ESU 6 Newsletter
January 2026
Blue River Cohort - Winter Session
The power of collaboration was on full display this week as four area school districts met at Dorchester Public Schools for Blue River Cohort. The highlight of the event was a keynote by Scott Phillips, 2024 Teacher of the Year, who challenged educators to see the untapped potential in every student.
Beyond the keynote, the afternoon featured specialized breakout sessions designed to meet the diverse needs of the participating districts:
Digital Innovation in ELA: Bethany Neuhart (Shickley Technology Leadership Specialist) provided a toolkit of digital resources including SchoolAI, Snorkl, and NoRedInk. Teachers walked away with practical strategies for using these tools to improve student engagement and classroom efficiency.
Instructional Excellence: Dr. Amber Vlasnik (ESU 6 Professional Development Consultant) led two sessions focused on classroom rigor. The first helped teachers use Formative Assessment to make "in-the-moment" instructional decisions, while the second focused on Deep Thinking through purposeful questioning and communication strategies.
Student Media & Journalism: Trey Perry (McCool Junction Media Specialist) shared recruitment and retention strategies for building student-driven media programs that feel meaningful and worth "belonging to."
Health & Physical Education: Shayla Ruth (NDE Health and Physical Education Specialist) facilitated a collaborative exchange between Health and PE educators, focusing on strengthening the connections between the two disciplines and sharing successful classroom strategies.
Trauma-Informed Care: Cheryl Turner (UNL Training Specialist) presented two sessions on how trauma impacts the learning process in young children. Participants were equipped with practical, trauma-capable strategies to support students experiencing high levels of stress.
This day of collaboration is a vital tradition for our four districts, ensuring that our educators remain at the forefront of modern teaching practices while building a strong network of support across district lines.
Kara Coble Presents at National Conference
ESU 6 Employee Spotlight - Sydney Bristol
As an Administrative Assistant at ESU 6, I play a behind-the-scenes role in helping things run smoothly for our staff which in turn helps our districts and the educators in them. In supporting the Early Learning Connection grant, I work directly with child cares to listen to their needs, share resources, and provide ongoing support however I can.
My role focuses on keeping communication, organization, and daily details moving forward so our team can best serve all educators.
One accomplishment I’m especially proud of this past year is helping to bring the Early Learning Connection Coach Consultant Conference to life. It required coordination and follow-through, and it was rewarding to know my efforts made the conference run smoothly.
I truly enjoy being someone others can count on and am thankful to be a small part of ESU 6!
Strengthening School Defenses: ESU 4 & ESU 6 Partner on Regional Cybersecurity Penetration Test
Congratulations to Chris Nieveen — CLON 2026 Outstanding Engagement Award Finalist
We are proud to recognize Chris Nieveen, Educational Technology Specialist at Educational Service Unit 6, for his outstanding leadership and dedication to educational technology. Chris has been named a key contributor to Exeter-Milligan-Friend Public Schools’ selection as a finalist for the CLON 2026 Outstanding Engagement Award.
Through Chris’s tireless work implementing and optimizing ClassLink across ESU 6 districts, he has helped streamline rostering processes, resolve technical challenges, and ensure smooth adoption for both staff and students. His efforts have resulted in exceptionally high levels of daily ClassLink engagement, providing secure, efficient single sign-on access to essential digital learning tools. The impact of his work is felt every day in classrooms across the region.
As a direct result of this commitment and collaboration, Exeter-Milligan-Friend Public Schools has been named a finalist for the CLON 2026 Outstanding Engagement Award. This prestigious award recognizes districts that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to educational technology through a consistently high percentage of daily unique ClassLink users.
Chris, thank you for your innovation, persistence, and unwavering commitment to improving access, efficiency, and engagement through technology. Your work continues to make a meaningful difference for educators and students across Nebraska.
Congratulations to Exeter-Milligan-Friend Public Schools and Chris Nieveen—we wish you continued success and look forward to cheering you on in Atlanta!
