Handouts will be listed below for each forum/ session and will be noted as “required” or “supplemental” or “recommended”. Handouts will be posted before the Institute.
NOTE: Click once on a Handout link to open or download it (your browser may automatically download to your computer)
Download the 2019 Brochure
“I have been impressed with every aspect of the program and highly recommend this program for all educators and parents of children with special needs.”
TOPIC: “What Success Looks Like”
PRESENTER: Jennifer Sommerness (Director of Inclusive Schools at Kids Included Together (KIT); MN)
DESCRIPTION: In this keynote, Jennifer will share a lifetime of experiences and stories, highlighting the learning that has come from working with numerous teams to develop effective systems of supports for children with the most complex needs. This presentation will not only inspire, but provide specific tools and strategies that can be immediately implemented for any student, no matter how complex their learning or behavioral needs may be.
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
A. TOPIC: “What Success Looks Like in Action”
PRESENTER: Jennifer Sommerness (Director of Inclusive Schools at Kids Included Together (KIT); MN)
DESCRIPTION: In this forum, the presenter will educate participants about the magic that happens by establishing new standards of a three-pronged approach: Thinking, Talking, Writing and Acting in strength-based ways; writing a “Working IEP” which is educationally relevant and departs from the deficit-model of practice; and the creation and maintenance of truly collaborative teams. (Target Audience: All school levels; General & Special Educators; Related Service Providers; Guidance Counselors; Paraprofessionals; Transition Coordinators; Parents; Administrators)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
B. TOPIC: “AAC Devices – What’s Out There and How to Decide What Will Work Best”
PRESENTER: Jennifer Schubring (Speech/Language Pathologist; Green Bay)
DESCRIPTION: This forum will introduce a variety of AAC devices and discuss features to look for in a robust communication system. The pros and cons of various devices will be discussed and there will be devices on-hand for participants to try out. (Target Audience: All Grade Levels; General & Special Educators; Speech/Language Pathologists; Transition Coordinators; Parents)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
C. TOPIC: “Empower Students: Teaching Students About Their Brain”
PRESENTER: Katie Berg (ES3 State Coordinator)
DESCRIPTION: In this forum, participants will learn the importance of teaching basic brain function to students with neuro-diverse needs. Information about the amygdala hijack, the paths our brains get stuck in and our sensory processing systems will be shared. Participants will leave with strategies and resources to create their own lessons on how the brain works. (Target Audience: All Grade Levels; General & Special Educators; School Psychologists; Guidance Counselors)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
D. TOPIC: “Specially-Designed Instructional Strategies for Differentiation”
PRESENTERS: Tina Prahl & Rebecca Meyer (EC Special Educators; DC Everest Area School District)
DESCRIPTION: Presenters will provide ideas on specially-designed instructional strategies for differentiating and providing supports in a variety of settings for children in Early Childhood through Kindergarten. (Target Audience: Early Childhood Level Special Educators; Pre-K and K General Educators; Paraprofessionals)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
E. Team or Individual Planning Option
DESCRIPTION: This time may be used for individual or team planning. Institute staff is available to assist, if needed.
F. TOPIC: “Deliberate Design: Learning that is Accessible, Useable, and Beneficial to All”
PRESENTER: Jayne Bischoff (DPI Consultant; Madison)
DESCRIPTION: Universal Design for Learning is a framework that impacts how educators think about learning. The way a person thinks, impacts how they do things. With a UDL mindset, participants will learn and apply design principles to varied curriculum goals, with student personas that match those they serve. (Target Audience: Pre-K-12th Grade General & Special Educators; Paraprofessionals; School Psychologists; Administrators; Others who are interested in this topic are welcome)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
G. TOPIC: “Clueing In Non-Disabled Students to Help Include Students with Disabilities”
PRESENTERS: Carol Kline & Catherine Magnine (Administrator & Special Educator; Balsam Lake, WI)
DESCRIPTION: In this forum, The Unity School District staff will describe their process for decreasing bullying, increasing acceptance, promoting kindness and leveling the educational playing field for all students. Presenters will share a life story illustrating why students without disabilities need to be informed and understand their classmates with disabilities. (Target Audience: All Grade Levels; General & Special Educators; Transition Coordinators; Counselors; Parents; Administrators)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
H. TOPIC: “Designing Equity in Secondary Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities”
PRESENTERS: Lisa Brazelton & Monica Church (Special Educators; New Berlin School District)
DESCRIPTION: In this forum, presenters will share how they aligned the Wisconsin Standards with the Essential Elements Standards and DLM proficiency levels to create an aligned scope and sequence. This alignment provides access and participation in general education instruction for students with the most significant disabilities. This process clarified learning objectives and instructional strategies for all educators to provide students with high quality instruction. (Target Audience: Secondary General & Special Educators)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
I. TOPIC: “Creating Adaptations for Routines & Activities (CARA’s Kit)”
PRESENTER: Nancy Misfeldt (Early Childhood Support Consultant; CESA 7)
DESCRIPTION: CARA’s Kit helps educators make decisions in situations where there is a difference between what one would like to see happen and what is actually happening. Explore forms and tools that help guide those conversations between general educators and special educators as they collaborate to meet student needs. (Target Audience: Early Childhood Level; General & Special Educators)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
J. Team or Individual Planning Option
DESCRIPTION: This time may be used for individual or team planning. Institute staff is available to assist, if needed.
K. TOPIC: “Assistive & Inclusive Technology – Apps, Extensions and Sites to Include Everyone in Your Classroom”
FACILITATOR: Cassie Frost (Assistive Technology Specialist & Special Educator; Stevens Point Area School District)
DESCRIPTION: This forum will focus on tools that are easily used to provide access and ease of use for all students. The presentation will include: QR code activities, self-regulation apps, communication apps, AR apps, review apps and apps that provide text to speech. Bring your own device to explore the tools and leave with tools that you are ready to use with your students. (Target Audience: All School Levels; General & Special Educators; Related Service Providers; Guidance Counselors; Paraprofessionals; Parents)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
L. TOPIC: “Paraprofessionals as Partners”
PRESENTERS: Staci Gilpin & Dr. Amanda Zbacnik (Faculty; UW-Superior)
DESCRIPTION: This practical and participatory forum will focus on research-based best practices for collaborating with paraprofessionals in a variety of K-12 settings. Interactive activities include: Reflecting upon and finding solutions to typical challenges faced by paraprofessional, viewing sample paraprofessional schedules and drafting your own paraprofessional schedule, sharing experiences and brainstorming opportunities. (Target Audience: All School Levels; Paraprofessionals; General & Special Educators; Administrators)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
M. TOPIC: “Self-Determination and Building a Full Life in Your Community”
PRESENTER: Dan Krohn (Community Partnership Specialist for TMG-IRIS; Milwaukee)
DESCRIPTION: In this interactive forum, participants will learn about the key characteristics of Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) and they will practice community mapping techniques in building a full community for individuals with significant support needs. ABCD builds on the skills of local residents, the power of local associations, and the supportive functions of local institutions to build stronger and more sustainable communities that support all individuals. (Target Audience: Secondary Level; General & Special Educators; Transition Coordinators; Guidance Counselors; Parents)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
N. TOPIC: “Home Sweet Home: An Introduction to Home-Based Services”
PRESENTERS: Kally Jehn (EC Special Educator), Molly Lepak (Speech/Language Pathologist) & Dr. Sarah Edens (School Psychologist; DC Everest Area School District)
DESCRIPTION: This presentation is designed to explore one team’s journey through home-based services for children in Early Childhood Special Education. Presenters will address team instruction in specific areas including: Team planning and instruction; Efficiently integrating standards, curriculum and individual needs; Involving the family, and other home setting considerations. (Target Audience: Early Childhood Level Special Educators; Related Service Providers; Parents; EC/Elementary Administrators)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
TOPIC: “Limb, Laugh, Love”
PRESENTER: Jessie Benash (Social Worker, Self-Advocate & Educator; Milton, WI)
DESCRIPTION: Jessie will describe her early life as an outgoing 15 year old cheerleader who got in a motorcycle accident that left her with a disability. After that, she struggled to finish high school, due to both physical and mental health issues.
O. Team or Individual Planning Option
DESCRIPTION: This time may be used for individual or team planning. Institute staff is available to assist, if needed.
P. TOPIC: “Losing Control: Helping Students Get Back on Track”
PRESENTER: Jessie Benash (Social Worker, Self-Advocate & Educator; Milton, WI)
DESCRIPTION: In this forum, the presenter will focus on the differences between mental illness, trauma and other emotional challenges. Participants will learn de-escalation techniques and strategies to use and not use with students. (Target Audience: All school levels; General & Special Educators; School Psychologists; Guidance Counselors; Related Service Providers; Paraprofessionals; Parents; Administrators)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
Q. TOPIC: “All Behavior Communicate, BUT What is it Communicating?”
PRESENTERS: Victoria & Erika Schilling (Speech Pathologist for Plymouth School District & UWSP Student)
DESCRIPTION: Presenters will share a review of communication intent behind behaviors and share practical strategies for redirecting potential explosive behaviors. Presenters will provide video modeling, real life experiences and examples of strategies that have been researched and proven successful. (Target Audience: Elementary & Middle Levels; General & Special Educators; Related Service Providers; Paraprofessionals; Parents; Administrators)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
R. TOPIC: “All the World’s a Stage: Be the Director of Your Own Life! ”
PRESENTERS: Michele & Aubrie Westmaas (Parent & Self-Advocate, Pittsfield, IL)
DESCRIPTION: Join us to find out how you can lead students to direct their own lives! Use our strategies in your classroom to help students take charge of their future and build a team of supporters to help them reach their goals. (Target Audience: High School Levels; General & Special Educators; Transition Coordinators; Guidance Counselors; Parents)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
S. “Trauma Informed Care & Education and the Pyramid Model – Fostering Child & Family Resiliency for All Learners!”
PRESENTERS: Karen Russell (EC Support Teacher; CESA 2) & Julie Betchkal (EC Program Support; CESA 11)
DESCRIPTION: Through interactive activities, reflection & discussion, this forum will focus on key evidence-based practices promoted by the Pyramid Model. This model ensures the development of social and emotional competence and creates high quality inclusive environments for young children. (Target Audience: Early Childhood & Elementary General & Special Educators; Related Services Providers; EC/Elementary Administrators; Parents)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
T. Team or Individual Planning Option
DESCRIPTION: This time may be used for individual or team planning. Institute staff is available to assist, if needed.
U. TOPIC: “Fidget Make It & Take It Workshop”
PRESENTER: Katie Berg (ES3 State Coordinator)
DESCRIPTION: This forum will focus on making fidgets to take with you back to your educational setting. There is no cost to you, just your patience to learn how to create fidgets, such as sensory bottles, sensory mats, pencil topper fidgets, tangles and so on. Please be prepared to move from table to table to make different items. (Target Audience: K-12th Grade General & Special Educators; Paraprofessionals; Guidance Counselors; Related Service Providers; Parents)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
V. TOPIC: “’Intelligent Lives’ Film Viewing & Discussion”
FACILITATORS: Inclusion Institute Staff
DESCRIPTION: This film tells the story of three pioneering young adults with intellectual disabilities who strive to be included in high school, college, and the workforce, respectively. It also critically examines the role of intelligence testing and how the label of intellectual disability often leads to isolation. Yet, research has shown that, when done right, inclusive education leads to better results for both students with disabilities and those without. (Target Audience: All School Levels; General & Special Educators; Paraprofessionals; Administrators; Guidance Counselors; School Psychologists; Transition Coordinators; Related Service Providers)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time
W. TOPIC: “Early Childhood College & Career Ready IEPs and the Critical Role of Early Learning Standards”
PRESENTERS: Jenny Bibler (DPI Consultant) & Kurstin Kolodziej (EC Content Specialist; CESA 5)
DESCRIPTION: In this Interactive forum, participants will learn how to use early learning standards in IEP development, curriculum considerations, specially-designed instruction and on-going assessment, and then reflect on how to currently utilize standards in your work. (Target Audience: Early Childhood Level; General & Special Educators; Related Service Providers; EC/Elementary Administrators)
HANDOUTS: Not available at this time