Welcome!
DR. KRISTIE PRETTI-FRONTCZAK
INCLUSION THOUGHT LEADER
EDUCATORS’ EDUCATOR
FIERCE PLAY ADVOCATE
A highly sought-after speaker, accomplished author, and educators’ educator. Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak began her career as an early interventionist and then spent 16 years as a tenured professor at Kent State University. Since 2013 she has followed her true passion for designing and delivering transformative professional development. As a result, she has accumulated over 50,000 hours of helping educators and leaders work from a place of compassion, hope, and love in locations from Cincinnati to Singapore.
Pre-Event Roundtable Discussion
Pre-Event Roundtable Discussion (click to access)
Discussion Topics
- Buy-In for Creating Inclusive Programs and Classrooms
- Meaningful IEP Goals
- Differentiation
- Transition
- Behavior/Trauma
- Anything else we want to talk about;-)
GENERAL SESSION HANDOUTS
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- Definition of Inclusion
- Podcast – Inclusive Schooling Podcast Episode 30: 9 Must-Have Ingredients
- Solutions for each ingredient opt-in – Nine Essential Elements
- Inclusive System Change Cycle
- Tools to Lead With Purpose: Making Inclusive Decisions Every Day
- The Inclusive System Change Path
- The Way to Inclusion (sample chapter)
- Inclusion Research Fast Facts
The Inclusive Education Compass [pdf]
Mindset
- The Inclusion Mindset Maker [webpage]
- 10 Ways to Spark Real Mindset Shifts in Educators [pdf]
- 10 Mindset Shifts for Supporting Student Behavior [pdf]
- “But isn’t my Job to Fix this Student’s Deficits?”: 20 Powerful Responses for Administrators [pdf]
Heartset
- 4 S’s for Leadership [pdf]
- The YES Brain and Adult Learners [pdf]
- Lifelines for Leaders [pdf]
- Triggering the PEA [pdf]
- Coaching with Compassion [blog]
Skillset
- Inclusive Structural and Instructional Practices Self-Assessment [Google Drive]
- Inclusive Classroom Strategies [pdf]
- ECE Collection [webpage]
Key Strategy By Topic
- Meaningful IEP Goals – The Ultimate Inclusive IEP Toolkit [webpage]
- Differentiation – Choice is the Friend of Inclusion [webpage]
- Transition – Common Ground in the Design and Delivery of Learning Centers to Bridge P-3 Practices [pdf]
- Behavior/Trauma – Ready…Set…Success: A Formula for Leading Schools with Love [pdf]
Added After Our Discussion
- 80+ Talking Points with Families about the Benefits of Inclusion [pdf]
- Checklist of Co-Teaching, Co-Instruction, and Co-Serving Responsibilities [DRIVE doc]
- Rock the Range [vlog]
- Hidden Costs of Relying Too Much On Paras [blog]
- 3 Reasons Why We Won’t Be Hiring More Paraprofessionals [pdf]
- UDL resources
In this special episode of the Inclusion Podcast, hosts Julie and Kristie delve into three pivotal mindset shifts essential for fostering sustainable inclusive change within educational settings. They challenge traditional notions, such as the emphasis on “buy-in,” and advocate for approaches that prioritize shared ownership, simplicity, and genuine commitment over mere compliance. Listeners are also invited to a complimentary workshop offering actionable strategies to further these inclusive practices.
Session-by-Session Resources
(click to access)
No More IEP Gobbledygook: Write It Right With Language That Lifts
Not everything needs to be an IEP goal. In fact, fewer and more meaningful goals lead to stronger outcomes and less overwhelm—for both children and educators. In this interactive and practical session, Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak will help you rethink how we write, talk about, and build Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for young children.
You'll explore how to use four powerful filters to determine what’s truly “IEP-worthy,” and how to replace outdated, deficit-based language with affirming, equity-centered alternatives. You’ll also gain real-life examples of how to design goals that support access to daily activities, require specially designed instruction, and are reachable within a year.
Whether you’re a veteran educator or new to the process, you’ll leave with tools, templates, and language that lifts—ready-to-write IEPs that actually work for children, families, and teams.
SESSION HANDOUTS and STRATEGIES
No More IEP Gobbledygook: Write It Right With Language That Lifts [pdf]
The Ultimate Inclusive IEP Toolkit [webpage]
- Key Take Away – Language that Lifts: Simple Shifts for Powerful IEPs [pdf]
- ECE IEP Makeover Book [google doc]
- The Inclusion Podcast Episode 43: Meaningful IEPs: Quality Over Quantity [podcast]
- The Inclusion Podcast Episode 33: How to Communicate the Shift to Inclusive Education to Families [podcast]
- Sharing the Benefits of Inclusive Education:20 Talking Points for Families [pdf]
- Talking Points with Families About the Benefits of Inclusion [pdf]
- The Inclusion Podcast Episode 31: Understanding LRE and Its Role in Supporting All Learners [podcast]
- Checklist of Sample Supplemental Supports, Aids, and Services [pdf]
- Inclusion in Schools: Stop Asking ‘Where’ and Start Asking ‘How’ [YouTube]
- In the Circle Episode with Pat Radel [weblink]
- What About the Continuum of Placements
Circles from the Start: The What, Why, and How of Inclusive Early Education
Inclusion isn’t just a philosophy—it’s a daily practice rooted in belonging, equity, and possibility. In this inspiring and practical session, Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak will walk you through the what, why, and how of inclusive early education, helping you move from theory to action in your own classroom or program.
Together, we’ll explore what inclusion really means (and doesn’t mean), why it’s essential for all young learners, and how to make it happen—using the nine essential ingredients from the Recipe for Inclusion. You’ll leave with ready-to-use strategies for supporting children with a wide range of needs, co-creating welcoming spaces, addressing challenging behaviors with compassion, and fueling your own emotional resilience along the way.
Whether you’re just beginning or deepening your inclusive journey, this session will leave you with a clear roadmap, renewed energy, and a reminder that every child belongs—from the very start.
SESSION HANDOUTS and STRATEGIES
- Defintion of Inclusion [pdf]
- The Inclusion Podcast: Episode 30 The Recipe for Real Inclusion 9 Must Have Ingredients [podcast]
- Nine Essential Elements-Solutions for each Ingredient- [opt-in]
- Circle Makers Video [link]
- 5 Ways to Become a Circle Maker [pdf]
- The Inclusion Podcast: Episode 31: Understanding LRE and Its Role in Supporting ALL Learners [podcast]
- Inclusion Research Fast Facts [Google Drive Doc]
- Transition to an Equity Lens [pdf]
- Sharing the Benefits of Inclusive Education: 20 Talking Points for Families [pdf]
- Achieving Inclusion: Strategies for Creating Inclusive Classrooms for ALL Students [pdf]
- Inclusive Structural and Instructional Practices Self-Assessment [Google DRIVE doc]
The Recipe for Real Inclusion: 9 Must-Have Ingredients
by Drs. KPF & JC | The Inclusion Podcast
“Good Job” Isn’t Good Enough: Real Tools to Replace Praise, Rewards, and Punishment
Praise, rewards, and punishment are everywhere in early education—but are they helping or harming our efforts to create inclusive, connected classrooms?
This 90-minute session bridges what we know from brain science with what we experience in real-life classrooms. Together, we’ll explore how co-regulation, awareness, and intention can replace outdated behavior management systems like sticker charts, prize boxes, or empty praise. You’ll learn how to shift from behavior control to connection using tools like Positive Descriptive Acknowledgment (PDA), co-regulation routines, and reflective prompts that guide your responses in real-time.
Expect plenty of real-world scenarios, try-it-tomorrow scripts, and opportunities to rethink how you support behavior—especially during tricky transitions and emotionally charged moments. Walk away with concrete tools you can use the very next day to help children (and yourself) feel seen, safe, and supported.
SESSION HANDOUTS and STRATEGIES
- Human Ways of Being [pdf]
- Reactive vs. Ready Brains [pdf]
- 4S’s for Educators [pdf]
- Co-regulation strategies [pdf]
- How Directions and Corrections Limit Learning (And What to Do Instead) [pdf]
- 10 Ways to Reduce Stressors [pdf]
- Lifelines for Students [pdf]
Additional Resources
- Why Behavior Charts Fail and What to Do Instead [podcast]
- Why Fewer Directions Lead to Better Learning [podcast]
- Rethinking Behavior Management [blog]
- Bag The Behavior Charts! [blog]
- 20 De-escalation Strategies [pdf]
- Student Success Plan Facilitator's Guide [pdf]
- Student Success Plan [pdf]
- The Power of Showing Up with Dr. Dan Siegel and Autism Expert Barb Avila [podcast]
- Planned Ignoring [podcast] [blog]
Resources I forgot to include;-)
- 10 Ways to Spark Real Mindset Shifts in Educators [pdf]
- 10 Mindset Shifts for Supporting Student Behavior [pdf]
- Five Phrases to help Educators navigate the tension between inclusion and behavior [pdf]
- HOW to Assure Educators that Inclusion and Safety Can Co-Exist [pdf]
Transform Behavior Challenges
into Meaningful Change - Fast
15-minute strategies. Real results. Inclusive tools educators trust.
Behavior 360 is the on-demand PD solution that delivers 15-minute, evidence-based behavior strategies for inclusive educators, paras, and leaders. Stop guessing what to do—learn what works in minutes, not months. Prevent problems before they start. Respond with confidence when they do.
Designed for PreK–12 educators, paras, and support staff:
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✔️ 15-minute videos with step-by-step guidance
-
✔️ Tools to reduce disruptions and build calm
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✔️ Real stories + ready-to-use strategies
“We committed early because Behavior 360 delivers practical, inclusive tools staff trust.”
— Danelle Sperling
NEW! 2025-2026 school year
Your go-to source for making inclusion a reality.
Whether you’re a school leader, educator, advocate, paraprofessional, parent, or simply passionate about creating inclusive schools, this podcast is for you.
Topics You Do Not Want to MISS:
- Meaningful IEPs: Quality Over Quantity
- Fading Paraprofessional Support
- Why Behavior Charts Fail Our Students
- The Recipe for Real Inclusion
- Understanding LRE (mistakes made by most)
ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!
The research is clear: students with disabilities do better academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally, and experience better post-secondary outcomes when educated in inclusive settings.
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