Regional

Service Network

The mission of the Regional Services Network (RSN), an alliance of CESA special educators, is to promote continuous school improvement which supports full educational opportunity for children with disabilities.

RSN Newsletter | Who is RSN/What is RSN | Functions | Evaluators for Independent Educational Evals

  Deb Wall, RSN Director,
  Jessica Kaczmarek, Program Assistant,

What is the Regional Service Network?

Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA’s) serve the educational needs of Wisconsin students by enabling school districts to work with the Department of Public Instruction. Because they work on a regional cooperative basis, CESA’s are able to economically and efficiently provide quality programs and services requested by local school districts and other public entities.

In 1984, the state of Wisconsin Regional Service Network (RSN) was developed through the collaborative efforts of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and each CESA to meet the educational needs of students identified as having disabilities. The state RSN is made up of representatives from each of the 12 CESA’s.

The object is to provide leadership, enhance communication and provide quality staff development to regular and special educators, support personnel, parents, and other professionals who provide education and support services to children with disabilities. Services include:

	Leadership and support through a statewide network of RSN Directors and the Department of Public Instruction
	Comprehensive System of Personnel Development based on local and state needs assessments and delivered through    workshops and on-site consultation.
	On-site technical assistance.
	Coordination of local network for special education/pupil services directors.

Why is the leadership of the CESA RSN so important?

Providing quality educational opportunities for special education students is a complicated and a costly process. Also, there is a high incidence of special education students. Many students today often have more complex needs involving coordination of programs between specialists and classroom teachers. The RSN can assist districts in:

	Identifying their service needs
	Recruiting employees, hiring, and training staff
	Developing and managing cooperative/shared programs and services
	Serving as a liaison and advocate for students and school districts with other area educational and human service agencies.
	Developing grant applications to meet the needs of students and districts in CESA 8.

What is the mission of the Regional Service Network?

How is the CESA 8 RSN providing communication?

The CESA 8 RSN Director, Chuck Hastert, attends monthly meetings at the Department of Public Instruction and share ideas, educational innovations, research and DPI initiatives, as well as discuss needs and concerns, with local agency representatives at RSN meetings held in CESA 7 & 8 areas. In addition, CESA 8 RSN serves districts as a resource for inservice speakers and programs that may be available for local staff development activities.

Current information about special education issues, teaching resources, conferences and inservice opportunities are published and kept up-to-date on CESA 8 Web Site and informational handouts are distributed to districts.

What is CESA 8 RSN doing for district staff development?

Staff development is critical to promote change and improvement of educational opportunities for all children. The RSN provides school district staff with current information regarding state or federal policies, laws, and assessments that can be incorporated into local district or building staff development plans. The RSN can serve as a resource to local staff development committees for inservice presenters and programs that may be appropriate for their identified needs. Some topics for CESA 8 RSN listed below address a variety of areas of current interest to special education and regular education teachers, parents, support staff, and administrators.

Examples of inservice and training opportunities that address specific needs of educators and parents in CESA 8 are as follows:

	IEP Development/ Process
	Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
	Assistive Technology
	Parent Workshop/ Partnership in the IEP
	Inclusion
	Restrictive Environment (LRE)
	Behavior Management
	Accommodations/ Interventions That Work
	Child Development Days/ Early Education
	Transition Planning for Special Education Students
	Learning Strategies
	Special Education Administrative Computer Use
	Autism
	Information Processing
	Share shops
	Reading
	Eligibility Criterion
	Early Childhood
	Functional Behavioral Assessment
	Inspiration Training
	Legal Issues in Special Education
	Monitoring/ Compliance - DPI
	Paraprofessionals

Interested parents, administrators, board members and educators within the CESA 8 area, both public and private are invited to attend any of these RSN programs. You can check CESA 8 website under RSN for updates of trainings and information.

FUNCTIONS

Communication

Leadership

Staff Development

CESA 8 2011-2012 Evaluators for Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs)

Dawn Mannebach, School Psychologist
 Area of Expertise: All disability areas, emphasis on Autism

Sam Seidler, School Psychologist/Director of Special Education
 Area of Expertise: All disability areas

Glenda Butterfield-Boldig, Director of Special Education
 Area of Expertise: Emotional Behavioral Disability

Karen Mahoney, Early Childhood Teacher/Program Support
 Area of Expertise: Early Childhood

Joanne Laurich, Program Support Teacher
 Area of Expertise: Learning Disabilities/Cognitive Disabilities

Brook Wendorf, Special Education Teacher
 Area of Expertise: Cognitive Disabilities

Deb Dear, Vision Impaired Teacher
 Area of Expertise: Vision Impairment

Judy O’Betts, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher
 Area of Expertise: Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Nancy Jenson, Speech/Language Therapist
 Area of Expertise: Speech and Language

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