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September 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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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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| 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 2014 Transition Summit - October 29, 2014 |
The MPACT 2014 Transition Summit will be held on October 29 in Jefferson City. The Summit is a one-day learning experience designed for students who have disabilities, special education transition personnel and student teams, family members, case managers, VR counselors, and Centers for Independent Living personnel. Summit sessions are focused on the preparation of youth for transition to postsecondary education, employment, independent living and community experiences.
This year's keynote speaker will be Lauren Zeliff. Lauren's address, "Great Things Can Happen When You Believe in Yourself!" will focus on Lauren's journey dealing with her own disability and the important things she learned along the way.
Make plans to attend the Summit today! Details, including participant registration and sponsorship information, are posted on the MPACT website. There is no cost to attend for parents and professionals who bring students. There is also no fee for the students you bring!
Business partners, we need exhibitors and sponsors to support this event. We also need donations of goodie bag items and door prizes. If you are interested in being an exhibitor or sponsor or in donating items for our participant gift bags or participant door prizes, please contact Connie Smith at csmith@ptimpact.org or (800) 743-7634.
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10 Tips for School Success.
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HealthyChildren.org, a website sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics, has created a list of 10 things that can support your child's success in school. Some of the ideas include enforcing healthy habits, reading with your child and expecting success. To read the complete list and the strategies suggested for each tip, find the complete article here.
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| Traumatic Brain Injury |
Traumatic brain injury (TBI), occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue or as a result of chemical abuse. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur in children and adults. You can learn more about TBI and research that is being done to find effective therapies by visiting the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) website.
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| Brain Injury Association of Missouri (BIA-MO) |
Founded in 1982 by a group of parents, the Brain Injury Association of Missouri (BIA-MO) works with support groups, volunteers, and service providers throughout the state. BIA-MO is a community based organization serving persons with brain injury, their families, caregivers, physicians, therapists, case managers and others throughout the state of Missouri.
Services and programs are carried out by hundreds of volunteers. These individuals serve as support group facilitators, speakers, members of the board of directors, recreation coordinators, fund raisers and office assistants. To learn more, visit the BIA-MO website.
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| Commission of Education September Video Address |
Missouri Commissioner of Education Chris Nicastro discusses the Kansas City Public Schools, the state's MAP scores, Missouri's rise in ACT scores and more. View via YouTube or webstream.
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MPACT Mentor Program
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MPACT Mentors are available to offer support and guidance to parents of children with disabilities throughout the IEP process. 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 Mentors.
If your school district has had a MPACT 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 MPACT Mentor Program.
For more information about MPACT or if you have questions regarding the status of a 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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| Does Your Child Receive First Steps Services? Visit MPACT's First Steps Page | |
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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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