Twice-exceptional Professional Development

Twice Exceptional Learners Part 1

The online or in-person statewide part 1 course acquaints educators and specialists with the characteristics and needs of twice-exceptional (2e) students.  Participants discuss their own experiences with 2e students with each other as they progress through the course. 

Check back in late summer 2023 for fall course offering.

Twice Exceptional Learners Part 2

The online or in-person statewide part 2 course goes deeper into disability areas, problem-solving, and strategies to support 2e students.

Check back in late summer 2023 for fall course offering.

June 13, 2023

Morning

Title: Supporting Student’s Social, Emotional, and Behavior Needs through a Layered Continuum of Support

This session will examine how schools can provide effective interventions through a layered continuum of support for students with social, emotional, and behavioral needs. The session will work through various evidence-based interventions beyond traditional individual and group counseling that all school staff can implement within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). Educators will leave with a concrete list of interventions and strategies they can implement within their unique context.

Workshop Lead: Krista Klabo, Ed.S. NCSP is the School Psychology Specialist at the Colorado Department of Education. She focuses her work on supporting school psychologists, school social workers, and their roles and responsibilities. She supports special education evaluation, mental health for all students including those with disabilities, intervention, suicide prevention, and crisis response.

Title: Social Emotional Learning and 2e Learners

Both research and evidence-based practice clearly show the strong connection between Social Emotional Learning (SEL), behaviors, and academic learning. Social-emotional skills are critical for students' learning, their readiness for college and careers, and their future success. SEL is part of establishing a positive school climate and culture and is highly compatible with the MTSS/PBIS Framework. This presentation will provide participants with basic knowledge about SEL and how SEL can be implemented across a layered continuum of Support (MTSS).

Workshop Lead: Bill Brown MSW is a licensed School Social Worker through the Colorado Department of Education and the Affective Needs/Serious Emotional Disability Specialist for the Exceptional Student Services Unit at the Colorado Department of Education. Bill has 12 years of experience working as a therapist in community mental health systems and 13 years of experience in education. He has been certified as a Behavior Specialist for the Developmental Disability population and the Traumatic Brain Injury Population. At the school level Bill has coordinated the implementation of MTSS and PBIS.

Afternoon

Title: Executive Function: The Key to 2e Student Success

This session will define “executive function” and how it affects student success. We will explore how to identify concerns, investigate why students aren’t developing these skills, and practice strategies to make these "invisible" skills visible. Educators can empower 2e students to take control of the learning process by helping them understand HOW they learn and HOW to apply strategies. Participants will leave with a toolbox full of resources and strategies.

Workshop Lead: Elizabeth Morarie is an Educator and Executive Function Coach who has taught gifted students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. After leaving the classroom she became the Special Education Teacher and eventually MTSS Coordinator for a gifted and talented magnet school. She then joined the 2e cadre for CDE to share her passion for supporting these unique students all across Colorado. She most recently supported the work of the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented.

June 14, 2023 (Whole Day)

Title: Developing Lessons for 2e Students Based on Their Strengths

Individuals with disabilities always have strengths that are overlooked. For example, some students with Dyslexia tend to be very strong at divergent thinking. Some students with Autism can have remarkable episodic memory. Some students with ADHD have incredible empathy skills. How do we as educators identify these strengths and capitalize on them to design lessons that will meet their needs? This involves a study of the strengths of a disability, a deeper understanding of differentiation frameworks, and utilizing a combination of Understanding by Design and Universal Design for Learning lesson plan formats with adjustments for support plans. 

Workshop Lead: Robert Frantum-Allen, MA, is a multifaceted leader with expertise in a variety of educational areas including Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Gifted and Talented Education, Literacy, and Leadership. Robert retired as the Director of Special Education for Denver Public Schools. Over the span of his career, he worked as an early childhood teacher, a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and a school-age teacher for over 33 years. In addition, Robert was the “go-to” professional supporting local IEP and ALP teams in developing learning plans to address the needs of twice-exceptional students by focusing on the individual's strengths. His leadership career included serving as a curriculum and instruction manager for student services. Robert has a keen interest in supporting students who are twice exceptional bridging his work between special and gifted education. He has presented nationally and locally around specific topics of dyslexia and the gifted brain, autism and the gifted brain, and ADHD and the gifted brain.