Session Description: The cultural barrier and challenges facing the special needs students of Somali and East African descent in Minnesota schools.

About Mahdi:

Mahdi Warsama is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) the Somali Parents Autism Network (SPAN) and former Outreach Coordinator at The Buckeye Ranch Inc in Columbus, OH. He has Master of Science in Security and Resilience Studies from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. He received his BA in TESOL and minor in political science from Kent State University at Kent, Ohio and later received mental health outreach training from the Rosemont Center and The Buckeye Ranch Inc. He has Certificate in Leadership in Human Services Management from Ohio State University College of Social Work. In his capacity as Outreach Coordinator for The Buckeye Ranch, Mahdi was a regular contributor to immigrant community forums and Somali cultural competency workshops. He served number of local boards, including Autism Society of Ohio, Franklin County Children Service Citizens Advisory Committee, Hilltop YMCA Board and Youth Development Committee, Office of Minority Health at Columbus Public Health-Minority Health Advisory Committee, Franklin County Sheriff Advisory Board, and Volunteers in Public Safety Support (VIPSS). He is also a co-founded and served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Masjid As-Salaamah Inc., a Somali majority mosque in Columbus, OH.

As a parent of a child with autism, Mahdi is strong advocate for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As part of his keen interest in neurodevelopmental disabilities and other related disabilities, he graduated from University of Minnesota’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (MNLEND) Fellowship Program. Mahdi also graduated from Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) Direct Support Certification program.
He currently resides in Fridley, Anoka County, MN.

He can be contacted at his SPAN email mwarsama@somaliautism.org or office number at 763-657-0049.

Presented by: Becky Knutsen, M.Ed, founder of Student-Centered Services

Overview:

In this workshop on day 1, educators and school staff will explore a practical process for understanding and addressing challenging student behaviors. While briefly touching on the neuroscience behind behavior, the primary focus will be on equipping participants with tools and strategies to gather and make sense of data, identify underlying causes of behaviors, and create sustainable intervention plans.

Objectives:

• Brief Neuroscience Overview: Gain a foundational understanding of how the brain influences behavior.

• Identify Underlying Causes: Explore a structured process to gather information and identify what might be beneath challenging behaviors.

• Develop and Implement Sustainable Interventions: Create practical, sustainable intervention plans that integrate seamlessly into daily routines.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have a foundational understanding of the neuroscience behind student behavior and be equipped with a practical, step-by-step process to address challenging behaviors effectively.

Day 2 Break out Session: Making Sense of Behavior (aka Why Are They Acting This Way?!)

More than ever, school staff name behavior as their biggest challenge. In this workshop, we turn to the science to make sense of even the most confusing (and sometimes dangerous) behaviors. This foundational workshop aims to equip participants with a better understanding of the root causes of challenging behaviors.

About Becky: Becky is a licensed teacher and founder of Student-Centered Services, an educational consulting company supporting charter schools in Minnesota. During her 20+ years in education, Becky has held a variety of roles in early childhood settings, traditional school districts, and charter schools. She is an adoptive mama to her two kids. Becky loves to be outside and read books that have absolutely nothing to do with real life.

In today's educational landscape, the impact of anxiety and trauma on learning has become increasingly apparent. Recognizing how anxiety and trauma show up in the classroom, including Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) in the neurodevelopmental population, is essential for educators to create supportive learning environments.

Clinical psychologists and Neurodevelopmental Specialists, Dr. Rachelle Hansen and Dr. Renee von Weiss, will provide practical strategies and tools to address these challenges effectively. Through real-life case studies and extensive clinical experience, they will equip educators with the knowledge and skills to support all students, regardless of their neurodivergence.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in breakout sessions, offering hands-on practice, application of strategies, and consultations for specific cases. Additionally, resources and follow-up materials will be provided to ensure continued implementation of the strategies discussed. Join us as we embark on a journey of learning and collaboration, paving the way for a future of universal education where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Dr. Rachelle Hansen received her Doctorate of Clinical Psychology at the University of North Dakota. While there, she was actively involved in several rural health initiatives helping integrate in-home mental health services and early childhood assessments along with outpatient health and behavior services. She completed both her Doctoral Residency and Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota where she specialized in providing evaluations, behavioral interventions, and therapy to children, adolescents, parents, and families coping with medical conditions and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dr. Hansen's training and work experience has provided her the opportunity to work with toddlers to older adults at five different hospital systems, six rural health clinics, an inpatient and residential center, four private practices, a school-based therapy program, a community mental health clinic, and a neurology practice. In her life before practicing psychology, she was a reading recovery specialist before she was a court-appointed advocate working with families with children placed in protective care. She was also involved in conducting metabolic genetic research as part of her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.

Because of her unique background in biochemistry, education, and psychology, Dr. Hansen envisioned working at a clinical setting that would consider all three. Thus, she opened an integrated mental health clinic, Stepping Stone Clinic, in 2015 and founded an executive function coaching center, LifeFx, in 2021. Her work today consists of therapy, testing, supervising, creating curriculum, and teaching. When asked what made her choose specializing in neurodevelopmental disorders, she says that it chose her. Her love of the brain and background in biochemistry allows her nerdiness to combine with the fulfillment she receives from making meaningful connections with people, their experiences, and their own unique superpowers.

Dr. Renee von Weiss has a Doctorate from the University of Kansas in Clinical Psychology with specialization in health psychology across the lifespan. She gained additional training in clinical child and pediatric psychology during her Predoctoral Internship at the University of Florida. From there, she completed a one-year, Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology at the University of Louisville.

As a staff psychologist at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota for 8 years, Dr. von Weiss conducted psychological evaluations of children and adolescents presenting with a variety of developmental concerns, such as learning disabilities, ADHD and autism. She also provided therapy and inpatient consultation services for children, adolescents and families struggling with medical conditions. During her time at Children’s Hospital, Dr. von Weiss also supervised clinical psychology interns and postdoctoral fellows through her involvement with Children’s APA-accredited internship program.

Dr. von Weiss specializes in conducting comprehensive psychological evaluations for patients who present with a variety of developmental and learning concerns. She works with the patient, family, and other providers to try to find a plan to help patients move forward in their life. She’s most passionate about treating anxiety and executive dysfunctions, as well as adjustment to and coping with acute and chronic medical and neurodevelopmental conditions. Overall, Dr. von Weiss takes a developmental, strengths-based approach to her practice.

Over the past 8 years, INDIGO Education has been developing and field-testing a model for implementing specially designed instruction (SDI), with a focus on addressing academic areas of need. Our Learn-IT model aligns with a systems-wide shift to evidence-based practices mandated by the Read Act, and prioritizes High Leverage Practices that have the most impact on improving equitable outcomes for learners with disabilities.

Given the current Read Act mandates and pending changes to the SLD criteria, High Leverage Practice #4 (Use multiple sources of information to develop a comprehensive understanding of a student’s strengths and needs) has emerged as a consistent priority in implementing programming that improves learner outcomes. Through the course of our fieldwork, we have learned that when teachers collect and interpret data from multiple sources (i.e. universal screening data, formative and summative assessments, IEP progress notes, related services, etc), they can make informed decisions at critical checkpoints in the IEP process regarding the instructional practices, service delivery model, and curricula that learners need to reach grade level proficiency in reading.

At INDIGO Education, we have developed the RISE Data Review to implement High Leverage Practice #4. The RISE Data Review is best used to develop Present Levels as part of the reevaluation, annual IEP, or IEP revision/review process in areas of academic need. We will be using a case study approach to demonstrate how to implement the RISE Data Review in the area of reading, and will provide all the materials you will need to start using this practice to improve reading programming at your school site.

Presenters:

Hella Wartman & Marwa Sallam - INDIGO Education

Discover the art of crafting a compliant Transition Evaluation and IEP. In this breakout session, Indigo will guide you on how to successfully plan for students' post-secondary journeys through academic courses of study, related services, community experiences, employment, and living skills. You’ll gain insights into student graduation pathways, including the three viable routes to graduation and post-secondary options. Ensure student success by leveraging the IEP process to bolster student’s future endeavors!

Session hosted by INDIGO Education staff Carrie Garcia & Noreen Foster