South Carolina Early Childhood
Inclusion Conference

Dr. Jackie Joseph's education and work brought her expertise in inclusion research, policy, and practice. However, when her daughter Juniper was born with a rare genetic syndrome, Jackie realized that much of what she had learned was incomplete. Juniper's family observed how the world around her did not fully value her, and as Juniper’s mom, Jackie confronted her own limiting attitudes and beliefs. Jackie and her family have seen first-hand the importance of promoting high-quality inclusion, but she's also learned that inclusion alone is not enough. By sharing her family's story, Jackie invites us to consider how we may never achieve our goals, as a field and as a society, until we can embed inclusion into people’s hearts, not just their minds.

Session Description:

IEP teams have the unique opportunity to foster environments that celebrate each child's competence and ensure their rightful presence in care and education environments. Guided by the principles of presumed competence and rightful presence, this session empowers teams to champion inclusion and belonging in IDEA processes.

About the Presenters:

Dr. Jackie Joseph is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Denver Positive Early Learning Experiences Center, where her work promotes high-quality inclusion across the early care and education system. She specifically focuses on family partnerships and evidence-based strategies for fostering each and every young child’s social, emotional, and behavioral development. Jackie’s experience working in child care administration offers her an applied understanding of implementing and scaling high quality inclusion. Dr. Joseph has two young children herself, one of whom happens to have a rare genetic syndrome. Her anti-ableist research and work are strongly influenced by her family’s experiences, and Jackie strives to co-create opportunities and spaces that ensure that all young children, disabled and nondisabled, and their families experience meaningful inclusion and belonging.

Dr. Brandy M. Locchetta is an Assistant Professor of Special Education and coordinator of the Applied Behavior Analysis program at the University of West Georgia. She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Ph.D. in Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis. Brandy has worked in a wide variety of roles at various system levels in early childhood and special education since 2001. Brandy brings a tremendous passion and wealth of experience and expertise to the areas of early childhood inclusion, applied behavior analysis in schools, special education law and policy, social-emotional development, social justice issues in education, and practitioner preparation.

Session Description:

Do you have preschoolers who have difficulty self-regulating and demonstrate the need for sensory support? Understanding how preschoolers process various sensory input is necessary for preschoolers to learn and perform at their optimal level. In this session, participants will learn more about sensory processing and the EIGHT senses that can impact preschoolers’ performance. Participants will also learn about universal sensory supports that can be implemented in the classroom for the benefit of all learners and discover practical ways they can create their own sensory “tools” in addition to sensory support strategies that they can share with parents.

About the Presenters:

Lisa Johnson-Brown is an Occupational Therapist in Dorchester School District Two. She graduated from the University of Washington with a Masters in Rehabilitation Medicine: Occupational Therapy. Lisa currently lives in Summerville, SC with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs. During her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, sewing, and dabbling in modifying toys for switch accessibility. As an Occupational Therapist, Lisa has worked in a variety of settings to include inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and pediatric home health. Most of Lisa's career has been working in school settings with children ranging in ages 3 to 21.

Nicole Jewell holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Birth-Kindergarten Education and Sociology and a Master’s Degree in early childhood special education. She is currently a preschool special education teacher in with 20 years’ experience in early childhood. Nicole's passion is working with families, teams, and educators to assure all children and their family’s needs are met while focusing on the whole child. “If they can’t learn the way we teach, we teach the way they can learn” ~Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas

Debby Yanchik has been teaching preschool special education since 1991. She started her career in education in Baltimore, Maryland. Debby currently teaches in a special education preschool program in Summerville, South Carolina and works with Dorchester District Two’s Preschool Continuum Taskforce to improve and expand the services available to 3- and 4-year-old children in her community.

Session Description:

Join us as we explore Practice Based Coaching and The Pyramid Model and the positive impact that this strength-based, relationship-focused process has on our state’s teachers and youngest learners. This session will share the benefits of Practice Based Coaching and the Pyramid Model, and how it promotes inclusive environments. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss what this process looks like with two of our state’s Pyramid Model Practitioner Coaches: Beth Reilly (Lexington-Richland School District Five) and Jameshia Means (Charleston County School District).

About the Presenters:

Nichole Hudgens is a Pyramid Model Program Implementation Coach with Pyramid PIECES, supporting school districts with program-wide implementation. Prior to joining Pyramid PIECES, Nichole served as an Inclusion Specialist with the SC Inclusion Collaborative, and as Quality Coach with the South Carolina Child Care Resource and Referral Network for four years. Nichole earned a BA in Early Childhood Education from Clemson University and received her Master’s degree in Education from Ashford University. Nichole also taught pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and upper elementary school. Nichole holds a certification as a Certified Trainer and Technical Assistance Provider with the SC Endeavors.

Beth Reilly is the Preschool Special Education Coach for District 5 of Lexington/Richland Counties. She grew up in Greenville, SC and attended Winthrop University majoring in Special Education. Beth has taught for 17 years, the last 13 of them being in the preschool special education program. She is married with 2 daughters. She loves to travel with her family to new places. Beth is currently serving in her district as a Pyramid Model Practitioner Coach.

Jameshia Means is a dedicated mother and professional with a rich background in education and mental health. Her career in education has spanned various roles since 2004, from middle school ELA teacher, Certified School Counselor, School Based Mental Health Therapist and currently School Psychologist and Licensed Psychoeducational Specialist. She is an advocate for children's well-being, especially in promoting mental health prevention and addressing mental illness early. Jameshia is also passionate about promoting equitable educational practices and advocating for preschool preventative programs. Currently Jameshia works part-time as a licensed school psychologist in a public middle school and as an independent contractor, collaborating with school districts and organizations in Charleston to develop and expand social and emotional learning for preschoolers. Her primary objective is to mitigate mental health crises later in life and to foster positive outcomes for all students and families. Jameshia's expertise lies in coaching families and adult caregivers in teaching social-emotional skills to preschoolers and early learners while also enhancing their own wellbeing.

Session Description:

Language develops at a remarkable pace in the early childhood years. Between birth and school entry, children learn to use their voices, to form first words, and to generate new and complex sentences they have never heard before. For most children, language development occurs automatically, without formal instruction, and enables them to effectively communicate their thoughts, emotions, and needs. However, some children exhibit significant difficulties understanding and producing spoken language, placing them at risk for reading disabilities and broader academic and social consequences. This session will explore those difficulties and address the strategies that need to be taken to overcome the language gaps. We will address what can be achieved in the classroom as well as carried over at home.

About the Presenters:

Suzanne M. Adlof, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of South Carolina where she teaches graduate courses on language and literacy and directs the SC Research on Language and Literacy Lab (SCROLL Lab). Her research investigates relations between spoken language and reading development and disorders, including dyslexia and developmental language disorder. Ongoing longitudinal studies follow children who may be at risk for these disorders as well as those who have received a formal diagnosis. The long-term goals of this research are to improve the identification and treatment of language and learning difficulties and to promote positive outcomes in all children. This research has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Institute for Education Sciences, the American Speech-Language Hearing Foundation, and the Central Carolina Community Foundation. Dr. Adlof currently serves as an Editor for the journal Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, and as a member of the Governing Board for the IES Regional Education Laboratory Southeast. In 2019, she was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) by the United States Government.

Deanna Parish has been serving students with disabilities for over 25 years. As a classroom teacher, she worked with students with intellectual disabilities, specializing in students with extensive support needs. Deanna has also served as a lead teacher, working with other teachers of students with low incidence disabilities. Her passion for teacher training was ignited through serving as a cooperating teacher for pre-service teacher candidates and as a coach for in-service special education teachers. Deanna has moved on to work in special education administration, spending time as both a coordinator and as a director of special services. In her current role as program director of the Academic Alliance of South Carolina, Deanna works in collaboration with other state technical assistance agencies to promote the implementation of evidence-based practices in SC. These experiences have led to opportunities to increase outcomes for students with disabilities and their families through the development of teacher leaders and support for quality instruction within special education programs. Deanna has worked with state-level leaders on alternate assessment development and instructional support, serves as a consultant for the Trailhead Community Farm School, is an Adjunct Professor for the University of South Carolina, and is an Educator in Residence for the PROGRESS Center.

Session Description:

Trauma has become the buzzword since Spring 2020, but with little evidence-based and best practices being what is chosen to help mitigate the effects of trauma. Trauma and its effects have been studied since the 1970s with Vietnam War veterans, while the original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study of the 1990s have been the foundation of how trauma and brain science help predict behavior and provide strategies to help with challenging behaviors. Handle With Care (HWC), created in WV in the early 2010s, has been used to provide a consistency of care among law enforcement and first responders, schools, and school- and community-based mental health to help mitigate the effects of trauma on our littlest learners. The P4 Project: Palmetto Pyramid Police Partnership brought HWC to South Carolina, and with SC being a Pyramid State, created a model of best practice to provide the environment and structure optimal for behavior and learning. Participants in this session will not only learn about trauma and Handle With Care, but also how to implement HWC and why this is the next best step in working with all students to have better social-emotional, behavior, and academic outcomes.

About the Presenters:

Rebecca Williams-Agee, MSW, MPA is the Statewide Coordinator for the P4/Handle With Care Program. Rebecca comes to the USC School of Medicine Center for Disability Resources with over 20 years of experience in the social justice field. Most recently, Rebecca worked as the Head of Training and Development in the Office of Health Equity and Inclusion at SC DHEC. Rebecca began her career as a social worker with a small caseload of boys at the SC Department of Juvenile Justice. Her work with system-involved youth and their Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) led to her career focus on addressing systemic barriers to achieving positive social determinants of health, especially for historically unserved and marginalized communities. Rebecca worked with and for survivors of sexual and intimate violence for over 11 years at the SC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (SCCADVASA) and was a part of the first training cohort of ACE Master Trainers trained by Children’s Trust. Her work focused on training service providers about the importance of responding to survivors and their families in a trauma-informed way. Rebecca has developed and delivered training on a variety of topics, including: the effects of ACEs on Adolescent Development; Understanding the Effects of ACEs on Historically Marginalized Communities; and Creating Safe and Trauma-Informed Spaces for Service Provision.

Nicole Hamm is the Mental Wellness Coordinator for the P4/Handle with Care Program. Nicole has a Bachelor of Arts in Experimental Psychology, an Education Specialist degree in Counselor Education, and a Play Therapy certification from the University of South Carolina. She is an LPC-A, nationally certified counselor, and certified K-12 school counselor in South Carolina. Nicole spent four years working in a charter school as a school counselor and Director of Counseling. Throughout her time in the school systems, she had the opportunity to work on crisis teams as a crisis counselor and wrote and maintained crisis protocols for the school. Nicole has developed and presented various training to teachers and staff on Trauma & the Brain, Student Behavior and Rapport, and Cultivating Connections with Students, Teachers, and Yourself. In 2019, she presented an academic research poster focused on self-esteem and school connectedness in Vienna, Austria, at the European Branch of the American Counseling Association. Nicole is a mental health therapist who works specifically with children, teens, and young adults. She specializes in play therapy and works from the framework that play is the universal language of children. She is passionate about advocating for mental health and access to resources, specifically in the school systems.

Session Description:

The South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs strives to serve all South Carolinians who are eligible for services and to ensure services meet high standards. Once determined eligible, a case manager can coordinate some services immediately and children with developmental delays (ages 3-6) can obtain Early Intervention services. Other important services are obtained through one of our three Home and Community-Based Services Waivers. Come create a resource folder while learning tips for navigating the eligibility process and making the most of waiver and non-waiver services.

About the Presenters:

Joyce Kimrey is the Director of Children and Family Services at the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, overseeing the Early Intervention program which serves children 3 to 6 in South Carolina. Ms. Kimrey has worked with children with disabilities for over 25 years starting as an Early Interventionist in 1995. Ms. Kimrey holds an M.Ed from the University of South Carolina in Early Childhood Education. She is a tireless advocate for children with disabilities.

Stephanie Turner is the Autism Division Director at the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, overseeing community outreach, statewide service improvement, and autism eligibility. As a Licensed Social Worker and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, she brings a wealth of expertise to her work. Ms. Turner holds master’s degrees in social work and public health from the University of South Carolina, with a specialization in individuals, families, and health promotion. Her distinguished career is marked by a strong commitment to improving autism services.

Session Description:

The Early Care and Education Program at Middle Tyger Community Center (MTCC) in Lyman, SC began over twenty years ago. At the time, the purpose of this program was to support the needs of adolescent mothers. While teen pregnancies have greatly decreased in our community, the number of families needing additional support providing for a child with disabilities has increased. Let us show you how MTCC utilizes the local school district, targeted professional development and other vital resources to provide all children access to high-quality early care and education with the necessary services, support, and accommodations.

About the Presenters:

Julie Henderson is the Director of Program Development at Middle Tyger Community Center in Lyman, SC. In this role, she leads the preschool inclusion program within the high-quality Early Care and Education Childcare Program. Previously, Mrs. Henderson taught special education in the public school system for seventeen years. Seven of those years were as a teacher for preschool children with disabilities. It is Mrs. Henderson’s belief that all children should be given the opportunity to grow, learn, and develop alongside their peers from the earliest age possible, and early intervention is the key to setting a child on the right educational path.

Haley Grau is the Executive Director for Middle Tyger Community Center in Lyman, SC. Haley has been serving with MTCC since 2019, where she previously served on staff as an intern and Executive Assistant. MTCC is a certified family resource center celebrating over 25 years of high-quality service to the Upstate community. Ms. Grau is passionate about the inclusion of young children with disabilities in early care and learning programs. Under her leadership, the organization has doubled the number of childcare allotments for children with disabilities. It is her desire to make high-quality, affordable childcare available to all families, but especially those who have children with disabilities.

Session Description:

Teachers need support when children are exhibiting challenging behaviors. This may lead to the removal of children from their classrooms as they are escorted to the office, behavioral classrooms, home, or other places, either temporarily or permanently. Children are more likely to receive the services guaranteed to them through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) when they stay in their natural learning environment. When staff are provided opportunities to reflect on challenging behavior and understanding their role in teaching needed social and emotional skills, then everyone can move forward in building an inclusive classroom that supports all children.

About the Presenter:

Ellyn Andrews is a Behavior Specialist with Pyramid PIECES serving school districts who are pursuing program-wide implementation of the Pyramid Model. Ellyn has her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, holds a NC teaching license, and has 29 years of experience as a teacher, director, and early childhood outreach specialist in Ohio, Texas, Colorado, North and South Carolina. Her career goals have always included promoting high-quality early childhood environments, where children learn and grow together, and children's healthy social and emotional development is prioritized.

Session Description:

You are committed and ready to make inclusion happen, but where do you start? Budgetary constraints and allocations can sometimes make inclusion seem unattainable. During this session, you will be able to take a glance at districts and states that have made upward strides in inclusionary practices and develop steps that can be put into an action plan within your district. Join us as we explore ideas surrounding inclusionary practices and how to leverage funding.

About the Presenters:

Dana holds a M.Ed. and has 18 years of experience as a teacher in the public school system. She has also served as an Early Education Provider and an Inclusion Specialist. Dana Bennett serves as a Technical Assistance Specialist with SCPI. In this position, she provides training and technical assistance to districts to increase their use of evidence-based practices that support the inclusion of young children with disabilities in early learning programs.

Jo holds a M.Ed. in Educational Administration and has over 10 years of experience teaching in the public school system in South Carolina. She has also served as Early Interventionist in several South Carolina counties. Jo Wallace currently serves as Technical Assistance Specialist with SCPI. She works to support school districts by increasing their use of evidence-based practices that support the inclusion of young children with disabilities in early learning programs.

Session Description:

In this session, we will discuss considerations and adaptations for cultivating a sense of belonging and inclusion through meaningful social engagement and learning among peers. While focusing on an anti-ableist approach to cultivating those relationships in the context of inclusive early learning environments, we will provide strategies for teachers, coaches, and early interventionists and discuss implications for shifting perspectives away from traditional PMI approaches to inclusion.

About the Presenters:

Dr. Brandy M. Locchetta is an Assistant Professor of Special Education and coordinator of the Applied Behavior Analysis program at the University of West Georgia. She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Ph.D. in Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis. Brandy has worked in a wide variety of roles at various system levels in early childhood and special education since 2001. Brandy brings a tremendous passion and wealth of experience and expertise to the areas of early childhood inclusion, applied behavior analysis in schools, special education law and policy, social-emotional development, social justice issues in education, and practitioner preparation.

Dr. Abby Taylor specializes in supporting educators to promote social emotional development and peer connections in inclusive classrooms. She has been a teacher in inclusive preschool classrooms and a coach supporting teachers to implement systematic and embedded instruction, social emotional teaching practices, and childcare programs in their program-wide implementation of Pyramid Model practices. Abby’s passion is promoting high-quality inclusion and ensuring each child can get the support they need to find success in the classroom.

Session Description:

Is your district committed to strengthening inclusive practices for preschool children, but you don’t know where to start? Join the conversation to explore ways to make inclusion work. We will take time for district teams to come together to discuss their vision and priorities for inclusion. This will be an interactive session, and attendance of district teams is preferred.

About the Presenters:

Sherri Evans, M.A., CCC-SLP, is the 619 Coordinator in the Office of Special Education Services at the South Carolina Department of Education. Sherri has a Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She has over 25 years of experience in the fields of Speech-Language Pathology and Special Education. In addition to her current role, Sherri has also served as a Speech-Language Pathologist and Lead Speech-Language Pathologist in South Carolina's public schools as well as in Early Intervention. Her current role allows her to serve on various committees and teams specifically related to preschool children with disabilities and their families, inclusion for children with disabilities, and communication and language development.

Melissa Griffin serves as the Technical Assistance Coordinator with SCPI. In this role, she facilitates the implementation of a tiered framework of supports for early childhood specialists and coordinates service delivery for districts working with SCPI to improve early childhood outcomes and increase access for preschool children with IEPs. Melissa has over 18 years of experience in the field of early intervention, including leadership and program development. Melissa began her career as an Early Intervention Specialist and progressed into the role of Assistant Director of Early Intervention. Prior to joining SCPI, Melissa served as the Director of Medical Rehabilitation for a pediatric therapy program serving children enrolled in Part C of IDEA and SC Medicaid. Melissa serves on the South Carolina Advisory Council for Educating Students with Disabilities (ACESD).

Kerri Kannengieser is the Program Director and Co-Principal Investigator (PI) for SCPI. In this position, Kerri oversees the day-to-day operations of SCPI, facilitates strategic planning, and works with SCPI’s PI to meet grant compliance and reporting requirements. Kerri holds an M.S. in Special Education and has over 20 years of experience in the field. She has worked for the University of South Carolina’s Child Development Research Center since 2016 when SCPI was in its inception. Kerri is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), a Certified Child Care Trainer in South Carolina, and a member of the Pyramid PIECES State Leadership Team. Additionally, Kerri serves on the South Carolina Advisory Council for Educating Students with Disabilities (ACESD) as the co-chair of the Preschool Committee and was elected to the Division for Early Childhood’s (DEC) Executive Board as Member-at-Large this past spring.

Session Description:

Current research supports the importance of conversation, vocabulary, social and executive function development, as well as play as critical precursors for literacy. Since the areas of the brain we use for reading are the same as the language areas, our session will address the focus early intervention programs aiming to close the achievement should take. We will also look at the executive functioning skills and discuss which ones positively predicted the rate of learning in elementary schools.

About the Presenter:

Angie Neal is the Speech-Language Pathology Contact and Policy Advisor for Speech-Language Services and Early Literacy at the South Carolina State Department of Education, Office of Special Education Services. She stays busy as LETRS Facilitator, a board member with the State Education Agency Communication Disability Council, and as a member of the ASHA School Issues Advisory Board. Angie is the recipient of the Rolland Van Hattum Award for contributions to schools (SC) and the Nancy McKinley Award for leadership in Speech-Language Pathology (OH). She is a published author of two books and presents on a wide variety of topics across the United States.

Session Description:

Explore the transformative power of the FAN (Facilitating Attuned Interactions) model for human service professionals. Discover how FAN enhances relationships with children and families, while also supporting the well-being of professionals. Gain insights into leveraging FAN's core processes for enriching caregiver-child relationships beyond infancy in diverse settings. Join us and be part of nurturing strong, supportive relationships through an overview of the FAN model.

About the Presenters:

Sheniqua Scott, a South Carolina native, is a dedicated mother and a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in human services. Currently serving as an IECHMH Training Specialist through the South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association, Sheniqua's expertise spans home visitation, family advocacy, and providing support to foster families and children. She is a certified Attachment Biobehavioral Catch-up Coach and the lead FAN Trainer, facilitating various training and family skill courses. A graduate of the University of South Carolina and Spartanburg Methodist College, Sheniqua is passionate about empowering her community through knowledge and believes in the transformative impact of education. She thrives on connecting with fellow professionals to share insights and enhance the collective impact of their work.

Amaris Gibson brings over a decade of experience serving children and families in South Carolina to her role at the South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association (SCIMHA). As the Director of Professional Development, she is dedicated to promoting community cohesiveness, trauma-informed education, and equitable access to services to enhance relational health at every level. With a Master's in Community Counseling from Webster University, Amaris is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate and endorsed as an Infant Family Specialist and Infant Family Reflective Supervisor. She is passionate about offering psychotherapy for young children, individuals, and couples in her private practice, and she is committed to promoting culturally sensitive, relationship-based, and trauma-informed systems of care for all babies. Amaris finds joy in her family and community service, and she enjoys traveling, reading, and reflecting on the richness of life.

Session Description:

Supporting Partnerships Between Child Care Providers and Early Interventionists will explore ways in which child care providers and direct service providers can strengthen child outcomes through inclusive and collaborative practices. Strategies will be identified to eliminate potential barriers between early intervention service providers and child care providers within the child care setting. Participants will increase their knowledge of how to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships that create a strong foundation for inclusive opportunities for young children with disabilities.

About the Presenters:

Jena currently services as the IDEA/Part C BabyNet Operations Manager at the SCDHHS, overseeing processes, policy, and procedures of South Carolina’s early intervention system. Jena has 20 years of experience providing care and support to families in a clinical setting as a former Certified Child Life Specialist, which led her on the next journey, serving pediatric hospice and palliative care patients in their homes throughout SC. She became the first healthcare provider in SC to be certified in Perinatal Loss Care by the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association and is certified to deliver the STAT, a two-tiered, evidence based early Autism screening tool for young children. She received her Master’s in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina. She serves on local and statewide committees advocating for the well-being of children in our state. Her family grew through foster care, kinship care, and four permanent adoptions, leading to her favorite role: mom.

Kerri Wikel is the Project Director for Team for Early Childhood Solutions (TECS) at the University of South Carolina (USC), School of Medicine, Center for Disability Resources. TECS is contracted through South Carolina’s BabyNet system to manage the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) and to provide training and technical assistance on evidence-based practices to the early intervention system. Kerri holds a B.A. in Cognitive Psychology from USC and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in early childhood education. She has nearly 11 years of experience in the field of early intervention. She began her career as an Early Intervention Specialist at a private early intervention agency and eventually became their state director of early intervention. Kerri attended the Siskin Children’s Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee where she became a nationally certified trainer in a routines-based, family-centered home visiting model. She is also a state-certified trainer for the routine-based interview process and continues to lead the effort to implement RBI throughout the state as the family assessment measurement tool for BabyNet. Currently, Kerri is serving as a leader and program coach for the Pyramid Model Part C implementation project. Mrs. Wikel is endorsed through the South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association as an Infant Family Associate.

Jennifer R. Buster, M.Ed., is the IDEA, Part C/BabyNet Director at the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services where she has been employed for the last 6 years. Prior to that she worked as the Director of Children’s Services at the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs for 16 years. She has over 29 years of experience in the Developmental Disabilities field at both the state and local level. In the past she served on the State Child Fatality Advisory Committee, the Safe Sleep Coalition as well as numerous other children’s committees in the state. She earned her bachelor’s and her M.Ed. from the University of South Carolina.

Session Description:

We all know that children develop skills individually and that each child is unique. However, every human being's brain develops in a particular order...a sequence of development. In this session, we will discuss The Developmental Sequence and the behavioral, emotional, and academic functions that are related to our first years of life. We will discuss the impacts that these functions have in the early childhood classroom and beyond. Participants will be given simple movement activities that can be incorporated into their daily classroom routines to promote healthy brain development and improved functionality.

About the Presenter:

Sandy Smith is a Certified NeuroDevelopmental Movement Consultant and works as the NeuroDevelopmental Specialist at Carolinas Biofeedback Clinic in Charlotte, NC. Before becoming an NDM Specialist, she was an early childhood educator for almost 2 decades. She has a passion for helping children with academic, behavioral, and developmental challenges and spent her teaching career specifically helping those families and those students. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Wingate University and is a life-long teacher and learner.

Session Description:

Join us to experience how the itinerant delivery model supports young children with disabilities whose primary placement is in a community-based setting (i.e., child care center, Head Start). The 2023 Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities states that the first placement option IEP teams consider for each child with a disability is the regular early childhood program. During this session, attendees will hear from early childhood special education itinerant teachers who support different South Carolina School Districts on collaboration and consultation, implementation of strategies embedded into everyday activities, and the logistics of being an itinerant teacher.

About the Presenters:

Tanya Hutchinson serves as the Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) Coach for South Carolina Partnerships for Inclusion Technical Assistance (TA) center. In this role, she supports school districts who have completed the SEIT Academy as they implement the special education itinerant model in inclusive preschool programs within their districts. Tanya has a MA in Early Childhood Education with over 25 years in early childhood education, she spent 15 years as an Early Childhood Special Education Itinerant teacher. She has mentored first year ECSE teachers and supported student teachers as a site-supervisor. Tanya is a certified trainer with the SC Endeavors.

Charlotte Anthony is the early childhood special education itinerant teacher for Greenwood School District Fifty in Greenwood, SC. She partners with local outside agencies such as child care centers and Head Start programs to meet the needs of young children with disabilities within their programs. Charlotte’s job includes training, modeling, and executing research-based practices that lead to successful early intervention for students. She has been teaching special education for 23 years. Charlotte has obtained a Bachelor’s degree in special education and early childhood education, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education.

Brooke Rockey currently works for Fort Mill Schools, as the preschool itinerant teacher for the district. She has been with Fort Mill Schools for four years and helped start up the itinerant services for the district. Brook enjoys itinerant teaching and being able to work with a variety of preschool settings throughout the district. She loves working with preschool-age students, especially supporting their social-emotional development. Prior to working with Fort Mill Schools, Brooke taught in Union County, NC for 15 years both as a classroom teacher for children with special needs and as an itinerant teacher.

Session Description:

This interactive session will provide participants with the opportunity to learn, model, practice, and role play various evidence-based, relationship-focused classroom management strategies. These strategies are for any adult in a school to utilize with any student tomorrow. The session will include opportunities for hands-on practice, action planning, and working with peers to formulate plans to implement the practices when participants return to their settings.

About the Presenters:

Georgia McKown, PhD, is a Program Manager with the Behavior Alliance of South Carolina (BASC), supporting the project’s data and professional learning initiatives as well as the needs of local school districts. Her prior experience includes research supporting military-connected students, educational technologies, and teacher education. Georgia also comes to the position with elementary classroom teaching experience in Virginia Beach.

Karen Elfner, M.A. has over 30 years of experience supporting challenging behavior through teaching, research, training, technical assistance, and program evaluation. Karen has been influential in measuring and scaling up multi-tiered frameworks to support behavior nationally. Karen’s activities focus on creating data systems that facilitate decision-making for districts and schools and statewide program evaluation and engaging families in behavior support.

Session Description:

There is no doubt that inclusive education for all students starts with supportive classrooms. This session will provide a broad overview of CERDEP in South Carolina to include CERDEP through the lens of the South Carolina Department of Education, as well as South Carolina First Steps. We will share CERDEP admission requirements, as well as highlight partnerships among offices to ensure systems to support children with IEPs. This session will guide districts to examine ways to implement inclusive settings within CERDEP classrooms.

About the Presenters:

Sherri Evans, M.A., CCC-SLP, is the 619 Coordinator in the Office of Special Education Services at the South Carolina Department of Education. Sherri has a Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She has over 25 years of experience in the fields of Speech-Language Pathology and Special Education. In addition to her current role, Sherri has also served as a Speech-Language Pathologist and Lead Speech-Language Pathologist in South Carolina's public schools as well as in the area of Early Intervention. Her current role allows her to serve on various committees and teams specifically related to preschool children with disabilities and their families, inclusion for children with disabilities, and communication and language development.

Angela Compton is an education associate with the South Carolina Department of Education’s Office of Early Learning and Literacy. Her educational background includes a master’s degree in Language and Literacy from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Winthrop University. Before joining the Office of Early Learning and Literacy, Angela served as an instructional coach with Laurens District 55 and a facilitator for the Read to Succeed courses through the University of South Carolina. These roles allowed her the opportunity to collaborate, support and coach administrators and teachers (Pre-K-Secondary) in the understanding and implementation of best practices as well as in the use of data to inform instruction; allowing her to contribute to improving teacher practice and fostering student growth. She believes the heart and soul of igniting a passion for learning and setting every child on a path for success begins with a supportive early learning foundation! In her spare time, she enjoys running, attending Clemson football games, working on the farm, and her aspiring goal is to write a children’s book.

Martha Strickland, State Director of 4K, SC First Steps, has over 35 years of experience in Early Childhood Education as a 4K, kindergarten, second grade teacher, and school and district administrator. She has served as an elementary principal and early childhood center principal, as well as district early childhood director, in public schools. She holds a BA in Early Childhood Education and Masters’ degrees in both Early Childhood Education and Elementary Administration and Supervision. The strong commitment to both public and private efforts has brought Martha to the work that she is most gratified of today, the combined CERDEP public/private partnership of Full Day Four-Year-Old Kindergarten for SC First Steps 4K. Coming on board after the initial legislative expansion of the Child Early Reading Development and Education Program (CERDEP) in 2014, Martha continues to serve as the first 4K State Director.

Session Description:

True or False: Early childhood providers are often the first, trusted resource for parents who have concerns about their child’s development. It's true! Join Family Connection of SC for an interactive workshop on family engagement to reach families of young children with disabilities. This session will cover practical, best practices for developing supportive relationships with families to ensure children with disabilities can learn and grow.

About the Presenters:

Sally Baker has worked at Family Connection of South Carolina for 6 years and currently serves as the Director of Education. Sally has over 20 years of experience working with children with disabilities and special healthcare needs. For 11 years, Sally worked as a Certified Child Life Specialist in children’s hospitals both in Columbia, SC and Los Angeles, CA, providing emotional and psychosocial support children of all ages and their families during their hospitalizations. Sally has earned a Bachelor of Science in Special Education and a Master of Education in Language and Literacy from the University of South Carolina.

Annia Knight serves as the Director of Latino Services at Family Connection of SC where she works to make a positive impact in the lives of Hispanic families that feel alone, excluded, and worried because of their child’s disability and challenges they encounter due to language barriers. Born in Costa Rica and living in the United States since 2004, Annia spent several years working as a preschool teacher and loves helping children reach their full potential. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts and has a Professional Interpreter in Special Education Certificate from the University of Georgia.

Session Description:

The current literature presents many resources and strategies to guide implementing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) with children. Providing a device alone is often not enough. Family members and caregivers may need education and training to facilitate optimal communication utilization once the child has acquired a device or system. This presentation is designed to help interested parties identify resources and support for working with individuals who use AAC and their families and caregivers. Case study information and examples will be shared.

About the Presenter:

Angela N. McLeod is the Director of the Montgomery Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic and a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of SC. She has participated in various aspects of academic instruction and clinical education in higher education for many years. Her speech-language pathology career of 30 years has involved clients and patients across the lifespan in educational, healthcare, and community/natural environment settings. Clinical and research interests include clinical education, literacy, language development and disorders, speech sound disorders, AAC, orofacial myofunctional disorders, and cultural and linguistic variation.

Session Description:

This training session includes a guided visualization to foster empathy for children feeling undervalued, followed by the "Circles of My Multicultural Self" activity to celebrate diverse identities. The session will highlight the importance of recognizing individual identities and intentional actions to create inclusive environments. We will develop strategies to promote belonging through reflection on Maya Angelou’s quote about the lasting impact of feelings. Committing to changes in their classrooms, the participants will discover the profound influence teachers have on children's sense of self-worth and belonging.

About the Presenters:

Tammy Compton holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina. She has a vast knowledge of early childhood education as she has been a teacher in the classroom, a director/owner of a child care center, and a coach/mentor to assist child care centers in Spartanburg County, SC to enhance their quality and better serve young children. Since becoming the Program Director of Quality Counts, she has engaged local partnerships to aide in her quest to advance child care centers to better quality through grants and in-kind donations.

Teresa Phillips has a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, both from the University of South Carolina. She has worked with young children, families, teachers, and directors as a coach/mentor, and a trainer to ensure that children have a safe, engaging learning environment. The last several years she has focused on assisting child care centers in Spartanburg County, SC in improving their quality both in the classroom and with providing early childhood training sessions.

Session Description:

Our work in early childhood plays a crucial role in the trajectory of the young students we support. In fact, it is our job to set the foundation for each and every child, and their families, to belong and thrive within their communities. In our closing session, you'll hear directly from youth and young adults with disabilities as they reflect on their educational journeys with you. This panel of young men and women, will share the challenges they faced, the successes they celebrated, and the educational professionals who supported them in reaching their full potential. This session will invite us to consider how we can cultivate systems change for young children with disabilities, while making individual impacts along the way by presuming competence, setting high expectations, and challenging beliefs that limit opportunities. Let's move forward together by learning from those with lived experience, examining our own ableist assumptions about disability, and committing to an unapologetic value system & culture of belonging.

About the Panelists:

Morgan Moussa is currently a sophomore at the University of South Carolina and enrolled in the LIFE program. Alongside her studies, she is an active member of the ADPi sorority and serves as an Orientation Leader where she helps new students transition into university life. Before her university journey, Morgan graduated from Catawba Ridge High School in Fort Mill, SC, where she took on various leadership roles as a class representative on the Student Council, a member of the Homecoming Court, and the team manager for the girls' varsity tennis team. She was honored to receive the "Do It Right" award for three consecutive years and the "Most Dedicated" award in her senior year. Her achievements were further recognized with college scholarships: the Phyllis H. Faircloth Scholarship and the F3 Fort Mill Community Scholarship. In addition to her studies and extracurricular activities, Morgan works part-time at A Little Happy store. She is passionate about her future career in education and is committed to supporting children with special needs in their learning journey.

Zoe Wingard is a Junior at Orangeburg Preparatory School in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Living with mosaic Down syndrome, she has been advocating for her own education success since elementary school and has taken an active role in her school meetings since middle school. Over the last 7 years, she has spoken to multiple general and special education college students about the importance of keeping expectations high and not judging someone’s abilities based off their disability. She has also presented at Grand Rounds at Prisma Health and several state conferences. One of her favorite subjects in school is Science. Zoe has placed in her school science fair every year since 3rd grade; has been selected to compete at the SCISA state level for the majority of those years; and has taken home 3 wins at the state level. Zoe is one of the Water Girls for her Varsity Football team and has danced with a local dance troop for 15 years. She is an Ambassador in her local Girl Scout troop and received her Silver Award in Girl Scouts as a Cadette through her video series, How to Improve Your Social Awareness. This project led to her passion of social media vlogging and broadcasting which she hopes to pursue after High School.

Gabe Pizzo has called Spartanburg, South Carolina home for the past two years. Having lived in four different states and attended six schools throughout his K-12 education, Gabe brings a unique perspective on adaptability and community. Currently serving as an Equip Leader with Able SC, Gabe is passionate about advocacy, recently publishing an article in The Greenville Daily News highlighting the importance of accessible transportation. Looking ahead, Gabe is excited to deepen his impact by working directly with the consumers that Able SC serves, continuing to champion inclusion and accessibility.

Andrew Hancock is a 17-year-old senior at River Bluff High School in Lexington, South Carolina. Growing up with hearing loss since the age of four, Andrew understands the importance of inclusion and the challenges that can come with making connections. Despite these challenges, he has pursued his passions and achieved significant milestones. Andrew plays basketball and has gained valuable work experience through his position at Able SC, along with two internships—one at The State newspaper and another in law. Passionate about advocacy and inclusion, Andrew is excited to share his journey and insights with others.

Braden Green is a native of Columbia, SC, a recent graduate of AC Flora High School, and a current Freshman at the University of South Carolina majoring in Computer Engineering. Braden was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at birth and is currently managing his illness while attending college. He is the inspiration behind the nonprofit organization, The B Strong Group, that spreads awareness about sickle disease. He has spent a lot of years helping the nonprofit with planning, volunteering, helping with social media content, and sharing his story through interviews with local media and on social media. He loves all sports, especially professional basketball. football and of course, ALL Gamecock sports. He also enjoys drawing, painting, and gaming. He also likes spending time with his family and friends.