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Pathways to Progress: A Team Approach To Navigating IEP Meetings for Success

Pathways to Progress: A Team Approach To Navigating IEP Meetings for Success

PT
SLP
Educator
OT
Parent
Admin
SLP: caseload management
Early Ed/Parents: IEPs
OT: school based

This engaging and insightful live panel discussion is designed for the entire IEP team, and will feature perspectives from special educators, parents, administrators, school psychologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs). This 90 minute discussion will highlight the importance of collaboration and creating space for multiple perspectives during IEP meetings. Our experienced panelists will share “what they wish you knew” from their respective roles and will offer valuable strategies to enhance teamwork, communication, and decision-making processes to better support students with diverse needs.

Presenters

  • Anne Marie Wagner

    LCSW, MSW, MA

    Anne Marie is a school social worker in Bergen County, New Jersey. She is also the proud mother of four. She has been on both sides of the table in terms of developing IEPs; most of the time for her students but also for her daughter. Anne Marie is an advocate for all children and understands the importance of the parents' role in the process.

  • Jaime Spencer

    MS, OTR/L

    Jaime Spencer is a passionate education advocate who has presented nationally on parity for school-related professionals, educational credentialing, and specialized instructional support personnel (SISP) advancing into leadership roles in the education system. Together with Robert Constantine, she has been teaching a course about vision for school Occupational Therapists for five years. Jaime is the creator and president of the school-based website and blog Miss Jaime, O.T. As a full-time school-based occupational therapist, she uses her website and continuing education products to empower teachers, parents, and other therapists to help children access the curriculum in a fun and engaging way. With her total audience exceeding 100,000, Jaime is an influential advocate for school-related professionals desiring the opportunity to pursue leadership positions within the educational system. In 2017, Jaime created the grassroots advocacy coalition USA School-based OTs & PTs Looking for Change Coalition. Jaime has her Master’s degree in Special Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy.

  • Jenn Adams

    M. Ed

    Meet Jenn, a passionate educator and the creative mind behind Teach Love Autism. With a remarkable 16 years of teaching experience spanning from Pre-K to 12th grade, Jenn has left an indelible mark on countless students' lives. Her journey has led her through various subject areas and diverse student populations, including those with disabilities.

    Having recently transitioned from a dedicated role in the self-contained autistic support classroom to a Special Education Instructional Coaching position, Jenn now provides invaluable support to over 60 teachers across multiple special education departments at a cyber charter school in Pennsylvania. For Jenn, working with children is more than just a job—it's a calling. Her unwavering dedication to supporting individuals with autism has fueled the creation of Teach Love Autism—a multifaceted platform encompassing a website, blog, and store dedicated to providing resources for teachers, professionals, and families alike. Through this endeavor, Jenn aims to empower her community to help their students achieve greater independence and success.

  • Jennifer Elliott

    Ph.D., NCSP

    Dr. Elliott is a nationally certified school psychologist. She is currently the lead school psychologist in an elementary school district in Litchfield Park, Arizona. Dr. Elliott received her Master’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her Doctorate through Arizona State University. She has worked in Texas, New Mexico, Georgia, and Arizona over her more than 20 years in the field. She has also served on the board of the Arizona Association of School Psychologists for six of the last eight years as both Secretary and a Regional Director, coordinating professional development for the western part of the state of Arizona. She is also a state trainer in PREPaRE. Dr. Elliott has worked in school districts her entire career and has extensive experience working with staff, students, families, and related service personnel. When she worked at the school level, Dr. Elliott not only provided direct services to students, staff, and families, but was also able to work regularly with administration to support system structures. In her current role, she supervises 16 school psychologists, provides supervision to students on internship, presents on a variety of professional development topics for staff, and works with district administration to enhance goals for student success.

  • Katelynn Doherty

    M.S., CCC-SLP

    Katelynn was born and raised in Wyoming, attending the University of Wyoming, for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. While at UW, she served on Dr. Douglas Petersen’s research team, working and presenting on Story Champs, Dynamic Assessments for Narrative Language, and an expository language curriculum. After receiving her masters, she followed her husband to western Washington and began her career as a school based SLP and high school volleyball coach. While she enjoyed the ocean, national parks, and the different cultures and cuisine of Washington, she knew she wanted to move closer to home. After giving birth to their first son, Katelynn and her husband moved back to her hometown in Wyoming to be closer to family. She is thrilled to serve the community that raised, educated, and supported her. When not working, she enjoys painting/crafting, gardening, hiking, and spending time with her family. Through her work in the schools, Katelynn fell in love with the “littles”, preschool aged children. She is skilled in providing therapy for speech sound disorders including Childhood Apraxia of Speech, expressive language delay, and school-age language therapy. She has a growing passion for sensory play. She loves to work hard, while having fun during therapy. Since returning home, she began servicing the rural areas of Wyoming and Montana via private practice, through schools, and tribal services by providing teletherapy and in-person therapy sessions in a clinic-based setting. Now as a parent of two boys, who both have worked through expressive language delays and recurring secondary hearing loss, Katelynn has grown a passion for advocacy and parent education, focusing her parental coaching and energy on early intervention. Katelynn has worked as an SLP for 7 years. Katelynn is nationally certified with her clinical certificate of competence by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is licensed in Wyoming and Montana. She has earned a Certificate in Recognition of Leadership Achievement as an Early Career Professional for Speech-Language Pathology.

  • Trish Geraghty

    M.Ed.

    Trish Geraghty, an accomplished educational leader with 20+ years of experience, excels in curriculum development, instructional design, and professional development. Her proven track record includes successful support for schools, districts, educators, and students. Committed to ensuring universal access to high-quality learning, Trish is a visionary advocate for inclusive education. Her innovative approach to curriculum development reflects a keen understanding of evolving standards. Trish's transformative influence extends beyond traditional boundaries, actively contributing to the broader advancement of education. A catalyst for positive change, she inspires excellence in others, shaping the future of education through unwavering commitment and visionary leadership.

Learning Objectives

List collaborative skills for more effective and productive IEP meetings
Discuss the role of each IEP team member
Discuss and integrate experiences and perspectives of IEP team members to foster whole team approach
Apply practical strategies to enhance collaboration and effective communication

Agenda

Agenda

20 minutesIntroduction
20 minutesDiscuss the role and perspective of each IEP team member
20 minutesWhat We Wish You Understood
20 minutesQ+A
10 minutesConclusion/ Closing Remarks

Disclosures

Disclosures

Financial Disclosures:Trish Geraghty, Katelynn Doherty, Jaime Spencer, Jennifer Elliott, Jenn Adams, and Anne Marie Wagner are being compensated by Bright Ideas Media for their participation as panelists.
Non-Financial Disclosures:Trish Geraghty, Katelynn Doherty, Jaime Spencer, Jennifer Elliott, Jenn Adams, and Anne Marie Wagner have no relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
Content Disclosures:The panelists have no content disclosures.

ASHA

ASHA

This course is offered for .15 ASHA CEUs, Introductory Level, Professional Area

Customer Reviews

Pathways to Progress: Innovations in Special Education

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