Welcome to Informed Parents United Together! IPUT is dedicated to the full Inclusion for our Children and Adults with Disabilties in Society! IPUT is a Non-for Profit Organization and Volunteer Based!

"All Children, All Together, All The Time!" "Equal Access, Equal Treatment!"

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  IPUT Welcomes you to our new webpage!!!!
 
  IPUT News Update for 2008 and More! We will post our  IEP Buddy calendar on our main web site of
www.yahoogroups.com keyword "IPUT" please sign up if your interested in being a buddy, or someone who needs a "Buddy"...... and check out our Mom's Night out and support meeting schedule for April.  IPUT is a nation wide coalition of community partners, we all have children with special needs, some with Down Syndrome, Autism, and other related Spectrum disorders, all are welcome and we post a wealth of info both local and national on our Yahoo web groups, www.yahoogroups.com keyword IPUT.  We are dedicated to advocating for the rights of ALL PEOPLE and ending segregation on the basis of disability. We are dedicated to making social change through unifiying with community partners.

 Please check out our IEP Toolbox, and our Inclusion Links, we have links to nationwide and local Inclusion, *Universal Education* plans, programs, and more. All Children, All Together, All the Time.....
IPUT is looking to start a new IEP Buddy Program. We are inspired by other state starting their programs and think it's a great idea. We would like to volunteer to attend IEPS with each other for support, to make the process less intimidating, and to learn from each other's experiences. We think it is a great way to continue building our bridge together. If your interested please contact us at www.iput.org and click on the Contact Us Button, or at our email of IPUTTAMPABAY@iput.org!

 Please check out our IEP Toolbox, and our new links on FBA and the difference between IEP and 504 plans, our new behavior section, and more!
 
We are making some upgrades to the website this week!!!
Please check out our new page
 Our new page is called "Voice of the Public!"
 
A place to share our videos, YOU TUBE, anything you want email us IPUTTAMPABAY@IPUT.ORG!
 

  
IPUT Has 3 List Serves of our individual emails and announcements
 to join our email lists please click on the links below
 
Click below to join

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Welcome to IPUT, Informed Parents United Together INC

Advocating for Universal Education and More!

A Non For Profit Agency



Mission

At an individual local network level, we seek to educate parents

and increase their advocacy for Inclusion of children and adults

with disabilities in General Education environments.




Vision

"All Children, All Together, All the Time!"



Philosophy

As a group of networks, we seek to support each other

and to combine our voices

to advocate for the inclusion of all children who are routinely seperated

and segregated based on disability.

As a statewide coalition of networks, we seek the

fundamental changes to the education system

that are necessary if we are ever to achieve

"All Children, All Together, All the Time."

We seek to align ourselves with like-minded

organizations and to a

dvocate for the adoption of policies, legislation,

and practices that support Universal Education.

Systems change happens for all, change can not

be made one person at a time.

To make effecient systems change, we must unite

and never settle, "All Kids, All Together, All the Time!"




 

THE PRACTICES of UNIVERSAL EDUCATION-DESCRIPTIONS

There are 16 Effective Practices for Universal Education.

The Practices describe those things that are done in a learning

community in order to support Universal Education.

 

Universal Education is collobarative planning to make Inclusion Work!

 


Brief descriptions of each practice are:

1. There is Administrative Leadership. Administrators provide leadership
to create the vision for system change, and to sustain reform initiatives.




2. Supports are found in the general education classroom.
Support from specialists, para-educators, student assistants, physical therapists,
occupation therapists etc. Is provided within the general education classroom community.




3
. There is peer support and interaction. Mutually supportive social and
learning relationships are encouraged. Benevolent `helper' model is minimized.




4. Classroom composition is based on natural proportions.
Students with disabilities are members of general education
classrooms and placement is based on natural proportions (10-15%).




5. Differentiated instruction is practiced. Instruction is differentiated for
all students based on learning styles, multiple intelligences, interests and skills.




6. Authentic learning experiences are the norm. Learning takes place in
authentic, real-world settings or connections are made to real-world
examples and experiences.




7. Physical environments facilitate learning and are accessible for all.
The physical environment and provisioning of the classroom and
school invites and facilitates learning for all.




8. There is a focus on reduction of dependence on 1-1 adult support.
Individualized instruction is implemented in ways that reduces dependence
on 1-1 adult support. Independence, interdependence, and natural supports are emphasized.




9. Students are educated in age-appropriate placements and heterogeneous groupings.
All students are included in age appropriate, general education classrooms
and grouped heterogeneously for most instruction
(I.e. Limited use of needs-based grouping within the classroom).




10. Community building is fostered among students
(I.e., cooperative versus competitive practices are encouraged).




11. Students have access to accommodations and up-to-date technology.




12. All students participate in all activities.
All students participate in the same learning and extra-curricular
activities although some students may have modified goals.





13. A collaborative culture is fostered. The school climate is one that fosters
a collaborative culture which supports the meaningful involvement of
all stakeholders: the student, the family, and professionals.
This collaboration requires adequate time to plan, review and
develop skills so ALL team members can actively participate.
(Based on "Principles of Family/Professional Collaboration," Bishop, Woll and Arango 1993)




14. Transition planning occurs at all levels. It is recognized that
transition planning must occur to prepare students for transitions
from grade to grade, level to level, from preschool through post-secondary school.




15. Positive Behavior Support (PBS) strategies are implemented.
PBS strategies and plans are implemented school-wide, in the classroom,
and for individuals. PBS plans are based on functional assessments
and interventions that focus on ecological changes and the learning
of new skills. Bribes and threats of punishment are to be avoided.




16. Meaningful evaluation of progress is made. It is timely and continuous
and addresses individual student progress, school-wide achievement,
and overall program effectiveness.



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IPUT is a TOTALLY FREE VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION

NON FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION!

We do not accept ad sales, or take any money

for our free services!

We are here to educate and advocate!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Thank You To Everyone who came out to see IPUT presents

Dr. Jill England's Universal Education Forum!!!

See below for the printable link of the handout

Dr. England handed out that this a great information source for Inclusion!

For more information on Universal Education and Dr.Jill England

For more info please go to

www.everyonetogether.org 

Click here for the 35 page PDF of this handout on Inclusive Education...
           /Documents/Dr. Jill England Handout from the Universal Education Forum.pdf


Another great Universal Education Guide

 http://www.fddc.org/council/FDDC_UnivEd4.pdf


Great Resource for Inclusive Environments
/Documents/Least Dangerous Assumption.pdf


Local Support Group and Upcoming Events

 

 

Special Students of Hernando County

www.specialstudentsofhernando.com

We are a support group for parents with children that have, or are suspected of having,
any learning disability, developmental disability, or other medical / learning

impairment that interferes with their educational experience.
Does your child need special services in their educational environment?

Are they on an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), a 504 Plan,

or are you working towards one?
Our goal is to share resources, understand the laws that protect

our children in school, and to keep on top of the best tools to help

 our children succeed in their education!
All parents, caregivers, and professionals are welcome!
Email:
Nikki Pierce at
info@specialstudentsofhernando.com

352-584-5512

 

 

Hernando County Autism Walk

Take a walk for autism awareness

Walkers and donations are needed for the first Autism Awareness Walk, slated for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 19 at Central High School, 14075 Ken Austin Parkway. The event, organized by the Hernando Autism Parenting and Personal Experience Network, will include food, games and a silent auction. Donations of $100 or more will put a company or individual's name on the event T-shirt. Donations of items for the silent auction are needed. Walkers who donate at least $10 will receive an event T-shirt. Funds raised will allow autistic children to attend inclusion camps this summer. Call 346-2081, send e-mail to
hernandoautismwalk@yahoo.com

 or visit www.specialstudentsofhernando.com

 

 

'Moms Night Out' For Parents Of Kids With Disabilities
By LINNEA BROWN

Hernando Today
Published: April 11, 2008
SPRING HILL - Gina Hammons vividly remembers the initial feeling of devastation when her child was diagnosed with autism a decade ago.
It was the death of a dream.
"It's a death of your perception of parenting and what your child's life is going

to be like," the Spring Hill resident said, whose son is now 13.
But slowly she began talking to other parents of kids with disabilities,

and her world brightened.
"It makes such a difference for someone whose child has just been diagnosed

to have another mom that's been there, telling them everything is going to be OK,"

Hammons said.
Now, Hammons wants to make sure local parents of children with disabilities

 have the same opportunity to network with others.
From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, Hammons will host a "Mom's Night Out"

at Applebee's Neighborhood Grill in Brooksville.
It will mark the first Hernando County event of behalf of Informed Parents

 Uniting Together, the nonprofit support organization Hammons started in Hillsborough County seven years ago.
The group aims to share information on upcoming trainings, educational updates

and more for children and adults with disabilities.
"It's like building a bridge," Hammons said. "Just getting to talk to other parents

who are going through the same things (such as) toilet training and hearing

'It will happen' makes such a difference."
A volunteer parent advocate, Hammons initially started the group in her family room in Tampa - where the family lived until recently - when her son was 6 years old.
"I just wanted to see what was out there, to see if (everything we were going through) was normal and to see if anyone else understood how I felt," she said.
Hammons created a simple "one-stop shop" Web site as a support resource for other parents, and it soon gained national momentum. It now averages 2,700 hits per month, she said.
With the motto of "All children, all together, all the time," the organization also seeks to advocate for inclusion of children throughout the state's education system who are routinely separated from other children based on their disabilities.
Hammons said her son, Ethan, developed autism after an extreme reaction to a vaccine left him unable to speak or walk. Through the hard work of teachers and therapists, her son now uses a texting device to communicate in school.
"He's nonverbal, but still manages to be the funniest, most sarcastic sixth-grader that they have at school," she said. "He's come so far."
Ethan still attends school in Hillsborough County, where Hammons has been hosting weekly IPUT get-togethers for years.
Hammons hopes to develop the same strong group presence in Hernando.
"I'm so excited to meet some Hernando parents," she said. "I'm hoping to get at least 10 people (at Thursday's event), but I'd be thrilled to find two."
She and her husband, Doug, also have a 10-year-old daughter, Bailey, set to enter the district's centralized gifted program next year at Explorer K-8 in Spring Hill.
Applebee's is located at 20090 Cortez Blvd. in Brooksville. For more information, call Hammons at 352-683-9994 or go to
www.iput.org



SPARC 2008 (www.standadvocates.org)

"It’s Going to be Great!"
Saturday, September 20,2008
8:00am - 4:00pm
Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School
Largo, Florida
Registration opens April 15,2008. The $25.00 registration fee includes admission

 to the Best Conference in Pinellas County, T-Shirt, Conference Bag, Hot Lunch,

and a delicious afternoon surprise!!!! There will be NO childcare provided,

those under 16 are asked to be left at home for the day.
We have new presenters and new exhibitors signed up this year!!!

Watch for updates on the website and regular e-mails.

The presenter schedule should be posted by May 15, 2008.
Click the SPARC tab for Exhibitors forms

FRIENDS-Support, a Down syndrome family support group.

FRIENDS is an acronym for Friends Raising, Inspiring, Educating and Nurturing Down Syndrome. The group meets from 7 to 9 p.m. the first Friday of each month at the Brandon Community Center, 502 E. Sadie St.
www.friends-support.org

 

 

Autism H.A.P.P.E.N"
The Hernando Autism Parenting and Personal Experience Network will be meeting on the 3rd Wednesday of every month to discuss a different topic pertaining to Autism Spectrum Disorder. Grandparents, as well as parents of children who have yet to receive a diagnosis are welcome to join the discussions.
Location:
Pediatric Therapy Works
Time:
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Please note that there is no childcare, however, the meetings are free of charge.
For more information, and to register, please contact Leslie Bolen at (352) 683-0209 or email
HernandoAutism@aol.com


VALRICO (Brandon Area)
Concerned Parents Of Autistic Children - Monthly Meetings are designed to support parents raising children with diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum.
Last Sun. 3pm - 5pm, Free,
Natures Health Foods, Dr. Moursi by email to: hmoursi@hotmail.com, or call 813-643-9393. On the web at
www.cpoac.org

 

__________

 

 

 

10th Annual Family Cafe Conference

The Family Cafe Annual Conference is a statewide event designed to meet the informational and networking needs of individuals with disabilities or special health care needs and their families. The Annual Conference provides a truly unique environment, where Floridians can attend educational breakout sessions relevant to their specific needs, interact with government policy makers, network with other families and learn about the wide range of services available to them. The Family Cafe is committed to the belief that better informed individuals make better decisions for themselves, and The Annual Conference is our way of putting that belief into action.

The 10th Annual Family Cafe Conference is scheduled for June 13-15, 2008 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, FL. Registration is currently open, and can be completed online here. To contact the conference hotel, please call 407/939-1020. 
 http://www.familycafe.net/FCregistration08/


The Family Cafe Annual Conference is made possible through the support of a wide range of public and private entities. Those funding our efforts include include The Able Trust, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Delmarva Foundation, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), the Florida Association of Broadcasters, the Florida Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC), the Florida Division of Blind Services, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), the Florida Inclusion Network, Florida Institute for Family Involvement (FIFI), Florida KidCare, Independence Technology, a Johnson & Johnson Company, McDonald Training Center, Inc., The Mentor Network, Miami Children's Hospital, The Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida, Publix Super Markets Charities, The Rocco Gerolmo Foundation, SeaWorld, the Wachovia Foundation, Walt Disney World Resorts and WellCare.


_____________________

 

 

Hillsborough County Schools!!!!

Curriculum and Instruction
Action Item

DATE: Tuesday, April 15, 2008
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent
Click below for Proclomation!
Click here: 
/Documents/autism proclomation.pdf
SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS
Adoption of Proclamation - “Autism Spectrum Disorders Awareness Month” - April 2008 (Curriculum and Instruction Division)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


We request the School Board adopt the attached proclamation designating the month of April 2008 as “Autism Spectrum Disorders Awareness Month” in Hillsborough District schools.

The district currently serves over 700 students on the Autism Spectrum through our Exceptional Student Education and General Education programs.

The Department of Exceptional Student Education provides students with Autism Spectrum Disorders the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to reach their potential. The goal of the district is to provide equal opportunities for the education of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the least restrictive environment and to offer a range of placement options to meet their needs. The district is proud of the dedication of our teachers and the ongoing support of our families.

ANNUAL DISTRICT GOAL(S) AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S)

All District Goals and Critical Success Factors

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

This agenda has no additional cost to the district.

EVALUATION
SUBMITTED BY: Glenda Koshy, Supervisor, Autism Spectrum Disorders

Wynne A. Tye
Michael A. Grego, Ed.D.

General Director, Exceptional Student Education
(813) 273-7025
Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction
(813) 272-4221
C 3
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20080415_291 * Section C Item# 3


----------------------

 

 

A touching video regarding inclusion for students with disabilities,
including one with ASD.

http://www.includin gsamuel.com/ preview/
*View this video with
subtitles
*Including Samuel is built on the efforts of Dan Habib and his family to
include Samuel, 7, in all facets of school and community. Including
Samuelalso features four other families with varied inclusion
experiences, plus
interviews with dozens of teachers, young people, parents and disability
rights experts.*
* **Note: Adobe Flash is required to view the video, which can be downloaded
at adobe.com




Blind boy, 8, wins in court
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
By Pete McCarthy
pmccarthy@sjnewsco.com

MANTUA TWP. Eight-year-old Brian Howard, who has been blind since
birth, won a key court battle Tuesday that will allow him to return
to Centre City School immediately.

Since the start of the school year, Brian's parents, Michael and
Michelle Howard, have kept their son home because the district was
planning to move him to another school.

"The court has acknowledged what we have been saying all along that
Brian deserves to be educated at Centre City School," family attorney
Christopher Manganello said. "It is regrettable that it took a court
order to force the district to do what it should have done all
along."

A judge ruled Tuesday that the district had no right to move Brian to
another school, which the family considered a more restrictive
setting.

The parents argued the district should have tried to Braille Brian's
books and classwork so he could continue at his school.

"We're just happy that Brian can finally start to get the education
that he has missed for the past two months," Michael Howard said in a
prepared statement. "But we have to ask, Why did we have to hire a
lawyer to get it done?'"

The ruling means that Brian will resume classes at Centre City School
today, according to Manganello. Brian, who is the only blind school
in the district, will be entering the third grade.

"This case is about more than Brian," Manganello said. "It's about
holding school districts accountable for educating its special
education students, and not casting them aside."

Still unresolved are truancy charges the district filed against the
parents for not sending their son to school this year. The Howards
said their son was being taught by a private tutor who they paid for
out-of-pocket since the start of the school year.

A court date to resolve those charges is scheduled for Nov. 13 in
Mantua Township Municipal Court.

Manganello said he expected the case to be dismissed in light of the
judge's ruling.

If not, Manganello said, he would prepare a lawsuit against the
district, he said.

"I'm sick of the district pushing my clients around," Manganello
said.

A call to Superintendent Steven Crispin after hours Tuesday was not
immediately returned. Previously, Crispin declined to comment
specifically on the matter, but called it "unfortunate. "
 


Advocacy Agency Tells Appeals Court New Segregated School Is Illegal
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
November 14, 2007

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS--Disability Rights Wisconsin, the state's federally-mandated protection and advocacy system, argued Friday that the development of a larger facility to replace the current Lakeland School violates the constitutional rights of students with disabilities.

A three member panel of the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago heard DRW's arguments that Walworth County's ongoing construction of the "self-contained" facility goes against the Americans with Disabilities Act because it would further segregate the children from their peers that do not have disabilities.

DRW filed suit against the county in June 2006 after the board voted to set aside $22 million to replace the 1950s era facility, which serves about 250 such students.

The county argued that no child has been forced to attend Lakeland, and that the school needs to remain an option for some students with disabilities.

A U.S. District Court judge in Milwaukee later dismissed the suit, saying that DRW failed to present anyone who was injured by the specialized, segregated school.

Jeffrey Spitzer-Resnick, a managing attorney with DRW's schools and civil rights team, told The Week Extra that he now has parents that claim they were harmed because they were not given a choice in their children's education.

While the panel considers Friday's arguments, the county is still moving ahead with construction of the new facility.

Oral arguments in Disability Rights Wisconsin v. Walworth County are available in an audio MP3 file.

Related:
Appeals court hears Lakeland School case" (The Week Extra)
http://www.theweekextra.com/news/1107/111307lakeland.html


Audio: Oral arguments in Disability Rights WI v. Walworth Co (Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/07/red/1114a.htm



 


Parents, Teachers, And Parents Support School Board's Inclusion Plan
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express

December 6, 2006

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA--"It's going to make the world better for all of us."

That quote is from Palm Beach County School Board member Sandra Richmond,

talking Wednesday about her district's plan to include all 24,000 students with

disabilities in regular classrooms in all of its 161 public schools.

Principals, teachers, and parents attended the board meeting to talk

about how inclusive education has worked for them and to praise the

board for taking that important step toward full inclusion, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

Carol Blarcharski, the principal at Loggers Run Middle School, said that regular

and special education students have improved dramatically on the

Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test and on meeting grade level requirements in the year

since her school decided to eliminate separate special education classrooms

and move special education teachers through the regular classes during the day.

The behavior of students with disabilities has also improved, thanks to peer pressure,

Blarcharski told the board.

"Sometimes they would act out in a special education class because they
thought they could get away with it,"

she said. "In middle school, it's about looking good for your peers, so now they have

role models in their friends who are working hard and trying to learn."

Sue Davis-Killian explained how her daughter Lisa, who has Down syndrome,

immediately excelled in a regular classroom.

"I tried to teach Lisa to write her name before kindergarten and she couldn't.

But kids in kindergarten write their name on the top of their papers several times day," she said.

"By the end of September, Lisa was writing her first name.

By Christmas, she was writing her first and last name."

Related:
"Palm Beach School district wants students with disabilities in regular classrooms" (Sun-Sentinel)

 

 


 

Schools must mainstream more students
Thursday, June 28, 2007

By KATHLEEN CARROLL
STAFF WRITER

Four leading child advocate groups sued the state Department of
Education on Wednesday, claiming it is denying thousands of special-
education students the right to be taught in regular classrooms.

The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Newark and
highlights the struggles of a Clifton 10-year-old, criticizes the
state for teaching too many students in separate classrooms and
schools. Federal law requires that schools provide students with
special needs the "least restrictive environment" for learning when
possible.

But the state isn't enforcing the rules, the suit claims. About 10
percent of special-education students are taught in separate settings
in New Jersey -- by far the highest in the nation and almost triple
the national average of about 4 percent. In addition, many
neighborhood schools lack accommodations to help special-needs
students succeed there, advocates say.

"Countless children with disabilities in New Jersey have been
unnecessarily segregated," said lead attorney David L. Harris of
Lowenstein Sandler in Roseland. The state's current special-education
plan "holds little promise for redressing this situation within the
educational lifetime of today's students."

State education officials declined to comment specifically on the
suit Wednesday, saying they had not reviewed it thoroughly.

"We have taken action to address out-of-district placement,"
spokesman Jon Zlock said, recalling Governor Corzine's recent $19.5
million grant program to help districts expand services for special-
needs students in regular schools.

The federal lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs New Jersey Protection and
Advocacy, the Education Law Center, the Statewide Parent Advocacy
Network and the ARC of New Jersey on behalf of the families they
counsel.

Advocates presented the state with a draft filing six months ago, in
the hopes of forcing intensive monitoring and enforcement, said
Joseph Young, deputy director of New Jersey Protection and Advocacy.
The groups filed suit when officials did not promise the desired
actions. The suit echoes similar complaints in Pennsylvania and
Illinois, Young said.

The groups are seeking a comprehensive plan "so that standards are
set on specific timelines and there's a way of rewarding or
sanctioning districts," he said. Thus far, the state has offered
incentives to promote inclusion, but not punishments for districts
that fall short, he said.

Lisa Guglielmini of Clifton, whose daughter is one of five students
mentioned as a case study in the suit, said she agreed to take part
so "that other children won't have to wait as long as my daughter to
get what they need."

Her 10-year-old daughter, identified as T.G., struggles with reading
but performs normally on state tests in other subjects. She has
bounced between regular and special-education classrooms over the
years, but both placements have proved too extreme, Guglielmini said.

In a regular class, she struggled to keep up, while one-on-one
tutoring was sporadic and ineffective, Guglielmini said. In special-
education classrooms, she was isolated from most of her peers and
fell behind in math and science because instruction was too slow.

"They should have something that's in between," said Guglielmini, who
said district officials recently granted her request for summer
tutoring and a one-on-one aide next year.

In an interview Wednesday, Clifton Superintendent Michael Rice said
he had not seen the complaint, which does not identify the student's
district or school.

"We look forward to reading the document," he said, "and to the
extent that there is something we can address to better the education
of this child, we certainly want to do so."


 

A Special Test
By TONY MARRERO lmarrero@hernandotoday.com
Published: Sep 2, 2007
BROOKSVILLE — In a corner classroom at West Hernando Middle School last week, some of the county’s most

challenged students took a swing at an old favorite.
“Take me out to the baaaallll game... Take me out with the crowwwwd...”
One boy screamed the lyrics. Another beat so furiously on a drum that a teacher had to remind him

to take it easy. A girl jumped up and down as she slapped a tambourine, smiling widely all the while.
Others didn’t participate at all.
In the corner of the room, another teacher tended to a girl lying prone in a hospital bed.
Another boy sat at a desk, looking down with a pained look on his face and his fingers in his ears.
“Sensory overload,” principal Joe Clifford explains to a visitor. The fingers, Clifford said, are

 a way to cope with the din of his boisterous classmates.
“And it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out at the old...ball...gaaaaame!”
It’s a typical seen at a school where teachers work with about 50 of the lowest-functioning students

 in the school district. The children don’t know it, but they are the focus of an intense effort by Clifford

and district officials to get what he calls a fair shake for his school.
They may be on his last strike.
The U.S. Department of Education has denied an appeal to rework an equation that determines

whether schools such as West Hernando have made adequate yearly progress or AYP, under the federal

No Child Left Behind Act.
The school now faces federal sanctions.
Clifford argues his school would have met the goals if officials would take a fairer and

more logical approach to the calculations.
He has asked U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite to intervene. The Brooksville Repub-lican has agreed.
“Our kids and staff have worked exceptionally hard and I’m not going to lay back and accept

some bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo,” Clifford said. “I’m not going to go away.”
‘Still battling’
Not every student takes the FCAT.
In the past, School districts have been able to choose how to gauge the progress of those with the

 most severe physical and cognitive challenges such as autism, cerebral palsy and very low IQs.
West Hernando Middle, on Ken Austin Parkway, is a “center” school, pulling special needs students

from throughout the county. About 25 of its students are at the lowest level, the so-called “participatory” tier.
The Hernando school district and others throughout the state used the Florida Alternative Assessment Report

to test those children.
The U.S. Department of Education, however, decided the test didn’t meet its standards.

The DOE left out the scores for the special needs students, but didn’t remove them

 from the total number of students tested.
That skewed the data enough to cause West Hernando to miss its goal for adequate yearly progress.

Schools are required to test at least 95 percent of their student population.
Schools throughout the state, including here in Brown-Waite’s 5th Congressional district,

 found themselves in similar predicaments, according to Charlie Keller, Brown-Waite’s spokesman.
Florida education commissioner Jeanine Blomberg appealed the ruling. Hernando officials filed their

 own appeal on behalf of West Hernando Middle.
So far, the U.S. DOE hasn’t budged on their stance and has said the appeals period is closed.
Brown-Waite said she is trying to schedule a conference call with all the parties to come up with a resolution.
“We’re going to continue to pursue this but I’m just not sure the feds are going to change their minds,” she said.
There’s another wrinkle for West Hernando, however.
State education officials sent a letter to school superintendent Wayne Alexander saying

that even if the U.S. DOE did change the formula, West Hernando still would not meet

progress goals because the school’s economically disadvantaged students fell short in reading proficiency.
Peirce and Clifford say they find it hard to believe that removing the special needs students

from the equation wouldn’t have significantly affected the results of the economically

 disadvantaged group and helped West Hernando reach their goal. They have asked for a detailed

account of how the state came to their conclusion.
“We’re still battling,” Peirce said.
“This energy may be for naught, but it’s helping to educate the public,” Clifford said.
In the meantime, the state has come up with a new, federally approved alternative test.
Elizabeth Whitaker, an exceptional education teacher at West Hernando,

 said she is encouraged by the program and its potential to fairly gauge the progress of her students.
“It really seems like it could work,” Whitaker said.
Sanctions on the horizon
Clifford stresses that his special needs students

 did in fact achieve their goals in reading in math.
“That’s a big deal,” he said, once again crediting his teachers and staff.
And, he points out, West Hernando is an A school and has been for the last two years.
But under the No Child Left Behind law, schools that don’t meet yearly are hit with sanctions.

 Among them is school restructuring that could include replacing Clifford and teaching staff.
Clifford said his school is working to come up with a restructuring plan.

He expects the district will have to replace him.
Alexander said it’s too early to say that for sure.
“It’s not a done deal in any way,” he said.
Alexander said the situation emphasizes the need to ask tough questions

about whether the center school approach is the best way to meet the needs of the district’s

 exceptional students and also be fair to West Hernando.
“It’s an absurdity that an A school can’t make AYP,” Alexander said.
Clifford agreed, saying he is encouraged Alexander and other district officials

seem to share the goal to provide other schools with the training, materials and

other resources to take some of the load from West Hernando.
But he acknowledged funding is limited, and not everyone shares the same philosophy.
“It doesn’t happen overnight,” he said.
Most essential, Clifford and other teachers said, is to continue to whenever possible

include exceptional needs students with the general education population.
“When you see a (special needs) kid light up because he’s made a connection with one

of his (general education) peers, it brings a tear to your eye,” said Eileen Walls, a behavior specialist at West Hernando.

 “That is so much more important than any number on a test.”
Reporter Tony Marrero can be contacted at 352-544-5286.


 

United Cerebral Palsy publicly released a report,

The Case for Inclusion 2007, on how states are serving Americans

with intellectual and developmental disabilities under Medicaid.

 The report ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia on how

well the states are providing community-based supports.
http://www.ucp.org/medicaid/index.cfm?thisPage=ranks#rank

 



Subject: Family Cafe Inclusion

 
Hi family members,
 You came to see my presentation at Family Cafe a few weeks ago; I
 hope that you enjoyed it. As promised, I am sending you the link to a
 blog that I have started that will maintain information and
 user-friendly materials that I have used to train teachers who are
including students with disabilities in general education classrooms.
 In addition, these are also materials that I have used as a former
 inclusive classroom teacher.
 The infused IEP matrix seems to help gen. ed. teachers make sense
 of what they are responsible for teaching a child with disabilities
 across the general education school day (see the sample I've provided
 as well). The data collection matrix is an easy to use weekly chart
 that can document progress on IEP goals related to level of support
 (prompts) needed to sucessfully meet a given IEP goal.
 Please feel free to comment or provide feedback via comment
 sections within the blog. I hope that you enjoy the rest of your
 summer and have a great school year next year!

 Warmly,
 Jill Storch
>> BLOG ADDRESS:

http://www.alachuacountyinclusion.blogspot.com

  Jill Frenchman Storch
 Doctoral Student
 University of Florida
 Special Education Department



Extra, Extra - go read all about it !!!

"Every parent should be celebrating today!"


Alert: On 5/21/07, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in

Winkelman v. Parma City School District. On the question presented as to whether

the Winkelman's "either on their own behalf or as representatives of the child,

may proceed in court unrepresented by counsel though they are not trained

or licensed as attorneys" the Court unanimously, in a 9-0 decision, ruled that they could.

Justice Scalia, with Justice Thomas, issued a separate Opinion that concurred with the Court's

ruling with an explaination that he agreed that parents could "proceed pro se in seeking reimbursement

and allegations about procedural violations." His dissent noted that the issue of FAPE is

the child's right to FAPE, and not that of the parent.

The full text the Court's unofficial summary, known as a Syllabus, the actual Opinion, and Justice Scalia's Opinion is available at:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/law/caselaw/ussuptct.winkelman.pdf



Thank goodness this guy was wrong on his legal "prediction":

http://www.lawmemo.com/sct/blog/2007/02/winkelman_v_par.html

 



                                 

Occupational therapist Amy Perry  

works with Ethan Hammons who is

 a child with Autisn work on lines in shaving cream in the mirror.

 

Tampa Tribune article
Parents Say Therapy Needs A Place At School
Skip directly to the full story
http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBBCTBU51F.html#content


By MARILYN BROWN The Tampa Tribune
Published: May 1, 2007

TAMPA - Some Hillsborough County parents are spending hours driving their children to physical therapy after the school district banned their private therapists during class time.
Those parents say that chore dominates their lives, and some can no longer do it.
"It makes no sense," said Gina Hammons, whose 12-year-old son has autism and attends Maniscalco Elementary School in Lutz. Hammons drives her son up to 20 miles one way six times a week for physical, occupational and speech therapy.
"We have other children," Hammons said. "The thing is, the majority of our moms work. How are we supposed to do this?"
Parents say their children don't make the same progress without additional therapy outside of what they may get at school. Hammons' son has trouble focusing in class if he doesn't get morning therapy, his mother said.
For more than a decade, the Hillsborough school district allowed private therapists to pull clients from class and use vacant areas for services. That ended this school year.
"It got so flexible, it got out of hand," said Mike Grego, Hillsborough's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Private therapists were coming and going on campuses and upsetting schedules. "We were really accommodating."
Wynne Tye, the district's director of special education, said allowing it cut into students' instructional time.
"When a private provider comes on board, they are pulling a child out of the classroom," Tye said. That interferes with the district's legal obligation to provide a full day's education, she said.
She acknowledged that the district hires outside therapists through private contracts to fill a critical need.
Nearly 26 percent of the district's 191,000 students are classified as having some type of disability, but administrators kept no count of how many received private therapy on campus. When the change was made, five to eight parents a week complained, Tye said, but few do now that the school year is winding down.
Federal law requires public schools to provide services that children with disabilities need for their education. District staff and parents work out what that entails. A few families fight for years over services, and some seek private therapy while they wage that battle or after they give up the fight.
The state leaves it up to districts whether to allow private therapists in school, a state Department of Education spokeswoman said. The state doesn't have a list of which districts allow it.
Students Fall Behind
Brandon mother and military wife Sedonia Bernard uses private military insurance to pay for occupational therapy for her 6-year-old son, Jackson.
Jackson received occupational and physical therapy at school from the time he was 6 months old, she said. When the family moved to Tampa in January 2006 from Tucson, Ariz., his therapy at school was greatly reduced. Now he gets group speech therapy at Schmidt Elementary.
Jackson gets private occupational therapy for an hour on Saturdays, instead of at least three times a week, which a private therapist recommends. He has a weak body trunk that has delayed his motor skills, his mother said.
A few weeks ago, Bernard was called to a teacher's conference and told that her son hasn't mastered handwriting.
"They want him to repeat kindergarten," Bernard said. The family may get more private therapy to help him catch up.
Parents are willing to take their children after school or on Saturdays, but therapists and the district acknowledge it's tough for all of them to get therapy during the few hours after school. Children with disabilities are often too tired for therapy at the end of the school day, parents said.
Topic Elicited 'A Lot Of Dissension'
A district task force met for months and recommended last spring not to allow the private therapists on campus. If a principal and district agree, therapists may pay a fee for after-school access to do their therapy. The new rules were phased in by July 1.
One task force member, Sharon Baron, disputes that official report, saying the task force did not reach consensus on that point.
"It was one of the two most important topics of the entire task force," said Baron, who said she was one of the few members who attended every meeting. "There was a lot of dissension."
Baron has a 9-year-old son with autism who gets 300 minutes of speech therapy and 30 minutes of occupational therapy a week at school.
Medicaid also pays for physical, occupational and speech therapy outside of school, some of which Baron is trying to get the district to provide in school. She sees children who have lost their private therapy.
"I can see what it's done for some of the kids in my son's class," Baron said. "The schools are dealing with the behavioral challenges."
Amy Perry, a private therapist the district hired to evaluate students' treatment needs, did an independent evaluation of Ethan Hammons, Gina Hammons' son with autism.
"I definitely recommended school-based therapy," Perry said, although the district did not add it to his individual plan. "To me, he needs the therapy so he can learn to write his name. There are a lot of academic pieces he's not doing."
Perry attends meetings on Ethan's progress at school and said his teacher welcomes her input and the therapy she provides.
Ethan has a full-time aide who works with him in class, but he is focused and behaves better when he comes to school after his morning therapy, Perry and his mother agreed.
"As a therapist, I would want him to have services in school," Perry said. "The problem is, you can sit in a class all day and if background noise bothers you, if disruptions are happening, how much are you really getting out of school?"
Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069 or mbrown@tampatrib.com.
                                  

 

                           

                                                                                                  

Amy works with 12 year old Ethan at Foundations Therapy in her

                                                                                                    

Clearwater office. "This is his core therapy, this is his lifeline;" 


 



Time Change for School Board Meetings!!! Hillsborough County

Starting September 18, 2007, the School Board of Hillsborough County will change the start
 time for its meetings. The new start time is 3 p.m. – two hours earlier than the current start time.
The School Board also is reserving a time for public comment at approximately 5 p.m. rather
than at the end of the meeting, as has been the case for years.
The School Board decided to make the changes to make it easier and more convenient
for members of the public to participate in the meetings.
Starting September 18 the School District also will enable the public to sign up online
to speak at a School Board meeting. Of course, members of the public will still be able
 to sign up in person at Board meetings.
 
 A Little Inclusion/Universal Education Holiday Cheer even after the Holidays
are over we want to keep it here to share!

Twas the night before Christmas through all of the schools.....
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the schools
No students were present to break any rules
The budget was written and every dime spent
With no one quite sure where it all went

The school board was snuggled all safe in their beds
While visions of budget increases danced in their heads
When all of a sudden there arose such a clatter
They leaped from their beds to see what was the matter

Away to the board room they went in a dash
Too see who it was that threatened the cash
And there before them who did appear
With issues they thought finished this year

Once more before them plainly to see
Were parents of children they called ESE
We've done this before and we were quite clear
So once again tell us why you are here

One of them stepped forward and soon was apparent
That this person before them was one informed parent.
The presentation was prepared with great thought and care
With federal law quotes that brought them great glares

With a voice loud and clear they were all called by name
These are not new laws and the meaning is plain
IDEA ADA LRE and 504
It is time to remind you just like before

We wish you good tidings great hope and good cheer
The time for inclusion is finally here
Why won't you listen to this our plight
To be included is not privilege but right

We want them included right from the start
To become part of the whole and not kept apart
We want them included and yes all means all
Don't make them feel different don't make them feel small

For such a long time the seed has been planted
Why do we still struggle for what to others is granted
No not right now but we'll tell you when
We've heard that same story again and again

So on this the holiest of nights
We say inclusion is not privilege but right
And on this issue we firmly do stand
The rights of our children we do now demand

As the meeting concluded ending the night
It was heard.........

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
AND TO ALL EQUAL RIGHTS
 



What is Universal Education, it is not just Inclusion it means

All kids, All together, All the time..But with support and Collaborative planning!
Check out this link to the Universal Education that has become a state mandate in Michigan...
/Documents/UnivEdBrochureFINAL_incl_152066_7._Glossary_03-02-06a.pdf


Empowering Parents School Box

In light of the vital role parents play in their children's lives as
their first teachers, the U.S. Department of Education will release
this fall a new resource to equip parents with the information needed
for advancing their children's education.
The Empowering Parents School Box is a colorful resource packed with
brochures, bookmarks, a poster and a door hanger that covers such
topics as:
Benefits available under No Child Left Behind;
Steps for selecting a high-quality school;
Tips on working with children from birth to high school;
Guidelines for taking advantage of free tutoring opportunities;
Ways to get involved in children's schools;
Information about financial aid and scholarships; and
Additional resources for improving learning.
Also included are success stories of schools where parent involvement
made a difference, such as the story of one high-poverty, urban high
school, where the achievement gap was cut considerably when only 30
percent of students passing the state exams in algebra and geometry
tripled to approximately 92 percent six years later.
To place an advance order for a free copy of the school box, call 1-
877-4ED-PUBS. For an online copy, visit
http://www.ed.gov
and
select "Parents," then "Empowering Parents School Box."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Name of Treatment
A Parent's Guide to Protecting Your Child From the Use of Restraint,
Aversive Interventions, and Seclusion
http://www.tash.org/publications/parentguide/index.htm

Dear Parent Advocates,

We all seem to be having some kind of problem with the FLDOE and the Florida ESE system lately. I hope that some of the contact information below will be of help to you in your future advocacy work. The only way the system is going to change is if we continue to advocate and work together to make the necessary changes happen for our children.

Restraint and Seclusion
IDEA non-compliance
IEP non-compliance
Parents bullied and intimidated at IEP meetings by school district.

File intake information with the Florida Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc. http://www.advocacycenter.org/intake/index.cfm
File a written complaint with the FLDOE about your situation in regards to your child being restrained or put in seclusion. This may not do much but at least it will be documented and on file. This will create a paper trail that you may need in the future. The electronic form is attached.
File a complete with your Department of Children and Families Services (DCF) if your child has been injured physically or mentally. The Welfare of Children Act (HB 7173) amended the definition of "other person responsible for the child's welfare" to include school personnel. Parents can now report suspected abuse by school personnel to DCF. Florida Child Abuse Hot Line 1-800-962-2873
File a complaint with your local police department if your child has been injured physically or mentally.
Florida's Positive Behavior Support Project
http://cfs.fmhi.usf.edu:80/cfsnews/2006news/PBSupdate8.06.html.

This is free program to all Florida schools but they have to be invited in by the school district. Make this request to your ESE Director and your school board. Make this request by phone or in person but always put it in writing also.
Educate and work with your local and state legislatures about restraint and seclusion in the public school system on children with disabilities. Identify problems and present solutions to help solve the current problems our children are facing. Find your Legislators in the link below by ZIP+4 Code (the 4 extra number can be found on most of your incoming mail next to your zip code)
http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Mode=Find%20Your%20Legislator&Submenu=3&Tab=legislators&ZipCode=33436

Work with other parent advocates creating and submitting new bills to your local legislatures. Example of bill subjects: Burden of proof put back on the schools districts, Behavior committee to oversee policies/rules are being followed, State Data system set up by school districts to track restraint, seclusion, suspensions, baker acts and arrests of children with disabilities.
Work with other parent advocates changing current laws that are outdated and need to be revised.
Call and order 20 - 30 free booklets "Making Your Case" 1-877-348-0505 (toll free) and pass them out to other parent advocates. This is a beginners guide to teach advocates how to work with legislators.
Speak at school board meetings about what restraint and seclusion has done to your child, family and other families. Educate school board members about the dangers and trauma of restraint and seclusion. Restraint & Seclusion is NOT a positive behavior treatment, it's a FAILURE to treatment.
Send a "No Restraint" letter to the school principal and ESE Director. Change the letter to fit your situation. A sample letter can be found here:
http://www.bridges4kids.org/IEP/NoRestraintLetter.html

Take pictures of any visible injuries your child comes home with. And make sure you document everything.
Take your child to his/her Pediatrician or the Emergency room for a complete physical examination if needed.
Contact your local media and ask them if they will do a story to educated the public.
Restraint and Seclusion - Join the Yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RESTRAINT_INFO/
to find information and support.
Pass this information on to other parents that may need help.

Other Contact Numbers
Statewide and Local Advocacy Councils
http://www.floridasac.org/

The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council http://www.fddc.org/HOME/index.asp\

U.S.Office of Civil Rights Washington office http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/contactus.cfm
Regards,
Phyllis
Families Against Restraint and Seclusion
http://familiesagainstrestraintandseclusion.blogspot.com/

FLORIDA Families Against Restraint and Seclusion
http://floridafamiliesagainstrestraint.blogspot.com/


 
NEW FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STATE COMPLAINT FORM!!
Click here to download this form and fill in the blanks
/Documents/Complaint Form draft.pdf
"If you want to file a complaint with the Department of Education,
please fill out the attached DRAFT form and fax or mail it to the name
and address at the bottom of the page. Note: In the complaint portion
of the form you can delete all the lines and cut and paste your information
from a word document or email to the DOE form."

 
Guide to the Individualized Education Program
http://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html


The 2007 edition of the electronic handbook "Special Education in Plain
Language" is now available at this link:
http://www.specialed.us/pl-07/pl07-index.html
The "Special Education in Plain Language" document was collaboratively
developed and reviewed by Wisconsin Special Education Stakeholders,
including Parents, Advocacy Organizations, School and Special Education
Administrators, General and Special Educators, Service Providers, Union
Members, Special Education Attorneys, and the Wisconsin Department of Public
Instruction.
This particular electronic / interactive document is the result of the
collaboration between CESA 7, WI FACETS and Wisconsin DPI.
A "Print Option" button will be available toward the end of May, 2007, and
will be posted on the document's front page.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




This report done by the National Council of Teacher Quality should be
useful in those times when a school district says that the teaching
certificate by itself makes a teacher qualified. It says that FL should
get an F in preparation of special education teachers. (The national
ones says the same for other states.
cut and paste:
http://www.nctq. org/stpy/ reports/stpy_ florida.pdf





How to Make Your IEP Easier to Swallow by Lori Miller Fox
A Little IEP Humor....:)

There is definitely a season for IEPs. A time of year when stress is in the air, and feelings of panic

and antagonism abound. Parents scurry busily about, preparing for the big day circled

on their calendars. And let's not forget, that list of school people who are naughty and nice.

And like so many other longstanding, if you can remain standing, traditions; year after year you reunite

with many of the same familiar faces, catching up on the events of the year.

Some will even tell you how adorable your child is, and how much he or she has grown.

There are a lot of people sitting around a large table who would rather not be there,

initially forcing themselves to exchange “pleasantries” until someone says something

totally ignorant or offensive and the shouting begins. Just like any other typical

American holiday dinner; only here we're not all related by blood or marriage.

So I’d like to propose a new Hallmark holiday for the IEP season. The biggest problem,

as I see it though, is that unfortunately, there is no cook book for this time of year.

If only Julia Child were here. Lucky for us though, her lesser-known fictional sister,

Julia Specialneedschild offers a long list of IEP “party” recipes. Here are just a few of my favorites.

A gracious host always starts out by giving guests something to chew on before an IEP meeting.

Here’s a tasty snack to get the meeting going. Parents just love these before-IEP snacks because it

keeps school people's mouths busy so parents can get a word in edgewise.

Chex-Your-Rights Mix

Take copies of IDEIA
A copy of No Child Left Behind - but be sure to cut around the rotten parts
Add current regulations
Serve as cold facts. Spoon feed if necessary.

Here’s another snack that ís tasty, but is sometimes hard for school people to swallow.

Take ‘em Down a Nachos

Take years of parental experience
Add pages of private therapists’ reports
Throw expert opinions on top
Don’t forget to fold in the negative-thinking school people’s words, so when your

child succeeds, they can eat them.

Heat things up with a hearty soup. This one’s perfect for the narrow-minded

case manager or Special Education Director. Serves the relevant number of school people who need it.

Administrone Soup

Take a handful of children with special needs
Throw them in a self-contained classroom
Be sure not to include proper programming
Wait until the end of the term, try to mix them
Discard untouched portion.

Next, a light appetizer does wonders for a heavy heart.

Full of Crepes

Take your child’s entire curriculum and leave it flat
Fill it with music, coloring, clapping, and other growth-stiffling activities

with no academic content that take up the school day.

Combine some school personnel’s ideas for your child’s future- leave them half-baked.

For your main course, make something easy that doesn’t require much effort;

like the courses your child is taking at school. For example, a tray of

Wag Your Finger

Sandwiches would do nicely. Here are some popular choices.

Phoney Bologna

Examine the team’s so-called “qualifications” and see if
they’re kosher
Pile on the bologna
Spread related services very thin
Take the school team’s compliments with a grain of salt
And put it all between two slices of your child’s life.

Panini Meenie Minie Moe

Put down a prewritten goal from one child
Layer another prewritten goal from a different child
Pile on another prewritten goal from yet another child
Be sure to leave out any modifications or adaptations t

hat would make it individualized or appropriate
Serve it as your child’s IEP.

Hitting Below the BLT

Discuss and agree on all ingredients before preparation
Pretend to start with appropriate placement
Add necessary adaptations, required modifications,

needed service minutes, and equipment
Freely make substitutions
Stuff with manufactured data and artificial test results
Leave out honesty and trust
Make it into a totally different sandwich, until it becomes a meal

to which your child is academically, socially and emotionally allergic.

Kick Their Butt Steak

Pull apart the meat of the school’s arguments
Present raw data
Be tough with rare exception
Cut yourself some slack
And always, always bite off more than you originally thought you could chew.

Your Child’s Hero

Take big hunks of belief in your child
Add his or her dreams
Spread encouragement and support
Marinate in love
And most importantly, share it with your child.

After the meal, it's appropriate to offer your guests something to drink.

And coffee drinks are an excellent choice. This one's ideal for the teacher

who says "I wasn't trained for this."

Cafe au Lazy

Take a general education teacher
Add a child with special needs
Put them together in the same classroom
Stir up trouble
And wait until you see steam
Don’t forget the foam, from angry parents’ mouths.

Dessert is always a must. This one's a favorite of any parent who advocates for their child.

One Tough Cookie

Shred a huge stack of unmet IEP goals
Crush a large pile of parents’ dreams
Sprinkle in what's left of your child’s confidence--but make sure you really shake it up first
Finally, add the most important ingredient -- a well-prepared special education attorney
Put it all together
And turn up the heat
Wait for expectations to rise.




504 Sit In, 30 Years Ago
Sit-ins were held in Washington D.C., Eugene, Oregon, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
On April 5th, a group of disabled people took over the San Francisco offices of the Health, Education,
and Welfare Department to protest Secretary Joseph Califano's refusal to sign meaningful
regulations for Section 504.
No one expected to live there for almost a month, but they did.
The action became the longest sit-in of a federal building to date.
The historic demonstrations were successful and the 504 regulations were finally signed!!
For more details about the 504 demonstration, visit the
504 20th Anniversary page on the DREDF website:
http://www.dredf.org/504site/504home.html



Click below for Medicaid Waiver Update
/Documents/APD Questions and Answers on the Medicaid Waiver 2007.doc

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alexa Posny to leave Office of Special Education
for Kansas Education Commissioner role
Posny, passed over twice, becomes new state education commissioner
She missed out on job when conservatives controlled the state board
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/may/09/posny_passed_over_once_becomes_new_state_education/


Fabulous New Blog Spot
http://edu-crat-speak.blogspot.com/
edu-crat-speak
A place to share those precious comments made by our educational bureaucrats
during IEPs and other confrontations!

-------------------------------------------------------------------

More Links and Articles about Inclusion, and Inclusive Education


Enhancing access to the general education
curriculum for students with disabilities.
Browse our resources
http://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.php



Autism and the Inclusion Mandate
http://www.hoover.org/publications/ednext/334488



There is no place called Inclusion

www.iidc.indiana.edu/IRCA/education/noplace.html



Click below on these links as well for classroom tips
/Documents/Autism Aspergers Book List and Resource.doc

/Documents/Sensory Issues.doc
/Documents/Tip Sheets and Printables for Aspergers Autism and Sensory Impairments.doc



Great Resource for Inclusive Environments
/Documents/Least Dangerous Assumption.pdf

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These are links to our F.R.I.E.N.D.S, STAND, C.O.P.E.

PASS, Lauren's Link and support groups and more!


Greetings!
We are pleased to invite you to C.O.P.E., a support group for
parents and family members of a child with special needs.
Regardless of the type of need, physical, developmental, emotional
etc...
you will find people within the group who understand what it is like
to care for a child with a disability.

C.O.P.E is designed to provide parents of children with special
needs the Support, Resources, Hope and Fellowship needed for daily
living.
C.O.P.E meets the fourth Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. beginning
January 22, 2007 at:
Bell Shoals Baptist Church, 2102 Bell Shoals Road, Brandon, FL,
33511, Phone: (813) 689-4229 in Conference Room BSC.

For more information contact the Children's Ministry office by
calling 689-4229 Ext. 224 or email:
bthutchinson@verizon.net


Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own
understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will direct your
paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)



F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Families Raising, Inspiring, Enriching & Nurturing Down Syndrome

www.friends-support.org



STAND - Pinellas
www.standadvocates.org




Lauren's Link
Sibling Support Group/ Special Needs
Hope to see some old faces as well as some new at the
next Lauren's Link Sibling Support Group*.
Please RSVP.
Thank you,
Kris Zak & Mary Jo Smith
(*This group is run by parent volunteers and is not a substitute for
professional counseling.)
A fun, supportive group for siblings; kids who have a sibling with special needs.

Fun, support, some cool strategies on how to understand your special needs sibling.

Come meet new friends, and have a fun time.....

Where: St.Andrews United Methodist Church

3315 Bryan Road (at Bloomingdale Avenue)

Rm 304 (Family Life Building)

When: 2nd Friday of the month 7-8:30pm

Contact Kris at 671-1038 or MaryJo at bamboobreeze@verizon.net



The PASS (Parents of Autism and Aspergers Syndrome Support) Group

We meet on the 1st Friday of the month from 9:30-11:30 am

at the Campo Family YMCA from September through May.

We also hold many social events for families including

recreation days for the whole family, ladies/mens nights out, and couples nights out.

Our meeting schedule can be found at
www.ideasaboutautism.com/pass

The meetings are free and open to the public.



No Person Left Behind
Hurricane Season 1 June - 30 Nov
"Be Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Problem"
Your one stop shop of information for Persons
with Disabilities For Hurricanes and Disasters
No Person Left Behind, Inc
Linda Carter
Director No Person Left Behind
704 Homer Ave North
Lehigh Acres, FL 33971
mslindacarter@comcast.net
mslinda@nopersonleftbehind.org
tel:
fax:
mobile: 239 368 6846
239 368 7733
239 826 8696

Great Take and Go Hurricane Preparedness Sheet for the Refridgerator courtesy of FnD!!!
Click here
/Documents/The Take And Go Emergency Book for Hurricane Season.pdf

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More Links We Love!

Guide to IDEA 2004

http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home

Accommodations
Assisting Students with Disabilities -


Accommodations - Assisting Students with Disabilities - A Guide for Educators (2003) 756K file size
http://www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/pdf/accomm-educator.pdf



Accommodations and Modifications for Students with Disabilities - What Parents Need to Know (2003) 2MB file size
http://www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/pdf/ac-mod-parents.pdf




Acomodos y modificaciones: Lo que los padres tienen que saber (Revisido en 2003). - 2 MB file size
http://www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/pdf/accomm_span_parent.pdf




Accommodations and Modifications for Students with Disabilities
Career Education and Adult General Education - brochure (revised 2005) 147K file size
http://www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/pdf/310907_accomm.pdf




Accommodations and Modifications for Students with Disabilities
in Career Education and Adult General Education - 98 page guide (revised 2005) 1 MB file size
http://www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/pdf/311201_acmod-voc.pdf




Florida Alternate Assessment Report Resource Manual 764K PDF file