A Safe Harbor: Anchoring Strategies for Classrooms with Autistic Students

Bev Harp, MSW & Erin Fitzgerald MEd

Description:  Autistic students often find themselves confused or overwhelmed due to sensory sensitivities, unclear expectations, and differences in thinking styles and communication. As they attempt to steady and regulate themselves, they too often find their hard-won coping strategies targeted for intervention. This presentation reframes “problem behaviors” as problem solving behaviors and invites educators to consider the wisdom in autistic approaches to self-management.

We use the concept of “anchors” to describe the routines and touchstones some autistic people employ to stay regulated during difficult situations. We will illustrate the attempts students make to meet their own needs and will suggest further anchoring strategies educators can consider – both for their classroom students, and for the educators and school staff who support them. 

 Learning objectives:

1. Describe the experience of a student in crisis in a neutral or affirming way

2. Recognize some anchoring strategies used by autistic people

3. Offer additional anchoring options for students who may benefit, as well as for the school personnel who support them

Location/Capacity: Ballroom A / 300

A Mayo vs. Hospice Care Approach: Inclusion-Oriented Practice for Students with Extensive Support Needs (Part 1 of 2)

Robert Pennington, PhD

Description:  In this educator-centered session, Dr. Pennington will give participants space to reflect on their current educational practice, consider their strengths and areas in need of growth, and identify next steps at making their program stronger. Dr. Pennington will highlight critical program components for learners with ESN and strategies for helping educators adopt and promote the use effective practices within the school teams. 

 Learning objectives:

1. Participants will describe how their programs are currently preparing students for success and belonging in integrated settings

2. Participants will define inclusion-oriented practice and identify several example of inclusion-oriented practice

3. Participants will describe strategies for increasing the use of effective practices in their classroom

Tentative Location/Capacity: Ballroom C / 96

Self-Regulation Everywhere: Empowering School Staff to Support Autistic Students Across Environments

Kim Howard, MEd & Mandy Carter, MEd, BCBA

Description:  Join us for a practical professional development session focused on fostering self-regulation skills in autistic students—across the classroom, playground, and beyond. This training explores evidence-based strategies, inclusive practices, and environmental support that promote emotional regulation in every part of the school day. Gain tools to reduce stress, increase engagement, and create a learning environment where all students can thrive. Participants will create a self-regulation kit to take with them and leave with practical resources to get started. This session is the best fit for a K-6 classroom.

 Learning objectives:

1. Participants will leave with tools to support self-regulation

2. Participants will leave with an understanding of self-regulation & why it is critical to daily life & school success

3. Participants will leave with strategies to support successful students’ behaviors

4. Participants will make a self-regulation on the go kit

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 201 / 20 

*** please note the very limited capacity of this session - max 20 participants ***

Bullying Prevention- Everyone’s Responsibility

Rhonda Logsdon, BBA

Description:  This session, based on a curriculum developed by the PACER National Bullying Prevention Center, offers essential insights into the dynamics of bullying. Join KY-SPIN to explore what bullying is (and what it isn’t), the laws that apply, what educators can do when their student is affected, and how to actively advocate for safer environments in schools and communities. This session will empower you with practical tools to make a difference.

 Learning objectives:

1. Define bullying and distinguish it from typical conflict

2. Identify five different types of bullying

3. Implement appropriate strategies to resolve bullying situations in schools, with special emphasis on protections and advocacy for students with disabilities

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 211 / 36

Exploring Emotional and Interpersonal Skills with Carl the Collector

Holly Ackerman, MEd & Amanda Wright, BA

Description:  Join us for an engaging session on Carl the Collector, a PBS KIDS series that helps children develop important emotional and interpersonal skills through the relatable adventures of Carl, a young raccoon who loves to collect treasures. This session will explore how the show models responsible collecting, friendship, and problem-solving, providing educators and caregivers with tools to reinforce these lessons. Participants will gain insight into using the series’ themes to support emotional awareness, cooperation, and decision-making in young learners.

 Learning objectives:

1. Identify key emotional and interpersonal skills embedded in Carl the Collector, such as empathy, responsibility, and self-regulation

2. Explore ways to integrate Carl the Collector into classroom and home activities to promote positive social interactions and thoughtful decision-making

3. Participate in interactive discussions that model how to use the show’s themes to support children’s emotional and social development

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 136A / 32

Beyond The Pencil: Fine Motor, Visual Motor, and Handwriting Foundations for The Classroom

Lindsay Eubanks, MEd, OTR/L

Description: Geared toward Pre-school to upper elementary age students. 

In today’s classrooms, early writing demands often outpace a child’s physical readiness, leading to poor pencil grips, letter reversals, and handwriting struggles that can last for years. This dynamic session explores how fine motor and visual motor foundations develop and why pushing pencil skills too soon may actually hinder long-term success, especially in students with autism or other neurodevelopmental conditions. 

We’ll unpack the importance of motor memory,  explain why tracing isn’t an effective teaching tool for many children, and highlight how core strength and body positioning play a critical role in writing readiness. You’ll leave with practical, low-prep strategies—developed through years of real-world classroom experience—that strengthen fine motor skills through play, improve posture and hand positioning, and foster confident, capable writers.

Whether you teach preschoolers or early elementary students, this session will help you support handwriting success without adding stress or time-consuming prep to your day.

 Learning objectives:

1. Explain how motor memory impacts the development of fine motor and handwriting skills in young children.

2. Identify common classroom practices that may unintentionally contribute to poor fine motor habits

3. Learn practical, low-prep strategies to support fine and visual motor development in preschool and elementary classrooms

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 14 / 42

Autism, Communication and Behavior: The Relationship

Heather Paige Alger, MS, CCC-SLP

Description:  The training will focus on programming information and suggestions based on evidence-based practices. It will provide an overview of the characteristics of autism and embed these into the training. Participants will gain strategies to improve positive communication and behavioral outcomes for autistic populations. Additionally, participants will acquire practical strategies for implementing evidence-based practices within their own settings.

 Learning objectives:

1. Describe Characteristics of Autism: Understand the strengths and challenges associated with autism

2. Relate Interconnectedness: Explore the relationship between  communication, social communication, and behavior

3. Integrate Pre-Intervention Strategies: Implement strategies involving communication and social communication, use antecedent-based interventions, and apply verbal & visual supports

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 15 / 42

A Mayo vs. Hospice Care Approach: Inclusion-Oriented Practice for Students with Extensive Support Needs (Part 2 of 2)

Robert Pennington, PhD

Description:  In this educator-centered session, Dr. Pennington will give participants space to reflect on their current educational practice, consider their strengths and areas in need of growth, and identify next steps at making their program stronger. Dr. Pennington will highlight critical program components for learners with ESN and strategies for helping educators adopt and promote the use effective practices within the school teams. 

 Learning objectives:

1. Participants will describe how their programs are currently preparing students for success and belonging in integrated settings

2. Participants will define inclusion-oriented practice and identify several example of inclusion-oriented practice

3. Participants will describe strategies for increasing the use of effective practices in their classroom

Tentative Location/Capacity: Ballroom  C / 96

Math Strategies for Understanding - for All Students in Grades 3-8

Stephanie Kidd, MEd

Description:  What instructional strategies do you use to encourage conceptual understanding in grades 3-8? And how do these strategies encourage students to find relationships and make connections? Join this session to answer these questions and more. 

 Learning objectives:

1. Participants will leave with an understanding of to make the math real

2. Participants will leave with an understanding of how to use math manipulatives to show word problems

3. Participants will make connections with CSA and better understanding of the vocabulary

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 201 / 20

*** please note the very limited capacity of this session - max 20 participants ***

Hey, Where’s My Transition Plan? Assisting Students and Families Transition Out of High School

Kellie Smith & Nick Carpenter

Description:  The session will explore key areas essential to a successful transition, including self-advocacy skill-building, understanding post-secondary options such as college, vocational training, and employment, and navigating independent living and community participation.

Educators will gain actionable strategies and tools to support students and their families through this complex phase. The training will highlight effective methods for facilitating student involvement in ARC/IEP meetings and will provide resources to address common and non-traditional barriers students may face. Whether a student’s goal is further education, joining the workforce, or gaining independence, this session will equip educators with insights to guide and empower both students and families.

 Learning objectives:

1. Facilitate and encourage student participation in their ARC/IEP meetings

2. Identify and address non-traditional barriers to post-high school success

3. Equip students and families with the tools necessary for confident and informed decision-making

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 211 / 36

Kentucky Medicaid Waivers: The Basics

Julie Derringer, BA

Description: Discussion and Q & A about the Medicaid waivers available in Kentucky and the eligibility criteria to access these waivers. We will discuss the services offered by each waiver, length of time to access each waiver and documentation needed to be considered for each waiver.

 Learning objectives:

1. Learn more about the waivers available to your students

2. Understand how you can help your student get connected with a waiver

3. Learn what documents you can help your student collect to be ready to apply for a waiver

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 136A / 32

There Are NO Stupid Questions

Facilitated by Enid Hurtado-Stremming, MEd

Description: This presentation is all about you—the participant! 

At Kentucky Autism Training Center, we’ve learned that for every question a participant asks during a training, two or three others often have the same question, and several more are interested in the answer. However, they may not have thought to ask it themselves—but they’re always glad someone did!

With that in mind, many of these questions tend to start with, “This may be a stupid question, but I need to ask…” After asking, participants quickly learn that there are no stupid questions!

In this session, the Kentucky Autism Training Center team will answer the questions submitted anonymously before the conference by participants of the KATC Educator Institute—participants just like you. KATC staff will organize the questions into categories and provide answers along with helpful resources.

Come discover the answers to your questions, explore what others wanted to know, and update your autism toolbox with resources you’ve always wanted—and some you didn’t even realize you needed!

 Learning objectives:

1. Describe at least three common concerns educators have about autism, as identified through pre-submitted inquiries

2. Assess the relevance and potential effectiveness of at least two provided resources in meeting the needs of their students with autism

3. Create a personalized action plan that includes at least two new autism-related strategies or tools to implement in their classroom

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 14 / 42

Bridging the Gaps for Autism Care and Suicide Prevention in Education

Caleb Rader, Autistic Advocate, BS

Description: Together, we will learn about the risk factors of suicide for the autistic community, helpful tools and alternatives to hotlines such as 988, and what are some protective factors to help autistic people who are experiencing suicidal ideation?

 Learning Objectives:

1. Discover more about the challenges the autistic community faces when accessing care

2. Learn how to direct autistic people and their families to local neurodiversity-affirming resources in Kentucky

3. Engage in meaningful conversations about suicide prevention and education

Tentative Location/Capacity: Meeting Room 15 / 42

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