Area Special Education Cooperative

Emily, ASEC Behavior Support Specialist, was honored at the UND Master of Social Work hooding ceremony last week.

Emily’s work reflects our belief in supporting the whole child. Congratulations, Emily! We are lucky to have you at ASEC.

#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Red Lake County Central and Red Lake Falls Schools came together this morning for a Unified Bowling event. Students had fun, built connections, and shared many smiles.

Thank you to the amazing staff who made this day possible! Here are just a few snapshots of the fun.🎳
#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Today, our ASEC team gathered for a digital Grinch-themed holiday extravaganza.💚💚
We played games and laughed together. We connected and celebrated this year’s wins. We are incredibly grateful for this team and proud of the work we do every day.

Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season and a strong start to the new year!🎄
#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

The Region 1 & 2 Low Incidence Project and Lutheran Social Service are offering a training series on supported decision-making and guardianship. The sessions help educators and families understand the supports students need as they step into adulthood. Participants will learn how different options protect rights, honor needs, and support safe decision-making.

Scan the QR code on the flyer to register.

#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Here are a few more photos from the Low Vision Clinic in Bemidji last week, hosted by Regions 1, 2, and 4. It was a great day of learning, support, and connection for our students and families!✨ Big thanks to our amazing BVI Teacher Katie for helping make the day a huge success!

#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Students from our member districts came together for our Fall DHH Socialization Day! 🎳🍕
They enjoyed bowling, pizza, and time to connect. So many smiles and great moments. A special thank you to our ASEC Deaf/Hard of Hearing Team for planning this wonderful event!

#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

We hosted Transition Bootcamp today and loved seeing providers from our member districts share ideas and learn together.

The afternoon panel made the day even better with fresh ideas and strong community partnerships. Huge thanks to Vocational Rehabilitation, Occupational Development Center, Options Resource Center for Independent Living, and Polk County Social Services for spending the afternoon with us!

#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Spending the day with our incredible School Psychologist and Behavior Support Specialist team reminded me how lucky we are to have such passionate, student-centered people in our ASEC family. (We missed you at lunch, Hilary!)

This group fights for kids every single day. They listen, problem-solve, and lift up students, staff, and families across our districts. Their dedication and heart shine through in everything they do.
#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Last week, we welcomed a fantastic group of new Teachers and Service Providers from our member districts to the ASEC office for IEP Bootcamp!

We were also lucky to have several of our ASEC related service providers join us as guest speakers, sharing how they support students and staff across our districts. Their insight and passion for helping kids succeed made the day even more impactful.

It was a great day filled with talented people, valuable discussion, and lots of collaboration. 💜
#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Last week, two of our Behavior Support Specialists, Jennifer and Gabby, attended and presented at the Minnesota School Behavioral Health Conference! 🌟 They shared their expertise and passion for supporting students, staff, and school communities. We’re so proud of the positive impact they continue to make across our member districts! 💙
#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Shoutout to one of our amazing Occupational Therapists, Kathryn, for attending the OT/PT Institute! 👏 We love seeing our staff continue to learn, grow, and bring new strategies back to support students and families in our member districts.

#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Love working with little learners? 🌈 ASEC is hiring an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher! Apply today:
asec.net/o/asec/page/asec-job-opportunities-copy

#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether #ECSE

Thank you to all the parents who joined us for our Kick-off SEAC meeting last week! We appreciated your time, ideas, and commitment to supporting students with disabilities across our member districts.

If you weren’t able to attend, we’d still love your input! Please take a few minutes to fill out our SEAC survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5xYLzbEtv4loDb1O4RAWtgz-3FF8-N3eV3czmGc6IaZ9SDw/viewform?usp=dialog

Your voice helps guide our work and strengthens our partnership with families.💙
#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

✨ Happy National School Psychology Week! ✨
We’re grateful for our incredible School Psychology team: Tammy, Maggie, Natasha, Jenna, Anna, and Hilary. You make our team stronger.

Your expertise and dedication make a lasting difference for students, families, and staff across our districts. Thank you for all the ways you support learning, growth, and well-being every day.💙

#SchoolPsychologyWeek #WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Yesterday, we hosted another successful Evaluation Bootcamp in East Grand Forks! Service providers from our member districts came together for a day of hands-on learning, collaboration, and great discussion around best practices in special education evaluation.

A special thank you to Erin Ellingson, Due Process Facilitator, and Natasha Olson, School Psychologist, for sharing their expertise and helping make the day a success.

#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

We want to thank our incredible Occupational Therapy team: Julie, Lisa, Kathryn, and Hannah, for all they do to support students and staff across our member districts. You help students build independence, confidence, and the skills they need to succeed every day.

Your creativity, care, and teamwork make such a difference, and we are so grateful for you!
#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Join us for ASEC’s Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) Kickoff Meeting!

SEAC is a group of parents, educators, and community members who work together to strengthen special education services and supports across our districts.

🗓 Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
🕓 Time: 4:30–5:30 p.m.
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom (link available on flyer)

Together, we can make a difference for students with disabilities! 💜
#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

What a crew! MASE Area A Leaders in Special Education gathered at the Fall MASE Conference last week - learning, laughing, and leading together! We’re lucky to have such an amazing group of dedicated leaders across our region. 💙
#MASEfall25 #WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

Tiffany, Tanya, Sandy, and Erin attended the Minnesota Administrators for Special Education (MASE) Fall Conference this week in Brainerd, MN.

We had a great time connecting with colleagues, gaining new insights, and bringing back fresh ideas to support our staff, students, districts, and families. Professional growth and collaboration make a big difference. We even had time for some fun!💗

#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether

This week, we hosted a Business Manager Collaboration for our member districts. These dedicated professionals play a crucial role in keeping our special education services running smoothly.

A special thank-you to our ASEC Business Manager, Shawn, for helping facilitate the conversation and supporting our districts in this important work.

We appreciate everyone’s partnership, expertise, and teamwork! 💜
#WeAreASEC #StrongerTogether