Afternoon sessions

P01 - RISE Resiliency, Initiative, Self-advocacy, Experiences... Help Me Help You

(Behavior)

Room #: Mezzanine

Presenter:  Dr. Gina Scala

Academic and/or behavior does it really matter? Middle school and high school students often exhibit challenging behaviors that exhaust us as well as the student. We generally ask these questions...Where do we as teachers gather our need to persevere in working with the students?  How long can the student continue to exhibit the challenging behaviors?  How do we determine the function of the behavior? What strategies will prove to be effective? Actually, the student needs to set parameters, determine the need to behave vs. misbehave, impact on their future...NO more excuses.  Humor and taking risks will be required for entry to this session!

Audience: Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraprofessionals, Substitutes, University Students, Agency Personnel, Parents, School Nurses 
 

P02 - Yoga, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), and Mindfulness in the Classroom

(Health/Mental Health)

Room #: Media Center

Presenter:  Ms. Ann Fields

"Yoga, SEL, and Mindfulness in the Classroom" explores practical strategies for integrating yoga, SEL, and mindfulness into classroom settings. This session will provide educators with tools to help students manage stress, build resilience, and improve focus and emotional regulation. Participants will learn age-appropriate yoga techniques, mindfulness exercises, and SEL activities that can be easily incorporated into daily routines to create a more peaceful and productive learning environment.

Audience:  Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraprofessionals, Substitutes, Parents, School Nurses

P03 - Increasing Motivation in Children and Adults on the Autism Spectrum

(Autism; Behavior)

Room #: 121

Presenter:  Dr. Carolyn Bruey

Motivating individuals on the autism spectrum to change their behavior can be quite a challenge. Staff and parents tend to rely upon verbal reasoning alone to lead to behavior change, although behavior change almost invariably requires incorporating a reinforcement system to increase motivation. An added obstacle is the fact that it is often difficult to identify effective reinforcers that truly motivate someone with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This workshop will review how to identify effective reinforcers, strategically administer and schedule the frequency of reinforcement, and eventually fade the reinforcement system as behavior improves. 

Audience:  Elementary, Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, Substitutes, Agency Personnel, Parents

P04 - Understanding Acquired Brain Injury and Implications for the Learning Environment

(Behavior)

Room #: 127

Presenter:  Ms. Ann Hohenwarter

This presentation will include basic information on the mechanisms and cognitive, sensorimotor, emotional, and behavioral sequelae of acquired brain injury at all levels of severity (mild to severe). Implications for new learning and performance will be addressed. Participants will leave with a better understanding of what to expect when a student with a brain injury returns to school, how to accommodate the student's needs, and how the BrainSTEPS program can assist educators and families.

Audience: Elementary, Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraprofessionals, Substitutes, University Students, Parents, School Nurses

P05 - Financial IQ: Planning for Retirement

(Health/Mental Health)

Room #: 126

Presenters:  Ms. Deborah Pajack, Mr. Christopher Pajack, and Mr. Cody Morris

Planning for retirement is an important part of someone's long-term financial well-being.  This presentation outlines a retirement strategy that includes assets (growth, access, predictable, income) and income alignment.  Participants will also discuss the importance of envisioning retirement, estimating, budgets, and building a nest egg.  The risks during retirement (longevity, inflation, market volatility, health care, excessive withdrawals) are highlighted.  At the end of the discussion, the audience should have enough knowledge and confidence to begin developing a retirement plan.

Audience: Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraprofessionals, Substitutes, Agency Personnel, School Nurses

P06 - Building Comprehension at the Sentence-Level

(Literacy)

Room #: 130

Presenter:  Ms. Taylor Arrell

Participants in this session will take a deep dive into the strategies that educators can use with students to build comprehension at the sentence level. Participants will learn various sentence-level activities and have the opportunity to practice them as well. Participants should bring a grade-level passage that they use with their students to the session.

Audience: Elementary, Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Paraprofessionals

P12 - Ensuring Equal Access: Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) in the Digital Age

(Assistive Technology)

Room #: 135

Presenters:  Dr. Sarah Frey and Ms. Sue Ann Houser

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, ensuring that all students have equal access to educational materials is more important than ever. Participants will explore the principles and practices of creating Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) that cater to diverse learning needs. Participants will learn about the latest tools, technologies, and strategies for developing and implementing AEM in various educational settings. Join us to discover how to make learning more inclusive and equitable for all students, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

Audience: Elementary, Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Paraprofessionals, Substitutes, University Students

P13 - Best Practice for the Use of Language Interpreters in School Meetings

(English Language Learners)

Room #: 120

Presenter:  Mr. Dan Billings

This presentation will focus on best practice and etiquette for the use of language interpreters in educational settings. Topics such as how to set a positive tone, tips for flow during the meeting, and behaviors to avoid will be addressed. Additional information related to parent engagement and Hispanic culture will also be shared. 

Audience: Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, and High School General and Special Educators, Administrators/Supervisors, Parents, Agency Personnel