E-News

PACER’s May 8 Benefit Features Lyle Lovett. Buy Tickets Now!

Four-time Grammy Award winner Lyle Lovett and His Large Band will bring their irresistible music to PACER’s 28th Annual Benefit at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Saturday, May 8. With an inventive blend of folk, swing, blues, gospel, country, and jazz, Lovett has produced 14 albums and has been called “one of the all-time great American singer/songwriters” for his distinct musical style. Be part of it! Buy your Benefit tickets here or call PACER at 952-838-9000.

Nationally Noted Speakers Present Two ADHD Workshops at PACER April 29

Parents and professionals are invited to learn effective ways to help children and young adults better manage life with ADHD. Matt Cohen, nationally known special education attorney with a passion for helping children with disabilities, and Norma Echavarria, child psychiatrist and ADHD specialist, will co-present “Transition Issues for Young Adults with ADHD” (9 to 11 a.m.) and “Diagnosis of ADHD: Promoting Acceptance by Self and Others” (7 to 9:30 p.m.). Participants may attend one or both of these free sessions at PACER. Advance registration is requested. More

Fact Sheet Helps Determine Eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Parents and transition-age students can use this fact sheet at Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings to help determine eligibility for SSI Plans for Achieving Self Support (PASS). It’s from the Rural Institute at the University of Montana. More

Join the Cause to Prevent Bullying

Teens, younger students, teachers, schools, communities—everyone has a role to play in bullying prevention. Discover yours at PACER’s bullying prevention Web site. Find out what you can do! More

EX.I.T.E. Camp Applications Now Available

Middle-school girls with disabilities are invited to apply for the 2010 EXploring Interests in Technology and Engineering (EX.I.T.E.) camp at PACER Center. Space is limited to 30 girls. Applications are due May 1. Now in its eighth year, the free summer day camp takes place for five days in August. Through fun, hands-on experiments, girls discover scientific principles as they experiment, create amazing projects, and challenge themselves to investigate the world around them using technology. The camp is sponsored in part by Accenture, IBM, Medtronic, Target, and 3M. To obtain an application, visit PACER.org/stc/exite/Camp.asp or call PACER at 952-838-9000 or 952-838-0190 (TTY). In Greater Minnesota, call 800-537-2237 (toll free).

Volunteer Opportunity for Students with Disabilities Nationwide

“It’s Our Story,” a national video oral history project that captures stories of living with a disability, is looking for volunteers to transcribe historical state documents and video oral histories from disability leaders in every state. Transcribing these documents will help make these records accessible to people with visual or hearing impairments and result in the disability community's most comprehensive record of its past. The transcribing task, dubbed Mission Accessible, would be a meaningful project for students with disabilities in work-based learning and other secondary transition programs. “It’s Our Story” is a national initiative involving many national disability organizations and educational institutions. It is scheduled to launch on July 26, 2010, the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Other volunteer opportunities also are available. More

Early Reading Resources Now Available in Spanish

Spanish-speaking parents can now connect with free resources to make early literacy fun for preschool-aged children and to find practical tips for communicating with educators and day-care providers. It’s on GetReadytoRead.org, the National Center for Learning Disabilities’ early literacy Web site. More

Volunteer Training for Bullying Prevention Puppet Show is April 30

Volunteer puppeteers are needed to help make educational presentations to elementary-aged children. PACER’s new Kids Against Bullying puppet program features endearing, child-size puppets that address bullying prevention in a thoughtful, entertaining way. Volunteers attend a one-time training to learn puppet and presentation skills; work with a fun team; present programs at Twin Cities elementary schools about twice a month; and help children learn how to prevent bullying. Volunteers need to have a car, time during the school day, and a desire to help children. The next training is Friday, April 30, from 9 a.m. to noon at PACER. To learn more or register, call 952-838-9000 or e-mail puppets@PACER.org.

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is May 6

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day (Awareness Day) is a day for everyone to promote positive youth development, resilience, recovery, and the transformation of mental health services delivery for children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. This year’s observance focuses on early childhood and includes events, youth demonstrations, and social networking campaigns nationwide to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and increase understanding of the mental health needs of children and their families. It’s sponsored by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More

Free Webinar Trainings Available

Webinars are Web-based seminars, and they are a convenient way to provide information and training to people at home, at work, or anywhere there’s a computer with an Internet connection. PACER Center’s archived Webinars deal with helpful topics such as using digital books to help struggling readers, addressing early childhood and cultural diversity, and—if you’re new to Webinars—even how to attend one. More

Publications

Now available in Spanish! “A Guide for Minnesota Parents to the Individualized Education Program” (IEP)

This booklet helps parents work with schools to address each child's special needs through understanding the required components of the IEP. It includes examples from the Minnesota state recommended form. 2010. One copy is free to Minnesota parents of children with disabilities. For others, it’s $3 per copy; $2 each for 10 or more copies. Order item PHP-a12s.

New Brochure! “Minnesota Due Process Options”

This new brochure offers parents information on options for resolving differences through the special education process in Minnesota. 2010. It’s free. Order item php-a25.

Updated! “Parent Centers Helping Families: Outcome Data 2008-2009”

This booklet includes data collected and compiled by the ALLIANCE National Parent Technical Assistance Center about the numbers of people served by the nation’s Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs). 2010. One copy is free to Minnesota parents of children with disabilities. For others, it’s $8.50. Order item ALL-30.

Updated! “Why Parent Centers? Why Technical Assistance?”

This booklet explains how Parent Centers serve families and how the National and Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers serve the nation’s 100 Parent Centers. Data on Parent Center effectiveness and contact information is included. 2010. One copy is free to Minnesota parents of children with disabilities. For others, it’s $3.50 per copy; $2 each for 10 or more copies. Order item ALL-1.

Programs and Resources

PACER Center is a Minnesota nonprofit organization that provides services to families of children and young adults with any disability. More