June 1, 2015
Dear Director of Special Services,
SPECIAL INVITATION
You are invited to participate in the 2015-2016 Maine Autism Institute for Education and Research
Professional Development Series. This is an exclusive “buy-in” option available to school districts,
and provides you with a reduced participant fee and advanced planning for the new school year! The
$1000 fee includes registration for five participants to attend each of the 10 PD opportunities,
handouts and materials, and ongoing support from MAIER staff. Districts may choose to vary their
participant selection for each PD opportunity based on the topic being presented. Districts may use
local entitlement funds for this unique opportunity. Smaller districts are encouraged to partner
together to participate in the professional development opportunities.
WHO ARE WE?
The Maine Autism Institute for Education and Research (MAIER) is a partnership between the
UMaine College of Education and Human Development and the Maine Department of Education.
MAIER is dedicated to building statewide capacity to improve outcomes for individuals with autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) through leadership, training, professional development, collaboration, and
research.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES
The ten professional development opportunities slated for the 2015-2016 school year are tiered to
support the needs of educators and their various levels of knowledge and understanding about autism.
Topics for next year include transition planning, writing behavior plans, PBIS and autism, ASD and
AAC, functional thinking, and ASD and anxiety. Dates and venues are confirmed (see below).
Additional presenters/topics will be finalized by August.
Please accept this invitation and respond by August 1, 2015. If you have additional questions, please
feel free to email or call the Maine Autism Institute.
Sincerely,
Deborah L. Rooks-Ellis, Ph.D.
MAIER Director
maineautisminstitute@maine.edu
5766 SHIBLES HALL, 303
207-581-2352
Date
All PD begins at
9am, ends by
3:30pm.
September 15
Venue
Continental
breakfast included,
lunch is not included.
Wells Common,
UMaine
Location
Topic/Presenter
Subject to
change.
Orono
Functional
Thinking
Dr. James
Artesani
October 5, 2015
Jeff’s Catering
Brewer
TBD
October 23, 2015
Brunswick Hotel
Brunswick
TBD
November 9,
2015
Bowdoin College
Brunswick
ASD and AAC
Mark
Hammond
December 7,
2015
Jeff’s Catering
Brewer
PBIS and
Autism
Courtney
Pacholski
February 29,
2016
Thomas College
Waterville
TBD
March 7, 2016
Jeff’s Catering
Brewer
TBD
March 21, 2016
Bowdoin College
Brunswick
TBD
April 8, 2016
Thomas College
Waterville
TBD
May 20, 2016
Wells Common
UMaine
Orono
TBD
Two dates are also scheduled at Houlton High School – these are in addition to the 10 PD opportunities listed
above! We encourage everyone to travel north!
October 9, 2015 and March 19, 2016 – Houlton High School.