Friday, September 25th, Adapted PE teacher, Cheryl Evers, hosted a professional development day at Winding Brook Conference Centre. There were participants from the Saginaw ISD, Midland ESA, Mecosta-Osceola ISD, and the Clare-Gladwin RESD. They had sessions on tennis, fishing, gymnastics and cycling.
Give Like Dolly Day 9/25!
Right here in Gratiot & Isabella Counties, 2,716 children receive a book every month through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Behind every book is a community of people who believe in the power of giving - our donors, volunteers, local partners and supporters who help make this program possible. On September 25, Give Like Dolly Day, you can help us reach even more children and families in Gratiot & Isabella Counties. Every gift helps us to continue building a community where children can grow up surrounded by the joy of books and reading. Help us make an even bigger impact for the children of Gratiot & Isabella Counties by making a donation. Donate here. To register your child or for more information about the Imagination Library of Gratiot and Isabella Counties, click here.
#GiveLikeDolly
On September 19th, our PE and Health Consultant, Josh Boutwell, had the opportunity to present and be an exhibitor at The Heart to Shape a Mind Early Childhood Conference at Mid Michigan College. Josh presented on the importance of adding Health Education (Michigan Model for Health) and movement (GCAMP) to the early childhood classroom for Whole Child Success.
Participants were able to receive all of the GCAMP resources. Also, the educators in our region were able to receive the Michigan Model for Health Early Childhood Modules for free.
If you are interested in adding movement to your household, Josh has created how-to videos for the Gratiot-Isabella RESD Classroom Activity and Movement Program (GCAMP). The activity list with games/movement videos and the how-to videos can be found here (click on the GCAMP + sign):
26-27 Activity List
GCAMP Resources
Timers are a simple support that can make a big difference in helping students understand time, waiting, transitions, turn-taking, and predictability. When we use timers consistently and intentionally, we can help make the passage of time more concrete and reduce some of the uncertainty that can make waiting or transitions challenging.
A timer can help a student understand:
“How much longer do I have?” — Whether completing an assignment, participating in an activity, or finishing a preferred activity.
“How long do I need to wait?” — Making waiting more predictable and helping students know that their turn or preferred activity is coming.
“When will this end?” — Giving students a visual representation of when a task, activity, or transition is expected to be finished.
“What is coming next?” — Pairing timers with schedules and transition supports can increase predictability and help reduce anxiety around changes.
“How can I use my regulation strategies while I wait?” — A timer can provide a concrete endpoint while a student practices waiting or regulation strategies.
There are lots of ways to incorporate timers into our classrooms. These might include a visual timer, digital timer, classroom website timer, clock/timer app, or even a simple timer on a phone or other device. The most important piece isn't necessarily which timer we use, but that the student can understand what the timer means and, when possible, see the passage of time.
When introducing a timer, it can also be helpful to start small and use it during situations where the student is likely to experience success. Over time, consistent use helps students learn that the timer is a predictable and reliable way to understand what is happening with their time.
One important reminder: a timer is a support, not a threat or a countdown to compliance. We want to use timers to increase understanding, predictability, autonomy, and access—not to create pressure or anxiety. Consider how the timer is being presented and whether it is actually helping the student understand what is happening.
As always, we are here to support our schools in meeting the needs of students with ASD. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like to brainstorm how timers might be used with a particular student or classroom.
Happy timing! ⏱️
Kallei Mapes-Hahn, Leah VanOrman, Melissa Bevens, Jennie Sumner
Gratiot-Isabella RESD, ASD Support Team
Any school staff member (teachers, administrators, support staff, technology staff, itinerant staff, etc.) in a REMC district can sign up for as many sessions as they like, as each night will highlight different games. We will also highlight the academic, mental health, and social benefits of each game.
You can come any time before 5:00 pm to receive SCECHs (up to 2.5 per evening, depending on when you arrive) and be in the running for giveaways.
Full details like dates are in the registration link below.
https://www.solutionwhere.com/WW/Aspx/Public/Search/ShowCourse.aspx?courseNum=742&cId=53&pCId=0
The GIRESD Student Leadership Community has released a powerful new podcast episode created entirely by local students from Alma, Ashley, Beal City, Fulton, and St. Louis schools. It is an incredibly insightful conversation on the topic of Belonging and Mental Health. Use this link to listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqRbadmzvBU
Hope your day is full of smiles, laughter, and a great year ahead!
Hope your day is full of smiles, laughter, and a great year ahead!
Hope your day is full of smiles, laughter, and a great year ahead!
Hope your day is full of smiles, laughter, and a great year ahead!
Hope your day is full of smiles, laughter, and a great year ahead!
Hope your day is full of smiles, laughter, and a great year ahead!
Hope your day is full of smiles, laughter, and a great year ahead!
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Child Advocacy of Gratiot County has a calendar of events for the duration of the month (picture attached).
For more information please visit: https://childadvocacy.net/events/
Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, millions of children have experienced the joy of opening a book and discovering new possibilities. As an educational service agency that helps bring these books to children in our communities, we have seen firsthand the impact of her generosity and vision.
Dolly believed that a book could plant a seed, spark a dream, and change a child’s life. 📚❤️
If you would like to honor her memory, consider donating to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library efforts to help continue her legacy of putting books and dreams into the hands of children. https://donate.imaginationlibrary.com/
https://www.eduvision.tv/l?mmtLOtOI
The GIRESD Student Leadership Community has released a powerful new podcast episode created entirely by local students from Alma, Ashley, Beal City, Fulton, and St. Louis schools.
The conversation focuses on Student Mental Health and Belonging. In this candid episode, our student leaders share their firsthand perspectives on:
The Biggest Stressors: What is truly impacting students today.
Support: Ideas on how schools & parents can support student mental health.
Coping Skills: The tools and strategies they use to manage daily stress.
It is an incredibly insightful conversation from the youth in our community. Please take 20 minutes out of your day to give it a listen and support our students!
🎧 Listen Here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mILIlvaJpxeZvXP-FxGsR3IGk56efvTy/view?usp=drive_link
Educators from across the region met for two days at Winding Brook Conference Centre for the AI and Media Literacy Leadership Collaborative. Participants gave up two days of their summer to make plans to help students and staff learn appropriate ways to use AI in schools, and were able to share ideas for students, teachers, and families. This joint venture from the REMC of Michigan and ALP was made possible thanks to a grant from the Michigan Department of Education.
