Guam CEDDERS Newsletter June 30, 2020 Volume 23, Issue 3 In this issue: Project EPICS.........................................1-2 GDOE Tele-Therapy Training..................3 Pacific Entities Engagement.............. 4-5 GDOE Stakeholders Session...................6 SSIP Projects Planning.............................7 GDOE Telehealth ......................................8 GDOE Special Education........................9 Staying Connected Virtually...........10-11 EDHI Child-Link Training ................12-13 A New Normal...................................14-15 Crip Camp Film .......................................16 CNMI Early Intervention........................17 Akudi Loan Program........................ 18-19 Welcome New Staff............................... 20 Project EPICS Final Year Activities Derailed By Pandemic Three Project EPICS scholars from Group 1 completed their California externship in Summer 2019 at the LEARN Speech Therapy Clinic. L to R: John Payne, and Lillian Reyes, scholars, Dawn Hansen, externship supervisor, Lisa Eclavea, scholar, and Lynzy Melzer, Co-supervisor. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Group 2’s externship originally scheduled for this summer has been postponed. As the much-quoted Scottish poet Robert Burns has said, “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry,” so have the plans with Project EPICS. The Educating Pacific Island Clinicians in Speech-Language Pathology (EPICS) Project, is a personnel preparation grant funded by the US DOE awarded to San José State University, in partnership with Guam CEDDERS. With a start date of May 2015, the goal of this five-year project is to facilitate the training of graduate level personnel from the U.S. affiliated Pacific Basin jurisdictions in speech-language pathology to meet the critical need of certified professionals in this specialty area. Although some challenges occurred during these past four and half years since the start of the project, the Work Plan and timeline originally mapped out for the implementation of EPICS, including activities and milestones, were for the most part met for the majority of the student “scholars” enrolled in the program. Over the past two years, 18 scholars were on track Pacific Entities Continue Virtual Engagement During OSEP’s Clarification The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is responsible for ensuring that states comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Annually, each state must have a State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR). The SPP/APR evaluates the state’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of Part B and Part C of the IDEA. In April, OSEP provided a clarification period so states may provide additional information or clarification to their initial report submission. Guam CEDDERS Interim Director, June De Leon provided support to Guam, the Republic of Palau (ROP), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in submitting any required clarifications to their Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2018 SPP/APR report. On April 17, CNMI is all smiles under their masks after reviewing their IDEA FFY 2018 Part B SPP/APR clarification. Top right: June De Leon, Interim Director, Guam CEDDERS , displays UOG pride by showing the Triton sign. Bottom (L-R): Donna Flores, Acting Director of Special Education, CNMI; and Nora Fujihira, Data Management & Compliance Program Manager, CNMI, show the peace sign. On April 22, Guam CEDDERS June De Leon participated in a Skype call with Guam Division of Special Education Administrators and the US Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) State Lead for Guam. The purpose for the call was for the OSEP State Lead to discuss OSEP’s review of Guam’s Part B and Part C FFY 2018 Annual Performance Reports submitted in February 2020. L-R: Cathy Tydingco, Part C Coordinator, GDOE; June De Leon, Interim Director, Guam CEDDERS; Laura Taisipic, Parent Services Coordinator, GDOE; Terese Crisostomo, Special Projects Coordinator, GDOE; Yolanda Gabriel, Assistant Superintendent, Division of Special Education, GDOE; and Charlie Kniseley, State Lead, OSEP. On April 24, Guam submitted their IDEA FFY 2018 Part C SPP/APR clarification. From top to bottom: June De Leon, Interim Director, Guam CEDDERS; Laura Taisipic, Parent Service Coordinator, GDOE; Cathy Tydingco, Part C Coordinator, GDOE; Terese Crisostomo, Special Projects Coordinator, GDOE; and Yolanda Gabriel, Assistant Superintendent, Division of Special Education, GDOE. Pacific Entities Continue Virtual Engagement (Cont.) On April 24, L-R: Genee Norbert, OSEP State Lead for FSM; Arthur Albert, Assistant Secretary, FSM Department of Education; and Guam CEDDERS June De Leon meet virtually through Zoom video conferencing to discuss FSM’s IDEA FFY 2018 Part B APR submission and the opportunity for FSM to provide “clarification.” On April 30, FSM submitted their IDEA FFY 2018 Part B SPP/APR clarification. Arthur Albert, Assistant Secretary for the Division of Special Services, FSM Department of Education, is all smiles when he sees “submitted” in green above “current status.” On April 30, Nora Renguul, Special Education Coordinator, Palau Ministry of Education (top photo), uses Zoom video conferencing to meet virtually with Guam CEDDERS June De Leon (bottom photo) to finalize Palau’s “clarification” for its FFY 2018 IDEA Part B APR. All smiles indeed! GDOE Provides Virtual Training on Telehealth Assessments The Guam Department of Education (GDOE), in collaboration with Guam CEDDERS, scheduled six virtual training sessions via Zoom on the use and delivery of telehealth assessments from June 2020 to August 2020. The goal of the training is to help assessors gain knowledge and increase competency with telehealth assessments. The training will provide an overview of telehealth assessments, discuss guidelines, review pros and cons of conducting telehealth assessments, and provide practice and refreshers on the administration of certain assessments. The training is conducted by Dr. Irina Zamora from the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA). Specific assessments of the training include the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children® Fifth Edition (WISC®-V), the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition (ADOS2), and the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, 3rd Edition (GARS-3). A planning session was held on May 18 to gather input on the training needs of GDOE in the area of telehealth assessments. Input from the planning session was used in the development of training outcomes that support the use of telehealth assessments. Sessions began on June 15 and participants consisted of GDOE Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs), school pyschologist, academic evaluators, Consulting Resource Teachers/Technical Assistance (CRT/TA), and social workers. On May 18, an input session was held with various GDOE personnel and Dr. Irina Zamora, to ascertain the training needs of GDOE’s Special Education Division in the area of telehealth assessments. Top row, L-R: Dr. Irina Zamora, Psychologist, CHLA; June De Leon, Interim Director, Guam CEDDERS, Jon Guerrero, School Psychologist, GDOE; 2nd row, L-R: Marie Wessling, CRT/TA, GDOE, Barbara Bernardo, Social Worker, GDOE; Pia Watson, Academic Evaluator, GDOE; 3rd row, L-R: Laura Taisipic, Parent Services Coordinator, GDOE; Josephine Cruz, Associate Director, Guam CEDDERS, Marie Tenorio, CRT/TA, GDOE; 4th row, L-R: Marita Gogue, Academic Evaluator, GDOE; Rowena Dimla, SLP, GDOE, Audra Mesa, Academic Evaluator, GDOE; 5th row, L-R: Alma Terbio, Academic Evaluator, GDOE; Janice Almoguera, CRT/TA, GDOE, Arnell Medler, CRT/ TA, GDOE; 6th row, L-R: Jessica Atoigue, CRT/ TA, GDOE; Liz Blas, SLP, GDOE, Nicole Duenas, SLP, GDOE; 7th row, L-R: Cathy Tydingco, Part C Coordinator, GDOE; Tricia Taitague, Program Coordinator, GDOE, Terese Crisostomo, Special Projects Coordinator, GDOE. Jon BGBERNARDO Marie Tenorio Audra Mesa arnellfmedler Nicole Duenas Terese Crisostomo EHDI Conducts Virtual Training (Cont.) On May 7, Guam EDHI provided training on the Guam ChildLink Data System at the request of Guam’s Preschool Development Birth to Five Grant Leadership workgroup. Joseph Mendiola, Guam CEDDERS Interoperability Data Manager, conducted a virtual training to 10 participants using the Zoom Meeting platform. Participants included, Top row, L-R: Elaine Eclavea, Consultant, Guam CEDDERS; Keith Villaluna, Data Specialist, Guam CEDDERS; Marie Wusstig, Guam EHDI Coordinator, Guam CEDDERS; 2nd row, L-R: Barbara Leon Guerrero, Data Control Clerk II, GEIS, GDOE; Dennis Bakker, Data Manager, GDOE; Cathy Tydingco, Part C Coordinator, GEIS, GDOE; 3rd row: Pauline Camacho, Program Coordinator Family Health Information Resource Center (FHIRC), Department of Public Health & Social Services (DPHSS); Bottom right, Joseph Mendiola, Interoperability Data Manager, Guam CEDDERS. June 2020 Guam CEDDERS Newsletter I Tellai 13 Taking The Time To Prepare For A “New Normal” Social distancing. Sanitizing. Washing hands. Wearing a mask. Daily temperature checks. ZOOM meetings. What does all this mean? Is this normal? Or is this the “new normal?” While we live in a world that has the most scientific and technological advancements, a virus that is invisible to the naked eye has destabilized our economies, healthcare, and educational systems. This pandemic lets us know that we must continue progress in science and research to face future challenges. Without a vaccine, humankind must continue to live not in fear, but live differently. By living differently and safely, we need to be informed. Information overload? Maybe. But better to know than to not know and not know what to do. On June 26th, the team at Guam CEDDERS embarked on the first of what will be an ongoing information dissemination process of Guam CEDDERS’ Pandemic Plan & Procedures. This plan aligns with the University of Guam – Pandemic Plan & Procedures for Operating Under PCOR3 / UPPOP3. The Guam CEDDERS’ leadership team wanted to ensure that all employees under Guam CEDDERS are aware of the procedures and actions to take during a pandemic situation as well as provide feedback on best practices for the organization. COVID-19 activities that included a Scavenger Hunt, COVID BINGO, and Guam CEDDERS Pandemic Plan & Procedures Quiz with prizes brought cheers and healthy, competitive spirits amongst colleagues. With much excitement and laughter, the team at Guam CEDDERS showed that preparing for the “new normal” does not have to be mundane. With camaraderie and teamwork, we as a family, an organization, an island community, people of the world can get through this pandemic together. As in all things in life, “life is what you make of it,” even when living in “new normal” times. Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, & Service These events are funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, grant#2001GUATSG-00. Additional funding is provided by the US DHHS, Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, through support to the Guam Tri-Agency: Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (Guam CEDDERS); Guam Developmental Disabilities Council, and Guam Legal Services Corporation-Disability Law Center. The University of Guam is an equal opportunity provider and employer. University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, & Service (Guam CEDDERS) Newsletter Guam CEDDERS Office of Graduate Studies, Sponsored Programs, & Research University of Guam 303 University Drive Mangilao, Guam 96913 Phone: (671) 735‐2480/1 Fax: (671) 734‐5709 TTY: (671) 734‐6531 Email: june.deleon@guamcedders.org I Tellai is a quarterly publication of Guam CEDDERS. Interim Director: June De Leon Editors: Michelle Aguigui, Vera Blaz, & Jenika Ballesta Layout & Design: Jenika Ballesta and Zachary Hecita This issue of I Tellai was made possible by contributions from the following Guam CEDDERS staff members/consultant: Leah Abelon, Michelle Aguigui, Jenika Ballesta, Terrie Fejarang, Josephine Cruz, June De Leon, and Keith Villaluna. Alternative formats (e.g. Braille or large print) of I Tellai will be made available upon request. Please contact Jenika Ballesta at (671) 735‐2477 (v), (671) 735‐6531 (TTY), or (671) 734‐5709 (fax) for more information. The University of Guam is an equal opportunity provider and employer. For more information on any of these events, please call 735-2479 or visit www.guamcedders.org This newsletter was produced with 100% funding support from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Grant No. 90DDUC0064-02-01 and facilitated by the University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (Guam CEDDERS). This report is also available online and in alternate formats at www.guamcedders.org. The University of Guam is an equal opportunity provider and employer.