Professional Development

As part of our dedication to supporting our community, we are excited to offer a variety of professional development opportunities to your teachers, special educators, psychologists, and affiliated clinicians. These professional development opportunities are led by members of our expert clinical team. A list of our PDs is included below, followed by descriptions of what they will cover. For more information, please contact us at hello@sascoriver.com, 203.202.7654.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

• Multidisciplinary and Neuropsychological Evaluations: What You Need to Know
• All Things Sensory
• Brain Development and its Impact During the Tween and Teen Years
• Classroom Strategies to Support Sensory Integration and Reduce Problem Behaviors 
• Helping Students Manage Anxiety 
• Executive Functions: From Identification to Intervention 
• The Executive Functions Classroom
• Proactive Teaching Methods
• A Deep Dive into Assessing Dyslexia 

Presentation Descriptions

• • Multidisciplinary & Neuropsychological Evaluations: What You Need to Know

    Designed primarily for faculty at Independent Schools, this discussion will demystify the complexities of these scientifically based assessments of child development. Many have questions over whether a neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation is necessary to help provide clarity and guide educational, psychological, or medical planning, as well as what additional assessments might be woven into a multidisciplinary evaluation. In addition to discussing the different types of evaluations, this seminar will explore the types of actionable recommendations for school teams that often come out of a comprehensive assessment. Join us as we overview various types of evaluations and discuss weighing the pros and cons of referring for testing or starting specific psychological or academic interventions in advance of an evaluation.

  • All Things Sensory

    This presentation provides a detailed overview of sensory processing and the development of our varied but integrated sensory pathways. Did you know that there are more than 5 senses? Humans actually have 8 well formed senses but three of them (Vestibular, Proprioceptive and Interoception) we don’t usually talk about but are essential to our development and mental health. In this workshop you will learn about the hidden senses in language that makes sense, and how to use them in a classroom to help students focus, relax and learn at their best. 

    Teachers will learn how to incorporate vestibular and proprioceptive activities into everyday classroom tasks to help students stay more focused and attentive. This presentation will explain what sensory-based classroom behaviors may look like, and how we can help co-regulate and de-escalate students when they’re overwhelmed and overstimulated.

• • Brain Development During the Tween and Teen Years

    The years between 10 and 15 years of age result in greater growth in the human brain than at any other time in our life. Our children are experiencing explosive growth in social understanding, executive functions, motor skills, and many other areas that set the stage for success or challenges as an adult.  With so much going on, it is no wonder that these years also are fraught with stress, relationship dramas, and school ups and downs.  Learn more about what development is taking place, and how you can support and guide your students through this challenging but rewarding stage.

  • So, is it Sensory or Behavior? Classroom Strategies to Support Sensory Integration and Reduce Problem Behaviors

    One of the questions we always get asked is “is this child’s behavioral challenges due to sensory challenges, or is it just a passing behavior”. This presentation will show how sensory processing is related to observable behaviors, and the sensory “red flags” to be mindful of to know when to seek additional support for your student. This workshop will also delve into the many things a child may be communicating with his behavior, and will share what the research has shown are the optimal classroom strategies to help children self-regulate.  Join us as we explore the underlying skills needed to self-regulate and discuss attainable goals to set for your students. Learn the distinction between self-regulation and co-regulation and why they are both important within a classroom environment. 

  • Helping Students Cope with Anxiety

    Rates of anxiety among children and teens in the United States have been on the rise for years. During the pandemic, these rates of distress amongst our students experienced a further surge. In fact, a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control reports that about one in three middle school and high school students in the U.S. is identifying “worry” and “stress” daily, with many meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder. Furthermore, rates of school avoidance have exploded, and students expressing increasing social anxiety is now commonplace. In that brain research shows how a stressed student is unable to effectively learn, it is more important than ever for teachers and school counselors to know what strategies are most effective for helping students to feel calm and ready for learning. This workshop will discuss how to identify anxiety in a student, and will teach effective classroom and individual strategies to support your students.

• • Executive Functions: From Identification to Early Intervention

    This in depth dive into the assessment and proven interventions for executive functions is designed primarily for School Psychologists, Special Education Professionals, and other members of the intervention team. Over the past 20 years, the development of executive functions is one of the most explored areas in neuroscience and education.  This research has proven what many of us suspected – that executive functions are the key brain pathways that take aptitude and lead to effective student output. This workshop will discuss the creation of a school-wide executive functions vocabulary that can help educators, parents and students develop a shared goal in supporting EF development. The workshop will then delve into the current research and practice around assessing executive functions, from which an intervention plan can more easily be developed. The final segment will work with the team to broaden their intervention plans, and discuss how to weave interventions into the general education setting.

  • The Executive Functions Classroom

    How do our children independently manage classwork and homework, plan ahead for long term projects, and organize materials for their school day? We will discuss the cutting edge research on Executive Functions, examining their developmental progression and how curricular tasks can support executive functions development in your students. This workshop will discuss the necessity of school teams developing a shared language around executive functions with parents and students being educated on this language. We will discuss the many facets of effective observations to understand your students’ learning process, and connect how these observations will then lead to effective interventions aimed at both the entire classroom as well as the students who evidence specific executive functions vulnerabilities. We will delineate concrete tips to use in your classroom to help your students thrive academically.

  • Proactive Teaching Methods

    This workshop boils all of the countless tips on teaching down to the research-based most effective things for teachers to keep in mind in guiding their students’ development.  The topics are practical, and this lively and engaging discussion will give each participant some easy to implement ideas for feeling more in control of their classroom.

  • A Deep Dive into Assessing and Treating Dyslexi

    Over the past decade, our understanding of how reading develops in a neurotypical brain as opposed to a dyslexic brain has led to great strides into early detection of reading disorders.  This workshop will explore the different types of dyslexia, and will articulate the multidimensional assessment necessary to diagnose a reading disorder, its specific type, and the intervention strategies needed to remediate the issues.  The workshop will provide time for the participants to practice administering different assessment measures, and will allow for deconstructing data to determine the different types of reading disorders.