Monarch Prep

Thank you to UT Health East Texas, Smith County Sheriff's Office, and Tyler Police Department for sending representatives for our students to learn and interact with for our community helpers unit in the classroom these past couple of weeks. Our students got to interact with each one to aide in reducing stress/anxiety when encountering a community helper. Likewise, each department got to learn a little about each of our students and their sensory needs. 🚔🚨🚑👨‍⚕️

It’s community helpers week in the classroom! Thank you to the City of Tyler Fire Department for coming out today so our students could get acclimated and providing a sensory friendly way to see a fire truck up close. 👩‍🚒👨‍🚒🚒🔥

Our in-service dates are of such great value to us! This past week, many of our staff members were able to spend the past two in-service dates getting trained as Safety-Care Specialists under the leadership by our in-house trainer, Margaret Hawkins.

"Safety-Care... provides the skills and competencies necessary to effectively prevent, minimize, and manage behavioral challenges with dignity, safety, and the possibility of change. Safety-Care promotes a reinforcement-based approach to developing new skills, maintaining safety, and reducing or eliminating restrictive interventions such as restraint." (https://qbs.com/about-qbs/aba-coach-training/)

Congratulations to all of our participants on their completion of this course!

It's been just over 1 year ago when one of our BCBAs, Margaret Hawkins joined us. Without her, we would not have been able to expand our school this past year. We are thankful for the diverse background she brings to Monarch Prep.

Happy 1 Year Anniversary!!

Thank you KLTV 7 and Neurodivergent Advocates of East Texas for allowing our very own Margaret Hawkins to cover such important considerations on being inclusive of the neurodivergent population during this holiday. ❤️

East Texas experts advise on neurodivergent kid-friendly July 4th celebrations The Fourth of July holiday can bring some anxiousness with the loud popping of fireworks and overwhelming sensations of crowded spaces.

Today is opening day of our new play area! Thank you all you have contributed to our students having some things to play with while getting fresh air. ☀️

Thank you SO much to BusyBodies for allowing one of their amazing speech therapists, Jackie Phillips, spend this afternoon teaching our team about the Treatment and Progression of Sensory Feeding with sweet Oliver. 🍓🥓🍝🍿🍊

While we are lucky enough to work alongside their team daily, our gratitude doesn’t fall short on opportunities like this. 🤗

We are closed to services tomorrow (Wednesday, June 19th) due to our regularly scheduled in-service day. See you all back on Thursday!

To all you dads, stepdads, father figures, foster dads, adoptive dads, future dads to be, grieving dads, dads to fur babies, and everything in between! 💙

LAST CHANCE FOR THE EARLYBIRD PRICE 📢📢

Sign-up for before 11:59PM tonight to snag the lowest registration price of the season!

Your registration includes:
-First and foremost, a donation to our cause (thank you!)
-Event shirt
-Finisher medal
-Chip time, 5K & 10K only
-An amazing post-race vendor fair
-Overall and age group awards, 5K & 10K only
-and more!

https://www.active.com/tyler-tx/running/distance-running-races/tyler-run-for-autism-14th-annual-2025

It's been 1 whole year since our founding special education teacher started with us. We are so thankful that Melissa Stinchfield joined Monarch and has been such a pioneer in developing our classroom.

Happy 1 year anniversary Ms. Stinchfield!!

We are thankful to still have power at Monarch today. 🤗

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: BECKY CANAL, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER

Becky was born in Tyler TX and has lived most of her life here. She and her husband raised five boys, and they have six grandchildren. Most of her teaching career has been spent teaching in public schools and some private. In the last few years, she began working in Life Skills and Special Education. Students with different learning styles have captured her heart and she would love to continue her career working with and watching them grow. Becky is a pastor’s wife and finds joy in being able to minister to others. She leads a bible study and is also on the worship team. She and her husband are involved in an organization for bereaved parents called While We Are Waiting and an organization for organ donation called Lone Star Circle of Life bicycle tour. Spending time with family is very important to her. She also enjoys singing and playing her guitar, bicycling and traveling to new places.

We are currently looking for RBTs to join our team as we grow and expand
Come experience a unique clinic-based setting, working alongside a multi-disciplinary team right in the heart of Tyler.
The position includes:
-Paid time off
-Paid holidays
-Monthly in-service dates
-Full time position
-Minimal to no driving required
-Company is co-owned by a BCBA
Check our our listing on Indeed to apply: https://www.indeed.com/job/registered-behavior-technician-rbt-6ea92505e8a3170d

To all you moms, stepmoms, mother figures, foster moms, adoptive moms, future moms to be, grieving moms, moms to fur babies, and everything in between! 💜

One year ago today, Melyssa M. joined our team ALL the way from Colorado. We are so thankful for all she has contributed to Monarch in it's first year.
Happy 1 year anniversary!!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: TONYA PONDER

Tonya has 3 years' experience in home health (including some nurse aide responsibilities) where she cared for people of all ages in their homes! She became a part of the ABA community in October of 2023 receiving RBT Certification on November 28, 2023. She loves every aspect of her position as an RBT with the most rewarding part being the students reach their goals and sharing that victory! She loves open communication from all parties including the students themselves, family members, as well as co-workers. She currently resides in Yantis, TX (best known as Lake Fork Area). She graduated from Yantis High School! She enjoys riding horses, traveling, photography, and spending quality time with all of her family no matter the distance. Her goals are to learn something new every day, grow to be the best version of herself, be the best mother she can be, and make a difference in the world by helping any/all people in any/all ways.

We are currently looking for RBTs to join our team as we grow and expand
Come experience a unique clinic-based setting, working alongside a multi-disciplinary team right in the heart of Tyler.
The position includes:
-Paid time off
-Paid holidays
-Monthly in-service dates
-Full time position
-Minimal to no driving required
-Company is co-owned by a BCBA
Check our our listing on Indeed to apply: https://www.indeed.com/job/registered-behavior-technician-rbt-4de7e539c003e2fe

“On average, to raise a child with differences or special needs it is $2.1 million versus $180,000 for typically taught developing child, between the ages of zero and 18,” [Leigh Ann] Cook said. “That's just pretty eye-opening to us and that's where we wanted to step in and fill the gap.”

Last year, Tyler Run for Autism gave out 35 medical scholarships — a record number for the organization. This year, organizers are helping Monarch Prep and the Treatment and Learning Center for Children with Autism. They are able to cover families’ out of pocket costs and deductibles.”

https://tylerpaper.com/news/local/13th-tyler-run-for-autism-2024/article_ad70a068-f449-11ee-ae1b-7324208c06af.amp.html

Thank you TylerPaper for coverage of this incredible event. 📰

13th Tyler Run for Autism celebrates sold-out event, expects to raise more to benefit families Families and community members gathered at the 13th Annual Tyler Run for Autism near Pollard United Methodist Church on Saturday morning. Organizers said the run sold out this year and

How amazing it was to be with our people. So much so we didn’t take many pictures ourselves 🫣
Thank you to our town and Tyler Run for Autism for another fantastic year of supporting the autism community. ♥️ We are privileged to be a part of it and share this day with our friends BusyBodies Pediatric Therapy

What a Good Friday it was indeed. Our team did lots of preparation for April and continued learning. Not only did BusyBodies do some in-house training for our staff, but we also practiced conducting preference assessments and collecting data to refresh on some parts of the RBT competency assessments that are done yearly.

**Not current students of Monarch**
Our RBTs divided into two teams and took data on Jonah (8 months) and Lila (3 years). For Jonah, we were interested in a single stimulus preference assessment followed by a paired stimulus preference. We were most intrigued on if he preferred "baby toys" or household items (spoiler alert: he liked water bottles best!). Since sitting up is a new skill for him, two team members took duration on how long he could sit up for and compared their data using interobserver agreement (IOA). For Lila, we needed a free operant preference assessment to see what her current interests are and took data on rate of manding (requesting) and frequency of nose-picking that is typical for her. How insightful this was!

Eeeeeek! The Tyler Run for Autism is almost here. One of our very favorite events of the year and has been such a pivotal event in our community.

More information here: https://www.tylerrunforautism.com/

This group works tirelessly (from sun up to sun down each year) to put this event on every year so families in Tyler can experience some financial relief for much needed services for their children. Monarch families are so fortunate to be one of the beneficiaries of the proceeds for this race this year.
If you would like to participate, there are several ways to do so!

1) Volunteer https://www.tylerrunforautism.com/volunteers-vendors
2) Run/Walk the Race with the registration on the main site
3) Donate

Or simply just be a welcoming community on this day for all of our neurodiverse friends.

3-21
Trisomy 21
This day is one near and dear to our hearts. 💙💛

Happy World Behavior Analysis Day to our amazing team! ♥️👑

How beautiful is this cake from Fairytale Cakes for our very first birthday. 🥳

Join our come and go celebration!!

One year ago today our second group of founding behavior technicians started with us. We still can't get over that this was just the beginning of what we have evolved to.

Happy 1 year anniversary with Monarch, Ashlyn & Rubby!