a project beginning with the inspiration through idea development, project creation, completion and critique. 

Pyramid Model Follow-Up Session 

November 14, 2025

• ESU#3 Student Services
• Harvey, Amy

Pyramid Model Follow-Up Session

This session will allow participants to dig into the materials provided at the initial Pyramid trainings. General information will be shared along with additional resources. Participants will have independent time to access materials, explore resources, and plan. Pyramid Expansion Grant coaches will be available to support participants.

Please bring your materials bag from the initial Pyramid training (including the flash drive) and your computer.

HAL: MCC Bio Discovery Lab (Private) 

November 14, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Investigate fermentation and how we can make fuels from plant sources by using different types of feedstocks such as sugars, starches, and cellulose-based biomass. Learn about the process of fermentation, determine why some feedstocks are better than others through hands-on activities, and see how it relates to bioprocessing industries in Nebraska in this biotechnology workshop.

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event.

HAL: Quiz Bowl - Middle School 

November 17, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Students competing in academic quiz bowl competitions will answer questions from a variety of topics.  

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event.

Special Education Community Of Practice (Day 2 of 4) 

November 19, 2025

• ESU#3 Student Services
• Harvey, Amy

Special Education Community Of Practice-Cass and Washington County

Audience:  Special Education Practitioners + Directors

Join us at ESU #3
8:30-11:30am - Session for Secondary/Young Adult
12:30-3:30pm - Early Childhood/Elementary

This Special Education Community of Practice (COP) is specific to districts in Cass and Washington County. The COP is a collaborative network of special education practitioners, and directors from similar districts dedicated to improving outcomes for students with disabilities. Through shared problem-solving and the exchange of effective strategies, members will work together to enhance IEP development and compliance, and emphasize the use of evidence-based instructional practices to support learning needs of all students.

Principal Support Initiative (Day 3 of 6) 

November 20, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Year 1 will focus on:
- Fostering effective communication and collaboration
- Cultivating a culture of continuous improvement
- Leveraging data for goal setting and decision making
- Understanding and navigating complex systems

HAL: Puzzle Me This (Private) 

November 21, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson. Students with high ability in logic and deductive reasoning will have their minds stretched as they work alone and with others to solve different types of puzzles. A wide variety of mathematical and critical thinking skills, wordplay and physical tricks are some of what

students will use them as they participate in activities that include hands-on materials and games.  

Strimco  is a logic number puzzle that is solvable with pure logic. Q-bitz stimulates the brain to use spatial reasoning and memory skills by practicing symmetry, visual dexterity, and quick thinking. With Area Mazes students navigate a network of rectangles to find a missing value. Position Puzzles and Commonyms are word puzzles that make you think about the meaning of words. Mind Benders uses mental muscles to solve brain teasers, optical illusions, physical tricks and more.

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event. 

HAL: Poetry Writing and Performing (Private) 

December 3, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Presented by Matt Mason.

By engaging in a variety of unique and wonderful poetry writing exercises, students and their teachers will learn the basic elements of poetic craft, specifically, how to use metaphors, similes, imagery, alliteration, and repetition to create poems with texture and depth.

Breaking into small groups to share their original works, students and teachers will discover how guided questions and a specific vocabulary (“I notice” and “I wonder”) can help the writer not just “revise” his/her poem, but also re-envision it, enabling the writer to see his/her work in a new light.

Once the students and teachers have revised and polished their original poems, participants will, through an exercise that utilizes group performance, learn about the basics of performance and how to use the tools of voice, breath, pacing, and body language (choreography) to make our poems leap off the page and command the stage. These exercises will culminate in a final event where students will have the opportunity to recite/perform their original work, understanding that the goal of performance poetry is to couple the best possible text to the best possible performance.

Students will leave this workshop having learned how to compose superior poems and perform them with confidence.

Goals of the day include: demonstrate creative thought through original poetry, learn poetry writing techniques, and be part of a non-threatening collaborative creative process of expression.

Teachers are active participants and should be part of the day's events including supervision and participation.

Instructor Bio

Matt Mason is the Nebraska State Poet and has run poetry workshops in Botswana, Romania, Nepal, and Belarus for the U.S. State Department. His poetry has appeared in The New York Times and Matt has received a Pushcart Prize as well as fellowships from the Academy of American Poets and the Nebraska Arts Council. His work can be found in Rattle, Poet Lore, Prairie Schooner, and in hundreds of other publications. Mason's 5th book, Rock Stars, was published by Button Poetry in September of this year. Find more at: https://matt.midverse.com/

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event. 

HAL: Puzzle Me This (Private) 

December 4, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson. Students with high ability in logic and deductive reasoning will have their minds stretched as they work alone and with others to solve different types of puzzles. A wide variety of mathematical and critical thinking skills, wordplay and physical tricks are some of what

students will use them as they participate in activities that include hands-on materials and games.  

Strimco  is a logic number puzzle that is solvable with pure logic. Q-bitz stimulates the brain to use spatial reasoning and memory skills by practicing symmetry, visual dexterity, and quick thinking. With Area Mazes students navigate a network of rectangles to find a missing value. Position Puzzles and Commonyms are word puzzles that make you think about the meaning of words. Mind Benders uses mental muscles to solve brain teasers, optical illusions, physical tricks and more.

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event. 

MCC Science on the Sphere - Cartography (Private) 

December 5, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Using captivating Science on the Sphere technology, kids will delve into the science of cartography. From learning how scientists change a globe into a map to creating a 3D model of a topographical map, this interactive experience brings geography to life. Join us to spark a lifelong fascination with maps and the world around us.

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event. 

HAL: Puzzle Me This (Private) 

December 5, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson. Students with high ability in logic and deductive reasoning will have their minds stretched as they work alone and with others to solve different types of puzzles. A wide variety of mathematical and critical thinking skills, wordplay and physical tricks are some of what

students will use them as they participate in activities that include hands-on materials and games.  

Strimco  is a logic number puzzle that is solvable with pure logic. Q-bitz stimulates the brain to use spatial reasoning and memory skills by practicing symmetry, visual dexterity, and quick thinking. With Area Mazes students navigate a network of rectangles to find a missing value. Position Puzzles and Commonyms are word puzzles that make you think about the meaning of words. Mind Benders uses mental muscles to solve brain teasers, optical illusions, physical tricks and more.

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event. 

HAL: Visual Spatial Thinking (Private) 

December 9, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Piet Piet Mondrian will be the inspiration for this project. Students will learn how he tried to distill art down to its basic elements of shape, line, and color, and they will create their own artwork, using his technique. This art project will use rulers & markers.
 will be the inspiration for this project. Students will learn how he tried to distill art down to its basic elements of shape, line, and color, and they will create their own artwork, using his technique. This art project will use rulers & markers.

Visual/ Spatial thinking skills are important for many jobs, but they are often left out of school curriculum. This session is based on the work of Piet Mondrian. Students will stretch their minds to solve puzzles, play pattern games, and create art that uses these important visual/ spatial skills.  Prepare to be inspired!

Four 30 minute rotation stations to get students thinking about patterns, form, color, and space.

One hour long art project based on Piet Mondrian's work


Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event.

HAL: Puzzle Me This (Private) 

December 11, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson. Students with high ability in logic and deductive reasoning will have their minds stretched as they work alone and with others to solve different types of puzzles. A wide variety of mathematical and critical thinking skills, wordplay and physical tricks are some of what

students will use them as they participate in activities that include hands-on materials and games.  

Strimco  is a logic number puzzle that is solvable with pure logic. Q-bitz stimulates the brain to use spatial reasoning and memory skills by practicing symmetry, visual dexterity, and quick thinking. With Area Mazes students navigate a network of rectangles to find a missing value. Position Puzzles and Commonyms are word puzzles that make you think about the meaning of words. Mind Benders uses mental muscles to solve brain teasers, optical illusions, physical tricks and more.

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event. 

HAL: Hot Air Balloon Sand Painting (Private) 

December 12, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

HOT AIR BALLOON SAND PAINTING

Colored sand creates a beautiful piece of art in this workshop. Students will draw and design hot air balloons on self adhesive boards. We will use exacto blades to cut the shapes in the design and expose the adhesive. Sand is then sprinkled in each area to “paint” the artwork. Through this workshop, students will learn the process of creating a project beginning with the inspiration through idea development, project creation, completion and critique. 

*Because exacto blades are used, older students are recommended.

HAL: Tiny Houses (Private) 

December 12, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Infographic Link

Workshop Information

You just graduated from architecture school and your very first job is to create a tiny home for a family of three and their dog. Your job is to imagine, design, build and decorate the perfect tiny home. However, the area of this home can only be 150 square feet and may only be 10 feet tall. Your challenge is to add everything this family would need in that space to live.

Nearby electoral outlets needed

Number of Students

15 Max

Grades

Grades 4th and up

HAL: Quiz Bowl Grade - 6 (Private) 

December 19, 2025

• ESU#3 Professional Learning
• Anderson , Lexie

Students competing in academic quiz bowl competitions will answer questions from a variety of topics.  

Disclaimer: By participating in this event organized by ESU #3, you hereby grant permission to ESU #3 to use your image and likeness captured during the event for promotional and media purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. If you wish to withdraw your consent regarding the use of your media, please reach out to the primary contact of this event.

Targeted Improvement Plan (TIP) Workday with NDE 

January 8, 2026

• ESU#3 Student Services
• Harvey, Amy

Targeted Improvement Plan (TIP) Workday with NDE      Flyer

Join the ESU, Office of Special Education, NeMTSS, and Technical Assistance Partners at ESU 3 for a day filled with learning and planning.
*Lunch will be provided by ESU #3 Student Services

Who needs to attend?
District Leadership Teams with membership including individuals who have:
-Knowledge about district goals and initiatives (e.g. TIP, Corrective Action Plans, Title I, Continuous Improvement Plan, etc.)
-Access to ILCD
-Access to data
-Administrative decision-making responsibility
-General education background
-Special education background

In building capacity for the scale-up of the MTSS framework and to support districts in an environment of strong local control, eachdistrict is required to review their student data and establish a Targeted Improvement Plan (TIP) that focuses on literacy.

Participants will:
-Review the purpose of NECounts and Federal Determinations.
-Determine guiding factors of inclusive practices at federal, state, and local levels.
-Access and explore ILCD 4.0
-Reflect on what did and did not work within the current TIP.
-Identify factual data points, strengths, and areas for growth.
-Analyze root causes with intentional focus on literacy.
-Plan how to eliminate the root causes while concentrating on inclusive practices and implementing an evidence-based strategy with fidelity.
-Implement action steps considering ESU, NDE, and TA Support.
-Recognize opportunities to connect additional action plans and district initiatives.