To ensure there was a smooth and through onboarding for new IRR specialists, I designed a notebook in which all pertinent information was housed. This notebook was provided to the specialists as part of their onboarding process. It contained not only logistical and contact information but also specific basics and content that allowed us to level set as a team and ensure that all staff members shared the same message in their support of new teachers.

The notebook can be accessed here: IRR Specialists Onboarding Notebook (Restricted to GCPS GSuite Users)

As the National Project Manager for Lesson Planning, I have written, revised, and reviewed lesson plans for Grades 1-3. These are pre-made lesson plans that are being used by volunteer teachers around the nation at religious education centers. Each grade level has a total of about 36 lesson plans that are conducted once per week. 

Below are a couple of examples of these lesson plans: 

Grade 1 Theme 2 Week 3

Grade 2 Theme 2 Week 1

Grade 3 Theme 1 Week 5

NOTE: These lessons are part of a 12 week trimester of lesson plans. 

One of the initiatives I started as I took on the role of Instructional Coach supprting IRR Special Education Teachers was a monthly newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide teachers with resources, strategies, reminders, and new information. This is a bit sized piece of professional learning that teachers can easily access. 

Previous issues of the newsletter can be found here: Newsletter Archive (Restricted to GCPS GSuite Users)

In the past new teachers received a binder of resources to support them in their role as special education teachers. In an attempt to reduce the impact on the enviornment and to make the resource easily accessible not only to new teachers but also veteran teachers, I converted the binder notebook into a digital resource notebook for all special education teachers. This also allows for information to easily be updated! The notebook is currently a work in progress but teachers have access to it.

The notebook can be accessed here: Special Education Teacher Resource Notebook (Restricted to GCPS GSuite Users)

To make it easy for students to manage their work and grades and for caseload managers to have a way to check in with students, I developed these agendas for our school to use. There is one page per week for students to fill out during our weekly check ins. There are also other resources for students to use as well! Click below to check out the agenda: 

Digital Student Agenda - Block Schedule

Digital Student Agenda - Traditional 6 Period Schedule

As these agendas were a part of a Friday Check In process, teachers needed to communicate and prepare these agendas in advance. So I created a checklist for our department teachers to follow to make the process of getting these Agendas out, accessing the attendance tracker, and the communication simple and easy to follow. Click below to access the checklist.

Friday Caseload Check In - Checklist

As schools moved to digital learning, so did some religious education classes for my community. I was given the responsbility of developing virtual content for all 6th graders around the nation. My partner and I worked together to create engaging content, based on given themes, that volunteer teachers could implement with their 6th grade students. There were detailed teacher notes provided within the presentation, but teachers were also invited to a live training each week priot to implementation. The teachers then implemented these lessons via Zoom to their students. 

Here are a few of the lessons:  

Virtual Session on Guidance

Virtual Session on Pluralism

Since teachers were being provided with premade lesson plans, I wanted to ensure that they were able to apply those lessons to their classes with fidelity. The lesson plans are not a one-size fits all model; they need to be adapted and modified for the needs of the teacher and the students in the classroom. I developed a planning sheet that allows teachers to think through each activity in the lesson plan and what would be the needs of their students. Below you will find a blank planning sheet as well as an overview that teachers can use a reference when filling out their planning sheet: 

Planning Sheet (Blank)

Planning Sheet Overview 

I made a Special Education Teacher Resources Binder for each of my mentees so the have an inital set of resources at their disposal and many that they can reference throughout the year. I also will give them more resources throughout the year and this is a good way for them to keep it all organized. I also use my copy often to reference things throughout the year! I updated the binder this past year to add more resources for teachers to use - see the updated videos for more detail! 

Here is a video to see the initial setup: 

Special Education Teacher Resources Mentee Binder Setup

Updated Special Education Teacher Resources Mentee Binder Setup

At the beginning of each year, I send out the accommodations and supports for my caseload students to their teachers. I have created a profile page that I complete as an easy reference for them and for myself. This also allows me to easily update this after an IEP meeting to send back out to teachers for their reference. 

Student Profile Templates

A big part of keeping up with students on my caseload is monitoring their grades and class progress. I use a weekly check in sheet on which I can record their current grades. This allows me to see how each student is doing and then I am able to reach out to those students that are struggling to see how I can help them get back on track. I have a number of different templates based on student schedules (4 blocks, 6 periods, etc.). 

Caseload Grade Check In Templates

I use a folder system to organize all of paperwork for each of my caselod students. I prefer using one folder per student rather than one binder for all of my students so that I can easily take folders to IEP meetings or parent meetings and not worry about having multiple students' information on me. This also allows me to keep any other paperwork related to a student such as work samples, goal setting sheets, questionnaires, etc without having to worry about hole punching it. 

Inside the folder, I like to keep a parent contact log, graduation tracker, student schedule, student services, envelope to send paperwork home in, and more!

Here is a video to see a sample setup of a folder: 

Caseload Student Folders Setup

Here are links to the different handouts used in the folder: 

Graduation Tracker

Parent Contact Log

Information Sheet

Welcome Letter

As a casemanager, I often have to send out paperwork that I need signed and returned and it can be difficult to keep up with it. So I have designed an active requests form to keep up with all of the paperwork that goes out. I keep a copy of this form in a folder on my desk so that I can record when I send paperwork out and when it is returned.

Here is a copy of the form: 

Active Requests Form 

I've created different checklists that have helped me stay organized and on top of my work and has also helped other teachers in my deparment. These have been both paper checklists, but also post it checklists that can be placed on caseload folders. Below are a few examples:

PLAAFP Checklist

Re-Eval Checklist Post-its

IEP Checklist Avery Labels

As a transition coach for my school, I was part of the county team that helped develop the newest transition questionnaires. I also recently converted the  questionnaires into Google Forms to make it easier to implement with students and to reduce the paper copies. Here are a couple of the forms: 

Transition Plan - 9th

Transition Plan - 10th