Family Network on Disabilities
In this issue...
Heart and Hope
Thank You, Rep. Castor!
Children's Week Local Event

Help Support FND 

Upcoming Events 

February 19:
Parent Support Group
10:00am - Lake City
More Details Here

February 21:
Mended Little Hearts/ Hearts of Hope Support Group
5:30pm - Pensacola
More Details Here

February 22:
FCAT Accommodations Workshop
7:00pm - Tallahassee
More Details Here

February 23-26:
The Learning Disabilities Association of America's National Conference
Jacksonville
More Details Here

February 24:
Assistive Technology with FAAST Workshop
6:00pm - Pensacola
More Details Here

February 24:
Hearing ME Parent Support Group Meeting
6:30pm - Orlando
More Details Here

February 26:
Free Mini-Conference
(Note: This event will be conducted entirely in Spanish)
1:00pm - Tallahassee
More Details Here

March 3:
Conflict Resolution Workshop
10:00am - Online Webinar
More Details Here

March 5:
On Track to Transition Mini-Conference
9:00am - Panama City
More Details Here

For more upcoming events, visit our online event calendar at
http://fndfl.org/cal.asp

News From the Heart

Vol 2, Issue 7
February 18, 2011
Heart and Hope

Thank you to everyone who came to the Heart and Hope Statewide Family Conference on Saturday, February 12th in Orlando. We were able to share a lot of helpful information with a lot of families.Next week's News from the Heart will include pictures from the event.


 

Rep. Castor and FND Executive Director,

Richard La Belle

Thank You, Rep. Castor!

Many, many thanks to Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D - FL), who supports keeping PIRC's (Parental Information Resource Centers) in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) currently being considered by Congress.In remarks to the National Title I Conference held earlier this month in Tampa, Rep. Castor shared her hopes that PIRC's would be retained with an audience gathered to hear about effective strategies for parental involvement and family engagement in their children's education. 

 

PIRC's are the only program funded by the U.S. Department of Education that reaches out directly to both schools and families to bring them together. PIRC's aim to make schools family-friendly and welcoming.They also help parents and family members with easy to use strategies for even the busiest or most challenged families to become respected partners in their children's education. 

 

Rich La Belle, FND's Executive Director, said, "We greatly appreciate Congresswoman Castor's support.PIRC's are where the rubber hits the road in family engagement.If we disappear, there will be no one to fill our role.Families - and children - will suffer if that happens." 

 

La Belle continued, "I've found that the concept of the PIRC's and effective family engagement has broad bipartisan support in Florida's Congressional delegation.I haven't talked to a single member, from either party, who has said that they do not support effective family engagement in education. Everyone supports the idea that parents and families should be heard and taken seriously as real partners in their children's education. PIRC's make that happen.We have to keep them.  We have to continue this vital work."

 

If these issues are important to you and your family, we urge you to contact your member of Congress. Tell them how you feel about keeping PIRC's in the ESEA reauthorization.You can find your member of Congress at http://www.house.gov/. If you'd like to contact Rep. Castor and thank her for her support of PIRC's, you can reach her in Washington or Tampa or by email at http://castor.house.gov/Contact/

 

137 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C.  20515

Phone:202-225-3376  Fax: 202-225-5652

 

4144 N. Armenia Ave., Suite 300, Tampa, FL, 33607

Phone: 813-871-2817  Fax:813-871-2864

 

Children's Week Local Event

Join FND on Saturday, March 26, from 11:00am until 2:00pm at The Dunedin Community Center for our Children's Week event. This is a FREE event that will have food, a bounce house, parachute play, interpretive storytime with the Dunedin Public Library, and pottery painting with Art from the Heart Caf�.Phinley of the Clearwater Threshers will make a special appearance at 11:00am and Standing Ovation will be performing at 1:00pm.

 

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