CenterPoint: The Newsletter of The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies

Ten Students Graduate TOP Program

This spring, 10 Master’s degree candidates participating in the Training Options for Early Intervention Personnel (TOP) program, marched with The University of Maine’s graduating class of 2005. Each of the TOP students received funding support through a five-year, federally funded personnel preparation grant. One of the main goals of this grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, is to increase the number of qualified, early intervention/early childhood special education professionals in Maine. To date, 13 students receiving funding under the TOP grant have graduated.

To complete their Master’s training, each of this year’s graduates undertook a project in their final semester related to work in the early intervention/early childhood special education field. TOP students Lori Levesque, the department chair of and instructor in the early childhood (EC) program at Andover College, and Shelby Dineen, a Service Coordinator for Child Development Services (CDS), co-coordinated a professional development conference entitled All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Early Childhood. (Follow this link for the related story.)

Jane Brennan, an Early Literacy Specialist, developed and organized a literacy fair to encourage reading with young children. Pam Dawson, director of an inclusive nursery school and head teacher of a special purpose program, also completed a literacy project, giving workshops that modeled reading techniques and provided story extension activities.

Natalie Hale, an Educational Consultant for CDS and an adjunct EC faculty at York County Community College, developed a model for conducting play-based team assessments at her CDS site. Dawn Schillinger, a Special Education Consultant and Coordinator of Programs at the Aroostook County CDS, reviewed and revised the training program for that organization.

Student Jill Starrett, assistant director and Child Development Supervisor for Waldo County Head Start, completed a project that streamlined the paperwork and procedures in the Waldo County Head Start program by collaborating with a partner agency.

Three students completed graduate projects that originated at the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies. Martie Kendrick, an Early Childhood research associate at the Center, spearheaded the development of a Listserv for parents and professionals that addresses the different intervention approaches to autism. She also participated in the planning for a Center-sponsored conference entitled, Developmental Approaches for Young Children on the Autism Spectrum.

Mara Whiteford began working with Kendrick in a partnership between the Center and a CDS site where Whiteford is employed as a Service Coordinator. Whiteford developed a training module for itinerant teachers in her southern Maine county. The topics for the training are assessing in natural environments, developing goals that are relevant and meaningful, and consulting with child care providers.

Joan Roberts, the final student in this group, worked with the Center’s Early Childhood (EC) team and Research team, to provide research to support statements in the environmental screening tool being developed by the EC team. Roberts will continue to work part-time with the team during the summer on the screening tool.

The most frequent comments among this year’s graduates about taking courses through the TOP grant, related to the available financial support and the convenience of the distance learning approach used for classes. Training from the courses helped all students become more accomplished professionals while opening doors to new employment options.

— Sharon Gilbert

CENTERPOINT: The Newsletter of The University of Maine
Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies,
Maine’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Education, Research, and Service


In This Issue Spring 2005 • Volume 1 • Issue 1 Early Learning Opportunities Support Quality and Access Director’s Corner Daring to Dream Awards New EC Resource In memoriam: Marcia Lovell LEARNS: Work Keeps Team Hopping IDS Curriculum Changes Dissemination Team Leads Web Accessibility Collaboration Brings Speaker to Maine Center Sponsors Exhibit Venue for VSA arts Center Hosts Visiting Fulbright Scholar UMaine Students Lead EC Conference 10 Students Graduate TOP Program Healthy & Ready to Work: Engaging Youth in Their Future Standards for All Model: Personalizing Elementary Education Selected Presentations & Publications CenterPoint Home	Center Home \| UMaine Home \| CenterPoint Home Ten Students Graduate TOP Program This spring, 10 Master’s degree candidates participating in the Training Options for Early Intervention Personnel (TOP) program, marched with The University of Maine’s graduating class of 2005. Each of the TOP students received funding support through a five-year, federally funded personnel preparation grant. One of the main goals of this grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, is to increase the number of qualified, early intervention/early childhood special education professionals in Maine. To date, 13 students receiving funding under the TOP grant have graduated. To complete their Master’s training, each of this year’s graduates undertook a project in their final semester related to work in the early intervention/early childhood special education field. TOP students Lori Levesque, the department chair of and instructor in the early childhood (EC) program at Andover College, and Shelby Dineen, a Service Coordinator for Child Development Services (CDS), co-coordinated a professional development conference entitled All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Early Childhood. (Follow this link for the related story.) Jane Brennan, an Early Literacy Specialist, developed and organized a literacy fair to encourage reading with young children. Pam Dawson, director of an inclusive nursery school and head teacher of a special purpose program, also completed a literacy project, giving workshops that modeled reading techniques and provided story extension activities. Natalie Hale, an Educational Consultant for CDS and an adjunct EC faculty at York County Community College, developed a model for conducting play-based team assessments at her CDS site. Dawn Schillinger, a Special Education Consultant and Coordinator of Programs at the Aroostook County CDS, reviewed and revised the training program for that organization. Student Jill Starrett, assistant director and Child Development Supervisor for Waldo County Head Start, completed a project that streamlined the paperwork and procedures in the Waldo County Head Start program by collaborating with a partner agency. Three students completed graduate projects that originated at the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies. Martie Kendrick, an Early Childhood research associate at the Center, spearheaded the development of a Listserv for parents and professionals that addresses the different intervention approaches to autism. She also participated in the planning for a Center-sponsored conference entitled, Developmental Approaches for Young Children on the Autism Spectrum. Mara Whiteford began working with Kendrick in a partnership between the Center and a CDS site where Whiteford is employed as a Service Coordinator. Whiteford developed a training module for itinerant teachers in her southern Maine county. The topics for the training are assessing in natural environments, developing goals that are relevant and meaningful, and consulting with child care providers. Joan Roberts, the final student in this group, worked with the Center’s Early Childhood (EC) team and Research team, to provide research to support statements in the environmental screening tool being developed by the EC team. Roberts will continue to work part-time with the team during the summer on the screening tool. The most frequent comments among this year’s graduates about taking courses through the TOP grant, related to the available financial support and the convenience of the distance learning approach used for classes. Training from the courses helped all students become more accomplished professionals while opening doors to new employment options. — Sharon Gilbert

CENTERPOINT: The Newsletter of The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, Maine’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service

In This Issue

Ten Students Graduate TOP Program