Breakout Session 1: 11:00am – 12:00pm
- 1A: Enhancing Student Attendance: Strategies and Success Stories
- 1B: EdSight and Early Warning System
- 1C: Youth Advisory Board Panel (Inclusion & Belonging)
- 1D: The CT State Department of Education and the Office of Early Childhood Partnerships
- 1E: CT Educators and Leader Evaluation and Support Guidelines
- 1F: Meeting the Language Access Needs of Families of Dually Identified Students
- 1G: Get to Know Goalbook: Background, Context, and Research
- 1H: Effective Home/School Communication Strategies within the Special Education Process
- 1I: Trauma-informed Care Practices and the New School Climate Legislation
1A: Enhancing Student Attendance: Strategies and Success Stories
ROOM 11
Presenters: Caroline Calhoun, Ed Advance Consultant; Ann Marie Cordisco, SERC Consultant; Kari Sullivan, CSDE Consultant
Join the attendance team at the Back-to-School Conference for a workshop dedicated to improving student attendance. Learn the key ingredients of an effective attendance improvement strategy, discover the power of an all hands-on deck approach, and explore the success of the “School is Better with You” campaign. Equip yourself with practical strategies to boost attendance and foster a supportive school environment.
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1B: EdSight and Early Warning System
ROOM 15
Presenters: Dave Alexandro, CSDE Consultant; Heather Levitt Doucette, BSE General Supervision Project Manager; Stephanie O’Day, CSDE Consultant
The Performance Office and Bureau of Special Education will provide an overview of district and student level data within EdSight for special education administrators and educators. Participants will learn about student-level reports available in EdSight Secure, including the Student Summary and the Early Indication Tool (EIT, Connecticut’s early warning system [EWS]). The CSDE will provide a demonstration of current resources and the alignment between the district Annual Performance Report and EIT.
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1C: Youth Advisory Board Panel (Inclusion & Belonging)
ROOM 22
Presenters: Lois Eldridge, CPAC Youth Training and Leadership Coordinator; Youth Panelists
Members of the Youth Advisory Board will share their perspective on “belonging” in school and the community and their personal experiences throughout their educational journey. The Panel will also share current challenges as well as successful strategies and models to enhance inclusive programming within the school and community.
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1D: The CT State Department of Education and the Office of Early Childhood Partnerships
ROOM 16
Presenters: Nicole Cossette, Part C Coordinator; Renee Kleinman, BSE 619 Coordinator; Michelle Levy, OEC Education Consultant; Karen Pascale, Director, CT Head Start Collaboration Office
During this session, participants will be provided with an overview of the collaboration partnership between the CSDE and the OEC. This will include information related to the Birth to Three transition process, the statewide inclusion team and updates on the Early Childhood Outcome (ECO) data process including the field test for 2024-2025 as well as an overview of professional development opportunities for early childhood providers.
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1E: CT Educators and Leader Evaluation and Support Guidelines
ROOM 12
Presenters: Sharon Fuller, CDSE Consultant; Jessica Ocasio, CSDE Consultant; Ashley Quick, PCG and Jennifer Baribeau, PCG.
Participants in this session will learn about the new CT State Board of Education (SBE)-adopted CT Guidelines for Educator and Leader Evaluation and Support 2023 (CT Guidelines 2023). The SBE-adopted CT Leader and Educator Evaluation and Support Plans 2024 will be used as a reference. Participants will learn about the renewed focus on Professional Learning and the shift in mindset when developing professional learning goals. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the shift in mindset focused on leader and educator growth, and continuous learning to serve and support Connecticut students. With an understanding of the important shifts, participants will be better positioned to embark on the goal-setting process in the upcoming year.
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1F: Meeting the Language Access Needs of Families of Dually Identified Students
ROOM 14
Presenters: Maribel Olivero, CSDE Director of Equity and Languages; Megan Alubicki Flick, CSDE English Learner/Multilingual Learner Consultant; Jennifer Lussier, CPAC Partnership Programs Manager; Giovana Morales, CPAC Consultant
The IDEA includes the rights of parents to meaningfully participate in the IEP process and is an integral part of the planning for the provision of FAPE for the student. For English Learner/Multilingual Learner (EL/ML) parents, language access plays a critical role in their meaningful parental participation. This session will discuss: The Bill of Rights for English Learners and Multilingual Learners; the legal requirements for LEAs to provide language access under the IDEA and civil rights laws; strategies, resources, and best practices to ensure equitable language access, and special considerations regarding the identification and planning for students with disabilities who are dually identified as EL/ML students.
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1G: Get to Know Goalbook: Background, Context, and Research on Goalbook’s Efficacy and an Overview of Goalbook Toolkit
ROOM 25
Presenter: Jon Mitchell, Educator, Instructional Coach, and Goalbook Consultant.
In this session, participants will learn how Goalbook builds educator capacity to develop cohesive, high-quality IEPs and implement them with effective specially designed instruction. Additionally, participants will gain insight into Goalbook’s work supporting partners across CT.
Resources:
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1H: Effective Home/School Communication Strategies within the Special Education Process
ROOM 23
Moderator: Kirsten Dovenberg, CSDE Consultant
Panelists: Shirley Klein Assistant Superintendent, Special Education and Student Services Darien Public Schools; Scott McCarthy, Director of Special Education, Darien Public Schools; Christine Sipala, Director of Special Education and Pupil Services, Bethel Public Schools; Sally Ajello, Parent/Advocate; Andrew Feinstein Esq. and Andy Bellach Esq., Shipman and Goodwin
Within the special education process, the importance of establishing a trusting, positive relationships with families provides a strong foundation for student success. Additionally, maintaining consistent communication with parents is critical to ensure understanding of procedures, student progress and assisting parents in their meaningful participation in the planning and placement team process. During this session, participants will hear strategies and experiences from a panel of experts with diverse perspectives as well as their approaches to address common challenges related to Home/School Communications.
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1I: Trauma-informed Care Practices and the New School Climate Legislation
ROOM 17
Presenters: Jennifer Harris, Ed Advance Regional Trauma Coordinator; Tianna Hill, LEARN Regional Trauma Coordinator; Diana Perry, CREC Regional Trauma Coordinator; and Dana Bossio, CES Regional Trauma Coordinator
In this breakout session participants will explore the intersection between trauma-informed care practices and the new school climate legislation, including a breakout activity focused on restorative practices. Included in the conversation will be ways to use the Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Assessment (TIC-IA) in conjunction with more traditional school climate survey methods to guide action planning for schools. We will end with a brief overview of the outcomes from UPLIFT: A Trauma-Informed Care Training Program over the last year.
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