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Description: This Rubric - HLP 16 is a tool that can be used during teacher observations to provide meaningful feedback to teachers about areas of strength and growth as they implement specific HLPs (High Leverage Practices). Instructional coaches, administrators, and collaborative learning teams can use the rubrics for ongoing professional development and teacher support. Each HLP rubric identifies essential components of each HLP and the teacher behaviors that facilitate HLP implementation....
Description: This Rubric - HLP 7 is a tool that can be used during teacher observations to provide meaningful feedback to teachers about areas of strength and growth as they implement specific HLPs (High Leverage Practices). Instructional coaches, administrators, and collaborative learning teams can use the rubrics for ongoing professional development and teacher support. Each HLP rubric identifies essential components of each HLP and the teacher behaviors that facilitate HLP implementation....
Description: This Rubric - HLP 8 is a tool that can be used during teacher observations to provide meaningful feedback to teachers about areas of strength and growth as they implement specific HLPs (High Leverage Practices). Instructional coaches, administrators, and collaborative learning teams can use the rubrics for ongoing professional development and teacher support. Each HLP rubric identifies essential components of each HLP and the teacher behaviors that facilitate HLP implementation....
Description: The Mathematics Standards of Learning identify essential academic content at each grade level for sequential learning. The content of the mathematics standards supports the following five goals for students: becoming mathematical problem solvers, communicating mathematically, reasoning mathematically, making mathematical connections and using mathematical representations to model and interpret practical situations. Note: The 2023 Mathematics Standards of Learning were approved by the...
Description: Virginia Higher Education Accessibility Partners, or VHEAP, a member-driven organization was established in 2018 to promote collaboration and partnership between accessibility-focused professionals throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Looking at accessibility from a holistic perspective, events and resources supported and offered by VHEAP are broad, encouraging collaborative solutions. Our focus is on offering shared opportunities for those who are tasked with improving access to...
Description: The Center for Literacy & Disability Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill has developed a variety of “alternative pencils” for students with the most significant disabilities, including deaf-blindness. All the alternative “pencils” have been designed for students who are unable to hold a traditional pencil or physically manipulate a keyboard. Instead, the alternative pencils tap into students’ other developing abilities. For example, the alphabet eye gaze frame may be...
Description: A standards-based Individualized Education Program (IEP) describes a process in which the IEP team has incorporated state content standards in its development. The IEP is directly linked to and framed by Virginia’s course content Standards of Learning (SOL) for the grade in which the student is enrolled or will be enrolled. The components are the same as the traditional IEP. It should be noted that in a standards-based IEP, the PLOP and some or all of the annual goals are...
Description: This guide will provide school leaders with research-based knowledge and resources related to language access, qualifications of interpreters and translators, and sustainable options to ensure equity in communication.
Description: Mental Health Virginia (MHV) is a partner with other agencies providing a peer-run warm line specifically for those struggling with addiction in the Richmond area, their loved ones, and others to talk with trained individuals who have lived experience in addiction recovery. This Warm Line, part of the Alive RVA program, is open 7 days/week, 8 AM – Midnight. The addiction recovery line supports MHV’s statewide peer-run warm line by specializing in recovery from opioids and other...
Description: This webinar was sponsored by NTACT. Nellie Aspel, NC, Jennifer Williams, Fran Ennis, and Crissie Parks, AR, provided information about implementation of CIRCLES (Communicating Interagency Relationships and Collaborative Linkages for Exceptional Students) in their own region/school district. You will learn about the program, how to get started, as well as sustainability.
Description: Centers for Independent Living, often referred to as "CILs", are non-residential places of action and coalition designed and operated by people with disabilities. CILs work with individuals to promote leadership and independence as well as with local communities to remove barriers to independence. In Virginia, most CILs serve a planning district comprised of several counties. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) provide services to individuals with significant disabilities as well as to the...
Description: In episode 101 of Classroom Conversations, Hall County teachers Jessica Mobley and Kerri Thomas join the podcast to talk about how they create a positive climate in their elementary classroom. Their discussion with host Ashley Mengwasser includes real stories from their classroom and effective strategies they use to create that positive environment.
Description: Special education teacher shortages have existed for decades. Unfortunately, the urgent need for short-term solutions to fill vacancies often works in opposition to long-term, systemic efforts to create an effective teacher workforce. The Educator Shortages in Special Education Toolkit is organized around the guiding principle that short-term strategies to meet immediate demand must be intentionally paired with long-term, systemic strategies to attract, prepare, and retain effective special...
Description: The recordings include the opening, closing and concurrent sessions for: Day 1- Building Multi-Tiered Systems on a Foundation of Equity, Day 2- Ensuring Inclusive Practices for Students with Disabilities and Day 3- Effective Instruction Based in the Science of Reading. On Day 3, Dr. Sylvia Linan-Thompson models how to infuse language rich activities to promote literacy.
Description: Pathways to Community Life is a seven-session course that will assist educators with understanding the importance of preparing students for independent living and community participation after graduation. The Supports & Partnerships course provides information about services supports, and resources available to students with disabilities. Note: You must create a free account to access these courses.
Description: The webinar will address how remote supports can provide the needed safety and opportunities for independence and self-determination for people with disabilities. SafeinHome Remote Support Staff is available 24/7 providing a consistent and responsive environment that encourages decision-making and learning. This person-centered remote support system can provide privacy, safety, guidance, wellness check-ins and more. The following are some of the many solutions SafeinHome successfully supports:...
Description: This webinar provides information on how to submit a referral for housing, the Housing Action Plan, and how to work with a Support Coordinator to get help. Jeannie Cummins, Senior Regional Housing Coordinator with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and Blaire Lee of the Loudoun County Community Services Board (CSB) review the Housing Referral process. This is the process for referring someone with a developmental disability to independent housing...
Description: This information is for school professionals who may teach or provide therapy, counseling, and/or other services to children with disabilities. It outlines the kinds of evidence that the Social Security Administration (SSA) needs to determine disability for a child under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The SSI program can provide valuable monthly cash payments to children who are disabled under SSA rules and whose families have little income or resources. Determining...
Description: Intensive Intervention in Mathematics Course Content NCII, through a collaboration with the University of Connecticut and the National Center on Leadership in Intensive Intervention and with support from the CEEDAR Center, developed course content focused on enhancing educators’ skills in intensive mathematics intervention. The course includes eight modules that can support faculty and professional development providers with instructing pre-service and in-service educators who are learning...
Description: The average teenager spends nearly 40 hours a week on social media. The popularity of social media and increased student access to the internet has led to some dangerous trends wherein youth try to complete a variety of online challenges. Students are frequently exposed to these challenges via their phones and other electronic devices and watching these challenges can become extremely addictive. These trends have emerged on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Reports of "TikTok Challenges"...
Description: In this video, Arlington Public Schools AAC Implementation Coaches Brittany Thomas and Erin Tokajer, and Arlington parents Janna Dressel, Brandi Horton and Cecilia Kline, share strategies on supporting AAC use in the home setting.
Description: This Virtual Calming Room is a place for students, families and staff to find tools and strategies for managing emotions and feelings and building our resilience. This site includes: Sounds and Music Guided Meditations Visual Relaxation Support Yoga Live Animal Cameras Coloring & Creativity Mindfulness Exercise Smartphone Apps Puzzles & Games SCUSD Resources
Description: Try some or all of these practices to experience a greater sense of well-being and resilience. Mindful Breathing for Adults Brief Body Scan Self-Compassion Break for Adults Loving-Kindness for Adults How Would You Treat a Friend? And more . . .
Description: K-12 Staff Well-Being Check-In Toolkit - Download this toolkit and learn how to better support your district's employees by: Understanding the state of teacher and staff mental health Monitoring employee well-being Increasing employees’ sense of purpose Providing tiered support
Description: This project was developed as part of a grant funded by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center for The Arc of NoVA to create short videos with information on interactions between people with disabilities and the justice system. Each of these videos are designed to empower people with disabilities, educate them on what to expect, and let them know about options and accommodations they may request.
Description: What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Mindfulness is a quality that every human being already possesses, it’s not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it. The Types of Mindfulness Practice While mindfulness is innate, it can be cultivated through proven techniques. Here are some...
Description: Certain students in kindergarten through grade 3; reading intervention services. Requires reading intervention services for students in kindergarten through grade three who demonstrate deficiencies based on their individual performance on the Standards of Learning reading test or any reading diagnostic test that meets criteria established by the Department of Education to be evidence-based, including services that are grounded in the science of reading, and include explicit, systematic,...
Description: Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals - The Institute offers Family Support Professionals everywhere the opportunity to learn new skills and grow their careers. Through engaging, online modules and a personalized learning map feature, professionals take charge of their growth and advancement.
Description: One powerful mindfulness practice for noticing and meeting your needs is called “Knowing Your S.T.U.F.” This is an acronym that helps one notice four elements of emotions and move into constructive problem-solving. Taught by Psychologist Joel Minden, S.T.U.F. stands for Sensations, Thoughts, Urges, and Feelings. When you take a few minutes to step back and acknowledge these levels of your emotional experience in the present moment, you engage the executive brain and naturally develop...
Description: Promoting Staff Well-being includes: Staff Wellness Staff Mental Health Staff Physical Health Adult Immunizations
Description: Self-care and the Four R's of Resilience - One helpful way to practice Self-Awareness Self-Care is to nurture a regular habit of checking in with yourself around The Four R’s of Resilience: Rest, Relaxation, Replenishment, and Release. These categories speak to four foundational pillars of personal wellness relating to sleep, stress relief, diet, and exercise. Positive outcomes are boosted when we intentionally foster these areas in our lives either individually or by buddying up or...
Description: Practicing Self-Care and Professionalism People who take care of others often put their own needs last. Does that sound familiar? Caring for yourself is important for your health and wellness, and it is directly related to your ability to care for others and succeed at work. Although you can’t avoid all stress, too much stress can make it hard to provide care for others, especially infants and toddlers who depend on your physical and emotional availability. Taking care of yourself...
Description: Brief 2. Caring for Ourselves as We Care for Others - We need to take care of ourselves when we work with people who have experienced trauma. The effects of those experiences on them can affect us, too. They can cause us to experience vicarious trauma. They can also bring back—or trigger—the effects of trauma that we may have experienced in our own lives.
Description: The purpose of this document is to assist Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Eligibility teams, including parents, as they engage in evaluation, eligibility determinations, and decisions regarding the need for related services. This guidance is an addendum to the Virginia Department of Education’s Evaluation and Eligibility For Special Education and Related Services: Guidance Document and Guidance on Evaluation and Eligibility for the Special Education Process Appendix A (Sample...
Description: The Virginia Public Schools Behavior Analyst Network (VAPSBAN), provided by Old Dominion University and the Virginia Department of Education, provides on-going support for behavior analysts who work in public schools and promotes the growth of behavior analysis in public schools. The network is a collaborative effort with the Virginia Training and Technical Assistance Centers (T/TACs), Virginia Commonwealth University Autism Center for Education (VCU-ACE), and Virginia's public school divisions....
Description: Intensifying Literacy Instruction: Essential Practices - The purpose of this document is to increase the capacity of practitioners and educational leaders to support a broad range of learners who need more literacy supports to become skilled readers and writers by identifying a set of essential practices that are research supported and should be the focus of professional development throughout the state. These practices for intensifying literacy instruction apply to those learners with...
Description: Self-regulated learning (SRL) is the learning and motivation processes behind the capability of an individual to be an active participant in self-directing themselves mentally towards a goal, or a completion of a task through metacognitive, motivational, and behavioral strategies (Zimmerman, 1999; Zimmerman & Schunk, 2001). In Zimmerman’s Cyclical model of self-regulation (1999), there are three phases that when followed as a process can help support SRL: forethought, performance, and...
Description: NASET’s Behavior Management Series is a unique guide for all teachers in helping to understand what their student’s behavior really means and how to identify and resolve the issue. This series offers teachers the insight into the inner dynamics, conflicts, fears, symptoms, tension, and so on of students who may be experiencing difficulty learning or behaving in the classroom. This series is like having a psychologist in the classroom, and assists teachers in fully...
Description: What is Behavior? Behavior serves two purposes: (1) to get something or (2) to avoid something. All behavior is learned. Behavior is an action that is observable and measurable. Behavior is observable. It is what we see or hear, such as a student sitting down, standing up, speaking, whispering, yelling, or writing. Behavior is not what a student is feeling, but rather how the student expresses the feeling. For example, a student may show anger by making a face, yelling, crossing his arms, and...
Description: Discover these "kernels" - simple, quick, and reliable ways to deal with behavior challenges. 1. Nonverbal Cues: A teacher can use subtle body movements (like proximity) or more explicit hand signals to cue self-regulation. One popular cue involves moving to the front of the room and making eye contact with the high schooler who is acting out, then pausing until you have the individual’s attention. Younger students are less familiar with social cues and might require a verbal signal to...
Description: Classroom Behavior Management (Part 1): Key Concepts and Foundational Practices This module overviews the effects of disruptive behaviors as well as important key concepts and foundational practices related to effective classroom behavior management, including cultural influences on behavior, the creation of positive climates and structured classrooms, and much more (est. completion time: 2 hours). Note: This resource replaces an earlier version of this module. Classroom Behavior Management...
Description: Classroom and Behavior Management - These tools and practices involve multiple levels of interventions, including schoolwide, classwide, small-group, and individual behavioral supports. As participants gain knowledge about how to use these tools and practices effectively, they will become proficient in using behavioral data to guide intervention decisions, matching the behavioral intervention to the function of behavior and the intensity of a student’s needs. The CEM guides participants in...
Description: The purpose of this document is to summarize evidence-based, positive, proactive, and responsive classroom behavior intervention and support strategies for teachers. These strategies should be used classroom-wide, intensified to support small group instruction, or amplified further for individual students. These tools can help teachers capitalize on instructional time and decrease disruptions, which is crucial as schools are held to greater academic and social accountability measures for all...
Description: Children who have experienced trauma may find it more difficult to regulate their emotions and behaviours than other children. Understanding the impact trauma can have on brain development can help inform practical responses to these children’s needs. This short article describes how practitioners can use strategies that help calm children’s bodies in order to help calm their minds and emotions – specifically, the Regulate–Relate–Reason approach.
Description: School Mental Health Resource & Training Center - This site provides some helpful resources to support schools to integrate mental health instruction into K-12 health education and to support a more comprehensive plan for increasing mental health literacy across the entire school community.
Description: Among children with combined vision and hearing loss (deafblindness), cortical visual impairment (CVI) is the most common condition of visual impairment. This session of CVI for the TVI and Other Professionals will focus on the unique implications of cortical visual impairment among children and youth with combined vision and hearing loss, with a major focus on applying best practices from the field of deafblindness to the unique identification, assessment, and intervention needs of...
Description: This self-paced tutorial has been developed for parents and professionals who are just beginning to learn about CVI. In this tutorial you will view interviews with parents, engage in web searches to expand your resources, and view presentations related to each module’s topic. Along the way, you will build an individualized action plan for your child to address Diagnosis Assessment Intervention Teamwork / collaboration IEP Development Advocacy This workshop is available in an...
Description: This resource highlights seven key challenges to providing school- or program-based mental health support across early childhood, K–12 schools, and higher education settings, and presents seven corresponding recommendations. The appendix provides additional useful information, including (a) numerous examples corresponding to the recommendations highlighting implementation efforts throughout the country; (b) a list of federal resource centers;...
Description: The Infant Mental Health (IMH) CoP focuses on building capacity for professionals around IMH topics, increasing knowledge of IMH topics within local communities (including parents), supporting higher education in providing accessible courses and/or certification related to IMH, increasing awareness of and advocating for IMH within local/state agencies, and exploring funding opportunities for IMH activities. We encourage DEC membership, but anyone can join regardless of membership status....
Description: A significant number of children experience trauma, and the effects can be profound. It is imperative, therefore, that early childhood settings be safe, trauma-sensitive spaces where teachers support children in creating positive self-identities. A foundation in trauma research and response can help educators optimally support all children— including those whose traumas have been documented, those whose traumas have not been formally recognized, and those who might be affected by their...