Presented by Pamela Wimbish, Experienced Educator, Director of Special Education, Birmingham City Schools (AL)
Moderated by Evan Spellman, Former Educator, Current Product Director, Level Data
special education
Strategies for Creating Confident Writers Through Sentence Building
Essays. Paragraphs. Any piece of writing. They all begin with the same foundation: the sentence. Sometimes, though, teachers are expected to cram sentence building lessons into a week or two, or there’s an assumption that if the students learned something the previous year, they don’t need to review the foundations. During the edLeader Panel “Enhancing Writing and Communication Through Sentence Building (Part 2): Teaching Complex Structures,” education experts discussed their recommended progression for creating more robust sentences, plus how their approach integrates social-emotional learning supports.
Enhancing Writing and Communication Through Sentence Building (Part 2): Teaching Complex Structures
Presented by Zisel Roth, M.S.Ed., Grammar & Writing Curriculum Design Specialist, Author of 20+ Instructional Texts for K-8; Mindy Reifer, MA, Elementary and Middle School Principal, ELA Specialist; and Shanita Francis, Social-Emotional Brain-Based Learning Consultant
Moderated by Jennah Schuh, M.Ed., SBL, SDL, Director of Education and Training, Rockland County-Based Non-Profit
Personalizing Special Education at Scale: Leveraging AI and Evidence-Based Practices for Outcomes and Efficiency
Presented by Mara Steiu, Co-Founder and CEO of Journify Learning (Evidence-Based AI Assistant for Special Education), Stanford Graduate School of Education; and Parker Van Nostrand, Product Certifications Project Director, Digital Promise
Moderated by Barbara Pape, Senior Director, Learner Variability Project, Digital Promise
Aligning Gen Ed and Special Ed: Leadership Strategies to Break Down Silos
Presented by Mike Leddy, Director of Student Services, Kenton City Schools (OH); Autumn Francisco, Behavioral Coach, Kenton City Schools (OH); and Brandy Samuell, M.Ed., Director, K-12 Mental Health and Related Services, eLuma
Giving Every Student What They Need: Post-Pandemic Strategies and Solutions
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered student growth, social development, emotional well-being, future preparedness, and overall behavior. In addition to a slow academic recovery, myriad students are exhibiting behaviors often associated with learning disabilities. The question is whether students’ experiences reflect temporary setbacks or learning needs requiring long-term specialized support.
Learning Loss vs. Disability: Navigating Special Education Identification in the Post-Pandemic Classroom
Presented by Jacqueline Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer, National Center for Learning Disabilities; Bonnie Contreras, Senior Director Clinical Solution Engineering, Presence; and Robin Lake, Director, Center on Reinventing Public Education
Moderated by Kara Arundel, Senior Reporter, K-12 Dive
Neurodiversity in the School Building: Intersecting Special Education with the Science of Reading
Presented by Kerri Larkin, Senior Education Advisor, Lexia; Jesse Sanchez, Managing Director of Programs, The Neurodiversity Alliance; Lily Eisele, Student, Personnel Director, Student Senate Leadership, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire; Dr. Nancy Nelson, Assistant Professor of Special Education, Boston University, and Deputy Director, National Center on Improving Literacy; and Davis FitzGerald, Master’s Student in Special Education, George Washington University
Hosted by Cassandra Wheeler, Director, LETRS State Success, Lexia
Improve Learning Environments for Students with Disabilities: Breaking the Mold for Better Outcomes
Presented by Cady Ching, CEO, Summit Public Schools (CA); Glynis Shulters, Improvement Coach and Consultant, Green Dot Public Schools (CA); and Stephanie Lassalle, Director of Improvement Programs, Marshall CoLab
Fostering Inclusivity: Navigating Special Education in Student-Centered Classrooms
Presented by Mark Pederson, Educational Specialist and Expert Mentor, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (CA) and Modern Classroom; Madeline (Maddie) Richer, Ninth-Grade Special Education Teacher, NYC Department of Education; Cassie Fontaine, Special Education Teacher, Belchertown Public Schools (MA); and Toni Rose Deanon, Community Engagement Manager, The Modern Classrooms Project