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Click here to register for this event What: Linda James Myers, Ph.D. will present "The Challenges of Cultural Congruence: What Every Advocate Should Know" on Thursday, June 16, from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Dr. Myers is a professor at The Ohio State University, past president of the Association of Black Psychologists, and chair of the Board of Trustees for the National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilities (AACLD). This webinar will focus on the importance of cultural congruence, one of the most challenging and often least discussed issues central to the success of Black families as they seek to provide a quality education for their children. As a member of a cultural group whose ethnic and racial heritage is congruent with and supported by that dominant in this society, Euro-western white, one may assume that this prevailing cultural worldview and the subsequent educational and other social institutions created by it are universally suitable and acceptable. The assumption is often made that the prevailing cultural worldview is universally adopted and held by all Americans, particularly those who have been in this country for generations and for whom English is believed to be their first language. This webinar will explore how these assumptions have hurt non-immigrant African Americans and their progeny, particularly in terms of education, their potential for educational achievement, and the current disproportionality we see in special education. Emphasis will be placed on how advocating for a culturally congruent educational experience on behalf of Black students and their families has the potential to transform the negative educational outcomes that have plagued this population for decades. This is the first in an Equity and Ethnicity in Special Education four-part series of webinars hosted by COPAA, a non-profit organization that works to protect special education rights and secure excellence in education on behalf of the 7.1 million children with disabilities in America. When: Thursday, June 16, 2011 - 12:00 pm Mountain If you would like to register for this event or any of the four-part series, please click here. COPAA non-member registration is $65.00 for one session or $195.00 for all four sessions. The full four-part series includes: Thursday, June 16, 2011 - 2:00 pm Eastern The Challenges of Cultural Congruence: What Every Advocate for Black Students Should Know Presenter: Linda James Myers, Ph.D. Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 2:00 pm Eastern Addressing Legal Issues of Disability and Race Discrimination Presenters: Matthew Engel, Esq., Ron Lospennato Esq. Wednesday, June 29, 2011 - 2:00 pm Eastern Representing Parents Whose Dominant Language is Other Than English Presenter: Gabriela Ruiz, Esq., Southern Legal Counsel, Inc. Thursday, July 14, 2011 - 2:00 pm Eastern Disproportionality: What are we doing about it? Presenters: Sonja Kerr, Esq. Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP)

What: This webinar series will arm educators, service providers, policy-makers and administrators with the information, skills and strategies needed to understand and engage culturally diverse populations. Each session tackles the complex issues associated with cultural competency, from the fallacy of equating diversity with cultural competency, to implementing cultural competency within organizations. Participants will explore the interplay of values, policies, structures, attitudes and behaviors and how they affect the ability to understand, reach out to and effectively engage populations who have traditionally been underserved.  When: March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 and April 21  1-2:30 p.m. Mountain More Details Download Registration Form Register Online

What: The fourth Friday of September was designated by the 1997 Legislature as American Indian Heritage Day, in recognition of Montana’s constitutional commitment to preserve the cultural integrity of American Indians. The definition of a quality education in Montana includes specific language for the integration of Indian Education for All throughout the curriculum. MCA 20-9-309. Activities that celebrate American Indian Heritage Day can create sustained interest in learning about the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians, setting the tone and creating connections for a year of integrating Indian Education for All. Spark interest with these activities… Display information about Montana tribes – tribal specific posters, maps, and books. Learn the names of all Montana reservations, tribes that live on them and languages spoken there. Research how names of the tribes are spoken in their own languages. Explore nearby Montana Indian cultural and historical sites and community museums. Invite cultural resource experts from Montana’s tribal nations to visit. Display OPI Indian Education for All curriculum materials. Through the study of Montana Indian cultures and peoples, all students become more self-aware of their own cultures and develop a reference point to support greater understanding of others. Explore the OPI Indian Education website for links to DVDs, websites, publications and lessons for most content areas and grade levels: http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/IndianEd/Index.html When: Friday, September 23, 2011

Click here to register for this event What: This webinar will provide you with an overview of culturally effective pediatric care and will highlight the American Academy of Pediatrics’ new online resource the Culturally Effective Care Toolkit. A current Healthy Tomorrows grantee will discuss their experiences creating culturally responsive health education materials and training providers how to manage diverse health literacy levels.  Speakers: Denice Cora-Bramble: MD, MBA, FAAP, Senior Vice President, The Diana L. and Stephen A. Goldberg Center for Community Pediatric Health, Professor of Pediatrics, George Washington University. Dodi Meyer: MD, FAAP, Associate Clinical Professor Pediatrics, Co Director Community Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital When: Thursday, April 7, 2011 12:00 – 1:30 pm Mountain After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Registration available here!What:Connecting to the work that has been carried on during the last five years to successfully andcomprehensively implement Indian Education for All across Montana’s diverse communities, the theme for this year’s conference will explore the importance of crossing cultural and community divides to establish strong and productive relationships. Please consider sharing your knowledge and experiences related to this topic by submitting a conference presentation proposal. The Call for Proposals form will be available until December 30. The Indian Education Division and Office of Public Instruction will also be soliciting nominations for an important opportunity – the Advocacy Award for Excellence in Indian Education for All, in honor of one of Montana’s finest educators, Teresa Veltkamp. Nomination forms for the award will be available December 15th at OPI Indian Education Hot Topics. Please give consideration to this opportunity to acknowledge anoutstanding educator’s efforts in the promotion of and steadfast support for Indian Education for All. When:February 27-28, 2012Where:Billings, MTCrowne Plaza HotelContact:Joan FrankePhone: 406-444-3694

Some of this year's workshops include: Writing, Bollywod Dancing, Understanding Money, Dance NIA, DIY Fashion, International Culture, Intro to College, Japanese Drumming, Taekwondo, Personality Exploration, Sustainable Energy, Cooking and more!What:Keynote speaker and President of Montana State University, Dr. Waded Cruzado is the first woman and first minority to serve as a university president in the state of Montana. Her commitment to teaching and volunteer service is certain to be an inspiration for all Montana girls. History of GFAC:Girls for a Change is a grass-roots initiative designed to empower girls to embrace their future--confident in their individuality, supported by friends, parents and mentors, and secure in their ability to lead and achieve self-sufficiency, fulfillment, balance and success. Founded in 1997 by sixteen girls and their female mentors, Girls for a Change (GFAC) is a signature program of Thrive devoted to supporting and encouraging the successful development of girls.GFAC Activities:Each year GFAC plans an annual conference, does one local and one international community service project, participates and facilitates workshops and attends a retreat. GFAC participants also meet and facilitate activities with international visitors resulting in an ongoing dialogue about girls' and womens' issues in different cultures. Outcomes of GFAC:Girls feel confident about themselves and their ability to succeed--Girls gain public speaking skills--Girls are empowered to accomplish their goals and dreams--Girls learn what strengths they already possess and how to build on those strengths--Girls learn that there are all different kinds of beauty--Girls gain exposure to other girls from different social, cultural and international backgrounds--Girls learn to work together as a team. When:Saturday, February 25, 2012 Where:MSU Strand Union BuildingBozeman, MTContact:Email: gfac@allthrive.orgPhone: (406)587-3840Website: allthrive.org

Click here to register for this event What: This session provides a new perspective on diversity by showing how children with special needs (including ADHD, learning disabilities, and autism) can be looked upon in a more positive way by seeing each person in terms of their strengths rather than their weaknesses.   Dr. Armstrong will examine findings in evolutionary psychology, neuropsychology, anthropology, and other fields to show that what we regard as “disabilities” in our culture may have at other times and cultures been considered assets and advantages.  Using this new and inclusive concept of “neurodiversity” Dr. Armstrong argues for a radically new approach to special education based upon deep respect and the celebration of natural brain differences. When: Thursday, June 16, 2011 10:30am - 11:30am Mountain Time

Arne observed the faculty there is “absolutely committed to making sure that every student fulfills their academic and social potential.” When Alexa asked the students on the panel what makes special education students so successful at Wilde Lake, one student shared that the cultural stigma of being a special ed student had been eliminated and declared that it had been taken over by the notion that, “I am a student!” We know that Wilde Lake takes this belief very seriously, as more than 90 percent of their students spend more than 80 percent of the school day in a general education setting.