Piece of the Puzzle

Neurodiversity News: Welcome! Our blog will have a new name in the fall, Neurodiversity News , and congratulations to Jill Stevenson, service coordinator for Green Hills AEA Early Access in the south,  for coming up with the name.  She won some great items our autism team purchased from companies supporting autistic individuals.  Neurodiversity definitions in the Merriam-Webster dictionary include:   1. individual differences in brain functioning regarded as normal variations within the human population  2. the concept that differences in brain functioning within the human population are normal and that brain functioning that is not neurotypical should not be stigmatized. Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist coined the term in her thesis in the late 1990’s.  As we continue to learn each day from autistic individuals we recognize the vast area of neurodiversity in the students we serve.   Temple Grandin, one of the most famous autistic individuals, described herself as “different,

April is Autism Awareness Month! 10 ways to increase awareness by the Green Hills AEA Autism team    Read this Article from Autism Level UP-   if you have done awareness activities level up to acceptance and appreciation! Help us rename our blog - Piece of the Puzzle - Click here with your idea check out these articles on autism groups moving away from the puzzle piece - Disability Scoop  History of the Puzzle Piece Learn about identity first language - Article from Learn, Play Thrive If you aren’t sure what to use with a family….ask! Follow great resources on Social Media!  We recommend the SCERTS page, Autism Level Up, and Autism Navigator. Support businesses that employ autistic adults. Read a book or listen to a podcast: we recommend... Uniquely Human : a Different Way of Seeing Autism by Barry M Prizant  and the Uniquely Human Podcast NeuroTribes : the Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman,   Or any others from this list!! Read this article f

The autism resource team (ART) would like to share our recently updated Universal Supports Document. This document was originally rolled out last year, but has been revised by the ART over the summer. The Universal Supports Document can be used as a checklist to help teams determine tier one supports that should be put in place prior to, or in conjunction with more intensified interventions to best serve our students. The ART will be using this document as a jumping off point when supporting students within our districts. At the top of the document, within the orange box are guiding questions that target strategies that can positively impact multiple sub-categories below, or may address other student needs at a universal support level. Below that, there are four boxes with strategies that more specifically address the areas of sensory, behavior, social and academic needs. There are hyperlinks embedded within this document that provide more detail about some items on the checklist. If

                Welcome back to what will definitely be a year to remember.  Our Autism Resource Team (ART)  also had some changes during this year.  We said goodbye to some familiar team members due to retirement,  but while we have lost people, we have gained time devoted to the team. Last year we had 7 core team members with .2 of their time for the autism team duties.  This year we have 4 core team members with .5 of their time devoted to work on the team, which will include a focus on building capacity in our school districts.   We are grateful to have extended team members who continue to support our work through their regular school assignments.  Here is a current list of ART members and the districts they serve in Green Hills AEA.  We were very pleased by the enthusiasm and excitement generated by the attendees of our 3 days of learning with Amy Laurent, Ph.D., OTR/L co-founder of Autism Level UP and co-author of the SCERTS framework last November. If you were unable to attend

The Fall season begins many special events and holidays for families. Individuals on the Autism Spectrum are often a challenge. The changes in routines, traveling, being around more people, lots of food, new smells, and the list goes on and on. Click here for some ideas to think about or try to help your family member with

SAVE THE DATE for November 13-15 in Treynor, Iowa for SCERTS  training!

That Autism Awareness Charity Walk and Games is an event supported by the Autism Society of Iowa and sponsored by local businesses for Autism Awareness. There will be activities like face painting, tattoos, bubbles, matching game, fishing, making shapes, egg hunt, etc. Join us at McKinley Park -  600 McKinley St. Creston, IA 50801 on April 27th! For more information,  click here