Archived newsletter — April 2023. This issue preserves historical information; events, contacts, and resources may have changed.
Storytelling is sometimes the only way to connect people with difficult concepts and facts and elicit appropriately strong emotions. We (the SIGnetwork) have learned the importance of telling individual stories about a person or a family, along with providing data that tell a larger story.
Storytelling comes in many forms, but perhaps one of the most meaningful is movies. The documentary Forget Me Not: Inclusion in the Classroom shares one family’s journey as they learn their son Emilio has Down Syndrome, receive Part C services that give them hope and help Emilio develop his abilities, then fight to have Emilio included with his peers in what they consider to be the most appropriate setting.
Judy Heumann (see the March Newsletter for further background on Judy), Tom Hehir, and Sue Swenson, all former OSERS and OSEP administrators are featured and describe why inclusion is important for all kids and what is still possible in the U.S. The documentary’s website provides a link to the SWIFT Center, which provides OSEP-funded technical assistance to States and local programs to help them improve their inclusion of children with disabilities. The documentary’s website also provides a summary of the evidence supporting inclusion.
If you have a chance to watch the documentary, please let us know. We’d love to brainstorm how SPDG efforts can further inclusion. We already have some ideas! And in the meantime, we pose the question, “What would Judy do?”
-Jennifer Coffey
News You Can Use
ICYMI: At our last Directors’ Webinar, Diana Mosha and Francisco Villegas of the Partnership for Los Angeles shared the coaching system they are developing and the vision it is based on. Greg Wertenberger shared UNEXPTECTED data that is driving engagement and action in Arkansas.
Attend: The OSEP Project Directors’ Conference is in person July 24th – 26th and attendance is required for all Project Directors. Please book your lodging today!
Prepare: The SPDG National Meeting will also be in-person in DC October 18th and 19th. Watch this space for more information.
New! OSERS’ Transition Initiative
SAVE THE DATE:
OSEP May 10th Kickoff Event:
Expect, Engage, Empower!
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is excited to announce an upcoming kickoff event for the transition initiative, Expect, Engage, Empower: Successful Transitions for All, virtually on May 10, 2023, from 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET!
The event is open to the public and your support in sharing this information is greatly appreciated.
Improving how we address transition services for youth with disabilities and their families is a critical need that will only be improved through prioritized and collaborative efforts. As young adults prepare to move from school to postsecondary education, community living, and competitive integrated employment, effective transition planning can help them become independent, productive adults. The Expect, Engage, Empower initiative is an opportunity to bring together various stakeholders to explore potential strategies and innovative approaches to address transition for children and youth with disabilities.
Additional updates will be be posted on OSEP’s Expect, Engage, Empower: Successful Transition for All homepage. We thank you in advance for your efforts toward this endeavor and look forward to you joining us.
If you have any questions, please contact the planning team at OSEP-EEE@air.org
Upcoming SIGnetwork Webinars & Learning Communities
Coaching and Communication continues!
Coaching: Dr. Genine Blue from TNTP will describe her research on coaching relationships and share other findings related to successful professional learning.
Communication: CONCRETE is the next SUCCESs principle we’ll dive into. Please be ready to share a difficult concept you have made concrete via a metaphor, simile, story, or example.
SPDG Success!
The Alabama SPDG supported implementation of Safe and Civil schools a positive behavior support program. 80% of SPDG schools implementing for three years saw a reduction in tardies and 78% saw a reduction in the number of chronic absences. 91% of parents were satisfied with their involvement in their child’s school following program implementation.
Improving Professional Learning
This Give-Get tool from SISEP can help simplify your expectations and agreements with professional development participants (think A(1) on your EB-PD worksheet 😊).
The current issue of The Learning Professional (Learning Forward’s journal) is free to the public thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A few highlights from this issue:
Coaching empowers teachers to lead for equity
Coaches in New York City middle schools build teachers’ leadership capacity to strengthen support and outcomes for historically marginalized students.
Teacher voice drives improvement in Baltimore
A literacy network that elevates teachers’ expertise and voices is making tangible differences in students’ learning.
Good ideas spread when schools learn from each other
When educator teams participate in “live cases,” they learn about what’s working in one another’s schools.
Family Engagement Done Well
Participatory Planning for Equity: This easy-to-use guide from the SEL Center at WestEd (supporting social-emotional learning) provides the steps to ensure families and students are engaged in large-scale efforts and describes how these actions can lead to success.
Spotlight on OSEP/TA
We are excited to share the WEGO-RIITE webinar recording is up on the Office of Educational Technology’s YouTube station! WEGO-RIITE is an OSEP-funded, technology-based graphic organizer with built-in evidence-based strategies that includes:
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) supports (e.g., audio comments, text-to-speech);
- Video models to introduce students to high quality essay parts with video guides and remediation activities;
- Instant data reports and data-driven decision-making materials for teachers; and
- Technology Integration Planning Cycle Model of PD and Professional Learning Communities.
Supporting Learner Health, Safety, and Wellness: Spotlighting Success in Michigan – SEL Center
Learn about districts successfully implementing social-emotional learning in this report from the SEL Center.
Tweets, Podcasts, & Videos of the Month
Podcast “Call Me Mister” on Practical Access with Drs. Lisa Dieker and Rebecca Hines. Call Me Mister™ prepares male African-Americans to be teachers and leaders through on-the-ground learning, mentorship, and in-depth coursework. It is now in 10 States and in this episode two Call Me Mister graduates describe why they went into teaching and what keeps them going.
Video How do you keep virtual team meetings fresh? Chad Littlefield has some ideas!
