According to the 2017 National Survey of Children’s Health, at least 38% of children in every state will have at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) before they turn 18. The Crisis Prevention Institute recently found that more than half of all adolescents have reported being exposed to violence or abuse of various kinds by…

By Lisa Combs, MA, Special Education, Certified Autism Specialist We have all been faced with many challenges in the 2020 world of virtual interaction. One of the biggest faced by school support personnel is how to best support students with disabilities in the virtual classroom. Special education paraprofessionals play several critical roles in the provision…

October is ADHD Awareness Month. Perhaps you have a student (or several students) who has difficulty staying focused and paying attention. The student struggles to control their impulses or seems overly active. For many school staff members, disruptions and challenges caused by a child diagnosed with ADHD are a common occurrence. In fact, surveys suggest…

At some point paraeducators find themselves supporting students who need more than academic help. Paraeducators play an important role in supporting the development of well-adjusted and well-educated students who grow up to be productive, fulfilled adults. While we often associate “school” with academic subjects like reading and math, it’s also a place where students learn…

Whether teaching and learning is happening in person, remotely, or a combination of both, supporting students through the transition planning process is still important. While COVID-19 will likely present challenges during this process, focusing on the key elements of transition planning will help students be successful as they transition to postsecondary life. From early intervention…

Historically, students with disabilities weren’t allowed in schools. In fact, in most states, it was legal to prevent students who wouldn’t reach a mental age of third grade by the time they would graduate from attending school. Students with disabilities wouldn’t get the right to attend school until the late 1970s. It took legal cases…

On-Demand Webinar with Dr. Tara Kfoury It is essential that educational personnel know the impact of adverse childhood experiences and trauma on school children. And it is urgent that educators are able to properly recognize symptoms and behaviors in school children, identify possible sources of childhood and adolescent trauma, and work with families and support…

Trauma is the psychological, emotional response to a life event or experience that’s deeply disturbing or distressing to an individual. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are negative life events witnessed or experienced firsthand by children 18 years old or younger. Trauma is a widespread health concern that has become quite costly for schools around the world.…

We all know that children need a safe and consistent environment in which to thrive. For many students, school is the most structured part of their lives – a place where they can get stability and support. While all school staff play a role in creating these surroundings, the principal is uniquely positioned to lead…

At this very moment, your brain is undertaking a challenging and complex feat: making sense out of symbols on a screen. We call this reading. To many, reading seems like a natural act or something we’re hard-wired to do. That’s simply untrue. As expert reading adults, we underestimate and misjudge how difficult it is to…