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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly
E-Newsletter


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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for May 06, 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:

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. Youth Services Mental Health Resource Fair
    Tuesday, May 25, 2010 from 3:30pm – 6:00pm at Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Road. Please use Entrance A (North) or B (North East)
    Services related to: Mental Health, Respite, Substance Abuse, Advocacy, Juvenile Justice, Transition, Family and Peer Support, Recreation, Education, Foster Care, Treatment and Therapy, Child Welfare, Health and Safety for further information please call or email Ann Langer, 697-4643, alanger@co.kenosha.wi.us. Jointly sponsored by The Families First Project (Professional Services Group), Kenosha County Department of Human Services, Kenosha Unified School District and Wisconsin Family Ties
  2. FREE WINMILL Training of Trainers Seminar Presented by WI FACETS
    June 3 & 4, 2010 at IndependenceFirst, 540 South 1st Street, Milwaukee, WI 53204
    4:00pm-7:30pm, June 3, 2010
    8:30am–4:30pm-June 4, 2010
    ***attendance is required on both days***
    For Parents, Educators, Students, Service Providers, others
    Topics covered: Transition from School to life after school. Covered in IDEA-2004 and WI State statute Chapter 115, Discussion about available adult serves after high school covered as explained in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in 1998. This also covers Section 504 and the ADA Restoration Act, Tips and practice in presentation skills for interesting, livelily workshops, Some ideas for marketing the seminar to more people who may want to attend. WI FACETS is looking for people who are willing to share the information in IDEA and Rehab. Act with others.
    Earning opportunities: After successfully completing the two day seminar, participants will come away with information, materials, power points, etc. to better understand the topics listed above. By using the materials you receive, you can receive $30.00 each time you share one of the power points with 10 or more participants. If you co-present with another person who has completed the seminar, both trainers will each receive a each $30.00 stipend. To register: Contact Sandra McFarland by phone 414-374-4645 or smcfarland@wifacets.org Space limited to 25 Lodging and food on your own (Food can be brought in, ordered & brought in.)

Family Involvement Resources

  1. Compass Wisconsin Threshold
     The Department of Health Services-Bureau of Long-Term Support (BLTS) is pleased to announce the launch of CompassWisconsin: Threshold. Threshold is a demonstration project that will provide families in Racine and Walworth County with a unified point of intake and eligibility determination for children’s long-term support (CLTS) programs.  Beginning Monday, April 19th, we request that referral agencies refer all families who wish to apply for CLTS services to CompassWisconsin: Threshold for CLTS intake and eligibility determination.  The Department of Health Services has coordinated this partnership with Racine and Walworth Counties and these local county departments of human services will no longer provide intake or eligibility determination for CLTS services.

    We ask that families start the application process by contacting a Threshold consultant at the toll free number: 866-710-4054. The consultant will answer questions about CLTS services, discuss with the family the different CLTS programs, and send families who wish to apply an application packet. CompassWisconsin: Threshold does intake and eligibility determination for the following CLTS programs:
    • Children’s Long-Term Support Medicaid (CLTS-MA) Waiver • CLTS-MA Waiver for Intensive In-Home Services for Children with Autism • Community Options Program • Family Support Program • Katie Beckett Program/Wisconsin Medicaid Eligibility
    For more information about CompassWisconsin: Threshold, please go to the new website at www.compasswisconsin.org The site has information on the complete application process, programs and eligibility criteria, information about CompassWisconsin: Threshold’s partners, and additional contacts for a range of state and local resources for families with children with long-term support needs.
  2. Poster Contest: “Work Ability-Not Disability”
    CESA #2 is seeking original artwork created by middle and high school age youth with or without disabilities from Wisconsin to be used in a poster campaign promoting the employment of young people with disabilities during National Disability Employment Awareness month for October 2010.

    Three posters will be selected and reproduced as part of an awareness campaign aimed at employers, educators, students, and the general public. The artists whose work is selected will be paid stipends of $100 per poster for their work of art. Selected artists and their art work will be recognized in all high schools and middle schools throughout Wisconsin. All middle and high school students are welcome to participate. This project can be completed by an individual, a group of individuals or as a class project. Posters and a completed entry form must be postmarked by June 1st, 2010. The contest is made possible through Pathways to Independence, funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicaid Infrastructure Grant DFDA #93.768 and supported by the Department of Public Instruction. You can find more information about the poster contest at http://www.wiyouthfirst.org or by contacting Pam Jenson at pamjenson@cesa2.k12.wi.us or Alenia Heisz at a_heisz21@hotmail.com.
  3. Summer Therapy Programs
    Tender Touch Therapy is offering several programs this summer. They include Sensory-Motor, Music, & Interactive Language Experience (S.M.I.L.E), Yoga, aquatics therapy, Handwriting Without Tears, Rapid Prompting Method(R.P.M.), and more. For further information contact: Christa at 262-653-0850 or christaschneider@tds.net or visit our website: www.tendertouchtherapyllc.com
  4. Scholarships: Financial Aid: Education: Disability.gov
    Go to http://www.disability.gov/education/financial_aid/scholarships for information on scholarships/applications available for specific disabilities.
  5. Inclusive Schools Network: Research and Benefits of Inclusive Schools
    Inclusive Schools Network offers a parent newsletter, tips, and resources on the research and benefits of inclusive schools. Go to http://www.inclusiveschools.org/ for more information.
  6. National Institute for Urban School Improvement
    The Urban Schools website focuses on evidence based publications to assist students, families, school professionals, researchers, and policy makers increase equity for all students. Go to http://urbanschools.org/ for information.
  7. Wisconsin Information Network for Successful Schools
     Wisconsin’s Information Network for Successful Schools (WINSS) is a wealth of information for educators, parents, and community members interested in educating the hearts and minds of Wisconsin’s children. http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sig/index.html
  8. Harvard Family Research Project
     The Harvard Family Research Project has a goal to help stakeholders develop and evaluate strategies to promote the well being of children, youth, families, and their communities. All information is grounded in research and best practices. http://www.hfrp.org/
  9. A Family Guide to Assitive Technology
     A Family Guide to Assistive Technology, written by and for parents to assist parents in their consideration of available technology for people with disabilities. Let’s Help our Kids (PLUK) is the nonprofit Parent Training Information Center of Montana. While, some information is specific to Montana, most is has universal application. http://www.pluk.org/AT1.html
  10. The Great Lakes ADA Center Invites You to Take “The ADA Community Survey”
    The following information pertains to individuals living in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin only: The DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center is launching the "The ADA Community Survey" in the Six States we serve (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin). It has been nearly 20 years that have passed since President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law and we are interested in learning more about the perceptions of people with disabilities, their family members and individuals who work with people with disabilities regarding the implementation of the ADA in their communities.

    The results of the survey will be used to "grade" your community on it's response to the ADA and will become a tool to educate policy makers, administrators and the public about the ADA.  We hope that you will join us in this effort to learn more about your communities response to the ADA. The survey will be conducted during the entire month of May and the final "Community Report Card" will be available sometime in late June or early July. To take the survey go to: www.theadasurvey.org

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.