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SAYREVILLE — Communities must bring disabled residents to the table when planning for disasters because their insight is invaluable, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination said Thursday.

the 2011 Plan has been updated by the IACC to reflect important new scientific advances in the field over the past year, emerging areas of opportunity, and areas where more research is necessary. Input from the ASD community, advocacy groups, research funding organizations, and the scientific community has continued to be a critical aspect of the updating process.

She said that the biggest question children are likely to have is whether something similar can happen to them. Parents should reassure them and help them feel safe while also providing age and developmentally appropriate information. Her other tips for talking to your children about the shooting include: Take care of yourself first. Calm your own fears and anxiety before talking to your children. They pick up on your emotions, and your calm demeanor will go a long way to reassure. Turn off TV and other media. Graphic details and images can be upsetting to all of us. Younger children may think that the event is happening over and over. Tuning in for the latest is tempting; pace yourself with the news and listen in only when children are out of earshot. Consider the child’s age when deciding whether bring it up. A preschooler may not know about the event and probably doesn’t need to know about it. Answer questions if they ask. Be proactive with older children. You can start the conversation with “you may have heard about…” and ask what questions they may have. Help the child understand that it is OK to feel sad or angry that this had happened. Reassure and emphasize their safety. Discuss the steps that adults in their life take to keep them safe, such as their schools’ safety plan and safety measures taken at home. Help your child find ways to cope with their fear and grief. Providing outlets like artwork or imaginative play can help them process their feelings. Draw on ways your family typically copes with a crisis such as sending a card, making a donation as a family to help the victims or praying together. If you or your child need additional help dealing with this tragedy, be sure to contact your doctor or mental health provider.

You can register online here!You can also download the flyer here for more information!What:Curriculum 21 is the outgrowth of the work of a dynamic group of educators worldwide, attempting to help colleagues transform curriculum and school designs to match the needs of 21st century learners. The impetus originated from the Curriculum Mapping work developed by Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs. As Curriculum Designers Inc. staff examined maps emerging across the United States and overseas, it was evident that curriculum and instruction remains dated, although both students and teachers recognize the need to become current and forward thinking in their planning. Concrete and practical models for updating your school programs appear in Dr. Jacobs’s book, Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World. Because of its impact on revising and changing education, Curriculum 21 has become a division of Curriculum Designers whose goal is to provide a full range of resources and services to all educators and schools involved in the journey of Curriculum Mapping.There will be a $25.00 per person fee for ACE member schools and $60.00 per person fee for Non- ACE members.When:Monday, March 5, 20128:00 AM - 4:00 PMWhere:Billings Hotel and Convention Center1223 Mullowney LaneBillings, MT 59101Contact:Andrea FischerPhone:(406) 690-9872Email: afischer.acemt@gmail.com

HELENA -- The Montana Office of Public Instruction announced on Monday that it has received three grants totaling more than $12.5 million to improve school climate and school safety and support the mental and emotional health of Montana students. The Office of Public Instruction was awarded a $3.75 million School Climate Transformation grant, an $8.5 million Project AWARE grant, and a $250,000 School Emergency Planning grant.

When people are suffering from cancer, diabetes, heart disease or broken bones, their first line of help is usually a doctor’s office or hospital emergency department. However, for people suffering from mental illnesses, the first line of help often is police officers, sheriff’s deputies or even the county jail.