E-News

Register Now for PACER’s Aug. 14 Parent Involvement Summit

PACER’s MN PIRC is hosting a free Parent Involvement Summit for parents, educators, administrators, and all those interested in learning and doing more to increase parent involvement in students’ academic achievement. The event includes dynamic keynote speaker Dr. Kathleen Hoover-Dempsey from Vanderbilt University, breakout sessions, and panel discussions about parent involvement. Join us as we learn how parent involvement can be a strategy for school and student achievement. It is Friday, Aug. 14, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington. Pre-registration by Aug. 10 is required.

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Statewide Survey Seeks Response by Families of Children with Disabilities

Minnesota parents of children with disabilities may be contacted by their school district to complete a survey regarding the special education services their children are receiving. The responses will be used to improve special education services and process, and parent involvement, at the state and local level. An initial survey had a low response rate; to increase that rate, some school districts will choose families at random to take the Statewide Family Survey. If you are contacted, please participate in this important online survey. Instructions for participating will be given to you if you are selected. The survey is being conducted by the Division of Special Education Policy at the Minnesota Department of Education. The collection of this data is required by the U. S. Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Families are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to have their voices heard. Questions? Please contact Martha Corn at martha.corn@state.mn.us or 651-582-8462, or Jean Perryman at jean.perryman@state.mn.us or 651-582-8648.

Register Now for the Summer Institute on Assistive Technology (AT)

The free 2009 Online Summer Institute on Assistive & Instructional Technology takes place July 20–31. Educators, parents, and AT professionals are invited to learn about “Use of Social Media Tools” and “Accessible Instructional Materials: National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) and Beyond. Post your questions and comments throughout the institute; AT experts, including PACER Center’s Annette Cerreta, will moderate. Check in from your home or office computer at least once a day to stay current with the information, discover successful strategies, and learn about useful resources. Continuing education credits are available. Register

National Center for Learning Disabilities Releases Report

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) has released “The State of Learning Disabilities (2009),” a new report on the status of children and adults with learning disabilities (LD) in America. The report shatters common myths about LD and provides benchmark data to compare and contrast how people with LD are faring in school and work.

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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.

Donate to the Team Fundraising Drive to Help End Bullying

Nationwide, an estimated 160,000 children miss school each day to avoid being bullied—and the effects can be lifelong or even tragic. This summer, the Friends of PACER Advisory Board is sponsoring a fundraising drive to help put an end to bullying. Each of the 10 teams has a goal of raising $2,000 to help support PACER’s new Teens Against Bullying project. Click on the team page to support a team!

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Save the Date! 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, featuring former members of Boogie Wonderland while you support PACER’s new Teens Against Bullying project.

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PACER Grandparent Support Group to Meet Aug. 17

PACER’s Grandparent to Grandparent Program will kick off its summer season with a potluck picnic for grandparents and grandchildren on Monday, Aug. 17, at an accessible park in Richfield. Gather at 4:30 p.m. and plan to eat about 5:30 p.m. Call 952-838-9000 to RSVP and for further information. Beginning in September, meetings will be at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at PACER. People with grandchildren of any age and any disability are invited to meet others; share concerns, joys, and interests; discover resources; and learn how they can provide support to their children and grandchildren.

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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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PACER's Gone Digital!

Social media is taking the world by storm, and PACER Center is on board! PACER’s Facebook page, Twitter page, and YouTube channel let you and PACER stay connected, anytime, anywhere. Parent Centers can find their social media connection with the ALLIANCE at taalliance.org. So, friend us, follow us, and watch us today with just the click of a button!

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Spread Cheer with New PACER Holiday Cards

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. When you send these cards, you’ll warm hearts twice—once when the recipients open them, and again as your purchase supports PACER programs for children with disabilities. You also make a statement to the world that you care about your community. 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. The card was created at PACER’s annual Creative Kids Contest, which was envisioned and initiated by artist Anthony R. Whelihan. To learn more or to place an order, contact Nicole Stanich at 952-838-9000 or Nicole.Stanich@PACER.org. Deadline for ordering is Sept. 30.

Learn How Stimulus Package May Help Students with Disabilities

The federal economic stimulus package, known as the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA), is providing more than $12 billion in additional funding for special education. Learn more about how the ARRA funds can be used to help students with disabilities by reading the U.S. Department of Education guidance on Parts B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

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Office for Civil Rights Looks at Impact of ADA Amendments Act on Section 504

When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act took effect Jan. 1, 2009, it amended the meaning of “disability” in the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973—including Section 504. In March, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) issued a revised FAQ document that looks at the impact of those changes. OCR also is evaluating the impact of the Amendments Act on OCR's enforcement responsibilities under Section 504 and under Title II of the ADA, including whether any changes in regulations, guidance, or other publications are appropriate.

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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.

Save the Date: “Advancing School Mental Health Conference” Is Nov. 2 – 4

The 14th annual conference on advancing school mental health is Nov. 2 – 4 at the Hilton Minneapolis, 1001 Marquette Ave., Minneapolis, MN. With an emphasis on youth and family involvement, it features more than 100 sessions, keynote presentations, intensive trainings, 12 specialty tracks, and more. This event is presented by the University of Maryland School of Medicine in partnership with the IDEA Partnership funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, sponsored by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. For information about the conference, exhibit information, or to receive a brochure, call the Center for School Mental Health at 888-706-0980; e-mail shuntley@psych.umaryland.edu; or visit http://csmh.umaryland.edu.

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.

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.

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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.

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