E-News

Disney Teen Star Demi Lovato Helps Launch PACER’s New Teens Against Bullying Web Site

Bullied in seventh grade, Disney teen star Demi Lovato is passionate about bullying prevention. That’s why she’s signed on as the celebrity spokesperson for PACER’s new TeensAgainstBullying.org Web site. The fun, edgy, relevant site launched Aug. 7 as Demi performed a digital ribbon cutting at an exciting event attended by more than 150 fans at PACER.

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President Obama Signs United Nations Disability Rights Convention Proclamation

President Barack Obama signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Proclamation on July 24. The purpose of the convention is to promote, protect, and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. The event occurred at the White House and was timed to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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Register by Aug. 21 for Free Webinar on Engaging and Supporting Culturally Diverse Families with Young Children

This Aug. 25 Webinar is designed for early childhood professionals and others who want to increase their effectiveness in working with families from diverse cultures, especially those who have a young child with developmental concerns or delays. It’s from 1 to 3 p.m.; certificates of attendance are available. Registration by Aug. 21 is required. Instructions to access the Webinar will be e-mailed to confirmed registrants.

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Buy Tickets Now! HOT Party, COOL Cause is Sept. 26

PACER’s sixth annual HOT Party, COOL Cause is Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Fine Line Music Café in downtown Minneapolis. Enjoy the music of Christy Love and You Know Who while supporting PACER’s new Teens Against Bullying project.

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Spread Cheer with New PACER Holiday Cards; Order by Sept. 30

Let a sledding snowman and three rainbow penguins send winter cheer to your friends, relatives, clients, and employees this holiday season. These charming PACER cards, created by a child with a disability, can be customized with your own greeting. Featuring the artist’s bio and photo on the back, these full-color cards measure 4 ¾” x 6 ¼,” are printed on glossy card stock, and come with white envelopes. To learn more or to place an order, visit PACER.org/help/creativecustom2009.asp, call Nicole Stanich at 952-838-9000, or send an e-mail to Nicole.Stanich@PACER.org. Deadline for ordering is Sept. 30.

Teens’ Votes Can Mean Up to $250,000 for PACER’s Bullying Prevention Efforts

Best Buy’s @15 Change Exchange program has chosen PACER as one of four organizations to receive a charitable donation. Teens’ votes determine what percentage of $250,000 PACER will receive. Here’s how it works: Teens age 14 to 18 can go to at15.com, where they register and earn points by taking part in the site in various ways. The more they do on the site, the more points they earn. During the last two weeks of October, they can click on the “@15 Change Exchange” link to give their points to Teens Against Bullying. With teens’ help, PACER could earn up to $250,000 for its National Bullying Prevention Center and its new TeensAgainstBullying.org Web site. Please tell teens you know to sign up now and pass the word! Teens can earn more points for PACER when they refer a friend to the site.

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Federal and Military Employees Can Donate to PACER During Workplace Charity Drive

If you are a federal civilian, military, or postal employee, you are eligible to contribute to PACER Center through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity drive at your workplace. Look for PACER in your local campaign booklet under the Children’s Charities of America (CCA) heading or alphabetically. You also can watch a video about one of PACER’s programs by visiting cfcvideospeakersbureau.org and entering PACER as the keyword. To designate your gift to PACER, use code 12272. This code is unique to PACER and should be used under any heading where you see PACER’s name listed. The charity drive will run from September through mid-December. Contribute at your workplace this fall to keep PACER’s important programs available at no charge!

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Special Education Parent Policy Leader Workshop is Sept. 26

This privately funded workshop at the state capitol is for parent leaders who want to become public policy advocates. Participants will learn about the structure of the state legislature and how to have influence within it; find out how a bill becomes a law; discover how to prepare an effective personal story for an issue; and participate in a group exercise to create a bill and present supporting testimony. Elected officials will provide feedback. Preregistration is required.

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Encourage Early Literacy with These Guides

It’s never too early to start teaching your child literacy skills—including things such as listening, speaking, enjoying books, and learning to use writing tools, such as crayons and markers. “Practice Guides Especially for Parents” can help families provide their infants, toddlers, or preschoolers with fun and exciting literacy learning experiences. “Practice Guides Especially for Practitioners” also are available. The guides are from the Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL), a research-to-practice technical assistance center funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Research to Practice Division. CELL is a major initiative of the Center for Evidence-Based Practices at the Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute.

Learn more at earlyliteracylearning.org/pgparents.php.

Check Out the Simon Technology Center Library

The Simon Technology Center Library offers an inexpensive way to preview software and assistive technology (AT) devices for children and young adults with disabilities. Containing more than 2,500 items, the library has some of the newest software and devices on the market. Anyone can visit and view the materials; Minnesota parents, individuals, and professionals who are members may borrow them. For hours or more information, please contact Tara Bakken at 952-838-9000 or visit PACER.org/stc/library.

Make a Difference with PACER’s Starter Puppet Package

Teach preschool and elementary children about disabilities in a positive, entertaining way with PACER’s starter puppet package, a cost-effective way for schools and organizations to acquire the popular COUNT ME IN® disability awareness puppets and scripts. Supplements to the starter package include additional puppets and scripts focusing on topics such as autism, ADHD, Tourette syndrome, and, beginning in 2010, bullying prevention. For more information on purchasing the puppets and scripts for your school or organization, visit PACER.org/puppets, call PACER at 952-838-9000, or e-mail puppets@PACER.org.

Web Site Offers Leadership Training for Parents

A new leadership training curriculum helps empower parents of children with disabilities to advocate for change in their communities. The Parents as Collaborative Leaders curriculum, a project of the University of Vermont and PACER, is now available as 10 PowerPoint modules on the Parents as Collaborative Leaders Web site at uvm.edu/~pcl/modules.php and on PACER’s site at PACER.org.

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Parent Training Modules Help Families Promote Children’s Social and Emotional Skills

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning has developed parent training modules that help families promote children’s social and emotional skills, understand children’s problem behaviors, and use positive approaches to help them learn appropriate behaviors. The modules are available at vanderbilt.edu/csefel/parent.html.

Join IBM's World Community Grid

The World Community Grid is an IBM effort to link computers worldwide and put idle computer time to use in aiding projects that benefit humanity. The grid is built upon an IBM infrastructure and includes IBM support. To become part of the grid, members install a small, free software program on their computers. When their computers are on but not being used, the program connects to the World Community Grid’s server, performs computations, and sends the results back to the server. Members’ donated resources help increase the pace of research. Visit worldcommunitygrid.org, click “find a team,” and select “PACER Center.” Join the team! It’s safe and easy.