E-News

Tickets Now Available! Earth, Wind & Fire to Headline PACER’s 2008 Benefit!

The legendary band Earth, Wind & Fire will take the stage at PACER Center’s 26th annual Benefit on April 26. Winner of eight Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, and a well-earned place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this popular group will wow the crowd. Be part of it. Tickets are going fast, so order yours now!

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Conference Celebrates Minnesota Parents May 1 & 2

The Minnesota Parent Center/MN PIRC, a PACER project, is offering "Welcoming, Honoring, and Connecting," a free event for parents of children with and without disabilities. On May 1, a free dinner celebrates parents' dedication to helping their children succeed in school. On May 2, a free conference explores ways parents can support their children's education. Both days feature an exciting speaker; the conference includes helpful workshops that will inspire parents to help their children learn in new ways. Advance registration and application are required. Limited stipends are available for child care and travel, if requested. Minnesota Parent Center is Minnesota's Parental Information and Resource Center (MN PIRC), a federally funded project that works statewide to build effective parental involvement in Title I schools.

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National Council on Disability Says Older Youth with Disabilities Falling Through Cracks in Foster Care System

The National Council on Disability (NCD) has released “Youth with Disabilities in the Foster Care System: Barriers to Success and Proposed Policy Solutions.” The report focuses on the unique challenges older youth with disabilities face as they negotiate the foster care system. The report highlights the importance of understanding the prevalence of disability among foster youth and better ascertaining who should be held accountable for this uniquely challenged and often underserved population, according to NCD chairperson John R. Vaughn.

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LeDerick Horne to Speak at PACER April 9

LeDerick Horne went from failing at school to becoming an outstanding student, college graduate, poet, and business founder. Out of his own experience of having a severe learning disability, he provides down-to-earth suggestions and inspiration to families and professionals. His free presentation, “Beyond Classification,” is Wednesday, April 9, from 7 to 9 p.m., at PACER Center, 8161 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, Minn. Advance registration is requested.

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Parents: You Can Help Prevent Teen Bullying

Stories are a powerful way to build bridges between generations—and PACER’s new bullying prevention Web site for teens wants to hear your personal stories about bullying. Were you bullied as a child? If so, were you able to resolve it? Has your child been bullied? How did that incident affect your family? Your experiences can help others. Submissions can be anonymous, and they may be included on the new site when it launches this summer.

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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 www.worldcommunitygrid.org, click “find a team,” and select “PACER Center.” Join the team! It’s safe and easy.

May 1 Conference Addresses Disabilities and Juvenile Justice

“Students with Disabilities in the School to Prison Pipeline: Issues, Ideas, and a Call to Action” is a day-long conference that includes a breakout sessions; panel members from special education, law enforcement, the judicial systems, and corrections; and a keynote speech by Joseph Tulman, the director of the Juvenile and Special Education Law Clinic at the University of the District of Columbia School of Law. He has pioneered the use of special education advocacy for children in the neglect and delinquency systems. It’s at University of St. Thomas, Opus Hall, 1000 LaSalle Ave., Minneapolis. For more information or to register, contact Cindy Lavorato at cllavorato@stthomas.edu or call 651-962-4887.

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