Monday, May 5, 2025

A-LIST Induction 2025

Our team is thrilled to introduce one of our largest groups of new inductees into our Autism & Low-Incidence Coaching Team’s “A-LIST”. Our A-LIST stands for Autism-Low Incidence Support Team and is comprised of a regional network of select professionals who exhibit “best practices” in serving the needs of students who have autism or other complex, low-incidence disabilities. Our A-LIST began in 2012 in an effort to recognize outstanding individuals who had exceeded the high expectations of our coaching process, and who represented the best that our region had to offer to students with disabilities. Only a fraction of the educators we coach each year are nominated. The A-LIST truly represents the BEST professionals in our region.



The goal of the MCESC Autism & Low-Incidence Coaching Team is to build the capacity of our region’s administrators, teachers, intervention specialists, related service providers, and paraprofessionals to serve children with autism and other complex disabilities. The A-LIST serves a critical role in that mission by maintaining a multi-disciplinary network of outstanding practitioners across all 6 counties we serve. We often refer our coaching teams to our A-LIST members for practical, “in the trenches” perspectives, advice, and occasional modeling of best practices.

In today's A-LIST Spotlight we will be highlighting all EIGHTEEN wonderful new inductees!



Haley Embry


Hayley Embry is an intervention specialist working at the Milton Union Middle School through the Miami County ESC. Hayley was nominated because her classroom is full of evidence-based practices! On top of that, she is the queen of data collection and does such a great job of progress monitoring! What we admire most is Hayley’s ability to collaborate with her staff and the families you serve. She is always actively problem-solving and open to trying new ideas. Hayley clearly takes pride in supporting students in an individualized way, ensuring that their needs are being met. This is especially true with transition supports. Hayley does a great job of providing information and exploration of community-based supports for students and their families. Your leadership style and approach to teaching should be celebrated and deserves to be recognized!


Erin Lukas

Erin Lukas is the intervention specialist in a resource room at Smith Intermediate School in Vandalia. We were impressed with Erin’s ability to recognize the needs of some of her more challenging students and her flexibility in changing how she structured her classroom. She is implementing evidence-based strategies to support her students and has been a model for other teams we are coaching.


Callie George

Callie George is the Speech Pathologist at East Elementary in Eaton. Over the years, we have been impressed with Callie’s ability to collaborate with teachers to support student needs in the classroom. This year, she amazed us with her development of communication lessons that focused on teaching core words in fun and engaging activities. We invited Callie to present with us at the national OCALICON conference in November alongside her teammate and fellow A-LISTer Deanna Hicks.


Rachael Anderson


Rachael Anderson is an outstanding paraprofessional in fellow A-LISTer Taylor Ruef’s classroom at Stevenson Elementary in Mad River. During our numerous A-LIST visits to their classroom, we have been so impressed with how Rachael demonstrates exceptional initiative, consistently stays ahead of student needs, and steps in wherever help is needed to ensure everything runs smoothly. She is an excellent model to others who have visited their classroom, and one of the most frequent and enthusiastic pieces of feedback we receive from visiting teams is about her remarkable ability to support both the students and the classroom environment so seamlessly.




Heather Venters & Linda Daniels

Heather Venters is an Occupational Therapist and Linda Daniels is an Physical Therapist from Montgomery County ESC serving students at Trotwood-Madison Early Learning Center. They are true team players who collaborate seamlessly with every team they are a part of. Heather’s use of structured work during treatment sessions is thoughtful and intentional, and it clearly supports student success. Linda’s treatment sessions are not only functional but also highly motivating for her students. She works closely with classroom staff to ensure that the skills and positioning strategies carry over into the classroom, creating consistency and maximizing student success. Heather and Linda have both been outstanding partners to our team—consistently communicating openly, attending meetings, delivering personalized tools, and modeling the implementation of the strategies and supports we’ve recommended.


Karen Lash

Karen Lash is a paraprofessional at Driscoll Elementary School in the Centerville City School District. Karen demonstrates an intuition with her students that is hard to "teach" because she just "knows" how to respond and meet their needs. Karen is a good "co-regulator" for the students she supports. She has a calm presence and always does a great job of interacting with the students she is working with in a supportive, nurturing way. She also knows when to provide boundaries and limits when those are needed as well. Karen is a team player and always willing to provide feedback or ask questions in team meetings. She also does a great job of managing *all* of the supports needed in the classrooms you have supported through the years. Karen is truly an invaluable member of the Driscoll MD team!


Morgan Brown, Joy Chenault, & Brianna Foster

Morgan Brown is a preschool teacher at Trotwood Early Learning Center and works beside paraprofessionals Joy Chenault and Brianna Foster. They work together seamlessly, truly exemplifying what it means to be a cohesive and effective team. They have created a truly positive and inclusive environment where all students can thrive. The structure and routine they’ve built has clearly boosted student engagement. The team is always fully engaged—modeling expectations, asking thoughtful questions during small groups, offering meaningful praise, and providing students with the individualized support they need to thrive. They are also wonderful co-regulators—no matter what is happening, they remain calm and centered, providing the steady support students need to de-escalate and re-engage.



Mindy Shelton


Mindy Shelton is an intervention specialist at Medlar View Elementary in Miamisburg. We have been impressed with Mindy’s ability to implement evidence-based strategies to meet the needs of students with significant behavioral challenges. She has remained professional and positive through some very difficult times and demonstrated the use of data collection and clear communication with her staff to support the problem-solving process.


Jessica Sanders

Jessica Sanders is an intervention specialist from Driscoll Elementary School in the Centerville City School District. We love going to Jessica’s self-contained classroom because we know we will see so many evidence-based practices in place! Jessica is always interested in coaching and willing to have support for her classroom. That's always the sign of a great teacher...one who is still willing to learn, collaborate, and try new things! What we admire most is her desire to help the "whole" child and also support their families. She is always actively problem-solving and she strives to meet her students' needs outside of the classroom, too. We love how Jessica provides community-based support and suggestions to her students' families as well. Her leadership style and approach to teaching should be celebrated and deserves to be recognized!


Celeste Ritzert

Mary “Celeste” Ritzert was nominated because she demonstrates an intuition with her students that is hard to "teach" because she just "knows". Celeste is a good "co-regulator" because of her calm presence and supportive, nurturing approach with her students. Celeste does an excellent job of providing wait time and ensuring that her students are regulated before having any other expectations for them. She also does a great job of making sure all students have access to communication and are able to express themselves. Celeste does a great job of managing *all* of the supports needed to help the students she is working with be successful. Celeste is truly an invaluable member of the MCESC Learning Center West team!


Kasey Hancock

Kasey Hancock is the intervention specialist at Harry Russell Elementary in West Carrollton. Over the years, we have been impressed with Kasey’s passion to create a classroom environment that meets the diverse needs of her students. She is organized and creative in the implementation of visual strategies and structured work systems. Kasey communicates well with others to promote effective teamwork. We are happy to have her as part of our A-LIST!



Shelly Cummins


Shelly Cummins is an intervention specialist at Camden Elementary School in the Preble Shawnee Local School District. Shelly was nominated because we love coming to her classroom and seeing so many evidence-based practices in place! She is always actively problem-solving and open to trying new ideas. We have also been impressed with her initiative to support students in an individualized way, ensuring that their needs are being met. Shelly is an excellent model for others, and she’s a good "co-regulator" for the students she supports. She has a calm presence and always does a great job of interacting with her students in a supportive, nurturing way. Shelly does a great job of setting goals for her students and wants to push them to make as much progress as possible. Her approach to teaching should be celebrated and deserves to be recognized!


Rachel Lech


Rachel Lech is a kindergarten teacher at Kleptz Early Learning Center in Northmont Schools. One of the keys to her success has been creating a positive, welcoming environment where ALL students feel valued and supported. Her collaboration with the large team of adults supporting her classroom is truly commendable. She consistently primes students with expectations and materials before each activity, and has engaging, attention-grabbing phrases that are both effective and fun. She provides individualized supports—flexible seating, fidgets, sensory tools, visual aids, and reinforcement—ensuring that every child has what they need to thrive. The structured and supportive environment she’s built is clearly contributing to her students’ success.



Aubrey Diane Ludlow


Aubrey Diane Ludlow is the intervention specialist in the Clark Co. ESC self-contained classroom serving students with significant behavior challenges. We were impressed with Aubrey’s insight into the why behind the behaviors and her flexibility in meeting biological and emotional needs to help students be more available for learning. She has created an engaging and warm environment for staff and students. We have already sent a teacher to her classroom to see effective strategies in action.


Jack Stephens

Jack Stephens is the Special Education Supervisor in Mad River Local Schools whose dedication to supporting teachers, advocating for best practices for students, and collaborating with our team is exceptional. Jack does well with guiding his staff toward the very tools and strategies we often recommend which creates a strong foundation of support across his district. Additionally, he has been proactive in his approach to meeting the unique needs of the growing number of students with autism and low-incidence disabilities within the district.

Congratulations to all of our new 2025 A-LIST Inductees! We are excited to have you as an extension of our team!

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Resources for Families when Navigating Common Health Concerns for Autistic Individuals

 Did you know we have a Family Resources tab on our website? This is our go-to place for providing information to families and districts regarding helpful resources that can be accessed online or even locally in the Dayton Miami Valley region. 

When you click on the tab, there are several sections including:
  • Online Resources (topics include: New Autism Diagnosis, Puberty & Sex Ed, Girls on the Spectrum, Wandering & Elopement, and Healthcare)
  • Local Resources (topics include: Local Support Groups, Mental Health & Behavioral Support, Wrap Around Services & Case Management, Medical Support, County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, Recreation Programs, Social Skills Groups, and Childcare/Respite Care)
  • Websites
  • Online Courses


Today we are going to highlight some of the resources included in our Family Resources Tab for Health Resources:



Health Resources

    Do you know of other great local resources to share with families in the Dayton Miami Valley region? Contact Allison Officer at allison.officer@mcesc.org and we will add it to our tab! 

    Tuesday, April 22, 2025

    Family Resources for Board of Developmental Disabilities Services

     Did you know we have a Family Resources tab on our website? This is our go-to place for providing information to families and districts regarding helpful resources that can be accessed online or even locally in the Dayton Miami Valley region. 

    When you click on the tab, there are several sections including:
    • Online Resources (topics include: New Autism Diagnosis, Puberty & Sex Ed, Girls on the Spectrum, Wandering & Elopement, and Healthcare)
    • Local Resources (topics include: Local Support Groups, Mental Health & Behavioral Support, Wrap Around Services & Case Management, Medical Support, County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, Recreation Programs, Social Skills Groups, and Childcare/Respite Care)
    • Websites
    • Online Courses


    Today we are going to highlight some of the resources included in our Family Resources Tab for Local Board of Developmental Disabilities Services:



    Board of Developmental Disabilities Services


      Do you know of other great local resources to share with families in the Dayton Miami Valley region? Contact Allison Officer at allison.officer@mcesc.org and we will add it to our tab! 

      Tuesday, April 15, 2025

      A-LIST Spotlight: Intervention Specialist Katie Wood at Primary Village South in Centerville

      It has been such a pleasure to work with Intervention Specialist Katie Wood at Primary Village South in Centerville. She jumped right into the coaching process and took our ideas in stride, even the ones that seemed a bit out there at first! She is reflective, open-minded, and collaborative when it comes to problem-solving. These are all excellent strengths for an intervention specialist and definitely make the coaching process rewarding for all involved! In addition to her ability to implement our interventions with fidelity, we were impressed with Katie's calm classroom environment, facilitation of AAC, and use of technology. She was also an excellent team leader for her fellow low-incidence teachers and for her paraprofessionals. We are so excited to showcase some of the supports Katie shared with us for today's A-LIST Spotlight!




      Structured Work

      • 3 Tier Work System: I use structured work systems throughout the school day with my students. I often use structured work systems to promote independence and instill a sense of accomplishment. The structured work systems also allow students to see an “end goal” during work and track what tasks they’ve completed, as well as what they still need to do. I use the structured work systems as an “independent work” center, as well as an IEP Goal center.




      Reinforcement Supports:

      • Work Contracts: I pair work contracts with almost every single task my students complete in my classroom. I’ve found that pairing an incentive with tasks helps motivate my students and increases engagement and attention. Students know that once they earn all 3 tokens for task completion, they receive the incentive chosen on their work contract. This has been an extremely helpful tool this school year. Work contracts can be personalized for each student based on their motivations and interests.


      • Token Boards: Token boards provide a visual and tangible way for students to track their positive behaviors and earn rewards. Students can earn tokens for demonstrating desired behaviors, such as following directions and task completion. Once a student collects a certain number of tokens, they can exchange them for a predetermined incentive. This encourages motivation and reinforces positive behavior.

      • Visual Countdowns: I use visual countdowns in my classroom and across the school day with my students. Visual countdowns can be helpful prior to transitions inside and outside of the classroom, especially for students who struggle with transitioning from preferred to non-preferred activities. I occasionally pair the countdown with a timer once the countdown is complete. I also use the small visual countdown as an individual student tool in moments where students may be expected to wait or complete a task. This tool helps students with predictability and expectation.


      Choice Boards:

      • Self-Regulation Choice Board: I created this choice board for students to use in moments of frustration and dysregulation. It can be difficult for students to communicate their thoughts and emotions when they become dysregulated, so this tool works well, helps students communicate how they are feeling, and promotes independence and self-regulation skills.


      • Unstructured Play Choice Board: I created this choice board for some students who were struggling to make appropriate choices during unstructured play (free play, recess, etc.). Students are expected to make a choice on their board and know that when they are finished with a choice, the visual needs to be moved and replaced before they can move on to their next activity choice.


      • Problem-Solving Choice Board: My student teacher created this choice board for students who struggle to problem-solve conflicts with peers (yelling at, crying, etc.). Students are encouraged to choose a replacement behavior in order to problem-solve conflicts that may arise.


      Visual Schedules:

      • Individual Traveling Schedules: Because my students spend parts of their day transitioning between various classrooms, I utilize traveling schedules with some of my students. Traveling schedules allow students to access their daily schedule from anywhere in the building.


      • Visual Task Schedule: This schedule helps students visualize the steps needed to complete a task. I use this visual task schedule for fine motor activities or other activities that have multi-step directions. At this point in the year, most of my students are able to sit down at a table and follow these visual directions independently.


      • Location-Based Schedules: I use location-based schedules during center rotations in my classroom. Each student has their own schedule, and each center is color-coded for students to easily transition from one activity to the next.




      Transition Supports:

      • Classroom Doorbell: We use our classroom doorbell during transitions within the classroom. Students know that when they hear the doorbell sound, it is time to finish up what they are doing and transition to their next center or activity. I often pair a verbal or visual countdown with the doorbell chime for students who need extra reminders.


      • Transition Choice Board: I created this choice board for students who struggle with transitions outside of the classroom. Students are encouraged to choose and focus on 1-3 positive behaviors to demonstrate during transitions outside of the classroom. Pre-correcting transition behaviors has helped a lot of my students demonstrate successful transitions throughout the school day.



      A special thank you to Katie for sharing all of the fabulous supports she uses for her students for today's A-LIST Spotlight! Your students are lucky to have you and we feel so fortunate to have you as an A-LISTer!

      Tuesday, April 1, 2025

      Family Resources for Recreation Programs and Social Skill Groups

      Did you know we have a Family Resources tab on our website? This is our go-to place for providing information to families and districts regarding helpful resources that can be accessed online or even locally in the Dayton Miami Valley region. 

      When you click on the tab, there are several sections including:
      • Online Resources (topics include: New Autism Diagnosis, Puberty & Sex Ed, Girls on the Spectrum, Wandering & Elopement, and Healthcare)
      • Local Resources (topics include: Local Support Groups, Mental Health & Behavioral Support, Wrap Around Services & Case Management, Medical Support, County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, Recreation Programs, Social Skills Groups, and Childcare/Respite Care)
      • Websites
      • Online Courses


      Today we are going to highlight some of the resources included in our Family Resources Tab for Recreation:

      Summer Programs


      Resources for Funding Summer Activities


      Sports & Recreation Programs



        Social Skills Groups



          Do you know of other great local resources to share with families in the Dayton Miami Valley region? Contact Allison Officer at allison.officer@mcesc.org and we will add it to our tab! 

          Tuesday, March 18, 2025

          Medical Resources for Families

           Did you know we have a Family Resources tab on our website? This is our go-to place for providing information to families and districts regarding helpful resources that can be accessed online or even locally in the Dayton Miami Valley region. 

          When you click on the tab, there are several sections including:
          • Online Resources (topics include: New Autism Diagnosis, Puberty & Sex Ed, Girls on the Spectrum, Wandering & Elopement, and Healthcare)
          • Local Resources (topics include: Local Support Groups, Mental Health & Behavioral Support, Wrap Around Services & Case Management, Medical Support, County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, Recreation Programs, Social Skills Groups, and Childcare/Respite Care)
          • Websites
          • Online Courses


          Today we are going to highlight some of the resources included in our Family Resources Tab for Local Medical Resources: 



          Mental Health & Behavioral Support


          Wrap Around Services/Case Management


          Medical Support


            Do you know of other great local resources to share with families in the Dayton Miami Valley region? Contact Allison Officer at allison.officer@mcesc.org and we will add it to our tab! 

            Tuesday, March 4, 2025

            Communication Corner: Why PECS Still Works


            Do people still use the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)? This was once a popular evidence-based communication intervention but it seems to be a thing of the past. But don’t throw away your PECS manual! There may be a student who still needs this approach. In this post, our Speech and Language Pathologist, Carol Dittoe, will give her feedback on the use of PECS.


            As the speech pathologist on the Autism and Low Incidence Coaching Team (ACT), Isometimes asked about my thoughts on the use of PECS.  I want to be clear that PECS is a specific and trademarked system that follows a very detailed protocol that requires training from a Pyramid Educational Consultant. I have been through the formal training but I have also adapted it when needed (so I can no longer officially call it PECS). For more information visit the official PECS website  In today's Communication Corner, I will provide my thoughts about the use of PECS which are based on many years of experience and observations.



            • PECS is more than just using Pictures. PECS is the use of picture EXCHANGE. The E in PECS means exchange. Sometimes when you start with an AAC device, especially a dynamic device, the student focuses on the technology only and does not acknowledge the communication partner.  If the learner is able to see and manipulate a picture, they can develop joint attention by exchanging the picture with a partner to gain the desired item. If they love technology, use picture exchange to request the iPad. 


            • PECS is not always my first option for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). It is not a prerequisite of AAC. It depends on the needs of the learner. If the learner has good joint attention and is already showing some use of pictures to communicate, I will move on to an AAC device or a static picture-supported communication system that is much more robust.  If the learner does not demonstrate joint attention and does not engage with pictures for communication, PECS is a great way to teach these foundational skills.


            • The first phase of PECS is to teach the initiation of a picture exchange. I love the focus on initiation and feel it is important to avoid developing prompt dependency. You are not supposed to use any verbal prompting. You are to entice the learner rather than prompt them. The use of a second person acting as the physical prompter during Phase 1 is not the same as facilitated communication (if you are doing it correctly). Some people have expressed concern that having a physical prompter is taking away the learner’s autonomy. In my experience with PECS, I am following the lead of the learner by watching for their initiated reach and using physical prompting to shape the reach for an item down to the picture to facilitate the picture exchange. Typically, I only need to use physical prompting for the first few requests before the learner understands how to give the picture to the communication partner to obtain the desired item. The goal is to fade any prompting as quickly as possible.



            • Typically, when using PECS, I focus on the first 3 phases to focus on the development of joint attention, initiation, persistence, and picture discrimination. Here are the first 3 phases of PECS:

            1. Teaching the exchange with a single picture

            2. Teaching the exchange with a single picture, adding distance, and generalizing the skill across people and environments

            3. Teaching picture discrimination between 2 or more pictures (I spend a lot of time at this phase to continue generalizing across settings and people for a variety of items)


            • The strategies in these first 3 phases will make sure the learner takes the responsibility of exchanging the request with the right communication partner. Have you seen a student using a device and repeatedly hitting the button without getting the attention of anyone? It’s almost as if they think it is a magical button that will get them what they want (who needs people?) Even if a team is not using PECS, I may refer them to some of the strategies from PECS to teach initiation, joint attention, and traveling. Traveling is when the learner must travel to get the picture and then travel to give the picture to the right person. This is an important skill weather your student is using pictures or a device. You want to make sure the student is exchanging information with a partner and not just interacting with a device.



            Nancy Cera
            Brookville Elementary, Brookville


            • When teams are struggling to teach picture discrimination, I often refer them to the PECS manual Phase 3 for some great ideas for teaching, assessing, and reinforcing picture discrimination. Picture discrimination is critical if you plan to use any kind of picture-supported communication. 


            Amy D'amico
            Learning Center North, MCESC

            Watts Middle School, Centerville

            • Phase 4 of PECS is sentence structure. This is where you add the “I want__”. Once I have developed strong joint attention and the learner can discriminate between many pictures across environments, I may start to transition to other more robust systems and introduce core words


            Sara Moore
            Bell Creek Intermediate, Bellbrook


            • While I am a big fan of teaching core words, some students need to start with more concrete language using highly motivating nouns for exchange. The first 3 phases of PECS will focus on the use of highly preferred items. These nouns are considered fringe words (ball, chip, iPad) and are used in a very concrete way to teach the power of pictures for communication. Core words are introduced in phases 4-6 and can be more abstract but are used more frequently in our language and can be combined to have many different meanings. (I, want, see). Descriptive words are also introduced in Phase 4. 


            • If you believe your student needs more of a Gestalt language approach, you can use the strategies of PECS to teach the foundational skills (exchange, initiation, traveling, discrimination) while introducing core words. I like the use of Aided Language Stimulation, a strategy that focuses on the frequent modeling of words on a core board without expecting the learner to respond. This can be done on a static core board or an AAC device. This combination goes against the PECS protocol but if you are not formally using PECS, you can still use many of the PECS strategies to meet the needs of your student. 


            Remember, any approach you take to developing functional communication must meet the specific and unique needs of the learner. Get to know your student and ask yourself the following questions to determine if your student would benefit from the strategies of PECS:

            • Do they struggle with joint attention and initiation?

            • Are they highly distracted by technology only focusing on the device and not the partner? 

            • Are they destructive by often throwing or pounding on a device? 

            • Are they unable to use pictures in a meaningful way or discriminate between pictures?

            • Do they rely on others to initiate the use of the device and travel with the device to get the message to the right person?


            There are so many factors to consider when choosing the communication mode and strategies to try. Collaboration between the classroom team, SLP, family, and outside therapy is needed. The most important thing is that you try something! You can visit these resources to get more information and assistance when assessing your student’s communication and AAC needs:



            PECS is an evidence-based practice. Here is a link to ASHA’s AAC Evidence Map and PECS Evidence-Based Practice Review