Happy April 7th! Is it me or is it just a wonderful day? This month I've changed the title of our newsletter to Response to Instruction. It just has such a different ring to it.

I can not believe that we are already in the last two months of the school year. Time really has flown by. In the midst of STAAR season, you are also mapping out next year's master schedule, staffing, budgets, and a plethora of other components that have to be completed by the last day of school. Next year's plan for Prevention, Enrichment and Intervention may not even be on your radar with all that is going on right now. And that is okay.

Everyone has done something great this year. Everyone's situation is different; therefore, one situation can not be measured equally against another. Please remember for every two steps backwards you feel you may have taken, you took a step forward. It is that step forward that was the start of change. In celebration of all the hard work done this year, this month's newsletter spotlights Excellence in R10 Land.

In order to meet the needs of All Children, Whole Child, strong and sustainable systems are required. If strong and sustainable systems are in place, then the needs of All Teachers, Whole Teacher will also be met.

We have so many excellent things happening across Region 10 that I want to take some time to acknowledge them while also building a network of support across the Region. I can not wait to see more of what is happening across our Region. If you want me to visit your campus or LEA, please email me and let me know. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work.

Growing up, I avoided systems like I currently avoid exercise. Needless to say, there was a lot of avoidance happening. Now as an adult, I understand why and how systems are an integral part of effectively and efficiently implementing a culture of collective responsibility. You know who else understands this? Mrs. MJ Bowman, Director of Literacy, Dyslexia Services and Academic Interventions in Grand Prairie ISD.

I met Mrs. Bowman in February 2018 as I began building R10's supports for RtI and MTSS. She took me under her wing, opened her doors and shared with me her processes and procedures. Dedicated to ensuring the needs of ALL students are met, Mrs. Bowman goes above and beyond with developing professional developments for stakeholders and working directly with campuses on best practices.

If would like to learn more about Grand Prairie ISD's MTSS model, please contact Mrs. Bowman at MaryJane.Bowman@gpisd.org.

Sometimes you have to ask yourself if you want to be a member of the Scooby Gang or Dora the Explorer. On the surface, the Scooby Gang is way cooler than Dora the Explorer. But have you noticed that the Scooby Gang, while having the best of intentions, is constantly lost or accidentally comes across the last clue after Velma loses her glasses? It takes the entire episode for them to solve the mystery because they keep doing what they have always done. It can be a little frustrating to watch. If only they had a map.

You know who has a map? Dora. It may also take her the entire episode to get where she is going and Swiper might try to throw her off course; however, she checks her progress against her trusty friend, the Map, throughout the entire episode. By the time she crosses the mountain and takes the bridge over the alligators, she has learned to count. Sounds pretty amazing to me.

You know who values the importance of a map or in this case a solid RtI/MTSS handbook? Dr. Rachel Beachy, Curriculum Management Coordinator in Plano ISD. Without a well designed handbook, systems go awry or away. Dr. Beachy did an incredible job of developing and implementing Plano ISD's handbook for RtI /MTSS. Developing a sustainable process and then capturing it all in a handbook can be overwhelming, but Dr. Beachy was able to do just that.

If you are in the beginning stages of defining a sustainable process or framework for RtI and/or MTSS and you have questions about where to start, please contact Dr. Beachy at rachel.beachy@pisd.edu

People cry, have hysterical laughter, and throw things when it comes to creating a tight master schedule, but enough about my behavior. Master scheduling can be an absolute nightmare at the secondary level. However, master schedules are a key component of the MTSS System of providing Whole Child Supports for ALL Children. Without a solid master schedule, everything will implode.

When I am asked about how to work a Master Schedule to fit the needs of PLCs and Intervention/Enrichment time at the secondary level, I immediately think of the two people I have ever seen successfully do this. And when I talk about them, people think they are mythical creatures. Mythical no more. I am proud to introduce Mr. Russell McDaniel, Principal of Celina Junior High.

He's passionate about doing what is in the best interest of ALL children and it shows in all that he does. He was the first principal to attend my early sessions as the RtI/MTSS Consultant for R10. He challenged me to become better at what I do. I believe that I learned more from him, than he learned from me.

Mr. McDaniel has graciously volunteered to provide insight on the Art of the Master Schedule. Please feel free to send him an email at russellmcdaniel@celinaisd.com.

What to do, what to do with intervention at Secondary. Like many things I wish would magically vanish, this is a question that never ceases to exist. While I hear many rumors about ways to successfully implement intervention systems at Secondary, like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, they don't ever seem to exist.

Feeling the same way? What if I told you about a little something called Intervention Classes? Intrigued? I was after speaking to Mrs. Lea Ann Schnkade, Intervention Coordinator at Garland ISD. If it seems like magic to pull off a double block geometry class that is designed to also provide intervention support in Algebra, then Mrs. Schkade is your magician. She will answer any and all of your questions. I know because I asked her about 1,000 and she did not kick me out. I am now her fan for life.

Seeing is believing, so please reach out to her to set up a time to view a Garland ISD Secondary Intervention Class. She can be reached at LASchkad@garlandisd.net.

When I am asked to name my favorite candy, I always answer that it's Mint Life Savers. This throws people because it is really not a candy. So when they ask me why that's my favorite candy, I respond with...because I'm a Life Saver. You know you smiled at that. Teachers, Administrators, Custodians, Lunch Staff, and Paras all have the potential to be the Life Savers of ALL children.

My favorite non-chocolate candy is really Skittles. Each one is a different color and a different flavor, but when you mix them all together and eat a handful at once, each flavor works as one to create a unique outcome in taste.

A PLC is like a bag of Skittles. Each member of that team offers a different perspective on the students being discussed. When working together as one for a student through collective responsibility, a unique system of support can be created. Mrs. Deeann Castillo, Special Programs Coordinator in Ferris ISD, allowed me to be a fly on the wall during an elementary PLC data meeting. Meaningful conversation and collaboration was evident throughout all grade level PLC meetings. I walked away quite impressed with how well organized and seamless the PLCs were executed.

If you want to observe a well run PLC, please contact Mrs. Castillo. She can be reached at DCastillo@ferrisisd.org

I think it is important to give shout outs to our friends in other regions for the great things they are accomplishing as well. Even though I am tremendously biased towards R10, I can admit that our friends have some greatness happening in their neck of the woods.

In Region 20, Mrs. Dawn Kulpa (MTSS/SEL Directer, San Antonio ISD), is in year two of SAISD's MTSS implementation. She has become a very valuable thought partner to me, so much so that I asked her to present for our MTSS Consortium this past December. As she shared with us both the difficulties and the rewards of developing and implementing a strong and sustainable MTSS Framework, Mrs. Kulpa allowed us to peak into SAISD's commitment to meeting the needs of ALL students.

From Region 11, Mrs. Amy Montemayor (RtI Coordinator, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD), Mrs. Jennifer Bailey (District RtI Coordinator, Northwest ISD) and Mrs. Sherri Meadows (RtI Specialist, Carroll ISD) have done an amazing job of creating a network of support for each other as they fine tune their RtI/MTSS Framework. They actively seek out information and schools to visit. When I was looking for a Secondary Campus to observe, I reached out to them.

Keep up the great work!!

To help plan for the upcoming school year, I have created a few checks lists to use as a reflection tool as you think about your next steps. If you need something more detailed or you have a question, please call or email me.

The processes you use to end your year will affect how you begin your year. Do you processes take into consideration the following questions?

• Do you have a clear process to end the school year?
• Have you reviewed these processes with the stakeholders?
• Have you held your last intervention meeting and updated your records?
• How do you plan to provide quality assurance that the processes are implemented with fidelity?
• What is the process to transfer files from one campus to the next during a transition year?
• Do you prepare a list of students that require monitoring so that they receive interventions from day 1 of school next year?
• How do you plan to provide the monitoring list to next year's teachers in enough time so that they are mindful in lesson design?
• Has your PEIMS list been updated to indicate which students have exited RtI and which have just entered so that the monitoring lists are accurate?

When you think about implementing intervention or enrichment, the first place to review is your Master Schedule.

• Do you have a "What you need, when you need it" period built into your Master Schedule?
• Are you implementing ALL Hands on Deck to meet the needs of ALL students?
• Do you have flexibility in attendance collection and student movement during this time? For example, is attendance taken by hand with administrators collecting it and tracking down truant students? (My personal favorite because it requires collective responsibility for ALL staff members.)
• Have you thought about intervention classes as a double block component for struggling students?
• Did you plan your master schedule around SPED, RtI and ESL students first and then other classes? These areas are not after thoughts in a successful master schedule.
• Is there anything that you have always done that really isn't working anymore to meet the needs of ALL students? For example, Mega Lunch vs A, B, or C lunches.

Professional Development should not be a silo of knowledge. As you think about upcoming summer training, new hires and 2019-2020 staff developments, ponder on the following questions:

• How do you actively collaborate with your colleagues in designing and implementing staff developments?
• Have you mapped out a continuum of training for all stakeholders? For example, initial training on MTSS Framework, refresher courses, and advanced courses.
• Is your training available online or face-to-face only?
• Have you contacted Kimmie about coming out and training for us? (Shameless plug.)
• Have you included a training on Core Instruction and/or Lesson Design?
• Have you included a training on Data Based Progress Monitoring?
• Is there ongoing training on how to use PLCs as part of the Prevention, Enrichment and Intervention process?

Every question is an important question because it moves us one step closer to our goal of growing our understanding and capacity in all things intervention and support related. Please feel free to email me your questions.

Should students be taken off of PEIMS if they have exited the RtI program before the next PEIMS submission? At this time, I would not do that as I have this question out for TEA clarification. However, please remove these students as you prepare for the next school year.

What is the difference between Solution Tree, Dr. Andrea Ogonosky, Branching Minds, and Edugence RtI? Solution Tree and Dr. Ogonosky specialize in systems. Each one has a different approach to implementation of systems. Branching Minds and Edugence RtI are databases that house the data (data based progress monitoring, RtI meetings, parent contacts, etc.). This data is actually a product of the systems created.

Summer 2019 - R10's Summer Roadshow

September 25-26, 2019 - R10's MTSS Institute

The MTSS Institute will be held on September 25th and 26th at the Hurst Conference Center. This is a two day institute that will include topics such as:

• Secondary Implementation of MTSS
• School/Community Collaboration
• Behavior
• Academic
• Lesson Design
• And much much more!

Be on the lookout for registration information.

R10's Multi Tiered Systems of Support Team is here to help LEAs across the region build systems to meet the needs of ALL students and staff.

Students. Service. Solutions.

Email: kimmie.conlon@region10.org
Website: https://www.region10.org
Phone: 972-348-1166
Twitter: @RtIRegion10