Unpacking Specially Designed Instruction: The Heart of Special Education

What really makes special education "special"? It all starts with Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) - the core of every IEP and the key to unlocking student potential.

In this session, we'll dive into "unpacking" an IEP to identify what the SDI truly is, and learn how to create lesson plans from the process. We will be exploring how it goes beyond accommodations and modifications to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities; and connect the "unpacking" to access and being included in the general education classroom.

We'll cover: 

• The "unpacking" process of an IEP

• Making sense of SDI

• Developing a Lesson Plan for the SDI

• How to document, deliver, and monitor SDI effectively

• The critical role of collaboration in making SDI work

Whether you're new to special education or a seasoned pro, this session will bring clarity, spark ideas, and help you deliver instruction that is intentional, individualized, and impactful. Let's center the conversation where it belongs - on instruction that changes lives.

• David Bateman, Ph.D., is a former professor at Shippensburg University in the Department of Educational Leadership and Special Education where he taught courses on special education law, assessment, and facilitating inclusion. He is a former due process hearing officer for Pennsylvania for hundreds of hearings. He uses his knowledge of litigation related to special education to assist school districts in providing appropriate supports for students with disabilities and to prevent and  to recover from due process hearings. Dr. Bateman earned a Ph.D. in special education from the University of Kansas and has co-authored the following books: A Principal's Guide to Special Education, (4th ed.), Developing Educationally Meaningful and Legally Sound IEPs, Case Studies in Special Education, Charter the Courses: Special Education in Charter Schools, Special Education Leadership: Building Effective Programming in Schools, Current Trends and Legal Issues in Special Education, and A School Board Members Guide to Special Education.

From Behavior to Blueprint: Conducting Effective Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Writing Meaningful Behavior Management Plans (BMPs)

Challenging behavior is communication - and behind every behavior is a story worth understanding.

In this practical and informative session, we'll walk through the process of conducting FBAs that go beyond surface-level observations to uncover the why behind student behavior. Then, we'll use that insight to design BMPs that are clear, compassionate, and effective.

We'll cover: 

• Step-by-step guidance for conducting quality FBAs

• Identifying patterns, triggers, and functions of behavior

• Turning data into proactive, strengths-based BMPs

• Writing strategies and supports that are realistic and actionable

• Collaborating with staff and families for consistent implementation

Leave with tools you can use immediately - and the confidence to turn behavior challenges into opportunities for growth, connection, and success. Because the best behavior plans don't just manage, they empower.

• Sandra Bordallo, MA, LPC, MFT, MAC, District School Psychologist with over 20 years of experience providng services to students in general and special education.

• BSU Team:  Ethan Gonzalo  |  Naomi S. Mendiola, LBSWE  |  Kamrin P. Gogue - SPED Social Workers with 10 years combined experience servicing students with varying disabilities that are experiencing  behavioral difficulty.

LRE is Everywhere: Embedding the Least Restrictive Environment Throughout the IEP

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) isn't just a checkbox or a placement decision - it's a guiding principle that should shape every section of the IEP. 

In this session, we'll explore how to weave supplemental aids and supports across all educational settings for students with the most severe cognitive and functional abilities.

We'll unpack: 

• What LRE really means under IDEA (beyond the buzzwords)

• How to maximize supports in all educational settings

• How to improve instructional processes maximizing adult supports

• Providing training and supports to personnel who provide adult supports to students with disabilities

• Improving student engagement in the classroom

• Various strategies for supporting students with significant cognitive and functional abilities

Leave with a clearer understanding of how to ensure your IEPs support inclusion - not just in placement, but in purpose, planning, and practice. LRE isn't a line on a form - it's the lens through which we ensure equity and opportunity for every learner. 

• Derrick Santos, Principal - Inarajan Middle School.   Started his career over 25 years ago as a school aide and eventually made his way up to teaching elementary school children and is currently a middle school administrator.  

Think Skill, Not Will: Rethinking Discipline

What if the challenging behaviors we see in kids aren't due to a lack of motivation, but rather a lack of skill? 

The Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) approach, originated by Dr. Ross Greene and subsequently developed by Dr. Greene and Dr. Stuart Ablon, and their Associates at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School, flips the script on traditional discipline by emphasizing that kids do well if they can. Instead of punishing behavior, CPS focuses on understanding the underlying thinking skills a child may be lagging in - such as flexibility, frustration tolerance, or problem solving. 

Through empathy, active listening, and working collaboratively with children to find mutually satisfactory solutions, CPS fosters trust, reduces conflict, and helps kids build the skills they need to thrive both academically and emotionally.

• Judy Q. Roberto is certified in General and Special Education and has over 30 years of experience in managing special education programs.  She currently serves as a Program Coordinator at the Division of Special Education overseeing the special education programs.

• Principal, Natasha Jo A. Dela Cruz has been with the Department of Education for over 20 years as a teacher and principal.   Currently, her assigned school is a designated State Systemic Improvement School (SSIP) where the focus is primarily on positive student outcomes. 

Discipline & Gender: One Size Doesn't Fit All

Discipline isn't a one-size-fits-all...and it shouldn't be. 

Just as we differentiate instruction, we must also differentiate how we respond to behavior to support all students effectively, especially those with disabilities or trauma histories.

In this session, we'll explore how to create discipline systems that are proactive, equitable, and personalized - balancing accountability with compassion.

You'll learn:

• The difference between equal and equitable discipline

• How to align discipline with students' needs, IEPs, and behavior plans

• Culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices

• Strategies for teaching behavior, not just managing it

• Practical tools to prevent, intervene, and repair with intention

Leave with a new perspective and strategies to build relationships, responsibility, and regulation - not just rules. Let's shift from punishment to purpose  and make discipline part of how we teacher, not just how we react.

• Hannah Gutierrez, Educator and Principal for over 30 years bringing a wealth of knowledge as an administrator in elementary, middle and high school level.   She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Guam where she trains future administrators.

• Mariann Lujan, Principal  for over 20 years; teacher at the elementary level and assistant principal for elementary and middle schools. 

Tools With Purpose: Making Informed Decisions About Assistive Technology

Assistive Technology (AT) can be a game changer - but choosing the right tools starts with the right process.

In this session, we'll explore how to make thoughtful, data-driven decisions about AT that truly supports access, independence, and achievement for students with disabilities. Whether high-tech or low-tech, AT should math the student's needs, strengths, and learning goals - not just what's new or available.

We'll cover: 

• The legal framework and IEP team's responsibility around AT

• The SETT framework (Student, Environment, Tasks, Tools) for structured decision-making

• How to tiral, evaluate, and document AT use

• Collaborating with specialists and families for sustainable support

• Real-world examples of AT in action across academic and functional domains

Leave with clarity and confidence to make AT decisions that are student-centered, purposeful, and impactful. Because the right tool, in the right hands, can open the door to independence.

• Michelle V. Manalo, Ed.D., Assistive Technology Technical Assistant (TA) - Special Education has over 20 years of teaching students with disabilities and as an AT Specialist for the Division of Special Education

• Rosemarie Herrera-Duenas, Teacher - Special Education, has over 20 years of experience working with students as a counselor for students with Emotional Disabilities, as a teacher certified in Special Education, and as a SPED Coach for the Division of Special Education.

• Afshin Amoui, Ed.D., Certified in Special Education; has over 20 years of experience as a special educator; currently a consulting resource teacher (CRT) at JFK High School and works part-time as an AT Specialist for the Division of Special Education.

Beyond the Diploma: Understanding Secondary Transition and Your Role as a Teacher

Secondary transition ins't just a checkbox on an IEP - it's a critical process that prepares students with disabilities for life after high school.

In this session, we'll break down the IDEA requirements for secondary transition and what they mean for you as a classroom teacher, case manager, or service provider. You'll learn how to turn transition planning into meaningful, student-centered action that supports real-world success.

We'll cover: 

• Transition assessments and how to use them to guide planning

• Writing measurable postsecondary goals and aligning them to services

• Connecting academic instruction to employment, education, and independent living skills

• Collaborating with families, agencies, and students themselves

• Your role in helping students build the future they imagine

Leave with the tools and confidence to support students as they move from high school to higher purpose - with a plan, a voice, and a vision.

• Transition Specialists: Arnell Medler,  Portia Topasna , and Janice Almoguera, CRT-TAs, Certified in Special Education with over 20 year of experience teaching students with disabilities and specializing in secondary transition services, with over 30 years of combined experience servicing students with disabilities.

Lost in Translation: Understanding Language Processing and How to Support It in the Classroom

When students struggle to follow directions, answer questions, or keep up with discussions, it might not be difiance - it could be a language processing difficulty.

In this session, we'll unpack what language processing challenges look like, how they impact learning and communication, and what educators can do to accommodate and support students effectively.

You'll learn:

• What language processing is - and how it differes from other communication issues

• Common signs and red flags across grade levels

• Practical classroom accommodations the reduce overload and build clarity

• Stratgegies to support receptive and expressive language needs

• How to work with speech-language pathologists and integrate support into daily instruction

Leave empowered to creat a more accessible, responsive classroom - where all students can listen, process, and participate with confidence.

• Michelle P. Camacho is a certified Speech Language Pathologist with 30 years of experience working in public education systems in Guam and Hawai'i. Her experience also including providing speech and language services within an Early Intervention System an dprivate therapy services. Michelle currently serves as the Speech & Language Pathologist Supervisor and is the program lead for the Speech & Language Unit in the Division of Special Education.

• Lillian Reyes is a Certified Speech Language Pathologist with 2 years of experience in speech services for the Guam DOE and private therapy services. She has over 20 years of experience as a Compliance Monitoring Officer for Special Education Programs and is certified in Special Education. Lillian also holds certification as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant for 16 years within the California public school system and various neuro-rehabilitation hospitals in Southern California.

From Scores to Support: Making Psychoeducational Data Work in the Classroom

Psychoeducational evaluations are full of valuable insights - but too often, those insights stay locked in the report.

In this session, we'll demystify the key components of pscyhoeducational assessments and how you how to translate data into practical strategies that support learning, behaviors, and access in the classroom.

You'll learn: 

• What common scores (IQ, Achievement, Processing) really mean

• How to interpret strengths, weaknesses, and patterns of performance

• Ways to connect evaluation findings to IEPs, accommodations, and instruction

• Classroom strategies for supporting executive functioning, memory, processing speed, and more

• How to collaborate with psychologists and specialists for deeper understanding

This session will help you turn test results into targeted, effective teaching. Because data only matters when it makes a difference for students.

• Marita Gogue & Quee Leomo - Educational diagnosticians with over 20 years of experience as classroom teachers, case managers on and off island.