Special Education Leader Fellowship

Exciting news from SELF! 🌟 Our latest newsletter is out, packed with insightful articles, expert tips, and valuable resources to empower educators, leaders, and community members in creating inclusive and equitable schools. Click the link to dive into transformative insights and collaborative practices. Let's make a difference together! 💪🏼✨

SELFNewsletter_v1 Check out this Email Newsletter designed by Heather Kawlra.

As educators, we're not merely sharing information, we're cultivating the minds of the next generation and what a privilege that is!

The generous support of the community on Give Nola Day will allow SELF to continue to impact teachers, students, and communities for the 2024-2025 school year!

Donate at https://www.givenola.org/SELF.

Only 6 hours left until Give NOLA Day ends! It's not too late to make a difference. Your donation can help us reach our goal! Visit https://www.givenola.org/SELF to donate!

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SELF is dedicated to working shoulder-to-shoulder with educators across the country to help them improve their inclusive education practices and become places where every student is recognized, valued, and equipped with the skills to thrive.

Last month, Dr. A'Seret Dokobu, SELF Managing Director of Fellowships, presented a free edWebinar on Disability Justice in Schools. The session explored the medical model vs. social model of disability and allowed participants to self-assess their school using our free Disability Justice Audit Tool. (Watch here)

Your support fuels our mission to empower educators and create inclusive spaces for all students. Consider making a donation today to help us continue providing valuable resources and tools to schools nationwide. Every contribution makes a difference! Click https://www.givenola.org/SELF to donate. Thank you for your support! 🌟

edWeb Media

Investing in educators across every level is crucial to developing all learners – especially those with disabilities. Here at SELF, we train current and aspiring special education teachers and leaders on the best practices in the classroom to identify and leverage authentic learning.

Your support makes this possible! By donating to SELF, you directly contribute to the training and development of educators, shaping the future of inclusive education.
Join us in our mission to create equitable opportunities for every student by donating at https://www.givenola.org/SELF

Together, we can make a lasting impact in the lives of students and educators alike! 🌟

🍎✨ This Teacher Appreciation Week, we're spotlighting all the incredible special education teachers! Your dedication, compassion, and unwavering support for students of all abilities do not go unnoticed. Thank you for making a difference every day! 💙

At SELF, we deeply believe in the transformative power of teachers. Their impact extends beyond the classroom, shaping futures and creating brighter tomorrows. Join us in celebrating teachers!

Every donation to SELF helps us provide needed support to teachers, donate today at https://www.givenola.org/SELF. Together, we can make a difference! ✨

Today is GiveNOLA Day!

Invest in the future of New Orleans students, schools, and communities by donating to SELF at https://www.givenola.org/SELF.

Only 17% of teachers feel prepared to teach students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. SELF is tackling this challenge by empowering educators to meet the needs of ALL learners. Through the SELF Leader Fellowship program, current and aspiring special education teachers and leaders are equipped with the leadership and content knowledge to support students in achieving their fullest potential.

Invest in the future of New Orleans students, schools, and communities by donating to SELF at https://www.givenola.org/SELF.

Investing in educators across every level is crucial to the development of all learners – especially those with disabilities. Here at SELF, we train current and aspiring special education teachers and leaders on the best practices in the classroom to identify and leverage authentic learning.

Invest in the future of New Orleans students, schools, and communities by donating to SELF at https://www.givenola.org/SELF.

🌟 Support SELF on Give NOLA Day 🌟

Every donation counts! Your support on Give NOLA Day will help us continue to impact students, schools, and communities in New Orleans. Together, we can create inclusive environments, empower educators, and transform lives.

Donate at https://www.givenola.org/SELF

One week until Give Nola Day!

At SELF, we empower schools to create inclusive and thriving communities for ALL students. Our mission is to ensure every learner achieves their fullest potential.

Join us on May 7th for GiveNOLA Day, a 24-hour online giving event where every donation counts. Your support will help us provide high-quality professional development to New Orleans Special Education teachers and leaders.

Together, let's make May 7th a day of giving to remember!

Donate now at https://www.givenola.org/SELF and make a difference in a student and teacher's life today.

Applications for our Leader Fellowship are now OPEN. The priority deadline is April 19.

Join the program to impact change in your school community!

Researchers found:
🌟 SELF positively impacts Leader Fellow retention in schools, particularly for educators of color.
🌟 SELF also empowers special education teachers to stay and thrive in their positions.

Data from our NOLA cohort shows the impact our leaders have:
🌟 75% of Leader Fellows in New Orleans schools beat the state average for Students with Disabilities Achievement on end-of-year state testing.
🌟 66% of schools in New Orleans supported by SELF had suspension rates at or near 0% for students with disabilities, compared to a statewide average suspension rate of 9.9%.

Please reach out with any questions - more information and the application can be found in the link below.

If you missed our panel discussion on the positive impact of SELF’s leadership program, you can find the content echoed in a McREL white paper: SELF Leadership Fellows Program Produces Bright Spots in Challenging Times, now highlighted on our blog.

McREL International, a third-party researcher, conducted a three-year evaluation of SELF’s intensive, two-year cohort experience for current and aspiring special education leaders and found three key findings.

Discover the results of SELF’s impact here:https://www.selfnola.org/self-leadership-program-produces-bright-spots-in-challenging-times/

After eight years of extraordinary work founding and leading SELF, Aqua will be stepping back from the CEO seat and into a role of Founder/Senior Advisor. We are filled with gratitude to Aqua for her vision and the extraordinary work she has done to support and develop educators of diverse learners and to establish SELF as an influential and impactful special education development program for educators in New Orleans and nationally.

SELF will continue to thrive as we begin our next chapter under the mission-driven leadership of Shannon Garfield, incoming CEO who has been serving as Interim CEO these past six months. Shannon brings dedication to our mission, a wealth of experience, and a deep-rooted passion for equity and developing the skills of adults to more effectively meet the needs of diverse learners.

Read more about these two incredible leaders below in a joint letter from Aqua and our Board of Directors.

https://bit.ly/SELF_CEO

It's no secret that these are challenging times for educators, especially for those in the field of special education. With high turnover and burnout rates, finding effective strategies to support and retain these valuable staff members is important. That's why we're excited to share the real impact of SELF's leadership program on teacher and leader retention, as confirmed by third-party research conducted by McREL International.

We're also hosting a panel discussion, facilitated by SELF Interim CEO Shannon Garfield, with some of the most respected voices in the field, including

Vanessa Murrieta, Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Dr. Marisa Crowder, Senior Researcher at McREL International

Dr. A’Seret Dokubo, Managing Director of Fellowships at SELF
and a SELF Fellowship Alumni

RSVP here to join us on October 26 at 11:00am CST for a discussion you don’t want to miss!

Together, we'll explore what really works to help special education leaders thrive and how SELF's leadership program can be a bright spot in these challenging times.

“This week gave me invaluable experiences that will help build a stronger team at my school. It also plays a huge part in building me up to become a better leader to have increased impact with the community I serve.” - New Orleans Leader Fellow, Cohort 8

After a jam-packed week full of learning and leadership connections, we are home from our National School Visits in Washington DC. We visited amazing schools, had the opportunity to see incredible teachers, leaders, and students in action, and learned from school and network leaders in a panel discussion.

THANK YOU to the schools and leaders who opened your doors to support our learning and HUGE gratitude to the leaders who participated in our panel, Wanda Gregory, Amy Warden, Dr. Tanna Jackson, and Jessica Hiltabidel.

If you are interested in our Leader Fellowship Programming or joining a future National School Visit, please reach out to our Chief Program Officer Shannon Garfield!

Greater New Orleans Leader Fellows: Laurel Alonzo, Ashley Arabie, Emma Gambaro, Ann Roth, Diamonique Pollard, Tarnara D Carr, Kimberly Marzant, Allison Cummins, Ratasha Pugh, Jordan Ho**er, Emeterio Flores, Linda Brown, Alexandra Bourguignon, Beverly Castille, Cion Conerly, Caroline Coakley

Schools Visited: Capital Village PCS, The Children's Guild, St. Coletta of Greater Washington, Van Ness Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization - VNES PTO, The Lab School of Washington, The Inspired Teaching Demonstration School, Capital City Public Charter School, The Siena School, E.L. Haynes Public Charter School, and Bridges Public Charter School.

SELF's Nikki Ortiz will be presenting at in Bulbancha! Join us as we discuss "Creating Anti-Ableist Professional Development for Teachers" on Tuesday, October 25, at 3:30 PM! Learn more about the event here: https://www.wearebeloved.org/sustaining-change

We are excited to share with you that there is still time to experience an Educator Workshop by our partners Roots Connected, Inc - but these are the last ones of 2022! Space is limited so don’t delay; register today! We encourage you to take a look and register for the ones that speak to your needs:
https://www.rootsconnected.org/educator-workshops

Highlighting Diamonique Pollard, Special Education Coordinator at Élan Academy Charter School and an active participant in the SELF community. Pollard values not only helping her students to grow academically but to expand their confidence and sense of agency. When asked about SELF’s programs, Diamonique says, “SELF provides you with coaches that help you grow in your craft. I’m so excited and blessed to be a part of this program.”

Educators can join our programs or learn more today at https://www.selfnola.org/program-applicants

Special thanks to everyone in this cohort: Emma Gambaro, Allie LeBlanc, Jordan Ho**er, Tarnara Carr, Diamonique Pollard, Phil Espinoza, Cion Conerly, Justin Burkett, Ratasha Pugh, Caroline Coakley, Christina Bowser, Laurel Alonzo, Marie Roth, Emeterio (Dan) Flores, Ashley Arabie and the Leader Fellowship Coaches Nady Persons and Leslie Gubitz.

We kicked off our paraeducator training this week with the paraeducators at the FirstLine Schools network. Here are some direct quotes from surveys about the event:

"This has been the best PD I have done. It actually was information that supports my role. The instructor was clear and precise. She also made me feel that she understood my concerns."

To get involved in future workshops with SELF, visit https://www.selfnola.org/

FirstLine Schools

SELF, in partnership with Bluum, kicked off its year-long, intensive program providing high-level leadership training opportunities specific to the needs of special education in Idaho charter schools.

Jennifer Ribordy, Bluum’s Special Education Development Director, stated, “We are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to partner with SELF to support the critical development of our Special Education capacity for charter school leaders in Idaho. SELF has been diligent in customizing the content to address the unique needs of our schools."

Thank you to all of our participants, including Kristi Young, Danielle Frederick, Brittany Maikranz, Hollie Sullivan, Dale Burk, Kevin Hausmann, Jared Bissen and Desiree Rivera.

Visit https://www.selfnola.org/ to learn more.



MOSAICS Public School Treasure Valley Classical Academy RISE Charter School Idaho Arts Charter School Elevate Academy Future Public School Gem Prep: Meridian North Bluum

Special Education Leader Fellowship - New Orleans - Baton Rouge The Special Education Leader Fellowship was created to meet the need for high-quality special educational programming in schools. The Fellowship develops special education and RTI leaders, aspiring leaders, and their principals to create programs for students with learning exceptionalities.

When our National Leader Fellows were asked, "What will you take back your team and community?" This is what some of our fellows had to say! Applications will open soon for our next National Leader Fellowship and National District Leader Fellowship program and the program will be LAUNCHED in January! 🎉

Interested in learning more? Meet with us or apply here: https://www.selfnola.org/program-applicants

We’re hiring! Our first Communications Director will play the important role of working with leadership to craft SELF's messaging and overall communication strategy to share the important work our team is doing and continue to build the SELF brand. To apply today, visit https://www.selfnola.org/careers

Critical Friends Groups are an essential part of our Leader Fellowship programs. Fellows work with others in similar roles to develop systems/strategies and concrete products. The purpose of CFG groups is to build community, so CFG groups are kept stable across the year. Each CFG session is built around a protocol, and Fellows are encouraged to bring the protocols back and repurpose them for their teams.

Laurel Alonzo, Associate Head of School and participant in our Greater New Orleans Leader Fellow Cohort 8, said, "I feel very privileged to be in the Critical Friends Group I am in; there is a lot of knowledge. I can commit to borrowing their knowledge and giving my own for the greater improvement of SPED."

To learn more about our Leadership Fellowship Programs, visit selfnola.org

If we recognize unique strengths in our students, we are raising a generation that believes in themselves and is open-minded to new paths to success.

In partnership with New Schools for New Orleans, SELF is facilitating a year-long cohort for first and second-year special education teachers in New Orleans. Our teachers are determined to get it right for all of our students. Here is what they have to say:

“This is my first year teaching. I appreciate the content because it helped me to understand why this kind of implementation of accommodations takes so long. It takes a village”

“Feeling much better about what I'm heading into after these trainings.”

“The sessions were very informative! I wish all faculty members at the different schools could hear this.”

“I am leaving these sessions better prepared to be a special education teacher.”

New Schools for New Orleans

During SELF’s retreat, the team built trust through ice breakers, discussed our core values, removed barriers from our norms and began the process of creating Brave Spaces.

Thank you Roots Connected for supporting the facilitation of this important process! Thank you Meeting Makers and Liberty's Kitchen for hosting!

Roots Connected, Inc Liberty's Kitchen New Orleans

Highlighting Christina Bowser, an educational leader from ReNew Schools in New Orleans! She is a Teacher Cohort Alum and current GNO Leader Fellow. Here are her words on SELF’s Teacher Cohort experience:

“As a first year member of Cohort 8, my experience has truly allowed me to develop a growth mindset to create positive educational outcomes for my school and diverse learners. I have gained more knowledge from Summer Experience alone than 10 years of teaching experience and college coursework combined. This motivates me to push harder throughout the program and beyond because the children I serve deserve equity. SELF's Leader Fellowship gives me the opportunity to promote and distribute a collaborative culture at Schaumburg Elementary that values high quality programs for ALL students. I am honored to be among a very exceptional group of educators and leaders that are continuously striving for excellence in schools across the city of New Orleans."

We are recruiting now for our leader fellowship programs, email us at [email protected] to learn more.

SELF staff will be delayed in responses through Wednesday. Our team is 25 employees of the brightest, most thoughtful people from across the country. We are grateful for this time to be together in person to envision, problem solve, and get to know each other!

Photo: New Orleans City Park