KENNETH M. BIRD, Ed.D.

Superintendent
Westside Community Schools
909 South 76th Street, Omaha, NE 68114
402-390-2106 – Fax 402-390-2120
E-Mail: kbird@westside66.org

PERSONAL DATA
Birthdate: February 26, 1948
Marital Status: Married (Annie)
Children: Michael, Chris, Tab

EDUCATION

Major Degree Date

University of Nebraska at Omaha Special Education B.A. 1971
University of Nebraska at Lincoln Psych/Special Ed. M.A. 1981
University of Nebraska at Lincoln Ed Administration Ed.S. 1984
AASA National Acad. for School Exec. Certification 1987, Cert. Prog. in Strategic Planning,
University of Nebraska at Lincoln Administration Ed.D. 1993, Curric. & Instr.
Columbia University, New York Superintendents Work Conference 1996, Teachers College

PROFESSIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
Westside Community Schools
    Superintendent September 1, 1992 - Present
    Associate Superintendent June 1991 - August 1992
    Director, Governmental Relations and Pupil Services May 1990 - June 1991
    Director, Department of Special Services 1983 - May 1990
    Assistant Director, Department of Special Services 1981-1983

Nebraska Department of Education
    Director of Compliance - Special Education Branch 1978 - 1981
    Supervisor - Special Education Branch 1976 - 1978
    Consultant - Secondary Programs for the Handicapped 1974 - 1976

Westside Community Schools
    Department Head, High School, Special Education 1970-1974 and Special Vocational Needs
    Teacher, Oakdale Cottages, Trainable Mentally Retarded
    Teacher Aide, Special Education, Westside High School

Professional Appointments, Memberships, and Boards (Current)

Horace Mann League of America Board of Directors – Past President
Educational Research and Development Institute – Past Chair
American Association of School Administrators
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Phi Delta Kappa
Nebraska Council of School Administrators
Nebraska Association of School Administrators
Suburban School Superintendents
National Association of State Boards of Education, Center for Policy Research
Century Council
Teachers College, Columbia University–Doris Dillon Center Advisory Panel
National Center for Education, Research & Technology – Board of Directors
National School Public Relations Association–Board of Directors/Superintendent-at-Large

Professional Appointments, Memberships, and Boards (Previous)

Nebraska Council of School Administrators

Chairman of Nebraska Council of School Administrators
President of Nebraska Association of Special Education Supervisors
Board of Directors Nebraska Association of Special Education Supervisors
Committee Chair Current Issues in Special Education NCSA
Inservice Committee Nebraska Council of School Administrators
Committee Chair Special Education Funding Task Force

Council of Administrators of Special Education
    National President - Council of Administrators of Special Education
    Executive Board of Council of Administrators of Special Education,
        Membership Chair
        Strategic Planning Facilitator
        Professional Development Committee

Council for Exceptional Children
        National • Futures Committee • Program Advisory Committee
            Nebraska
                Board of Directors of Division for Career Development
                Board of Directors of Division for Children With Behavioral Disorders

Gubernatorial Appointment
        State Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Childhood Special Education

Commission Chair - Nebraska Legislative Bill 3 Study Commission
University of Nebraska at Omaha Counseling and Special Education Advisory Board
Board of Directors for Greater Omaha Association for Retarded Citizens
Project PARA - UN-Lincoln Advisory Board
Board of Directors for the Martin Luther Home
Nebraska Advisory Council for the Education and Welfare of the Hearing Impaired
Commissioner's Advisory Board for the School for the Deaf
Nebraska Foundation for the Visually Handicapped
Nebraska Advisory Board for Augmentative Communication
Nebraska Special Education Accountability Commission
U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) - Monitoring Liaison Group
American Speech and Hearing Association Consumer Advisory Committee
American Association of School Administrators – Council of 21
U. S. Office of Education National Agenda Setting Task Force
Nebraska Commission for National and Community Service
Consortium for the Application of Space Data to Education

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS

Tech-Savvy Superintendent Award, eSchool News January 2003
AASA President's Technology Award February 2003
Friend of The Horace Mann League Award February 2003
The William M. Kizer Light of Wellness Award November 2002
Honoring Healthy Lifestyles, Transforming Companies
The David W. Hutcheson Award for Distinguished Service to Education November 2001 in the State of Nebraska – Teachers College, UNL
HOSTS Betty Scharff Memorial Award for Mentoring February 2000
1998 Nebraska Superintendent of the Year November 1997
Distinguished Service Award - Nebraska Council of School Administrators August 1990
Expert Lecturer - Peoples Republic of China, Huazhong University, Wuhan, China May 1990
Distinguished Alumni Award – Univ. of NE Omaha, Department of Education March 1989
Distinguished Service Award – Westside Community Schools, Sp. Ed. Booster Club March 1988
Distinguished Service Award – Nebraska Association of Special Education Directors June 1987

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Board of Trustees - Boy Scouts of America
Board of Directors - Childrens Healthcare Services
Board of Directors - Childrens Corner
Board of Directors - Easter Seals Nebraska
Board of Directors - Health Network for Children
Board of Directors - Junior Achievement
Executive Committee - Metropolitan Omaha Educational Consortium
Board of Directors - National Conference of Community & Justice
Board of Directors - Nebraska Methodist College
Board of Directors - Nebraskans for Public Television
Board of Directors - Omaha Community Partnership
Board of Directors - Omaha Neighborhood Courage
Board of Directors - Omaha Press Club
Board of Directors - Rotary Club of Omaha-West
Board of Directors - United Way of the Midlands
Board of Directors - Westside Foundation
Board of Directors - Omaha Job Clearinghouse Partnership
Board of Directors - United Way of the Midlands
Maverick Council - University of Nebraska Omaha, Athletic Department
Past Chair - Childrens Hospital, Board of Directors
Past Chair - Wellness Council of the Midlands
Past Chair - Fontenelle Forest Association
Former Corporate/ - United Way of the Midlands/CHAD, Education Div Chair

ADDITIONAL BOARDS

Board of Directors - Werner Enterprises
Board of Governors - Nebraska Methodist College
Board of Governors - Nebraska Wesleyan University

10/11/04 jm