Features
PACER’s Day at the Minnesota Capitol
“Be a Champion for Children with Disabilities!”
Thursday, March 5, 2019, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: State Office Building, Room 400 S
Parents of children with disabilities have important stories to share that can impact systems change and improve outcomes for students. PACER Day at the Capitol participants will learn about issues at the State Capitol impacting students with disabilities followed by the opportunity to meet individually with your legislators.
Training participants will receive a briefing on any proposed legislation related to children with disabilities so you are prepared to meet with legislators. Assistance will be available so you feel prepared to tell your story in an effective way. PACER will work with all registrants to schedule appointments for you to meet with your legislators.
Schedule:
- 8:30: Registration
- 9:00: Legislative Briefing
- 10:00 - 4:00:
- Individual meetings will be scheduled
(you will be notified of your appointment time in advance) - time to prepare personal stories
- opportunity to visit committee hearings at the Capitol
- Individual meetings will be scheduled
A light lunch will be provided.
Space is limited. Registration is required.
Smokey Robinson
Performing at PACER’s Annual Benefit
Saturday, April 25, 2020
PACER guests will spend the evening of April 25 being entertained by Motown co-founder Smokey Robinson, who has been called “the reigning genius of Top 40” and “America’s greatest living songwriter.“ He is best known for more than 30 chart-topping hits, including “Tears of a Clown,” “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” and “I Second That Emotion,” all performed in his amazing high tenor voice.
This spectacular evening celebrates PACER’s work on behalf of families of children with disabilities and all students who are bullied.
Teen Inspired Posters
Through a partnership with Instagram, a free 3-poster series designed from ideas inspired by teens, is now available.
College Options for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Explore helpful information from PACER Center and Think College about inclusive, postsecondary education programs for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Does My Child Have an Emotional or Behavioral Disorder?
What to Look for: Among all the dilemmas facing a parent of a child with emotional or behavioral problems, the first question-whether the child's behavior is sufficiently different to require a comprehensive evaluation by professionals-may be the most troublesome of all. Even when a child exhibits negative behaviors, members of a family may not all agree on whether the behaviors are serious.
Categories / Programs
Workshops / Live Stream Events
25
Introduction to Customized Employment
Tuesday, February 25, 2020 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CST
Location: PACER Center
25
The ABCs of the IEP: Making the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Work for Your Child
Tuesday, February 25, 2020 from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM CST
Location: Duluth
27
The ABCs of the IEP: Making the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Work for Your Child
Thursday, February 27, 2020 from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM CST
Location: PACER Center
29
Hot Tips on the Individualized Education Program (IEP): Is Your Child’s IEP Individualized and Appropriate?
Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM CST
Location: PACER Center
2
Housing: Starting the Journey : How is it paid for? (Step 2)
Monday, March 2, 2020 from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM CST
Location: PACER Center
3
Assistive Technology to Support Social-Emotional Development for Young Children
Tuesday, March 3, 2020 from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM CST
Location: PACER Center
Help Support PACER & Others
Facebook Buy & Sell Group - MN Special Needs Equipment for Sale
Find equipment and assistive technology after its initial use. Items such as, communication devices, walkers, adaptive switches and toys, motorized cars (that can be adapted), adapted keyboards, etc. Join Today!
Join Survey Monkey Contribute today!
PACER is excited to announce our partnership with SurveyMonkey Contribute and a new way for anyone to support PACER programs! Sign up and you will receive surveys by e-mail from SurveyMonkey customers who need your opinion. For every survey you take, SurveyMonkey will donate $0.50 to PACER, and you'll get a chance to win $100 in an instant-win game.
In The News
So Your Kid Bullied Someone. Now What?
Posted: 8/23/2019
No parent likes to think their child could exhibit bullying behaviors toward a peer. Unfortunately, social pressures and the desire to be noticed and admired can lead some children to act in ways that are out of character and could have harmful consequences.
The important thing for parents who are dealing with a child who has displayed bullying behavior to remember is that they have the power to take action and try to stop the behavior from being repeated.
Bailey Huston, the coordinator of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center spoke with the Huffington Post for the article titled, So Your Kid Bullied Someone. Now What?, about practical steps that parents can take to talk about the seriousness of bullying with their child and help them understand that behavior is unacceptable.
With empathy and patience, parents can help their child develop an action plan and set consequences that encourage them to act with kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Huston explains that even when working toward these goals, it’s important to accept that there might be setbacks as your child modifies their behavior and learns new ways to handle feelings and conflicts. Addressing these matters with patience, love, and support is the best way to ensure long-term success.
What NOT To Say When Your Child Is Being Bullied
Posted: 8/23/2019
Knowing the right way to respond when your child says that they’ve been experiencing bullying can be difficult for any parent. In the past, conventional wisdom has led some parents to give their children advice that can cause more problems in the future. Responses like “just ignore it” or “toughen up” can lead to lasting negative effects for children.
In an article for the Huffington Post, Bailey Huston—the coordinator of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center—walks through what parents should avoid saying to a child who is experiencing bullying. Rather than focus on the child’s need to overpower bullying behavior on their own, Huston recommends that parents take a more supportive and proactive approach.
Children often experience negative emotions like insecurity, fear, and helplessness when they are subjected to bullying. When parents tell a child to buck up and face the bullying on their own, or that the child is being too sensitive about bullying behavior, these isolating feelings can be become overwhelming.
Huston says that the best thing parents can do for a child going through a bullying situation is assure them that they are not alone. Working with your child to develop an action plan to prevent the bullying from happening again is a concrete way to show that support and helps the child gain confidence.
The Beach Boys Make a Splash at PACER’s 37th Annual Benefit
Posted: 5/30/2019
On Saturday, May 11, PACER Center hosted its Annual Benefit featuring an iconic live performance from The Beach Boys. Guests were on their feet and tossing beach balls for one of the most exciting Benefit performances yet!
Before the performance, guests perused and bid on around 2,000 items in PACER’s legendary silent auction. For the first time ever, the silent auction featured mobile bidding, allowing guests to easily find, track, and bid on their favorite items from the convenience of a smartphone.
WCCO-TV’s Frank Vascellaro was back again to act as auctioneer for the live auction in the concert hall. Audience members leapt to place bids on spectacular packages, including a VIP trip for four to Disneyworld and a week-long stay at a secluded villa in idyllic Bucerias, Mexico.
The Benefit’s emcee was none other than Andrew Zimmern, celebrity chef, TV personality, writer, and a dear friend of PACER. Zimmern introduced an inspiring video for PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, announced the winner of this year’s Otto Bremer Award, honored PACER’s executive director, Paula Goldberg, and the hardworking staff and volunteers who made the night possible, and readied the crowd for The Beach Boys.
Check out the Star Tribune’s coverage of this year’s PACER Annual Benefit in Scene + Heard.
The National Bullying Prevention Center’s 5th Annual Unity Awards is May 22
Posted: 5/14/2019
Bullying is an issue that no child should ever have to endure. Fortunately, there are people who care and are work toward making our schools, communities, and the web kinder, more accepting places. PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center is proud to host the 5th Annual Unity Awards on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at PACER Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, to recognize those who do this important work.
The Unity Awards ceremony, first held in 2015, is an evening of celebration to gather and recognize those who are helping to create a world without bullying—whether it’s building awareness of bullying prevention, inspiring and empowering others to take positive action, or advocating for those who need support.
Nominations come in from around the country and have included teachers who have touched the lives of students, individuals or groups who have been active in their communities, and those who simply made someone feel that they were not alone.
The Unity Awards are presented by The Faces of Change, the Youth Advisory Boards of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. These inspiring young people are encouraging their generation to increase kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Their goal is to promote bullying prevention and inspire students to support one another. Their work exemplifies how student involvement can create positive change that results in stronger relationships, safer schools, and more supportive communities.