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August 15, 2014
Celebrating 26 Years of Excellence
Serving Missouri Families!
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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.
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Back to School Transitions: Tips for Parents
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Schools all over Missouri are opening their doors and welcoming students and their families to the 2014-2015 school year. It can be an exciting and overwhelming time for everyone.
Ted Feinberg, EdD, NCSP, & Katherine C. Cowan with the
National Association of School Psychologists have put together tips for parents to make getting back into the school routine smoother for everyone. They include suggestions of strategies that parents can use before school starts and during the first week of school. Suggestions for dealing with anxiety, after school activities and problems are also included. Find the entire article here.
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| Evidence Based Practice |
The world of education is full of "jargon" used by teachers and administrators. Evidence Based Practice is a term that parents often hear in education focused meetings but what does it mean?
Evidence Based Practice is a program or instructional practice that has gone through rigorous research, has demonstrated a record of success, and there is reliable, trustworthy and valid evidence to suggest that the program is effective. The evidence supporting these practices or instruction should be scientifically based research.
The No Child Left Behind act defines scientifically based research as research which:
- Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment
- Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypothesis and justify the general conclusion
- Relies on measurement or observational methods that provide valid data across evaluators and observers, and across multiple measurements and observations
- Is accepted by a peer-reviewed or a panel of independent experts through comparatively rigorous, objective and scientific review
When deciding if a practice is supported by scientifically based research ask yourself the following questions:
- Has the study been published in a peer-reviewed journal or by a panel of independent experts?
- Have the results of the study been replicated by other scientists?
- Is there consensus in the research community that the study's findings are supported by a critical mass of additional research?
This information is located on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website.
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Missouri's Waiver of No Child Left Behind
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The U.S. Department of Education approved Missouri's Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver on June 29, 2012. This waiver began with the 2012-2013 school year and continues for three years. It allows Missouri to use its own accountability system to more effectively identify struggling schools, to efficiently direct resources to struggling schools and to recognize schools achieving exemplary results.
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| Pepnet2 - Resources for Individuals Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing |
Pepnet 2 (pn2) is a national collaboration of professionals with expertise in a broad array of content areas and environments that focus of issues facing individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. These include research, technology, personnel development, media production and technical assistance.
Pn2's mission is to increase the education, career and lifetime choices available to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Pn2's resources include:
- Live, one-on-one assistance in a variety of communication modes,
- In-person and online training,
- Materials that are downloadable, printable or available as hardcopies
To learn more about Pepnet 2 and explore their resources, visit their website.
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| Missouri Commissioner of Education's Video Message - August 2014 |
Missouri Commissioner of Education, Chris Nicastro, discusses the School Administrators Conference, the Normandy Schools Collaborative, improvements in educator preparation and much more. Watch via YouTube.
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| MPACT is Hiring! |
MPACT is currently accepting applications for a Parent Advisor for the St. Louis area which includes St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, and Warren County. This is a part-time position that may work into full-time. For more information about the position and how to apply, please visit the MPACT website and click on "Employment" at the top of the page.
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MPACT Seeking Applicants for Executive Director
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MPACT is currently seeking applicants for the position of Executive Director. The ideal candidate will possess a deep knowledge of Missouri's special education
process and disability-related processes and system, MPACT's core programs and be thoroughly committed to MPACT's mission. Personal or professional
experience with children with disabilities and special education issues is
strongly preferred.
For more information about the position and how to apply can be found on the MPACT website by clicking on "Employment" at the top of the page. Question about the position can be directed to the MPACT Board of Directors by emailing boardmember@ptimpact.org.
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| Save the Date! MPACT 2014 Transition Summit |
The MPACT 2014 Transition Summit will be held on October 29 in Jefferson City. In past years, transition aged youth, their parents and the professionals who work with them have heard from national speakers on topics like planning for the future and self determination.
Mark your calendar today! Details will be posted on the MPACT website as soon as they are available.
Students, tell your parents and your teachers! Parents, tell your student and their teacher! Teachers, talk to your administrator as soon as possible about taking your students to this valuable and educational event!
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| Does Your Child Receive First Steps Services? Visit MPACT's First Steps Page | |
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MPACT Parent Mentor Program
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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. Click here to view the list of current MPACT Parent Mentors.
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 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 info@ptimpact.org. You can also view the MPACT website at http://www.ptimpact.org.
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FREE Online Trainings offered through MPACT
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Our free online trainings will help parents to understand the special education process in the state of Missouri. You can access the MPACT online trainings listed below by going to the Training page on our website and clicking on Online Training.
- Extended School Year
- 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
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Free MPACT Trainings
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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 live 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.
Art of Effective Advocacy
Bullying Prevention; What Parents Can Do
Disagreement Resolution Processes
How to Write Measurable Annual Goals
IDEA Boot Camp
Interested in training in your area? We are always looking for groups to host MPACT trainings! Contact Lori Williams, Training and Resource Coordinator, at 800-743-7634 or by email at lwilliams@ptimpact.org to find out how to bring MPACT training to parents located near you.
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Give the Gift of Knowledge - Donate to MPACT
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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 on our website's donation page. Individual donations of $50.00 or more will be added to our Friends of MPACT list. Donations may be made by credit card through PayPal on our website 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.
MPACT Donation Letter
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or contact the MPACT State Office at 1-800-743-7634.
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Empowering families to advocate for themselves so that children with special education needs can reach their full potential in education and life -
through support, training and education.
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