Where Ideas Take Shape: The Professional Collaborative Fair 

This spring, Ivymount reimagined a valued tradition to better reflect the depth and breadth of work across the organization. Now called the Professional Collaborative Fair (formerly the IvyShares Fair), the event for and about staff showcased a wider range of projects. It also introduced an interactive “passport” experience that encouraged the 200+ staff to engage with and learn from more than two dozen colleagues across disciplines. 

IvyShares: A Foundation for Innovation 

IvyShares Fellowships remain central to the Fair and are made possible through Ivymount’s Investing in Excellence Initiative, which has awarded fellowships to more than 500 staff since its inception. Fellowships provide staff with the resources and support to bring ideas to life, such as developing inclusive curricula, evaluating interventions, and sharing best practices across programs. Reflecting real-world questions and challenges drawn directly from practice, these projects benefit students and families while contributing to the broader field of education. 

A Broader Platform for Learning and Impact 

This year, the Fair expanded to more fully reflect the work of the Professional Collaborative to foster effective services, build connections, and grow the education community. 

“I’m especially excited about how the Fair has grown this year to include more of the work happening across the Ivymount Organization,” said Kristen Stricks, from Program Services. “From IvyShares to the Maddux Professional Development Series, to applied research and dissemination, this really shows how we’re building a learning platform that strengthens our services and helps us share what works.” 

The Fair featured a diverse range of projects spanning classrooms, therapy settings, research initiatives, and community partnerships. Congratulations to all staff and programs on their work.  

IVYSHARES 2025-26 PROJECTS

Evidence-Based, Student-Centered Instruction
• Structured Note-Taking Initiative Across Diploma Math Classes (Jake Cohan and Chris Jones)
• Digits & Discoveries: Where Thinking Adds Up! (Hailey Riggs, Mandy Verme)
• Examining Motivation and Completion of Independent Reading Through Graphic Novels (Allison Panichella)

Supporting Student Autonomy
• Using Dungeons and Dragons to Develop Social Skills plus Development of Hierarchy and Reputation Lessons (Matthew Faltynski)
• Rising Stars: Building a Curriculum for Teaching Foundational Learning Behaviors in Early Childhood (Diana Sankar, Autumn Epps, Madeline Magnusson, Heather Jennett, Lynn Cannon)
• Improving Study Skills in Aspire Applied Middle Schoolers (Theresa Litzinger, Analisa Meyers, Madeline Case, Kayla Cooper-Gamble)
• School-based Intervention for Students with Anxiety and Intellectual Disability (Michael Stromberg)

Investing in Staff Development
• Summer@Maddux Curriculum Development (Marissa Kuhn)
• Evaluation and Revision of Aspire Applied Teacher Training Curriculum (Chris Jones)
• Mastering State-Wide Testing: Innovative Strategies and Systematic Solutions (Amanda Verme)

Instilling a Positive Culture
• Appreciation in Action: Boosting Engagement Through Recognition (Amanda Verme, Victoria Keenan)
• Lightning Strikes at Ivymount – The Implementation of a Therapy Dog in School (Carley Sturges)

MADDUX PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES 2025-26 SELF-STUDY PROJECTS

• Student Handwriting Support (Amy Greenberg)
• Strength-Based Phonics and Literacy Instruction for Neurodivergent Learners (Autumn Epps)
• Promoting Social Skills in Pre-K Through Table Top Games (Brie Roman)
• Keeping Students Engaged and Involved During Play (Christina Gallagher)
• The Use of Visual Supports for Neurodiverse School-Age Students (Lisa Boxbaum)
• Teaching Students with Demand Avoidance (Lyssa Fukuhara)
• Emotional Dysregulation at Maddux (Marisa Welsh)
• Benefits of Teaching Connected Phonation (Over Segmented Phonation) to Beginning Readers (Marissa Kuhn)
• The Impact of Play Intervention on Emotional Regulation (Rebecca Brennan)
• Masking in the Autism Community (William Astrove)
• Using a Level System to Support Behavioral and Social Success in Club Maddux (Madeline Magnusson)

ENDEAVORS RESEARCH COMMITTEE PROJECTS 

• Building Insight: Developing a Database for Measuring Skill-Based Treatment Outcomes (Endeavors Program)
• Strengthening Teacher Leadership in Supervision: Qualitative Study (Endeavors Program)
• Study of Transdisciplinary Collaboration (Endeavors Program)

DISSEMINATION AND LEADERSHIP IN THE FIELD 

• Examples of 2025-26 external publications, presentations, and resources from List of Ivy Publications & Presentations 2025-26
  
  
  

Learn more about the Professional Collaborative, including professional training and consulting, partnerships, collaborations with universities, as well as tools and resources.

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