MN Statewide ASD Newsletter

This newsletter is designed to provide all MN educators the necessary resources to increase their skills in teaching students with ASD. Special education teachers, related service providers, administrators, and paraprofessionals alike are encouraged to subscribe to this monthly newsletter.
The MN Low Incidence Project is here to support you!

Check out the Monthly Featured Highlight with Kari Dunn Baron! It includes 5 Issues of The Social Times FREE!

Thank you all very much for sharing this newsletter -

We went from 1,200 views last month to an all-time record of over 2,000 views!

Please continue to share this newsletter so we can support all MN educators of students with ASD (and similar needs). We appreciate all of you and want to help you by providing resources, professional development opportunities and ENCOURAGEMENT!

It is a tough time of the school year but, fortunately, here in MN we will have more sunshine and better weather starting here in March to take us through the the finish line!

Tami Childs, Statewide ASD Specialist

Metro ECSU

tami.childs@metroecsu.org

• Monthly Featured Highlight!
• MN ASD Upcoming Events and Opportunities
• MN ASD Updates
• ASD Teacher and Related Service Provider Resources
  
• New Teacher/Educator Support & Training (NEST)
  
• STAR/LINKS
• MDE News and Resources
• Assistive Technology Tip of the Month
• ASD RESOURCE REPOSITORY

Kari Dunn Buron, proud Minnesotan and Co-author of The Incredible 5-point Scale, has revamped her materials and books! This month we will be be taking a sneak peak at her updated works and will also be offering you FREE materials including the first 5 issues of The Social Times and bonus accompanying teacher tips!

Kari Dunn Buron spent many teaching years here in MN! She helped establish the MN ASD State Network, developed the Hamiline Autism Certificate program and founded AuSM's Camp Discovery. Kari has been instrumental in increasing understanding and acceptance of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. We are so fortunate to have benefited from all of her hard work! Kari has a number of updated publications and resources that she now offers from her own website

www.5pointscale.com:

-The Incredible 5-Point Scale

-When My Worries Get Too Big

-Adalyn's Clare

-A 5 is Against the Law!

-A 5 Could Make Me Lose Control

Because those of us from MN are near and dear to Kari’s heart 😊, she is providing us with the first 5 issues of her publication, The Social Times, as well as a accompanying teacher tips! She will be posting additional issues of The Social Times on her website monthly. Look for them to add to your collection of the first 5 issues.

This webinar will give paraprofessionals some tips and ideas that can be used daily with their students, to support them within the classroom and as they move about the school environment. These tips and ideas will incorporate best practice recommendations for students with autism and give paraprofessionals some ideas of things they can do themselves to help their student succeed. It will include some things from the areas of visual supports, behavioral supports and helping to support more independence for their student

An Introductory ADOS-2 Training is being offered by the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. These trainings are scheduled for April 25-26, 2002. For more information on all ADOS-2 and ADI-R trainings: https://med.umn.edu/pediatrics/divisions/clinical-behavioral-neuroscience/education/autism-training

The 2022 Minnesota Autism Conference will be held IN PERSON on April 27-29, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency in Bloomington, MN. Registration is now open! For more information: https://ausm.org/events/state-autism-conference/

To apply for a scholarship that covers the registration cost of the conference you will need to complete the registration form. The application for scholarships is included in the registration form. Just click "yes" to the statement at the bottom of the registration form "I would like to apply for a scholarship to cover the cost of the conference". Scholarship applications must be completed by April 1 to be considered.

There is also the opportunity to volunteer and receive $150 off your registration. If interested, reach out to kulrick@ausm.org and Kelly will let you know is available and then get you signed up. There are limited spots, but you would volunteer at registration, in the bookstore, or as room monitors for our breakouts. This will not interfere with your conference experience.

Join us for our final STAR webinar of the school year. We will be sharing what we learned this year as well as making plans for next school year to implement STAR in MN. STAR training and coaching is being planned for the 2022-2023 school year.

Are you interested in a FUN, FREE & MEANINGFUL way to earn some CEUs this summer?

Camp MNprov is an awesome way to learn how to use applied improv games to support your students' social, emotional, and communication growth. This engaging professional development opportunity will allow you to learn with other educators and then interact with a neurodivergent group of students using your new applied improv skills.

When: August 2nd, 3rd, 4th (T, W, Th) from 1 – 4 p.m.

Who: Any educator who supports neurodivergent students. (special educators, speech & language pathologists, social workers, therapists, and paraprofessionals

Answer this ONE question survey to get on the info list & please share with other educators in your district.

This Star Tribune article does a great job of highlighting MNprov's work with Next Step Transition Program students. Check it out!

The SMART Center at the University of Washington is conducting a study that offers free training and consultation on a recess-based intervention for autistic elementary-aged children. This project will occur in the 2022-2023 school year.

If your school decides to enroll in the study, you would be provided intervention training and a manual at no cost in Remaking Recess. They would also provide all materials (e.g., playground equipment, games, toys, etc.) and assign your school an expert Remaking Recess coach who will provide 12 consultation sessions (30-40 minutes p/session via Zoom) at no cost to you.

Involvement in this study requires 2 students (minimum), their parents, a para, and a teacher. The parents and teacher will receive $25 for completing rating scales several times throughout the year.

You also can view more about Remaking Recess here: https://youtu.be/SzLCKh16nA4

The STAR Online Learning System (including the STAR Media Center) is FREE To anyone in MN for the 2021-2022 School year!

Click here for more information about these tools

The Statewide ASD Updates presentation is updated two times per year and available to all MN educators. This is the current state updates presentation from November 2021. Please feel free to share this presentation with your staff.

New statewide update and current ASD Child Count Numbers coming April 2022

https://www.mnlowincidenceprojects.org/documents/asd/Fall_2021_ASD_State_Updates.pdf

The Ziggurat Model provides a five-tiered framework to demonstrate considerations that need to be made in addressing the needs of students with ASD. A key premise of the model is that autism is a pervasive developmental disorder and, therefore, it is shortsighted to think that a narrow approach will address complex needs.

Click below to see an image of the model to review what needs to be considered for individuals with ASD. Start at the bottom of the pyramid as this is the first level of need to be addressed before you move on to the levels above. Keep reviewing the levels from bottom to top. You will see that in order to teach skills, we need to have support in every level. Think about your practice and examine what you have implemented as well as ideas for improvement.

Barry Grossman & Ruth Aspy are the authors of the Ziggurat Model. Their resources can be found at texasautism.com

This repository will include all evidence based practice resources that have been shared in the newsletter to date. 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!

The NEST is designed specifically for all of you teachers out there who are new to working with students with ASD. Feeling overwhelmed? We get it and want to help!

Do you need more support as a new teacher? Metro ECSU has a program that pairs new teachers with experienced teachers for support and mentoring!

The Minnesota Mentor Program (MMP) provides research-based support to special educators who teach children with low incidence disabilities. New teachers in the licensure areas of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Blind/Visually Impaired (B/VI), Developmentally/Cognitively Delayed (D/CD), Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH), and Physical/Health Disabilities (P/HD) are invited to participat in the Minnesota Mentor Program (MMP). Those licensed (or working without a license) in one of the 5 areas listed above are welcome to apply to MMP.

We will pair you with a teacher experienced working in your disability areas(s) to partner with throughout the year. Requirements include connecting monthly via email or virtually and attending an initial training in August.

For more information and to apply go to https://www.mnlowincidenceprojects.org/Projects/mmp/index.html

Please feel to reach out to me with questions at tami.childs@metroecsu.org

MN has a STAR/LINKS Resource webpage available to assist educators in implementing these programs. Check it out at https://www.mnlowincidenceprojects.org/Projects/star/index.html

Additionally, there are opportunities for educators to receive training, coaching, and free resources for STAR/LINKS implementation. For more information, contact Tami Childs at tami.childs@metroecsu.org

The purpose of MAC Open Office Hours is to provide an opportunity for individuals to ask questions, discuss issues, and connect with specialists, colleagues, and vendors. Collaborative work across agencies

· Register for Open Office Hours for the Minnesota Access Center

• March 15, 2022 - Don Johnston Products and Services
• April 5, 2022 - EquatIO and Math Access
• April 19, 2022 - Desmos
• May 3, 2022 - RS Games
• May 17, 2022 - Summer Program Options

MDE has developed a new webpage to support teachers in determining eligibility and implement the Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS), This alternate assessment is the standards-based accountability assessment designed for, and limited to, students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

View at the Testing 123 Webpage

After 23 years in Roseville, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is excited to announce it will be moving offices to Minneapolis beginning March 1, 2022.

MDE staff will continue to telework while construction is completed. Minnesotans are encouraged to continue contacting MDE staff by phone or email at 651-582-8200 and mde.contactus@state.mn.us. Physical mail can be sent to the new address at 400 NE Stinson Boulevard, Minneapolis, MN 55413 effective immediately.

November 2021

December 2021

January 2022

February 2022

Tami Childs, MN ASD Statewide Specialist

Gail Jankowski, MN Low Incidence Project Support

Email: tami.childs@metroecsu.org
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

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!