MN Statewide ASD Newsletter

MN Educators,

Thanks for checking out our BONUS Summer Edition - this brief newsletter will provide upcoming summer opportunities. Some of these are FREE!!!

Camp MNProv 2024 is FREE and an excellent opportunity to learn skills to support the interests and promote collaboration for your students! Check it out below!!

Grab your coffee on July 30th from 9:30 to 11 am and join us virtually to learn how to create a video model using Canva. This is free!! We will be focusing on using video modeling for beginning of the year routines. This webinar is a next step for those who attended our May Video Modeling webinar but is certainly open and appropriate for all! CEUS will be provided! See below to register!

Please feel free to reach out to me at tami.childs@brightworksmn.org - I work in the summer!

For now, jump into summer! Relax! Enjoy! You deserve it!

Tami

tami.childs@brightworksmn.org

• MN ASD Summer Events
• New Educator Support & Training (NEST)
• STAR Media Center
• ASD RESOURCE REPOSITORY
  

Date: July 29th- August 1st

Are you looking for a way to support students’ mental wellness and social-emotional learning in a way that is fun and sticks? Camp MNprov is a FREE professional development opportunity for educators and a workshop for students ages 13 - 18. MNprov uses applied improvisation games that allow students to practice these skills in a safe, authentic, and really fun environment. Everyone laughs, and that’s a great way to learn! Information and registration details are on our website. Please contact kelly@mnprov.org if you'd like to learn more.

Date/Time: July 30th, 9:30-11 AM

Where: Virtual

Registration Fee: FREE

Description: This training is open to all educators and is an excellent next step for people who attended the video model training in May! During this training, we'll review video modeling basics, go through various beginning-of-the-year routines, and demonstrate using Canva to create a video model of a routine.

Date/Time: August 13th and 14th from 8:30-3:30PM

Where: BrightWorks in Arden Hills, MN

Cost: $150

The STAR Workshop focuses on teaching individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities using evidence-based instructional methods. These methods include discrete trial training, pivotal response training, teaching functional routines, and positive behavior interventions and supports. Participants of the workshop receive examples of lesson plans at different instructional levels to practice implementing the program. The workshop also covers the scope and sequence of the STAR Program, provides video demonstrations of the instructional methods, and teaches participants about developmental curriculum content and curriculum-based assessment techniques. The goal is to equip participants with the skills to teach new skills to students with ASD, promote independence, and generalize skills within their daily routines. Click here for more details.

Program Questions: Contact Tami Childs at tami.childs@brightworksmn.org

Registration Questions: Contant Gail Jankowski at gail.jankowski@brightworksmn.org

Click here for additional Initial STAR Trainings in Minnesota

Date/Time: Wednesday, Aug. 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Location: University of St. Thomas St. Paul Campus: McNeely 100, 2060 Summit Ave, St Paul, MN 55105 OR virtual via Zoom

Cost:
Individual Registration (in-person): $125
Individual Registration (virtual): $75
Group Registration (virtual): $250

Description: This year’s summer symposium highlights an equity-based integrated multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework participants can utilize to plan support for students with autism spectrum (AS) and emotional behavioral disorders (EBD) through an intersectional sociocultural identity lens. This workshop is ideal for educators of all kinds.

Objectives:

• Participants will gain a foundational understanding of MTSS and Intersectional sociocultural identities for students with ASD and EBD
• Participants will learn from local examples on how strategies are implemented to support students with ASD and EBD in the classroom
• Participants will utilize an intersectional sociocultural lens to plan for tier 1, 2, and 3 strategies for students with ASD and EBD

For more information, CLICK HERE to visit the Autism Society of Minnesota

Date/Time: August 15th, 8:30-3:00

Where: Virtual

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.

Registration Contact

Gail Jankowski

gail.jankowski@brightworksmn.org

Program Contact:

Tami Childs

tami.childs@brightworksmn.org

Date/Time: October 14th and 15th, 2024; 9-4 PM

Where:Hampton Inn & Suites in Bemidji, MN

Registration Fee: $50 for Region 1 & 2 staff. $300 for staff outside Region 1 & 2.

Description: The curriculum connects assessment and instruction to provide the instructors the tools to assess, teach and monitor student progress within daily functional routines. The workshop will focus on the assessment of a students skills during naturally occurring routines, the selection of appropriate learning goals, as well as instruction utilizing evidenced-based strategies, including Discrete Trial Training (DT). Participants will also be trained to use the web-based application within LINKS® for assessment and on-going progress monitoring. A comprehensive curriculum for teaching the skills and concepts needed for students to be successful in both their school and community. To teach skills in both individual and group settings using evidenced based strategies. To teach students during daily functional routines. To use interactive, web-based tools to conduct assessments and monitor student progress on overall independence in school and community routines.

Click here for more information and registration details

Check out the MDE website for some great trainings that are FREE to access! Make sure to check back on a regular basis as webinars are being added frequently.

MDE provides resources for general education teachers, special education teachers and school administrators to assist in the inclusion of students with disabilities. The resources cover evidence-based approaches ranging from peer-mediated intervention to tools for administrators to implement school-level change!

The Minnesota Mentor Program (MMP) is accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year for new teachers (protégés) for Minnesota teachers who are new to teaching students in low incidence disability areas: autism spectrum disorders (ASD), blind/visually impaired (B/VI), deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH), developmental cognitive disabilities, and physical/health disabilities (P/HD)!

If you would like to get a head start on setting up your classroom for the fall, check out the Tuesday Tips 'N' Tricks series "Classroom Set Up." This series is full of tips and tricks for creating a positive and proactive classroom.

Classroom Set Up Series

Classroom Set Up: The Why

Classroom Set Up: Visually and Physically Defining Your Layout

Classroom Set Up: Classroom Schedules

Classroom Set Up: Para Schedules

Classroom Set Up: Individual Schedules

Classroom Set Up: Individual Schedules FAQ

Classroom Set Up: Visual Supports

Classroom Set Up: Teaching Visual Supports

Classroom Set Up: Creating Visual Supports

Classroom Set Up: Teaching Routines and Expectations

Classroom Set Up: Routines and Expectations

The STAR Media Center is a FREE resource available to all Minnesota educators! It includes everything you need to run a structured and engaging classroom. Including resources to support routines, play, language, and behavior. It also includes an updated Themes First! These themed 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.

Watch the updated demonstration below to find out how to access visuals and resources for routines and monthly thematic units. As well as how to use these resources during your center rotations.

Check out the Splash into Summer 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.

Check out this Tuesday Tips 'N' Tricks and video on how to prep an entire Themes First! unit.

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

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!

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, MNLIP ASD EBP Coach

Gail Jankowski, MN Low Incidence Project Support

Website: https://www.mnlowincidenceprojects.org/Projects/asd/index.html
Location: 2 Pine Tree Drive, Arden Hills, MN, USA
Phone: 612-638-1527
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/525786611465791