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Dr. Jane Gutting will conclude her 11-year tenure as the superintendent of Educational Service District 105 at the end of June 2010, capping a successful era of service in which she has helped establish numerous innovative learning programs throughout south central Washington’s schools.  Jane announced her plans during the regular ESD 105 monthly staff meeting on November 17. 

Dr. Gutting has been the superintendent of ESD 105 since July 1, 1999.  Since that time, she has been actively involved in establishing large-scale curriculum improvement networks with the superintendents of the region’s school districts.  She was also instrumental in securing the Ready by Five project that provides early learning programs for residents of the east Yakima area.  Last August, Gov. Christine Gregoire appointed her to serve on the new Quality Education Council that is currently developing strategic recommendations for the Washington’s Legislature on the state’s basic education system.

Gutting’s tenure at ESD 105 has also included expansion of regional arts education through the ArtFusion program, cost-effective science instruction through the Regional Science Education Cooperative, and numerous programs in math and literacy.

“One of my most significant accomplishments here is hiring a highly qualified and passionate staff that has collaborated with school and community partners to improve the academic achievement and health and safety of the students in our region,” she says.  “We’ve gained national attention through several of our programs, including the Regional Science Cooperative, our Crisis Response and Prevention Guide for principals and counselors, and our collaboration with the community in planning the early learning demonstration project in east Yakima.”

Gutting has been part of ESD 105 for more than half of the 40-year-old organization’s existence.  She joined the agency in 1987 as curriculum coordinator, served from 1991 to 1994 as director of interagency programs, then from 1994 to 1999 was assistant superintendent of Educational Services.

For 18 months during 1997-1998, Gutting took a leave of absence from the ESD to serve as the associate superintendent for Learning and Teaching with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Olympia.  She was able to develop a wealth of state-level contacts during her time at OSPI that she has strategically utilized to boost local educational programs during her role as ESD superintendent.

Prior to joining ESD 105, Gutting served on the faculty at the University of Oregon, Washington State University, and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.  Her 36-year career in education began as a teacher at the elementary and secondary levels in Wisconsin.  Gutting obtained her Ph.D. and M.S. in school health education from the University of Oregon, and her B.S. degree in physical education and health from the University of Wisconsin.

Gutting's announcement sparked praises by numerous colleagues and associates for her extensive service on behalf of the region's children and schools:

• Randy Town, ESD 105 School Safety and Security program coordinator: “I was the first person Jane hired in at the ESD in 1989, to develop the substance abuse prevention/intervention program for our region.  Since I was not an educator by training, Jane taught me how to navigate the waters of school politics and the importance of connecting schools to valuable community resources.  I have continued to follow that very important ideal in my current work of providing services to students and staff.”

• William Gates Sr., co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and board member of Thrive By Five Washington (primary funders of the Ready by Five program): “Jane Gutting is a tireless advocate, partner, and leader for improving education in our state.  Jane has consistently demonstrated her commitment to helping children reach their potential with efforts to help students start kindergarten ready to learn and go on to graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and life. At the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we are proud to have worked closely with Jane and supported the community’s efforts to provide more children with high-quality early learning opportunities. I thank her for her service to the children and youth of Yakima.”

• Senator Curtis King of Washington's 14th District: “For over two decades, Jane Gutting has been a leader in our Valley on educational issues.  She has worked tirelessly to ensure that her ESD 105 school districts’ needs are met and they are able to succeed.  She has been innovative, collaborative, and motivational.  Her passion for the young people in our valley and their education has shown every day.  As she looks back over those years, she should be very proud of all her accomplishments and particularly in the strength of ESD 105.  She will truly be missed and I am honored to have worked with her over the last several years and even more to be able to call her my friend.” 

• Superintendent John Schieche of the East Valley School District: “Jane has been instrumental in working with the school districts to foster the always changing process of making a difference for kids.  She’s been a champion as a leader for school improvement and in developing enhanced learning opportunities for our children.  She’s going to be deeply missed because she has the ability to ask the tough questions that lead to a greater difference, and to ask those questions in a non-threatening way.”

Looking ahead at the next phase of long-term opportunities ESD 105 will be undertaking, Gutting felt the time was appropriate for a transition in the organization’s leadership.

“I’ve accomplished the goals I had in mind when I became superintendent,” she notes.  “ESD 105 will soon be preparing another needs assessment on what types of services it will provide for our region’s schools during the next several years, so I decided this would be a great time for a change in leadership.”

The ESD 105 Board of Directors on has selected Northwest Leadership Associates of Liberty Lake to facilitate the process for hiring Gutting’s successor.

After her last day as superintendent next June 30, Gutting plans to take a six-month break from working and assess her future plans.

Do you have a 4-year degree and are you interested in changing careers to become a teacher?  Then consider the Alternative Route to Teacher Certification program, which offers a fast-track option that can allow you to become certified in just one year to become a teacher in high-need subject areas.

Educational Service District 105 is presenting informational meetings this week about the program:
• Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7:00 p.m. at the ESD 105 Conference Center's Klickitat Room (33 S. 2nd Avenue in Yakima)
• Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7:00 p.m. at the ESD 105 Conference Center's Klickitat Room (33 S. 2nd Avenue in Yakima)
• Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7:00 p.m. at Ellensburg High School in Room F-131 (1203 Capitol Avenue in Ellensburg)

The program’s $8,000 enrollment is in the form of a scholarship/loan that is fully forgiven by the state when participants complete 2 years of teaching.  About 30 of these scholarships are generally available locally for each year’s session.  The program’s current 2009-2010 session has 19 people enrolled. 

Through the Alternative Route Program, the course study and full-time classroom internship can be completed in as little as 10 months, less than half the time of most teaching certification programs offered by colleges and universities.

The Alternative Route program is ideal for people who may not be making it in their current position or who are retired and may want to re-enter the workforce to obtain additional income as a teacher.

The deadline to apply for the Alternative Route program’s 2010-2011 session is April 9, 2010.  However, applicants are urged to begin the application process now in order to complete required testing. 

The program is designed to help the region’s schools fill teaching positions in the following subject areas: special education, general science, middle school mathematics and science, chemistry, physics, biology, instrumental music, early childhood special education, choral music, English as a second language, bilingual education, and Japanese.

Find out more information about the Alternative Route program here.

As part of a revamped statewide program, ESD 105 has opened nominations for our first Regional Classified School Employee of the Year! Applications are due to ESD 105 no later than Friday, January 8, 2010.

This new award is open to all school and district employees who are categorized as “classified” – which may include your school’s secretaries, paraprofessionals, cooks, bus drivers, custodians, and payroll officers. The winner of the ESD 105 regional award will serve as our area’s nominee for OSPI’s 2010 Washington Classified School Employee of the Year (which previously was called the Classified Employee Excellence Award).  The state award will be announced in the spring.

The committee for the statewide award will be convened by OSPI Supt. Randy Dorn and will be comprised of education professionals, parents, and/or members of educational associations.  This group will review the nine nominees from each of Washington’s ESDs based on each candidate’s professional biography, outstanding work performance, professional leadership and collaboration, and other unique qualities or circumstances.

To nominate someone from your school for our ESD 105 Regional Classified School Employee of the Year, please download and fill out the:
• Background Information Form
• Application and Nominator Form
(Note:  For the Application Form, the nominated employee will need to submit: 1-2 page double-spaced responses to three essay questions; a resume; and letters of recommendation from an immediate supervisor, a colleague, and a parent or student.)

Anybody may nominate a classified employee from their school or district.  Nominators may present the Background Information and Application/Nominator forms directly to the classified employee they would like to nominate.  (The process does not necessarily need to initiate with a school principal or school district superintendent.)  Completed application materials (which will include the signature of the school district superintendent and a letter of recommendation from an immediate supervisor) should be forwarded directly to ESD 105.  There is no limit on the number of classified employees who may apply from a school district.

Please send your completed applications to: ESD 105, David Goehner - Public Information Officer, 33 S. 2nd Avenue, Yakima, WA  98908.  All materials must be received no later than January 8, 2010.

Congratulations to Thomas Romero, director of the ESD 105 Migrant Education Regional Office, for being named the Outstanding GLAD Trainer of the Year! Romero's selection was announced during the 17th annual Project GLAD Trainer Conference held Sept. 25-26 in Costa Mesa, California.

Project GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) is a professional development model for teachers of English language acquisition and literacy that promotes academic achievement and cross-cultural skills.  The program incorporates the use of high-level academic language and literacy, as well as strategies for promoting positive interactions among students and between teachers and students.

Teachers trained under the program go through a rigorous three-year program involving workshops, classroom demonstrations, strategy refinement, and presentations to their home school district.  Romero likens the process as similar to National Board certification.

September's award recognizes Romero's passion and high level of sucess in implementing the GLAD model throughout the region.  He, ESD 105 MERO Math Curriculum coordinator Jim Beichler, and Cle Elum-Roslyn instructor Rita Kretschman became first GLAD certified trainers in our region in the summer of 2008.  Another 12 teachers have become certified trainers, and eight more are expected to join those rolls by the end of 2009.  Romero anticipates a total of 60 people becoming certified as GLAD trainers in the MERO 105 service region within the next two years. 

"We've approached GLAD as a 'Trainer of Trainers' Cadre," says Romero.  "We provide the coaching and the mentoring all the way through.  It's embraced and supported here by our staff and by districts at the local level.  To have eventually have an impact on 60 teachers is quite significant. I'm very honored about the award, and it means our work in our region is recognized as being effective and making a difference."