Understanding How Specialists and Coaches Support District 62 Students December 17, 2018
Behavioral Specialist
Behavioral Specialist: Overview of Role The District 62 Behavioral Specialist, Allie Brand, holds her LBS1 (Licensed Behavior Specialist) certificate. She worked as a special education teacher for 10 years serving severely emotionally and behaviorally challenged students. In District 62, Allie works with administrators, building teams, and classroom teachers to model strategies, consult, co-plan, and co-teach. Specifically, Allie: ● advises on behavioral interventions designed for students with challenging behavior, ● provides training and professional development on research-based behavioral and instructional practices, and ● engages teams in data-driven decision making.
Behavioral Specialist: Focus for 2018-2019 The following are priority areas for the Behavioral Specialist role in 2018-2019: ● Providing program support to ensure consistency in behavioral expectations and common language for students in special education classrooms. ● Observing gen ed students, collecting data and providing feedback on individuals who have been identified through the problem solving process. ● Working with teams to design, implement, and monitor progress of behavioral interventions for students with challenging behaviors. ● Providing strategies, supports and professional development to teachers, teams, and building staff.
Behavioral Specialist: Student Needs School: Supports Provided: Algonquin Attended Student Support Team Meetings->Observed->Trained staff->Trained the Student->Prepared Materials-> Collaborated with Tech to create a fluid data tracker->Coached via email and phone for a few days during implementation South Consultation with Administration-> Observed->Teacher attended our PD->Prepared Materials-> Met with team to plan for implementation->Followed-up 2 weeks after implementation Terrace Consultation with Administration->Observed-> Worked with the students to model strategies-> Prepared materials-> Worked one-on-one with paraprofessionals to model strategies *Provide supports for students in crisis Cumberland Attend BEST (Behavior Education Support Team) and Student Support Team on Fridays->Observe-> Consult-> Follow-up *Provide support for students in crisis
Behavioral Specialist: Feedback from Principals ● Allie was critical in providing ideas, supports, and resources for two students who were struggling emotionally and behaviorally. She also modeled techniques for the teachers and j umped in to help without being asked. She truly is an asset to the district. (Dr. Robert Pape, Iroquois Principal) ● It has been so helpful having Allie work with our team this year to problem solve behavioral and emotional issues as they arise. She sees only the most severe cases, but has s hared with us her extensive knowledge and experience, comes up with practical solutions , and gives unbiased suggestions on how we can help improve the learning environment for these children. (Colleen White, Cumberland Principal) ● Allie has been instrumental in supporting our Special Needs Kindergarten (SNK) classrooms at Forest. We have two SNK classrooms that fully blend-in with our General Education K students. Allie is working with our K team by helping teachers create behavioral support systems for some of our students that struggle with self-regulation. It has been great to have her hands-on support and modeling behavioral strategies for our staff. (Ania Figueroa, Forest Principal)
Behavioral Specialist: Feedback from Principals ● Allie has jumped in and provided relief and support in helping Terrace staff manage student crises. Not only has she rolled up her sleeves and worked directly with difficult student situations, but she has also provided professional development both individually and at the entire building level in order to help staff members use a variety of tools and strategies to manage student behaviors in the classroom setting. (Dr. Bradley Stein, Terrace Principal) ● Allie has collaborated with our teachers by providing them with different strategies and resources to support students who present behavioral challenges. She will observe students and give suggestions to meet the needs of that particular student. Allie is an expert in this area and teachers feel supported by having someone who helps in this area specifically. (Kristin Jares, South Principal)
Behavioral Specialist: Feedback from Principals ● Allie meets with teams during the problem solving process to understand the needs of students and what strategies are currently in place. Allie then comes in and observes the students in a variety of settings. Based on her observations and the information the team has shared, Allie provides new strategies on how to best support students based on his or her needs. Allie not only provides strategies, she also s upports the implementation of the strategies . (Kelly Krueger, Central Principal) ● First of all, we love Allie! She has been super helpful. Using c lassroom observations and drawing from her wealth of experience , Allie has worked with our teams on s upporting students who display challenging behaviors . (John Swanson, Chippewa Middle School Principal)
Behavioral Specialist: Focus for 2019-2020 1. Continue professional development for staff and administrators on universally supporting all students with behavioral strategies and interventions. 2. Consistently implement tiered SEL supports with fidelity and sustain that support for students in buildings. 3. Provide systemic supports and training for mental health professionals and teachers in district. 4. Incorporate in-home family supports to aid in improving student behavior at school and home. Challenge: With having only one behavioral specialist serving approximately 4600 students and over 400 teaching staff in District 62, it will be important to continue to prioritize student and staff needs.
Instructional Coaches
Instructional Coaches: Our Team Coach Schools Sam Lee ● Algonquin Middle School Sara Kranz ● Chippewa Middle School ● Iroquois (4th-8th) Ashley Stopa ● Orchard Place ● South ● Plainfield Erica Sypek ● Central ● Cumberland ● Terrace Leah Strom ● North ● Forest ● Iroquois (K-3rd)
Instructional Coaches: Overview & Focus for 2018-19 Plan for Instruction with Teachers ● “Instructional Collabs” & Data Days support ○ Team meetings ○ Contribute to District Common Assessments and ● Curriculum Writing assessments for Reading; curriculum for Social Studies, Science ○ Support Professional Development with Groups of ● Teachers PLC Mondays & Institute Days ○ School-based PD ○ Directly Impact Student Learning through ● Student-Centered Coaching in Classrooms Setting student learning goals ○ Co-teaching and modeling ○ Assessing progress towards goal ○
Instructional Coaches: Feedback from Principals & Teachers Our coach has been really awesome. She comes in to my classroom and supports me. We make sure the lessons are working for my students. --Lina Salimi, 6th Grade, ELA Teacher, Chippewa Middle School Our coach has been such an amazing asset to our staff. She has collaborated with primary, intermediate, special education, and English Learner teachers helping them to enhance their instruction . --Colleen White, Principal, Cumberland Elementary School This year, having my coach helped me make my teaching better. I was able to pick a very specific student learning goal and work alongside her to help my students achieve that goal. It has made all the difference in my instruction and even more so, in what the kids are able to do. --Kay Boswell, 5th grade Teacher, North Elementary School I really feel it is one of our greatest levers for success. I am so grateful that my teachers have a wonderful thought partner to try new things, take risks, and feel safe to ask questions with who is not their evaluator. I think coaching is the best decision that anyone could ever make. --Dr. Lisa Carlos, Principal, Plainfield Elementary School
Instructional Coaches: The Potential Impact from Research Effect size is the amount of standard deviation in the higher performance that the strategy produces for students compared to students who were not exposed to the strategy. An effect size of 1.0 would indicate that the average student’s performance would move from the 50th to the 83rd percentile. The research field generally recognizes effect sizes of greater than .25 as significant and greater than .50 as substantial.
Instructional Coaches: The Potential Impact Note: Research recommends 1 coach per every 200 students (Odden, et al, 2006)
Instructional Coaches: Focus for 2019-2020 ● Increase the number of students who benefit from student-centered coaching ● Directly impact research-based instructional practices in as many classrooms as possible ● Positively impact student learning outcomes ○ Set student learning goals for coaching cycles ○ Create learning targets for coaching cycles ○ Use student evidence to co-plan instruction ○ Organize coaching through coaching cycles ○ Co-teach with a focus on effective teaching practice ○ Measure the impact of coaching on student and teacher learning ●
Bilingual/English as a Second Language Instructional Specialist
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