Santa's Portal

You may not be aware, but Santa can choose to check up on your behavior at any point in the year through a burnt out light bulb. And as you know, burnt out light bulbs exist in basically every type of setting. All you have to do is get eye level with the little one, point to the ceiling and say, "Wow, that's really unfortunate that you are acting this way because Santa is watching through his portal right now." It typically works like a charm and it introduces so many different critical thinking skills to the little one.

Coal in Your Stocking

Another one that I love to use is "coal in your own stocking". Plant a piece of coal in your own stocking at Christmas. It trips the children up. There will be a few shocked faces. Immediate hugs. There will be thought out explanations about the "why" this could have happened to you. In fact, real examples of times when you may have been stern with your child will be used by them to explain away the coal and encourage you to behave better.

Once the dust has cleared and the new year has begun, you will be able to use the coal incident as a tool. How? When your child is beginning to cross the line from demonstrating positive behavior to negative behavior, simply remind them of the coal from your stocking. They will make the connection from your example of the consequence of misbehavior and generalize it to their own behavior. Trust me. I did it exactly one time and for many years, my eldest daughter would remind me and her siblings of what happened when she felt one of us was having a "situation". It is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

But there is a downside to the Holidays. It is during this time, that depression, suicide attempts, and families going hungry begin to rise. This is partly because school shuts down for one week during Thanksgiving and two weeks during Winter Break. Students that use school to escape their home life are now shut off from the safety of the school. Students that relied on breakfast and lunch through the free and reduced lunch program are now exposed to the uncertainty of where their next meal will come from. Students that needed the stability and structure for reinforcement of SEL skills (which drives behavior outcries and aids in academic successes) may lose the progress they have made.

When these students return to us, we will see a spike in behavior and a decline in academic performance. If we are only looking at behavior, SEL and academic as separate compartments, then the transition back to school will not be seamless for students or staff.

MTSS Connection

If you have strong SYSTEMS built that can provide SUPPORTS that look at SEL, Academic and Behavior as overlapping areas, then perhaps you have

• already connected the student and families with community members for assistance
• provide hours during the breaks where the buildings are open and meals can be provided to our students in need
• have established places for students to go during the day to socialize in a safe place

"Can we build it? Yes we can! Can we fix it? Yes we can!!" ~ Bob the Builder and Crew

Successful SEL is not a standalone program or an add-on. It is central to how schools, communities, and families value and support the social, emotional, and academic development of their children. It is part of the overlapping systems needed for Academic and Behavior Supports and Services.

SEL is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Below is a link to CASEL’s widely used framework that identifies that five competencies of which CASEL recommends districts focus on.

We share this information because SEL is more than just a program or a three hour professional development lesson. It is about how teaching and learning happens throughout the school culture. The most effective social and emotional learning requires a strategic, systemic approach that involves everyone, from district and school leaders to community partners to family members, working together to ensure students receive the support they need.

For more information about SEL, please go to https://casel.org/in-action/. You will find a variety of tools and resources that make SEL in action meaningful and sustainable.

Our Crisis Support Team at Region 10 ESC exists to provide assistance when LEAs need it most. We have an experienced team with varied levels of expertise that allows us to provide on-site assistance in crisis management in real time as it is needed.

From communication with the media to creating reunification plans to meeting the social-emotional needs of educators and students, our team provides resources LEAs needed to help navigate the challenges of crisis management. There is, of course, a SYSTEM to access this Crisis Support Team.

When a crisis arises or if you just need more information, please reach out to Chris Grey at chris.grey@region10.org or Dr. April Estrada at april.estrada@region10.org.

How is this tied to R10's MTSS Team?

A few of our contributors to this newsletter are active members on the R10 Crisis Team and a few are in training to become members. When you read the columns from these active members, please know these authors tend to carry the compassion fatigue from each of the crisis they assist with. They are very hands on in providing the supports that are needed in these often traumatic and tragic events. They continue to volunteer for this team because they know and understand the very real need of our LEAs during these types of events.

At R10, we very much believe in "Students. Service. Solutions." no matter the situation.

Please note: The list below outlines only the members of the R10 Crisis Team that actively contribute to this newsletter. There are more members on R10 Crisis Team from other service areas.

Active Members

• Susan Delarosa
• Keya Saleh
• Dr. Caryn Sawlis

Please remember, to activate the R10 Crisis Team's support, please reach out to Chris Grey at chris.grey@region10.org or Dr. April Estrada at april.estrada@region10.org.

Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?

After an extremely intense, long week before Thanksgiving break I pulled into my driveway grabbed all of my work bags from the car and I walked to my mailbox. As I approached my box, my neighbor waved and I waved back. An older gentleman, who often builds things in his garage while his wife works in their yard, wanted to know how I was doing. I told him I was tired and ready for the holiday. He then asked if I had a place to eat for Thanksgiving knowing I have several towers of unpacked boxes in my garage after a recent move into the neighborhood.

As we continued to talk he then told me of his recent tragedies his family was experiencing and frustrations from the cable company and his computer. All I could say was, "I am so sorry and that I was here if he needed to talk.” No sooner had those words effortlessly escaped from my person, the realization of what I had just said hit me. Because, I had nothing left to give because I too needed someone. But I put my shoulders back while the weight of my bags was trying to fight them down. We all need someone. That night, I was his someone.

With my bags now at my feet, I proceed to tell him what I did for a living and said I had dealt with several sad cases in schools, but was still available if he needed to talk. He spoke of anger and I said, “Anger is good. It is a secondary emotion. Let it out. Don’t fight your emotions or your emotions will fight you. “ My husband soon popped his head out the door and wondered if I was coming in for dinner.

I said, “Good-bye” to my neighbor and soon retold his story at my dinner table. I felt awful. We had to do something. My love language is unexpected gifts at unexpected times, so, the next day I drove to Trader Joe’s to find the loveliest Thanksgiving bouquet and a card expressing our sympathy.

As we gave our neighbor the card and flowers, he stood in wonderment. We only had talked a few times, have only lived in this house for 4 months, yet made a connection that touched us both. That is the power of relationships. So after another long day, the Christmas lights had to be turned off and upon returning to the front door I found a card taped to our door. My husband read it and it talked about gratitude.

My neighbor had returned the favor with a cute card and words we will cherish forever.

The power of connections is easy. We just need the have the with-it-ness to “see a need - fill a need.”

We need to put down our devices and talk in-person to and ultimately find out who are the people in your neighborhood. Fred Rogers said it best. I haven’t seen his movie yet, but I am attaching an interesting article talking about the wonderful man who would slow it down for us all and remember to cherish every moment and everyone.

Please click on the image below to learn more about The Mindset and Kindness of Mr. Rogers' Brain or click here: Emotions are "Mentionable and Manageable": The Mindset and Kindness of Mr. Rogers' Brain.

Hello Everyone!

I hope that you all found a way to have an enjoyable and relaxing holiday break! I am very happy to be a part of this newsletter and team, because I find MTSS to be so incredibly fascinating and important when it comes to moving the needle in educational settings.

I took a job at Region 10 because I wanted to be able to use my skills and knowledge to help as many people as I could. While I think I have a lot to offer, I quickly realized that the real impact comes when we look at the big picture and work together to build systems and processes in collaboration with schools and districts.

That said, I know that trying to work on something like MTSS is a challenge. On top of being a process without a clean ending (meaning we can work on MTSS until we retire), it also makes it hard to figure out where to even begin. How do you tackle something as big as MTSS? What do you start to work on? How do you work on academics, behavior, systems, norms, screeners, social-emotional learning, etc., etc. etc. all at the same time?

The answer is you don’t and you do all at once. There is always something to work on when it comes to MTSS and everyone will be at a different point in the process at all times. Since it I like to give resources and supports, but everyone is going to be somewhere different, I have created a nice little resource corner on the internet:

The Get School Psych’d Good Reading and Resources Newsletter

I have been collecting all of the resources (articles, book recommendations, journal articles) that I send out in my school psych newsletter into one handy, dandy location.

This newsletter gets updated every few weeks with new resources, so be sure to bookmark it and check in from time to time. Whether it’s curriculum, behavior, SEL, or just a new idea for a book, I hope that this can grow into a useful resource for all educators.

Student Homelessness: Lessons from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey

It is no surprise that students experiencing homelessness face extreme adversities, many of which most of us can only imagine. Often times, school is the safest place for homeless children and youth, but there are still challenges at the school level which may cause the needs of this vulnerable population to go unmet. In fact, students experiencing homelessness are 87% more likely to drop out of school than non-homeless students.

Using results from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), SchoolHouse Connection analyzed demographic and risk factor data from the YRBS in 17 states, comparing high school students experiencing homelessness and those not experiencing homelessness. This series shares the striking and heartbreaking results of that analysis, with tangible action steps schools can take to promote safety and health for students experiencing homelessness.

Region 10 is excited to announce the School Safety and Mental Health Summit 2020. The summit will be held at our newly, renovated Region 10 Spring Valley Building, 400 E. Spring Valley Road, Richardson, Texas 75081.

We hope you can join us, as we come together to address Governor Greg Abbott’s School Safety Plan. We’ll present state and local partnerships and practices that demonstrate a cross-systems approach, evidence-based strategies for school safety, and increase awareness in the critical area of mental health needs within our region.

This summit will inform and engage school and community stakeholders in building their local capacity to create safe, and supportive environments for students in preschool through 12th grade.

To view more information, please watch the video below.

Have you visited TEA’s newly designed English learner web portal yet? Created with stakeholder input, it is truly a well-organized one stop shop for leaders, teachers, parents, and community partners to easily access information and resources to support students!

If you have any questions that are not addressed here, please feel free to contact me @ julie.anderson@region10.org.

Determining the appropriate accessibility for the individual student can be daunting and overwhelming in the middle of a 504, ARD, LPAC or Intervention Meeting. Knowing what is available and what is allowed for the individual student during those meetings can make or break the student's ability to show accurate growth and mastery levels. Accommodations Central is a wonderful resource to tap into as it provides examples, videos, and definitions on many wonderful accommodations for instruction and assessment.

Please join us as we offer Accessibility for Administrators Training. This training will address what you need to know about accessibility during those specialized meetings.

Accessibility for Administrators Part 1

January 28, 2020

Register here: https://txr10.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=2628162

Accessibility for Administrators Part 2

February 18, 2020

Register here: https://txr10.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=2628174

Please do not forget to register for the Assessment Con 2020 Conference on January 22, 2020 as it will also assist in building the capacity of how Assessment plays a role in every setting.

Welcome to all things Effective about successful Schools and what makes up its Framework!

This ESF message will be brought to you by Kimi Mills, affectionately called “The Other Kimi”!!

I am a Region 10 School Improvement Specialist that has the joy and pleasure to work with districts and campuses navigating through the Effective Schools Framework, commonly known as ESF. Please click on the image below for a brief video with an overview of the Effective Schools Framework.

Did you know....

• ...in the state of Texas, English learners are the lowest sub population to graduate, but yet have one of the highest attendance rates (considering all sub pops of African American, White, Asian, Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Special Education students)?

• ...in the state of Texas, only 3 out of 100 English learner students are identified as gifted and talented and 1 in 10 are referred for SPED?

If you are wondering how or why this is occurring, here is what we know...

• ... the English learner population has rapidly increased (by about 40,000 students from the 2017-2018 to the 2018-2019 school year) and we are challenged in appropriately serving this changing population.

• ...the market for certified ESL/Bilingual teachers does not meet the current demand.

• ...the classroom teacher who is untrained in the area of the ESL/Bilingual needs of her students, may find it difficult to determine the academic potential of a student when language acquisition is a factor.

Use this padlet http://bit.ly/CulturalBias to share your thoughts on what else may be causing this disproportionality. Together, we are better.

All of our R10 Quarterly Meetings are being hosted by an LEA. We are thankful to Grand Prairie ISD, Ferris ISD, Celina ISD, and Bells ISD for volunteering to host our meetings this year. Due to a technical issue, our registration for the September meeting in Grand Prairie was not made available; therefore, due to the short notice we will not have a meeting this month. I apologize for any inconvenience.

Please note that we will do our best to Zoom these meetings.

February 10, 2020: Session #2625262 -http://bit.ly/February-Celina

April 16, 2020: Session #2625263: http://bit.ly/April-Bells

The R10 MTSS Consortium is designed to be an opportunity for all voices to be heard and is open to teachers, campus administrators and district administrators. These meetings are not for credit as there is no fee associated with this meeting. There are two remaining MTSS Consortium Meetings this year. We want to thank Plano ISD for hosting our April MTSS Consortium Meeting.

January 14, 2020: Session #2624702 and #2628330 - please see message below.

April 27, 2020: Session #2625521: http://bit.ly/ConsortiumApril-Plano

Dear MTSS Consortium Members,

At every R10 MTSS Consortium meeting, we review any updates from TEA as well as the positives and possible frustrations we face in the practice of meeting the needs of ALL children, WHOLE child. We also build-in time to hear from a community thought partner or R10 staff member that will provide us with more information on topics that will build our own capacity in all things MTSS.

As we approach the year of clarity (the year 2020 just lends itself to vision puns), we have the honor of hosting Professor (and Judge) Angela Downes who will present for us on the topic of "The Intersections Between Social Emotional Learning, Juvenile Justice and Implicit Bias." For more information about Professor Downes, please click here.

Professor Downes will guide us through how disproportionality impacts students, families, schools and the communities they serve. Together we will explore the challenges schools face in addressing disproportionality, implicit bias –the unconscious attitudes we all have that shape our decisions and actions- with the primary focus will be on SEL and Restorative Practice as a viable solution.

While not simply a program, SEL is highly successful in addressing systemic issues underlying disproportionality while also reducing discipline issues, improving student behavior, increasing student engagement, and increasing academic achievement.

Because we are at capacity for our space on January 14, 2020, we are now offering for you to participate via Zoom. Please use this link to register to participate by ZOOM: #2628330

Currently, there is no charge to be a member of the R10 MTSS Consortium as this is a thought partner opportunity to build our capacity and our network of support throughout our region and our state. Together we are better.

The only thing we do ask of our R10 MTSS Consortium Members is to be present, collaborative and open to new practices or ideas when we are together.

We hope to see you there!

Tentatively Scheduled Mach 3, 2020

MTSS Institute Presents: Breaking Down Progress Monitoring: We are offering two opportunities for a three hour professional development opportunities. These will be offered as both face-to-face and zoom sessions.

More information will be sent out via a MTSS News Flash.

Need Direct Services, Consultations or Specialized PD? Please click this link: bit.ly/R10PDRequestForm

Email: kimmie.conlon@region10.org
Website: www.region10.org
Phone: 972.348.1166
Twitter: @R10_MTSS