2025 Alaska Statewide Special Education Conference (ASSEC): Full Schedule

Conference website: www.assec.org

AGENDA AT A GLANCE
Sat./Sun., Feb. 1 & 2 - (2) Day Pre-Conference Credit Courses
8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Mon., Feb. 3 - Main Conference - Day 1
8:15 am - 4:50 pm

Tues., Feb. 4 - Main Conference - Day 2
8:15 am - 3:30 pm

Wed., Feb. 5 - Main Conference - Day 3
8:15 am - 12:00 pm

***Agenda subject to change

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7:00am AKST

Light Continental Breakfast

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am AKST

Bristol Bay Ballroom (2nd Floor)

A continental breakfast buffet will be served today, along with a morning beverage service of coffee and hot tea.

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am AKST
Bristol Bay Ballroom (2nd Floor)

7:00am AKST

Exhibitor Showcase

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:00am - 10:30am AKST

Promenade/Bristol Bay Ballroom (2nd Floor)

Be sure to stop by and chat with our amazing vendors! Don’t forget to get your card stamped by each one to qualify for the grand prize drawing at Wednesday’s Keynote. Cards must be turned into the registration desk by 9am on Wednesday, Feb. 5th.

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:00am - 10:30am AKST
Promenade/Bristol Bay Ballroom (2nd Floor)

7:00am AKST

Registration

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:00am - 12:00pm AKST

Promenade (2nd Floor)

Stop by the registration desk if you have not picked up your badge and conference materials.

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:00am - 12:00pm AKST
Promenade (2nd Floor)

8:00am AKST

Silent Auction

Wednesday February 5, 2025 8:00am - 10:15am AKST

Bristol Bay Ballroom (2nd Floor)

ASSEC’s silent auction is the perfect place to find something interesting, useful, beautiful or fun and support the conference at the same time. All proceeds go toward speakers or activities at the conference. Donations are welcome and can be dropped off at the registration table during the conference. You can find the Silent Auction table towards the back of the Bristol Bay Ballroom.

Bidding closes today at 10:25am!

Wednesday February 5, 2025 8:00am - 10:15am AKST
Bristol Bay Ballroom (2nd Floor)

8:15am AKST

Welcome & Keynote Presentation - "Information to Come" - Dani Bowman

Wednesday February 5, 2025 8:15am - 10:00am AKST

Alaska Ballroom (2nd Floor)

Welcome - Heather Wheeler, ASSEC 2025 Chair

"Keynote Presentation"– Dani Bowman
Information to come

Presenters

Dani Bowman

Founder & Chief Creative Officer, DaniMation Entertainment LLC

Dani Bowman founded her company, DaniMation Entertainment, at age 11. She has worked professionally in the animation industry since 14. Bowman has premiered 11 award-wining animated short films at San Diego Comic-Con each year for the past 10 years. Her shorts feature the voices... Read More →

Wednesday February 5, 2025 8:15am - 10:00am AKST
Alaska Ballroom (2nd Floor)

Keynote 1.5 hrs

Audience All Experience

10:00am AKST

Break

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:30am AKST

Bristol Bay Ballroom (2nd Floor)

Get a refresh of your morning beverage!

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:30am AKST
Bristol Bay Ballroom (2nd Floor)

10:30am AKST

"Building Inclusion through Executive Function and Relationship Remediation"

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST

TBA

Do your students struggle with appropriate interactions in and out of school? In this interactive session we will examine how strategies for building executive function skills can increase inclusion with friendships and other appropriate relationships in their community.

Presenters

Anna Zierfuss

MAP Mentor Program Coordinator / Parent Navigator, Stone Soup Group

Terry Manning

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST
TBA

1.5 hrs Breakout

Audience All Experience
Subject Inclusion, Social-Emotional Learning, Autism, Behavior

10:30am AKST

Breakout Session - Dani Bowman

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST

Alaska (2nd Floor)

Information to Come

Presenters

Dani Bowman

Founder & Chief Creative Officer, DaniMation Entertainment LLC

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST
Alaska (2nd Floor)

1.5 hrs Breakout

Audience All Experience

10:30am AKST

Disability Justice: From Awareness to Action

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST

TBA

This seminar will introduce participants to the concept of “Disability Justice’, focusing on its history, key principles, and real-world applications. The session will explore the intersectionality of disability with race, class, gender, and other identities, highlighting the ways systemic ableism affects marginalized communities. Participants will leave with practical tools to support the movement in their own communities.

Presenters

Winter Marshall-Allen

SpEd Teacher, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST
TBA

1.5 hrs Breakout

Audience All Experience
Subject Bully Prevention, Family, Inclusion, Self-Advocacy

10:30am AKST

Predictable Chart Writing and Shared Reading for students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST

TBA

It is important that students with complex support needs are given the opportunity to participate in shared reading and predictable chart writing daily. Predictable chart writing is a fun and easy shared group experience where teachers write with students, helping them to generate their own ideas. Shared reading is an evidence-based practice that promotes joint attention and literacy. Students with complex support needs receive literacy instruction at a far lower rate than students without complex needs and adding shared reading and predictable chart writing to the day add fun and enjoyable literacy activities that all students can access.

Presenters

Jennifer Schroder

Multiple Disability Specialist, SESA

My name is Jennifer and I was born and raised in MN. My first teaching job was in Bethel, AK. After that I worked at a residential school for children with autism and then as a teacher for students with multiple disabilities at a school for the Deaf. I returned to AK to work... Read More →

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST
TBA

1.5 hrs Breakout

Audience All Experience

10:30am AKST

Rethinking “Challenging” Behaviors: Moving Toward Self-Advocacy & a Preventative Framework

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST

TBA

When faced with “challenging” behaviors, there are many considerations, frameworks to use and strategies to try. The primary focus is on managing the situation including the safety of everyone present. However, all behaviors occur for a reason, including “challenging” behaviors. In managing the situation, this means the needs triggering a student’s “challenging” behaviors is often overlooked. Reducing these incidents over time means identifying a student’s unmet need and finding ways to meet that need in different ways. Today, we’ll redefine “challenging” behavior, link it to self-advocacy and use foundational behavior analysis concepts to determine those needs and preventative interventions.

Presenters

Chris Sturm

Clinical Director, UAA's Center for Human Development

Ali Pike

University of Alaska's Center for Human Development

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST
TBA

1.5 hrs Breakout

Audience Intermediate (4-8 Years of experience)
Subject ABA, Administrator, Autism, Behavior, Self-Advocacy

10:30am AKST

Teacher-Proofing the Classroom: Tools and Strategies for Sustainable Learning

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST

TBA

This presentation focused on practical strategies and tools that empower teachers to create self-sustaining classrooms, where student learning continues even in the teacher's absence or with minimal direct instruction. The session introduced AI-enhanced tools, blended learning environments, and project-based learning approaches that allow students to work independently, fostering a more resilient, tech-supported, and student-driven learning experience.

Presenters

Billeen Carlson

Secondary Generalist, Nikolaevsk School

Robanne Stading

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST
TBA

1.5 hrs Breakout

Audience All Experience
Subject Administrator, Family, Inclusion, Paraprofessionals, Rural Alaska, Technology

10:30am AKST

The Road to High Quality-Defensible Instruction for Significant Disabilities

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST

TBA

The changed environment of instruction after the pandemic means administration and management of special education must be thoughtfully planned and executed for staff, students, and families. The work of addressing instruction with staff new or relocated to classrooms of students with moderate-severe disabilities along with the differentiated learning needs of these students is complex. Social – emotional supports; for staff and students must be provided along with rigorous and clear directions for the implementation of a curriculum which meets the highest standards for student learning. Come to this session to discuss the challenges and successes in implementation of an outstanding structure and roadmap from moderate to large urban Public Schools.

Presenters

Ann Meyer

Vice President, Attainment Company

Attainment is the leading provider of blended learning solutions with traditional curriculum, apps, software, web-based programs, and AT solutions for special education PreK- 12+. A scientific research-based approach to curriculum creation for ELA, math, science, social studies, and... Read More →

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm AKST
TBA

1.5 hrs Breakout

Audience All Experience
Subject Administrator, Inclusion, Low Incidence, Technology

12:00pm AKST

And that's a wrap! See you in 2026! Don't forget to download your Certificate of Attendance.

Wednesday February 5, 2025 12:00pm - 12:00pm AKST

If you need a certificate of attendance, download the attachment.

Wednesday February 5, 2025 12:00pm - 12:00pm AKST

12:00pm AKST

2025 ASSEC Wrap-Up Meeting & Pre-Planning Meeting 2026

Wednesday February 5, 2025 12:00pm - 2:45pm AKST

Aleutian (2nd Floor)

Interested in being a part of the 2026 Steering Committee? Please join us for the 2025 ASSEC Wrap-Up
Meeting and the Pre-Planning Meeting for 2026. Committee members are eligible for university credit for planning, as well as complimentary registration to the 2026 conference.

Wednesday February 5, 2025 12:00pm - 2:45pm AKST
Aleutian (2nd Floor)