TA1: Evidence-Based Practices: What Are They And Why Are They Important?,
presented by Julie Dean (bio)
Julie Dean is the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Inclusion Specialist in Washington state, supporting the PreK Inclusion Champions Initiatives which include the Washington Pyramid Model (WAPM) coaching, training, and data coordinator network. Julie is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with extensive experience supporting students with disabilities, families, and educators with inclusive learning opportunities, MTSS implementation, and systems-level coaching.
, Department of Children, Youth & Families, with Valerie Arnold (bio)
Valerie Arnold, M.Ed. currently serves as the Strategic Innovations Administrator with the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers State Leadership Team under the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. She has 18 years of service in state government and 23 years of non-profit experience, all 41 years within the fields of early childhood and special education.
Laura is the Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator for Olympic ESD 114. Laura has more than 20 years of experience with early learning including special education, Head Start and ECEAP.
Laura is also a parent to 2 teenage boys, both with special needs. Her passion for inclusion and parent partnerships is also very personal, as it has been vital to the growth and educational success for her own children.
Gretchen Stahr Breunig works at OSPI Early Learning Elementary Education, Early Learning, Special Programs & Federal Accountability. Gretchen has served in a range of roles for non-governmental and public agencies to support the quality and affordability of early learning services for low-income children and families. She received her BA in International Relations at Stanford University with a focus on nutrition in developing nations and MPA at Columbia University with a focus on early learning and management. She is mom to two adult children and a daughter-in-law, and works from home in Seattle with her yellow Labrador, Izzie.
, OSPI
This session will focus on identifying evidence-based practice and related high-leverage practices to support responsive environments for children Birth-8. Presenters will use a variety of modalities to engage the audience to participate in session by encouraging caregivers to share their varying expertise with support to children, communities, and programs.
Age Group Addressed: Birth to Age 3, Birth through Age 5, Birth through Age 8, Age 3 through 5, Age 5 through 8
Who Should Attend: All
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to identify 3 specific evidence-based practices following this session.
2. Participants will be able to Identify (High-Leverage Practices) HLP across evidence-based Practices (EBPs) for early learners.
3. Participants will learn to utilize a self-assessment checklist (and related resources) for various age groups across multiple settings (e.g., home, community, classroom) to help support the implementation of evidence-based practices.
TA2: Overview of the DC:0-5 for Early Childhood Professionals,
presented by Jamie Elzea (bio)
Jamie Elzea, MSW, MPH, LICSW, IMH-E® is a clinician, professional development trainer and consultant at Nurtureways. She is endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Mentor and is a DC:0-5 Zero to Three Certified Trainer.
As the former Executive Director of the Washington Infant Mental Health Association she led the Prenatal through Five subgroup of the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Workgroup to enact Medicaid policy changes that better support developmentally appropriate assessment and diagnosis.
She is a champion for the Infant and Early Childhood workforce and loves supporting professionals in continued learning and growth.
, Nurtureways
The DC:0-5 (Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood) is the internationally accepted system for developmentally appropriate assessment of young children’s mental health. It uses developmentally specific diagnostic criteria that reflects mental health disorders that are typically diagnosed in infancy and early childhood. In Washington state, Medicaid mental health providers are now required to use the DC:0-5 as the diagnostic manual for mental health assessment for children younger than six. This presentation will provide participants with an overview of the background, approach, and content areas of DC:0-5™ and will support early childhood professionals in understanding the importance of developmentally appropriate diagnostic practices. **Note - participants will receive a certificate of completion for this session directly from the presenter at no additional charge. This is separate from the Official Certificate of Attendance provided by the conference.
Age Group Addressed: Birth to Age 3, Birth through Age 5, Age 3 through 5
Who Should Attend: Teachers, Administrators, Therapists, Healthcare Staff, Home Visitors, Family Resources Coordinators, Interested Professionals, Trainers, Adult Educators
Learning Objectives:
Understand the background and benefits of the diagnostic classification of mental health and developmental disorders of infancy and early childhood
Understand the importance of relational, developmental and contextual approach to diagnosis and diagnostic formulation.
Understand how to apply knowledge about developmentally appropriate diagnosis to practice, with a specific focus on referrals to and partnership with mental health treatment providers.
TP1: Learning to Learn for Special Populations; The Power of Visual Supports in Early Intervention Programs,
presented by Sharon Loudon (bio)
Sharon Grandy Loudon’s twenty-five-year long career has focused on working with students with autism from B-3 through age 21. She graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Special Education focusing specifically on Applied Behavior Analysis. She also received a degree in Child Psychology. Sharon has had the pleasure of presenting at a variety of venues including The Infant and Early Childhood Conference, The Annual Applied Behavioral Analysis Conference in Chicago, The 2015 WA State Music Teacher’s Convention, Early Intervention Summits, Autism Summer Institutes, The Annual Hippo Therapy Conference and at Kansas State University’s Early Learning Center.
, ESD 105
Participants will gain new skills on how to support young children in experiencing success moving through basic learning routines with the use of visual tools. Emphasis will be placed on looking at a child's unique developmental level to ensure that the visual tools being utilized are meaningful to the child as well as how to generalize visual supports from more structured learning environments into a child's home and community.
Age Group Addressed: All age groups
Who Should Attend: All
Learning Objectives:
Participates will be introduced to why visual supports are utilized in evidence based programs for all children. Information will be provided to explain the efficacy in using visual tools to promote success across all developmental skills from play to the development of academic skills.
Participants with learn the hierarchy of visual supports and how to select the correct tool based upon a child's unique developmental level. Creating meaningful visual supports will be emphasized throughout the training.
Participants will learn how to utilize visual supports to increase a child's success moving through daily routines, communicating their wants and needs, increasing independence and in creating motivation to move through less preferred tasks or activities.
TP2: ALL IN: Building a Supportive Community, One Family at a Time,
presented by Tracie Hoppis (bio)
Tracie Hoppis is the Manager of Washington State Parent to Parent- a network of 26 programs and 50 parent coordinators who are meeting the support needs of families raising children with developmental disabilities and/or special health care needs. Tracie lives in Yakima where she also works as the Manager of Family Support Services at Children's Village. Tracie is mom to three adult children, including Andy who experiences a developmental disability.
, Washington State Parent to Parent
Washington State Parent to Parent provides social, emotional and informational support to families raising children with developmental disabilities and/or special healthcare needs. Attend this session to learn more about the Parent to Parent Network, and hear directly from family members who have experienced the benefits of Parent to Parent support!
Age Group Addressed: All age groups
Who Should Attend: All
Learning Objectives:
Participants will learn about the Parent to Parent network- Mission, Vision and Values; and services provided.
Participants will be able to locate a Parent to Parent program either in, or nearby, their county of residence.
Participants will hear personal testimony from parents and family members who have experienced the value of Parent to Parent support.
TE1: Unlearning Ableism,
presented by Melissa McPheeters (bio)
Melissa McPheeters (they/them) is an autistic adult and has worked with people of all ages, most recently with young children and their families for Head Start. Melissa's platform, Rise to Resilience, is developed to provide trauma-responsive coaching and consulting services to educators, parents, and other caregivers. The National Head Start Association named Melissa a BOLD Game Changer of 2020, reflecting their courage and risk-taking solutions in response to COVID-19. Melissa has an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Trauma and Resilience and a BSW degree.
, Rise to Resilience
This session is designed to support participants' understanding of what ableism is, how it shows up in classroom settings, and how they can challenge ableism in their practices. We will explore such topics as TL Lewis' working definition of ableism and consider several models of disability. It is possible that participants may experience discomfort during or after the presentation as we learn how we have perpetuated ableism ourselves. Discomfort is a normal experience as part of growth and the (un)learning process. 1. Identify what ableism is 2. Explore how ableism manifests in the classroom and school settings 3. Determine how we challenge ableism in our practices
Age Group Addressed: Birth through Age 8
Who Should Attend: Parents, Foster Parents, Relative Care Givers, Teachers, Administrators, Therapists, Healthcare Staff, Home Visitors, Interested Professionals, Trainers, Adult Educators
TE2: Picky Eating and Other Special Considerations for Inclusive Group Mealtimes,
presented by Erica Yuen (bio)
Erica was born and raised in California. She attended Stanford University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Human Biology and Spanish. After graduating, Erica began her career in early education working as an in-home therapist for children with autism. She later moved to Washington to pursue her master’s degree in Special Education at the University of Washington. Since completing her master’s degree, Erica has had the opportunity develop programs to support learners of all ages in home, clinic, and school-based settings. Erica joined the IMPACT team in January 2020 and has enjoyed working with early learning community!
Jenn grew up in the Philippines where she completed her bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of the Philippines. She later moved to California to pursue higher education. She received her master’s degree and is currently completing her doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California. Her interests and work background are centered around pediatric sensory processing, as well as community integration for adults and adolescents with developmental disabilities. She is currently learning about inclusion in early learning programs. In her free time, she enjoys yoga and mountain biking.
, NWC Kids IMPACT
Group mealtimes in are an important opportunity to support healthy relationships with food, build independence with self-help skills, engage in meaningful conversations, and promote social inclusion. In this session, participants will learn how to navigate special considerations at mealtime, so that ALL children can fully participate. First, participants will examine strategies for supporting picky eaters and how to promote food exploration for all children. Next, participants will explore ways to create a culturally inclusive mealtime. Lastly, participants will learn strategies for promoting safety and inclusion for children with allergies and individual care plans at mealtime. Throughout the training, participants will get to explore case studies to help them build their tool kits for offering inclusive group mealtimes.
Age Group Addressed: Birth to Age 3, Birth through Age 5
Who Should Attend: Teachers, Administrators, Parents, Foster Parents, Relative Care Givers, Therapists, Interested Professionals, Students
Learning Objectives:
After discussing developmental reasons for selective eating habits, participants will analyze children’s eating patterns through a developmental lens and identify at least 2 strategies to support a developmental eating stage and to encourage food exploration
After discussing cultural differences between home and school mealtimes, participants will use a culturally responsive approach to collaborate with a family with differing home meal practices than the school setting.
After reviewing health and safety guidelines for group mealtimes, participants will analyze the needs of a child with special health care needs, and identify at least 2 strategies to maintain the child’s health and safety during an inclusive group mealtime.
