Get Positive! Using the Power of Connection to Increase the Power of Positive Behavior

During this interactive keynote session participants will learn about ways that PBS practitioners, researchers, and consumers have formed meaningful connections. We will focus on sharing success stories from around the country and world via experiences leaned through the Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS). Additionally, time will be spent encouraging interaction between participants to initiate contacts within and across regions in the state of Minnesota.

Takeaways:

• Connection is key! Establishing networks of those working to meet the needs of all individuals using PBS strategies is an important way to build your knowledge, skills, capacity, and success.
• Creating a common language for talking about PBS – consider how you can clearly describe your context and your goals for implementing PBS within your unique situation.

Presenters:

Ashley MacSuga-Gage, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Special Education, University of Florida, University of South Florida, and The Association For Positive Behavior Support (APBS)

Dr. MacSuga-Gage is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Florida. Her specific research interests include identifying and supporting teachers in the implementation of Class-Wide Positive Behavior Support practices through the application of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to professional development and the implementation, sustainability, and scale-up of School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) efforts. Dr. MacSuga-Gage is the special education program area leader for the Special Education Program at the University of Florida and coordinates the dual certification teacher preparation master’s level program as well as co-coordinates the undergraduate Unified Elementary Pro-teach program. In addition to her research and programmatic work, Dr. MacSuga-Gage works as a Technical Assistance specialist with the University of South Florida’s Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support Project. Through this work she supports four districts in North Central Florida by providing training and technical assistance to schools within and the district focused on SWPBIS, disproportionate discipline, MTSS, and related initiatives.

Young Children and Families Implementation

Implementing the Pyramid Model in Robbinsdale’s Early Childhood programs

Successes of how Wayzata Early Childhood programs have been collaborating to implement the Pyramid Model since 2013 will be shared.  Learn how teachers, coaches, and administrators collaborate together to implement Pyramid Model strategies in a variety of classrooms.

Takeaways:

• Learn how collaboration is key in implementing the Pyramid Model
• Learn the different roles associated with implementing the Pyramid Model
• Learn how coaching, training, having an Implementation Team, and data collection are essential in implementing the Pyramid Model

Presenters:

Zeenath McCone, Robbinsdale Area Schools, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher and Brenda Landwehr, Robbinsdale Area Schools, Early Childhood Instructional Coach

Zeenath McCone started implementing the Pyramid Model practices in her classroom in 2014 and has reached fidelity through coaching. Zeenath is currently an Internal Coach and an Implementation Team member.  Zeenath serves on several Pyramid Model sub-committees, including the Coaching committee and Staff Buy-in and Celebration committee.

Brenda Landwehr has experience teaching Early Childhood Special Education and in a school-based preschool classroom. She started as an Internal Coach and an Implementation Team member in 2014 with Robbinsdale’s Pyramid Model implementation.  Brenda also supports classrooms as a Behavior Coach and serves on several pyramid model planning committees including Professional Development and Coaching.

School Age Collaboration

The Power of Embedding School Linked Mental Health Services into a School-wide System of PBIS through collaboration

This session will describe shared messages and core features across SW-PBIS and School Linked Mental Health Grants (SLMH). Examples of how a coordinated approach and collaboration can improve implementation and service delivery to students. State data collection and analysis from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) will be shared along with local examples to illustrate efforts in Minnesota.

Takeaways:

• Understand how SW-PBIS and SLMH Grants can work together to improve the provision of mental health services to students within a school through effective collaboration
• Become familiar with the data reporting and analysis for SLMH Grants and SW-PBIS that support action planning, fidelity of implementation and shared outcomes for student success
• Understand the importance of a Give and Get chart to secure buy-in and mutual understanding across agencies/programs

Presenters:

Kris Lofgren, B.S. has over 20 years of School Mental health experience. She currently is the School Linked Mental Health Grant Manager and the School Mental Health Project Lead at the Department of Human Services. She won the Outstanding Service Award for Leadership in the field of Children’s Mental Health (2011) and the Community Collaboration and Inter-Agency Award: ADAPT program – School/Community Based Mental Health Services (2002).

Mary Hunt, M.A. has eighteen years of experience in Pre-K through 8 education settings as a school psychologist and evaluation coordinator. She has eleven years of experience at the Minnesota Department of Education providing leadership and technical assistance in the areas of Early Childhood Special Education, Specialized Instructional Support Personnel and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. She is certified as an Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and Resiliency trainer.

Sue Hoeft, Principal, Vandyke Elementary School, Greenway Public Schools

Adult Professional Development

Culture Change and the People who Lived it

This presentation will describe the process of significant culture change that a community based provider underwent when changing from a locked service provider to a community provider model.  Lessons learned will be shared about this process with an emphasis on the professional development approaches used in support of our team of staff.  A case example will be presented for an adult that received services in this community based model and how the process affected their life.  Finally, direction for the organizations future will be presented given what has been learned and what needs to be addressed.

Takeaways:

• How professional development contributed to significant culture change in a large organization.
• A case example of how a person receiving services experienced the process.
• Focus on positive supports as the primary service support model will be presented.

Presenters:

Mary Dempsy, BCBA,, Minnesota Department of Human Services Minnesota Life Bridge; Amber Maki BCBA Minnesota Department of Human Services, Disability Services Division, and Stacey Sjostedt, BA Minnesota Department of Human Services, Minnesota Life Bridge

Mary Dempsey is currently Clinical Coordinator for Minnesota Life Bridge.  She is a Board Certified Behavior Analysis and received her master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western New England University.  She came to DHS roughly a year ago after working in the Boston area for eight years mostly with children with autism.  She has enjoyed learning more about Positive Behavior Supports and the power it has in increasing individuals’ quality of life.

Amber Maki is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and currently works at the Minnesota Department of Human Services in the Disability Services Division.  Amber’s current work focuses on building community capacity statewide in person centered positive supports working with teams, counties, and providers.   Amber has been working in the field of IDD for 20 years and has worked with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder providing in home intensive behavior therapy, as a Behavior Analyst with adults with TBI/ABI, and in community based programs.

Stacey Sjostedt has over 23 years of experience working with people with Mental health and Intellectual disabilities.  Within DHS, Stacey has worked Direct Care, as a Residential Program Lead, a Behavior Analyst and currently she is working as a Person Centered Planning Facilitator at Minnesota Life Bridge, working with people and their expanded team members.  Stacey Sjostedt has been a voice for people when they are not being heard and encourages Self-Advocacy for the people she works with.

Young Children and Families Professional Development

Professional Development around the Pyramid Model at Wayzata’s Early Learning School

Success stories of how Wayzata’s Pyramid Model site has provided professional development around the Pyramid Model since 2013 will be shared.  Learn how the program has created the time, resources, and trainers to allow for successful professional development to happen in a variety of manners.

Takeaways:

• Learn a variety of ways ongoing Professional Development can be provided in Pyramid Model implementation
• Learn about successfully setting up systems to support ongoing professional development

Presenters:

Emily Story, Wayzata Public Schools, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher and Karen Herring, Wayzata Public Schools, General Education Pre-K Teacher

Emily Story has been an Early Childhood Special Education teacher for 15 years teaching in integrated Pre-K classrooms.  Emily is also the behavior specialist with her site’s Pyramid Model team and in this role supports teachers and para professionals in classrooms serving children who have special needs and/or challenging behaviors.  Emily is also a Pyramid Model coach for Wayzata’s Early Childhood programs and a statewide Pyramid Model Trainer for the Minnesota Centers of Excellence for Young Children with Disabilities.

Karen Herring has been a general education Pre-K teacher with the Wayzata School District for 12 years, teaching in integrated Pre-K classrooms.  Prior to teaching in Wayzata, Karen taught with the Mounds View School District in typical, integrated, and high risk Pre-K classrooms.

School Age Implementation

School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: An Authentic Application

The focus of this session will be to look at the application of PBIS in one particular school district in Minnesota. The implementation of PBIS has resulted in a drastic decrease in the number of office discipline referrals over a 10 year time span. There are many key aspects to implementing PBIS that cannot be ignored. You need to have a sound structure and be willing to have difficult conversations with stakeholders in the school community. We will discuss different approaches and provide ideas for making PBIS successful for you.

Takeaways:

• Understand the structure of setting up PBIS from the viewpoint of an exemplar PBIS district (Ticket Systems, Flowcharts, Universal Definitions for ODRs, Reward Systems
• Learn about how to gain buy-in from staff to support and sustain your school’s PBIS efforts and build a positive culture
• Reflect on your PBIS practices and beliefs in a collaborative, engaging format

Presenters:

Irv Andrews, M.A., Administrative Dean, Chaska Middle School West, Eastern Carver County Schools, Erin Indrelie Swoboda, Ed.S., Assistant Principal, Chanhassen High School, Eastern Carver County Schools

An Administrative Dean for six years, Irv Andrews M.A. is also on the district’s MTSS committee. Previously, he was a Special Education Coordinator, Evaluation Specialist, and Special Education Teacher. Irv has served and led intervention teams in both regular and special education leadership roles. He also has 15 years of athletic coaching experience.

Now in her third year as Assistant Principal, Erin Prior has also been an Administrative Dean at Chanhassen High School, a Special Education Coordinator, a district-wide intervention coach, and a special education teacher. She has coached and supported problem solving teams throughout her education career, focusing on PBIS and intervention teams.

Adult Collaboration

It Takes a Village- Creating Better Lives in Home and Community Based Settings through Collaboration

Have you ever attended an excellent training, then returned to your workplace and not had the tools to make real change?  Attend this session to hear RSI’s story of collaboration with multiple agencies in their journey to become a ‘change agent’ for Person Centered and Positive Behavior Support practices.  They will discuss the importance of starting with the basics, having leadership involvement, and creating a culture of collaboration.

Takeaways:

• A foundation in person centered philosophies is important
• Leadership support and involvement is needed to create real change
• Learning from and sharing knowledge with others is key to systems change

Presenters:

Brandon Hendrickson, Staff Development Director, Residential Services Inc., Billie Hendrickson, Quality Improvement Manager, Residential Services Inc.

Brandon Hendrickson has led the training department at RSI for the past 15 years as the Staff Development Director.  Prior to working at RSI, he worked as a Direct Support Professional for people with developmental and degenerative disabilities throughout MN.  Brandon is a certified instructor for 2 day Person Centered Thinking training.  He is a Person Centered Leader for RSI, and has trained and mentored staff in person centered practices throughout the organization.  Brandon is also a certified instructor through the Crisis Prevention Institute to teach Nonviolent Crisis Intervention.  He is a member of RSI’s secondary PBS team.

Billie Hendrickson is the Quality Improvement Manager at Residential Services Inc. in Duluth MN. She has held multiple positions in her 13 years at RSI from direct support to program oversight.  Prior to working at RSI she worked with high-risk youth and adults with various disabilities and mental health needs. She has been teaching Nonviolent Crisis Intervention at RSI for the past 10 years and has been involved in the U of M Intensive Positive Behavior Support training.  She participated as a PCT Coach liaison in ICI Cohort 1 and in Cohort 2 with RSI’s PBS secondary team.  She is a certified instructor for two-day Person Centered Thinking training. Billie has also been assisting with organizational implementation of Person Centered thinking and Positive Behavior supports at RSI.

Young Children and Families Collaboration

Delay To Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention And Educational Outcomes For Medicaid-Enrolled Children With Autism

With increases in diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (AD) over the past decade, it is important that children and families have early access to high quality services and positive behavior supports like Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI). This session will describe a research study examining how service delays relate to educational outcomes for Medicaid-enrolled children with ASD. We’ll discuss the main finding that children who were diagnosed younger and experienced a shorter delay had better educational outcomes overall.

Takeaways:

• Children that started intensive services earlier had better educational outcomes.
• Children that experienced less of a delay between receiving a diagnosis of ASD and starting intensive services had better educational outcomes.

Presenter:

Adele Dimian completed her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota in Educational Psychology, Special Education with a minor in Epidemiology. She received a B.A. degree from the University of Puget Sound in Psychology and a M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Adele is currently a MNLEND post-doctoral fellow at the University of Minnesota with the Institute on Community Integration. Her research interests include examining how telehealth can be used as a service delivery mechanism. Adele’s primary areas of research currently include: 1) investigating the early development of self-injurious behavior, 2) assessment and intervention of potentially communicative and challenging behavior, and 3) examining how telehealth can bridge the gaps in service delivery early on for families and individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

School Age Professional Development

Preparing Minnesota’s Educators for PBIS: Requirements, Practices, and Plans

Implementation of positive behavioral approaches in Minnesota’s schools can be strengthened by increasing coverage of such content in the state’s educator preparation programs. In this session we’ll describe (a) educator licensure requirements regarding classroom management and PBIS, (b) how one university is providing its special education teacher graduates with PBIS knowledge and skills, and (c) PBIS Minnesota’s plans for state-university collaborations for further increasing capacity.

Takeaways:

• Understand the variability of classroom management and PBIS coverage in different types of educator preparation programs in the state
• Learn how one university provides extensive coverage of PBIS content to its special education teachers
• Learn how MDE and the PBIS Regional Implementation Projects are supporting educator preparation programs

Presenters:

Lynn Stansberry Brusnahan, Ph.D., University of St. Thomas, Clayton Keller, Ph.D., Minnesota Department of Education, PBIS Management Team, and Clayton Keller, Ph.D., Minnesota Department of Education, PBIS Management Team

Lynn Stansberry Brusnahan, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Special Education in the School of Education at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota where she also coordinates the graduate programs in autism spectrum disorder programs. She is the coauthor of the second edition of Do Watch Listen Say: Social and Communication Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Lynn was the 2012 Autism Society of America Professional of the Year. She has served on the boards of the Autism Society of America and the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Lynn earned her Ph.D. in Urban Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Erin Farrell is a BCBA and Behavior Specialist who has worked in clinical and educational settings utilizing and promoting positive behavior supports. . In her role as a Behavior Specialist in schools, she has coached and supported teachers in positive behavior supports, data collection, and professional development. Erin is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of St. Thomas in the Teacher Education program where she teaches courses in Behavior Management and Autism Spectrum Disorders as well as a doctoral student at the same university in the Educational Leadership program.

Clayton Keller, Ph.D.’s career in special education includes positions as: a paraprofessional and special education teacher for students with emotional or behavioral disorders in the St. Paul Public Schools; special education faculty member and program coordinator at both the University of Minnesota Duluth and Qatar University in the Middle East; and the Statewide Special Education Workforce Specialist at Metro ECSU supporting the Minnesota Department of Education. He is currently a member of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports management team at MDE.

Adult Implementation

Join small groups for facilitated discussions around implementation, collaboration, professional development.