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2024 Behavior Post
July Notes From Your ESC6 Behavior & Autism Specialists
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Freedom!
July is such a delightful month! We celebrate Independence Day, and we enjoy our summer days. July is also full of learning opportunities, and this Post issue is overloaded.
First, a big thank you to everyone who attended our ESC6 Special Education Summer Series: Go for the Gold! last month. We know you enjoyed it, and we are grateful you attended this 3-day virtual learning opportunity. Also, during our Ukeru TOT session, one of our trainers founded the I Will Sit With You Support Group for PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety This support group meets in Mexias, TX, but we are sharing this information with you in hopes that either someone can attend or perhaps somebody will volunteer to start one in our area. Mental health matters, and there is power in supporting one another.
Moving forward, two conferences in July might interest you: the ESC6 Science Conference and the Dyslexia Conference. In addition, there are classroom management, transition, restorative practices, trauma-informed, school safety blueprient, make-and-take sessions, and so much more. Join us! Grow, share, and implement new practices. Our students need the best we can offer.
Finally, consider applying for the Special Education Specialist position (see flyer below). Either way, keep on giving. At ESC6, our purpose is to serve, so If you have a suggestion, please let us know.
There is great freedom in teaching, serving, and believing. Happy 4th!
Upcoming Sessions
Freedom
July 1 - ESC6 Science Conference - Event # 548314 - see flyer below
July 10 - Inspiring Success: Empowering Teachers to Support Bilingual Students with Disabilities - presented by Dr. Francisco Usero-Gonzalez - #50 - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Virtual Event # 553123
July 10 & 11 - Special Education Finance Bootcamp for Special Education Directors - presented by Cindy Moses, TCASE - 9:00 am - 3:30 pm - $75 face-to-face Event # 554549
July 12 - Speech-Language Pathology Statewide Learning Series - Executive Functions: The 'Secret Sauce' for Your Therapy - 9:00 am - 12:00 pm - free and virtual Event # 539784
July 16 - ESC6 Dyslexia Conference - 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Event # 539787 - see flyer below
July 16 - Circle-Up: Positive and Restorative Practices for Relationship Building and Conflict Resolution Training - presented by Dr. Mark Ybarra and Fabiana Bezerra - 9:00 am - 4:00 pm - $120 Event # 536323
July 17 - Road to Recovery: Supporting Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Who Have Experienced Trauma - presented by Stephanie Duer and Fabiana Bezerra - 9:00 am - 4:00 pm free and virtual Event # 535319
July 23 -School Safety Blueprint - Empowering District Personnel on Safety and Mental Health Challenges - presented by Denise Hayes - $50 - face-to-face Event # 552464 / Cancelled due to low enrollment as of July 17.
July 24 - 18+ Program - What Is the Obligation to FAPE - presented by David Hodgins - $30 virtual Event # 554827
July 29 & 30 - Aligned! 2024: From Child Find to IEP Implementation [VIRTUAL]
facilitated on the WHOVA Conference Platform - 8:15 am - 3:45 pm - free and Event #1815397 (please note this registration process is being done through Region 4)July 29 & 30 - Cultivating the Classroom - by Emergent Tree. This session will be helpful to any teacher looking for ideas on classroom management. (And who doesn't?) - $120 for a 2-day face-to-face Event # 549756
July 30 - Baylor University SUCESS program sessions:
full day for Siblings of students with Autism and afternoon session for practitioners working with students with Autism. Please see flyer for more information.
July 30 or 31 - 10 Critical Components - Make & Take for Elementary & Secondary (see flyer below). You can register for either or both sessions here.
A New School Year!
August 21 - The Foundation and Components of Transition - Transition Services - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm - free onsite Event # 553006
August 29 - Best Practices and Resources for the Admission, Dismissal, and Review (ARD) Committee Chair: You Do Not Have to Go It Alone - 8:30 - 10:00 am - free and virtual Event # 553481
Interventions & Services
September 10 - Behavior Specialists Network - 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm virtual and free - more information to come
September 17 & 18 - Visual Supports: Where to Begin and How to Implemnet Make & Take - please note day 1 is virtual and day 2 is face-to-face [ 9:00 am - 3:30 pm - $60 Event # 550978
September 24 - Brown Bag Book Spotlight - 11:30 am - 12:30 pm - free and virtual - more information to come
Additional Trainings
TIER Online Courses Available Now
All Texas educators may access these courses for free on the TEALearn website and earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours.
School Avoidance & Refusal Webinar
SUCCESS@SCHOOL WEBINAR
EXPERT: Alana Cooperman, LCSW This webinar will be recorded. Register now and we'll reserve you a spot (even if you can't attend live) AND email you the replay link »
DATE & TIME: Tuesday, July 9 @ 1pm EDT
(12pm CDT; 11am MDT; 10am PDT) | Find it in your time zone >
Virtual Book Club
The Texas Institute for Child and Family Wellbeing (TXICFW) invites you to:
Join our community coordinator Samantha MacCallon for a 7-week book study to discuss topics found in Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah's What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing.
Meetings will take place via Zoom every Monday, 7/8–8/19, from 12–1PM CT. To register, email Samantha at samantha.maccallon@austin.utexas.edu.
Cross Systems Trauma Informed Care (CSTIC) initiative
Eating Disorders in the BIPOC Community - Wednesday, July 17, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT First, an overview of societal racial barriers to mental health and ED treatments and recommendations on how to challenge these barriers will be addressed. Then, clinical outcomes data of clients in eating disorder treatment who identify as BIPOC. (1 CE)
Additional Events:
Best of Trauma Super Conference, July 8 – 14, 2024 - free and virtual
The Texas HHSC Institute, July 22 – 26, 2024
Resiliency 2024, September 12, 2024 - free and virtual
Free Mental Health Webinars - provided by the McLean Hospital
Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Latinx Teens
Wednesday, July 10
Decoding and Demystifying Dyslexia
Wednesday, July 24
Wednesday, July 31
Understanding the Link Between Physical and Mental Health
Thursday, August 8
Heroes of Hope: Championing Suicide Prevention Together
Friday, September 13
Fostering Mental Well-Being and Empowerment in Sexual and Gender Diverse Young People
Fostering Mental Well-Being and Empowerment in Sexual and Gender Diverse Young People: A Pilot Study of the Tuned In! Affirmative Mindfulness-Based Intervention
Tuesday, July 16, 1:00-2:00pm ET
In an attempt to build the repertoire of empirically supported interventions for sexual and gender diverse young people (SGDY), an LGBTQ+ affirmative mindfulness-based group intervention (called Tuned In!) was collaboratively developed with and pilot-tested with SGDY. The study found high engagement, satisfaction, and significant improvements in mental health markers. Participants will learn about providing trauma-informed, culturally responsive support to SGDY and practical strategies from the Tuned In! study to enhance social support and self-advocacy in group work with SGDY. Register now
College Accommodations for Neurodivergent Students Webinar
EXPERT: Jillian Lillibridge Heilman, Ph.D.
DATE & TIME: Wednesday, July 17, 2024 @ 1pm EDT
(12pm CDT; 11am MDT; 10am PDT) | Find it in your time zone >
This webinar will be recorded. Register now and we'll reserve you a spot (even if you can't attend live) AND email you the replay link »
Moving on to college is a big transition — especially for students with ADHD who received IEP accommodations in high school because there are no IEPs in higher education. However, accommodations for academics and, in some cases, housing, may be available for neurodivergent college students.
This webinar will serve as a critical resource for parents and students seeking to understand the process of getting needed disability services in college. You will learn about:
- The disability laws and services that apply to neurodivergent college students
- The kinds of services, academic and beyond, that most colleges offer for neurodivergent students
- The responsibilities of college students in disclosing a disability to seek services
- The role and responsibilities of the Student Accessibility Services office
- The process of applying for disability services, including what documentation might be needed
Preventing Injuries in Children with Autism - Webinar
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
*Note: CSN selected to use the term Children with Autism for this webinar, but we acknowledge and recognize the equally valid term Autistic Children. We have left it up to the individual presenters to share the term they have used in their work. Individuals, communities, and organizations differ on which is the preferred term. For more information, please see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38570904/
____________________
The summer months bring new considerations for child safety, such as taking precautions for heat exposure, drowning, and playground safety. For children with autism, the risk of injury is often exponentially larger than the neurotypical population. Children with autism’s risk of drowning is 160 times higher (Guan & Li, 2017), which coupled with an increase in wandering and elopement, and communication challenges for non-verbal children, creates the need for additional considerations in preventing injuries.
In this webinar, Sarah Tinker, Ph.D. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC) will present an overview of autism spectrum disorder in U.S. children, including why they may be at increased risk for injuries. Shericka Harris, MSPH (CDC) will describe unintentional drowning deaths in the U.S. among children and adolescents where autism was identified as a contributing cause of death.
Jiabin Shen, Ph.D., and Yan Wang, Ph.D. (University of Massachusetts Lowell or UML) will present their population-based research that investigates disparities in injury and injury-related medical service utilization in children with autism using 22 years of data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The findings offer scientists, clinicians, and policymakers evidence-based data to inform development of tailored injury prevention programs for children with autism. They may also contribute to improvement of healthcare services and delivery of care for children with autism in the U.S. CSN-A member Judy Qualters, Ph.D. (CDC) will moderate the webinar.
12th Annual Summer Institute for Educators of Behavior Disorder Students
The 12th Annual Institute for Educators of Behavior Disorder Students is back with all new keynotes and break-out sessions on July 9 and 10, 2024.
ALL VIRTUAL this year!
The conference is FREE, but limited virtual spots are available, so register yourself and your team today.
The only conference that REALLY applies to the students you work with.
SBEC and CEU's available.
SMART
Stress Management and Resiliency Trainings (SMART):
- July 23, 2024, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm CT
- For more information and to register: https://mhttcnetwork.org/event/stress-management-and-resiliency-training-smart-jul24/
- August 13, 2024, 12N – 4:00 pm CT
- For more information and to register: https://mhttcnetwork.org/event/stress-management-and-resiliency-training-smart-aug24/
Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) for Educators
- September 10, 2024, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm CT
- For more information and to register: https://mhttcnetwork.org/event/stress-management-and-resiliency-training-smart-for-educators-sept24/
Upcoming Free Webinar by WPS
Unlocking the Power of Oral Language Assessments: Going Beyond the Score
presented by Laura Stevenson, MS, CCC‑SLP
Wednesday, July 31st at 10:00 a.m. PT (1:00 p.m. ET)
Free | 90 minutes
Texas Suicide Prevention Symposion
**** IN PERSON ONLY *****
Select sessions of TxSP24 will be recorded for future viewing.
Hosted by:
Texas Suicide Prevention Council
Symposium Coordination by:
https://TexasSuicidePrevention.org
LOCATION:
Hampton Inn Mesquite
1700 Rodeo Drive
Mesquite, Texas 75149
September 18, 2024: General Sessions 7:45 am - 5:30 pm
September 19, 2024: Texas LOSS Team Conference 7:45 am-12:00 noon
Free to attend, free CEUs (Thank you, Cedar Crest Hospital!)
Sign up for PBS KIDS Self-Paced Learning
Calling all PK-2nd grade Teachers and childcare providers!
Earn certificate hours and discover new tools to inspire young minds in the classroom for FREE with PBS KIDS Self-Paced Learning. Visit the robust catalog of learning paths at teach.pbskids.org to begin!
Benefits found from other educators:
“This made me think of using media in new ways in the classroom (and with families).”
“Our teaching is meant to be interactive and engaging to students, so I think it helps from an adult perspective and from a teacher perspective to have the professional development that way as well.”
“The microlearning has helped give me new ideas for lessons and ways to incorporate media into those lessons. I find trying new things in my profession exciting.”
The new Self-Paced professional development program from Austin PBS highlights how to incorporate media for classrooms. Crafted to fit your schedule, this is a chance to expand your toolkit and fulfill Texas professional development hours at the same time!
Seats are limited for the FREE, fully self-paced, TRS-approved program. When done, upload your certificate to TECPDS! Austin PBS is also a TEA CPE Approved Provider.
Information & Inspiration
From TEA
Upcoming Dates
- Summer: SPPI 14 survey launches for students who were enrolled in grades 9-12 during the 2022-23 school year.
- July 12-August 12: Public comment window for §89.1035 Age Ranges for Student Eligibility, §89.1053 Procedures for Use of Restraint and Time Out, and §89.1070 Graduation Requirements (will be posted on TEA's Proposed Commissioner of Education Rules webpage closer to window start date)
- July 29-30: ALIGNED! 2024: From Child Find to IEP Implementation is a free virtual conference. Up to 12 CPEs, 1.15 ASHA CEUs, and 12 NASP CEUs hours will be available for all attendees who participate in the live, synchronous sessions.
- August 31: Due date for the TED required training.
- December 6: SSES+ Medically Fragile Program ends.
Don't forget to check out TEA's Special Education Webinars and Newsletters website for a list of upcoming events, previous webinar recordings, and past editions of the Special Education Newsletter.
Did you know... that July is Disability Pride Month? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. Every July we celebrate Disability Pride Month to commemorate the passage of this landmark civil rights law. Disability Pride Month celebrates people with disabilities, their identities, their culture, and their contributions to society. It also seeks to change the way people think about and define disability, to end the stigma of disability, and to promote the belief that disability is a natural part of human diversity in which people living with disabilities can celebrate and take pride. Learn more at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) website.
Planning for 2024-25
School leaders! As you're planning the 2024-25 school year, use ED resources to:
🙋♂️ Address chronic absenteeism
📚 Offer high-dosage tutoring
👩🏫 Provide summer & afterschool learning
Find out more at https://lnkd.in/eT2WZmjT.
Bringing Into Focus News
All students deserve inclusive and supportive learning environments that help them learn, grow, and be successful. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department’s) Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates, one of the five guiding principles includes recruiting and retaining a diverse educator workforce in an effort to ensure all students have access to diverse, well-prepared, well-qualified, and effective educators. Fostering learning spaces that value diversity, where every student feels valued, is vital within all our educational systems.
Diversifying the educator workforce has been challenging though. Schools across the United States have been contending with persistent staffing shortages. In addition, in June 2023, the Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions, In. (SFFA) v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and SFFA v. University of North Carolina ended race-conscious admission, a tool colleges and universities across the United States had used to diversify their student bodies, which included students who were studying to become teachers and mental health professionals.
To expand the pipeline of high-quality, trained professionals to address shortages in high-need schools, while also advancing diversity, the Department has launched a number of efforts (e.g., Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration Grant Program, School Based Mental Health Services Grant Program, National Guidelines for Registered Apprenticeship Standards for K-12 Teachers). This has led state education agencies (SEAs), regional educations agencies (REAs), local education agencies (LEAs or districts), and institutions of higher education (IHEs) to partner together to train, place, hire and, ultimately, retain diverse students who become school professionals. However, as they do their work, they may be grappling with the Supreme Court’s recent decision and can benefit from guidance around the ways in which they can continue to ensure the experience for all students includes the educational benefits of diversity.
Suicide Prevention Quarterly
The June 2024 edition of the Suicide Prevention Quarterly Newsletter (PDF) from the State Suicide Prevention Team at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is now available. This edition of the newsletter includes the sections below:
- Suicide Care in Texas
- Suicide Care in Juvenile Justice Settings Learning Collaborative
- Postvention
- Postvention Suicide Strategies in Schools
- Self-Care
- The Healing Power of Pets
- Call to Action
- 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
- Upcoming Events
- Long-Term Survivors of Suicide Loss Summit
- Texas Suicide Prevention Symposium and LOSS Team Conference
- Share Your Success Story
For more information, email the State Suicide Prevention Team.
Would you like to become a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)?
The application window for the Cycle 13 Speech Language Pathology Master's Degree Distance Venue will open in August 2024, with the cohort running from June 2025 to August 2027. Several informational meetings have been offered throughout the year, with two remaining. Those interested in applying must attend one full information meeting as part of the application process. The registration links are provided below.
4:30 pm -6:30 pm
Please share with those who might be interested.
Don't hesitate to contact Pam Bumpass at pbumpass@esc6.net or 936-435-8249 for further assistance.
Parents Corner
Post-Graduation Survey
The State Performance Plan Indicator (SPPI) 14 survey measures post-school outcomes for students who were receiving special education services when they exited public school. TEA contracts with a vendor to conduct the SPPI 14 survey. On June 3, Gibson Consulting Group will launch the summer 2024 survey for students who were enrolled in grades 9-12 during the 2022-23 school year and graduated, dropped out, completed a GED, or withdrew to enter college. Resources are available on the Texas SPED Support website to understand the SPPI 14 post-school outcomes survey. Watch the videos to learn more about SPPI 14, including how to use the results of the survey to inform transition planning practices or to increase response rates. Use the bookmark to share information about the post-school outcomes survey with students and families.
This year, former students and families will receive invitations to complete the survey through the following methods:
- Email messages from gibsonsurveys@qemailserver.com
- Phone calls from (512) 580-6008
- Text messages from (833) 495-3340
- Postcards
For questions about the survey, they may contact Gibson by sending an email to support@gibsonconsult.com or calling (512) 580-6008. They may also complete the survey by visiting www.TxExit.com.
Parent-Directed Special Education Services (PDSES)
Supplemental Special Education Services (SSES) is now the Parent-Directed Special Education Services (PDSES) program.
The PDSES program is the same as the SSES program, just with a new name to better reflect the importance of parents as decision makers in the educational process. The eligibility criteria for PDSES remains the same: the program remains a first-come, first-served one-time only grant for the families of students who are enrolled in a Texas public school and receive special education services. The same students who were eligible for the SSES program are eligible for the PDSES program, and if students already received an SSES grant in the past, they will not be eligible for a PDSES grant in the future. The application for the PDSES program is currently closed and will open for the 2024-2025 school year on February 3, 2025.
Anyone interested in receiving program updates, including application window reminders, is encouraged to join the email list by going to the PDSES website and signing up to receive updates.
For families raising children with disabilities
Participants Needed for New Research Study on Youth MHFA
Mental health challenges are common among adolescents, with nearly one in five youth ages 13-18 experiencing a severe mental health challenge. Parents and guardians are a crucial link in addressing the growing needs of youth as related to their mental health. In 2023, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Research Advisors Dr. Cixin Wang and her team at the University of Maryland-College Park, were awarded a grant to study the impact of Youth MHFA. Supported by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and MHFA, Dr. Wang and her team will be providing free Youth MHFA training to parents and guardians of youth ages of 9-20 as a part of the formal research study. The study is underway, with virtual training scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays through October from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ET. In addition to the free training, parents and guardians and their children can earn up to $80 to complete surveys for the research study. If you know someone with youth between the ages of 9 and 20, please share this opportunity with them!
For more information about MHFA Research and Evaluation, please visit our website.
Sounds for Your Pleasure
For More Information
Fabiana Bezerra, LSSP, NCSP
ESC 6 Behavior & Autism Specialist for Special Education
Email: fbezerra@esc6.net
Website: https://www.esc6.net/
Location: Education Service Center Region 6, Montgomery Road, Huntsville, TX, USA
Phone: 936-4350-8252
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Region6ESC
Twitter: @escregion6