Wisconsin Personnel Development System (WPDS)--E-Newsletter 1/22/09

Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for January 22, 2009

The attached "Parent Leadership Hub" Weekly Email Update is sent to you from WSPEI and WI FACETS. The Parent Leadership Hub supports parents/family members, educators and other community partners to build capacity regarding meaningful family involvement. The Hub serves three primary purposes:
(1) To support parents of children with disabilities between birth and 26 years of age to participate as partners in the professional development activities of each of the other Statewide Initiatives as they design, deliver and support professional development experiences; and
(2) To facilitate opportunities for parents/family members to build leadership skills; and
(3) To provide Content Focused technical assistance concerning family involvement.

Transition the Bridge to the Future
Thursday, April 2, 2009 at Salem Community Library, 24615 89th Street, Salem, WI. Registration 6:15 – 6:30, Workshop 6:30 – 8:00
Parents, students and educators are frequently confused about what should occur in order to have a successful transition. Cathy Steffke, Advocacy Specialist from Disability Rights Wisconsin will be presenting. Registration is required for this free workshop. For further information or to register, contact The Westosha Special Education Alliance office at 262-843-2343 or email Dannette Cates at Dcates1@wi.rr.com.
Educational Opportunities for Home Visitors
Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at the Madison Marriott West Atrium Hotel and Conference Center, Middleton, WI. This educational opportunity is provided through a partnership of the Wisconsin Children’s Trust Fund, Parents Plus and the Together for Children Conference. Sessions for home visitors are scheduled to provide intensive learning experiences along with the opportunity to take part in keynote presentations and other workshops at the Together for Children Conference. Conference attendees may choose one or both of these educational opportunities when registering for the Conference. For more information and to register, visit www.preventchildabusewi.org.
Resolution Meetings: A Guide for Parents Available in Spanish
This Spanish-language guide helps families to have a better understanding of Resolution Meetings. This is a joint publication from CADRE and the ALLIANCE.

To review the Guide, click here:
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/resmtgdocspan.cfm

To review the English-language guide, click here:
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/resmtgdoc.cfm

Applications now available for Youth Leadership Summit 2009
Youth Leadership Summit is a week-long leadership development opportunity for high school students from Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Waukesha and Washington counties. Students will learn about self-advocacy, independent living, safe & healthy relationships, disability rights & voting, transitions to life after high school, money management, employment, college and much more. Youth will hear from experts, learn from each other, dream and plan for the future, develop community and be mentored by Summit Alumni. Applications are due April 20. Sessions limited to 20.

Co-Sponsors:	WI FACETS & IndependenceFirst
Date:	June 22-26 or July 13-17
Time:	10-4 p.m. Mon-Fri.
Location:	Independence First, Milwaukee
For more information: Alie Kriofske Mainella, 414-226-8112, akriofske@independencefirst.org Nelsinia Ramos, 414-374-4645, nramos@wifacets.org

New Flash Video on Effective Listening
This new flash video introduces the critical skill of listening and helps viewers recognize its importance and value. Viewers will better understand the skills involved in effective listening and its role in communication and problem solving. To view the video, click here: http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/listening.cfm
To view CADRE’s video on Understanding "Positions" and "Interests", click here: http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/understanding_pos.cfm

WSPA Spring Conference Registration

Dates:	March 4-6, 2009
Location:	Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, Stevens Point, WI

Pre-Convention: A Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom Behavior Management by Randy Sprick, Ph.D., Director and Lead Consultant for Safe & Civil Schools. This workshop is designed to assist school personnel in building a plan for increasing student motivation, improving behavior and increasing student responsibility. Participants will learn basic principles of classroom management, behavior management and an instructional approach to discipline. Cost is $80. Registration and payment can be made at the pre-convention or register online at www.uwlax.edu/conted/wspa

Strategies for Better Serving Youth with Complex Disabilities: Interagency Collaboration and Customized Employment
An archive of a January 13, 2009 teleconference on the above topic is available at: https://admin.na3.acrobat.com/_a785425633/p75276786/ . There are additional materials associated with the webinar topics at http://www.nsttac.org/ under Teleconference on the home page.
Presenters:

Steve Gilles, WDPI

Cynthia Cain, WI VR

Michael Lynak, WI DHS

Nellie Aspel, Cleveland County Public Schools

Mollie Sullivan, START- UP USA

Housing 101: An Introduction to Housing Options
Saturday, February 21, 2009 from 8:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. at the Children’s Hospital Auditorium, 9000 W. Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee. This presentation will cover a variety of community living options for adults with cognitive disabilities, developmental disabilities, physical and/or medical disabilities. Speakers include those with personal and professional experiences with housing options. For more information go to: http://southeastregionalcenter.org/pdf/brochures/20090221%20%20Flyer.pdf
Pathways to Independence Regional Grant Request for Proposals
Pathways to Independence project within the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Long-Term Care is offering grant funds up to $480,000 statewide through regional grants to decrease barriers to and increase opportunities for person-centered, integrated employment in order to support people with disabilities in achieving their desired employment outcomes. The Pathways to Independence Regional Grant Request for Proposals (RFP) is also posted on the DHS website at http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/rfp/index.htm#DLTC.
Register for the Community of Practice on Transition Video Conference
Transitioning from High School to Post-Secondary Education: Focus on Healthcare
February 26, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The agenda will include a presentation by a college student and his family who will share his transition to an out-of-state university and how he manages his healthcare conditions; a panel of college and high school youth and their group leader, who will discuss a unique program to help educate health care and other community providers about youth with special health care needs. Videoconference sites for this meeting are in Green Bay, Oak Creek, Madison, Tomahawk, and Chippewa Falls. For further location details and to register please follow this link: http://www.wsti.org/ Your registration must be received by February 12, 2009. Please contact Eden Schafer with any questions at eden.Schafer@wisconsin.gov or 608-267-0329.
Clarification Regarding Residency
DPI has developed clarification relative to a pupil’s constitutional rights to attend school, school district obligation to provide education at no cost to all resident pupils, and the financial implications of various non-traditional residences. The clarification is available at http://dpi.wi.gov/sfs/doc/residency.doc.

The Special Education team has developed related guidance specific to providing free appropriate public education (FAPE) to children with disabilities residing in jail, detention, hospital, or other children’s homes. This guidance is available at http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/sbresidency.html.
Training About Adolescents with Developmental or Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities
The Wisconsin Department of Justice, Office of Crime Victim Services-Children’s Justice Act program is hosting a one-day training on March 10, 2009, in Appleton, “How to Better Understand Adolescents with Developmental or Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities.” Contact Jan Dunn-Herfel at dunn-herfeljf@doj.state.wi.us or by phone at 608-266-7084 for a copy of the brochure and registration form, or visit http://www.doj.state.wi.us/cvs/cja/cja_upcoming_evens.asp.

DISCLAIMER
Inclusion of information in this e-mail does not constitute an endorsement by the Wisconsin Statewide Parent-Educator Initiative, Wisconsin FACETS, the Department of Public Instruction, the U.S. Department of Education, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.