Welcome Back!
Welcome Back!
Grand Valley State University
RCN Monthly Update: September 2022
Welcome Back!
We hope that your return to school has been smooth and filled with many positive moments! As always, if you have any questions, or need any assistance, please reach out to the START office or anyone on the START team.
Wishing you a happy and peaceful beginning of the school year.

2022-2023 RCN Application and Contract Forms: Reminders

The RCN Application and Contract Forms page will be updated regularly as forms and links become available. Please contact your START RCN Representative or Jana Benjamin if you have any questions or need assistance.

RCN Contacts and Email Updates

Reminder! Enter your Fiscal Agent Information, Report Contact Information, RCN Leadership, and District Representatives on the 22-23 RCN Contacts spreadsheet located in your Google Drive Folder. START will send RCN update emails to the District Representatives and RCN leadership.  
Update your spreadsheet throughout the year to ensure your RCN Leadership and RCN District Representatives receive RCN Updates from START.
  • What is RCN Leadership?
    RCN Leadership are the contacts that are posted on the START website, they are responsible for disseminating information from START to the RCN, who receive the monthly START RCN update emails, and who coordinate RCN attendance for the Leadership Days.
  • What is a District Representative?
    Designated district/ISD representatives who regularly attend the RCN meetings to assist in planning and implementing the RCN annual goals and who also receive the monthly START RCN Update emails. 

Welcome, Stephanie Dyer!

The Autism Education Center is thrilled to welcome Stephanie Dyer to the START Project (a Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education grant-funded project) full-time!
Please join us in welcoming Stephanie Dyer to the START Team

START Trainings and Events

Please visit the START website for the events and trainings for 2022-2023. We plan to offer the following trainings in different formats throughout the upcoming school year:
  • Peer to Peer: registration will open at the beginning of September!
  • FAPE in the LRE: registration will open at the beginning of September!
  • Education-Based Evaluations
  • Self-Management
  • Peer to Peer 2.0
  • Secondary Transition: registration will open in September!
Recorded webinars and other web-based materials will be added to the website and shared with START trainers as they are available.

Save the Date!

Fall RCN Leadership Day
October 24, 2022; 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center
Agenda
22nd Annual START Conference
May 1, 2023; 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center
Spring RCN Leadership Day
May 2, 2023;
9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center

2022-2023 EPLI Updates

The 2022-2023 EPLI Application is now available. We are also pleased to announce that we have expanded the EPLI Focus Course and are now able to offer multiple date options for each Zoom session and the EPLI Trainer Focus Day. Please review the dates for this year as the application deadline now corresponds with the first Zoom Sessions.
As a reminder, all RCN have access to the RCN Trainer Portal, which is a status log of each RCN's Current Trainers, Inactive Trainers, and New Applicants. You can find information about accessing your RCN's Trainer Portal here.

    EPLI Veteran Trainer Mentors

    Congratulations to everyone that participated in the EPLI Trainer Process last year! We are excited to have a new cohort of trainers!
    A valuable part of EPLI last year was the participation of many experienced trainers who provided guidance, trainer tips, and tidbits to those new to the role of EPLI Trainer of START Content. One of the most requested trainer supports is a connection to a veteran trainer as a mentor. We ask you to consider the following:
    RCN Leadership:
    • Take stock of your current active EPLI Trainers of START Content. Who are your experienced, veteran trainers in each module? Who just completed the EPLI process last year?
    • Reach out to your new EPLI Trainers and invite them to attend an RCN meeting or an RCN-sponsored training to begin to meet current trainers
    New or Reactivated EPLI Trainers (as of the 2021-2022 school year): 
    • If you have not been in contact with your RCN leadership already, reach out to your RCN leadership to let them know that you completed the EPLI Trainer process. Ask about sitting in on a training to observe and meet veteran trainers within the RCN.
    Current/Veteran EPLI Trainers:
    • Reach out to a new EPLI Trainer of START Content to welcome them to the role and see if they have any questions or concerns that you can answer. 
    Making connections between veteran and new trainers not only provides support and encouragement to those new to this role, but it also can reenergize current trainers through the sharing of innovative ideas, perspectives, examples, and stories!

      Communities of Practice (CoP)

      Please visit the START website for information and meeting dates for the Communities of Practice:
      • Educational Supports and Strategies CoP
      • Peer to Peer (P2P) CoP
        • Note: The P2P CoP has an in-person meeting date scheduled for October 25, 2022
      • Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-based Treatment (PFA-SBT) CoP
      • Secondary Transition CoP
      • Sexual Health CoP
      If you have any questions about a CoP, please contact your RCN Leadership Representatives or your START RCN representative.

      Peer to Peer Playbooks, Effective Teaming and Meeting Mechanics Resource Manuals, and START-er Kits

      Again this year, START is pleased to make the following available for ordering at no cost to the RCN:
      • Elementary Peer to Peer Playbooks
      • Secondary Peer to Peer Playbooks
      • Effective Teaming and Meeting Mechanics Resource Manuals
      • START-er Kits (a mixture of 45-50 START-ism branded items)
      Please stay tuned for more information on how to order!

      We want your feedback! Help us name one of our new START-isms!

      START is adding a few new START-isms this fall! We want your help naming one of them!
      Our new START-ism is focused on Independence Facilitators. Please read the description of the START-ism in the survey and vote on your favorite (or add your idea!).
      Statewide Autism Resources and Training (START) Project is funded by the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special 
      Education to provide training and technical assistance to educators in Michigan that serve students with ASD.
      START Project | autismed@gvsu.edu |
      (616) 331-6480
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