AWAREness
Volume 3
July 2007
Providing parents of children with disabilities with information, training, assistance, and support
1021 Delaware Avenue
Palm Harbor, FL 34683
1-888-61-AWARE
Central Florida Parent Center is very excited to announce that we have
a new online message board and
chat room on our website!
Parents! Meet & talk with other parents of children with disabilities! On our message board, join in (anytime, day or night) on conversations with other parents about topics such as “IEP Experiences,” “Tell Us About Your Children,” and many more.
For more information about the message board, and for a chat schedule, click here.
In This Issue
Online Chat and Message Board
School Reform News
Call for Support Groups
Communicating with Your Child’s School Through Letter Writing
Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004
Florida Department of Education Offers Publications on Many Subjects
Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS)
National Disability Mentoring Day
Transition Tips for Parents
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School Reform News
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The
Heartland Institute produces five monthly publications
on budget and tax issues, environment and climate, health
care reform, information technology and telecommunications,
and school reform.
School Reform News is The Heartland Institute's national monthly outreach publication for school reformers. The June issue of School Reform News features an article regarding the fifth annual Step Up For Students rally in Tallahassee. If you have an interest in School Reform issues, look in on the Heartland site. For the full article regarding the Step Up For Students Rally, click here. |
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Are you a Support
Group leader? Are you
a member of a Support Group? Central Florida Parent Center is identifying Parent
Support Groups to
post on our website.
If you have (or know of)
a Support Group
that you would like to
add to our list, please
send contact information to candace@CFLparents.org.
Communicating with Your Child’s School Through Letter Writing
Throughout your child’s school years, there is always a need to communicate with the school’s teachers, administrators, and others concerned with your child’s education. There are also times when the school needs to communicate with you. This is particularly true when your child has a disability and is receiving special education services. Some of this communication is informal, such as phone calls, comments in your child’s notebook, a chat when picking your child up from school or at a school function. Other forms of communication are more formal and need to be written down.
For more information, and sample letters, click here.
Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.
Infants and toddlers with disabilities (birth-2) and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth (ages 3-21) receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.
Building the Legacy is a wonderful website created by the US Department of Education to help anyone interested in learning more about IDEA.
To view the Building the Legacy website, click here.
Did You Know…
The Florida Department of Education has a list of publications related to Exceptional Student Education, Early Intervention and School Readiness, Intervention and Prevention, Student Support Services, Dropout Prevention, Juvenile Justice Education, and more.
Click the above link for more info.
Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS)
FDLRS provides diagnostic and instructional support services to district exceptional student education programs and families of students with exceptionalities statewide. FDLRS supports the State education goals of high student achievement, safe schools, and high performing workforce. FDLRS activities reflect these goals and demonstrate outcomes toward accomplishing them.
To learn more about FDLRS, click here.
Florida to Host for 2007 National DMD Kickoff Event and Student Career Fair
National Disability Mentoring Day (NDMD), sponsored by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), began in 1999 as part of a White House effort to increase the profile of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, celebrated every October. It is a national partnership between the AAPD and the US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy.
Transition Tips for Parents
A truly successful and meaningful transition process is the
result of comprehensive team planning that is driven by the dreams, desires, and abilities of the youth. Such planning enhances not only the youth’s participation in school but in his or her home and community living, as well.
A transition plan provides the basic structure for preparing an individual to live, work, and play in the community, as fully and independently as possible.
As in all aspects of life, the more transition planning that takes place while still in school, the better prepared youth and their families will be when decisions need to be made and action must be taken.
For more information, click here.
“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge – myth is more potent than history – dreams are more powerful than facts – hope always triumphs over experience – laughter is the cure for grief – love is stronger than death.”
Robert Fulghum