Insight Newsletter Fall 2024
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Fall Greetings from OME-RESA!
As the crisp autumn air settles in, we warmly welcome all our school districts to a new season filled with exciting opportunities and continued collaboration. At OME-RESA, we understand the importance of staying connected with our members, and this newsletter is one of the many ways we aim to do just that.
We're excited to share valuable updates on department operations and the latest news about our products and services in this issue. From innovative solutions to projects we're proud to support, we want to keep you informed and engaged in all that's happening within our educational community.
Stay tuned to our calendar of events for important user group meetings, in-service meetings, and training sessions. We always welcome your questions, feedback, and ideas for future newsletters. Your input is invaluable to us, as it helps us continually improve and better meet your needs.
We look forward to an exciting fall ahead and are here to support you every step of the way!
Warm regards,
Adam Truex ~ Executive Director
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A Message from Our Technical Services Department:
Welcome to the New School Year! As we kick off another academic year, OME-RESA Technical Services is excited to continue supporting
educational institutions with our comprehensive IT services. This edition of our newsletter is packed with essential updates, practical tips, and exciting opportunities designed to enhance your IT infrastructure and support educational excellence.
In This Issue:
1. IT Solutions for Education
2. Essential Back-to-School IT Tips
3. Upcoming Webinars and Training
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We are excited to announce our new Fiscal Tips and Tricks series entitled "Did You Know?" in the OME-RESA Insight Newsletter!
We understand that navigating the world of district finances can sometimes feel like trying to find your way out of a labyrinth —blindfolded. But fear not! With a sprinkle of humor and a dash of collaboration, we are here to illuminate the path.
In this issue we will give tips and ricks on the following topics:
Payroll - YTD Report
Budgetary - Vendor Adjustments in USAS
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1.) Employee Self Service (ESS) has replaced KIOSK. As with any software rollout, hiccups exist and we are working through each as they arise. OME-RESA's Brianne Nidle has made transitioning a smooth process for our districts and we are so grateful for her abilities.
2.) Our Fiscal User Group Meeting will take place at Buckeye Career Center on October 24th. This year there will be a speaker from the Auditor of State. Also, Tyler Smith, a cyber security expert, will be presenting on Best Practices for Preventing Fraud.
3.) Calendar Year End for Treasurers has been scheduled for December 12th @ Buckeye Career Center and December 13th @ Omeresa (Zoom Option Available)
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October is Cyber Security Awareness Month
October marks Cyber Security Awareness Month, a crucial time for us to reflect on the importance of safeguarding our digital environments. At OME-RESA, we are deeply committed to enhancing educational security, recognizing that a safe online space is vital for both students and educators. This month, we invite you to join us in fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness within your schools and districts. Together, we can take proactive steps to protect our digital landscapes, ensuring that everyone is informed and empowered.
One of the first steps to ensure your environment is protected against cyber attacks is to know your potential risks. We provide your district with monthly Nessus Tenable Vulnerability Scans and CISA Cyber Hygiene Scans. These provide a list of potential vulnerabilities that cyber criminals may use to gain unauthorized access to your network.
Many of the vulnerabilities listed on your monthly reports are versions of software that need updated.
We also offer different XDR/MDR/EDR software partnerships to ensure your endpoints are being proactively monitored to help ensure that, should someone gain unauthorized access to your network, you will be notified.
Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your district's cybersecurity needs.
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Upcoming Student Services Events | |
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The 2024 Fall Student Services User Group Meeting will be held Tuesday, November 19th in Steubenville at OME-RESA’S Training Center. The meeting will be held in-person and via Zoom.
We’ve recently added a new training series relating to Student Information: “Course History, Class Rank, Transcripts and GPA”. If interested, please register for the event on our website.
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Cooperative Service Department Announcements | |
COOP GFS Prime Vendor Program | |
OME-RESA Cooperative Service Member Districts that participated in the Gordon Food Service Prime Vendor Program in the 2023-2024 school year received a total of $106,461.81. This is a 2% rebate on qualified purchases from each organization’s participation with GFS.
OME-RESA Cooperative Services Department is pleased that we can offer our members this valuable cost-saving program. We take pride in its success and appreciate your participation.
If you have any questions regarding this program or any of the programs by Cooperative Services, please feel free to contact us. (coop@omeresa.net)
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E-Rate Trainings Planned
With the changes/additions to E-Rate for the upcoming year and in light of FY2025 being year five of the current 5-year Category 2 funding, we’ve changed the training format to make it more productive for all applicants and allow for more Q&A.
Instead of the usual “boot camp” approach, we have broken out the training into the following sessions:
- Beginners - covers the basics of the E-Rate program
- Experienced (veteran) - covers the recent changes and additions to E-Rate
- Form 470 Application Walk-through (appropriate for both beginner and experienced filers) - highlighting how to file for the new hot spot eligibility for students, staff, and library patrons, as well as best practices when applying for Category 2 funding.
Each session type will be repeated two to three times to accommodate schedules.
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While no new details have been announced for next summer, we anticipate another EBT program for the Summer of 2025. Please ensure those Free / Reduced Lunch statuses are updated within ProgressBook for all students, even if specific buildings or the entire district receives free lunch. This could make a difference in EMIS reporting and future funding. We plan to use the Analytics Hub/Report Designer report created for S-EBT 2024 to generate future S-EBT submission files. We expect to hear from DEW or ODJFS in March or April but it is a good idea to verify the data early before the end-of-year rush. | |
Vendor Application and Data Management | |
With the new requirements brought to us with SB29, we recommend that each district set up an application review committee to vet requests for third-party application purchases. This measure could assist districts in keeping track of programs that have access to your student data, with the potential added benefit of saving money. In the past, we've seen districts purchase software programs that have been unnecessarily complex to use and manage or have features already available in ProgressBook. We highly recommend you include your Technology Staff and your ProgressBook Point(s) of Contact in your decision-making. You can always contact OME-RESA's Data Integration Department (dataintegration@omeresa.net) to see if we have any experience with third-party vendors you may be considering. |
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Empower Students to Make Informed Information Choices | |
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With a swipe and a tap, students and adults can access information more easily than before. Sorting through social media, news-based websites, and podcasts to find quality information is challenging. To meet this challenge, students and educators need the tools, strategies, and practice to navigate the media landscape.
How can educators help students find reliable information? Encourage students to begin their search for information with a search tool that only retrieves results curated by information professionals, such as Explora for Grades 6-8 and INFOhio's ISearch. Once students have found some information sources, they still need to develop evaluation skills to determine if those resources are biased or meet their information needs. Consider eBooks like Evaluating Online Sources and digital resources like Points of View Reference Source and News Literacy Project to help build students' evaluation skills.
To learn more about finding and evaluating information, read the Teach With INFOhio Blog post, Empower Students to Make Informed Information Choices. If you have any questions, INFOhio is here to help! Please contact INFOhio Support at support.infohio.org.
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Debbie Mitchell
Debbie joined OME-RESA in July with a strong IT Administration background and over 25 years of experience as a Systems Engineer.
Debbie is overseeing our internal and cloud server infrastructures and her dedication to ensuring our systems run smoothly is commendable. She works directly with district staff to assist with their virtual servers, security, and maintenance and has been working hard to improve our business continuity by updating our documentation and streamlining processes.
Outside of work, Debbie enjoys spending quality time with her family, especially her three grandchildren, and engaging in DIY projects.
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Samantha Rogers
Samantha joined our Student Services staff at the beginning of the
2024-2025 school year as our new EMIS Support Liaison. She brings with her 8 years of EMIS experience from a mid-sized district of apx. 4,000 students. Not only does she bring years of experience, but also a positive attitude and the initiative to help others.
Samantha's goal at OME-RESA is to provide others with her knowledge and experience to help them be the best they can be at their roles at the district level.
Her inspiration is her husband, daughter, and two step-sons. In her spare time, she likes to craft, bake, and spend time with family.
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2230 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 2, Steubenville, OH 43952
740-283-2050
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