1. Working with Schools: Positive Partnerships = Thriving Students June 26th, 2017
“The more healthy relationships a child has, the more likely he will be to recover from trauma and thrive. Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love.” -Dr. Bruce D. Perry
Hand out note cards for questions throughout the presentation.
Donna

2. Positive Educational Outcomes
The promise of education:
Relationships/Friendships
Voice/Self-Advocacy
School Stability
Academic and social growth and success
Safety – Emotional and Physical
Coping strategies learned, supported, enacted …
Audience give suggestions to add – use chart paper to record
Donna

3. Our work…
What challenges have you experienced in your work with schools?
Decide as a table group to identify one scenario to present in the whole group.
What questions need to be answered?
What strategies would you recommend?
Presenters go to the table group – don’t give all answers.
Timing: 5 minutes
Donna

4. Working together…
How do we facilitate relationships to work toward positive outcomes for an individual child so that they can thrive in their educational experience?
Child
Case Mangers and Service Providers
(Team)
School Staff and Administrators
Others who provide support
Family
Caregivers
Korie

5. Navigating School – Complexities
Student
Family
Understanding school structure
Access to information about education procedures
Understanding how to be a student within the current school culture
Match school offerings to child’s strengths and challenges
School staff and their roles
Understanding school structure
Access to information about education procedures
Understanding current school culture and expectations
Supports and Resources in the school community
How you can support student learning (child’s strengths and challenges, child’s needs within the school environment)
How you communicate with school staff
Korie:
What do students and families need to know to successfully navigate schools?
School configuration – hidden curriculum
Procedures: hours, website, family portal, parent involvement, reporting of absences, contacts
School staff and their roles – go to people and how they would support the child

6. How do you help… Develop trust
What to do?
Introduce yourself respectfully and explain role as a partner
Learn with whom to communicate
Respect authority of the administration and staff
What do you need from us to help better serve the child?
Gather and receive information
Listen and Learn
Make reasonable and appropriate recommendations as a partner
What not to do?
Make demands
Present yourself as the expert
Give too much information/not enough information
Talk more than listen
Devalue the information the school has
Korie:
Gather and receive information – schools are under confidentiality requirements

7. Things we need to know about the child?
This information can come from a variety of sources:
Strengths and challenges of the child
Educational History: school placement, eligibility, classroom configuration, current supports, interventions, and programming
Family/Caregiver
Current educational needs – school, caregiver, team
Present levels of performance: academic, social, emotional
How does the child learn best?
To whom does the child have a positive relationship?
Korie
More information becomes known as the case progresses and will need to be updated as the case continues.

8. What do we need to know about school?
Educators want to do the right thing
Laws, Policies, and Procedures school are required to follow:
Universal curriculum and supports for all children
Interventions – RTI, Multi-tiered Interventions
Functional Behavior Assessment – Behavior Intervention Plan
504
Special Education – An IEP is not a panacea for all challenges
Federal, state, and district assessments
Korie

9. Tiered Supports for Academics and Behavior
Mary Jo

10. Tiered Supports – Tier 1- all students receive this support.
What questions to ask?
Universal curriculum
Universal assessments
Universal school and classroom expectations
Has the child had an adequate opportunity to learn – attendance, number of schools, discipline
Classroom ratio – teacher and student
Other supports in school or classroom
Mary Jo

11. Tiered Supports-Tier 2 Supports What questions to ask?
Small group instruction
School based therapy
Small group counseling
School or classroom small group tutoring
Title 1 supports
Differentiated support
Social/Emotional Learning Support
Individualized Behavior Supports
Is the student experiencing academic, social, or behavioral challenges?
What are current supports in place to address challenges?
What assessments indicate specific challenges – academically, socially, behaviorally?
Mary Jo

12. Tiered Supports – Tier 3 Supports What questions to ask?
Functional Behavior Assessment
Individual Behavior Intervention Plan
Intense instructional groups for individual or small group instruction
Intense, focused data collection and monitoring
Increased counseling
504 Plan
Consideration for Special Education Evaluation
What data supports the need for intensive supports?
How did the student respond to the interventions in Tier 2?
How long were the interventions in place in Tier 2?
What does the student need?
How will the educational plan be adjusted as additional information is obtained?
Mary Jo

13. Our work… Rethinking scenario
After this presentation, what would you add to the questions that need to be asked or strategies to recommend or implement?
Share with the group
Donna

14. What are your questions?
Donna
Be sure and turn in the questions on your notecards.

15. Resources:
Navigating the Course - navigating-course-2017.pdf
Article 7 -
– Access to many articles and resources for parents and professionals including the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children
RTI Action Network –
Educational Liaisons
Kay Christensen –
Korie Bowers –
Leah Ward –
Mary Jo Dare –
Donna Walker –
Donna