Parent Leadership Hub Weekly
E-Newsletter

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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for March 01, 2012

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
Emilie Braunel, WI FACETS SPDG Coordinator at 715-561-2559 or ebraunel@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 diane@banbury.com .

NOTE: Note: If you would like to receive our weekly Parent Leadership Hub e-Newsletter, please contact one of the PL Hub Co-Facilitators:
Emilie Braunel, WI FACETS SPDG Coordinator at ebraunel@wifacets.org
Mary Skadahl, WSPEI Statewide Project Director at marys@cesa12.k12.wi.us

 

Parent/Personnel Development Opportunities

1. 12th Annual Keys to Success Conference

   WHEN: Saturday, March 24, 2012 from 8:00am – 1:00pm
   WHERE: Unity School District, 1908 150th St/Hwy 46 N., Balsam Lake
   WHAT: Resources and information provided for parents, caregivers, educators, and service providers of children with special needs, ages 3-21.
   Keynote: "What Needs to Change so Behavior can Change", Julie Betchkal and Daniel Parker presenting. Additional sessions include:
   • Helping Children to Manage their Strong Feelings
   • When You Can't Agree – Options for Getting Back on Track
   • Gadgets Galore!
   • IEP's and Special Education: Answers for your Questions
   • Helping Students Plan for an Adult Life'
   • Resource Fair
   REGISTER: Contact Barb Garling at barbg@cesa11.k12.wi.us or 715-986-2020 or register online at http://www.cesa11.k12.wi.us/speceduc/ in the events column.

2. Brain Conference: Bullying and Our Children, What is it really? What can we do?

   WHEN: Friday, March 30, 2012 from 8:00am – 4:00pm
   WHERE: Sacred Heart Hospital Auditorium, 900 W. Clairemont Ave. Eau Claire, WI
   WHAT: In order to combat bullying and harassment, children, parents and professionals need to be on the same page. Today's culture will be looked at to reveal how it relates to bullying and harassment. Topics will include creating a caring environment, handling conflict, collaboration and strategies for working with bullies, bystanders and victims. Information will be provided to help recognize bullying, how to talk to children of all abilities and ideas for helping children address bullying. Also, what to do locally when dealing with a bullying incident will be discussed.
   FOR: Educators, child care providers, health professionals, social workers, parents and other caring adults.
   REGISTER: Contact Lauri Malnory at 715-852-3075 or call the B.R.A.I.N. Team at 715-833-1735 or visit frcec@frcec.org.

3. 2012 Rehabilitation & Transition Conference

   WHEN: April 11 – 12, 2012, Pre-conference workshop is offered on April 10.
   WHERE: The Osthoff Hotel & Conference Center, Elkhart Lake, WI
   WHAT: Do you work in the area of disability and employment? Each year, more than 400 people participate in this unique opportunity to enhance their professional competencies and network with others in the field of rehabilitation and transition. Topics covered include employment, Family Care, IRIS, assistive technology, mental health and much more.
   REGISTER: Cost: RFW Members: $249; Non-members: $279. Contact Tom Behnke at 608-244-5310 or tbehnke@rfw.org or visit the website to register at http://www.rfw.org/home-2012-rehab-conf.html.

Phone Workshops

Family Involvement Resources

1. Down Syndrome Footprint Foundation

   Down Syndrome Footprint Society of Chippewa Falls provides disability awareness programs, parenting materials, and a scholarship program for people with Downs Syndrome and other special needs. Visit us at: http://downsyndromefootprint.org/index.html

2. Practical Autism Resources

   This site offers free printable activities, data, forms, organizers and workshops for people with autism. http://practicalautismresources.com

3. Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities

   This site offers a variety of Vocational and Educational Services available for individuals with Disabilities. http://vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/autism

4. Department of Justice Reports on the Impact of Bullying in Schools

   The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention recently released Bullying in Schools: An Overview, the first of five bulletins examining bullying in schools and support schools can provide bullying victims. Read this first installment at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/234205.pdf

5. State Policies on Bullying

   In December 2011, the U.S. Department of Education released Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies, which summarizes current approaches in the 46 states with anti-bullying laws and the 41 states that have created anti-bullying policies as models for schools. You can find this at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html#safe
   
   

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.