Superintendent's District Advisory Panel for Students with Disabilities 2010 Annual Student "Award of Excellence" Application Procedures

Completed applications should be submitted by the student sponsor by March 26, 2010 to:
 
Parent to Parent of Miami, Inc.
7990 SW 117th Avenue, Suite 200
Miami, Florida 33183
 
Parent to Parent will establish a Review Committee to evaluate the applications and select on winner per Regional Center. Winners and selections for Honorable Mention will be at the sole discretion of the Review Committee.  Awards will be presented on May 20, 2010 at the Superintendent's District Advisory Panel Annual Awards Ceremony and luncheon.  Award winners, their families and sponsors will be invited to attend.   
 
Award Nomination Guidelines
 
The Award of Excellence is for those students with disabilities who have demonstrated outstanding achievement.  Applications are rated on student effort, student attitude, and progress/level of independence.  It is important to note specific examples of excellent in the nomination. 
 
The criteria for outstanding achievement may include: academic success, a special talent or ability, unusual success in a mainstream or inclusion setting, positive attitude (as demonstrated by level of interest, attendance, etc.), improved performance, demonstration of good character, community involvement, or other positive contributions.  The determination of what constitutes outstanding academic achievement will be at the discretion of the sponsor submitting the application.

Click HERE for the application.

Saturday, March 27 at 2 PM - One performance only!

Experience Vivaldi, Venice, and violins as we follow the story of Katarina, a gifted young orphan studying music in Venice under Antonio Vivaldi. While studying, she searches for clues to her past and for a vanishing Stradivarius violin.

Audiences will enjoy more than 20 excerpts of Vivaldi's most popular and important works including The Four Seasons, the Violin Concerto in A Minor, and more.

Tickets from just $17.25!

Sign language interpretation provided for this program, as well as access for people who are blind or have low vision, and access for individuals with limited mobility.

Click HERE to read more about this event.

Click HERE to visit the Cleveland Orchestra's website.

Saturday, April 17th, 2010 - 10 AM to 5 PM
Hosted by Miami Children's Museum on Watson Island

Click HERE to view the flyer.

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce the first All Kids Included Family Arts Festival - "A Quilting Safari" Art Contest:  Celebrating Inclusion, Diversity and Acceptance.

The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs invites students to design a quilt to be featured in a special exhibit during the 4th Annual "All Kids Included" Family Arts Festival for children of all abilities, to be held April 12 - 17, 2010 at the Miami Children's Museum.  The theme for the festival is "A Quilting Safari", based on the book "Elmer The Patchwork Elephant" by David McKee, which celebrates diversity, tolerance and accepting differences.  Another featured book for the festival is "Mother Earth and Her Children: A Quilted Fairy Tale" by Sibylle von Olfers, Sieglinde Schoen-Smith, and Jack Zipes, relating to Earth Day.  Student artists should depict the festival themes of safari animals, Mother Earth, inclusion, diversity and acceptance of our differences.  Students may draw on the festival's selected books for inspiration.  Other good resources on the subject of quilting are "Kids Quilt Together: The ABCs of Group Quilts" by Kathy Emmel;  and "Creative Quilting With Kids" by Maggie Ball.  Students are strongly encouraged to work as a team on their quilt projects.

Be creative and use the theme elements, including:  safari animals, inclusion, diversity and Mother Earth.  The contest is open to all students in grades K-12 in any school within Miami-Dade County.  All artwork must be original, not derivative and not generated by computer.  You may use fabric, felt or paper as the primary medium.  Enhancements with other mediums, except oils is permitted.  The finished piece may be representational of an actual fabric quilt and need not be a finished fabric quilt (made up of a quilted, pieced fabric top, batting and backing).  Finished fabric quilts are also acceptable.  Finished artwork should be suitable for hanging display.  Artwork is to be done only by students.  Up to 3 entries per school may be submitted.  Group projects are strongly encouraged.  Individual students may only contribute to one submission.  Finished artwork should be approximately 40" x 40".  For additional information, please contact Francine Andersen fran@miamidade.gov / phone: 305-375-5024.

A 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place group winner will be selected from Elementary, Middle and High School.  A Grand Prize for "Best in Show" will also be chosen.  Prizes include Utrecht gift cards from $50 to $200. In addition, students from the winning teams will each receive an All Kids Included Festival goodie bag and T-shirt.

All finalists' quilts will be exhibited during the All Kids Included Family Arts Festival April 12-17, 2010 at the Miami Children's Museum.
 
The deadline for all entries is Friday, April 2, 2010. 

CLICK TO SEE:

CONTEST GUIDELINES
SUBMISSION FORM
AUTHORIZATION FORM

Click HERE to view the flyer announcing three upcoming legal rights presentations. This project is funded by the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC) and managed by the Big Bend Office of the Public Guardian and titled "Lighting the Way to Guardianship and Other Decision-Making Options."  This has been a collaborative initiative between APD, the Big Bend Office of the Pubic Guardian, the Advocacy Center, Statewide Public Guardians Office and 2 fabulous advocates.

Read the March 2010 NCLD e-Newsletter HERE for articles on topics such as "Helping Your Child Build Social Skills," "The Social/Emotional Side of Learning Disabilities," and "Building Resilience in Children with Challenges." Also, information on the new IEP Checklist application for the iPhone.

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) launched new online resources to help Spanish-speaking parents support the development of their young children's literacy skills and build effective relationships with their teachers.

By going to NCLD's early literacy web site, GetReadytoRead.org, parents and families can now connect with a host of resources designed to make early literacy and learning fun for young children as well as provide practical tips to help parents communicate with educators and day care providers. They will learn how to build skills at home and get answers to questions they have about other key areas of their children's development.

"These new resources answer unmet needs of Spanish-speaking parents and families, who have asked for guidance in helping their children be ready for kindergarten and beyond," said James H. Wendorf, executive director of NCLD.  "With the support of the Charles Evans Foundation, we can now provide trusted tools to Spanish-speaking parents."

Using research-based techniques and proven strategies for early skill development, parents can feel confident in the resources they are using and well-informed regarding the steps they can take to communicate effectively with the other people involved in their child's educational journey.  
 

Download the Spanish version of this press release.

The Ailey Dance Foundation is offering a free summer camp to 100 middle school students! Click HERE to read more about this program.

Click HERE to view the VSA ARTicles newsletter for Spring/Summer 2010.

The 5p- Society will be celebrating its 25th Annual Conference and Get Together. What started out as a small informal meeting of about five families has turned out to be a large conference of over 80 families. They expect record breaking numbers for the 25th Annual Conference and Get Together. Destination: Orlando, Florida . . . home of Walt Disney World Resort that includes, Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom, as well as Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens. Click HERE for more information.

What if Parent to Parent of Miami earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can! GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's, and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting your favorite cause.

Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter Parent to Parent of Miami as the charity you want to support. And, be sure to spread the word!

Join Samantha's Purpose at the "Botar la Gorda" Domino Tournament and 1st Anniversary Celebration!

Hosted by LINQ Financial Group (a MassMutual company) and
Presented by Balmelli Creative

Friday, March 26, 2010

Event begins at 7:00 PM
Domino Tournament begins at 7:30 PM

LINQ Financial Group
2100 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
6th Floor - Rooftop Patio
Coral Gables, Florida 33143

Tournament entry is $100.00 per team of 2 players.
YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THE TOURNAMENT BY THURSDAY, MARCH 25TH, NO EXCEPTIONS!

Throughout the night, tournament players will receive Butler passed appetizers, waitress service from the open bar and free cigars. The Tournament/VIP area will also be accessible to the Tournament players guests with a minimum donation of $25.00 per person.

The Tournament is selling out VERY QUICKLY! There will be prizes for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams.

Those guests that only wish to attend the "complimentary" 1st Anniversary Celebration will be entitled to a free drink and butler style appetizers.

There will also be a fantastic and unique Silent Auction and Raffle.

Please contact Michelle Coffey-Garcia with any questions or if you are interested in:

- REGISTERING FOR THE DOMINO'S TOURNAMENT;

- OBTAINING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES; or

- MAKING AN IN-KIND DONATION TO THE SILENT AUCTION/RAFFLE

Michelle Coffey-Garcia
mcg@samanthas-purpose.org
305-667-9916

Competitive salary, excellent benefits, and positive work environment.
 
CCDH's All Children Together (ACT) Resource Network is looking for a Family Support Coordinator to help families identify and access supports and services for their children with disabilities.
 
Requirements:  Bachelor's Degree in human services, education or related field or being the parent of a child with disabilities, and a minimum of 2 years experience working with children with disabilities and their families.   Must be familiar with community resources and computer literate.    Experience may be substituted for degree requirement on a year for year basis.  Bi-lingual required.  English/Creole preferred.
 
Please e-mail cover letter and resume to hr@ccdh.org.

7990 SW 117 Ave. Suite 200
Miami, Florida, 33183
Tel: 305-271-9797
Fax: 305-271-6628
newsletter@ptopmiami.org
www.ptopmiami.org

 

Mission
 
To empower and support a network of parents of children and adults with disabilities.
 
Vision
 
All parents of children and adults with disabilities will have universal access to information, training, support and advocacy skills to ensure their children achieve their fullest potential, while leading the community on the rights of all children.
 
Above all, we respect your privacy. We will never rent, sell or share your information with anybody.
 
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