Presenter Information

Are your therapy intervention plans meeting Wisconsin requirements while clearly reflecting your clinical reasoning and the value of your services? This interactive 1.5-hour session will provide occupational therapists (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) with practical strategies for developing high-quality therapy intervention plans that support student success and meet the documentation requirements of Wisconsin Administrative Code PI 11.24. Does your therapy intervention plan, along with your daily note demonstrate the link between the skilled therapy intervention and educational outcomes? Participants will review the ethical and legal foundations of therapy intervention planning, explore best practices for documenting evidence-based clinical decision-making, and examine the essential components of effective intervention plans. Attendees will receive ready-to-use templates and practical examples to strengthen their own documentation.
The session will also explore the emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to improve efficiency and consistency in intervention planning. Participants will learn how AI can support—not replace—professional clinical judgment while maintaining ethical standards, individualized decision-making, and compliance with state requirements.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the required components of a therapy intervention plan under Wisconsin Administrative Code and professional standards set by AOTA and APTA 
2. Apply best practices to develop intervention plans that align with student IEP goals and educational participation.
3. Use templates and documentation strategies that clearly demonstrate clinical reasoning.
4. Evaluate appropriate and ethical uses of AI to support intervention planning.

Barbara Jermyn M. Ed., PT,  has 40+ years of clinical experience working as a physical therapist in varied clinical settings including home care, long-term care and acute/rehabilitation.  She has spent the last 35 years with a primary focus on school based service provision and outpatient pediatrics. She currently provides both the related services of physical therapy and assistive technology support in varied districts in both CESA 1 and CESA 2.

She received her Master of Arts in Education with a focus on Educational Technology in 2012 and has been a RESNA certified Assistive Technology Practitioner since 1998.  She also provides Program Support for school based Occupational and Physical therapists in school contracts throughout WI and IL for MJ Care.

Carlynn Higbie is an Education Consultant and recently retired part of the Special Education Team at the WI Department of Public Instruction as well as an occupational therapist who has been practicing for over 40 years in both school-based and outpatient pediatric settings. She has supported students with educational disabilities both as a practitioner and a trainer/coach/educator for other educators. She has been a member of the National Alliance for Medicaid in Education for many years and serves on DHS and Therapy Providers Stakeholder’s group.

Carlynn’s experience in conducting training and consulting with school districts has helped many school-based therapists and educators improve evidence-based practices such as service provision in the least restrictive environment, and the use of a collective process for IEP development and participation-based IEP goals. In 2026, she received a service commendation as a School-Based Advocacy Champion from The American Occupational Therapy Association.

In this 1.5 hour session you will learn about the Hot Topics in School-Based OT and PT service that relate to the practice of therapy service delivery in Wisconsin school-based practice. This session will provide valuable tips and resources to help you build your skills for enhancing engagement and facilitating participation and collaboration including: 

• Best practices across the continuum of school-based therapy services, including the role of practitioners in each of the three Multi-Level Systems of Support (MLSS). 
• The spectrum of service delivery models, emphasizing how skilled therapy services support student access, engagement, participation, and educational progress.
• Best practices for use of isolated spaces for self-regulation including decision making, data collection and emphasis on identifying integrated and embedded options for self-regulation.

 
Medicaid updates including: 

• Increased emphasis on demonstrating the link between the skilled therapy intervention and educational outcomes.
• Connecting the need for skilled therapy intervention to supporting access, engagement, and progress in educational program
• Review of essential elements of daily documentation and therapy intervention plan 

The session concludes with a rapid-fire segment addressing frequently encountered practice issues, helping participants clarify common areas of confusion and strengthen decision-making. Whether you are new to school-based practice or an experienced clinician, this session will provide timely updates, practical guidance, and valuable resources to support legally compliant, educationally relevant, and student-centered occupational and physical therapy services in Wisconsin schools.

Learning Objectives:

1. Differentiate the continuum of school-based occupational and physical therapy service delivery models, including MLSS, direct, indirect, integrated, embedded, and consultative services, and determine when each is appropriate to support student participation in educational environments.
2. Describe best practices for documentation of evaluation and discontinuation of therapy services
3. Describe the components required by Medicaid for demonstrating the link between skilled OT/PT interventions and student access, engagement, participation, and progress toward educational outcomes.

Dr. Michelle Silverman is an Education Consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction with a focus on occupational therapy, physical therapy and assistive technology. In this role, she provides leadership, consultation and technical assistance for local education agencies, providers and families. She has 30 years of clinical and supervisory experience in the schools, pediatric clinics, and at the university level. Michelle led students and programming as the director of the Assistive Technology and Accessible Design Certificate program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Michelle presents at the state and national level on topics related to interdisciplinary practice, advocacy, clinical practice and guiding districts and therapists towards implementing best practice as it relates to occupational therapy, physical therapy and assistive technology in schools.

Choicefulness is a concept that helps children recognize themselves as active participants in shaping their daily experiences. This course explores adaptable tools that promote choicefulness to increase engagement, self-determination, and confidence.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand and integrate self-determination principles of choice-making, problem-solving, and self-monitoring into OT and PT interventions.
2. Explain the importance of choicefulness in supporting children’s motivation, agency, engagement, and self-determination.
3. Design individualized visual choice boards based on a child’s needs and goals to elevate their voice and embed meaningful choices into daily life.

Dr. Amy Coopersmith, OTD, OTR/L, MA Ed, FAOTA, is an occupational therapist, educator, and researcher whose work bridges the arts and child development. With more than 30 years of experience in pediatric practice, she is a nationally recognized advocate for children’s self-determination and intrinsic motivation. 

Amy served for many years as a school-based occupational therapist and supervisor in New York City, serving more than 100 schools. Throughout her three decades in schools, she used character-driven storytelling to engage children, build trust, and make complex social-emotional and problem-solving concepts accessible and memorable. 

She is the creator of the Self-Determination Strategies Toolkit and the Captain Me program, a puppet-based, musical initiative empowering young children through storytelling, performance, and participation. In 2022, Amy earned her clinical doctorate from Temple University, conducting original research on children’s self-determination. Today, she presents nationally and internationally, translating evidence-informed practice into joyful arts experiences for young audiences.

This seminar is designed to discuss RtI/MTSS issues and the role that the school-based OT plays in meeting the multitude of observation requests. In this seminar we will explore practical interventions and strategies related to topics that school-based OTs encounter daily, including the areas of fine motor, sensory motor, and handwriting. Strategies to boost therapy outcomes while considering evidence-based practices will be examined.

This workshop will explore the role of the consulting therapist and strategies to enhance the consultation experience. We will investigate how to create a sensory-friendly classroom environment while creating an inviting space that fosters a feeling of calmness. This seminar training will acknowledge and address ways we can offer practical strategies to improve student’s attention and focus. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify specific interventions to improve student’s motor planning, hand strength, motor separation of the hand, and in-hand manipulative skills which affect functional outcomes for managing classroom tools and materials.  
2. Select specific strategies to help students increase classroom participation and independence with attention and focus on the classroom while developing an inviting space that meets their sensory needs and improves work behaviors.
3. Select collaboration/ consultation strategies and techniques to communicate more effectively with parents, teachers, administrators, and school personnel from the commencing of services to discontinuation and removal of the service.  

Olivia Shindel, MS, OTR/L, graduated from the University of Indianapolis, with her 
Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. She has pediatric experience working in both the medical setting and the school-based setting. She has decades of experience 
working with students ranging from 3 to 22 years of age. She has experience providing OT services to students whether it be in the form of consultative or direct services. Olivia understands the complex challenges facing therapy personnel, such as juggling the workload, managing a large caseload, and prioritizing RtI observation and evaluation requests.

Olivia has presented various workshops and seminars to local audiences in her community and on the national level. Olivia looks forward to sharing her expertise related to interventions, ideas, and strategies that can help the school-based therapist/therapy assistant navigate the uniquely rewarding world of a school-based OT! 

As the needs of students change and shift, school-based occupational therapy is evolving beyond isolated pull-out services towards participation-focused supports within the natural school day. In this presentation, I will explore how OTs can support students throughout their school day with a focus on least restrictive environment (LRE) and inclusive participation.

Practical strategies will be introduced that support embedding motor skills, sensory processing, executive functioning and accessibility into the students' school day. 
Real world and evidences based practices will help to demonstrate how environmental modifications, consultation and universal supports can increase student participation to reduce unnecessary removal from instruction. I will briefly touch on how emerging technology such as AI can support OTs in this area. Ideas and strategies will be given that participants will be able to implement next day across their school settings. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify three participation-based occupational therapy strategies that support inclusion within the least restrictive environment.

2. Differentiate between service delivery models (consult, push in, pull out and embedded service). 

3. Apply at least two technology tools to improve collaboration, intervention planning, or participation tracking in school settings.

Marina Scott MS, OTR/L is an accomplished occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience. She is a writer and public speaker who teaches and educates about pediatric occupational therapy topics. 

Currently, Marina owns and operates her own business SuperKids Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services which serves the needs of children in her area in person as well as in other states via teletherapy, publishes her own blog, and consults with families and companies.

This session explores current evidence supporting pediatric physical therapy interventions and their applications to school-based practice. We will discuss interventions such as intensive resistance training, partial body weight-supported treadmill training, goal-directed training, and environmental enrichment. We will share concrete examples of integrating evidence-informed interventions into the child’s least restrictive environment. The importance of collaboration with school teams to achieve embedded practice of motor and mobility skills will also be emphasized. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify evidence-informed interventions that support school participation & goal achievement.
2. Discuss key components of evidence-informed interventions.
3. Analyze applications of interventions in school practice.
4. Develop a 15% solution to integrate an evidence-informed intervention into their practice.

Erin Kinsey, PT, DPT is an ABPTS board-certified specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy and has been a physical therapist in Aurora Public Schools in Aurora, Colorado for more than 10 years. Prior to working in Aurora Public Schools, she completed the LEND Fellowship through JFK Partners at the University of Colorado. She is a member of the PT/OT Advisory Council for the Colorado Department of Education, and previously served as the Vice President of the Colorado APTA Pediatric Special Interest Group. Erin enjoys spending time in the pediatric labs as associated faculty at the University of Colorado Physical Therapy Program, and mentoring physical therapy students, pediatric physical therapy residents, and new school-based physical therapists.

Amy Barr, PT, DPT is a school-based physical therapist and Special Education Liaison for Cherry Creek School District in suburban Denver.  She brings over 20 years of experience in working with children, school teams, and families to help students achieve their goals. In her leadership role, Amy mentors and supports physical therapy practitioners in evidence-informed practices to meet student needs. Nationally, Amy contributes to the advancement of pediatric physical therapy as a member of the Board of Directors for the APTA Academy of Pediatrics. She also supports school-based physical therapy practice in her state as a member of the Colorado Department of Education’s PT/OT Advisory Council.

Dynamic sitting postural control can be quite challenging for some children with neurodevelopmental disorders as their capability to fluctuate and manage the center of gravity within their base of support is minimized by factors such as incorrect muscle recruitment, muscle tightness and a lack of correct motor planning development.

This course will examine some of the biomechanical and neurological causes of diminished sitting balance and postural control challenges in these children, while aiming to help the clinician use adaptive seating as a therapeutic tool.  Goals and application of adaptive seating will be studied to provide professionals with a greater understanding of how to use adaptive sitting to manage postural challenges in children across the school, community and home environments.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe 3 applications of how adaptive seating differs from wheelchair seating
2. Communicate 3 therapeutic benefits that adaptive seating can provide to the child with postural challenges
3. Recognize 3 adaptive seating goals that align with the F-words terminology for the ICF Framework

Allison Weissman, PT, DPT, lives in South Florida. For over 20 years, she has specialized in working with children ages 3-22 years in both educational and home settings, focusing on functional gait and balance rehabilitation.  Allison earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2024, late in her career, years after receiving her bachelor’s in physical therapy from Florida International University. Her clinical passion lies in using therapeutic play to enhance the lives of children with neurological and orthopedic conditions. Allison developed an adaptive physical education curriculum and trained PE teachers how to effectively modify movement activities for children with quadriparesis. In addition, she presented a summary of her doctoral thesis to the Florida PTA, aiming to raise awareness among follow professionals about pediatric maltreatment.  Since April 2025, Allison has been providing continuing education to OTs, PTs, SLPs and ATPs on pediatric adaptive sitting and standing.

In this session, presenters will examine current brain research on fine motor development, effective instruction in manuscript and cursive letter formation, and connections to the science of reading. Research on children’s fine motor skills suggests a strong relationship between fine motor development, early reading, and academic achievement (Dinehart, 2014). Participants will explore the value of systematic, direct handwriting instruction and its role in supporting learners of all abilities. When paired with fine motor skill development, explicit handwriting instruction can strengthen letter recognition by helping students analyze letters at the stroke and line level (Longcamp et al., 2005). Research also indicates that automatic, fluent handwriting supports key transcription skills, including phonological awareness, letter recognition, decoding, writing fluency, and reading comprehension (James, Jao, & Berninger, 2015). Cursive handwriting may also activate brain regions that are not engaged through keyboarding (Berninger, 2013).

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify three research citations that explain how fine motor skill development influences academic achievement for all learners.
2. Participants will be able to identify three research citations that support explicit, direct manuscript handwriting instruction as it aligns with the science of reading and supports all learners.
3. Participants will be able to identify three research citations that support explicit, direct cursive handwriting instruction as it aligns with the science of reading and supports all learners.
    

Carol H. Armann, OT, has been a pediatric occupational therapist for over 43 years. She has recently retired as the Pediatric Therapy supervisor for Memorial Health Systems. She is the director of the Handwriting Collaborative. She has been an educator who has provided regional and national training for teachers and occupational therapists. These trainings address the fine motor skills requisite for all children to learn legible handwriting as well as the need for formal handwriting training as related to literacy and math achievement. She has developed training for OT/Teachers teams to implement systematic and explicit handwriting instruction. She has recently co-authored and published a chapter in the Routledge International Handbook of Visual-Motor Skills, Handwriting, and Spelling: Theory, Research, and Practice (©2023).

Kathleen Wright is the Founder and Executive Director of The Handwriting Collaborative. She began as a early childhood educator and has been a literacy and handwriting instructional specialist and nationally recognized handwriting research advocate for over 30 years. Kathleen has served as expert on early literacy, process writing and handwriting curriculum development-including the use of teacher-and student-facing classroom technology.  She has presented on best-practice approaches to classroom instruction at national conferences; led virtual and in-person professional development workshops; and organized and directed the virtual 2022 International Conference on the Science of Written Expression. Kathleen’s chapter, Creating a Team Approach to Handwriting Instruction: How Collaboration Between the School-Based Occupational Therapist and Primary Teacher Can Facilitate Literacy Development co-authored with colleague Carol Armann, OT/L, is included in the Routledge International Handbook of Visual-motor skills, Handwriting, and Spelling: Theory, Research, and Practice published August 2023.