MN Statewide ASD Newsletter

The MN Low Incidence Project is here to support you!

We are almost there! Less than a month until the end of the school year! We hope you have a great end to the year and a wonderful, relaxing summer! You deserve it!

Please check out our amazing story in the Featured Highlight of one of our own MN educators making a big difference in the community!!

Also, check out upcoming summer and fall training events as well as resources for teaching ESY!

Finally, feel free to share this newsletter with colleagues. Our goal is to get this information into the hands of everyone who supports learners with autism and related needs.

Happy Spring and Summer to you all!!

Tami Childs

MN Statewide ASD Specialist | BrightWorks

tami.childs@brightworksmn.org

• Quarterly Featured Highlight
• Communication Corner
• Summer Resources and Trainings
• Free Educator Resources
• MDE Updates
• ASD RESOURCE REPOSITORY

Fairmont's special education teacher, Jamie Klug, created the Bean and Bear Project to support safer, more positive interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism and other disabilities. Inspired by her autistic nephews, Jamie partnered with the Fairmont Police Department to develop Autism Toolkits for police and sheriff vehicles throughout the community.

With funding from the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation Grant Program and local community donations, the toolkits include communication cards, fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, number pads, and weighted lap blankets. These tools are designed to help reduce sensory overload, support communication for nonspeaking individuals, and provide comfort during stressful emergency situations.

The first kits were distributed around Christmas and have already been used within the community. In addition to providing the kits, Jamie is collaborating with local law enforcement to offer training on autism, regulation, communication, and disability supports. The long-term goal is to expand Bean and Bear into a nonprofit organization that can help more police departments and sheriff’s offices across Minnesota better support autistic individuals and their families.

We are incredibly grateful for the work Jamie continues to do for the autism community. Her dedication to advocacy, safety, collaboration, and inclusion is making a meaningful difference for autistic individuals, families, educators, and first responders across Minnesota. Projects like Bean and Bear remind us of the powerful impact that can happen when educators and communities work together to create safer and more supportive environments for all!

Welcome to the Communication Corner! My name is Leah Hicks, and I am a Speech-Language Pathologist with over 10 years of experience in the educational setting. Here, you’ll find everything from tips and strategies to insights on embedding communication opportunities and facilitating meaningful interactions in your classroom or therapy room.

Creating Space for Communication to Happen

In many communication moments, silence can feel uncomfortable. When a student doesn’t respond right away, we often feel the urge to jump in—repeating the question, offering prompts, or moving on. However, even a short pause can open the door for meaningful communication and create space for students to share their thoughts.

Research shows that even a few extra seconds of wait time can make a big difference. Students may participate more, give longer responses, and develop greater independence. For our students with communication differences, that extra time is essential for processing, organizing, and expressing their thoughts.

This edition of Communication Corner explores how a simple shift—learning to wait—can have a powerful impact on student communication.

👉 Click the image for a quick and practical guide to using wait time in your classroom.

Regions will be offering STAR trainings in August and September for individuals who would like to learn how to implement evidence-based practices in their classrooms using the STAR or LINKS program. Below are each region’s contact person and training dates. Contact your regional representative for registration information. If you are unsure of your region, check out the map below the training dates.

Region 3

Contact person: Mary Ann Martin

Contact person: Heidi Hahn

Contact person: Cassandra Gohman

Contact person: Holle Spessard

Contact person: Christian Wernau

Contact person: Tami Childs

Date: August 6th, 2026

Time: 8:30-4:00

Location: Virtual

Presenter: Jennifer Guettler, MN EBP Coach

Registration Fee: $50

Description: This virtual training is designed to help special education teachers set up a

positive, proactive classroom. It is an excellent next step for participants who attended the 2-

day Initial STAR training or the 1-day initial Links training. Although this training will include

setting up the classroom and using STAR/Links, those without this training will find the same

benefit. This training will consist of guidance, resources, and modeling on setting up a

positive and proactive classroom, including room arrangement of needed areas,

scheduling/schedules, visuals/routines, and tips for starting the year off right. This training

will be provided virtually to teams in their classrooms (if possible). During the training, teams

will be given time to put their learning into practice using their classroom. Attendance of the

special education teacher on the team is prioritized, but related service providers are

encouraged. Other team members, including the coach and paras, will be helpful in

developing a plan for your classroom for the upcoming school year.

Register online using the link below.

All planning to attend, please register separately not as a team.

University of MN will be offering ADOS-II and other related trainings coming this fall. Click below

for more information on these training and to register

The STAR Media Center is a completely FREE resource available to all Minnesota educators! It offers everything needed to create a structured and engaging classroom, with resources that support routines, play, language, and behavior. The STAR Media Center also includes an updated Themes First! — a collection of monthly, theme-based units packed with original songs, books, and activities that foster skill development and content generalization in a fun and accessible way. This year, Themes First! includes an expanded ELA and Math suite with engaging activities!

Each Themes First! unit provides a range of lessons, activities, and worksheets for both group and independent work at varying levels to meet diverse student needs.

Check out the Summer Fun unit in Theme's First! Theme units include original songs, books, and activities that support students’ skill development and generalization with content that’s fun, accessible, and theme-based. These monthly units now include an expanded social studies suite, containing fun, theme-related activities that reinforce cultural engagement. Included in all Themes First! units are lessons, activities, and worksheets for group and independent work at a wide range of levels.

Need help accessing your STAR Media Center account? Contact tami.childs@brightworksmn.org

Need help utilizing this resource in your classroom? Contact jennifer.guettler@brightworksmn.org

Subscription to the Statewide ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) Mailing List is available to teachers who work with students who have ASD, as well as special education administrators and other interested educators. The Statewide ASD Mailing List allows users to share information and post questions to other members of the list. Some typical postings include requesting/sharing information about school services and supports, disability-specific information, professional development opportunities, resources, etc.

The Minnesota Executive Function Masterclass is full for the 2025-2026 school year and we are accepting names on a waiting list for a potential 2026-2027 Executive Function Masterclass cohort!

If you are interested in applying for next school year, please add your name to this list and we will contact you to apply in the spring/summer of 2026.

Are you a Minnesota teacher working with students with low-incidence disabilities? Apply to join MMP and get paired with an experienced mentor in your licensure area.

Who can apply?

• Tier 1–3 teachers who teach children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Blind/Visually Impaired (B/VI), Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH), Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD), or Physical/Health Disabilities (P/HD).

• Tier 4 teachers in remote areas or teaching with an out-of-field permission.

Why join?

• One-on-one support from a mentor in your field.

• Practical strategies for IEPs, evaluations, and classroom adaptations.

• Ongoing guidance to help you succeed and stay in the field.

Apply today and get the support you need to thrive as a special educator!

Jen Guettler, MN ASD EBP Coach, is available Fridays from 7:30-8:00AM and 3:00-3:30 PM to help with any questions or situations you might have in your classroom. Sign up below to schedule a Zoom meeting!

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Special Education Division enlisted experts from across the nation for a series of remote presentations. We have recorded these sessions for your review and use. The insights and resources here are valuable for all educators. All recordings are closed captioned and include links to accessible slide shows and other materials.

Topics included in the webinar series that are fully accessible are:

• Alternative Delivery of Special Education Services (ADSIS) 101
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) 101
• Integrating PBIS and School Linked Behavioral Health Services
• Evidence Based Practices used by School Linked Behavioral Health (SLBH) Providers and Exemplar Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Schools
• Statewide Assessment General Supports and Accommodations
• Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS)
• Five Practically Good Ideas for Any Reality
• Returning to School During and After Crisis
• Check-in/Check-Out as a Tier 2 Support
• The Interconnected Systems Framework
• Systematic Screening in the COVID-19 Era
• Behavior Specific Praise: Implementing, Coaching, and Measuring the Impact of this Simple yet Specific Strategy

• Autism Navigator online courses offer interactive slides with an unparalleled library of video clips. Their course collection covers topics from early identification of toddlers with autism at 18–24 months to evidence-based intervention strategies and supports for social communication, active engagement, and addressing challenging behavior.

This repository will include all evidence based practice resources that are shared in the newsletter on a given month. This is your go-to place to access the tools that ASD educators need! We will add to this as we continue to roll out excellent resources!

Winter 2025

Fall 2024

Summer 2024

Spring 2024

Winter 2023

Fall 2023

Summer 2023

Spring 2023

Winter 2022

Fall 2022

Summer 2022

April 2022

March 2022

February 2022

January 2022

December 2021

November 2021

Tami Childs, MN ASD Statewide Specialist

Jen Guettler, MN ASD EBP Coach

Gail Jankowski, MN Low Incidence Project Support

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The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily represent the policy of the federal Department of Education or the state Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal or state government.

Funding for this event is made possible with a grant from the MN Department of Education. The source of the funds is federal award Special Education – Grants to States, CFDA 84.027A.