BrainSTEPS Colorado

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Join BrainSTEPS CO for the 2024-25 school year.

New TEAM and NEW MEMBER Virtual training will take place on January 21st and 22nd, 2025. To participate, please complete the application provided below, and we will contact you with further details.

Application to Join BrainSTEPS CO (PDF)

About BrainSTEPS CO

The Colorado’s BrainSTEPS CO (Strategies Teaching Educators, Parents, and Students) Brain Injury School Re-Entry Consulting Program was modeled after Pennsylvania’s BrainSTEPS program which began assisting school districts in 2007 and is considered a national model for brain injury educational consulting. Download "Why your District/BOCES Needs a BrainSTEPS CO Consulting Team" (PDF).

As a result of acquired brain injury, many students return to school with lingering effects that impact classroom performance. BrainSTEPS CO has been designed to consult with school teams and families in the development and delivery of educational services for students who have experienced acquired brain injury.

Acquired brain injuries include any injury to the brain that is sustained after birth and is not related to a congenital or degenerative disease. We have now added Congenital Brain Injuries!

Traumatic brain injuries (injuries caused by an external force), including concussions, and
Non-traumatic brain injuries (e.g., strokes, brain tumors, brain infections, and anoxia).

BrainSTEPS CO works not only on re-entry for students following brain injury but also with students previously identified as having a brain injury who may begin to demonstrate educational challenges over the years as the brain develops and matures.

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BrainSTEPS Teams

BrainSTEPS Contacts

BrainSTEPS CO teams:

Consult with schools regarding IDEA identification, IEP/504 Plan development, possible interventions, and implementation based on the Building Blocks of Brain Development^© framework. Teams also consult on school re-entry planning and other issues school professionals face in supporting students with brain injuries.
Provide consultation and/or education to parents of any student with brain injury referred to the team and ongoing communication regarding services the team is providing for the student.
Monitor students annually until graduation for the manifestation of new cognitive/behavioral/social issues related to brain injury.
Disseminate brain injury resource information (e.g., written information, links to websites, referrals to community resources, etc.) to educators, families, and community providers working with students with brain injury.
Provide training on the educational implications of brain injury to educators as well as the local community (e.g., parent, medical, rehabilitation).

Brochure and Best Practices

Current BrainSTEPS CO Teams

Academy 20 School District
Adams 12
Aspen School District
Aurora Public Schools
Boulder Valley School District
Centennial BOCES
Cherry Creek School District
Colorado River BOCES
Denver Public Schools
Douglas County School District
Eagle County School District

East Central BOCES
Fort Morgan RE-3
Fountain‐Fort Carson School District 8
Harrison 2 School District
JeffCo Public Schools
Littleton Public Schools
Mapleton Public Schools
Mesa County Valley School District
Moffat County School District
Montrose School District
Poudre School District
Pueblo County District 70

Roaring Fork School District
San Juan BOCES
School District 27J
School District 49
St. Vrain Valley School District
Thompson Schools
Ute Pass BOCES
Weld RE-4
Weld RE-6

BrainSteps CO Team Contacts

BrainSteps CO Program Coordinator

Jody Dickerson, RN, BSN, MN
Email Jody Dickerson
(720) 795-2273

BrainSTEPS CO Team

Academy 20 School District

Team Leader: Cassandra Reese

Referral Email: cassandra.reese@asd20.org

Adams 12

Team Leader: Laura MacDonald & Jimmy Simmons

Referral Email: Laura.B.MacDonald@adams12.org &
jimmy.j.simmons@adams12.org

Aspen School District

Team Leader: Allina Robertson

Referral Email: arobertson@aspenk12.net

Aurora Public Schools

Team Leaders: Tammy Hutchison

Referral Email: trhutchison@aurorak12.org

Boulder Valley School District

Team Leaders: Dr. Sabrina Miller & Christina Norman

Referral Email: sabrena.miller@bvsd.org & christina.norman@bvsd.org

Centennial BOCES

Serving Morgan Re‐2J Brush, Morgan Re 20J Weldon Valley, Morgan Re‐50 Wiggins School District, Weld Re‐1 Gilcrest, Weld Re‐2 Eaton, Weld Re‐7 Platte Valley (Kersey), Weld Re‐9 Ault‐Highland, Weld Re‐10 Briggsdale, Weld Re‐11 Prairie, and Weld Re‐12 Pawnee (Grover)

Team Leader: Dr. Nicole Chaves & Kerry Poole

Referral Email: nc haves@cboces.org & kpoole@cboces.org

Cherry Creek School District

Team Leaders: Paige Lujan

Referral Email: clujan@cherrycreekschools.org

Colorado River BOCES

Serving Garfield Re‐1 Roaring Fork, Garfield Re‐2 Rifle, and Garfield 16 Grand Valley

Team Leader: Denise Rahe

Referral Email: drahe@crboces.org

Denver Public Schools

Team Leader: Cari Ledger & Caroline DeWitt

Referral Email: Cari_Ledger@dpsk12.org & caroline_dewitt@dpsk12.org

Douglas County School District

Team Leaders: Dr. Stephanie Crawford & Dr. Kaylene R Case

Referral Email: stephanie.crawford@dcsdk12.org & kcase@dcsdk12.org

Eagle County School District

Team Leaders: Clarissa Caloggero & Heidi Press

Referral Email: clarissa.caloggero@eagleschools.net &
heidi.press@eagleschools.net

East Central BOCES

Serving Adams 29J Bennett, Adams 31J Strasburg, Arapahoe 26J Deer Trail, Arapahoe 32J Byers, Cheyenne R‐1 Kit Carson, Cheyenne RE‐5, Elbert C‐2, Kiowa, Elbert 300 Agate Kit, Carson C‐20 Arriba/Flagler, Kit Carson R‐23, Hi‐Plains, Kit Carson R‐4, Stratton, Kit Carson R‐5 Bethune, Kit Carson RE‐6J Burlington, Lincoln C113 Genoa‐Hugo, Lincoln Re 4J Limon, Lincoln Re 23 Karval, Washington R‐2 Arickaree, Washington R‐104 Woodlin, Idalia RJ‐3 Idalia, and Liberty J‐4 Liberty

Team Leaders: Beverly Blagg

Referral Email: bevb@ecboces.orglix

Fort Morgan RE‐3

Team Leaders: Nicole Stone & Brittney Weimar

Referral Email: nicole.stone@morgan.k12.co.us &
brittney.weimer@morgan.k12.co.us

Fountain‐Fort Carson School District 8

Team Leader: Shanda Vaira

Referral Email: svaira@ffc8.org

Harrison 2 School District

Team Leaders: Meg Linn

Referral Email: mlinn@hsd2.org

JeffCo Public Schools

Team Leaders: Liza Doyle

Referral Email: liza.doyle@jeffco.k12.co.us

Littleton Public Schools

Team Leader: Courtney Berry

Referral Email: cberry@lps.k12.co.us

Mesa County Valley School District 51

Team Leaders: Brielle Etcheverry & Thomas McCause

Referral Email: Brielle.Etcheverry@d51schools.org &
Thomas.mccause@d51schools.org

Moffat County School District

Team Leaders: Teresa Laster & Myranda Lyons

Referral Email: teresa.laster@moffatsd.org &
myranda.lyons@moffatsd.org

Montrose County School District

Team Leaders: Stephen Jacob Price & Amy Shelly

Referral Email: stephen.price@mcsd.org &
Amy.Shelley@mcsd.org

Poudre School District

Team Leader: Donna Detmar‐Hanna

Referral Email: ddetmarh@psdschools.org

Pueblo County District 70

Team Leaders: Hilary Munoz & Aaron Crowley

Referral Email: hmunoz@district70.org &
acrowley@district70.org

Roaring Fork School District

Team Leader: Angie Simpson

Referral Email: asimpson@rfschools.com

San Juan BOCES

Serving Archuleta 50 Jt, Dove Creek Re-2J, Dolores Re-4A, Bayfield 10JT-R, Silverton 1, Montezuma/Cortez RE-1, Ignacio 11 Jt, Mancos Re-6

Team Leader: Raleigh Cato

Referral Email: rcato@sjboces.org

School District 27J

Team Leader: Christine Jones

Referral Email: cjones@sd27j.net

School District 49

Team Leader: Erica Cody & Danielle Walkowiak

Referral Email: erica.cody@d49.org & Dwalkowiak@d49.org

St. Vrain Valley School District

Team Leader: Kim Ainsworth & Melissa Thompson

Referral Email: ainsworth_kimberly@svvsd.org &
thompson_melissa@svvsd.org

Thompson Schools

Team Leader: Susie Priest & Dr. Nicole Crawford

Referral Email: susan.priest@tsd.org & nicole.crawford@tsd.org

Weld RE-4/Windsor

Team Leader: Nicole Sigafoos

Referral Email: nicole.sigafoos@weldre4.org

Weld RE-6/Greeley

Team Leader: Michaela Onkka & Sarah Waldron Moffitt

Referral Email: monkka@greeleyschools.org &

swaldronmoffitt@greeleyschools.org

BrainSTEPS is a joint project between the Colorado Mindsource Brain Injury Network and the Colorado Department of Education.

Jody Dickerson, MN, BSN
BrainSTEPS CO Program Coordinator
Phone: (720) 795-2273
Email Jody Dick erson

BrainSTEPS is a joint project between the Colorado Mindsource Brain Injury Network and the Colorado Department of Education.

CDHS - Mindsource Brain Injury Network

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