Early Childhood Providers from Licensed Child Care Facilities Participate in Training

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training
Eight early childhood providers from five child care centers participated in the Project Tinituhon Ages and Stages (ASQ) Learning Activities Training facilitated by Elaine Eclavea, Guam CEDDERS Early Childhood Consultant, and Vera Blaz, Project Tinituhon Project Coordinator. Participants received a refresher on screening and scoring the ASQ-3 as well as orientation to the revised Guam Early Learning Guidelines Birth to 36 Months and Three to Five Years. These five child care centers are part of the islandwide Developmental and Behavioral Screening System (iDBSS) pilot program under Project TInituhon. Each center received a copy of the ASQ Learning Activities and the Guam Early Learning Guam Early Learning Guidelines. Pictured L-R: Maria Zenaida Unsay, ABC 123 Learning and Development Center; Elaine Eclavea, Guam CEDDERS Early Childhood Consultant; Alma Vitug, ABC 123 Learning and Development Center; CarmenBelle Gumataotao and Dora Camacho, Lots of Learning Child Care Center; Gloria Datuin, Giggles & Scribbles Child Care Center; Marinta Neth, Dededo Child Care and Learning Center; Tina de Leon Guerrero, Tina's Learning Center; Teresa Halladay, Dededo Child Care and Learning Center; and Vera Blaz, Project Tinituhon Project Coordinator.
Eight early childhood providers from five child care centers participated in the Project Tinituhon Ages and Stages (ASQ) Learning Activities Training facilitated by Elaine Eclavea, Guam CEDDERS Early Childhood Consultant, and Vera Blaz, Project Tinituhon Project Coordinator. Participants received a refresher on screening and scoring the ASQ-3 as well as orientation to the revised Guam Early Learning Guidelines Birth to 36 Months and Three to Five Years. These five child care centers are part of the islandwide Developmental and Behavioral Screening System (iDBSS) pilot program under Project TInituhon. Each center received a copy of the ASQ Learning Activities and the Guam Early Learning Guam Early Learning Guidelines. Pictured L-R: Maria Zenaida Unsay, ABC 123 Learning and Development Center; Elaine Eclavea, Guam CEDDERS Early Childhood Consultant; Alma Vitug, ABC 123 Learning and Development Center; CarmenBelle Gumataotao and Dora Camacho, Lots of Learning Child Care Center; Gloria Datuin, Giggles & Scribbles Child Care Center; Marinta Neth, Dededo Child Care and Learning Center; Tina de Leon Guerrero, Tina’s Learning Center; Teresa Halladay, Dededo Child Care and Learning Center; and Vera Blaz, Project Tinituhon Project Coordinator.

Boys Town Consultant Conducts On-site Visit with Guam DOE GEIS and Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program Personnel March 28-April 1

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training
Catherine Carotta, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Director, Center for Childhood Deafness, Boys Town National Hospital, (standing, at right) was on-island providing training and technical assistance to the Guam Department of Education, Division of Special Education from March 28 through April 1. Dr. Carotta facilitated training on “Family-Centered Practices for Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing” on March 28 and 29 at the GSAT Center Training Room attended by staff from the Guam Early Intervention System (GEIS) Program. The rest of the week was devoted to providing technical assistance and training to Special Education personnel working with the K-12 school population who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Catherine Carotta, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Director, Center for Childhood Deafness, Boys Town National Hospital, (standing, at right) was on-island providing training and technical assistance to the Guam Department of Education, Division of Special Education from March 28 through April 1. Dr. Carotta facilitated training on “Family-Centered Practices for Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing” on March 28 and 29 at the GSAT Center Training Room attended by staff from the Guam Early Intervention System (GEIS) Program. The rest of the week was devoted to providing technical assistance and training to Special Education personnel working with the K-12 school population who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Creating Accessible Documents Training

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training
Group of people participating in a training.
Carla Torres, Assistive Technology and Special Projects Program Coordinator, provided training to staff of the Small Business Administration and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on November 20, 2015. The training demonstrated how to create accessible text documents using Microsoft Word and how to create accessible and tagged PDFs in Adobe Acrobat Pro. This training was at the request of the SBDC’s Director Casey Jeszenka in an effort to ensure accessible documents are available to individuals with disabilities.

UOG Students Explore Assistive Technology

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Demonstration Services Community Services: Technical Assistance Community Services: Training Developmental Disabilities Disability Studies Guam Systems for Assistive Technology Information Dissemination Self-Advocacy

Three students in assistive technology center.
A Scavenger Hunt assignment was given to the seven students enrolled in UOG’s ED443, Assistive Technology class. Their assignment was given to them to familiarize themselves with GSAT, its vast array of technology, and an opportunity for “hands-on” exploration of its lending library. The students were given multiple scenarios/circumstances in which they needed to identify a minimum of two assistive technology devices, ranging from low to high tech that would assist in providing sufficient support in those areas. In the photo above, Ann Flores, Anntonette Quiambao, and Gabriel Posadas, (L-R) came in to GSAT on November 13, 2015, to complete their scavenger hunt.
Student sitting at desk.
Gabriel Posadas, a student from the University of Guam’s UOG’s ED443- Assistive Technology class, explores features of a software program designed to help students with learning disabilities who struggle with reading and writing.

Webinar Held with GDOE VI Staff

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Technical Assistance Community Services: Training Vision Impairment
Group seated at conference table.
Guam CEDDERS facilitated a webinar presented by Donna McNear, Vision Instruction Consultant (shown on screen) for the Guam Department of Education, Division of Special Education’s Vision Instruction (VI) Program. Topics discussed included the implementation of Unified English Braille (UEB) and assistive technology for students who are blind. Also discussed was Donna’s upcoming on-site visit in January 2016. Attending the webinar were (starting left, clockwise) Paula Ulloa, VI School Program Consultant; Terrie Fejarang, Guam CEDDERS; Darlene Taimanglo, VI teacher; Diane Artero, VI Teacher; and Judy Quinata, Braille transcriber. This activity was supported through a contract between Guam CEDDERS and the Guam DOE, Division of Special Education.

NDEAM Conference: Introduction to Customized Self Employment Training

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training Guam Systems for Assistive Technology

Janet Stevely speaking to a crowd.
On October 29-30, 2015, Janet Stevely, Senior Consultant at Griffin-Hammis Associates provides training at the Westin Resort Guam, on “Introduction to Customized Self Employment.” The training was aimed at providing self-employment information to individuals with disabilities looking to be entrepreneurs and service providers who work with individuals with disabilities.
Panel of individuals leading a discussion.
A resource panel consisting of agency representatives provided information on services that they offer to entrepreneurs. Panelists included: (L-R) Denise Mendiola Hertslet, Executive Director, Pacific Island Microcredit Institute; Fred Granillo, Traning Program Coordinator, Small Business Development Center; Carla Torres, MEd, ATP Assistive Technology & Special Projects Program Coordinator, Guam System for Assistive Technology; and Lydia Calvo, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities (DISID).
Group posing for a photo.
Training participants posed with guest speaker, Janet Stevely: (L-R) Janet Stevely, Senior Consultant, Griffin-Hammis Associates; Lou Mesa; Jeng Magana; Gian Magana; and Leone Rohr, Executive Director of Parents Empowering Parents Disability Organization.

GSAT Holds Training on using AT in the Workplace

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training Developmental Disabilities Guam Systems for Assistive Technology Information Dissemination Self-Advocacy

As part of the activities to commemorate “National Disability Employment Awareness Month,” Carla Torres, Guam CEDDERS Assistive Technology and Special Projects Coordinator, conducted a presentation on “Assistive Technology Utilization in the Workplace” on October 8. Attendees included individuals with disabilities, family members, and personnel from the Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities (DISID). 

Speaker presenting to a large group around a conference table.
Various community members, including service providers, employers, and individuals with disabilities, listen to Carla Torres (standing), GSAT program coordinator talk about “Utilizing Assistive Technology in the Workplace.”
Three workshop participants trying out assistive technology devices.
Community members try the various communication devices on display at GSAT’s new AT Center.

  • Individuals gathered around a large sheet of paper.

    Guam CEDDERS facilitated a workshop attended by teams from various schools to sustain the Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports (PBIS) initiative in Guam Department of Education schools on August 26. The PBIS teams from V.A. Benavente Middle School (top photo) discussed the factors that sustains PBIS while Adacao Elementary (bottom photo) are shown completing their PBIS Histomap.

  • Individuals gathered around a table looking at printed strips of paper.

    PBIS team from V.A. Benavente middle schools examines the factors that sustains PBIS and ponders on the order of importance.

PBIS School Teams Engages in Team Training

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training Guam Department of Education PBIS

 

  • Individuals gathered around a table in discussion.

    Parents participating in Café Conversation at the Project Kariñu Parent Cafe, on August 21 at the Pacific Star Resort & Spa. The Project Kariñu Parent Cafe is in collaboration with Project Bisita and Project LAUNCH facilitated a Parent Cafe a the Pacific Star Resort and Spa. The Parent Café theme was on Taking Care of Yourself and focused on the 3 protective factors:  Parent Resilience, Concrete Support in Times of Need, and Social Connections. Project Tinituhon, facilitated by Guam CEDDERS provides technical assistance for Parent Cafés.  

  • Large group posing for photo.

    Project Kariñu, Project Bisita, and Project LAUNCH facilitates a Parent Café on August 21 at the Pacific Star Resort & Spa.  The Parent Café is a conversation process that gets parents talking about the protective factors and what they do in their lives and their families to build the protective factors. When parents and providers are more intentional about living the protective factors the overall outcome is strengthened families, optimal child development, and reduced child maltreatment and abuse.  For more information about the next Parent Café happening near you or to start your own Parent Café please call Guam CEDDERS at 735-2466.

Parents Participate in Café Conversation

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training Department of Public Health & Social Services Early Childhood Information Dissemination Project Kariñu

  • acilitator standing in front of projector screen while participants sitting in round table look on.

    Bonnie Brandt, Training Associate for Guam CEDDERS and Lead Evaluator for Project Kariñu provides an overview of the Project Kariñu Family Evaluation Café that was held on Saturday, August 29, 2015 at the Westin Resort Guam. Thirty-one parents and family members participated in the Event.

  • Eleven individuals seated in front with seventeen individuals standing behind for a group photo.

    Parents, family members, and Guam CEDDERS staff take a group photo before the closing of the Project Kariñu Family Evaluation Café on Saturday, August 29, 2015 at the Westin Resort Guam.

Project Kariñu Conducts Family Evaluation Café

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training Department of Public Health & Social Services Project Kariñu