On August 8th, ESU 6 welcomed back our dedicated staff to officially launch the new school year! The energy was high, the laughter was contagious, and the focus was clear—Refresh, Rewind, and Regenerate as we move into another exciting year of service, innovation, and collaboration.
Welcoming New Faces - We began the day by introducing the newest members of our ESU 6 family. We’re thrilled to have fresh energy and perspectives joining our team!
Tech Tips with Dr. Lynne Herr - Dr. Herr delivered an engaging and practical session focused on:
Maximizing Google Tools – How to store, share, and save efficiently.
Email Organization – Tips for managing your inbox and boosting productivity.
AI in Education – Exploring tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Suno to enhance teaching and learning.
Her session offered useful strategies to streamline daily tasks and incorporate emerging tech in meaningful ways.
Inspiration from Dr. Jo Owens-Nauslar - Our team had the unique opportunity to hear from Dr. Jo Owens-Nauslar, a passionate advocate for wellbeing and performance.
Dr. Jo is also a well-known philanthropist and leader in organizations like Chadron State College, Nebraska Sports Council, and Nebraska Canine No Kill Shelter. Her vibrant message reminded us to embrace the POSSIBILITIES and build a path toward SUCCESS—personally and professionally.
Wrapping Up with Department Meetings - The day concluded with department meetings, allowing teams to connect, plan, and set goals for the coming year.
🎉 It’s a BIG day at ESU 6!
We’re kicking off the school year with an energy-packed trio of events:
🍎 First-Year Teachers – ready to make their mark!
🤝 Mentors – guiding the next generation with heart and wisdom!
🙌 Kagan Cooperative Learning – bringing engagement to life with powerful strategies!
There’s no better way to start the year than with collaboration, connection, and a whole lot of learning. Let’s go, 2025-2026!
We’re kicking off the school year with an energy-packed trio of events:
🍎 First-Year Teachers – ready to make their mark!
🤝 Mentors – guiding the next generation with heart and wisdom!
🙌 Kagan Cooperative Learning – bringing engagement to life with powerful strategies!
There’s no better way to start the year than with collaboration, connection, and a whole lot of learning. Let’s go, 2025-2026!
Resource Fair & Family Pool Night!
August 6th from 6:00-8:30pm
Geneva, NE
See flyer for more information
What an incredible day!
Our Early Learning Connection 2025 Coach Camp was a huge success - filled with energy, connection, and powerful moments of reflection. A huge THANK YOU to the nearly 100 coaches and presenters who helped make it such a meaningful experience!
Special shoutout to Jen Hatmaker for bringing the heart, humor, and real talk we all needed. Her words and the opportunity to build connections amongst the ELC-CC coach community left us inspired, recharged, and ready to keep showing up for the work that matters most.
The Southeast Early Learning Connection had the opportunity to partner with Concordia University again this year for the annual early childhood conference on June 1 - 2 with over 150 educators in attendance.
Please watch your emails for updates regarding this event.
The 2025 CRAVE Graduation was a joyful and inspiring celebration honoring four remarkable students who have reached an important milestone in their educational journey. One student will be promoted to Project Search in Lincoln and three students have completed their high school career and received their diploma. The ceremony opened with a warm welcome from Nichole Wetjen, who set the tone for the celebration by highlighting the importance of community, resilience, and the power of believing in our students. Dr. Rayburn followed with introductions of the graduates and expressed gratitude to the families, CRAVE staff, and mentors who have supported each student along the way. Their collective encouragement and dedication have been essential in helping our students thrive.
Dr. Maschmann’s graduation speech centered on the theme of “Showing Up.” His message captured the spirit of our graduates, who have demonstrated resilience and determination throughout their time in CRAVE. We extend our sincerest thanks to the teachers, mentors, community members, and families who have played a vital role in this achievement. Together, we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and look forward to the bright futures ahead of them.
ESU 6 Leaders Attend NETA While Tech Leadership Cadre Participants Present with Pride
ESU 6 was well represented at the 2025 NETA Conference! Our Administrator, Directors, and several Board Members attended the event to learn alongside Nebraska educators and explore how technology continues to impact teaching and learning.
While our leaders engaged in sessions and connected with others, our ESU 6 Tech Leadership Cadre participants stepped into the spotlight - presenting sessions and sharing their own tech integration strategies! These passionate educators showcased the innovative work happening in our districts and modeled what it looks like to lead with learning in mind.
What made it even more special? Many of these presenters shared what they had learned during their Tech Leadership Cadre (TLC) sessions this year with Dr. Lynne Herr. From new tools to practical strategies, they turned their learning into leadership - bringing their experiences full circle by presenting at a statewide conference.
We’re incredibly proud of our cadre participants for representing ESU 6 so well. It was a great reminder that leadership happens at all levels - and when we support and empower our teachers, great things happen!
Thank you to our AWESOME Administrative Assistants! We truly appreciate all the incredible work you do and the vital support you provide to keep everything running smoothly. We couldn’t do it without you!
🌟 EL Network Collaboration! 🌟
ESUs 4, 5, 6, & 9 came together for a powerful day of learning and connection through the EL Network!
💡 Dr. Nick Ziegler (ESU 5) shared innovative AI tools to support our EL educators.
📋 Anne Hubble (NDE) provided essential state updates impacting EL programming.
🤝 Karma Ridpath gave a fantastic look into how she partners with Para Educators to support EL students in Dorchester.
Together, we're building stronger systems and strategies to ensure success for ALL English Learners across our schools.
ESU 6 social studies teachers visited the Durham Museum in Omaha! After a guided tour, they explored primary sources and discussed how to effectively use them for inquiry based instruction in their classrooms. Collaborate with other teachers and enjoy learning together!
It’s a great day to collaborate on all things SCIENCE! 🧪🔬
Today, ESU 6 had the pleasure of hosting our Secondary Science Network, bringing together brilliant minds and passionate educators. Special thanks to our guests from UNL and Doane University, and a warm welcome to Dr. Eric Malina, ESU 6 Board President, for joining the conversation!
We’re always stronger when we learn together — especially when it comes to igniting curiosity and innovation in science education! 💡🌍
Congratulations to our 2025 ESU 6 Middle School Quiz Bowl champions! We had 29 teams in the Middle School meet competing in three divisions based on district size. Seward, Malcolm, and Friend won their divisions with Norris, Centennial, and Exeter-Milligan taking second.
Congratulations to our 2025 ESU 6 High School Quiz Bowl champions!
We had 32 teams in the High School meet competing in three divisions based on district size.
Waverly, Malcolm and Heartland won their divisions with Norris, Malcolm and McCool Junction taking second.
🌟 Community Coming Together! 🌟
On Monday, March 24, ESU 6 and the Nebraska ASD Network - Southeast Region hosted Community Agency Night at the ESU 6 main office in Milford. Families, young adults, and community members gathered to meet with agencies that serve individuals with disabilities from birth through adulthood.
After being postponed due to a blizzard, the event was full of connection, resources, and smiles! 💙 Agencies shared information on services and supports, and PTI-Nebraska & ESU 6 Transition Services gave a helpful Zoom session on Waiver Services.
A big THANK YOU to Farmers and Merchants Bank of Milford for providing a delicious meal from Pizza Kitchen 🍕🍪 and warmly welcoming guests!
#CommunityAgencyNight #ESU6 #DisabilityServices #FamilySupport
#NebraskaASDNetwork #WeAreStrongerTogether
Today ESU 6 was proud to host students from York, Malcolm, Shickley, Seward, and Norris for the Governor’s virtual Student Leaders event! #NebraskaFuture #YouthLeadership
ESU 6 Community Agency Night - RESCHEDULED for March 24th.
See flyer for more details.
Due to down power lines with in our districts and around ESU 6 in Milford; Math 2.0 and Health/PE Network have been cancelled for Thursday, March 20th, 2025. Stay safe!