OCTEO 2014 21 st Century Partnerships: Higher Education, Public Schools and Community Foundations

1. OCTEO 201421st Century Partnerships: Higher Education, Public Schools and Community Foundations Dr. Douglas Sturgeon, Associate Professor, Shawnee State University– Portsmouth, Ohio Mr. Roger Taylor, Director of Operations & Transportation,Western Brown Local Schools– Mt. Orab, Ohio

2. Partners • Pt. Pleasant Intermediate School– Mason County Schools –Pt. Pleasant, West Virginia • Grades 3-6 students with autism and multiple disabilities • Shawnee State University – Portsmouth, Ohio • Intervention specialist teacher candidates assigned on a 1:1 basis with an intermediate school student • Western Brown Local Schools – Mt. Orab, Ohio • Public school district demonstrating interest in project replication

3. Partnership Description This is a presentation about a 21st century partnership between Pt. Pleasant Intermediate School, Shawnee State University and Western Brown Local Schools. Intervention specialist teacher candidates from SSU were assigned on a 1:1 basis with PPIS students for a two day autism & sensory integration therapy experience at the Great Wolfe Lodge indoor water park in Mason, Ohio. An administrator from Western Brown Local Schools observed the experience and has a strong interest in project replication.

4. Contextual Factors & Rural Challenges • Being located in Portsmouth, finding quality and diversified field experiences (urban/rural, exposure to a range of disabilities) for SSU teacher candidates is a challenge. • Being located in Pt. Pleasant, finding appropriate locations for autism and sensory integration therapy for PPIS students is a challenge. • The distance between project partners presented time challenges. • Project replication is very dependent upon finding an ample funding source.

5. Partnership Roles • Public K-12 Role • Fiscal Agent • ELN Student Supervision • ELN Student Transportation • ELN Student Goals • Parent Release • Potential for Replication • Higher Education Role– SSU • Grant Writing & Submission • SSU Student Transportation • Research Base

6. Collaborative Planning SSU teacher candidates and PPIS students met for six weeks to collaboratively plan the two day experience. Meetings were both face-to-face and held using Adobe Connect– a web video conferencing platform.

7. K-12 Student Population • Pt. Pleasant Intermediate School • Grades 3-6 • Exceptionalities • Autism • Multiple Disabilities

8. Funding Model • Claflin Foundation Grant • Mission: To support the education of all students in Mason County, West Virginia • Year four of funding for the partnership: • Lodging • Student Transportation • Some Meals • Parental attendance

9. Great Wolfe Lodge– Mason, Ohio • Aqua Therapy as part of sensory integration therapy IEP goals • Very large, 84-degree indoor water park with 79,000 square feet of water-packed excitement • Everyone stays onsite • Easily accessible from Pt. Pleasant, West Virginia & Portsmouth, Ohio

10. Autism & Sensory Integration Therapy Essentially a form of occupational therapy. It involves specific sensory activities (swinging, swimming, bouncing, brushing, and more) that are intended to help the patient regulate his or her sensory response. The outcome of these activities may be better focus, improved behavior, and even lowered anxiety.

11. Connecting OT– PT– SLP-IEP • OT & PT Developed goals • Tolerate 30 minutes of walking along wall of water area for 20 minutes to transition to facility • Participate in group water activity • With assistance explore two new experiences not found in the pool • Incorporate new language of the experience into conversation • Each OT & PT goal relates to an annual IEP goal of the student

12. Format • 1:1 SSU to PPIS student ratio • Meet at neutral location for 1st meeting (McDonald’s to avoid sensory overload) • Room in contiguous arrangement for overnight • Start with exploring the area • SSU students then focus on goal by goal for assigned student • SSU student data documentation at breaks • Joint meal times • SSU student research project/presentation

13. SSU Student Instructional Goals • Providedirect 1:1 assistance to the assigned child • Support and encourage communication in all activities • Promote exploration of new activities • Participation in “on campus day” for experience reflection

14. SSU Student Requirements • Great Wolfe Aquatic Field Experience • Nontraditional setting • Blocked field time—two full days • Support IEP goals in autism & sensory therapeutic environments • Action Research Project • Educational action research can be engaged in by a single teacher, by a group of colleagues who share an interest in a common problem, or by the entire faculty of a school. Each participating SSU student is expected to conduct an action research project focusing on the student they were paired 1:1 with for autism & sensory integration therapy. • Senior Seminar Culminating Course • A combination of the field experience and action research project shall suffice for the three credit hour senior seminar culminating course.

15. SSU Student Feedback “I understand autism better now.” “I didn’t know how hard it would be to get a kid to try something new.”

16. Project Replication & Potential for Future Joint Projects • Western Brown Local Schools • WEST (Working to Empower Students Together) Program • Designed to serve students with emotional disturbances, severe behavioral challenges and autism who are eligible for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Improvement Act (IDEIA). • Program is divided into two smaller programs. One serves ages 8-12 while the other serves ages 13-18. • The program is staffed with two intervention specialists, two aides, one police officer and currently serves 15 students. • Provides specialized instruction, mental health care, parent training, transition services, martial arts and equine assisted psychotherapy. • Exploring autism and sensory integration therapy for the program Working to Empower Students Together

17. What we have learned? • Parental attendance • Important for overnight release • Transportation • All partners travel together • Meals onsite • Effort made to keep the experience at the Great Wolfe Lodge • Each year it gets better– we just completed year four!

18. Question & Answer

19. OCTEO 201421st Century Partnerships: Higher Education, Public Schools and Community Foundations Dr. Douglas Sturgeon, Associate Professor, Shawnee State University– Portsmouth, Ohio Mr. Roger Taylor, Director of Operations & Transportation,Western Brown Local Schools– Mt. Orab, Ohio