2026 Behavior Post

According to the US Senate, "written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, the United States Constitution is the world’s longest surviving written charter of government." Our Constitution Preamble states: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

The Blessings of Liberty... what a poetic and profound calling we proclaim: to uphold freedom in our country and for its people. Indeed, what a priviledge! Yet, freedom demands a constant pursue of what is good and just. It is a mighty call for personal reflection and responsible daily choices; a call of respect and unity as a nation - and so much more. Let's celebrate our beautiful USA. Happy Independence Day!

Additionally, the American Bar Association states July is Disability Pride Month (for it) celebrates disabled persons embracing their disabilities as integral parts of who they are, reclaiming visibility in public and interacting fully with their disabilities out in the open, and rejecting shame and internalized ableism. It is a time for the disability community to come together, uplift, and amplify one another’s voices and be heard. Disability pride has been described as “accepting and honoring each person’s uniqueness and seeing it as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity.” This year's theme is The World Works Better With Us.

As someone who devoted her professional life to students, teachers, and families of people with disABILITIES, July serves as a reminder of why we do what we we do. And we don't do it alone. In my own journey, I was taught, guided and inspired by many educators. By the end of this month, one of them will be retiring after 7+ years of service at the ESC6: Jan Oatess. To say I am grateful to Mrs. Oatess sounds too simplistic. The truth is that I have been transformed by her leadership marked by transparency, intentionality, and humble resolve. One of the many things I am still learning from her is "you teach others how to treat you." Why would this phrase mean so much?... I will let you sit on it for a while and find your own answers.

In keeping with the themes of freedom, responsibility, and gratitude, this Post offers many learning opportunities for your choosing. Take time to enjoy sessions that speak to your practice. We would like to highlight a few of those: the Autism Conference, Cultivating the Classroom by Emergent Tree, and Visually Speaking Coaching TOT Cohort.

The VS Cohort builds district/campus capacity by addressing the needs of students with Autism and other Developemental/Neurodivergent related disorders for PK-12th school age children. Lisa Rogers will be providing a 2-day kick off session on July 30 & 31, followed by four coaching sessions thoughout the school year. This is a powerful collaborative experience, and we encourage you to contact your district special education director and obtain his/her recommendation for your participation. Our team is looking forward to working with you and.... wait! Did we mention there are books, laminators, and other giveaways? Oh, yes!

Lastly, our appreciation to all who attended the Ukeru Initial & Recertification TOTs, our 2026 Virtual Special Education Summer Series of Learning: Planting the Seeds Today for a Better Tomorrow, and the Dyslexia Conference: Unlocking Potential in Every Learner. Your support and enthusiasm were contangious!

For now, enjoy those you love, re-energizing yourself and your purpose. Dr. Ronny Knox will lead our ESC6 Special Education team, continuing with our mission of service. Thus, let us know what interests you, and how to best support your goals. We are here because of you.

Times of change, and we are saying farewell to some amazing people this month of July:

• Ana Deter, Special Education Assistive Technology Specialist
• Lauren Hodge, Strategic Integration Liaison Coordinator
• Amber Naylor, Autism Specialist
• Jan Oatess, ESC6 Special Education Component Director
• Sam Weesner, Special Education Statewide Liaison Coordinator

We also pause to welcome our new team members:

• Dr. Ronny Knox, ESC6 Special Education Component Director - pictured above
• Jennifer Reed, VI & Transition Specialist

The PAX Good Behavior Game provides strategies that build students’ behavioral skills and stamina for focused attention and on-task behavior. It also provides teachers classroom management skills.

Please contact Fabiana Bezerra at fbezerra@esc6.net She will conect you with the statewide coordinator who will set up your sessions. The time is now to schedule for your school or your district. You can also attend for yourself. Check the demonstration video below the flyer.

All Texas educators may access these courses for free on the TEALearn website and earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours.

If you are searching for MTSS courses, click here for the current list of asynchronous free virtual sessions. Let us know if you would like to visit on any of the topics. We have a team of trainers at the ESC6.

See upcoming training opportunities on our Events page and register today!

• School Behavioral Threat Assessment Training Series
• Addressing Anxiety and Depression in Students – Elementary
• Addressing Anxiety and Depression in Students – Secondary
• Mitigating Educator Maltreatment
• Staying Safe: School Safety Response Training
• Standard Response Protocol Train-the-Trainer
• Standard Reunification Method Train-the-Trainer
• Bullying and Cyberbullying Training
• Digital Threat Assessment
• Especially Safe: An Inclusive Approach to Safety Preparedness in Education Settings
• Restorative Practices for Educators
• Trauma-Informed Care Workshop for Educators – Elementary
• Trauma-Informed Care Workshop for Educators – Secondary
• Sandy Hook Promise – Start with Hello
• Sandy Hook Promise – Say Something
• Effective Investigations and Report Writing
• School-Based Law Enforcement Trainings
• Advanced Digital Threat Assessment Training
• Texas School Safety Conference
• Say What! Action Summits
• Say What! Conference

Region 6 will offer the Reading by Design initial training this summer: July 13-17 (Bryan), session #576442, and August 10-14 (Huntsville), session #565039. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Angela Cameron, M.Ed.

Dyslexia, Texas Reading Academies, and SLAR Specialist

Region 6 Education Service Center

3332 Montgomery Road

Huntsville, TX 77340

936-435-8243 - office

214.704.7082 - cell

acameron@esc6.net

Click to learn about each session and sign up for free!

We encourage you to take advantage of this excellent, free learning opportunity!

Warm wishes,
The TRF Team

In case you would like to be a Trainer of Trainers or if you are looking to renew your certification, here are some upcoming training dates in Texas. For registration, just click on the table.

July 13, 2026

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET

The H/L Behavioral Health Center of Excellence invites you to the following webinar:

This event is presented in collaboration with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).

The session will be conducted in English, with simultaneous interpretation available in Spanish.

Participants will gain insight into how community-specific values, body image expectations, gender roles, and adaptation experiences can shape eating behaviors and overall mental health. The session will also highlight practical, informed engagement strategies to support H/Ls individuals and families navigating anxiety and eating-related challenges.

Learning objectives:

· Identify prevalence and contributing factors to anxiety among H/Ls communities.

· Discuss how anxiety may contribute to the development or maintenance of disordered eating behaviors among H/Ls youth and adults.

· Assess the impact of community-specific values, body image ideals, gender roles, and adaptations on eating behaviors and mental health.

· Integrate informed engagement strategies when working with H/Ls individuals and families affected by anxiety and eating disorders.

· Share experiences of H/Ls living with anxiety and eating disorders.

Speakers:

Michelle Evans, DSW, MBA, LCSW

Rocio Avila Salinas, LCSW-S

Registration

Willis ISD is excited to host our 2026 SPED Summer Conference and would like to invite our neighboring districts to join us for this professional learning opportunity!

The conference will be held July 20–23, 2026, at the Willis ISD Career & Technical Education (CTE) Center, located at:

40 FM 830
Willis, TX 77378

Our goal is to provide practical, high-quality professional development for special education professionals. While we are offering a few extended learning sessions, most sessions are one hour in length and are offered multiple times throughout the conference to provide flexibility and accommodate your summer schedule.

Participants are welcome to register for as many sessions as they would like.

Registration Information

• Conference Dates: July 20–23, 2026
• Location: Willis ISD CTE Center, 40 FM 830, Willis, TX 77378
• Registration Deadline: July 15, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

Please complete the registration form below to reserve your spot(s): CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

We look forward to learning together and hope you'll join us for a great week of collaboration, innovative practices, and professional growth.

The Visually Speaking Train-the-Trainer program has been an incredible asset to our district. The training provided our staff with practical, research-based strategies for supporting students with communication challenges through the effective use of visual supports. The content was engaging, immediately applicable, and aligned well with the needs of our students across a variety of educational settings. One of the greatest benefits of the TOT model is the ability to build internal capacity. By training district staff to become trainers, we are able to sustain implementation, provide ongoing support to campuses, and ensure consistency in the use of visual supports throughout the district. This approach has helped strengthen staff confidence, improve student access to instruction, and promote greater independence for students. The collaboration, coaching, and resources made it possible for our district to successfully expand our knowledge and implementation of evidence-based practices. We are excited about the upcoming cohort and would highly recommend the Visually Speaking TOT experience to other districts seeking to improve outcomes for students with communication and learning needs.

Randi Gay

WISD Director of Special Education

Registration is Now Open!

Join us in person for the Texas Suicide Prevention Symposium 2026, a two-day convening focused on collaboration, learning, and advancing suicide prevention efforts across Texas and beyond.

📍 New Braunfels, Texas

📅 August 11–12, 2026
🗓️ Two-day, in-person event

Learn More and Register

Three of his nine sessions are designed specifically for campus administrators, as well as special education directors and educational leaders who support special education services. If you are an ARD Chair/Facilitator, you are a leader and will find these three sessions beneficial.

• September 30th: Beginning-of-the-Year ARDs, Transfer ARDs, and the Do's and Don'ts

• October 28th: The Role of the Campus Administrator at the ARD Meeting

• January 27th: MDRs and Discipline

The other sessions will cover current hot topics in special education. All sessions will be virtual from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. You must register for each session separately.

Online event

Wednesday, September 16 • 11 AM - 3:30 PM CDT

Overview

A Guided Resiliency Practice We don’t just talk about resilience — we actively practice it.

Resiliency 2026: The Power of Connection(s)

On September 16, 2026, we invite you to a free guided resiliency practice designed to help you reset, reconnect, and return to life with more capacity.

This is not a conference or content-heavy summit. It’s a grounded, human experience built around five essential forms of connection.

Continuing Education credits are available!

Why It Matters

When resilience is treated as an individual burden, people burn out. When it’s treated as a shared practice, people recover, adapt, and continue.

Resiliency And Happiness exists to support that shared practice.

Resiliency 2026 is designed to be felt and practiced, not just understood.

Resiliency 2026: The Power of Connection(s) is an experience created to help us pause, breathe, and return to ourselves.

In a world that pulls at us from every direction, this gathering offers steady ground.

Through five essential forms of connection; Presence, Truth, Connection, Agency, and Meaning — we move together toward what restores and strengthens us.

We don’t leave with more to carry. We leave clearer, steadier, and better able to meet the lives we’re living.

Register Here

On June 11 & 12 we held our Ukeru Initial & Recertification training. Our numbers are growing! We are a community that strives to eliminating the use of physical restraint and increasing safety for our staff. This is our third year providing this training. Thank you to our ESC6 districts staff, and our guests from ESC5 and a couple of districts from the San Antonio area. Mark your calendars for June 16 and 17, 2027. For more information, contact Fabiana Bezerra - fbezerra@esc6.net or Molly Cole - mcole@esc6.net

Join Samantha B. MacCallon, TXICFW Curriculum and Training Specialist, and other professionals for a 7-week book study to discuss topics found in Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah’s: What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing.

Book club sessions will occur from 12-1 pm on Thursdays in June and July.

To register, e-mail Samantha MacCallon at samantha.maccallon@austin.utexas.edu

Cycle 13 of the SLP Master’s Degree Distance Venue is currently underway. Cycle 13 cohort runs from June 2025 through August 2027.

If you are interested in Cycle 14 of the SLP Master’s Degree Distance Venue, please register for one of the Cycle 14 Information Meetings.

Attendance at one full Information Meeting is a mandatory part of the application process. You will not be considered for acceptance into the SLP Master’s Degree Distance Venue unless you have attended one full Information Meeting.

If accepted into the Cycle 14 SLP Master’s Degree Distance Venue, classes will begin in Summer 2027.

All Cycle 14 Information Meetings will begin at 4:30 pm Central Time via Zoom.

Register by clicking one of the links below:

• Monday, August 24th, 2026
• Monday, October 19th, 2026 (Please check back for registration link)

Participants interested in Cycle 14 who do not have an undergraduate degree in speech-language pathology will need to complete Leveling coursework. Leveling coursework will be discussed during the Information Meeting. You may find additional information here: Leveling Coursework

NOTE: If you choose to attend an Information Meeting after February 2026, you may not have enough time to complete all Leveling coursework required to begin the Cycle 14 cohort.

We look forward to seeing you at the Cycle 14 Meetings, future SLPs of Texas!

Speech-Language Pathology Master’s (SLP) Degree Program Statewide Distance Venue

Overview

To address the shortage of master’s level speech-language pathology (SLPs) in Texas schools, a partnership was formed with Texas Education Service Centers, Texas Woman’s University (TWU), Texas Education Agency (TEA), and local educational entities to provide a master’s degree program for both in-field and out-of-field students. The program utilizes videoconferencing, web-based instruction, and clinical experiences on school campuses, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and rehabilitation centers. Successful program completion prepares graduates to apply for Texas licensure in speech pathology and American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) certification. The master of science education program in Speech-Language Pathology at Texas Woman’s University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The Region 10 Education Service Center (ESC) provides statewide coordination of the program and, along with other participating ESCs, assists students by providing classroom sites and classroom coordinators.

While applicants accepted into this program will be fully prepared to serve in any professional setting, this program is intended to help ameliorate the shortage of licensed, certified SLPs in Texas public schools and is open only to those committed to employment with a public school district or charter school.

The SLP Distance Learning Venue is designed to allow students to work in the schools as licensed assistants while completing the requirements for the master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Each student must secure sponsorship from an educational entity (e.g., school district or charter school) and maintain it throughout the master’s program. Students must attend classes in a participating ESC.

The program also provides the opportunity to complete Post-Baccalaureate Certificates in Bilingual SLP or Deaf and Hard of Hearing for the SLP. Students interested in pursuing these certificates will take additional coursework and complete practicum hours focused in the specific certificate areas while in the program.

For more information on the Certificates, click on the links below:

• TWU Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Bilingual SLP
• TWU Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Deaf and Hard of Hearing for the SLP
• For more information: TWU Distance Venue information
• For more information: Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Licensure Requirements

Dr. Michael Munro worked at our ESC6 Special Education Department for a few years. Michael impacted us in many ways as he served the Visually Impaired students, teachers, and families. There are many testimonials to that. If you would like to support his family, please visit the GoFundMe page. Thank you.

Free Monthly Virtual Support Groups

The contacts are below for questions or information until we start again.

Parent Support Group - Second Tuesday of the month

addaoffice@pdq.net

Adult Support Group - Third or Fourth Thursday of the month

addaoffice@pdq.net

Fort Bend Parent Support Group - Last Tuesday of the month

ftbendaddasr@gmail.com

In Person Meeting

MESQUITE – Every other month,

2nd Tuesdays, 7-8 pm, Sept., Nov., Feb., April.

Professional Development Center,

3819 Towne Crossing Blvd, Mesquite, 75150

Kelly Smith, 972 882-7519, kesmith@mesquiteisd.org

Texas Elks Camp - Home

Beloved and Beyond Falls County

Camp Blessing

Camp for All

Texas Lion Camp

TAMU Camp Life

The GAP Year at SOAR

The newly revised page for military families from the Center for Parent Information and Resources contains valuable resources to support military families through changes in duty stations and other challenges.

Fabiana Bezerra, LSSP, NCSP

ESC 6 Behavior & Autism Specialist for Special Education

Email: fbezerra@esc6.net
Website: https://www.esc6.net/
Location: Education Service Center Region 6, Montgomery Road, Huntsville, TX, USA
Phone: 936-435-8252
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ESC6SPED/
Twitter: @escregion6