Pyramid Model News

• Message from the Pyramid Model State Implementation Team (SIT)
• State Implementation Team (SIT) -BOQ Data and Goals
• Pyramid Model Demonstration Classrooms
• Classroom Resources -Tier 1 Environment
• Family Engagement- All about Family Routines
• Professional Development and Training Opportunities
• Pyramid Model/ PBIS Collaboration

Hello Pyramid Model teams,

We hope your year is off to a great start and your routines are starting to set in. For many of you this might be your first introduction to our Pyramid Model newsletters and for others it's a resource you look forward to. Whether new or a refresher, the intent our our newsletters are to:

• Share statewide data and goals
• Celebrate successes
• Share classroom resources
• Provide ideas to engage and share information with families
• Keep you informed of training and professional development opportunities
• Update you on the latest collaboration with PBIS

If you haven’t already done so, we encourage you to check out our Pyramid Model Share Site and save it to your device. Also, be sure to follow Minnesota Centers of Excellence for Young Children with Disabilities on Facebook and Twitter. There are new postings with information and resources related to the DEC Recommended Practicess on a regular basis. On Twitter, search @mncoe11 to see past tweets or search #MNCoE or #DECRPs. Here are the links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MNCOE11

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MNCOE11

Please take a minute to complete the Feedback Survey at the bottom of this newsletter. This will help us best organize our newsletters in ways that are most meaningful for you.

Sincerely,

Pyramid Model Communications Workgroup

Pyramid Model State Implementation Team

Our State Implementation Team includes the following members from a variety of Pyramid Model sites, MNCoE, and State Agencies/Programs.

Hope Beissel: State Pyramid Model Content Lead/ Region 11 External Coach

Amber Finnegan: Data Manager, Brainerd Public Schools

Amy Goette: SR/ ECFE Coordinator/ Internal Coach/ Data Manager, Austin Public Schools

Angela Scott**: PBIS Representative, MN Department of Education

Angie Kleinedler: ECSE Administrator, Minnetonka Public Schools

Ellen Nacik: Implementation Specialist, MDE

Jane Scully**: Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE)/ Former Pyramid Model Trainer

Jess Moen**: MNCoE Cross Innovation Program Contact

LeAnne Johnson: Researcher, Higher Education Representative, U of MN

Lori Coughlin: State Pyramid Model Trainer/ Behavior Coach, Austin Public Schools

Rachael Raske**: Professional Development Specialist, MN Department of Education

Tammy Queensland: Region 10 Professional Development Facilitator/ External Coach

** New members that joined in Fall 2022.

The State Implementation Team completed our Benchmarks of Quality (BOQ) this past May. We have reached full implementation in the critical element areas of funding structure, communication and visibility, implementation communities and expansion sites, and ongoing support and technical assistance. We are proud to celebrate growth in the areas of implementation communities and expansion sites, and ongoing support and technical assistance. Much of this work has taken place in partnership with our MNCoE PDFs, the Classroom Engagement Model (CEM) and EQIP State Implementation Teams (SIT), and our amazing Pyramid Model trainers.

We have also experienced growth in family partnership and communication thanks to our newest state workgroup on Family Engagement. This workgroup will continue to create and provide a variety of resources for sites to use with families. These will be uploaded to the Pyramid Model Share Site under the Family Engagement Tab.

We are excited about the growth we have accomplished and look forward to working on our new goals and current action plan to continue to support all of you who are doing this great work in the field.

Our State Implementation Team goals for this school year include action steps to:

Goal 1: Develop Quality Assurance Mechanisms for work of Behavior Coaches

Goal 2: Support programs in developing Behavior Guidance policies

Goal 3: Increase promotion/marketing of Demonstration Classroom recognition system

Goal 4: Share the work/data of the Pyramid Model State Implementation Team with a broader audience

Goal 5: Create support to “veteran teams” on how to blend other instructional efforts into their Pyramid Model Framework

If you have ideas for projects the PM SIT could address based on your program needs, please fill out the form at this link on our Pyramid Model Share Site.

Congratulations to our 7 Demonstration Classrooms! These classrooms have been nominated by internal staff, reviewed by the Pyramid Model State Implementation Team, and have been recognized by the Minnesota Commissioner of Education. Being a Demonstration Classroom recognizes the outstanding dedication and consistent efforts these teams have invested in implementing Pyramid Model Practices.

Does your Pyramid Model Site also have teaching teams who have reached the Maintaining Phase of Fidelity? If so, we would like to hear about it and recognize their hard work and dedication in reaching the Maintaining phase of fidelity! Here's the simple process:

• Contact your External Coach/PDF to indicate your desire to nominate staff members.

• Your External Coach/PDF will share the link to a Google Survey for your site's Administrator or Data Manager to complete for each teaching team being nominated.

• Nominations will be processed by MNCoE in February and July of each year. (You may submit nominations all year long)!

• Continue to nominate additional teaching team members as they reach the Maintaining phase of fidelity!

• Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate!

Once the beginning of the year dust has settled, it is time to take a closer look around your classroom. Is it set up for success for each child? Do you have the necessities to be able to implement Pyramid Model best practices to fidelity? Use these checklists to help you take inventory of your classroom environment to determine if Tier 1 strategies are up and running. In addition, access the anti-bias, culturally and linguistically diverse book list to see if any spark your interest in continuing to learn how to best serve all populations of students within your classroom.

• Updated Classroom Essentials Checklist

• Updated Practices Implementation Checklist

• Anti-bais/ CDL book list

Back to School season is a hectic time of life for families as they work to fall into new routines; routines that often provide lots of transitions for children at the start of a new season. Families now must get out the door in the morning faster and may get home later only to rush off to a new event or activity. Within these new routines, chaos sometimes ensues. When children start in the classroom, one of the ways we help settle the chaos is by setting clear and firm boundaries for students to help them better understand what is going to happen and what is expected of them. The following handouts are meant to help you partner with families to help these new transitions and “rules” flow seamlessly into the child’s home environment. Each tool can be adapted to meet specific needs of each family you work with.

• I Can Follow the Family Rules Social Story

• Teaching Rules at Home Tip Sheet

• Our Rules Sample Poster for Home

• Validating Emotions handout from Barton Research Lab

Behavior Coach Networking sessions are BACK!! Our first networking session took place on October 11th. The topic of conversation was around implementing the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children (PTR-YC) process. Thank you Libby Schmidt, Behavior Intervention Coach from Anoka Hennepin Schools for presenting and sharing tips and processes with the rest of the Behavior Coaches that were able to join. Be sure to check out our schedule for the next sessions coming up. Registration is open. Also, a shout out to the may teams that have been sharing their created forms and flowcharts related to PTR-YC. If your team is looking for ideas, please check out the Pyramid Model Share Site's PTR-YC tab.

Calling all Behavior Coaches and Implementation Teams!! Our Pyramid Model SIT Behavior Coach Workgroup has created a variety of helpful resources on the Behavior Coach tab of the Pyramid Model Share Site, including a Behavior Coach checklist. This checklist provides guidance and clarity on the specific role of Behavior Coaches. Thank you to (ADD BC WORKGROUP NAMES HERE)

MNCoE is once again offering additional coaches support through our Coaches Cohorts. These virtual learning opportunities are interactive semi-structured sessions where we share examples and learn from each other. Activities may include self-reflection, small group conversations, case studies, action planning + review, and resource exploration. All innovation coaches are invited to participate in one or both cohorts. For specific dates and times, please click on the flyer.

COHORT A: EXPANDING THE COACHING FRAMEWORK will focus on topics such as:

What might transparent data collection look like in your coaching?

How might you approach uncomfortable conversations?

What strategies might you use to help your coachee/s identify clear steps to achieving goals?

COHORT B: APPLYING PRACTICE-BASED COACHING will focus on topics such as :

What might you do differently to manage your time as a coach?

In what scenario might you choose supportive versus constructive performance feedback? Which coaching strategy feels outside your comfort zone and is one you'd like to practice?

Internal and Behavior Coaches can register for MNCoE's Coaching Connection Cohort now. The conversations will be facilitated by MNCoE PDF's, but Coaching Connections are not training events. Bring your ideas, questions, examples, successes, and challenges!

Coaching Connections will not be recorded to respect the confidentiality of participants.

As many sites are preparing for staff development days, we have some potential Pyramid Model options to consider. The first is getting to know our MNCoE Pyramid Model Share Site. This website has a wealth of information and resources. One way to explore the Share Site is through a Scavenger Hunt, featured on the Home Page. This fun activity could easily be used during a short staff meeting.

Another potential opportunity to consider is digging into the BIRs resources featured on our Share Site. Contact your PDF for additional resources to support annual BIRs training or refreshers.

The 2022-23 Training Calendars are posted on the MNCoE Pyramid Model Share Site. This school year MNCoE is offering in-person (north, metro, and south) and virtual statewide training opportunities. Please remember to register in advance to help us plan and make decisions related to training.

MNCoE values our partnership with every program in Minnesota and looks forward to continued opportunities to work together for the benefit of all children and families.

In Minnesota, the Pyramid Model is an Early Childhood initiative that bridges and aligns with PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) implemented in K-12 systems. Do you know if you have school buildings within your district that are implementing PBIS? Are their Leadership Teams and administrators aware of the work you are doing with the Pyramid Model? As you consider how to bridge and collaborate with your larger district systems, consider checking out the PBIS tab of the Pyramid Model Share Site. Some tools include:

• A PowerPoint template to share your program's work around the Pyramid Model with your PBIS Team
• An article about how the Pyramid Model and PBIS are connected
• PBIS and Pyramid Collaboration handout

To learn more about PBIS, please check out the pbismn.org website. To see if your schools in your district were recently recognized as MN PBIS Sustaining Exemplar buildings, click on this link: http://pbismn.org/statewide/sustaining-exemplar-schools.php.