WEBVTT 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:02.760 Right. Let's share what you know. 00:00:02.760 --> 00:00:05.000 I think many of you, probably all of you 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:07.560 probably know students who have attended 00:00:07.560 --> 00:00:10.080 or do attend or may attend in the future 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:12.040 at Dakota Ridge. 00:00:12.040 --> 00:00:14.670 And um, no two students as you know, 00:00:14.670 --> 00:00:16.680 have are nothing, nothing 00:00:16.680 --> 00:00:19.320 is just textbook or fits in a box. Right? 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:21.039 So that's what we really pride ourselves on 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:23.720 here at Dakota Ridge is when I meet 00:00:23.720 --> 00:00:25.279 families for the first time and we're 00:00:25.279 --> 00:00:26.920 trying to help them understand what this 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:28.720 might do for them or how help their 00:00:28.720 --> 00:00:31.880 child, we are an intervention. 00:00:31.880 --> 00:00:34.800 And in the world of federal setting for sites, 00:00:34.800 --> 00:00:36.680 we are unique in that we are part 00:00:36.680 --> 00:00:37.560 of this large District. 00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:38.910 We are not an Intermediate. 00:00:38.910 --> 00:00:40.560 We aren't somewhere you send your kids 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:42.160 to that do their own thing, 00:00:42.160 --> 00:00:45.039 but we are aligned to district 196 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:47.879 in everything we do and our goal 00:00:47.879 --> 00:00:49.059 is to be an intervention, 00:00:49.059 --> 00:00:50.239 to be that step in between 00:00:50.239 --> 00:00:52.840 to help students figure out what 00:00:52.840 --> 00:00:55.039 is getting in the way for them 00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:58.410 of being successful, intervene, teach skills 00:00:58.410 --> 00:01:00.320 and for many students that means move on 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:01.000 to your next goal. 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:02.320 Whether that's back to your home school, 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:03.759 whether that's out in the community, 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:05.159 whether it's just making 00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:07.429 your world a little broader. 00:01:07.429 --> 00:01:10.000 Um, I think we're we're fortunately 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:11.640 pretty successful at that. 00:01:11.640 --> 00:01:13.720 So um, I'll just talk a little bit 00:01:13.720 --> 00:01:16.460 and like oh that's not my screen. Yours. 00:01:16.460 --> 00:01:21.439 Um, so I'll just share kind of just 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:23.860 where we've been, how we got here 00:01:23.860 --> 00:01:28.280 who I am and then I think I'll ask those 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:30.240 of you who have lived in this world 00:01:30.240 --> 00:01:32.520 to kind of fill in where I, cuz I don't live 00:01:32.520 --> 00:01:34.180 your role every day. 00:01:34.180 --> 00:01:35.840 I live the right, the perspective 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:38.095 of outside of it. 00:01:38.095 --> 00:01:42.475 Um, so I prior to my position here I was 00:01:42.475 --> 00:01:44.840 I've had many hats in the district. 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:46.840 I was a Center-Based Autism Teacher 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:48.680 at Dakota Hills for many years. 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:50.900 Um, I was an Autism Specialist 00:01:50.900 --> 00:01:53.030 and then I came over here 00:01:53.030 --> 00:01:55.170 as a Lead Teacher 00:01:55.170 --> 00:01:58.360 and then when I left here, 00:01:58.360 --> 00:02:00.759 I was an Elementary Coordinator 00:02:00.759 --> 00:02:03.560 and came back because once I was here, 00:02:03.560 --> 00:02:04.960 I knew this is where I belonged 00:02:04.960 --> 00:02:05.980 and I couldn't wait to come back 00:02:05.980 --> 00:02:07.350 and I get the opportunity 00:02:07.350 --> 00:02:09.739 to lead this building. 00:02:09.739 --> 00:02:11.309 And one of the first things we did 00:02:11.309 --> 00:02:12.400 when I came back 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:14.680 was we created a shared vision 00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:16.840 mission statement as a building. 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:18.520 So this is a statement co-constructed 00:02:18.520 --> 00:02:21.440 by staff and what we believe we do here 00:02:21.440 --> 00:02:22.540 at Dakota Ridge. 00:02:22.540 --> 00:02:23.640 And it's a community engaged 00:02:23.640 --> 00:02:25.760 in developing the unique skills 00:02:25.760 --> 00:02:27.680 of individual students through creative 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:30.040 programming and collaboration. 00:02:30.040 --> 00:02:31.680 And to take that a step further, 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:35.670 what we truly believe is these starred items 00:02:35.670 --> 00:02:39.040 and every student who walks in our door, 00:02:39.040 --> 00:02:40.360 school has failed them. 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:41.280 And I don't mean a person 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:43.319 has failed them, I just our system 00:02:43.319 --> 00:02:45.199 and the way we've gone about things 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.280 has not met their needs 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:49.400 and we get this unique opportunity 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:50.959 to rewrite their story. 00:02:50.959 --> 00:02:52.519 And so we walk in this door, 00:02:52.519 --> 00:02:56.000 I truly believe those of us who we have 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:58.159 very low staff turnover in our building 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:00.800 because this is a place that it it calls to you. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:02.640 It speaks to you. 00:03:02.640 --> 00:03:04.480 Um, and we get 00:03:04.480 --> 00:03:06.120 this opportunity to take students who 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:09.200 have no joy at school and to find their joy. 00:03:09.200 --> 00:03:11.280 To find school is a place - I'll never forget 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:15.239 Matthew and I went out to Gideon Pond 00:03:15.239 --> 00:03:17.519 when he was at Gideon and observed him 00:03:17.519 --> 00:03:20.360 and was part of meetings, and all he said 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:22.400 that first day when he came for a tour, 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:24.680 I don't know if any of you were with that day, 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:27.680 he walked through the hallway 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:31.129 and kept saying, "Friends. I'm going to have friends". 00:03:31.129 --> 00:03:33.859 That is all he cared and to this day 00:03:33.859 --> 00:03:38.109 that is probably what brings him to school every day. 00:03:38.109 --> 00:03:39.454 He gets excited. 00:03:39.454 --> 00:03:43.148 He never, the kid has impeccable attendance. 00:03:43.148 --> 00:03:45.799 He is never gone. 00:03:45.799 --> 00:03:48.140 We have behaviors when he has to leave early. 00:03:48.140 --> 00:03:49.520 Yes. 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:51.860 Truthfully, because school has never been 00:03:51.860 --> 00:03:53.479 an experience like that before. 00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:54.519 So for Matthew for you know, 00:03:54.519 --> 00:03:56.439 that's a child you can all identify with 00:03:56.439 --> 00:03:57.419 because you work with, 00:03:57.419 --> 00:03:58.400 but every student here, 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:00.639 no matter how they show us 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:02.120 things aren't going well and how they 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:04.779 communicate that to us um, 00:04:04.779 --> 00:04:05.789 we get the opportunity 00:04:05.789 --> 00:04:06.799 to figure out how school 00:04:06.799 --> 00:04:08.280 can be a place for them to be successful 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:10.159 and there's nothing more rewarding than that. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:12.280 And it's it's tough in between there. 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:13.439 Right? There's some things to work through. 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:16.490 Um, high quality, effective instruction 00:04:16.490 --> 00:04:19.100 we believe that in order to do that 00:04:19.100 --> 00:04:20.890 and help school be a successful place, 00:04:20.890 --> 00:04:23.160 we have to believe they can 00:04:23.160 --> 00:04:26.050 and classrooms are set up to teach. 00:04:26.050 --> 00:04:28.120 They are classrooms we are school first. 00:04:28.120 --> 00:04:29.644 You can hear a pin drop 00:04:29.644 --> 00:04:31.880 in our hallway most days. 00:04:31.880 --> 00:04:34.080 Um and when you walk in classrooms, 00:04:34.080 --> 00:04:34.800 they're learning. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:35.520 They're engaged. 00:04:35.520 --> 00:04:36.919 They're using all the same curriculum 00:04:36.919 --> 00:04:38.240 they're using throughout the district. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:40.680 The same tools, the same textbooks, 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:41.380 the same everything 00:04:41.380 --> 00:04:42.080 and we might modify and adjust, 00:04:42.080 --> 00:04:43.960 but I would say we probably 00:04:43.960 --> 00:04:46.320 modify and adjust less than 00:04:46.320 --> 00:04:47.500 a Setting Three classroom 00:04:47.500 --> 00:04:48.680 in a Traditional School. 00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:50.219 What age kids are here? 00:04:50.219 --> 00:04:51.329 Everybody. 00:04:51.329 --> 00:04:53.070 Kindergarten through age 22 00:04:53.070 --> 00:04:55.149 down our main hallway. 00:04:55.149 --> 00:04:58.199 Everybody - and we do not, go ahead. 00:04:58.199 --> 00:05:02.960 The word can, that is that word means so much. 00:05:02.960 --> 00:05:06.120 It's such a small word word but, 00:05:06.120 --> 00:05:07.960 that word even Martha, Martha is the one 00:05:07.960 --> 00:05:09.720 who brought it to Matthew's plate. 00:05:09.720 --> 00:05:11.440 I'm going to give you credit for this one 00:05:11.440 --> 00:05:12.880 because she said you know what we should 00:05:12.880 --> 00:05:15.600 start using the word before when he's 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:18.560 having a behavior to cut it off. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:20.299 You can do that, you can, you can 00:05:20.299 --> 00:05:22.039 and it changed. 00:05:22.039 --> 00:05:25.160 You could see it in his head this change. 00:05:25.160 --> 00:05:29.120 So I just want to that word can, can. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:31.520 And to your question, we serve all disability categories. 00:05:31.520 --> 00:05:34.039 Um, our building is laid out 00:05:34.039 --> 00:05:36.000 in, I think, probably the next slide. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:39.650 Um, I'll I'll get so this will stack on that. 00:05:39.650 --> 00:05:40.919 This doesn't probably mean 00:05:40.919 --> 00:05:42.600 a whole lot just the way it's laid out, 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:45.390 but, and this was a snapshot taken months ago 00:05:45.390 --> 00:05:50.201 but, we have a total of 22 classrooms 00:05:50.201 --> 00:05:52.720 in the building and eight of them are 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:54.759 classrooms that we serve four students 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:56.720 in that classroom environment. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:59.120 So that the max we put in there is four 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:00.340 and then the others 00:06:00.340 --> 00:06:01.560 are what we call large group 00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:03.969 is six to eight students. 00:06:03.969 --> 00:06:06.629 Um, and within that environment, 00:06:06.629 --> 00:06:08.850 there are paraprofessionals supporting. 00:06:08.850 --> 00:06:10.145 Um, in small group our goal 00:06:10.145 --> 00:06:11.440 we start at for that one teacher 00:06:11.440 --> 00:06:12.200 there's usually 00:06:12.200 --> 00:06:14.390 two paraprofessionals ideally 00:06:14.390 --> 00:06:16.520 and um, those four students. 00:06:16.520 --> 00:06:18.479 Sometimes it takes up to five 00:06:18.479 --> 00:06:20.000 because right, the reality of just we 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.270 have to serve everybody. 00:06:22.270 --> 00:06:24.960 Um, and Lorna is part of one 00:06:24.960 --> 00:06:26.120 of those small group environments. 00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:28.520 So we, that factors in. 00:06:28.520 --> 00:06:30.800 So it's um in that classroom there are 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:33.400 actually two paraprofessionals assigned 00:06:33.400 --> 00:06:34.480 in addition to Lorna. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:36.500 One is out on leave right now. 00:06:36.500 --> 00:06:38.359 Um, but just not always. 00:06:38.359 --> 00:06:41.120 So like the room Matthew's in, it is one other 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:43.199 paraprofessional with Charlotte. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:45.080 So we we adjust based on what the needs 00:06:45.080 --> 00:06:47.929 of that environment is. 00:06:47.929 --> 00:06:51.800 Um, we don't necessarily just group 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:53.440 students by age. 00:06:53.440 --> 00:06:55.080 So I don't, one we don't 00:06:55.080 --> 00:06:57.000 have a full classroom of fourth graders. 00:06:57.000 --> 00:06:58.360 Right? We don't have a full classroom 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:01.400 of fifth graders, but we also know 00:07:01.400 --> 00:07:05.080 that students learn best with certain 00:07:05.080 --> 00:07:06.260 peers and not with others. 00:07:06.260 --> 00:07:07.440 So we spend a lot 00:07:07.440 --> 00:07:09.800 of time building those class lists 00:07:09.800 --> 00:07:11.919 and we create classrooms that we believe 00:07:11.919 --> 00:07:14.120 will learn together best, not based 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:16.479 on their age, grade, all those things. 00:07:16.479 --> 00:07:18.520 So we might have a eighth grader mixed 00:07:18.520 --> 00:07:19.699 in with 10th and 11th graders 00:07:19.699 --> 00:07:21.734 because they need some role models. 00:07:21.734 --> 00:07:22.800 They need, they need 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:24.180 something different. 00:07:24.180 --> 00:07:26.256 Um, we don't always get it right 00:07:26.256 --> 00:07:28.339 and we sometimes have to adjust, 00:07:28.339 --> 00:07:30.360 but that is just what we do here. 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:32.520 We we reflect and we figure it out and 00:07:32.520 --> 00:07:35.919 we adjust. 00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:41.509 Um, so we we we joke that we're 00:07:41.509 --> 00:07:44.280 a big family here and it really you have to 00:07:44.280 --> 00:07:46.000 kind of have that mentality to be here. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:47.739 We're all in this together. 00:07:47.739 --> 00:07:49.479 Um, if you if 00:07:49.479 --> 00:07:52.159 everybody carries a radio and if you 00:07:52.159 --> 00:07:55.080 say on that radio I need help, 00:07:55.080 --> 00:07:57.830 like more than you wished. 00:07:57.830 --> 00:08:01.000 I usually follow behind like I think we're good. 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:02.720 I think we're good. 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:06.410 Um, and not because it's so big scary. 00:08:06.410 --> 00:08:09.720 I mean we we have evolved in the, 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:11.680 I think what Dakota Ridge was maybe 15 years ago, 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:13.639 our population has evolved and changed. 00:08:13.639 --> 00:08:17.039 One because I believe 00:08:17.039 --> 00:08:18.839 our setting two and three 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:20.800 within our Traditional School settings has 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.319 grown in their capacity to serve students. 00:08:23.319 --> 00:08:24.459 So they may have been sent 00:08:24.459 --> 00:08:25.599 to Dakota Ridge years ago, 00:08:25.599 --> 00:08:27.479 but we don't need to serve 00:08:27.479 --> 00:08:28.719 that population anymore. 00:08:28.719 --> 00:08:29.960 We also have growing needs 00:08:29.960 --> 00:08:31.720 of individuals who maybe just 00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:33.679 weren't served in schools before because 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:35.379 they were so extreme. 00:08:35.379 --> 00:08:37.500 Um, there are fewer facilities 00:08:37.500 --> 00:08:38.958 for them to go to. 00:08:38.958 --> 00:08:40.618 Just so many reasons why 00:08:40.618 --> 00:08:42.279 that the complexity of learners 00:08:42.279 --> 00:08:44.939 has changed here 00:08:44.939 --> 00:08:48.350 and we have bad days 00:08:48.350 --> 00:08:50.520 just like every school in the district. 00:08:50.520 --> 00:08:52.120 I would say it's 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:55.210 not every day and it's not every week. NOTE Paragraph 00:08:55.210 --> 00:08:58.040 Um, and the support that one big family 00:08:58.040 --> 00:09:00.800 we're in together, you just 00:09:00.800 --> 00:09:03.079 there we had we had a major incident 00:09:03.079 --> 00:09:05.360 last week, oh this week, it was Tuesday. 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:09.880 Um, but the reality is 90% of the school 00:09:09.880 --> 00:09:12.079 had no idea what was going on 00:09:12.079 --> 00:09:14.600 because we have systems and routines and 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:16.990 people trained to support those situations 00:09:16.990 --> 00:09:19.020 so that we have a practice we follow 00:09:19.020 --> 00:09:20.720 and usually it's a hold. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:22.730 That particular day we went on a secure 00:09:22.730 --> 00:09:24.745 and so people just knew. 00:09:24.745 --> 00:09:26.420 We got to stay in the building. 00:09:26.420 --> 00:09:27.240 We know that the staff 00:09:27.240 --> 00:09:28.920 are call the leadership is calling this 00:09:28.920 --> 00:09:30.880 because it's going to keep us safe. 00:09:30.880 --> 00:09:32.270 We can go about our business and again, 00:09:32.270 --> 00:09:33.650 to this day, 90% of people 00:09:33.650 --> 00:09:36.780 probably don't know what happened. 00:09:36.780 --> 00:09:38.760 And we just went on with our day. 00:09:38.760 --> 00:09:40.620 You go on with your day, 00:09:40.620 --> 00:09:41.770 You trust and you know 00:09:41.770 --> 00:09:42.920 that people have got your back 00:09:42.920 --> 00:09:45.399 and we're in this together and 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:46.559 we do everything we can 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:47.959 to keep people safe. 00:09:47.959 --> 00:09:49.880 I mean I'm sure if you're at the DSC, 00:09:49.880 --> 00:09:50.720 you see things. Right? 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:52.640 You see police cars, you see ambulances. 00:09:52.640 --> 00:09:54.519 90% of those situations 00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:55.699 are mental health issues 00:09:55.699 --> 00:09:56.880 and we are responding 00:09:56.880 --> 00:09:58.800 to a student and getting them help. 00:09:58.800 --> 00:10:00.960 It is not a risk. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:03.830 Sometimes the the behavior 00:10:03.830 --> 00:10:05.519 that leads up to them meeting 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:07.600 that level of intervention 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:10.320 looks scary, but it looks 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:13.519 more scary because it's not typical to see. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:17.399 It's not because we're in danger. 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:19.900 It's because we're scared how are we 00:10:19.900 --> 00:10:20.710 going to keep you safe? 00:10:20.710 --> 00:10:22.390 How are we going to meet your needs? 00:10:22.390 --> 00:10:24.314 And we take that responsibility 00:10:24.314 --> 00:10:26.210 really seriously. 00:10:26.210 --> 00:10:29.800 Um, every two class so, in our small group 00:10:29.800 --> 00:10:31.640 environments we got a redesign of those 00:10:31.640 --> 00:10:33.640 spaces last year so those spaces all 00:10:33.640 --> 00:10:36.200 have three break spaces in them because 00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:39.160 that population of students just need 00:10:39.160 --> 00:10:41.680 less noise they need some time alone 00:10:41.680 --> 00:10:44.040 some sometimes isolation we have swings 00:10:44.040 --> 00:10:46.240 in every one of those every one of those 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:48.240 classrooms has one room with a swing 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:50.839 Mount and then down the main hallway as 00:10:50.839 --> 00:10:52.639 we get into what we call large group in 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:54.320 between every two classrooms we have a 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:57.120 break space and within that break space 00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:59.600 we our hope is that students learn use 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:01.839 that space proactively so that they can 00:11:01.839 --> 00:11:03.480 request a break because when they think 00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:05.800 about going back to a home school and 00:11:05.800 --> 00:11:07.720 their environment grows drastically they 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:09.519 need to know when to say I need to break 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:11.839 where to take that break what tools they 00:11:11.839 --> 00:11:15.800 need to take that break um and then 00:11:15.800 --> 00:11:17.440 there are times when students don't have 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:19.440 that skill yet that as adults we help 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:22.360 them to learn that by supporting them 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:24.680 and getting to that break space and we 00:11:24.680 --> 00:11:26.680 baby steps to Growing to where they can 00:11:26.680 --> 00:11:27.880 do that 00:11:27.880 --> 00:11:30.639 independently um like I said all support 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:33.279 all staff carry radios we have a 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:34.920 building leadership team that's made up 00:11:34.920 --> 00:11:37.279 of myself Mr Wilson is the assistant 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:39.920 administrator and then there are six 00:11:39.920 --> 00:11:42.399 additional people that make up our our 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:43.839 school psychologist our we have a 00:11:43.839 --> 00:11:46.600 full-time School social worker we have 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:49.720 uh a lead interventionist so academic 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:53.279 interventions who is a behavior also has 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:56.200 deep background of behavior we have a 00:11:56.200 --> 00:11:58.639 curriculum interventionist or core 00:11:58.639 --> 00:11:59.880 intervention 00:11:59.880 --> 00:12:02.079 who has a strong background in behavior 00:12:02.079 --> 00:12:04.240 and then we have a behavior lead 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:06.320 interventionist um all who have been 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:09.240 teachers in the building and believe in 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:11.760 this um we have a float staff which is 00:12:11.760 --> 00:12:13.199 made up primarily of prayer 00:12:13.199 --> 00:12:16.560 professionals who work really hard 00:12:16.560 --> 00:12:19.079 we back when Staffing was a different 00:12:19.079 --> 00:12:20.680 story right they were two or three 00:12:20.680 --> 00:12:22.600 individuals who truly their job all day 00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:25.279 was just Flo and be in places now they 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:26.920 are individuals we have identified who 00:12:26.920 --> 00:12:29.399 they are part of teams but they they 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:32.160 have flexibility um and they build 00:12:32.160 --> 00:12:33.760 relationships throughout the building so 00:12:33.760 --> 00:12:37.760 they're our go-to when we have uh a 00:12:37.760 --> 00:12:39.320 couple of Staff down here in small group 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:41.160 who they have we have a new Elementary 00:12:41.160 --> 00:12:42.639 learner 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:46.199 who is really struggling um and they are 00:12:46.199 --> 00:12:47.519 the right people they have built a 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:48.920 relationship with him and so we just 00:12:48.920 --> 00:12:51.079 have flexibility that that float staff 00:12:51.079 --> 00:12:52.279 are the people that come down and 00:12:52.279 --> 00:12:54.040 intervene sometimes they just need a new 00:12:54.040 --> 00:12:55.720 face sometimes they just need somebody 00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:57.720 they know they can trust who wasn't in 00:12:57.720 --> 00:13:00.920 that moment with them um and we have a 00:13:00.920 --> 00:13:02.920 deep shared understanding of students we 00:13:02.920 --> 00:13:05.480 do a lot to communicate with each other 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:07.920 um based on a need to know right there's 00:13:07.920 --> 00:13:09.720 that fine line between 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:12.320 confidentiality um but we do a lot we 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.199 send out emails hey just a heads up this 00:13:14.199 --> 00:13:16.760 student's plan is this or we have an all 00:13:16.760 --> 00:13:18.639 staff meeting once a month and we might 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:20.279 bring a picture of a student if you see 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:21.680 this person in the hallway please don't 00:13:21.680 --> 00:13:24.000 say this we have a young lady right now 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:26.680 who is exploring work she's a transition 00:13:26.680 --> 00:13:29.880 age learner um and what we have learned 00:13:29.880 --> 00:13:31.639 is when she wears her sweatshirt that 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:34.360 announces her employer that is probably 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:37.000 something went wrong today at her job 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:38.800 and what's your go-to if you see her 00:13:38.800 --> 00:13:40.040 walking through the building that says 00:13:40.040 --> 00:13:42.760 K's across it it's like oh I was work 00:13:42.760 --> 00:13:44.959 today right well we have figured out as 00:13:44.959 --> 00:13:47.440 a team that we have to coach everybody 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:50.279 not to engage about her job because that 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:52.360 is her like way of letting us know I 00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:55.320 can't talk about my job today um but not 00:13:55.320 --> 00:13:58.560 what our first reaction as adults is so 00:13:58.560 --> 00:14:00.079 we do a lot of working with each other 00:14:00.079 --> 00:14:01.759 just sending building wide emails like 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:04.199 hey if you see so and so in the hallway 00:14:04.199 --> 00:14:06.560 heads up don't ask 00:14:06.560 --> 00:14:11.519 her so um 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:14.880 yeah so this is more information that we 00:14:14.880 --> 00:14:16.920 met with um staff here in the building 00:14:16.920 --> 00:14:18.240 just to talk about what does it feel 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:20.040 like to work here and what are supports 00:14:20.040 --> 00:14:23.000 are in place so these may be SL yeah 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:25.120 perfect and can I just name I Martha was 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:26.639 involved in this too I didn't say your 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:28.480 name earlier but Martha spend the 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:30.199 sizeable amount of time here and help 00:14:30.199 --> 00:14:33.320 plan just from the flow perspective too 00:14:33.320 --> 00:14:36.320 around maybe not um kind of coming and 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:38.519 going to so 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:41.600 make so I would just I guess I would 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:43.120 wonder what things are you wondering 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:45.360 about and what things do you hear that 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:48.040 make you um 00:14:48.040 --> 00:14:50.360 uncertain that's the question I that's 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:52.160 one of the first questions i' I've 00:14:52.160 --> 00:14:54.360 always wanted to know is what are your 00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:56.680 concerns of why you don't want to come 00:14:56.680 --> 00:14:59.360 here you know I find it a wonderful to 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:01.519 work but other people don't see that and 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:04.440 I'm like I don't I don't understand 00:15:04.440 --> 00:15:06.440 understand I mean you're so well 00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:09.920 supported um it is like a family here 00:15:09.920 --> 00:15:12.880 you have a ton of information and it's 00:15:12.880 --> 00:15:14.880 always being given to you in many 00:15:14.880 --> 00:15:17.480 different ways so I just yeah that's a 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:19.800 hard one for me to and I would say I 00:15:19.800 --> 00:15:21.639 think we've worked together a long time 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:24.120 right and there are times that there are 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:26.240 decisions Dan and I might make or that 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:29.440 as a building and Charlotte I don't this 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:31.160 why are we doing this and we want that 00:15:31.160 --> 00:15:33.240 that is how we that's how we can only do 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:35.040 better so if people come in and they're 00:15:35.040 --> 00:15:36.440 like this makes no sense why is someone 00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:38.160 doing this maybe we're going to learn a 00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:40.759 better way so we welcome those questions 00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:43.680 or whoa there's so many layers here 00:15:43.680 --> 00:15:45.319 nobody shared with you let me share with 00:15:45.319 --> 00:15:48.480 you so you understand why we do um and 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:51.079 that's really how we operate I I spend a 00:15:51.079 --> 00:15:53.000 lot of my day 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:56.800 just talking about what we 00:15:57.920 --> 00:16:01.160 do I think the other thing to know is 00:16:01.160 --> 00:16:04.560 that um it's a big decision when a 00:16:04.560 --> 00:16:07.360 student ends up coming here right so um 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:10.160 it is a significant decision when an IEP 00:16:10.160 --> 00:16:12.560 team is considering a setting change for 00:16:12.560 --> 00:16:14.800 a student for a lot of reasons right 00:16:14.800 --> 00:16:17.440 like statute wise but also we are making 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:19.240 a decision that that student should be 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:22.160 leaving their home building for a period 00:16:22.160 --> 00:16:24.399 of time always our goal is to have them 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:27.120 come back um and sometimes we find this 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:29.399 is the right setting for them um so I 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.000 think sometimes we hear questions and 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:33.120 buildings around how those decisions are 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:35.839 made and why um and I think just know 00:16:35.839 --> 00:16:37.839 that they're not taken light and this is 00:16:37.839 --> 00:16:41.600 like the very you have what 120 students 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.759 right now in a district of 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:48.040 29,000 um so it is truly like a small 00:16:48.040 --> 00:16:49.880 number of students who truly need this 00:16:49.880 --> 00:16:52.279 setting and that's also why it's 00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:55.160 effective right um so if you hear 00:16:55.160 --> 00:16:57.480 questions in the buildings always know 00:16:57.480 --> 00:16:59.360 that that is the case and we can help 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:00.839 with those conversations because if 00:17:00.839 --> 00:17:02.560 people don't spend time here I don't 00:17:02.560 --> 00:17:04.599 think they always understand and they 00:17:04.599 --> 00:17:06.559 the program the PE the students who do 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:10.400 move here are at their worst when they 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:13.119 come here so what the perception of that 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:15.160 individual child when they leave 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:17.319 somewhere else is much different than 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:19.359 the perception we get to have because we 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:22.559 get a fresh start we get to take that 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:25.760 worst and it's we we truly believe as a 00:17:25.760 --> 00:17:27.039 building we there's nowhere else for 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:28.919 them to go we're not we're not 00:17:28.919 --> 00:17:30.240 intervening to figure out where else 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:32.080 we're going to send you we're 00:17:32.080 --> 00:17:34.240 intervening to get in it with you we're 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:35.720 intervening to figure out what's in the 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:37.320 way and how are we going to fix it and 00:17:37.320 --> 00:17:39.400 not fix it we can't fix anything that's 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:41.640 the wrong word just to help you grow and 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:43.880 do better and 00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:46.799 so I think a lot of times people think 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:49.640 of the kids they have seen come here and 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:51.520 the story they have is the story of that 00:17:51.520 --> 00:17:53.919 child at their worst and we're really 00:17:53.919 --> 00:17:55.600 lucky because we get to celebrate those 00:17:55.600 --> 00:17:59.760 small wins and change that story 00:17:59.760 --> 00:18:01.280 um 00:18:01.280 --> 00:18:04.799 so I when kids come here you almost see 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:06.919 them Blossom right for some kids like 00:18:06.919 --> 00:18:08.679 the environment is the right environment 00:18:08.679 --> 00:18:10.480 for them with the structures and 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:12.000 routines that are in place and the 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:14.320 supports and just the connections with 00:18:14.320 --> 00:18:16.799 staff and some kids just absolutely I 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.840 would say lots of kids not some 00:18:18.840 --> 00:18:20.840 absolutely just loss them in this 00:18:20.840 --> 00:18:23.679 setting and I would imagine that people 00:18:23.679 --> 00:18:25.360 some hesitation about like supporting 00:18:25.360 --> 00:18:26.720 hair and I I don't know that that's 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:29.440 necessarily any of you is a like maybe I 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:31.159 don't have the skills to support with 00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:33.159 that particular student or I don't I 00:18:33.159 --> 00:18:34.880 don't know that I'm capable of that and 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:37.520 I think the realization of the team 00:18:37.520 --> 00:18:39.200 right like you're not alone but I I I 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:41.159 would say that that's a lot of times 00:18:41.159 --> 00:18:43.120 more of a fear and of the 00:18:43.120 --> 00:18:46.400 unknown and to be that off of that like 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:50.120 that's I I 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:53.919 I been here um I know that um in 00:18:53.919 --> 00:18:57.080 chatting with coworkers you know I talk 00:18:57.080 --> 00:18:59.320 like got over 00:18:59.320 --> 00:19:01.360 um you're going to giggle you're GNA 00:19:01.360 --> 00:19:02.440 laugh and you're going to leave with a 00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:04.280 smile usually I mean that's my 00:19:04.280 --> 00:19:06.039 experience you I think a lot of the 00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:08.559 times that I've in communication with 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:11.240 some coworkers is and I'm not trying to 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:12.799 over separate things it's like they have 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:15.360 that uncomfortable feeling that like you 00:19:15.360 --> 00:19:19.640 know the unknown or the big the PCM 00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:21.640 training piece and the part that I like 00:19:21.640 --> 00:19:23.520 to say much what you guys have always 00:19:23.520 --> 00:19:25.559 just said here too is that you have that 00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:27.880 support in the room that will always be 00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:30.240 there right away for you if you need it 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:32.559 you know and that's even a culture thing 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:34.320 we hear of Staff here when people are on 00:19:34.320 --> 00:19:36.000 their back wheels or just having a bad 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.039 day of nobody in my room is PM train 00:19:38.039 --> 00:19:41.000 well the reality is we don't use PM 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:44.039 every day like I 00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:48.679 mean it's not this magic wand right we 00:19:48.679 --> 00:19:51.679 don't use it that often but it is that 00:19:51.679 --> 00:19:55.159 something when people are feeling right 00:19:55.159 --> 00:19:57.799 we all go to what do I not have how am I 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:01.280 not equi to do this um but really it's 00:20:01.280 --> 00:20:04.600 about coming here and helping kids be 00:20:04.600 --> 00:20:07.039 successful and we got we've got a lot of 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:09.159 ways to get creative to do that in 00:20:09.159 --> 00:20:12.480 interventions we try and tools we use we 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:16.280 are resource Rich yeah I feel it's 00:20:16.280 --> 00:20:20.159 endless it's endless you just have to 00:20:20.159 --> 00:20:24.840 identify what you need or what they need 00:20:24.840 --> 00:20:26.360 and then and we'll try it and we'll try 00:20:26.360 --> 00:20:30.360 it let give it a can't work yeah try 00:20:30.360 --> 00:20:32.600 something else right so it's thinking 00:20:32.600 --> 00:20:34.679 that lens and all fa all behavior is a 00:20:34.679 --> 00:20:37.200 form of communication so behavior isn't 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:38.440 personal it's a child trying to 00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:39.640 communicate something and they don't 00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:42.600 have the skills to tell you what that is 00:20:42.600 --> 00:20:44.200 in that moment so thinking through all 00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:45.559 the tools that you have here at Dakota 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:48.080 Rich to support kids and there is no 00:20:48.080 --> 00:20:50.799 tool here we use that we don't have in 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:53.240 other buildings or that we can't get in 00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:55.120 other buildings so I think that's the 00:20:55.120 --> 00:20:57.360 other layer to know it's not like we're 00:20:57.360 --> 00:20:59.280 tool Rich because we've got it at all 00:20:59.280 --> 00:21:02.000 here it's out there it's using a rocking 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:03.280 chair instead of a regular chair it's 00:21:03.280 --> 00:21:05.320 putting a roller ball at their feet it's 00:21:05.320 --> 00:21:06.760 giving them a fidget in their class room 00:21:06.760 --> 00:21:08.520 it's using a body stck those aren't 00:21:08.520 --> 00:21:11.120 magic wands those are things we have 00:21:11.120 --> 00:21:14.559 everywhere we might have more of 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:18.039 them um but we are very very aware to 00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:20.440 make sure it's a functional tool that 00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:23.200 can go somewhere like that so and there 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:25.799 he is there's 00:21:27.520 --> 00:21:30.520 MJ 00:21:51.760 --> 00:21:54.159 you 00:21:54.159 --> 00:21:57.520 big good good 00:21:57.520 --> 00:22:00.520 job 00:22:01.919 --> 00:22:04.480 and there is 00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:08.520 my and he has 00:22:08.520 --> 00:22:11.960 relationships with everybody he's like 00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:13.880 Royal to you when he walks in in the 00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:15.880 morning might take him five to 10 00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:17.559 minutes to get to the classroom because 00:22:17.559 --> 00:22:19.559 everyone's got to stop and chat myself 00:22:19.559 --> 00:22:23.679 included um and he's got things with 00:22:23.679 --> 00:22:26.520 each person we have subar who's here two 00:22:26.520 --> 00:22:29.000 days a week who I got watch their 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:31.760 interaction yesterday and I 00:22:31.760 --> 00:22:34.840 just and he has grown so much because 00:22:34.840 --> 00:22:37.320 when when he first started here he was 00:22:37.320 --> 00:22:42.279 in a room by himself so to see him do 00:22:42.840 --> 00:22:46.880 that of that oh so so awesome like I 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:49.799 said I watched him sign 20 some words 00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:52.840 last night and I was just amazed that he 00:22:52.840 --> 00:22:54.720 just kept going I'm 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:57.720 like wow and then he'll tell the story 00:22:57.720 --> 00:23:00.240 again and he know add a word to his 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:03.400 story and I'm like yes yes just keep 00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:06.919 adding and adding and 00:23:19.320 --> 00:23:22.400 add what was on the screen um it was 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:25.600 actually Shelby was teaching ASL class 00:23:25.600 --> 00:23:27.440 and there were 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:29.080 chips 00:23:29.080 --> 00:23:32.760 and he just thought it was the funniest 00:23:32.760 --> 00:23:36.919 thing and then he would describe 00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:48.120 the do you guys want to take over this 00:23:48.120 --> 00:23:49.400 part these are just all the things you 00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:51.120 shared and I kind of captured them on a 00:23:51.120 --> 00:23:52.840 slide when we met of thinking of like 00:23:52.840 --> 00:23:54.520 what is it like to support hair subing 00:23:54.520 --> 00:23:57.039 and stepping 00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:00.440 in 00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:04.600 um okay 00:24:04.600 --> 00:24:09.600 so just in this just in this now in this 00:24:09.600 --> 00:24:14.720 week um we have our safe spaces for them 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:18.640 I have watched Matthew on his own walk 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:22.320 in just walk in instead of taking us 00:24:22.320 --> 00:24:27.360 seven years y y but we got 00:24:27.360 --> 00:24:28.919 there 00:24:28.919 --> 00:24:32.279 just keep going try something different 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:34.200 um 00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:39.039 so a positive happy demeanor when I walk 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:43.159 into that break room