Parent Leadership Hub Weekly
E-Newsletter

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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for January 28, 2010

This week's update is provided by WSPEI and WI FACETS to share statewide information regarding parent leadership and family involvement. Please visit the Parent Leadership Hub web page of the SPDG website at http://www.wispdg.org/pl.html for the current and archived weekly updates and to find information on these topics:

• WSPEI website: http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/parent.html
• WIFACETS website: http://www.wifacets.org
• Resources- Product Order Form, and Educational Materials for Parents
• Calendar of Events
• Multi-Media Resources- Workshops Online, Video Series, and Webcasts

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.

Please, direct any questions to the PL Hub Co-Facilitators:
Mary Skadahl, WSPEI Statewide Project Director at 715-829-8932 or marys@cesa12.k12.wi.us
Dawn Wians, WI FACETS SPDG Coordinator at 608-827-5234 or dwians@wifacets.org

Deadline for submitting contributions to each week's issue is Tuesday noon. For time sensitive training advertisements, the information should be sent a minimum of two weeks prior to the event date; ideally a month ahead of time. Material appropriate for the weekly newsletter include web links to sources of family involvement/parent leadership resources and advertisements for statewide trainings for parents, youth or parent/educator audiences (we don’t post research articles, reports or news opinion articles). Your submittal may not be in the final copy if it was in a previous weekly email, the event date has passed or the web link doesn’t work. Please, send submittals to phyllis@banbury.com

NOTE: Note: If you would like to receive this weekly update or if you would like to have your name removed from the distribution list, please contact Mary Skadahl or Dawn Wians.

'Just in Time Information' Now Available  

A new online repository of information is available for parents, youth and professionals who are searching for articles previously posted to the PL Hub Weekly E-Newsletters since October 2008. This repository of information will help the reader locate valuable information by topic, 'just in time'. Currently, there are web pages for 'Transition to Adult Life' and 'Family Involvement'. Future web pages will include 'Early Childhood' and 'School-Age Years'.

For our reader's convenience, all archived issues of the E-Newsletter will eventually be re-posted on the 'Just in Time Information' page of the PL Hub website. We hope this format will help our readers quickly access the resources they need, when they need them, and that it will be visited frequently. Additions are always welcome! To submit suggested resources and training products, simply follow the instructions and criteria provided in the introduction to each of the PL Hub Weekly Updates.

To visit the new 'Just in Time Information' web page go to: http://www.wispdg.org/pl/resources.html

 

Parent/Personnel Development Opportunities

1. Understanding Sexual Relationships - Portage
   February 9 from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at John Muir School, Portage. WI
   This workshop is designed for transition-aged youth and/or adults with developmental disabilities who are dating or are interested in learning more about the rights and responsibilities of being in a sexual relationship. Concrete teaching methods (videos, pictures, games, and activities) will be used to improve understanding and help youth and adults with developmental disabilities make responsible decisions about his/her sexuality. To view the brochure, go to http://web.cesa5.k12.wi.us/site_uploads/news/newsfile1541_1.pdf
2. Health Care And Community Supports - Plymouth
   A Family Voices of WI Did You Know? Now You Know! 2-part training on health care and community supports will be held in Plymouth, WI on Sat. Feb. 13 and Sat. Feb. 20, 10:00 - 3:00. For more information and registration contact the Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County, 920.892.6706 or go to http://www.fvofwi.org/training.html
3. Person-Centered Integrated Employment Six Series Training
   The Person-Centered Integrated Employment Six Series Training is being offered at three locations in Wisconsin with sessions beginning in March and ending in September. After attending all sessions and completing internet-based activities, participants will receive an Integrated Employment Professional certificate. Training is free but seats are limited.
   For more details & to register, click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/IETrainingMarch2010
4. Improving Relationships and Results - Module #2 Math Strategies
   March 1, 2010 at CESA #5 in Portage from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. or
   March 2, 2010 at Bliss Center, Stevens Point from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
   
   This session will assist school teams in providing effect interventions that can be used in the home and school. Teams will learn how to identify math problems and the best interventions to use for each type of difficulty. Strategies that will include families in the intervention process will be discussed in great detail. To view the brochure, go to http://web.cesa5.k12.wi.us/site_uploads/news/newsfile1453_1.pdf
5. 9th Annual Wisconsin Youth Leadership Forum - Madison
   The 9th Annual WI Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) is a free program for high school students with disabilities who would like to take part in a unique and fun weeklong leadership development program. Participants will sharpen their leadership and self-advocacy skills, develop their career awareness, experience college life, meet successful speakers from across the state with similar disabilities as theirs and develop their own Personal Leadership Plan that they will implement when they return home.
   
   The YLF will be held June 27 - July 2, 2010 on the Edgewood College campus in Madison, WI. APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2010
   The YLF is a competitive process. Applicants must complete the application, submit a brief response to 2 essay questions and obtain 3 letters of recommendation. To view materials for details and application, go to http://www.wsti.org/ylc.ylf.php

 

Trainings on the Web

1. Addressing Challenging Behaviors and Sensory Integration
   Kate McGinnity presents in this recorded webinar that is located at http://www.dpi.wi.gov/sped/av/autism-address-challeng-behav.wmv or under the subheading of "Webinars" at http://www.dpi.wi.gov/sped/autism.html

Family Involvement Resources

1. Inspirational Story of Autism Advocate on HBO
   On February 6th at 8PM (ET/PT), HBO will premiere an original film based on the inspirational true story of Temple Grandin, starring Claire Danes. "Temple Grandin" paints a picture of a young woman's perseverance and determination while struggling with the isolating challenges of autism. Temple is a highly successful doctor of animal sciences, a best-selling author, and an internationally renowned autism advocate.  For more information and a free, downloadable coloring book see bn.com/templegrandin. Temple Grandin will be a featured speaker at the WI Transition Conference on February 19, 2010 and the Autism Society of WI conference on March 19, 2010.
2. The Early Childhood Institute on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS)
   CLAS is a collaboration of several organizations including the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. This institute identifies, evaluates and promotes effective and appropriate early intervention and preschool practices that are sensitive and respectful to children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Information is presented in English and Spanish side-by-side on the same screen. www.clas.uiuc.edu
   
3. Best Practices for Administering Medication in School
   The Council for Exceptional Children provides helpful guidance in an on-line article about establishing school policies, staff training, preparing to dispense, preventing errors, and communicating with parents. The article can be found at:
   http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search&
   CONTENTID=11752&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm
4. Top Tips for Dispute Resolution Managers
   Following an extensive review, CADRE (National Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education) identified four States with exemplary dispute resolution systems. In September 2009, CADRE brought together Dee Ann Wilson of Iowa, Jo Anne Pool Blades of Oklahoma, Kerry Smith of Pennsylvania, and Jack Marker of Wisconsin. A discussion during the September meeting resulted in a list of "Top Tips" for other State dispute resolution system managers.
   http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/pdf/CADRE%20Top%
   20Tips%20Final.pdf
5. YouTube-like Web Site for Children 
   WatchKnow.org currently features more than 11,000 videos across 2,000 categories on subjects such as math, science, and history for students ages 3 to 18. The nonprofit site features new software that allows wiki-style collaboration among users. The site which features videos from National Geographic, YouTube, and Google Videos, among other sources, is intended to complement and enhance the learning experience for students as they study concepts that are traditionally hard to learn. The site offers tips for video searching, separate pages for students, parents, and teachers, and a guide for contributors. http://www.watchknow.org
6. Curriculum Manual on Networking Skills
   Teaching Networking Skills: Paving a Way to Jobs and Careers is designed for professionals working with school-to-work transition-age youth; however it has broad applicability to others with limited work experience. Its goal is to help job seekers become engaged in career and job exploration through Networking. The curriculum gives students opportunities to practice and put into use networking skills such as: identifying their own network, approaching people, talking about their skills and interests, learning about what employers look for, exploring careers and job options, and exhibiting good business etiquette. Activities vary to accommodate diverse learning styles, and trainers can select lessons that fit the needs of their groups. To download the manual go to http://www.communityinclusion.org/article.php?article_id=251
   &type=topic&id=3

 

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.