Parent Leadership Hub Weekly
E-Newsletter

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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for March 29, 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. SAVE THE DATE: Employment Summit

   WHEN: May 22nd from 9:00am – 4:00pm.
   WHERE: Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells.
   WHAT: Back for 2012 and beyond Integrated Employment Events will be starting up again with a Super Summit. Highlights will include:
   • Overview of Employment Projects Around the State4
   • Employment Success Stories
   • Innovative Practices Being Implemented
   Look for more information coming soon to: www.wi-bpdd.org.

2. Did You Know? Now You Know!

   WHEN: Wednesday, April 11 from 5:30 to 8:30pm
   WHERE: Ministry Health Care, 2251 North Shore Drive, Conference Room 1&2, Rhinelander, WI
   WHAT: Training for parents, foster parents, caregivers and providers on health care and community services and supports for children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. This training provides a comprehensive overview of health care, community services and resources for children and youth with disabilities and special health care needs from birth through young adulthood. Topics include:
   • Medicaid
   • How to appeal a Medicaid/BadgerCare Plus denial
   • Prior authorizations and medical necessity
   • Katie Beckett (a doorway into Medicaid for children with disabilities)
   • Family support program
   • Children's long term support waivers
   • HealthCheck and HealthCheck "Other Services"
   • Health insurance and how health care reform may impact your plan
   • Partnering with your doctor
   • Establishing a Medical Home
   REGISTER: Contact the Northern Regional Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs at 866-640-4106 or email Julia.Stavran@co.marathon.wi.us
   This is a FREE training and a resource binder and meal will be provided.

3. In conjunction with the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin's Annual Convention, The Wisconsin Parents of Blind Children presents its Annual Parent Seminar: "Opening Windows of Opportunity" for Families

   WHEN: Friday, April 13, 2012 from 9:00am – 5:00pm
   WHERE: JC Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, 725 Paradise Lane, Johnson Creek
   WHAT: Hands-on workshop with the latest in "i-Technology", Daily Living Skills, What does my child need to know?, Orientation and Mobility 101. Childcare and activities will be available for children ages 12 and under.
   REGISTER: Early registration received on or before Friday, April 6; Adults: $20, children (12 and under, in childcare): $7. Late or at the door registration: Adults $30 and children $10.
   INFO: Contact Laurie Heesen at laurieheesen@rocketmail.com or 414-727-2066.
   NOTE: Please don't let finances keep you from joining! Scholarships are available. Contact WPBC President Laurie Heesen at laurieheesen@rocketmail.com or 414-727-2066 for more information.

4. What's After High School? Everything You Need to Know About Supports and Resources for Youth with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs

   WHEN: Tuesday, April 17 from 5:00pm – 8:30pm
   WHERE: Southern Door High School (Library), 2073 County Trunk DK, Brussels, WI
   WHAT: Training for parents, caregivers, youth and providers on the transition to adult life for youth with disabilities and/or special health care needs. Topics will include:
   • Envisioning a youth's future in the community
   • The roll of schools
   • Vocational (DVR) resources
   • Transitioning to adult health care
   • Guardianship, Power of Attorney for Health Care and other legal issues
   • The importance of advocacy and the fundamentals of self-determination
   REGISTER: Contact the Northeast Regional Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs at 877-568-5205 or email Kara at KVanVooren@chw.org. The training is FREE and a resource binder and a meal will be provided.

5. Addressing Challenging Behaviors of Children Who Have Experienced Trauma

   WHEN: Tuesday, April 17th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm
   WHERE: Onalaska Public Library, Onalaska, WI
   WHAT: This FREE training will look at the challenging behaviors that foster/adoptive children can display by looking at possible root causes followed by potential strategies to address behaviors and facilitate the healing process.
   INFO: For further questions or to RSVP to Magen by 4/16: email mduffy@ccise.org or call 608-782-0710 ext. 223.

6. ALAS Support Groups

   WHEN: Saturday, April 21, 2012
   TOPIC: Down Syndrome Support Group & ALAS Support Group
   TIME: 11:00am – 1:30pm
   WHERE: ALAS Office, 1615 S. 22nd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53204
   INFO: Call the ALAS Office at 414-643-0022.

7. CIRCLES OF LIFE 2012 – Registration Deadline is April 9

   WHEN: April 26 – 27, 2012
   WHERE: Marriott Madison West, Madison, WI at 1313 John Q Hammons Drive, Middleton, WI 888-745-2032 or 608-831-2000 or www.marriott.com/madison
   WHAT: Wisconsin's Annual Conference for Families of Children with Disabilities & Professionals is a conference for families who have children of any age with disabilities or special health care needs and the professionals who support and provide services for them. The conference is a unique opportunity to develop new skills, garner the latest information, and form lasting friendships. The conference includes over 25 sessions on a wide range of topics including:
   • Centers, Hubs and You where you can learn about the five regional centers of CYSHCN
   • Family Engagement Strategies to Improve School Partnership
   • Service Coordination and Families: Building Relationships and Enhancing Communication
   • Primary Coach Approach to Teaming : Evidence-Based Practices in Birth to 3
   • Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports – Building on Families Strengths
   • So My Child has a Disability but Doesn't Qualify for Special Education Services under IDEA. What's Next?
   And many more topics too numerous to put here. Visit their website at www.colwisconsin.org for complete information or to download a brochure.
   REGISTRATION: To register go to: www.colwisconsin.org or call 608-266-8276.

Family Involvement Resources

1. www.ixl.com is Math for the Right and Left Brain

   Math is about so much more than just numbers—so, IXL is too! The IXL approaches each math concept from all angles, offering visual representations, word problems, interactive activities, and more. With an abundance of math problems for every learning style, students can't help but build lasting skills and confidence. Math available for all ages and capabilities. Visit IXL at www.ixl.com

2. Top Achievement Self Improvement and Personal Development Community

   The spring of the year is typically a very busy time for writing, reviewing, and revising IEP goals. The page listed below offers help, direction, and examples of SMART goals in a variety of situations – not just IEP's but the information is relevant to IEP goal writing.
   http://topachievement.com/smart.html

3. Great Schools Involved Parents and Successful Kids

   A hot topic in the spring is retention in the current grade. The page below is a good summary on this subject. It includes what research says, pros, cons, and what questions to ask when considering retention. http://www.greatschools.org/students/4150-repeating-a-grade.gs

    

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.