[Kids Together email newsletter] October 2007
- From: "Kids Together" <staff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <ktnewsletter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:03:38 -0400
Kids Together Email Newsletter
"promoting inclusive communities where all people belong"
October 2007 Newsletter
Please notify us to receive this newsletter in text only.
This list consists of over 3000 people (and growing!)
Suggestions for newsletter items are welcome!
"If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help
make the world safe for diversity."
~ John F. Kennedy ~
Get Ready to Celebrate Inclusion!
Inclusive Schools Week! December 3rd-7th
http://www.inclusiveschools.org
Go to http://www.inclusiveschools.org/kit.asp to find
materials that will provide ample ideas to assist you in planning for Inclusive
Schools Week, including publications that speak to the benefits of inclusive
schools, a lengthy list of celebration ideas and lesson plans, and materials to
use in promoting the Week and inclusive practices in your community
In Pennsylvania all schools were sent "Welcome All"
packets of posters and booklets to share lesson plans and resources regarding
inclusive practices. You should see a "Welcome All" poster in every school
building, if not, please write to staff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx so we can organize a
list of schools. Download and print out the letter from the state Secretary of
Education, Gerald Zahorchak, sent to every superintendent in the state at
http://www.kidstogether.org/welcomeltr.pdf This letter directs superintendents
to ask "each" building principal to place the posters in a prominent area where
they will receive maximum exposure, take it with you to talk with them, or
contact the state. Keep inclusion moving!
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Moving Forward with Technology
Free Webinars
Don Johnston
http://www.donjohnston.com/prof_services/VIP.html
The Moving Forward with Technology Webinar Series is an
outreach collaboration between Don Johnston Incorporated and the Center for
Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd), a project funded by the U.S.
Department of Education. This webinar series delivers key information about
implementing technology in education. Sessions are presented live and online by
national leaders in the field. October - NIMAS: Implementation Issues and
Solutions. November/ December - Differentiating Instruction with Technology.
January - Technology Decision Makers Hold Keys to Successful Implementation.
February - The Role of Technology in Response to Intervention (RtI). March -
Finding the Technology that Supports Reading, Math and Writing Instruction.
April - The Assistive Technology Planner: A Guide for Implementing AT. May -
Evaluating Your Technology Implementation Program.
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Free Access to Books
Bookshare.org
http://www,bookshare.org
Incredible news! The Office of Special Education Programs
of the U.S. federal Department of Education made a major five-year award of $32
million to Bookshare.org. This will further the objectives of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), by supplying high quality textbooks and
educational materials to students with special needs.
This funding is to fully support all schools and students
26 years and under with qualifying print disabilities in the United States,
K-12 and post-secondary, with access to the entire Bookshare.org collection of
accessible electronic books and to software for reading those books. As of
October 1, 2007, Bookshare.org will cease charging these schools and students
anything to join Bookshare.org as members.
Bookshare is expecting to add 100,000 new educational books
and materials to their existing collection of over 34,000 titles in high
quality DAISY and Braille formats over the next five years, getting students
the terrific quality textbooks they need for academic success!
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In Pennsylvania
Your Help is Needed to Get Paraprofessionals Qualified!
Chapter 14 regulations need your comments now! Urgent!
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/stateboard_ed/cwp/view.asp?a=3&Q=127165
Chapter 14 regulations are Pennsylvania's regulations of
special education services and programs. While many positive changes were
included in revisions since the original draft, advocates are encouraged to
read the proposed version and continue to send comments to the State Board
supporting positive outcomes and supports for students with disabilities. Send
them this week!!!
The best way to ensure the positive changes remain in the
regulations is to send comments! Send your stories of what has happened because
of paras being untrained. The decisions to raise the qualifications from only a
high school diploma and criminal background check to 2 years of higher
education can be based on the number of people they hear from. Even if you
don't have a compelling story, simply write that you support the 2 years of
higher education requirement.
The State Board of Education needs to hear from many
families very quickly about the critical need for paraprofessionals to have
higher qualifications. We all know that aides can make or break the student's
success. Without proper educations and skills they.can inhibit progress and add
to behavior issues. Rarely are adequate supervision or training provided. The
children need this!
Send your comments today!
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
333 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Voice: 717-787-3787
E-Mail 00statbd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you can attend, there is a committee meeting on
Thursday, November 1, 2007 beginning at 10:00 a.m. in Heritage Room B, Lobby
Level, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA. The purpose is to discuss revisions
to Chapter 14. Chapter 16 will not be discussed at this meeting.
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In Pennsylvania
Institute on Disabilities at Temple University
Calendar of events
http://disabilities.temple.edu/cal/index.htm
The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University is
providing a series of Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking
(C2P2) courses on Inclusive education and on Transition. The Pennsylvania's
Initiative on Assistive Technology is facilitating one-day trainings across the
state on The Telecommunication Device Distribution Program (TDDP). Also listed
in the events are The Mini Course Series on Transition for November 8th & 9th.
Visit this page often for trainings that are researched based and best practice.
Don't miss the upgraded lending library now with pictures,
descriptions, and similar items
http://www.temple.edu/instituteondisabilities/programs/assistive/atlend/
Information and registration forms for events are available
online as a PDF and a Word Documents.
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http://www.active.com/donate/freetobreathephilly/advocate
Sponsors are needed to help raise funds for awareness,
education and research on lung cancer, and to show support for one our great
advocates! The Free to Breathe 5k will be held Nov 4th. Consider being a
sponsor, your pledge is tax deductible and goes to a great cause!
Did you know that in the last decade there has been an
increase in the number of young, healthy, non-smoking women with lung cancer?
Did you know that more Americans are effected each year from lung cancer than
from breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers COMBINED?
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The Parent Side (tm)
T-shirts, cards, magnets mugs, stickers & more!
It's a campaign for inclusion and against exclusion!
http://www.theparentside.com
Keep The Parent Side #1 in the top 100!!!!
Help keep The Parent Side #1 of the top 100 stores on the
"Fun T-shirts Top 100 Shops" website. How cool to have a disabilities rights
shop at the top! Get your family and friends to help vote! Use the this link
http://funtshirts.top-site-list.com/vote182.html or follow the link from The
Parent Side
Featured Design
HAPPINESS IS BEING INCLUDED!
New design on a large variety of products, including black
and dark tees. Makes a great gift for students, friends, parents or teachers!
http://www.cafepress.com/theparentside/3241569
(note - graphics are clear on products. All graphics are
copyrighted)
Diversity! A colorful fun design features ten young
teenagers holding cards that spell out "DIVERSITY". Each person has a different
color shirt with letters spelling out diversity. Various differences are
clearly depicted, such as a person who uses a wheelchair, race and religion.
There are also other subtle differences. The words "Living", "Learning",
"Playing" and "Working Together" appear under the people, or within a border
depending on the item. .
Link: http://www.cafepress.com/theparentside/2835077
Get It Your Way!
If you want a t-shirt with a certain design on the front
(small or big) and another design on the back (small or big), or the same
design on both sides and it doesn't appear in the store, drop me a line!
If you haven't visited in a while, check out the new
products and lots of designs!!!! Don't forget to vote for theparentside.com As
always, comments, suggestions or questions are welcomed.
info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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.
Resources are listed for general information purposes only
Kids Together does not endorse products, services, or
provide any legal advice
Kids Together, Inc. is an all-volunteer non-profit 501(c)3
organization
We support the belief that children with disabilities, like
all children,
have the need to be welcomed, cherished and embraced in our
communities.
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