By Tyler Dahlgren For Stacy Quinteros, gratification often comes from a head nod. An affirmation of understanding from a proud student to their teacher, these moments are simple, and even ordinary in most classroom settings. For Quinteros, an English Language Learner teacher to 50 students in Gibbon, they’re the ones that matter the most. “The most rewarding part of what I do is getting those Aha...Read More

By Tyler Dahlgren Setting the Scene Lee Schneider’s made-for-television movie begins here, at sunset deep in the dunes of the Nebraska Sandhills. The second-year principal’s arms are fully extended to reach his motorcycle’s gorilla ape handlebars. His do-rag flutters in the wind as he drifts down a steep hill, picking up more and more speed with each line of “I Need a Hero” Bonnie Tyler belts out...Read More

BY TYLER DAHLGREN NCSA COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST They sit around a conference table in Broken Bow’s North Park Elementary School, five calm and collected 6th-graders ready to field any questions that may come their way. It’s Wednesday, so I break the ice with a “Hump Day” quip, which draws a couple of laughs. Common ground. We’re all just working for the weekend. They’re about to be interviewed...Read More

By Tyler Dahlgren NCSA Communications Specialist Last week, we revisited 10 particularly moving insights from educators across the state that we were lucky enough to visit with and feature over the last year. This week, it's the students' turn to talk. S-E-M Junior Lindsey Dittmar *From Sep 6 NPSA article “More Than Meets the Ears: Music unifies students at S-E-M” “I am a part of as much as I can...Read More