Grant Wood Area Education Agency

1. Grant Wood Area Education Agency Autism Resource Team

2. Autism Core Team • Kelly Trier, Autism Consultant • Michelle Sunner, Autism Consultant • Liz Delsandro, Autism Consultant • Lindsay Stangeland, Behavior Analyst • Karen Easton, Intensive Behavior Therapy Specialist Birth- 3 • Janel Lesan, Regional Administrator

3. Kelly Trier • The “Godfather” of the team. • Background in speech-language pathology • Married, mother of 2 teenage boys

4. Cedar Rapids Catholic Garfield Harding Tanager Place Taylor Van Buren Viola Gibson Wright Jefferson Kennedy Monroe Roosevelt Private Schools Daycares Preschools SEAD AWARE Focus Life skills and AWARE Central Region Linn Mar Marion Kelly Trier

5. Michelle Sunner • The best looking of the bunch (calendar girl!) • Background in teaching • Behavior Disorders • Multicat special education • Autism/Asperger's • Married, mother of 2 year old

6. Cedar Rapids AEC Arthur Cleveland Coolidge Erskine Franklin Viola Gibson Grant Wood Harding Harrison Hiawatha Hoover Jackson Johnson Kennedy Madison McKinley Nixon Pierce Polk Christian Taft Truman Washington Wilson Northwest Region Benton Vinton-Shellsburg Center Point-Urbana North Linn Alburnett Central City Northeast Region Springville Anamosa Monticello Michelle Sunner

7. Liz Delsandro • The Queen of visuals and snack dealer • Background in speech-language pathology • Married to Chris • Budding author

8. Iowa City Region Iowa City Lone Tree Central Region Solon Northeast Region West Branch Tipton North Cedar Mt. Vernon Lisbon Olin Midland Liz Delsandro

9. Lindsay Stangeland • The Behavior Junky – she’s analyzing everything you do. If you don’t believe us ask to see her data. • Background in teaching • early childhood special education • Proud owner of Louie • Lover of Guns N Roses

10. Southwest Region Belle Plaine HLV Iowa Valley Williamsburg Deep River-Millersburg Clear Creek Amana English Valleys Mid-Prairie Highland Washington Central Region College Community Agency Wide Behavior Analyst Lindsay Stangeland

11. Karen Easton • The Program Writer • A regular at the Toy Distribution Center • Background in speech-language pathology and discrete trial • Married, mother of 3 little ones

12. Agency Wide Birth-3 Home Intervention Programs Karen Easton

13. Janel Lesan • The top dog • Interested in getting all of her autism core team a large raise with more vacation • A great leader – gets the job done with lots of laughter • Married, mother of 2 teenagers

14. Services Provided • Agency inservices • On-site inservices • Team consultation • Student observation • Attend IEP meetings • Conduct a functional analysis • Educate peers on autism • Early Access • Variety of other services to help support individuals on the autism spectrum and the staff working with them

15. Agency Inservices • The CORE team teaches classes through Grant Wood to help educators, support staff, community members, and families learn more about autism and strategies that help.

16. Agency Inservices • Structured Teaching in the TEACCH Model (3 day) • Structured Teaching in the TEACCH Model: Socialization and Communication ( 2 day follow-up) • Visual Supports for Students with Autism (5 night classes) • Data Tools For ASD Strategies (1 day) • Solving Behavioral Issues in Autism (1 day) • Fundamentals of Applied Behavior Analysis ( 1 day) • Coming Soon…Cognitive Strategies for High Functioning Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome

17. Structured Teaching in the TEACCH Model • Kelly and Michelle have trained with UNC • Research based strategy that is recognized around the world • GWAEA has permission to provide training using an adaptation of their material only within our AEA • There has always been a waiting list • All registration goes through Tammy Carolan in Professional Development • Emergency Criteria is in place to assist with certain situations

18. TEACCH Registration Process • Call Tammy Carolan 399-6771 • Person will be put on the waiting list • Each class has 21 spots that will be filled starting at the top of the list • Cedar Rapids employees request the class through Jane Breitwisch • Iowa City employees request the class through Cheryl Kiburz • College Community employees request the class through Sandy Merritt • All other individuals need to call Tammy directly. They should have administrative approval prior to calling Tammy.

19. TEACCH Emergency Criteria • Brand new teacher in an autism program • Staff working with a student who is hurting staff, other students, or self on a regular basis • Parents in crisis (child is hurting self or family members, has safety concerns -running away from home) • Safety concerns for student (ex: leaving building) • Autism Core Team discretion

20. District Inservices • Each district in Grant Wood has a member of the autism core team assigned to their district. • This individual can work with district and IEP teams to cater a small inservice to meet the individual needs of the district/team. • These inservices are typically 1-3 hours. However, this time can be adjusted to meet the needs of the school.

21. District Inservices • Topics covered during these inservices include: • Characteristics of autism • Behavior management • Research based strategies • The topic can be individualized for each situation. • To schedule an on-site inservice please contact the autism core team member assigned to that district.

22. Consultation Support • In certain situations, the district and Grant Wood building team members may feel additional support is needed for a student on the autism spectrum. • A time can be scheduled for an autism consultant to meet with the team to discuss problem situations, strategies, and resources that may help. • To schedule consultation support contact the autism core team member assigned to that district.

23. Student Observation • Observations can be done by an autism consultant with parental permission (verbal or written). • These observations are viewed as an “informal” process that will assist the team with recommended strategies. • Observations are not used to provide a diagnosis. • Parents and teams seeking a diagnosis will need to utilize outside services.

24. Functional Analysis • In rare situations, once all other options are explored, the autism consultant may suggest conducting a functional analysis by the team’s behavior analyst to help determine the function of a student’s behavior. • This is a formal process that requires an FIE signed by parents and is coordinated with the autism contact for the district. • A functional analysis is usually 2 hours in length. This assessment typically requires that a few different 5-minute situations will be probed in random order. • This is done to see which environmental condition will evoke the largest and the smallest amounts of problem behavior.

25. Peer Education • It is the belief of our team that education is key in helping individuals with autism. • Educating the peers helps build understanding and shows the peers what they can do to help a child with autism learn how to be a better friend. • Our team can either talk with the students or help the teacher locate resources to lead this discussion. • Peer training should only be done with the consent of the parents.

26. Early Access • Referral made for Autism Support from Early Access Team • Observation/Screening for ASD • Consultation to families and staff • Training families and staff • Direct service to children using research based interventions • Para-educator support • Attend IFSP meetings

27. Additional Services • Our team is more than willing to help individual buildings meet their needs. • Once a need is identified we will help in finding ways to support the building.

28. Process for Accessing Autism Support • A student and/or classroom need is identified. • The need is discussed at the building level through the building team. • Resources and/or assistance are explored through building staff and/or building assigned GWAEA staff. • If additional assistance is needed, a member of the building team (e.g., GWAEA staff) contacts a member of the GWAEA Autism Core Team for support. • If support related to an individual student is requested, written or verbal permission from the family is needed prior to an observation or visit.

29. Thank you!! • Thank you for advocating for the higher salary and added vacation time. • We all enjoy sweet treats! • Thank you for helping us get an extra consultant this school year!