The 9th Annual Special Education Conference: Parents + Educators + Students = Success will be held this Saturday, March 1, 2014, at Woodson High School from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  

The keynote presentation will be delivered by Ellen Galinsky, author of Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, president of Families and Work Institute.  Ellen's focus is on promoting life skills, based on Executive Functions of the brain.  FCPS staff and guest speakers Ann Dolin, Cathi Cohen, Kirk Martin, Dr. David Black, Dr. Samantha Hollins, Joyce Sharp and Dr. Joyce Cooper-Kahn will also present a variety of workshops for families and educators of students who receive special education services in Fairfax County Public Schools. Due to the increased interest in the conference, participants are encouraged to arrive early, carpool (if possible), and use the satellite parking lots with the shuttle bus.

Parents can register online www.fcps.edu/dss/conferenceor by phone at 703-204-3941.

• List of Conference workshops www.fcps.edu/dss/conference/2014/workshops.pdf
• Download the conference flier www.fcps.edu/dss/conference/2014/flier/ConferenceFlyer.pdf
• Parking information and satellite parking locations www.fcps.edu/dss/conference/2014/parkinginfo.pdf.
• Learn more about Ellen Galinsky www.mindinthemaking.org/ellen-galinsky.

As technology plays a larger role in our schools it becomes more important for all students to have home access to technology and the Internet. Many students have little or no access to the Internet away from school. This places them at a disadvantage. To address this problem the FCPS's "Access 4 All Committee" has been working to support three programs that make it possible for low-income families to obtain computers and Internet access at home at reduced or no costs.

The first program is Cox Communications's "Connect2Compete" initiative that allows families receiving "Free Lunch" support to obtain Internet access for $10.00 a month.  It also provides those families with support and the opportunity to purchase computers at low cost. Attached are English and Spanish language flyers from Cox that provide details concerning this program.

Comcast's "Internet Essentials" is the second program. This program is similar to Cox's "Connect2Compete" initiative with the primary difference in that students on both "Free AND Reduced Lunch" are eligible for it. Details of Comcast program are found in the attached English and Spanish Comcast flyers .

The last program is the FCPS's "MiFi Checkout Program". This program provides schools the opportunity to purchase cellular "MiFi" devices to checkout to students to gain Internet access at home.  The school checkout programs also include the loan of computer devices. The school funds to purchase MiFi Devices and computers are limited; the program is not funded by the FCPS central budget. Schools taking advantage of the program do so on an optional basis, using donations they receive. PTA units may want to consider helping address the Internet access problem by making donations to their schools or schools with high numbers of student without home access. Details concerning the "MiFiCheckout Program" are available from the attached "Access4All" flyer. More information on the Access4All program is available at www.fcps.edu/is/access4all.

Please distribute copies of the Comcast flyers and the Access4All flyer to your members or forward this message to your membership. It would also be appreciated if your unit would consider making donations to school "MiFi Checkout" program.

The STEMbassadors program has created partnerships with 100 elementary and middle schools throughout Northern Virginia to identify opportunities for high school students to volunteer in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities/programs developed by those schools. 

STEMbassadors was started in the summer of 2011 by the principal of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) as a means for TJ students to spread their love of learning and give back to the local communities.  During that first summer, about 100 TJ students supported summer STEM programs at 18 schools in Fairfax County.  That early success helped us to expand the program into the school year, as well.  In the summer of 2013, about 200 students from high schools throughout Northern Virginia supported 50 summer STEM programs in Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William Counties.  As participating jurisdictions in our regional Governor's School, we're also active in Loudoun County and Falls Church City schools.

We're offering this program to all area schools and PTAs can help in several ways!

• High school PTAs that are interested in having students from their high schools serve as volunteers can ask their school to contact us at stembassadors@tjhsst.edu
• Elementary and middle school PTAs that are interested in having their school join the program should talk to their school to gauge their interest and ask them to contact us.  PTAs can also help by identifying an adult to serve as a "Liaison" who acts as a link between the school and our program.  Please contact us for more info on the Liaison role.
• Elementary and middle school PTAs that are already involved in STEM enrichment at their school might want to involve STEMbassadors to help their school consider ways that high school volunteers might improve those activities.

• When:  July 10-12, 2014
• Where: Richmond Marriott - Downtown

Be sure funding for conference attendance (registration, hotel, mileage, meals, parking, etc.) is included in your unit's budget.  Attendance is a valid PTA expense.

• Team Up with your members and current/future leaders to attend workshops for presidents, secretaries, treasurers, membership, Reflections, advocacy, leadership, and more!
• Team Up, Stand Up, Speak Up for our children at our Annual Meeting.
• Team Up and network with other PTAs.