Dakota County Connections Meeting
Date/Time of Meeting: September 10th, 2015 @ 9:00 am
Location of Meeting: Girls Incorporated
Present: Jeff Hackett/Boys Town, Matt Ohman/SHIP, Gay McTate/Nebr. Children and Families, Sally
Reinert/Board, Daniel Harder/DHHS, Kelli Smith/DHHS, Becky Eckhardt/South Sioux City Schools, Ed
Huff/Crittenton Center, Chrissie Young/Boys Town, Cheri Matthews/Educational Service Unit #1, Ellie
Schunk/Public Guardian, Josh Martin/DHHS, Sarah Deck/Dakota County Attorney-Diversion, Sarah
Paulos/UNL Extension, Jennifer Jackson/Heartland Counseling, Rita DeJong/BOOST-FF, Lance Martin/ Light
of the World Ministry, JoAnn Gieselman/SHIP &DCC, Susan Strahm/ESU#1 Northern ELC, Radine Himes/
Boys & Girls Home Family Services, Chris Jones/SHIP/BOOST, Linda Phillips/Siouxland Cares, Kathy
Moller/NENCAP, Lara Swerczek/DHHS, Erin Vavra/NENCAP, Olga Ajpacaja/Dakota County Health Dept.
Agenda Item #1 Welcome/Introductions and updates:
Discussion:
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JoAnn Gieselman thanked everyone for their wonderful support and attendance, She also thank
Mandy and the wonderful team from Girls Inc. for hosting our meeting and providing such a
wonderful place, food and atmosphere to get together in. Members went around the room and
introduced themselves and share updates from their organizations, among those updates were:
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Susan invited anyone interested to register for the Tri-State Childcare conference Oct 3rd
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Radine Himes introduced herself, she is the new Marketing VP with Boys and Girls Home
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Chris Jones introduced himself as the newest staff with BOOST
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Jennifer Jackson shared about a wonderful free day program Heartland Counseling has to
support individual that may have some mental health challenges. She will be speaking more
about this at our October meeting.
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Linda Phillips shared that the Elks were bringing in Milton Creagh to speak to our youth and
adults October 30, 31 and November 1st. Milt is an international speaker and known for his
fiery, hard-hitting message about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse. Linda also shared that
Siouxland CARES is selling red tulip bulbs to celebrate Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31.
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Matt Ohman shared about the Social Innovation Fund Grant Program Rural Nebraska Connected
Youth Initiative. He asked for volunteers to form a committee to look into this further.
Agenda Item #2: After School Programing
Discussion:
JoAnn Gieselman shared that on our DCC work plan one of our goals is to help support after school
programing and that is how she met Mandy and got involved with Girl’s Inc. and during that time she
had a chance to observe their quality programing. JoAnn shared how Girl’s Inc., Boys Club, the YMCA
and the South Sioux City Schools all met to share ideas to support the children in this area and how
supportive they were of each other. JoAnn told the group there were a number of students that came
from South Sioux City across the river for programing in the summer but understood that during the
school year many parents couldn’t get their children over after school. We are currently trying to figure
out some busing ideas.
Agenda Item #3: Presentation by Mandy Engel-Cartie on Girls Inc and a tour of the program by
Melissa
Discussion:
Mandy shared that Girls Inc. delivers life changing programs that inspire girls to be strong, smart, and
bold. They use research-based curricula, delivered by trained professionals, equip girls to achieve
academically; lead healthy and physically active lives; manage money; navigate media messages; and
discover an interest in science, technology, engineering and math.
Please be sure to go to their website to find out more about what was shared during the presentation
and tour.
Agenda Items 4 through 8 were written as information only, see below:
Definition and Purpose for meeting: Working together to support and strengthen our community and
collectively address our community’s needs.
PIWI Update: Corrin Poland-YMCA, Abbie Engel-NENCAP and Kathy Moller-NENCAP (2 New classes starting
today!! One at the Library and one at the Siouxland Family Center Early Head Start) Plans are in the works
for the YMCA.
Early Childhood Speaker Nov 12th and 13th -Dan St. Romain-Speaking on supporting social and emotional
development and positive behavior-Registration through ESU#1
Early Childhood Screenings: South Sioux City Schools-will provide free screenings for children birth to 5 in
overall development on September 10th and 18th from 9:00 am to noon, at the South Sioux City Library. ,
Janie Snieder, and Robyn Watchorn Newbrey, both mental health therapists – will offer The Ages and Stages
Social Emotional Screening at those times as well.
Dakota County Juvenile Services Team updates: Sarah Deck heads this up (Their meetings will follows ours
quarterly, the next one will be at our November meeting)
Next Meetings: Time 9:00-10:00
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October 8th @ College Center
room126c
November 12th (note change)
@ Law Enforcement Center
December 10th @ Boys Club
Sioux City
January 14th @ College Center
room126c
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February 11th @ College Center room126c
March 10th @ College Center room126c
April 14th @ College Center room126c
May 12th @ College Center room126c
June 9th @ College Center room126c
Upcoming Meetings
rd
September 23 : Board meeting with Nebr. Children and Families Foundation-9:00-11:00
at the College Center Conference room 138
October 2nd : Rooted in Relationships focus group meeting on parent engagement and
education-10:00 am-1:00pm at the SSC Library (lunch will be provided, I will need a head
count)
Speakers for Upcoming Meetings: at the College Center unless @ noted
October: Jennifer Jackson- Heartland Counseling Services
November: Rita Dejong-Boost-@Law Enforcement Center
December: Eldon Bensen-@Boys Club-Tour of facility
January: Jason Duncan- Salvation Army
February: Ellie Schunk- Office of Public Guardian NE Supreme Court
March: Janie Snieder
April: Nebraska Children and Families
May: Jeff Hackett