Daniel Runnels is a native of the historic Butler College Community in Tyler, TX commonly known as “Rose City". A proud graduate of Robert E Lee High School, Daniel furthered his education at Tyler Junior College, focusing on music and early childhood development, before studying Psychology at Concordia University.
In Austin, Daniel is considered a pillar and highly respected figure in the church music scene. He serves as the Director of Music at East 19th Street Missionary Baptist Church and contributes his talents as an organist/pianist and associate music director for the St. John Regular Baptist District Association within the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas. His commitment to music is matched by his deep passion for enriching others' lives through his craft.
Outside of music, Daniel is deeply invested in supporting children, especially those with higher behavioral needs and disabilities. In his role as a Behavior Support Facilitator with the Leander Independent School District, he plays a crucial part in aiding both staff and students across more than fifty campuses. His dedication to making a lasting impact in the educational field reflects his ongoing commitment to fostering positive change and growth within the community.
Paul Johnson currently serves as an LISD Area Superintendent. A proud graduate of Texas A&M University, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution and a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
With 17 years of experience as principal at Vista Ridge High School, Paul led the school to become a National Demonstration Site for AVID, showcasing his commitment to student achievement. His previous roles include associate principal at Leander High School and various teaching and administrative positions in Mesquite ISD. Known for his collaborative leadership style, Paul is dedicated to supporting principals and enhancing instructional practices across the district. His passion for education drives his mission to advance student learning and create a thriving educational environment for all.
Learn about how brain changes during adolescence impact behavior. Explore responsive and relational ways to support students and proactively manage student behavior during adolescent years.
SECONDARY SESSION Participants will explore a variety of some of the most common behavior scenarios and collaborate to develop potential responses and proactive strategies with a relational focus. Learn how to think through behavioral issues as they occur and transfer these concepts and strategies to in-the-moment classroom opportunities.
In this interactive workshop, we will explore the dynamic process of customizing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices to enhance communication and learning outcomes for students. We will focus on how to customize AAC systems with each student’s unique strengths, preferences, interests, and needs to ensure more effective and engaging communication support.
I am currently in my 8th year working in special education, with the last 4 years spent at Leander ISD. I hold both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in EC-12 Special Education and currently serve as the SLE (Structured Learning Environment) teacher at Pleasant Hill Elementary... Read More →
Cici started her career in education as a Speech-Language Pathologist working in schools with children ages 3 to 21. She brought her love for technology and passion for complex communication disorders to her role as an Assistive Technology Facilitator for Leander ISD in Leander... Read More →
Monday September 23, 2024 8:30am - 9:15am CDT
Room 101
Join us for a session designed to equip support staff with effective strategies and practical tools for working with students with visual impairments. This session will explore a range of adaptive techniques and technologies to enhance accessibility and engagement in the classroom. Participants will:
Gain an understanding of various types of visual impairments and their impact on learning.
Discover practical strategies for modifying instructional materials and activities to ensure accessibility.
Explore assistive technologies and resources that can aid in both academic and daily activities.
Discuss best practices for collaborating with specialized staff, families, and students to provide comprehensive support.
This course will support instructional assistants in learning what NeuroDiversity is, and how to be a critical part in our culture shift in acceptance and understand it's impacts. This training will provide examples of how NeuroDiversity impacts our students' brains as well as our own and provide simple ideas on how to support students in the classroom at any age.
In this session, you will learn about strategies that will help you enhance your engagement with CTE teachers. Ideas and resources will be shared. This class will broaden your understanding of CTE student expectations. Learn ideas to grow student independence and gain skills for their success in the workforce.
Sr. Transition Coordinator and Coordinator for Deaf/HH, Leander ISD
I am passionate about any topic in the area of Transition. I have worked in LISD for 33 years with 8 years as a Deaf Education Teacher at Leander High School and 25 years as a Sr. Transition Coordinator for Special Education. In Deaf Education, I also taught 4 more years in... Read More →
Participants will get a hands on experience demonstrating how early trauma impacts brain development, the importance of resiliency factors, and how to support student behaviors due to trauma.
Discuss and learn best practices for providing inclusion support for students needing focus on social, emotional and behavioral strategies for classroom success. Hear from experienced colleagues on communication and collaboration with classroom teachers to partner and meet student needs.
Hearing loss can often be an invisible disability. Learn the physiology of the ear, different kinds of hearing loss, and how does it impacts everyday life.
Come learn about the tool used in Leander ISD to discover your personality temperament. Once you understand your individual personality, then that knowledge leads to working more effectively with each student. Personalities are like a fingerprint. Help each student shine in their unique way by learning ideas about self-advocacy and building student's strengths.
Sr. Transition Coordinator and Coordinator for Deaf/HH, Leander ISD
I am passionate about any topic in the area of Transition. I have worked in LISD for 33 years with 8 years as a Deaf Education Teacher at Leander High School and 25 years as a Sr. Transition Coordinator for Special Education. In Deaf Education, I also taught 4 more years in... Read More →
This session offers participants an opportunity to develop an understanding of homelessness, its impact on students, the support available to homeless students, and the eligibility process in LISD.
This session is specifically for any Job Coach in LISD. A small team of committed and innovative Job Coaches have worked to find creative ways to connect with Employers to increase the presence of students with disabilities at community businesses. "Just In Time" tools will be shared.
In this moderated panel discussion, experienced library assistants will share tips, wisdom and best practices in the areas of time management, customer service, navigating communication with your librarian and more. Come learn and share with other Elementary and Secondary Library Assistants as we come together to strengthen our network and seek to support our campus librarians, students and teachers.
Learn about how brain changes during adolescence impact behavior. Explore responsive and relational ways to support students and proactively manage student behavior during adolescent years.
Elementary IAs will learn how to best support students during small group APE and in the general education PE classroom. Secondary IAs will learn how to best support in general education PE and Unified PE classes.
Come learn about how to better understand your students' Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs). We will break down the sections and discuss how this document can be a helpful tool to help students be successful throughout their day.
In this interactive workshop, we will explore the dynamic process of customizing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices to enhance communication and learning outcomes for students. We will focus on how to customize AAC systems with each student’s unique strengths, preferences, interests, and needs to ensure more effective and engaging communication support.
Cici started her career in education as a Speech-Language Pathologist working in schools with children ages 3 to 21. She brought her love for technology and passion for complex communication disorders to her role as an Assistive Technology Facilitator for Leander ISD in Leander... Read More →
Monday September 23, 2024 10:30am - 11:15am CDT
Room 101
In this session, participants will learn about Co-teaching strategies that can be implemented for any instruction or duration of support so we can be intentioal with our time in Gen Ed classes.
Daniel Runnels is a native of the historic Butler College Community in Tyler, TX commonly known as “Rose City". A proud graduate of Robert E Lee High School, Daniel furthered his education at Tyler Junior College, focusing on music and early childhood development, before studying Psychology at Concordia University.
In Austin, Daniel is considered a pillar and highly respected figure in the church music scene. He serves as the Director of Music at East 19th Street Missionary Baptist Church and contributes his talents as an organist/pianist and associate music director for the St. John Regular Baptist District Association within the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas. His commitment to music is matched by his deep passion for enriching others' lives through his craft.
Outside of music, Daniel is deeply invested in supporting children, especially those with higher behavioral needs and disabilities. In his role as a Behavior Support Facilitator with the Leander Independent School District, he plays a crucial part in aiding both staff and students across more than fifty campuses. His dedication to making a lasting impact in the educational field reflects his ongoing commitment to fostering positive change and growth within the community.
Paul Johnson currently serves as an LISD Area Superintendent. A proud graduate of Texas A&M University, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution and a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
With 17 years of experience as principal at Vista Ridge High School, Paul led the school to become a National Demonstration Site for AVID, showcasing his commitment to student achievement. His previous roles include associate principal at Leander High School and various teaching and administrative positions in Mesquite ISD. Known for his collaborative leadership style, Paul is dedicated to supporting principals and enhancing instructional practices across the district. His passion for education drives his mission to advance student learning and create a thriving educational environment for all.
ELEMENTARY SESSION Participants will explore a variety of some of the most common behavior scenarios and collaborate to develop potential responses and proactive strategies with a relational focus. Learn how to think through behavioral issues as they occur and transfer these concepts and strategies to in-the-moment classroom opportunities.
Come learn some great strategies for promoting communication skills with students of all ages and abilities in the classroom. Brush up on skills you can implement right away! We will share ways to improve receptive & expressive language skills by incorporating speech/language therapy into your daily routine.
Hearing loss can often be an invisible disability. Learn the physiology of the ear, different kinds of hearing loss, and how does it impacts everyday life.
This is a two part session. Turning intentional observation and reflection skills into instructional skills can provide the key into the world of young children. When we are able to see the world they way our early childhood students do, we can become thoughtful play partners and critical data collectors to support the develop of our youngest learners.
In this session we will spend time observing, identifying, and discussing the skills students are building through play and the importance of our role as play partners.
By extending this learning into the second session, we will be taking our new observing skills and turning our observations into anecdotal data collection so that we can work together with our team of teachers to guide informed instruction.
Elementary IAs will learn how to best support students during small group APE and in the general education PE classroom. Secondary IAs will learn how to best support in general education PE and Unified PE classes.
Join the Library Instructional Assistants Collaborative, where library IA's come together to engage, share and learn from one another. During the discussion, participants share their insights and experiences related to library services, instructional support, and best practices in the library. This forum provides a platform for individuals to exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and explore innovative approaches to enhance library instruction and support the work of your campus librarian.
Join us for a session designed to equip support staff with effective strategies and practical tools for working with students with visual impairments. This session will explore a range of adaptive techniques and technologies to enhance accessibility and engagement in the classroom. Participants will:
Gain an understanding of various types of visual impairments and their impact on learning.
Discover practical strategies for modifying instructional materials and activities to ensure accessibility.
Explore assistive technologies and resources that can aid in both academic and daily activities.
Discuss best practices for collaborating with specialized staff, families, and students to provide comprehensive support.
This course will support instructional assistants in learning what NeuroDiversity is, and how to be a critical part in our culture shift in acceptance and understand it's impacts. This training will provide examples of how NeuroDiversity impacts our students' brains as well as our own and provide simple ideas on how to support students in the classroom at any age.
Participants will get a hands on experience demonstrating how early trauma impacts brain development, the importance of resiliency factors, and how to support student behaviors due to trauma.
Discuss and learn best practices for providing inclusion support for students needing focus on social, emotional and behavioral strategies for classroom success. Hear from experienced colleagues on communication and collaboration with classroom teachers to partner and meet student needs.
This is a two part session. Turning intentional observation and reflection skills into instructional skills can provide the key into the world of young children. When we are able to see the world they way our early childhood students do, we can become thoughtful play partners and critical data collectors to support the develop of our youngest learners.
In the first session we will spent time observing, identifying, and discussing the skills students are building through play and the importance of our role as play partners.
By extending this learning into this session, we will be taking our new observing skills and turning our observations into anecdotal data collection so that we can work together with our team of teachers to guide informed instruction.
Come learn about the tool used in Leander ISD to discover your personality temperament. Once you understand your individual personality, then that knowledge leads to working more effectively with each student. Personalities are like a fingerprint. Help each student shine in their unique way by learning ideas about self-advocacy and building student's strengths.
Sr. Transition Coordinator and Coordinator for Deaf/HH, Leander ISD
I am passionate about any topic in the area of Transition. I have worked in LISD for 33 years with 8 years as a Deaf Education Teacher at Leander High School and 25 years as a Sr. Transition Coordinator for Special Education. In Deaf Education, I also taught 4 more years in... Read More →
“Joy is a very contagious and magnetic component that greatly enhances workplace culture. As effective leaders, and happy team members, we owe it to ourselves to cultivate an environment of Joy in our workplace. We’ll learn and talk about principles and techniques to infuse Joy into your teams, and into your everyday work and see culture, productivity and creativity soar.”
This session offers participants an opportunity to develop an understanding of homelessness, its impact on students, the support available to homeless students, and the eligibility process in LISD.
Come learn about how to better understand your students' Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs). We will break down the sections and discuss how this document can be a helpful tool to help students be successful throughout their day.
Conscious Discipline is one of the social emotional learning programs used in Early Childhood. Conscious Discipline teaches us how to recognize the state of our adult brains so that we can appropriately determine the states of children and how to best support the behavior typically associated with the three brain states.
Regardless of where students join our system or their age, we are committed to supporting and empowering them to find their voice and achieve anything they set their minds to. Instructional assistants can play a crucial role in supporting students and preparing them to find their voice and achieve their goals. Come learn how you can help empower our students voice for their future.
Sr. Transition Coordinator and Coordinator for Deaf/HH, Leander ISD
I am passionate about any topic in the area of Transition. I have worked in LISD for 33 years with 8 years as a Deaf Education Teacher at Leander High School and 25 years as a Sr. Transition Coordinator for Special Education. In Deaf Education, I also taught 4 more years in... Read More →
This session covers the best ways to introduce handwriting from an Occupational Therapy perspective to support emerging writers. We will give practical applications and explain child development. Small groups will delve deeper into foundations of handwriting, the first steps and writing letters.
In this session, participants will learn about Co-teaching strategies that can be implemented for any instruction or duration of support so we can be intentioal with our time in Gen Ed classes.
“Joy is a very contagious and magnetic component that greatly enhances workplace culture. As effective leaders, and happy team members, we owe it to ourselves to cultivate an environment of Joy in our workplace. We’ll learn and talk about principles and techniques to infuse Joy into your teams, and into your everyday work and see culture, productivity and creativity soar.”
This session will lead participants in reflecting on the multilingual continuum, analyzing data, and engaging in interactive learning experiences which highlight effective language acquisition practices for all students.
