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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly
E-Newsletter


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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for May 13, 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. Second 2010 Wisconsin Integrated Employment Network Event in WI Dells
    June 16, 2010 at the Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells.
    The Integrated Employment Network offers a way for people at the local level to get connected and supported as they work to increase opportunities for citizens with disabilities to pursue meaningful careers and earn income. There is no cost to attend this event, but seating is limited so please register. Questions, e-mail Stacey Mochnick at eri@eri-wi.org. To register or for more information, go to http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=d0130e54-606d-4bb2-a46f-be971b2a816b.
  2. Wisconsin Family Ties 15th Annual Family Fun Day in WI Dells
    July 6, 2010 at Mount Olympus Water and Theme Park, 1701 Wisconsin Dells Parkway • WI Dells, WI   www.mtolympuspark.com
    Outdoor Water Park: 10a-7p — Indoor Water Park: 10a-10p
    Cost: $12/person, includes a picnic lunch and access to the entire water and theme park.
    (Children 2 years and under are free)
    Registration deadline is July 1, 2010. Space is limited. Order online at www.wifamilyties.org or call as soon as possible to reserve your tickets.
    Toll-free: 1-800-422-7145 — Email: info@wifamilyties.org
    Please note: Family Fun Day is reserved for families that include children or adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders.
  3. Save the Date: 3rd Annual Statewide Self-Determination Conference in WI Dells
    The Game Plan: Advancing Self-Determination in Wisconsin
    November 9 & 10, 2010 at the Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells.
    Registration will open in June 2010.
    Featuring: Transition Essentials, Student Directed IEPs, Family Care and IRIS Fundamentals, Creative Uses of SDS across Wisconsin, personal stories of self-determination in Wisconsin and much more.
    Full conference agenda to be posted at: www.wi-bpdd.org
    Contact Fil Clissa at 608-266-5395 or e-mail at fil.clissa@wisconsin.gov for questions.
  4. Open Hands Youth Ability Summit in Syria
     Youths aged 12-21 are invited to apply to attend the Open Hands Youth Ability Summit in Damascus, Syria August 1-3 2010. Those selected will receive a free, round-trip ticket from anywhere in the continental U.S. and full accommodations to attend the Summit.
    Participants will work together with Syrian youth involved in disability rights advocacy to share our cultures and perspectives, learn about the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and to create a, youth-centered global awareness campaign. All participants can be accompanied by one guest/parent/or guardian. All travelers must have a valid U.S. Passport that does not expire within 6-months of the date of travel.

    Apply at: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/291837/Open-Hands-Youth-Ability-Summit
    Applications must be received by May 21, 2010. Contact Rachel Walsh with questions, 917-544-7260
  5. Science Education Workshop in Rhinelander
    June 7-9, 2010 at Rhinelander High School
    A free, three-day science education workshop connected with the JASON Project, http://www.jason.org/public/whatis/start.aspx, nonprofit subsidiary of The National Geographic Society, will be presented by the Wisconsin Charter School Association. The Rhinelander training features curriculum pieces about Energy and Ecology. For more information, contact Ingrid Beamsley at ibeamsley@wicharterschools.org or 608-261-1120.

Trainings on the Web

  1. DPI Webinar: Service Learning in High School Classrooms
    A free DPI webinar on May 19, 3:30-4:30 p.m., explores implementing high quality service-learning in high school classrooms and addressing scheduling and collaboration issues. Users should go to: https://www125.livemeeting.com/cc/test2007/join?id=Live
    Meeting2007Test&role=attend&cn=user&pw=&recording_
    agreement=accepted&placewareLicenseCookie=true     to verify if they are set up for the Live Meeting platform in advance. During webinar, go to https://www120.livemeeting.com/cc/wislineweb_ccc/join?id=
    SvcLrngHSCR&role=attend     or call 1-800-462-1257 for audio. The code is 8201878#.
  2. New Online Transition Seminar Series
    The University of Kansas Special Education department is offering five noncredit online transition seminars designed to provide novice and veteran education professionals the tools and collaboration necessary to improve transition planning and services for students with disabilities. These courses are designed for non degree-seeking secondary-level special education personnel, but the content is applicable to parents, educators, adult service personnel and consultants. Seminars are presented in collaboration with the KU Department of Special Education's Transition Coalition http://transitioncoalition.org/transition/index.php. Fees and policies are at http://www.continuinged.ku.edu/programs/transitions/info.php. Register at http://www.continuinged.ku.edu/programs/transitions/. For more information on seminar content, contact Amy Gaumer Erickson, Ph.D., aerickson@ku.edu.

Family Involvement Resources

  1. NAMI Launches Social Networking Site for Young Adults
     The National Alliance on Mental Illness has launched http://www.strengthofus.org, a new online community where young adults living with mental health concerns can provide mutual support in navigating unique challenges and opportunities during the critical transition years from ages 18 to 25. Developed by young adults, StrengthofUs.org is a user-driven social networking community.
  2. Health Reform Resources for People Living with Psychiatric Disabilities
    Two new documents, "Will Health Reform Help People with Mental Illnesses?" and "If I Have a Psychiatric Disability, Will Health Reform Help Me?" published by the UPenn Collaborative on Community Integration are informing people who live with psychiatric disabilities about how the health care bills passed by Congress in 2009 might affect them. For more information go to http://www.upennrrtc.org/resources/view.php?tool_id=226
  3. An Employer’s Guide to Child and Adolescent Mental Health
    The March 2009 Employer's Guide to Child and Adolescent Mental Health includes recommendations that focus on employer-based strategies for health plans, Employee Assistance Programs and workplace policies. The Guide can be found at http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/pdfs/CAMH_Guide_LoRes.pdf
  4. Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens: A Parent’s Guide
    This booklet is a guide for parents who think their child may have symptoms of bipolar disorder, or parents whose child has been diagnosed. Published by the National Institute on Mental Health, it is available in PDF format on the web and can be requested in hard copy.  For more information go to http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder-in-children-and-teens-a-parents-guide/index.shtml
  5. What Can YOU Do? Website
    The website offers a range of education and outreach tools, all designed to engage employers, people with disabilities, family and educators, and the general public.
    http://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org/
  6. Early Childhood Child Outcomes Parent Brochure
    A downloadable brochure that can be shared with parents and family members to explain what the child outcomes indicator is, how the information is used and how families are involved in the process. http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/docs/WI-Children-Moving-Forward-FINAL-May-2010.pdf
  7. Researched-Based Instructional Strategies
     Connecting research recommendations to practice can improve instruction. These key research-based strategies have impact on student achievement. http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/

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.