The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

On February 12, and again on February 19, Regions I and II of the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) will be offering a free virtual training for parents, general and special educators, paraprofessionals, agency personnel, and others who work with children and students. The training, entitled Social/Emotional Learning & Positive Behaviors in Early Learner Settings, will be presented by Dr. Maggie Schulze. Registrations will be accepted through February 10, provided that the workshop doesn’t reach its maximum.

This two-part training will cover the why and what of the Response to Intervention (RTI) Pyramid Model, a conceptual framework of evidence-based practices to promote positive behavior in early learning settings. Dr. Schulze will explain how to implement the framework so as to prevent challenging behaviors.

RTI is a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of children with learning and behavior needs. The RTI process begins with high-quality instruction and universal screening of all children in the general education classroom or learning setting. A multi-tier approach is used to efficiently differentiate instruction for all students. The Model incorporates increasing intensities of instruction by offering specific, research-based interventions matched to student needs. Though there is no single, thoroughly researched and widely practiced “model” of the RTI process, it is generally defined as a three-tier (or three-step) model of school supports that uses research-based academic and/or behavioral interventions.

The core work in the Model focuses on building adults’ skills so that they can support children’s healthy social and emotional development. This is done through strengthening relationships and directly teaching emotional literacy, self-regulation, listening, friendship skills, and basic problem solving. The Model addresses how and when to identify and provide for children who may need individualized supports. Strategies for incorporating family voice and participation, a critical piece of early learning collaboration, will also be discussed.

The workshop presenter possesses diverse and extensive experience in the education and mental health fields. Dr. Schulze has worked in the field of education for 20 years in settings that include residential treatment facilities, inpatient psychiatry, and public schools, with a focus on preventing and managing challenging behavior for students with a range of needs. Dr. Schulze earned her doctorate in special education at the University of Washington, where she continues to mentor and teach special education pre-service teachers.

As a consultant, Dr. Schulze supports school teams in creating sustainable and function-based support plans for students with challenging behaviors. She has experience with many districts and schools in creating and maintaining frameworks that allow for implementation of evidence-based practices for students at each tier, including program evaluations for students with the most intensive needs.

Interested persons can register for this two-day training by going online to http://www.blueponyk12.com where they will click on the CSPD icon and then on the hyperlink that reads: Register Here For Upcoming CSPD Training Events!

Questions can be directed to Region II CSPD Coordinator, Aileen Couch by calling (406) 395-8550 ext. 6714 or emailing cspd@blueponyk12.com. As a professional courtesy, Couch asks that anyone needing to cancel a registration to please contact her office.

Six OPI renewal units are available for this training, which will begin with sign-in at 8:00 a.m. and conclude at 11:30 a.m. on both days