Cindy Medici, Jill Shircliff-Cicero

Speaker Bio:

Throughout her twenty-plus years in education, Cindy Medici has advocated for equity, belonging, and acceptance for students with disabilities. As a FIN facilitator, she has worked with many schools to develop collaborative systems and processes for including students with ASD. Most recently, she co-authored, with Dr. Phyllis Jones, a set of lessons for developing Peer Supports in Elementary classrooms. These lessons are being used by General Education teachers to prepare all students to effectively learn and live together.

Jill Shircliff is a graduate of USF and has been teaching students with disabilities (IVE) for 17 years at Osceola Middle School, and beginning her 14th year of ESY at Paul B. Stephens Exceptional Center. The needs and services for exceptional students are very important which prompted her service as the ESE Department Head at Osceola Middle School since 2003. She has been an avid supporter of Special Olympics, first as a volunteer and now as a coach, since the mid 1990's. She also supports Pinellas County as a Reading Endorsement Trainer, P.A.E.S. Trainer/Facilitator, and Peer Support Program Facilitator.

Title Session 2/4:

Growing a Peer Support Program in Middle School

Description:

Interested in starting a Peer Support Program at the Secondary Level? Join us to hear the beginning of one school's journey; how they set up and implemented the program as well as plans for next school year. You will also experience the impact so far on students with IEPs, students without IEPs, teachers and administrators. The reactions of families of all the students will also be shared.

Objectives:

1) Identify the benefits of developing a Peer Support Program at a secondary school

2) Identify steps to implementing a Peer Support Program