What: Join us for this free webinar entitled "RTI Implementation: Developing Effective Schedules at the Elementary Level." One of the key components of an effective RTI model is the development of schedules that maximize the time, resources, and personnel available within a school. This webinar will address issues surrounding the development of effective schedules for the implementation of RTI at the elementary level. Scheduling of core instruction, intervention time, team meetings, and planning will all be addressed. Dr. Alexandra Hilt-Panahon and Dr. Karen Gischlar, our presenters for this webinar, both have experience working with schools to develop schedules at initial implementation of RTI as well as across time. Recommendations for efficient, effective, and sustainable schedules will be provided. What topics will be discussed? Issues related to the development of effective schedules for the implementation of RTI at the elementary level, including the scheduling of core instruction, intervention time, team meetings, and planning. Recommendations for efficient, effective, and sustainable schedules. Who will benefit from this Webinar? Teachers, administrators, and technical assistance providers seeking more information about developing effective schedules for the implementation of RTI at the elementary level.

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF)

The 6th Annual VSA Montana Cabaret When: Thursday, May 20, 2010 7:00 pm at MCT Theatre

Who Should Attend: • School Based Personnel • Physical Therapists • Psychologists • Occupational Therapists • Marriage & Family Therapists • Nurses • Educators • Counselors • Teacher Assistants • Speech Language Pathologists • Special Education Teachers • Social Workers This program is appropriate for all levels of knowledge regarding Asperger’s Syndrome, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and High-Functioning Autism. 

The Office of Public Instruction, Division of Special Education, is pleased to announce that the Speech Language Pathology Traineeship program is now accepting applications for the July 1-June 30 fiscal year.  The Speech-Language Pathology Traineeship was created to encourage and support individuals in pursuing a speech-language pathology license.  The OPI is now offering two separate traineeship stipends: $1,500 per year for up to three years for leveling coursework and $3,000 per year for up to three years for master's coursework

2010 State Summer Games, May 12-14, 2010 MSU – Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, Bozeman, Montana 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Click here to download the flyer (pdf) What: Join us in the second session of a new statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement.

What: The 4th annual National Brain Injury Employment Conference, Building Bridges, will bring together all the stakeholders in the brain injury and employment fields—survivors, veterans, family members and professionals—for an interactive and inspirational two days of learning and networking. “One of the biggest adjustments brain injury survivors make is often around employment. With support and retraining, survivors can open new doors to success,” said Conference Chair and Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer Nancy Freeman. Job hunters and professionals will discover useful tips on getting through school, accessing effective tools for employment and learning strategies for job seeking from nationally recognized experts. This conference will focus on finding purpose after brain injury and attendees will leave with insight into innovative employment strategies and have the opportunity to network with national professionals.

Click here to download the full flyer with registration information (pdf) What: Quantum Learning is a synergistic approach to the learning process, integrating best educational practices into a unified whole. It has been proven to increase student achievement as well as improve students’ attitudes toward learning. Quantum Learning for Teachers programs empower educators to create joyous, engaging and successful learning – turning their classrooms into optimal learning environments. Quantum Learning for Teachers is a professional development program for educators that provides a proven research-based approach to curriculum design and delivery. Each level is a one-day, six-hour workshop, which sets the stage for the next level and emphasizes fundamental competencies.

What: Training to develop leadership and advocacy skills   Who: For parents/caregivers of youth diagnosed with mental illness willing to use their new skills to advocate for children with mental health needs beyond the needs of their own child.  When: Starts: ~3:00pm, Friday June 11th till ~3:00pm Saturday 12th  Where: Fairmont Hot Springs by Anaconda  Why: There needs to be a parent/caregiver voice in the system of care for children’s mental health. Parents/caregivers that have been through the experience of raising a child with a mental illness are the experts in what treatments and services are effective for recovery. Therefore parents/caregivers are key to improvement of the SOC for mental illness. In order to get parent/caregiver voice into the system of care, a leadership and advocacy training will empower parents by giving them the tools and skills to be involved in the SOC. 

Who: For youth (grades 8‐12; ages 13‐17) diagnosed with mental illness; and for parents that have a child with mental illness What: Training/workshop to develop leadership and advocacy skills in the System of Care for Mental Illness and in the community When: Friday, June 11th‐ Saturday, June 12th 2010 Where: Fairmont Hot Springs Resort; Anaconda, MT

Response to intervention and special education are typically separate programs in schools, yet they are closely linked, both in methodology and practice. This webinar will explore what schools can do to better coordinate and, when practical, integrate the two. What are the potential roles of special education teachers in an RTI framework? How can student data be integrated and leveraged across intervention areas? What is the potential relationship between individualized education plans and RTI? How are special education classifications best made under RTI?

This summer, treat yourself to free professional learning!  Attend the Equity Alliance at ASU's webinar series to find a wealth of research-based tools and publications that you can access all year long to improve access, participation, and outcomes for ALL students.

Easter Seals-Goodwill is hosting a parent support group in the Billings area that is open to families who have a child with autism. Our goal is to provide opportunities for parents to meet, learn from and support one another and participate in discussions or presentations of interest to the group.

Indian Education for All Advocacy Institute When: June 13 - 15, 2010 Where: Hilton Garden Inn, 2520 14th Street SW Great Falls, Montana   Who should attend? Teachers, administrators, grant directors, librarians, Indian Education instructional coaches, post-secondary educators, Native language instructors…   … who have background knowledge about Indian Education for All, ... who enthusiastically integrate IEFA into their instructional practice, … who will be an IEFA resource for others in their building or district.

Free webinar – presented by the LRE Part B Community of Practice When: Friday, May 14, 2010 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Mountain What: Disproportionality and Inclusion in the Least Restrictive Environment In this webinar, the Executive Director of Iowa’s Parent Training and Information Center, ASK, will provide an overview of their efforts and outcomes and will share "lessons learned" on disproportionality and Inclusion in the Least Restrictive Environment.

Each year the Montana Office of Public Instruction distributes a parent survey to a portion of parents of children receiving special education services. Surveys will be sent by May 21, 2010 to the parents of children who attend those districts to be monitored in the 2010-2011 school year. A listing of these schools can be found at: http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/SpecED/Mon/10MarchMonitoringCycle.pdf.

Click here to download the full flyer for this event (PDF) Dr. Tony Attwood: World renowned Autism Spectrum expert - Clinical Psychologist Professor at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia - Founder and director of Minds and Heats: An Autism Clinic Missoula, MT - July 19, 2010 University of Montana University Center Ballroom 7:30 am - 4:30 pm Visit www.tonyattwood.com or www.fhautism.com to learn more. Tickets available at www.www.umt.edu/griztix

SEPTA will also be announcing its Top 5 Educators for 2009-2010 and distributing Teacher Appreciation Certificate to all Special Education teachers and supporting staff in the Bozeman area. The event for this school year is also a family event and will feature a bundle of fun on this special day which is now scheduled on: Saturday, May 22 from 12-2pm at Eagle Mount (6901 Goldenstein Lane off of S. 3rd in Bozeman) The deadline to send your Top 5 People in Special Education is May 5, 2010.   Send any questions to Anchila Monks - vp.membership@septamt.org

What: The High School Tiered Interventions Initiative (HSTII) is a collaborative effort among the National Center on Response to Intervention, the National High School Center, and the Center on Instruction that explores how RTI and tiered interventions are being implemented at the high school level. In this webinar, Dr. Kristen McMaster will provide an overview of Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM), including the purpose, a brief description of research, and a demonstration of how CBM data can be used to monitor student progress. She will briefly review CBM tools that are available for high schools in reading, mathematics, and the content areas, and provide instructions for developing CBM tools for use at the high school level. Following Dr. McMaster's presentation of CBM in high school, representatives from Walla Walla High School in Walla Walla, Washington, will discuss how they have monitored school progress as part of their tiered intervention model. This presentation is suitable for anyone interested in the researcher and practitioner perspectives of RTI and progress monitoring at the high school level.