Title: Resilience is Brilliance: Let’s thrive and shine!

Description: Explore the power of resilience to transform challenges into growth and strength. Together, we’ll uncover how to be present in the moment to overcome risk-factors with protective factors, embrace change and diversity as a catalyst for growth, and impact the future through intentional actions that empower ourselves and our students. Filled with practical insights and uplifting stories, this session will energize and equip you to advance from surviving to thriving in the ever-changing landscape of special education.

Bio: Dr. Daniel Gulchak is a special educator, global presenter, author, and co-founder of KOI Education who believes that all students can succeed when educators have the right resources. His passion is bridging the research to practice gaps in education to improve student outcomes. His experience includes being a certified special education teacher, university faculty, court appointed special advocate, and board member of several special education associations. He leads design and development of professional development at KOI Education and is an author of four books on positive behavior support systems, has written numerous research articles, and has presented at hundreds of conferences and school workshops around the globe. Dr. Gulchak earned his Ph.D. at Arizona State University.

Heather Pierson, J.D. - Ms. Pierson comes to Udall Shumway PLC uniquely qualified in the area of education law. Prior to joining Udall  Shumway, Ms. Pierson taught behavior disordered students. During her teaching career, Ms. Pierson was involved in the development and implementation of Individualized Education Plans (“IEP”) and behavior plans and attended several trainings on special education and regular education interventions and strategies. While in law school, Ms. Pierson provided in-home ABA services for autistic children under the age of three and participated in the Whittier Law School Special Education Clinic, which provided special education advocacy services for children with developmental disabilities. Additionally, Ms. Pierson earned her Master’s Degree in Special  Education in 2004.  Ms. Pierson primarily focuses her School Law practice on special education and disability related matters. She routinely defends school districts and other public educational institutions in matters related to disability law matters, such as special education due process hearings, Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) complaints, Section 504  due process hearings, mediation, and special education state complaints. She provides daily advice and assistance in matters related to special education, Section 504, the Americans with Disabilities Act, student discipline, personnel issues and student records. Ms. Pierson taught Contemporary Developments in Special  Education Law through Northern Arizona University during the Spring of 2014. She has also given in-service workshops to district personnel on a wide range of special education and disability related topics and speaks at state-wide conferences.

Title: Burdens and Barriers to Thriving: Mental Health Challenges to Academic, Behavioral, and Social Success

Description: Mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, interfere with school success. We will discuss practical ideas for addressing some of the common problems.

Bio: Mike Paget, M.Ed., has been a teacher-therapist, director of school mental health programs, and consultant in the SC Department of Education. He provides seminars for schools across the US and Canada. An author, Mike serves as secretary on the MSLBD.org Board of Directors. His content is K-12 and appropriate for general and special ed teachers, counselors, administrators, and other support staff. His content focuses on practical strategies and accommodations for responding to a variety of mental health challenges. His topics have included anxiety, acting in disorders, acting out disorders, and trauma and resilience. Since 2000, Mike has given multiple presentations at national conferences, over 450 seminars in cities across the US and Canada, and 70 seminars for individual schools and districts.  Mike is the co-author of Confronting Anxiety: 96 Insights and Strategies for Helping Students Manage Their THINKING and FEELING Powers; Defying the Defiance: 155 Insights, Strategies, Lessons, and Activities for Helping Students with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, 2nd edition; High On The Spectrum: Asperger’s, High Functioning Autism, and Related Personalities; and Lost and Found: Rescuing our Kids from Video, Screen, Technology, and Gaming Addictions.