Accessing Your Child’s Records
Provides parents with information regarding their rights to access
their children’s school records, correct and/or remove misinformation,
and restrict access of professionals and others to those records without
parental consent.
Basic Rights in Special Education
Provides families with an introduction to their rights and
responsibilities as parents of children with special needs under the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the New Jersey Code,
and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. Parents learn to
identify their dreams and goals for their children, and learn laws and
advocacy strategies that will help them help their children reach those
goals. Parents of classified children and children who are having
difficulty in school but may not be classified benefit from this
training.
Bilingual and Immigrant Student
and Family Rights
Provides families with information on the rights of bilingual/limited
English proficient and immigrant students and families, including the
right to access appropriate services, non-discrimination requirements,
and strategies for involvement of immigrant and limited English
proficient families.
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Challenging Behaviors
Concentrates on how to use positive techniques to understand
challenging behaviors and establishing an environment that encourages
desirable behavior in children.
Character Education
Families and schools have a profound effect on their children’s
character development. This workshop will explore character education
and offer practical ways in which they assist in their child’s moral
and social development.
Child Care and Anti-Discrimination
Laws
This workshop for parents and child care providers summarizes the
non-discrimination and reasonable accommodation requirements of the
Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Vocational
Rehabilitation Act, and provides tools and resource information to
ensure that these anti-discrimination laws are applied to protect
children with disabilities and special health needs in all child care
settings.
Communicating with Your Child’s Teacher
Participants will learn different ways for communicating with their
child’s teacher. These strategies are designed to create a
two-way communication in which parents and teachers can keep each other
informed of the child’s academic and social well-being.
Conflict Resolution
Defines parents’ due process rights and ways to resolve conflicts,
emphasizing working through the ranks to resolve conflict as close to
the source as possible. It is designed not only for parents who are
experiencing serious communication breakdown, but also for those
perceiving initial problems.
Creating Family Friendly Schools
Schools, districts and parent organizations can choose any
combination of the twelve available training modules to examine their
current parent involvement policies and practices and begin to build a
culture of continuous, sustained effective family involvement that can
greatly contribute to student achievement and success in school. The
training focuses on creating an awareness of existing cultural
differences and strategies educators can use for improving and
developing more effective school-family partnerships. Much of the
content involves experiential learning, which actively engages people in
their own learning and connects their own experience to new subject
matter.
Creating Positive School Environments
Helps parents and professionals understand the factors that
contribute to positive school environments. Strategies for evaluating
and improving school climate are discussed, and examples of the impact
of those strategies are provided.
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Developing an IEP (Individualized Education
Program) for Achievement
Families are introduced to their role in developing and implementing
an effective Individualized Education Program for their children with
special needs. This workshop provides a step-by-step overview of the IEP
process and demonstrates how families can participate as equal partners
in that process. Useful parent tools including the Positive Student
Profile and the IEP worksheet are disseminated. Families also learn
about the federal requirements for IEPs, and the mandate that they
participate as equal partners in IEP development.
Developing School Compacts for
Learning Under No Child Left Behind
Leads parents and professional team through the steps of building and
implementing a School Compact for Learning, as required by the No Child
Left Behind Act. Tailored to the needs of the school, these facilitated
sessions provide information, strategies, examples, and checklists to
help parents, educators, and community members develop effective,
workable compacts that can improve your school, increase family
involvement, and increase student skills and achievement.
Discipline: Process and Substance
Children do not lose their constitutional rights when they walk
through the schoolhouse door. This workshop summarizes the rights of
children with and without disabilities in the area of discipline. What
can administrators do? What are the limits on their authority? What are
some alternatives to out-of-school suspension? When and before whom must
suspension or expulsion hearings be held?
District Self-Assessment: An
Instrument for Change
All the stakeholders, including professionals and parents, are key
players in New Jersey’s local self-assessment and have clear roles for
participation. This workshop describes the self-assessment content and
yearlong process and provides the information necessary to participate
effectively at the local district level. The results of the
self-assessment serve as a method to monitor a local district’s
compliance with federal and state requirements and can assist the
district in developing an improvement plan that sets the stage for
ongoing and continuous progress. Discover how you can be a participant
and active agent for change!
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Early Intervention: Transition to Preschool
Services
Focuses on the transition from early intervention services to the
public education system and the development of the first IEP.
Families in Early Intervention
Developed in coordination with the Regional Collaboratives for Early
Intervention. Provides an overview of the system for infants and
toddlers and their families and will include the development of the
Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP).
Family and School Collaboration:
A Cultural Perspective
Provides ways to foster culturally sensitive, culturally competent
relationships between families and schools in order to enable all
children to become fully participating and contributing members of our
communities and society at large.
Family Support
Family Support means more than providing respite care. This training
covers the Family Support Act, family-centered principles, and the role
of Regional Family Support Councils.
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Getting Started: Creating an Environment for
Inclusion to Grow
An awareness workshop presenting a vision for inclusion, clarifies
definitions and concepts, sets inclusion within the context of school
reform, and considers how effective home/school/community partnerships
benefit all students.
Helping Your Child with Homework
Parents will gain an understanding of the New Jersey Core Curriculum
Content Standards and how homework can help their child achieve them, as
well as practical strategies to assist your child at home in the
development of positive study skills, while supporting classroom
learning.
Inclusion: It’s the Law and It’s Doable
Provides the guiding principles of inclusion, information about the
laws affecting it, how children are more alike than different and where
to turn for assistance when necessary.
Inclusion/LRE (Least Restrictive
Environment)
Provides an overview of the IEP process, describes the legal
requirements for Least Restrictive Environment and stresses the value of
inclusion of children with disabilities for all children, their families
and communities.
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Making
Healthy Health Decisions
Families need information and communication skills to ensure that
their children receive appropriate health care. This workshop provides
hands-on strategies and information about the health care and insurance
systems; communicating and working with healthcare professionals; and
healthcare advocacy.
Making Inclusion Happen
Learn how to teach to individual abilities and adapt activities to
meet the needs of all children.
Making Room at the Table
This three-hour program of guided activities is designed for
families, administrators, policy makers and other key players to develop
the awareness and skills they will need to become involved in service
design and delivery, policy development, community building and
leadership training.
Making the Grade Using the New Jersey Core Curriculum
Standards
Participants will gain a better of understanding of the New Jersey
Core Curriculum Content Standards and the ways in which they can assist
their child in the development of skills critical to academic success.
Medicaid Managed Care
Provides an overview of Medicaid managed care for children and youth
with disabilities; “demystifies” managed care terms; and highlights
strategies for effective selection of providers, partnership with
providers, and participation in decision-making in health decisions
affecting children with special health care needs.
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Observing and Recording Behavior
Reviews typical child development milestones, observation strategies
and how to share this information with parents.
Parent Leadership Development
Institute: Parents/Communities as Effective
Partners in School Reform and Improvement
A series of eight workshops providing information on effective
education practices, state and federal education laws, including the
Abbott v. Burke decisions, No Child Left Behind, Title I and other state
and federal laws impacting schools. Participants will learn the
information and strategies to increase effective, informed parent
involvement in school improvement at local and state levels. Especially
geared toward preparing parents for participation on school-based
management teams.
Parent/Professional Collaboration
Partnerships take work and trust. This workshop focuses on
collaborative teaming, communication, and advocacy. Specifically
designed for parents and educators or health professionals to learn
these skills together.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
for Improving Student Outcomes
This workshop outlines ways to improve communication during
parent-teacher conferences. Suggestions are also offered to help parents
participate more effectively in parent-teacher conferences dealing with
children’s behavior and learning.
Positive Behavioral Supports
for Children with Challenging Behaviors
Provides an overview of a cycle of failure that often results for
students with behavioral challenges. Focuses on intervention with
students who exhibit challenging behaviors (e.g. aggression,
self-injury, tantrums). The emphasis on educational strategies helps
students learn alternate behaviors that can lead to long-term change.
Information on due process rights of children in the discipline process
is also provided.
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Questions Parents Ask About Schools
From preschool through high school and beyond, parents are looking
for answers to concerns - from homework to preparing for college. This
workshop is tailored to the age(s) of the children’s parents and
caregivers. Schools/districts are encouraged to work with the workshop
leader to provide answers specific to the school or district.
The Rights of Homeless Students
The federal McKinney Act provides basic protections to homeless
students and families. This workshop provides an overview of the rights
of homeless families and students in the education system, and
summarizes the obligations of school districts to provide appropriate
educational services to homeless students.
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School-to-Work
New Jersey’s Core Curriculum Content Standards require youth to
demonstrate proficiency in “cross-content workplace readiness”
skills. This workshop tells parents and professionals how to develop a
School-to-Work program to meet this goal.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act
Focuses on the right to services and accommodations for students with
disabilities and special health/emotional needs who may not be eligible
for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA)/ special education.
Social Problem-Solving: Building
Skills to Resolve Conflict
Whenever parents and professionals work together, the possibility for
conflict exists. This workshop for parents and professionals assists
participants to identify their "feelings fingerprints"
(signals of conflict), understand the steps of effective "social
problem-solving," and practice applying those steps through
role-play.
Solution Circles
This is a facilitated process for creative problem solving. Solution
Circles can make IEP meetings and other discussions between families and
schools or other institutions more productive. The method involves
understanding the essence of issues in a fair and concrete way,
exploring a variety of possible solutions, and determining steps toward
solving the problem. The emphasis is on getting solutions quickly,
rather than rehashing the problem.
SPAN Resource Parent Training
Provides 6-session program on educational issues and individual
advocacy strategies with an emphasis on special education law and
practice to prepare parents to volunteer to support and provide
technical assistance to other families.
Special Education and School Reform
The stated goal of many of today’s school reform efforts is to
raise the performance of all students; but does all really mean all?
Identify issues that arise in school reform and examine the various ways
that students with disabilities must be included in these efforts. For
parents, special educators and general educators!
Strategies for Inclusion: Making
It Happen
Planning and Implementing Inclusion in Neighborhood Schools: Learn to
plan for the inclusion of a student by developing a positive student
profile, formulating goals, and coordinating the individualized supports
for the student to fully participate in the total school community. Also
addresses staff preparation, administrative supports, and collaborative
planning techniques.
Strengthening Families Program
Family-focused behavior-oriented prevention/intervention program that
helps improve parenting skills and communication, establish clear family
rules and decrease family conflict. Includes parent skills and family
skills training components. All three components are included in each of
the fourteen sessions.
Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families and Communities
This twelve-session curriculum is a unique integration of various
prevention/intervention strategies geared toward reducing violence
against self, the family and the community. Presented within a “cultural
framework” and focused on helping parents and children enhance life
skills necessary for functioning in today’s society. Integrates
positive discipline approaches as a vehicle for fostering high
self-esteem, self-discipline and social competence in children. Parents
are provided with a mechanism to connect with community resources and
encouraged to form community action groups to address social, political
and economic issues related to the prevention of family and community
violence. Structured into five component areas: Cultural/Spiritual,
Rites of Passage, Enhancing Relationships, Positive Discipline, and
Community Involvement.
Students in Foster Care
Summarizes the general and special education rights of students in
foster care as well as those of birth and foster care parents. It
provides an overview of the responsibilities of school districts to
address the academic and other needs of children in foster care.
Supporting Academic Success
Provides helpful hints for parents on supporting their child’s
academic success at home while working with professionals to devise
plans to assist children facing academic difficulties at school.
Surrogate Parent Training
Series of comprehensive workshops provided to school districts who
have identified members of the community who are willing to advocate and
make educational decisions on behalf of children with special needs
whose parents cannot be involved. Information on education laws and
strategies for effective parent/professional collaboration that prepares
surrogate parents to be partners in the special education process on
behalf of children in need.
Surrogate Parents in Early Intervention
A special workshop provided to members of the community willing to
advocate on behalf of an infant whose parent cannot be involved in their
early intervention program planning because of death, illness, detention
in prison or other serious loss.
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There Ought To Be A Law! Parents Engaged in Public
Policy Advocacy
This two-part workshop helps parents understand their role in making
sure that legislators and other government policymakers address the
issues of children and families. After completing the workshop, parents
become part of a statewide network working on behalf of children.
Title I and No Child Left Behind
Helping Students Meet Academic Standards
Provides parents with information regarding their children’s right
to services under Title I and their right to parental involvement
regarding their individual child’s educational progress as well as the
overall Title I program of the school. Also focuses on the benefits of
schoolwide projects for overall school improvement.
Transition from School to Adult Life
Discusses issues relating to transitioning from school to adult life,
identifying outcomes and developing goals as part of the IEP process.
Parents and young adults will become knowledgeable regarding resources
in the community in order to build linkages, and ensure a dignified life
as a contributing citizen.
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Understanding ADHD
Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) represent
3-5% of America’s school-age population. They can and do succeed when
adults who work with them understand that their behaviors respond to
instruction and intervene in positive ways. This workshop has been
developed to help educate parents, teachers and others about ADHD. It
consists of areas addressing diagnosis (what it is, who can diagnose it,
services/interventions), disability categories under which a child may
qualify for services, behavior management and instructional strategies.
Using Multiple Intelligences to Help Children Learn
Each child has unique gifts and strengths that may not be identified
through traditional assessments. Learn how to identify each child’s
unique “multiple intelligences” and gain teaching strategies
designed to help bring out the best in each child.
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