Wisconsin Personnel Development System (WPDS)

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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for May 07,2009

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. Summer Training Series in Madison
   “Autism: Practical Approaches Based in Neurological Understanding and Compassion” begins June 23, 2009.  Presenters: Sharon Hammer M.S., Lisa Hoeme M.S., Lisa Ladson B.C.A.B.A., and Sue Trace M.Ed., O.T.R. Cost: $100.00 per day (Discounts for multiple day attendance. $190 for 2 day sessions!) Conference Times: 9:00-3:00. Lunch on your own. Location: MATC Downtown Education Center 211 N. Carroll Street Madison, WI 53703. For more dates and more information, contact Karl: (608) 204-6247 or pierick@icc-wi.org or go to www.icc-wi.org and click on the Summer Training Button. *Trainings can be taken individually or as part of an entire series **continuing education credits will be available through Silver Lake College
   
2. 2009 Mental Health Consumer Conference in WisconsinDells
   United We Stand “Creating the Future of Mental Health” will be held June 29 and 30, 2009 at Chula Vista Resort Wisconsin Dells, WI. Keynote Speaker: Daniel Fisher Noted Psychiatrist, Advocate and Consumer “Achieving an Empowered Consumer/Survivor Voice through Building Community” The conference brochure is available at: http://www.wimentalhealth.org/userimages/GEP2009ConfBro.pdf
   Registration deadline is Friday, June 5, 2009 and refunds will not be given after that time. Questions, please contact: Grassroots Empowerment Project P.O. Box 8683 Madison, 53708 1-800-770-0588 mollycisco@msn.com  Lodging scholarships available if traveling over 150 miles one way.
3. Positive Behavior Conference in Dousman
   “Understanding the Meaning & Purpose Behind Behavior That is Experienced as Challenging, for the Learner and Others” will be offered June 29-30, $185.00 Kettle Moraine Middle School, 301 E. Ottawa Avenue, Dousman, WI 53118 Conference Times: 9:00-3:00 (Lunch on your own) Presented by: Judy Endow, Kate McGinnity, Sharon Hammer & Lisa Ladson.  Day one starts by presenting a model for understanding the meaning and purpose behind behavior that is experienced as challenging, for the learner and others. Day two the workshop will feature Outsmarting Explosive Behavior, a Visual System of Support and Intervention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders by Judy Endow. Cost - $185-00, Registration: Call Karl at (608) 204-6247.
4. LOFT in Washington D.C. Registration Deadline Extended to May 8
   AG Bell has extended the registration and scholarship application deadline for its acclaimed Leadership Opportunities for Teens (LOFT) program, which will take place July 5-9, 2009, in Washington, D.C. The deadline for program and scholarship applications is May 8, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. EDT.  LOFT is designed specifically for teens who are deaf or hard of hearing and use spoken language. This year, participants will explore our nation's capital in private tours of historic monuments and museums; learn team-building and leadership skills on a ropes course; experience a Capitol Hill visit with mock-advocacy training and public speaking in front of "members of Congress;" and stay downtown on George Washington University's campus, previewing the "college experience." (Please note that plans are tentative; the full schedule is to be determined and may contain surprises!) Most importantly, teens in the program will establish life-long friendships with other teens who share similar experiences. Space is limited, so
   http://www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?p=Leadership_
   Opportunities_for_Teens click here now to download an application.
5. TimeBank Conference in Madison
   Dane County TimeBank, UW-Madison and TimeBanks USA will co-sponsor "Time For Justice:  A Wealth of Opportunity", the international conference of the TimeBanking movement, in Madison June 25-27.  Dane County has one of the fastest-growing, most diverse TimeBanks in the world, with a growing number of people with disabilities as full participants. Gary Messenger, with years of experience in the developmental disabilities community, helps facilitate active giving and receiving of services among 1,100 members.  TimeBanking offers opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to play important roles in community life.  For information on the conference, see: www.timebanks.org    Some scholarships will be available along with home stays to make the conference affordable.

    

Trainings on the Web

1. Presentation on Health and Transition Available on the Web
   The February 26th Community of Practice on Transition during which time had the privilege of hearing Roger and Sita Diehl present their story of the transition from home to adult life/college. Their presentation is now available online if you would like to share it with others or if you have never seen it before. The Diehl's story is an inspiration to many of us.  http://mediasite.ics.uwex.edu/mediasite5/Viewer/?peid=a8896618
   b5854c149633f6f673b9ab44
   
2. Registration Open for Free Summer Parent Education Webcast Series
   Join a group near you for Parent Development: A New Approach to Effective Programming, a FREE webcast series based on a new parenting model, developed by Dr. Gay Eastman of UW-Madison and UW-Extension. Research-based, but highly practical, this model will help you examine your current programming for parents and consider new approaches to parent education and support.
   
   The webcasts, which build on each other, will be held from 9:00 to 11:00 AM on Tuesday, June 16th, Tuesday, July 21st, and Tuesday, August 18th.  Sponsors include the Wisconsin Children’s Trust Fund, Children’s Hospital and Health Systems Child Abuse Prevention Fund, UW-Extension Family Living Programs, and the UW-Madison Human Development and Family Studies Department.
   
   The webcasts are free, but registration is required. Please go to http://wctf.state.wi.us/home/ParentDevelopment.htm for more information, to find a webcast viewing location near you, and to register. Questions? Contact Bonnie Geyer at bonnie.geyer@uwex.edu or 920-397-7222.
   
3. New Youth Health Care Transition Resources
   The Wisconsin Community of Practice Health Transition work group recently
   completed a series of health care-related transition resources for youth, their families, and providers. See the links below: all are PDF's that are available free for downloading.
   
   Transition to Adult Health Care training in Three Part:
   http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/wrc/pdf/pubs/TAHC_2.pdf
   
   Health Care Workbook for Youth:
   http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/wrc/pdf/pubs/TWfY.pdf
   
   My Health Pocket Guide:
   http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/wrc/pdf/pubs/PG.pdf
   
   Transition Health Care Checklist:
   http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/wrc/pdf/pubs/THCL.pdf
   

 

Family Involvement Resources

1. Updated Going to Work Guide
   First published in 2007, the Going to Work: A Guide to Social Security Benefits and Employment for Young People with Disabilities has been updated. The Guide provides basic information about Social Security disability and health benefit programs, explains what happens to these benefits when a young person goes to work, and explains how to maximize a young person's options when starting work. Going to Work, published by the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston, also has information specific to Massachusetts. Going to Work is available at http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=211
2. Family Resource Centers in Wisconsin
   The Children's Trust Fund supports family resource centers throughout Wisconsin and provides training, technical assistance, and close monitoring of programs and support services. Nineteen family resource centers receive grants from the Children's Trust Fund to help them meet local needs for parent education and support.A list of all the Family Resource Centers can be found at: http://wctf.state.wi.us/home/FRC.htm
3. ARRA Funds Guidance
   The U.S. Department of Education has published a new document entitled Using ARRA Funds to Drive School Reform and Improvement (April 24, 2009), which is meant to provide guidance on the ways that American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds may be used. It includes framing questions for decision-making and examples of potential uses of ARRA funds to improve educational outcomes from early learning through high school. It is available online at http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/uses.doc.
4. Fundraising strategy
   The Auction for the Grassroots this week is an example of manageable community outreach and fundraising strategy that works for many parents' groups, schools and nonprofits around the country.  As grants and foundation sources get fewer and further between, ideas like this become more appealing.  Rick Brooks, who has run five online auctions like this one, tells us that the secret is to have several groups work together.  The advantage is that people can participate from anywhere and support causes that are important to them.  Take a look: www.auctionforthegrassroots.cmarket.com 
5. Google Lime Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
   Google is committed to helping the innovators of the future make the most of their talents by providing scholarships and networking retreats for computer science students with disabilities. Recipients of the Google Lime Scholarship will receive a scholarship for the 2009–2010 academic year. Selected students will also be invited to attend the all-expenses-paid retreat at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA, in 2010. Scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of candidates’ academic background and demonstrated passion - $10,000 USD for those studying in the US and $5,000 CAD for those studying in Canada (based on average tuition costs). 
   For more info, go to: http://www.limeconnect.com/google.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.