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Exceptional Education Newsletter
July 2022
IN THIS ISSUE
- Compliance Corner
- Message from the Behavior Analysts
- Assistive Technology Tip of the Month
- Message from Transition Mentor Teachers
- Professional Development Opportunities
- Shoutouts
- Previous Issues
ICC ACADEMY
- Enjoy your vacation; upon your return, please plan to attend the ICC Academy from August 8-11 at Huguenot High School. We will have a variety of sessions. More information will be forthcoming!
MESSAGE FROM THE BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS
The new FBA/BIP process and template offer a streamlined development process from beginning to end, comprehensive support in developing a quality FBA/BIP, and breaks down the necessary components of the FBA/BIP into manageable sections. The behavior teams have developed a comprehensive training and a complete manual to support FBA/BIP teams. Additional support documents to guide each step of the process have been developed. This new process will allow teams to analyze data more effectively to create function-based hypotheses and accessible intervention plans.
To successfully implement this new FBA/BIP process, all educators and administrators are invited to attend training in the new process. The new documents will roll out in a training for ICCs in August 2022. During the 2022-2023 school year, a variety of training opportunities will be available for teachers and school staff, including a full 2-day workshop, hybrid sessions with face-to-face and asynchronous learning throughout the year, online videos, and a 10-week course. Stay tuned for more information regarding training opportunities and dates!
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TIP OF THE MONTH
Students with movement limitations may need their accessibility switch or tablet positioned in a very specific location using a specialized mount. These mounts, also referred to as “universal mounts” or “mounting arms”, allow an accessibility switch or tablet to be positioned in the student’s “sweet spot”, or the location that allows the student to most easily and consistently access the switch and/or visually attend to the tablet.
The video links below show 2 examples of mounting arms for the optimal switch and tablet placement!
AbleNet One Mount: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dWF-4agiBA&t=100s
AbleNet Latitude Mounting Arm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM3GUnKk2QQ
Improving Expression with Picture Prediction
Picture Prediction technology analyzes a simple drawing and provides images that might be a representation of the image the learner was attempting to draw. The learner selects the image close to their vision, and it is embedded in the canvas, replacing the original drawing.
Learners with fine motor difficulties may find Picture Prediction useful, enjoyable and empowering, giving them an opportunity to illustrate their work.
AutoDraw by Google is a website that allows a user to begin drawing an image and select from an array of images to represent their rough drawing. (www.autodraw.com) Give it a try! It's a great, free tool!
MESSAGE FROM TRANSITION TEACHERS
Transition Tip of the Month
Transition Mentor Team Receives VDOE Grant to Establish Transition Centers in High Schools
Transition Action in RPS!
The Huguenot High School Transition Education for Employment class successfully graduated all three of their seniors! One student graduated during the mid-year graduation and the other two students graduated during the June celebration. All students in the class spent the school year learning employment skills and how to successfully live independently. We are excited and looking forward to great things from our new graduates!
We have already secured a work site at Food Lion for the 2022-2023 school
year and we’re excited to put our instruction to work!
George Wythe High School
George Wythe High School had a very successful “Transition” year! We celebrated with our graduating seniors and provided them with useful employment information. GWHS hosted the Virginia Mobile DMV unit on June 2nd. At the conclusion of the workshop, students were able to obtain state issued identification cards! We are looking forward to the 2022-2023 school year, and especially to our recent partnership with Food Lion, which will enable our students to practice valuable employment skills.
John Marshall High School
100% of John Marshall’s students with disabilities graduated with a solid post secondary transition plan! More than half of the students have secured employment at various locations within the community, while the others will be attending college, including JSRCC, Richard Bland, VSU,and ODU. We are so very proud of the work they have put in at JMHS, and wish them success with their future endeavors!
Students who were enrolled in the Education For Employment program had the opportunity to learn about and practice 21st century skills, job training and preparation exercises. Each of them finished the school year with a solid understanding of successful employment practices.
Next year, JMHS plans to be a school on the move! We have begun the post-secondary planning process that will include college tours, Job Shadowing opportunities, Soft Skills training Workshops, student/parent information sessions and so much more. See you in the Fall!
Thomas Jefferson High School
School based work experience finished strong for students enrolled in EFE. Growth was evident as students completed resumes and identified businesses of interest they would like to apply to over the summer.
The first (of what we hope to be annual) DMV day was a success, as over 20 students signed up to receive their state IDs, with multiple students receiving their REAL IDs. The students expressed their excitement over using them to help secure employment!
Through the hard work and diligence of TJ’s exceptional education team, we saw all students with a disability graduate!!
A huge shout out to our ICC, Dr. Emily Stanford, for her relentless pursuit of excellence and unmatched determination to see our students succeed!
Armstrong High School
AHS students achieved competence in their horticulture skills for cultivating and growing herbs in the school’s greenhouse. We plan to expand our work to growing flowers and herbs during the 2022-2023 school year.
DMV’s mobile unit provided opportunities for several students to get obtain their state IDs. Stay tuned for another mobile DMV unit event next year!
Congratulations to the class of 2022 and the staff who worked extra hard to ensure our students achieved success!
We are excited to plan presentations next year to include sessions supporting students with disabilities in running their own IEP meetings!
Need help with Transition? Reach out to the Transition Mentor Teachers!
Darlene Slade: Huguenot High, and River City Middle
Selina Wilson: John Marshall High, Henderson Middle, and Richmond Alternative School
Karen Young: George Wythe High, Lucille Brown Middle, and Boushall Middle
Rebecca Parks: Thomas Jefferson High, Albert Hill Middle, and Binford Middle
Kaitlynn Rollins: Armstrong High, and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Register for the Literacy Institute
Please use the following kickup link. You can see all sessions by scrolling down and registering as you would normally. The booklet allows you to view the sessions in a different way.
Kickup Registration Link - https://pulse.kickup.co/events/collection/xyQRL9suAYAEJ6qnEHpeyh
Booklet - https://www.flipsnack.com/AD8EC85569B/new-flipbook.html (hover over the bottom right and click full screen)
Please use the flyer linked below for more information.
The Office of Special Education Instructional Services provides a direct line of communication with Virginia’s educators, paraprofessionals, and special education administrators and focuses on specially designed instruction for students with disabilities. This publication provides a way to share new resources as well as make educators aware of professional development opportunities of interest.
All educators are encouraged to subscribe and receive these Special Education Instructional Services emails directly from the VDOE.
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Office of Student Services will offer two free conferences this summer. The theme, From Surviving to Thriving!, acknowledges that over the past two and half-years, schools have faced and managed incredible challenges. The goal of these conferences is to assist schools in working toward building positive school climates and to provide resources and strategies to help our students and school communities thrive.
The Mental Health in Schools Conference will be held August 1–2, 2022, at the Marriott at City Center, Newport News, VA.
Attendees will learn about innovative, evidence-based, and data-driven Tier 2 and 3. Strategies that help students thrive. Breakout sessions include a variety of counseling techniques and interventions to address anxiety, chronic absenteeism, substance abuse disorders, alternatives to suspension, and depression.
In-person attendance is limited to 250, so please only register if you can attend both days of the conference. The Mental Health in Schools Portal includes the agenda, presentation descriptions, and hotel information. As the conference approaches, presenter bios and slides will be available. Please visit the Mental Health in Schools Conference registration page for more information and to register for the conference. The suggested audience is school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, and division leaders.