Special Education Directors,

Please join us for the next episode of Thursday Afternoon LEarning Series, or TALES, on Thursday, August 20 from 2:30 p.m.—4:00 p.m., when STAR Autism Support presents, “Navigating a Socially-Distanced Classroom for Students with Significant Learning Needs.” Due to COVID-19 and related guidelines from state and local health officials, school staff are faced with the challenges of maintaining social distancing on campus for the 2021 school year. STAR trainer, Kara Magee-Arick, will discuss best practices and tips for navigating the new guidelines for students with significant learning needs, as well as creative, evidence-based practices for teaching students routines focused on social distancing, the importance of wearing a mask, and staying healthy through self-care routines. In addition to providing free visual supports and resources, Jennifer will also discuss ways to support families navigating new challenges at home. Participants will learn strategies and tools that can be used with students in pre-K through postsecondary classrooms.

During this TALES session, participants will also learn about the resources provided by STAR Autism Support supported by ESS available during this unprecedented period of remote learning. All Arizona educators may now receive FREE access to The STAR Online Learning System (SOLS) through STAR Autism Support for 2021 school year. This free access includes:

• Leveled curriculum designed for students with autism and other developmental disabilities
• Extensive scripted lesson plans across three strands and eight curricular areas (greeting/circle, academic lessons, language, functional academics, natural communication, engaging in diverse activities, functional routines, independent work)
• Theme-based and routine-centered curriculum for primary and secondary students

Please click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Participant registration is first-come, first-served and is not limited to special educators – feel free to forward.

Questions regarding this professional learning opportunity can be sent to [email protected].

Special Education Directors,

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that the SY 2020-2021 Monitoring Manual is now posted to the Program Support and Monitoring website. ESS/Program Support & Monitoring (ESS/PSM) encourages all PEAs to review the manual for training purposes and to ensure compliance with the state general supervision system. The manual is a tool that can be used by all PEAs regardless of monitoring cycle year. Two highlights include training tools located in the appendix to assist with goals and specially designed instruction, and guide steps that include statutory direct citations for a quick reference when needed. We hope this assists in programming and documentation as you start off the new school year.

As a reminder, programmatic monitoring activities are required under the IDEA and take place throughout the school year unless waivers are granted or legislation is changed. ESS/PSM continues to be responsive to PEA needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and will make every effort to work with PEAs to ensure monitoring activities are able to continue. ESS/PSM may need to modify a PEA’s monitoring activities, dependent on individual circumstances, to ensure activities are completed within the 2020-2021 school year. 

Please contact your PEA’s assigned program specialist with questions. Thank you.
 

Special Education Directors,

Please share the following message about an upcoming professional learning opportunity with general and special education teachers who teach mathematics.

Happy new school year! We hope that you had a chance to recharge and rejuvenate this summer!

The next school year is already here! The ADE Math Team will be starting Math Office Hours again this month. These meetings are designed to support general education and special education teachers individually as well as to problem-solve as colleagues on current issues faced in teaching and learning this fall. Please join us to learn and laugh with each other and to talk about what is working and how we can support each other and problem-solve together.

Each meeting will be scheduled for 1 hour with an extra 30 minutes at the end for any questions or problems that did not get solved during Math Office Hours.

We hope to see you online, but we are also only an email away if you need anything.

The ADE Mathematics Team  

Suzi Mast – Director K-12 Math Standards 
Eboney McKinney – ESS Math Specialist 
Jenifer Hutchinson – ESS Math Specialist 

Grades K-2 AZ Math Office Hours 
When: August 18, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Arizona time, 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. – optional problem solving half hour.
Register in advance for the Grades K-2 meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

Grades 3-6 AZ Math Office Hours 
When: August 19, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Arizona time, 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. – optional problem solving half hour.
Register in advance for the Grades 3-6 meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

Grades 7- Algebra 2 AZ Math Office Hours 
When: Aug 20, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Arizona time, 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. – optional problem solving half hour.
Register in advance for the Algebra 2 meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

Special Education Directors,

The ADE/ESS is pleased to announce training for school personnel on how to recognize and intervene with commonly occurring behavioral health issues.

The National Council for Behavioral Health will deliver Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification Training to Arizona educators. The training will take place September 14 – 16, 2020 on an online platform using a synchronous format from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. with a break for lunch.

This 3-day interactive training will teach participants how to:

• Teach the Youth Mental Health First Aid course, which includes the 5-step action plan, evidence-supported treatment and self-help strategies, and prevalence data
• Present the program with fidelity to the tested core model
• Apply the program to a range of adult learning styles
• Tailor presentations to diverse audiences and learning environments

Upon the successful completion of the course requirements, as outlined by the National Council for Behavioral Health, participants will be certified to teach the standard Youth Mental Health First Aid course. Visit the Youth Mental Health First Aid Training website for more information.

The cost of the training is $50. Space in the trainings is extremely limited.

Please submit an application to participate in the training.

Special Education Directors,

Please join us for the next episode of Thursday Afternoon LEarning Series, or TALES, on Thursday, August 6 from 2:45 p.m.—4:00 p.m., when Tony Vincent presents, “Crafting a Class Brand Together.” Developing an inclusive community of learners is key to starting out a successful school year, especially when class takes place online. Tony Vincent has advice for making a strong personal connection with all learners by crafting a class brand together. The process begins with interesting activities for teachers and students to get to know each other. Afterward, students take what they have in common and determine what they collectively stand for. Then the class comes to a consensus on a class name, logo, and slogan. Tony notes that when students rally around an authentic brand, they feel a strong sense of community, work harder, and achieve more. See how Tony’s fifth graders put their brand into action, understand how it was developed, and consider how you might give your class, club, or group a unique identity this school year.

Please click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Participant registration is first-come, first-served and is not limited to special educators – feel free to forward. Questions regarding this professional learning opportunity can be sent to [email protected].

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

NEW FY20 ESS Discipline Data Training Webinar

ESS Data Management will be hosting a training webinar for Discipline Data Collection (DDC) on August 11, 2020, from 10am - 11am. This training will expand on the overview training presented on February 25, 2020, available on the training videos webpage.

If you have any questions, please direct them to [email protected]

Special Education Directors,

The ADE/School Support & Improvement, in partnership with Ricky Robertson from Corwin Press, would like to invite you to participate in two FREE virtual Resiliency and Social Emotional Learning workshop series that will provide intentional professional learning on educator self-care, understanding behavior as communication, and trauma sensitive social emotional learning.

COVID-19 has changed our landscape, making this support for educators and students an essential first step to sustain academic achievement. The workshop series is for teachers, teacher teams, administrators, leadership teams, paraprofessionals, social workers, counselors and other support staff. School and district leaders can enroll their whole school teams for these sessions.

Please see the announcement for more information about the series and registration.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

Annual Data Collection Application Closed for Maintenance Until 8/5/20

 Due to necessary maintenance and IT related delays impacted by COVID-19 priorities, the Annual Data Collection (ADC) application will be temporarily unavailable between July 22 – August 5.

This data collection requirement is due in its entirety on September 15, 2020.  We apologize for the delay.

If you have any questions, please direct them to ESS Data Management.

Special Education Directors,

The ADE/ESS has been asked a variety of questions by public education agencies (PEAs) around “school days” under the Executive Order 2020-44 issued by the Governor on June 29, 2020.

This is a Hot Topic outlining the impact of this Executive Order on school days and special education timelines.

For any questions or clarifications please contact your PEA’s assigned Program Support and Monitoring specialist.

Special Education Directors,  

Please join us for the next episode of Thursday Afternoon LEarning Series, or TALES, on Thursday, July 23 from 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., when we present, “Get a Move On!” Students with special needs may have difficulties attending, processing, and recalling information during distance learning. Research tells us that movement and brain breaks have great potential to help students learn and remember. Physical movement and brain breaks can have positive effects on executive function, attention, and recall and may also reduce stress. Yet, with distance learning extended through the middle of August, students may be spending time in front of monitors and screens and moving less than ever. In this session, an OT, a PT, and an SLP will be sharing no-cost ways to easily integrate movement activities, sensory experiences, and brain breaks in distance learning. Join us on July 23 and help your students get a move on! 

Please click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Participant registration is first-come, first-served and is not limited to special educators – feel free to forward. Questions regarding this professional learning opportunity can be sent to [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you there,

Margaret Egan, PT

Mitch Galbraith, MS, OTR/L

Mary Keeney, CCC-SLP