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Exceptional Education Newsletter
August 2022
IN THIS ISSUE
- Welcome Back
- Meet the Team
- Compliance Corner
- In the Spotlight
- Message from the Behavior Analysts
- Assistive Technology Tip of the Month
- Message from Transition Mentor Teachers
- Professional Development Opportunities
- Shoutouts
- Previous Issues
MEET THE EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION TEAM
Director of Exceptional Education
Associate Director of Exceptional Education
Exceptional Education Coordinators
Instructional Specialists
Transition Mentor Teachers
Darlene Slade (lead),Karen Young,Selina Wilson,Rebecca Parks
Related Services Leads
Intensive Support Mentor Teachers
Data Specialist
Private Day Specialist
Pre-School Instructional Specialist
BCBA Specialist
BCBA Specialist
All students must have an assigned case manager in VA IEP by September 2, 2022. If you have a student in the initial eligibility process, assign the ICC as the case manager until the process has been completed.
Continue to work on obtaining parents' signatures to finalize and make the IEP process compliant in VA IEP. No services in the current IEP can be provided until the parent has consented.
All students should have a current and compliant IEP and eligibility on the first day of school!
Updates:
Elementary ICCs Meeting- September 20, 2022 1:00-2:30
Secondary ICCs Meeting- September 22, 2022 1:00-2:30
Both meetings will be in-person instead of virtual. The location will be forthcoming.
Exceptional Education School Opening Certification Checklist 2021-2022 is due by September 23, 2022. Please submit the signed form to your school's 2022-23 School Opening Form folder. This folder can be found in your school's G-Drive.
Indicator and Reports Directions:
September updates to the December 1 Child Count, Indicators 9, 10, 11, and the Out of Compliance Spreadsheet are due on September 23.
1. Instructional and Compliance Coordinators (ICCs) should indicate "none," followed by the month of submission, when there is no new information to report.
2. Revisions to the Out of Compliance Report should be captured monthly under the ICC Comments. All students listed on the spreadsheet should have an update. If there is no update next to each student, the spreadsheet will be deemed non-compliant. For students who require a parental signature ONLY, there must be an indication of how case managers reached out to parents to obtain signatures.
3. As schools hold IEP meetings for English Learners, Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP) teachers should be invited to participate as team members.
CONGRATULATIONS!
- Nicole Snyder at J.L Francis Elementary School!
- Blakeley Reynolds at Broad Rock Elementary School!
MESSAGE FROM THE BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS
FBA & BIP Webinars
Beginning in September 2022, RPS Behavior Analysts will host monthly 1-hour webinars addressing the components of the new FBA/BIP form and manual. Webinars will run from 4:00-5:00 PM. All RPS staff are invited to attend.
Timeline and Topics Include:
September 8, 2022: Introduction and Operational Definitions or https://meet.google.com/btg-szks-ohb?hs=122&authuser=0
October 13, 2022: Data Collection Tools and Strategies or https://meet.google.com/ufy-zvka-xna?hs=122&authuser=0
November 2022: Interviewing as Part of the FBA Process (Date TBD)
December 2022: Data Analysis (Date TBD)
January 2023: Identifying Functions & Creating Hypotheses (Date TBD)
February 2023: Identifying and Teaching Replacement Behaviors (Date TBD)
March 2023: Identifying and Teaching Antecedent Strategies (Date TBD)
April 2023: Using Reinforcement Strategies (Date TBD)
May 2023: Identifying and Teaching Consequence Strategies (Date TBD)
June 2023: Ensuring Fidelity of Implementation (Date TBD)
Virtual Office Hours
Division BCBAs will host monthly Virtual Office Hours from 3:00 - 4:30 beginning on August 16 and continuing on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. (August 16, September 20, October 18, November 15, and December 20)
BCBA Virtual Office Hours joining info
https://meet.google.com/wrz-vbsk-yqb
The office hours are an opportunity for teachers, administrators, instructional assistants, and any other RPS staff to ask questions, brainstorm ideas, dive deeper into that month’s webinar, or just connect with the Behavior Analysts and other staff interested in supporting students with behavioral challenges. Individuals and/or school teams are encouraged to join.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TIP OF THE MONTH
Switch interfaces are devices used to connect an accessibility switch to an electronic device, including a computer. The accessibility switch plugs into the interface using the switch jacks and the interface plugs into a computer USB port. The switch interface can be set up so that activation of a switch produces a mouse or keyboard function, such as “left click”, “double click”, “Space”, or “Enter”, just to name a few. A single interface can accommodate one or multiple switches. Below are two examples of computer switch interfaces that are currently used in RPS: Switch Interface Pro by Don Johnston and Hitch 2 by AbleNet. Please feel free to consult with an OT or PT for more information about switch interfaces.
Technology & Keyboarding
TRANSITION TIP OF THE MONTH
The process of helping students with disabilities transition out of high school into post-secondary education or employment requires thoughtful measures and actions. An entire team of Transition Mentors, Case Managers, and Parents, along with other school staff and family members, are key to a successful transition. The goal is to help students with disabilities explore and prepare for post-secondary employment and educational options while they are still in High School through these core areas:
1. Job Exploration: Instruction and/or workshops on careers and necessary skills, career interests, and requirements for those careers
2. Workplace Readiness Training: Development of transferable work skills, which include resume writing, interviewing, and other related soft skills
3. Work-Based Learning Experiences: Job shadowing, informational interviews, volunteer opportunities, and internships
4. Self-Advocacy Training and Peer Mentoring: Development of individual advocacy skills and mentoring from fellow students
As we help our students plan for life after high school, these are some general transition tips that can help:
· Create a "vision" for the student's future based on his or her interests and dreams. Begin developing a realistic vision for the future during their high school/ teen years. Ensure that the goals, objectives, and strategies on the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) support the student's vision for the future. The vision is a starting point and can be revisited many times over the course of their time in high school.
· Create a person-centered planning team that can help your student prepare for the future. A person-centered planning team should include the student, transition mentor teacher, teachers/case managers, and caregivers who support the student.
· Make sure that the student plays an active role in planning their future to whatever extent possible. Students can learn valuable communication and self-advocacy skills by being a part of the planning process.
· Think about future employment. Whether a job will provide financial support, personal fulfillment, social opportunities, or some combination of these, employment is a very important component of adult life. Students should begin to explore career opportunities, develop pre-employment skills (interviewing, soft skills, etc.), and identify training needs and goals while they are in their early high school careers.
· Start promoting independence early. Allow students as much independence as possible and assign them some responsibility for tackling transition goals, either for college planning or for employment. Provide opportunities for students to make choices and decisions and for them to explore and learn from the experiences of success and failure.
· Teach money management and banking skills, which will be beneficial regardless of whether the student decides to attend college or enter the world of work upon high school graduation.
· Explore all college disability services if the student is continuing on to higher education. These services can help ease academic challenges and level the playing field for the student.
Finally, students with disabilities must learn how to make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability in new settings. These decisions will affect their educational experiences, employment, and social lives. Disclosure is a very personal decision, so respect for the student's wishes is paramount.
As you and the students prepare for life after high school, your support as part of the team is invaluable. Making post-secondary decisions as a team results in smoother transitions for our students.
Coming soon!! Transition Mentor Teachers will be inviting ICCs and designees from their assigned buildings to meet to develop structured plans of support for the Transition sections of the IEP, training in the administration of transition assessments, and alignment of transition goals and activities to students’ interests and abilities. Calendar invites will be sent shortly, so please keep an eye out!
Need help with Transition? Reach out to the Transition Mentor Teachers!
Darlene Slade: Huguenot High, Thomas Jefferson High, and River City Middle
Selina Wilson: John Marshall High, Henderson Middle, and Richmond Alternative School
Karen Young: George Wythe High, THRIVE, Lucille Brown Middle, and Boushall Middle
Rebecca Parks: Armstrong High, Albert Hill Middle, and Binford Middle
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
VA IEP Training
Section 504
Pre-referral
EDPlan Playbook
VDOE Fall 2022 Cohort Journey into Teaching Academy
2022 CTE High-Quality Work-Based Learning Guide
The VDOE collaborated with stakeholders to review and revise the CTE High-Quality Work-Based Learning Guide. Technical content revisions and new program content in certain areas was added to provide local school divisions with consistent messaging regarding high-quality work-based learning experiences. The Guide focuses on all 12 types of WBL methods used in Virginia. It includes Virginia regulations and guidelines for the administration of HQWBL and provides training materials for work-based learning teacher-coordinators. See more from VDOE!
Congratulations to Mr. Johnny Jones at Binford Middle School and Ms. Sholar Cardwell at Boushall Middle School for 100% compliance when completing all Indicators and Compliance Reports each month on time. Kudos for ensuring that your schools were compliant all school year!
Congratulations to Ms. Angelique Bland at Miles Jones Elementary School for being the first ICC to submit the 2021-22 Exceptional Education School Closing Certification Checklist. Way to go!