Thrive24

Target Audience: Adminstrators, Teachers PK-5, Teachers 6-8 Teachers 9-12, Para Professionals, Special Educators

Applied behavior analysis is the science of human learning. It is a scientific and evidence-based approach that helps students with disabilities learn and develop skills to manage behaviors that are socially significant for the student. Like the field of education in general, the field of applied behavior analysis continues to grow and refine its assessment and intervention practices. Additionally, there are sometimes misconceptions and criticisms of behavior analytic goals and practices, some of this based on the history of applied behavior analysis. This workshop will discuss current behavior analytic practices that strive to be trauma-informed, culturally responsive, neurodivergent affirming, and individually focused.

Target Audience: Para Professionals, Special Educators

Autism is a neurodivergence that impacts a learner’s social and communication skills and behavior. About 30% of Autistic children have augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) needs past age 5 (Tager-Flusberg, & Kasari, 2013). These learners present with such unique strengths and challenges that a team of professionals is needed to help them meet their potential. Teamwork is required to meet the challenge of helping Autistic learners to generalize skills across environments. Collaboration between speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and ABA professionals will be discussed. The strengths of each discipline will be compared along with difficulties faced when professionals “don’t get along.” Finally, ideas will be shared to promote collaboration including establishing a shared framework, learning each field’s professional jargon, moving towards common terminology, and focusing on the data to ensure efficacy of treatment and generalization of language skills. A successful clinical example will be shared in which an occupational therapist, ABA therapists, and SLPs collaborated to teach school-aged learners in a social skills group.



Learning Outcomes: Participants will:

Name the challenges professionals from different fields face when working together to serve Autistic students with AAC needs.

Discuss ways that collaboration between professionals can help promote generalization of language skills by Autistic learners.

Explain at least two strategies that can promote collaboration between professionals when serving neurodivergent students with AAC needs.

Target Audience: Teachers PK-5, Special Educators

Understand the technical changes to new IEP form, in relation to existing form(s), systems, policies, and guidance.

Identify & increase opportunities for adaptive change that result in effective and efficient collaboration between general educators, special educators, related service providers, parents, and students to support students eligible for special education.

Target Audience:

Staff from the Lincoln Eliot school will hear more about plans to welcome the REACH program to Lincoln Eliot next September. Landmark Outreach Consultant will review the targeted student profile and needed supports. The districts plans to open REACH again at the Elementary level will be explained as well.

Target Audience: Any staff who are not already trained in Safety Care and do not require the physical management components as part of their job 

Safety Care is the system that the district uses to support students in order to prevent, minimize, and manage behavioral crises with respect and dignity. This training will cover the prevention and de-escalation strategies for managing behavioral crises and interacting with students who are dysregulated. This training does not cover the physical management strategies. This training is geared toward staff who are not already trained in Safety Care and do not require the physical management components as part of their job. This training is not for Behavior Technicians who need the full training.

Target Audience: Teachers PK-5, Teachers 6-8 Teachers 9-12, Mental Health Professionals, Para Professionals, Special Educators who have previously been trained in an initial Safety Care training in the last calendar year. 

Educators will be able to promote student dignity and respect while ensuring a safe, supportive learning environment. Educators will leave session (full day) with recertification of Safety Care Specialist status. Please wear comfortable attire. 

Target Audience: Adminstrators, Teachers PK-5, Teachers 6-8 Teachers 9-12, Para Professionals, Special Educators

Applied behavior analysis is the science of human learning. It is a scientific and evidence-based approach that helps students with disabilities learn and develop skills to manage behaviors that are socially significant for the student. Like the field of education in general, the field of applied behavior analysis continues to grow and refine its assessment and intervention practices. Additionally, there are sometimes misconceptions and criticisms of behavior analytic goals and practices, some of this based on the history of applied behavior analysis. This workshop will discuss current behavior analytic practices that strive to be trauma-informed, culturally responsive, neurodivergent affirming, and individually focused.

Target Audience: Para Professionals, Special Educators

Autism is a neurodivergence that impacts a learner’s behavior and social and communication skills. Traditionally, professionals have viewed these individuals through the lens of the medical model and sought to ameliorate autistic traits by targeting eye contact, turn-taking, and pragmatic skills based on neurotypical norms. These practices are not neurodiversity affirming and lead to harmful masking and camouflaging behaviors which negatively impact autistic individual’s mental health and development (Alaghband-Rad ; Hajikarim-Hamedani & Motamed, 2023). About 30% of autistic children have augmentative and alternative (AAC) needs past age 5 (Tager-Flusberg, & Kasari, 2013). The range of AAC needs in our autistic clients will be discussed along with neurodiversity affirming strategies to support these individuals to meet their communication needs, develop their language skills, and form friendships.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will:
Describe three principles of Universal Design for Learning that can be applied to support Neurodivergent learners
Contrast Neurodiversity affirming practices with traditional medical model practices for supporting students on the Autism spectrum.
Discuss at least three ways some Autistic individuals may benefit from AAC.

Target Audience: Teachers PK-5, Special Educators

Understand the technical changes to new IEP form, in relation to existing form(s), systems, policies, and guidance.

Identify & increase opportunities for adaptive change that result in effective and efficient collaboration between general educators, special educators, related service providers, parents, and students to support students eligible for special education.

Target Audience: Teachers PK-5, Teachers 6-8 Specialists (Arts, Music, PE)

Educators should feel empowered to know how to positively work with students in creating an environment in which challenging behavior is less likely to occur. With challenging behavior less likely to occur, educators will have more time, energy, and fun teaching actual content that they love.

Target Audience: Para Professionals

In this learning session, we will unpack together our role in presuming competence in the disabled and/or neurodivergent students that we work with each day. We will review the science of learning- discussing how new skills are learned and solidified, before applying these concepts to our individual students. Participants will leave with ideas for actionable distal supports that can be implemented the next day with students, teacher moves that live our commitment to presume competence and uphold high expectations for all learners.

Target Audience: Special Educators (Units A, B, & C) Grades 6-12

DESE has introduced a new, updated IEP form that has been decades in the making. This is both exciting and overwhelming for all parties involved. This session aims to review the basics of transition planning and to provide guidance on transition assessment.
In this session, you will:

1. Learn how to help students prepare for their IEP Meeting
2. Understand how Transition Planning fits into the new IEP form
3. Understand how to administer different transition assessments & interpret their results
4. Feel empowered to share what you’ve learned with department colleagues

Target Audience: Teachers PK-5, Teachers 6-8 Teachers 9-12, Para Professionals

Betsy will give an overview of neurodiversity, with a specific focus on autism, and how we can, as a community, embrace neurodivergent individuals in a way that makes us a kinder and more inclusive community. She will talk about the strengths and challenges of neurodivergent minds, the Medical Model versus the Social Model of Disability, preferred language, and how it affects our values and attitudes, and other important topics, such as the Double Empathy Problem, Intersectionality, and Ableism, including Microaggressions. She will do a deep dive into simple accommodations that contribute to creating a more inclusive space for all NPS community members. After her presentation, the audience will be invited to participate in an open discussion. The intended outcomes for educators include the following:

Increased Awareness and Understanding: Educators, administrators, and staff will gain a deeper understanding of neurodiversity, specifically autism. This knowledge should foster empathy and reduce stigma, helping to create a more inclusive environment.

Enhanced Inclusivity in Teaching Practices: The audience will learn about inclusive teaching strategies that accommodate various learning styles and needs, ensuring that neurodivergent students are fully supported in their education. This might include differentiated instruction, flexible assessment methods, and sensory-friendly classroom environments.

Improved Communication and Collaboration: Staff will be encouraged to engage in open, respectful dialogue with neurodivergent students and their families. This outcome aims to strengthen the partnership between educators and families, ensuring that students receive the support they need both at school and at home.

Commitment to Policy and Practice Changes: The school district will commit to reviewing and updating policies to better support neurodivergent students. This could include adopting inclusive discipline practices, and ensuring that Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans are effectively implemented.

Empowerment of Neurodivergent Students: The talk will inspire educators to empower neurodivergent students by recognizing and valuing their unique strengths and perspectives. This outcome aims to create a school culture where all students feel respected, understood, and able to succeed.

Fostering a Culture of Acceptance: The overall school community, including students, teachers, and staff, will work towards fostering a culture of acceptance and belonging, where neurodiversity is celebrated as a natural and valuable part of human diversity.

Actionable Steps for Implementation: Participants will leave the talk with practical, actionable steps they can take to support neurodivergent students in their classrooms and throughout the school district. This could include specific strategies, resources, or professional development opportunities.

Target Audience: Teachers PK-5, Para Professionals, Special Educators, Specialists (Arts, Music, PE)

Using available DESE advisories and supported research, educators will discuss accommodations and supports that will promote independence for students with special needs in elementary grades.
They will review a levels of support screening tool and data collection systems to identify types of support a student needs, identify target skills to teach the student using a developmental rubric, and develop a plan to fade types of support as skills are gained.

Target Audience: Para Professionals, Special Educators

Autism is a neurodivergence that impacts a learner’s social and communication skills and behavior. About 30% of Autistic children have augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) needs past age 5 (Tager-Flusberg, & Kasari, 2013). These learners present with such unique strengths and challenges that a team of professionals is needed to help them meet their potential. Teamwork is required to meet the challenge of helping Autistic learners to generalize skills across environments. Collaboration between speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and ABA professionals will be discussed. The strengths of each discipline will be compared along with difficulties faced when professionals “don’t get along.” Finally, ideas will be shared to promote collaboration including establishing a shared framework, learning each field’s professional jargon, moving towards common terminology, and focusing on the data to ensure efficacy of treatment and generalization of language skills. A successful clinical example will be shared in which an occupational therapist, ABA therapists, and SLPs collaborated to teach school-aged learners in a social skills group.



Learning Outcomes: Participants will:

Name the challenges professionals from different fields face when working together to serve Autistic students with AAC needs.

Discuss ways that collaboration between professionals can help promote generalization of language skills by Autistic learners.

Explain at least two strategies that can promote collaboration between professionals when serving neurodivergent students with AAC needs.

Target Audience: Teachers PK-5, Teachers 6-8 Specialists (Arts, Music, PE)

Educators should feel empowered to know how to positively work with students in creating an environment in which challenging behavior is less likely to occur. With challenging behavior less likely to occur, educators will have more time, energy, and fun teaching actual content that they love.

Target Audience: Para Professionals

In this learning session, we will unpack together our role in presuming competence in the disabled and/or neurodivergent students that we work with each day. We will review the science of learning- discussing how new skills are learned and solidified, before applying these concepts to our individual students. Participants will leave with ideas for actionable distal supports that can be implemented the next day with students, teacher moves that live our commitment to presume competence and uphold high expectations for all learners.

Target Audience: Special Educators

Session will examine the connection between comprehension and writing including Scarborough's Reading Rope and Joan Sedita’s Writing Rope, examples of modifying and creating content from EL curriculum, and work time to practice modifying curriculum using AI (MagicSchool) and various online content (eg. Readworks,org). Outcome includes understanding connection between comp./writing and create/practice skills to modify content for students.

Target Audience: Special Educators (Units A, B, & C) Grades 6-12

DESE has introduced a new, updated IEP form that has been decades in the making. This is both exciting and overwhelming for all parties involved. This session aims to review the basics of transition planning and to provide guidance on transition assessment.
In this session, you will:

1. Learn how to help students prepare for their IEP Meeting
2. Understand how Transition Planning fits into the new IEP form
3. Understand how to administer different transition assessments & interpret their results
4. Feel empowered to share what you’ve learned with department colleagues

Target Audience: Team Specialists and those who lead IEP meetings

This will be an opportunity for those running IEP meetings to reflect on the initial weeks of implementing the new MA IEP form. Participants will share organizational strategies, tips, and tricks for the IEP process. We will review the new IEP form and revisit internal NPS forms that are used in meeting preparation and follow-up. Any findings, next steps, and conclusions will be shared with administration and team specialists at the biweekly team specialist meeting.

Target Audience: Speech, Language & Hearing Specialists

We will review current research regarding neurodiverse social communication and discuss the practice implications for SLPs. Topics include autistic cultural competence, clinical priorities, client goals, and consideration for outcomes

Target Audience: Teachers PK-5, Para Professionals, Special Educators, Specialists (Arts, Music, PE)

Using available DESE advisories and supported research, educators will discuss accommodations and supports that will promote independence for students with special needs in elementary grades.
They will review a levels of support screening tool and data collection systems to identify types of support a student needs, identify target skills to teach the student using a developmental rubric, and develop a plan to fade types of support as skills are gained.

Target Audience: Para Professionals, Special Educators

Autism is a neurodivergence that impacts a learner’s behavior and social and communication skills. Traditionally, professionals have viewed these individuals through the lens of the medical model and sought to ameliorate autistic traits by targeting eye contact, turn-taking, and pragmatic skills based on neurotypical norms. These practices are not neurodiversity affirming and lead to harmful masking and camouflaging behaviors which negatively impact autistic individual’s mental health and development (Alaghband-Rad ; Hajikarim-Hamedani & Motamed, 2023). About 30% of autistic children have augmentative and alternative (AAC) needs past age 5 (Tager-Flusberg, & Kasari, 2013). The range of AAC needs in our autistic clients will be discussed along with neurodiversity affirming strategies to support these individuals to meet their communication needs, develop their language skills, and form friendships.

Learning Outcomes: Participants will:
Describe three principles of Universal Design for Learning that can be applied to support Neurodivergent learners
Contrast Neurodiversity affirming practices with traditional medical model practices for supporting students on the Autism spectrum.
Discuss at least three ways some Autistic individuals may benefit from AAC.

Target Audience: Teachers PK-5, Teachers 6-8 Specialists (Arts, Music, PE)

Educators should feel empowered to know how to positively work with students in creating an environment in which challenging behavior is less likely to occur. With challenging behavior less likely to occur, educators will have more time, energy, and fun teaching actual content that they love.

Target Audience: Special Educators

Session will examine the connection between comprehension and writing including Scarborough's Reading Rope and Joan Sedita’s Writing Rope, examples of modifying and creating content from EL curriculum, and work time to practice modifying curriculum using AI (MagicSchool) and various online content (eg. Readworks,org). Outcome includes understanding connection between comp./writing and create/practice skills to modify content for students.