Special education due process filings can be stressful and time-consuming—but many disputes can be prevented with the right strategies. This session provides school administrators with practical, legally grounded guidance for staying ahead of conflicts and responding effectively when a filing occurs.
This session will outline a comprehensive redesign of our school’s RTI system built around a dedicated flexible period and a clearly defined five-zone framework. Rather than operating as a fragmented pull-out model, RTI is embedded into the master schedule and driven by PLC decision-making, assessment cycles, and structured student placement protocols.
Participants will learn how Zone 1 provides intensive, service-based interventions (SPED, math/ELA intervention, high-impact tutoring), while Zone 2 supports identified “pathway” students using targeted, individualized skill platforms aligned to interim, summative, and classroom data. Zones 3–5 operate dynamically on a weekly cycle: PLCs review student progress, determine skill gaps or enrichment needs, and collaboratively assign students to reteach sessions, extension opportunities, with open study/work sessions available. Core departments are prioritized in placement windows, and teachers retain final placement authority, while students are given structured choice to advocate for additional support or challenge.
The session will detail logistics including semester data reviews, weekly PLC planning structures, student sign-up protocols, scheduling guardrails, and systems for revisiting placements after assessment checkpoints. Attendees will leave with a replicable framework for transforming a flexible period into a precision support model that balances intervention, enrichment, student ownership, and operational clarity.
Built for T.H.A.T.: Listening, Acting, and Thinking with Heart is an interactive leadership and personal development session that helps participants strengthen their decision-making through the T.H.A.T. framework—Thorough, Heart-centric, Authentic, and Thinking. The presentation combines reflection and real-life scenarios to encourage intentional listening, empathy, and confident action.
Participants will develop a mindset of being quick to listen and intentional to act, create a personal T.H.A.T. mantra, and leave with practical strategies to apply thoughtful, heart-led decision-making in their work, leadership, and daily lives.
Dr. Micheal Stone is a transformative educational leader, systems thinker, and published author whose career is rooted in a deep commitment to equity, excellence, and community. A native of Marianna, Arkansas, and a proud son of the Arkansas Delta, Dr. Stone has dedicated his life... Read More →
Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:20pm - 1:05pm CDT Fulton (SCC)
The work of school personnel focuses on students, instruction, and daily responsibilities. When an advocate or attorney unexpectedly attends a meeting, it can feel intimidating, create emotional distress, and even derail the intended purpose of the meeting. Without preparation, staff may react defensively, lose focus, or unintentionally escalate tensions. This presentation provides strategies for maintaining professionalism, composure, and confidence in these difficult situations. The presenters refer to a familiar song about not letting others rattle you to serve as a lighthearted but effective anchor point for serious professional development about responding with calm, controlled energy and remaining focused on student success.
The work of school personnel focuses on students, instruction, and daily responsibilities. When an advocate or attorney unexpectedly attends a meeting, it can feel intimidating, create emotional distress, and even derail the intended purpose of the meeting. Without preparation, staff may react defensively, lose focus, or unintentionally escalate tensions. This presentation provides strategies for maintaining professionalism, composure, and confidence in these difficult situations. The presenters refer to a familiar song about not letting others rattle you to serve as a lighthearted but effective anchor point for serious professional development about responding with calm, controlled energy and remaining focused on student success.
Starting the school year as a new administrator can feel overwhelming, especially when navigating the complexities of special education. In this session, experienced special education leaders from across the state will share the most critical information new administrators need from day one. From understanding the process of referral to dismissal and everything in between, participants will gain practical guidance to ensure compliance and support student success. This session is designed to build administrator confidence, strengthen decision-making, and set new administrators up for a successful start in leading special education programs.
Starting the school year as a new administrator can feel overwhelming, especially when navigating the complexities of special education. In this session, experienced special education leaders from across the state will share the most critical information new administrators need from day one. From understanding the process of referral to dismissal and everything in between, participants will gain practical guidance to ensure compliance and support student success. This session is designed to build administrator confidence, strengthen decision-making, and set new administrators up for a successful start in leading special education programs.
