Professional Development for Special Education Services

SY 24-25 Symposium Presentations

Dear SFUSD Special Education Team,

It was an honor to welcome each of you to the Second Annual Special Education Symposium. Your active participation and the insights you shared were crucial to its success and deeply appreciated.

Your dedication to enhancing the education of our students who receive special education services does not go unnoticed. It is your hard work, passion and leadership that create the affirming, engaging and inclusive learning environments for our students and have such a positive impact on our community.

For your reference, all of the resources and materials from the symposium can be accessed here.  If you have not done so already, please make sure to complete this feedback form.  

Our staff in the Special Education Services Department look forward to supporting you throughout the school year and are excited about the great work we’ll accomplish together.

Warm regards,

Regina Piper
Assistant Superintendent of Special Education Services

Auditorium Sessions

Title

Presenter

Audience 

Keynote Speakers

Regina Piper Assistant Superintendent, Special Education Services and 

Dr. Karling Aguilera-Fort, Senior. Associate Superintendent of  Educational Services and School Operations

All Teachers

Legal Training

SFUSD Legal Team

Patrick Swillinger and Brenda Arzate 

Link to slides

All Teachers

SEIS Reminders + Updates

SpEd Data & Operations Team

Danielle Love

Link to slides

All Teachers
Goalbook Overview

Goalbook Team

Link to slides

All Teachers

Session 2 Presentations

Title

Presenter

Audience 

AAC: Future Connections

Molly Hartzell, Nicole Errante, Michaela Sullivan

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers

ERMHS Reimagined

ERMHS Team

Andi Hilinski 

Link to slides 

All SpEd Teachers

IXL 

(12:30 - 2:00)

IXL Team

Linelle Gorman

Link to slides

Mild/Moderate Special Day Class Teachers 

TeachTown

(12:30 - 3:35)

TeachTown Team

Lisa Stevens-Rath

Link to slides

Extensive Support Needs Teachers

(Formally Moderate/Severe)

Introduction to SPIRE

(12:30 -3:35)

Tier 3 Literacy Team

Saveth Seang

Link to slides

NEW RSP & Mild/Moderate Teachers

 

AccessSFUSD: TeachTown

Kara Schinella &

Lena Kazaryan

 Link to slides

AccessSFUSD Teachers

Goalbook

Goalbook Team

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers

Co-Teaching for Secondary

Andy Chung & Sara Mireles

Link to slides

Secondary RSP and Mild/Moderate Teachers

Offer of FAPE: Defensible IEPs and LRE

Gabriel Baker, Sheree Catingub, Kee Fricke-Pothier

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers

PreK Overview

Stephanie Richmueller

Link to slides

All PreK Teachers

Working with Families 

Julia Martin, SFUSD SpEd Ombuds & 
Wendy Neikirk- Rhodes, 

Support for Families, Executive Director: Link to Slides

All SpEd Teachers

SEIS Training for New Teachers

SFUSD SEIS Team 

Link to slides

New SpEd Teachers

Classroom Management 

Behavior Team

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers

Session 3 Presentations

Title

Presenter

Audience 

AAC and Bilingualism

Molly Hartzell, Nicole Errante, Michaela Sullivan

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers

ERMHS Reimagined

ERMHS Team 

Link to slides 

All SpEd Teachers

READ 180

 (1:30 - 3:25)

Read 180 

Marilyn Feldmeier

Resource Folder

HS Read 180 Teachers

AccessSFUSD

Access Supports

 

Kara Schinella

Link to slides

AccessSFUSD Teachers

Goalbook

Goalbook Team

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers

SEIS Training for New Teachers

SFUSD SEIS Team 

Link to slides

New SpEd Teachers

Collaborating with Paraprofessionals

Gabriel Baker, Sheree Catingub, Kee Fricke-Pothier

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers

Meta-Play

(1:30 - 3:25)

Teachtown

Lena Kazaryan

PreK SDC Teachers 

Data 101: Easy Data Systems 

Behavior Team

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers

Session 4 Presentations

Title

Presenter

Audience 

AAC and RSP 

Molly Hartzell, Nicole Errante, Michaela Sullivan

Link to slides

RSP Teachers

ERMHS Reimagined

ERMHS Team

Link to slides 

All SpEd Teachers

Autism-Focused Classroom Programs  

Behavior Team

Link to slides

Autism Focused Teachers

AccessSFUSD  Access Structures

Kara Schinella

Link to slides

AccessSFUSD teachers 

Goalbook

Goalbook Team

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers

Alternate Pathway to Diploma

Andy Chung & Sara Mireles

Link to slides

Secondary SpEd Teachers

Intro to the Woodcock Johnson 

John Clancy 

Link to slides

New SpEd Teachers

Addressing Sensory Needs

S. Akemi Hata

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers 

Tier 2 Strategies 

Behavior Team 

Link to slides

All SpEd Teachers 

SEIS Training for New Teachers

SFUSD SEIS Team 

Link to slides

 

New SpEd Teachers

Professional Development

For current Special Education Professional Development check out the Special Education Scope and Sequence 

Behavioral Support Resources:

Safety Care Training Information

Online Resources

IXL Resources:

Read 180 Resources:

Other Helpful Resources:

Inclusive Schools Network Online Resources

The Inclusive Schools Network, sponsored by Stetson & Associates, Inc., is a web-based educational resource for families, schools, and communities, providing information and resources that facilitate inclusive education practices.

We support schools around the globe by sharing tools and strategies to increase opportunities for students with disabilities and build knowledge of inclusive education.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Resources:

CAST is renowned for its innovative professional development on Universal Design for Learning. Whether you are implementing at the individual, team, school, or district level, we offer hands-on opportunities that empower you to take control of your own learning through instructional rounds, lesson design studios, design thinking activities, and other learner-centered protocols.

Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules

AFIRM Modules are designed to help you learn the step-by-step process of planning for, using, and monitoring an EBP with learners with ASD from birth to 22 years of age. Supplemental materials and handouts are available for download.

Autism Internet Modules

Autism Internet Modules (AIM) provide high-quality information and professional development for anyone who supports, instructs, works with, or lives with someone with autism. Developed with partners from across the country, participants can select from over 40 modules to complete at their own time and pace.

Assistive Technology Internet Modules

Assistive Technology Internet Modules (ATIM) is an online learning environment containing 50 AT topics from assessment and funding to content areas such as access to mobile devices, communication, seating and positioning, AT for students with complex needs and more. Developed with partnering universities and nationally renowned experts in the field, ATIM brings you the highest quality content available. Free access as well as professional development certificates and graduate credit are available.

High Leverage Practices in Special Education

The HLP Video Series can support teacher educators and new teachers with concrete, easy-to-access examples of HLPs in action, in real classrooms, with real students. The videos and supporting resources are easily and freely accessible online, offering a practical, real-world illustration of HLPs by teachers intentionally and explicitly using the practice to meet the specific needs of students in their classrooms. HLP videos highlight research-based practices that are captured in settings that resonate with diverse contexts, subject areas, grade-levels, and student needs. Moreover, the videos demonstrate practices across levels of intensity.

This page was last updated on October 31, 2024