Superintendent Elsie Arntzen is encouraging Montana schools to register for the 2023 Youth Days in Great Falls on October 8 and 9, 2023. The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has partnered with Special Olympics Montana (SOMT) to host this opportunity for Middle School and High School students of all abilities to develop their leadership potential. This fall’s conference theme, selected by Great Falls students, is “Things Get Solved if You Get Involved.” Youth Days focuses on youth voice and leadership development, community service and engagement, school safety, and mental health. Registration will close on September 29, 2023.
“Montana students’ voices impact positive changes in their schools,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “A big thank you to our partner, Special Olympics of Montana, for cohosting Youth Days. This is a great opportunity for students of all abilities to focus on meaningful solutions.”
The main keynote speakers are:
- Alex Hurley, Candace English, and Josh Huestis
Other speakers include:
- Student Leaders from Belt High School, CMR High School, and Great Falls High School
Special Guest: Chontay Standing Rock
The SOMT invites all participating schools to become Unified Champion Schools and take advantage of funding opportunities, resources, and support. Through youth leadership, whole-school engagement, and inclusive sports opportunities, students can be the drivers in creating an environment of inclusion in their school communities and beyond. For more information visit www.somt.org/ucs or contact unifiedschools@somt.org.
For more information please contact Anne Carpenter, Program Support Specialist, at Anne.Carpenter2@mt.gov or Michele Henson, School Safety Program Manager, at Michele.Henson@mt.gov.
Are you a Middle School or High School Teacher, Counselor, or Administrator? The Montana OPI MTSS High School Forum brings together teachers, counselors, special education staff, and administrators from around Montana to network and discuss “best practice" in the secondary school environment. Attendees engaged in this forum will learn about MTSS tools and resources to enhance the implementation framework and strengthen school climate to provide all students with the best opportunities to maximize achievement, both academically and behaviorally.
Our keynote speaker on Monday will be Susan Barrett presenting “Centering Wellness in School.” and a workshop session titled “Staff Wellness.” Susan Barrett, MA, serves as a Director for the Center for Social Behavior Support (CSBS) at Old Dominion University and a Technical Assistance Director with the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). She assists with large-scale implementation of PBIS; and partners with researchers to evaluate the impact of PBIS on students, school staff, and school communities.
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Our keynote speaker on Tuesday will be Amy Williamson presenting “MTSS: Spotlight on Middle and High School Implementation'' and a workshop session titled “Using Data for Middle and High School MTSS.” Amy is the founder of Public Progress, an Iowa education consulting company, and the former Deputy Director of the Iowa Department of Education. As Deputy Director in Iowa, Amy had the opportunity to lead the education community during the COVID-19 pandemic response. She also served as the Department's Bureau Chief for School Improvement for more than eight years. Her first roles at the Department were in special education, a specialty for which Amy remains a relentless champion.
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Limited District reimbursement is provided. See the 2023 HS Forum Registration Letter to learn more.
CSPD Region II: Supporting Students with Intensive Needs within MTSS
MSUB College of Education, Room 122 October 2, 8:30AM to 3:30PM Cost is free 6 OPI Renewal Units (Graduate Credit Option) Information/Registration
Presenter: Sara Evans
Description: Are you struggling to meet the individual needs of your students? Did you know there is a validated process to develop and implement specially designed instruction (SDI) or intensive interventions? This session models how to use data-based individualization (DBI) to support students with intensive needs and develop SDI for students with disabilities while leveraging the data, instruction, and infrastructure of your MTSS system.
Join OPI Systems Coaches Michelle Trafton and Keith Hoyer for their presentation: "Multi-Tiered System of Supports Overview" at the 2023 MYTransitions Conference in Billings Nov. 14-16.
This session will provide an overview of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and the systems, data, and practices that provide a foundation for educators in building an effective MTSS framework to provide academic and behavioral support for ALL students. Participants will be introduced to the MTSS Essential Components, MTSS Teaming, Data-Driven Problem Solving, and Tier 1 Core Instruction.
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Questions regarding MTSS in Montana:
Check out our OPI MTSS webpage or reach out to:
The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.
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