Wisconsin Personnel Development System (WPDS)--E-Newsleter 2/26/09

Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for February 26, 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.

Parent/Personnel Development Opportunities

Advocacy Institute for Parents – Madison
This Advocacy Institute is a learning and action forum for parent advocates across Wisconsin. Selected parents will gain new information and skills that will enhance their advocacy skills for children and young adults with disabilities and/or special health care needs. Participants will be part of issue briefings and skills development sessions, and will be able to schedule a visit with their legislators.

March 24 and 25, 2009 at the Concourse Hotel, 1 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI

Cost: Free; the registration fee, conference materials, lodging, and meals will be paid by the sponsoring organizations.

Sponsoring Organizations: Family Voices of Wisconsin, Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations, Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities, Wisconsin Family Ties, and Wisconsin FACETS

More Information: Application materials and more information can be found on the Family Voices of WI web site at: http://www.wfv.org/fv/2009LeadershipInst.html

Application deadline: Monday, March 2, 2009
Preserving Early Childhood Conference – Appleton
Preserving Early Childhood Conference - March 10-12, 2009
Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, 333 W College Ave, Appleton, WI 53703
A Conference Promoting and Supporting Community Approaches for 4 Year-Old Kindergarten and Services to Young Children with Disabilities
http://www.wcwcw.com/earlychildhood/Save_the_date.pdf
WI Family Child Care Association Annual Conference – Wisconsin Dells
WI Family Child Care Association Annual Conference, May 7-9 at the Chula Vista Resort, WI Dells
http://www.wisconsinfamilychildcare.org/conference.asp
http://www.wisconsinfamilychildcare.org/documents/WFCCA_
Conference_Brochure_2009_Website.pdf

Phone Workshops

Individual Education Programs – Part II (Spanish) – March 2
Federal/state rules and regulations related to creating the IEP to ensure quality education. (Continues from where Part I ends, so best to take Part I first, but not required. Part II provides definition and examples of what IEP might include as “Special Education” services, “Related Services,” “Supplementary Aids & Services,” Program Modifications & Supports for School Personnel,” and where to write the amount of these services in the IEP. Also includes Procedural Safeguards (as, notices required). Presented in Spanish.
Sponsor:     WI FACETS
Presenter/s: Nelsinia Ramos/Martha Lechuga, WI FACETS
Time:      12-1 p.m.
Location: Telephone – Toll-free call to participate
Information: 877-374-0511; smcfarland@wifacets.org
Register 1 week in advance. Workshop materials & call-in information will be mailed
Positive Behavior Support – March 9
Information for helping children who have behavior challenges, including Functional Behavioral Assessment (determining why the student might be exhibiting the behavior), plans, and appropriate positive supports.
Sponsor:   WI FACETS
Presenter: WI FACETS TBA
Time:          7-8 p.m.
Location:    Telephone – Toll-free call to participate
Information: 877-374-0511; smcfarland@wifacets.org
Register 1 week in advance. Workshop materials & call-in information will be mailed
Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act – March 19
Children with disabilities may be eligible for special education and related services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Learn about ADA and public school issues. Includes resources, as ADA/Section 504/IDEA chart, fact sheets, etc.
Sponsor: WI FACETS
Presenter: WI FACETS TBA
Time:7-8 p.m.
Location: Telephone – Toll-free call to participate
Information: 877-374-0511; smcfarland@wifacets.org
Register 1 week in advance. Workshop materials & call-in information will be mailed.

Family Involvement Resources

Calling All Youth with Disabilities
National Kids As Self Advocates [KASA] has positions open on our Advisory Board and Task Force. They are looking for youth with disabilities, between the ages of 12 and 24, to serve on the national KASA Advisory Board or our national Task Force D.
The KASA Advisory Board and Task Force are two very different levels of leadership. For details or to download the applications at: www.fvkasa.org

DEADLINE for both KASA Board and Task Force applications: March 13th 2009
For questions or more information contact Naomi Ortiz, KASA Project Director at: email - ortizn@fvkasa.org or call - (785) 273-3398
Transition Resources for Students Who are Deaf-Blind
The National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness has a new 4-page publication called Transition. It describes the importance of in-depth transition planning to meet the unique needs of children and youth who are deaf-blind and the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as measured by Indicator 13.
http://nationaldb.org/documents/products/transition01-09.pdf
The Registry (T-Net) Training Network
The Registry (statewide catalog of mostly free trainings on child development and care)
http://www.t-net.org/myregistry/default.aspx
Midwest Alliance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
The Midwest Alliance In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (STEM) is funded by the National Science Foundation, with the aim of increasing both the quantity and quality of individuals with disabilities entering and succeeding in STEM education and careers. The Midwest Alliance is a consortium of research educators, scientists, engineers, and student disability service providers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison), the University of Illinois (UI) and the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). Their website at http://stemmidwest.org/default.asp?contentID=479 lists many events and workshops for youth with disabilities and their parents.
Opening Doors to Self-Determination Guide
The third in a series of handbooks to prepare youth for life after high school is now available on the DPI website. Opening Doors to Self-Determination Skills is created to provide guidance to students and help them develop advocacy skills to prepare for transition from high school. The booklet can be downloaded at
http://www.dpi.wi.gov/sped/pdf/tranopndrs-self-determination.pdf . Print copies will be available from the Parent Leadership Hub order form (see http://www.dpi.wi.gov/sped/hmparents.html ) in the near future. To download other handbooks in the Opening Doors series, go to http://www.dpi.wi.gov/sped/transition.html
Publications Available for Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit Disorder
Two of the most popular publications, Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Resource for School and Home and Teaching Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Instructional Strategies and Practices, address the important issues related to the instruction of children with ADHD. To obtain PDF or Text versions of these documents, please visit:
http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/adhd/index.html

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.