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NIUSI Leadership Academies
These are being shared again as the modules include many of the skills needed for successful implementation of RtI, and are definitely worth a look!
The National Institute for Urban School Improvement (NIUSI) has developed a set of leadership academies that are designed to support urban schools as they develop inclusive teaching and learning environments for their students. Each academy is designed as a 3-hour learning experience for building leadership teams who come together on a regular basis to explore the process of becoming inclusive. The following topics are included; Building Leadership Teams, Mining Data, Inclusive Schooling, Universal Design for Learning, Co-teaching and Assessment. Check it out at http://urbanschools.org/professional.html.
Call for Presenter Proposals – One Goal: Building the Future Together, “Putting Families and Children First”
From BEESS Weekly Memo
As one of the sponsors of the 2010 One Goal Summer Conference, the Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services is pleased to invite you and your staff to submit a presentation proposal. This conference, to be held at the Hyatt Regency at Tampa Center in Tampa, Florida, on July 21-23, 2010, brings together early childhood educators, child care providers, and leaders from around the state who provide services to young children and their families for the purpose of sharing innovative programs, practices, and techniques for improving services and outcomes for all children. It is especially important to collaborate and share how we can do more with less in our programs, practices, and techniques to improve the services and outcomes for all Florida’s children. An electronic version of the Presenter Proposal Form is located on the conference Web site at http://www.onegoalsummerconference.org. The deadline for proposal submission is April 2, 2010. While multiple proposals are encouraged, only one or space permitting, a maximum of two will be selected. The conference registration fee of $75.00 will be waived for the primary presenter only. All co-presenters will need to register and pay the registration fee. Presenters are responsible for making their own hotel reservations and any other expenses incurred. Registration information will be on the website in April 2010.
Free Webinars to Focus on Students with Significant Disabilities
Partners In Transition, in collaboration with TASH, is pleased to announce a series of webinars focusing on students with significant disabilities. All webinars will take place on a Tuesdays from 3:00 to 4:15pm EST. To access the webinar service, go to http://www.onlineconferencingsystems.com/iel/. All webinar materials will be posted on www.PartnersInTransition.org afterward.
Webinar Topics:
February 9: Educational Supports and Person Centered Planning for Youth with Significant Disabilities
How do we utilize person centered planning strategies to guide the IEP and ITP development process? What Post-Secondary opportunities and supports are available to students with significant disabilities and how do we connect them to these opportunities? How do we know what educational areas and options to look at? Some of the strategies we should be incorporating (an improving upon) within our own services should involve promoting self-advocacy skills, self determination and autonomy for our students. We should be looking at ways to do this throughout their school years. Family involvement is an important part of this process and is a key to ensuring success. We will share some person centered planning strategies that will help guide us through this process and look at educational options and supports for students with significant disabilities.
March 9: Work-based Learning Experiences & Employment Supports for Youth with Significant Disabilities
The only way to get people “ready” to work is by actually working; helping people by giving them access to real jobs and work based learning experiences. Work is not only a valued role that provides an income, it is a societal expectation. The best way we can promote career and employment success for the students we support is by providing actual paid work experiences while they are still in school. Areas we will cover: career planning; environmental matching; positive behavior supports at work; job carving and job supports; collaborating with families & finding a job; building a resume; and social security work incentives.
April 6: Navigating the Community for Youth with Significant Disabilities
What are the “Good things in Life?” Most people would say that having valued social roles, healthy relationships, being able to access the places & activities you enjoy, and having a home of your own would be a good start. But, how do we assist individuals with significant disabilities to access these things? What community living options are available? What supports are available? Can someone live in their own place if they need 24 hour supports? What about transportation? Healthcare? How about hobbies, recreation and social FUN stuff? What about waiting lists? How are we involving families, raising expectations, and promoting interagency collaboration in this process? We will discuss all this and more in this session.
To register please send an email including your name and the webinar(s) in which you would like to participate to thompsont@iel.org. If you have any specific questions, or would like to see specific issues addressed in the presentation, please include them in the email. Information, additional materials, and any ‘homework’ will be sent approximately a week prior to the event. If you have any other questions or need materials in alternate formats, contact Tara Thompson at thompsont@iel.org or (727) 253-3117.
ING: Unsung Heroes Awards – Rewarding Excellence in America’s Schools
The ING Unsung Heroes Awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards. Maximum award: $25,000. Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with effective projects that improve student learning at an accredited K-12 public or private school. Deadline: April 30, 2010. For more information, visit http://www.ing-usa.com/us/stellent2/groups/dc/documents/companylobinformation/001143.pdf.
Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam Grants
The Lemelson-MIT Program is currently accepting applications for 2011 InvenTeams, which are teams of high school students, educators, and mentors that receive grants up to $10,000 each to invent technological solutions to real-world problems. The InvenTeam initiative is designed to excite high school students about invention, empower students through problem solving, and encourage an inventive culture in schools and communities. The deadline to submit is April 23, 2010. For more information, visit http://web.mit.edu/inventeams/apply.html
National Council for the Social Studies: Teacher of the Year
The NCSS Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year Awards recognize exceptional classroom social studies teachers. Maximum award: $2,500. Eligibility: social studies teachers who teach social studies regularly and systematically in elementary school settings or at least half time in middle/junior high and high school settings; NCSS membership required, self-nominations accepted. Deadline: April 1, 2010. For more information, please refer to http://www.socialstudies.org/awards/teaching.
Women Helping Others (WHO) Foundation
Through this program, the WHO Foundation provides funding to eligible organizations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico to support free after school organizations and for the implementation or expansion of education and/or literacy programs for low-income children of all ages. Funding is provided to support free after school organizations and for the implementation or expansion of education and/or literacy programs for low-income children of all ages. Deadline: March 9, 2010. For more information, visit http://www.whofoundation.org/Funding/WHO_FundingEd.asp.
Dr. Scholl Foundation
The Dr. Scholl Foundation funds projects that suport the following areas: private education including elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities; and programs for children, developmentally disabled, and senior citizens, civic and cultural institutions, social service agencies, hospitals and health care, environmental organizations and religious institutions. The general categories above are not intended to limit the interest of the foundation from considering other worthwhile projects. Deadline: March 1, 2010. For more information please visit http://www.drschollfoundation.com/procedures.htm.
Caring Institute: 2010 Caring Awards
The Caring Institute is now accepting nominations for its annual Caring Awards. Nominees should exemplify caring and serve as worthy role models for others. Award criteria include length of service, scope and impact of work, challenges overcome, and imagination and innovation. Maximum award: All winners are honored at a special ceremony, and young adult winners receive funds for college. Eligibility: individuals from nine to 99 years old. Deadline: March 1, 2010. For more information please visit http://www.caring-institute.org/caringawards.html.
All Kids Can Create Call for Art
From BEESS Weekly Memo
VSA arts and CVS All Kids Can has released a call for art from children ages 5 to 15 years of age. Submitted art work will be featured in the online gallery, and in February, Florida VSA arts will select two representative artworks to be sent to the VSA arts national office. Only one artwork from each state and the District of Columbia will be selected for the exhibition that will open in Washington, D.C. in June 2010. The 51 selected artists will be invited to an opening reception in Washington, D.C. and will have a chance to join in the largest celebration of the arts and disability in the world: The 2010 International VSA arts Festival.
Up to five teachers will receive $1,000 each, based on the number of submissions from the class or school, the number of submissions from students with disabilities, and answers to two short questions. Visit www.vsarts.org/allkidscancreate for sample activities and details on how to apply. All artwork must be submitted online through Artsonia, a website that shares children’s art at www.artsonia.com/allkidscancreate. Deadline: February 5, 2010. For more information contact Wendy Finklea, at wfinkela@coedu.usf.edu or (813) 558-5093.
