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Wisconsin Personnel Development System (WPDS)

Parent Leadership Hub Weekly
E-Newsletter

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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for April 23, 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

  1. Public Forum at DPI Special Education Advisory Council Meeting, Madison
    The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Advisory Council on Special Education is holding a public forum in the Madison Area. It will be part of the Family Voices Parent Listening Session at the Circles of Life Conference from 5 pm - 6:30 pm on Thursday, April 30, 2009, at the Madison Marriott West, 1313 John Q. Hammons Drive, Middleton, Wisconsin. See http://www.dpi.wi.gov/sped/council.html for more information on the Council and its members.

  2. Trainers for Transition and Rehabilitation Act in Wausau
    When: Thursday May 7, 4:00pm-8:00pm, and Friday, May 8, 2009, 8:30am-4:00pm
    Where: Midstate Independent Living Consultants, 415 W. Campus Drive-Demo Accessible, Home, Wausau, WI
    Topics covered:

    •  Transition from school to life as required in IDEA-2004 and WI statute Chapter 115.
    • Adult services as explained in The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in 1998.
    • Section 504, Olmstead decision, and ADA Amendment Act, 2008.
    • Tips and practice in presentation skills.
    • Ideas for marketing your workshop.
      Space limited to 25 participants per seminar. To register, contact Sandra McFarland; smcfarland@wifacets.org or 877-374-0511. For more information, please contact Charlotte Price at cprice@wifacets.org or call 1-877-374-4677.

  3. The Courage to Explore: Integrating Diversity in Early Childhood Programs
    May 16: American Family Insurance, Madison
    This interactive training is designed for gathering ideas and incorporating the concepts of diversity, culture, and peace into your program. Meeting the diverse needs of families-whether cultural, racial, ethnic, linguistic, family configurations, or the special needs of parents and children - is critical to helping children and families feel like they belong in your program. Learn how to integrate the concepts of diversity, culture, class, and gender through training, by exploring books and resources, and creating materials you can take back to your program and use on a daily basis. Presenters: Jeanette Paulson and Elizabeth Long, WECA. Register now: The Courage to Explore: Integrating Diversity in Early Childhood Programs

  4. Wisconsin’s 16th Annual State-Wide Institute on Best Practices in Inclusive Education, Wausau
    This Institute is co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Inclusion Institute, Inc. This Institute will be held at the Westwood Conference Center in Wausau, WI on July 27-29, 2009. For more information or questions related to the Institute, please call 414-881-8101 or e-mail Beloin@att.net, or visit the following website for the brochure or to register: http://www.Beloinandbrandl.com.

  5. Designing and Implementing Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display (PODD) Communication Books, Williams Bay, WI
    Two training options: Five day intensive train the trainer model (July 27 – 31, 2009) or one day overview (July 30, 2009). The PODD approach provides strategies to support the design, production and implementation of communication systems to enable genuine communication for a variety of functions in all daily environments. PODD includes strategies to minimize some of the common difficulties associated with the use of multi-level communication books. Registration deadline is June 27, 2009. Go to http://www.wati.org/content/services/learning/pdf/PODDJuly09.pdf to view the brochure for more information. Registration questions? Contact Peggy at pstrong@cesa2.k12.wi.us or 608-758-6232 x 336. Content questions? Contact Jill Gierach at jgierach@cesa2.k12.wi.us or 608-758-6232 x 340

  6. Statewide Community on Transition in Madison
    The June meeting of the statewide Community on Transition will be June 18 from 9:30-12:30 on the Truax Campus of Madison Area Technical College, room 142A and B. The topic will be post-secondary education. If you are planning to attend, please contact Cathy Hare at 608-246-6716 or chare@matcmadison.edu to RSVP.

  7. Forum on Employment and Intentional Hiring of People with Disabilities, Madison
    May 5, 2009 10:30 am to 4:30 pm, Hilton Madison Monona Terrace, 9 East Wilson Street, Madison, WI. Project SEARCH is an internationally recognized, innovative employment program that began at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 1997. This pioneering project has successfully found long-term jobs for people with disabilities, including adults and youth in transition. Erin Riehle will detail the history of Project SEARCH and how the program is being successfully replicated throughout the world. The Project SEARCH Madison team will discuss their experiences launching a pilot program for youth in transition at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Madison. This forum is open to employers, people with disabilities and their families, advocates, school personnel, state agency staff, long-term care organization staff, disability service and vocational providers, health care providers and community leaders. Space is limited. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP by April 27 to Molly Michels at 608-261-7816 or  Molly.Michels@wisconsin.gov. Please indicate any needs for reasonable accommodations (large print, interpreter, etc.) or dietary restrictions.

Family Involvement Resources

  1. Easy Access to Digital Books Online
    Book scans can now be shared through a special exemption in the U.S. copyright law that permits the reproduction of publications into specialized formats for persons with print disabilities. The website provides access to books that are stored online as well as add books to the collection. Free memberships for qualified students with disabilities are currently being funded by the U.S. Dept. of Education Office of Special Education Programs. Bookshare also offers more than 45,000 digital books, textbooks, teacher-recommended reading, periodicals and assistive technology tools.   For additional information, visit: http://www.bookshare.org   From: Monday Morning In Washington, DC
  2. NICHCY Publication Updates
    NICHCY has maintained a core of key publications for many years, updating them every time our nation's special education law is reauthorized or significant changes occur in the field. The latest to get complete facelifts are also consistent with the requirements of IDEA 2004 and its regulations.  To view publications, go to http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Pages/NICHCY
    Publications.aspx
  3. Nominate an individual with autism to receive a DynaVox V!
    Celebrate Autism Awareness Month with DynaVox / Mayer-Johnson. In celebration of Autism Awareness Month, DynaVox / Mayer-Johnson will donate a DynaVox V communication device to a child or adult with autism who has been unable to obtain a device through traditional funding sources. Professionals working in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (speech-language pathologists, AT specialists, special educators, etc.), parents and caregivers are invited to nominate clients, students or loved ones. Nominees should have been evaluated by an AAC professional and determined to potentially benefit from AAC device usage. To nominate someone you know, please click on http://www.dynavoxtech.com/products/promotions/autism/?
    emc=el&m=363635&l=2&v=aa519ea073    . Nominations must be received on or before Friday, May 15. All valid entries will be entered into a random drawing to be held May 18, 2009.
  4. Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin – Transitioning to Child Care Resource
    Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin has added a section to their Internet page with information about transitioning to adult care. Several transition topics are addressed as well as a Family Resource section with links to several helpful tools and resources. The direct link to the Transition to Adult Care page is: http://www.chw.org/display/PPF/DocID/43541/router.asp.

  5. New Edition of Knowledge Path About Autism Spectrum DisorderThe Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Library has released a new edition of its knowledge path on autism spectrum disorders (ASD), an electronic guide to resources about screening for ASD, diagnosis, treatment and intervention, communication, education, vocational challenges, and impact on family life. It contains separate sections on early identification, early intervention and education, concerns about vaccines, and environmental health research. It will be updated periodically and is available at http://www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_autism.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.