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MPACT ENews

December 17, 2012

Greetings!


Did you miss an issue of the MPACT ENews? Delete it by mistake? Wish you could find a past article? Well you can! To view current and past issues of the MPACT ENews visit our website at http://ptimpact.org/News.aspx

Online Trainings offered through MPACT

MPACT has just added another online training to our resources, Extended School Year is now available along with: 
  • Special Education: What I Need to Know
  • IDEA Transition Requirements
  • Transition to Post Secondary Experiences (Part 1 & 2)
  • Connecting Goals to Coordinated Activities and Services for Transition
  • Transition Resources - Disability Disclosure
  • Soft Skills

You can access them by going to our Training page and clicking on Online Training, oCLICK HERE .

In This Issue
MPACT Online Trainings
Give the Gift of Knowledge
Parent Mentor Program
Juvenile Justice Knowledge Briefs
Parent Dispute Resolution Resource
2013 STEP Applications Available
ECSE Parent Education
Upcoming Trainings
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links
Surveys- Let us know how we're doing.
Contact Us!

 Give the Gift of Knowledge - Donate to MPACT

MPACT welcomes donations in any amount and will acknowledge all donors in our Annual Report and on our MPACT Facebook page. Agency, organization and business donors making a contribution of $200.00 or more will be recognized by placing their name and logo in our monthly e-news letter and on our website's donation page. Individual donations of $50.00 or more will be added to our Friends of MPACT list which will appear in an edition of our monthly e-news letter and on our website. Donations may be made by credit card through PayPal on our website - http://ptimpact.org/Store/Donations/Donations.aspx; or by sending a check to the state office: MPACT, 8301 State Line Rd., Ste. 204, Kansas City MO, 64114. Every donation will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

 

Please help us to continue to provide the support that families of Missouri's children with disabilities are requesting by making a donation to MPACT. MPACT is a 501(c)3 organization. All donations are tax deductible.   

 

2012 MPACT Donation Letter

 MPACT Parent Mentor Program

MPACT Parent Mentors are available to offer support and guidance to parents of children with disabilities throughout the IEP process.  Parent Mentors are volunteers who receive 24 hours of initial training, ongoing monthly training, and technical assistance from MPACT staff with regard to special education law, the IEP process, conflict resolution, and effective communication.  Their goal is to help parents build a collaborative partnership with the school district so their child may receive an appropriate education.  To view the list of current MPACT Parent Mentors, go to http://ptimpact.org/Volunteer/MentorList.aspx.

 

If your school district has had a MPACT Parent Mentor in attendance at an IEP meeting, please take a moment to complete a brief online survey located at http://ptimpact.org/Surveys.aspx if you have not already done so.  A separate survey should be completed for each mentor who has provided services to parents in your district.  These surveys assist MPACT and DESE with identifying and addressing areas of success and improvement with the Parent Mentor Program.

For more information about MPACT or if you have questions regarding the status of a Parent Mentor, please contact MPACT by telephone at (800) 743-7634 or by e-mail at [email protected].    You can also view the MPACT website at http://www.ptimpact.org.

Juvenile Justice Knowledge Briefs

 

The Models for Change project funded by the MacArthur Foundation has developed a series of knowledge briefs describing new research from a multi-state juvenile justice initiative. Models for Change is seeking to create innovative, replicable juvenile justice systems that improve outcomes for youth while protecting community safety and using resources wisely. The reports in their knowledge brief series cover issues such as mental health and behavioral needs, cost-effectiveness, and disproportionality.  

 

For more information CLICK HERE.  

Parent Dispute Resolution Resource Showcase


CADRE, the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education, recently created a Parent Dispute Resolution Resource Showcase that contains dispute resolution resources for parents developed by Parent Centers and other organizations. The collection is searchable language and state.

 

For more information CLICK HERE

  

2013 STEP Applications Available

 

STEP-St. Louis (Summer Transition Employment Program) 2013 applications are now available on our website!  STEP - St. Louis is a 3 week residential, intensive, structured training program that provides specialized instruction to youth ages 14-21 with legal blindness. The program is designed to provide prevocational skills training by emphasizing independence, expectations related to transition, organizational skills and career exploration.

Program dates are June 9-29.  Applications are due by March 1st.. It is necessary to complete and return all requested documents such as the IEP pages that are requested.  Participants that are accepted into the program will be notified in March 2013.

 

For more information please go to: http://www.lhbindustries.com/Our-Outreach/Programs/STEP.aspx

 

To download the application please go to STEP 2013 Participant Application

 

ECSE Parent Education - MoSPIN

  

Districts serving children who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) may be interested in learning more about the Missouri Statewide Parent Involvement Network (MoSPIN).  In this parent training program, MoSPIN Parent Advisors visit the student's home on a regular basis to instruct parents on a variety of issues that are unique to children with visual impairments.  This instruction is based on the nationally recognized INSITE curriculum and may include topics such as the child's specific visual impairment and the resulting impact on communication, motor, or other areas of development.  These services are provided at no cost to families or districts.  This service is available to families of children birth through 5.

For additional information about MoSPIN or to learn more about becoming a Parent Advisor, please contact Ginny Williams at  [email protected] or visit our website at  http://www.dese.mo.gov/msb/Outreach/mospin.pdf. 

  

  

Free MPACT Trainings
MPACT trainings are provided    free of charge to parents of children with disabilities. To sign up for an upcoming training, follow the links below, then click on the 'SIGNUP' button located next to the training name. Fill in your name, email address, phone number, the name of the training you wish to attend and the date it is being offered.

 

While registering for a training is not mandatory it does ensure that the trainer has an adequate amount of handouts. This also allows MPACT to contact you should a training need to be cancelled or rescheduled. To view a comprehensive list of all trainings provided by MPACT go to http://ptimpact.org/Training/Training.aspx

 

Please be sure to double check the website training pages for any updates or changes to trainings offered.

 

Steps to Success Series: 

 

Parental Rights

 

Family Record Keeping

 

IDEA Part C to B (First Steps to Early Childhood)

 

IDEA Boot Camp (Understanding the IEP Process, Special Education Law, and Disagreement Resolution)
 
Understanding the IEP Process  

The Art of Effective Advocacy

 

How to Write Measurable Annual Goals

02/16/13   Union

02/25/13   St. Louis

 

Writing Post Secondary Goals for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

01/28/13   St. Louis

 

Bullying Prevention - What Parents Can Do - NEW 

Positive Behavior Interventions  

 
Student-Led IEPs - NEW
02/12/13   Springfield

Parents Facilitate, Youth Take Action
 

Question? Comments? Suggestions? Send them to [email protected] or 

contact the MPACT State Office at 1-800-743-7634.