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After getting pushback from local education advocates who have been feeling left out of the school turnaround process, Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced today that districts will be required to involve parents and the community as a condition of receiving school improvement grants.

For the past few years, I have been part of various assessment projects related to family and community engagement, or as I like to call it, “the school-home-community partnership.” Bullying is a common topic raised by parents and educators, so I did some research on bullying-prevention programs that schools are using to address this issue.  Not surprisingly, each of the prevention programs has a strong component of parent involvement.

Click here to download the NAMI Basics Commitment to Teach form (PDF) Click here to download the NAMI Basics Education Program Teacher Application (PDF) Who can teach the course? The course is designed to be taught using a co-leader training model. Both teachers must have been trained in use of the curriculum by either a NAMI National trainer or a nationally certified state trainer. Teacher trainings are expensive, time consuming and can be emotionally draining for all involved. In an effort to ensure that only the best candidates participate in the training, NAMI organizations are encouraged to use an application process to select individuals to participate in teacher trainings. There is a sample Teacher Application form in the COURSE FORMS section on page CF-1 that can be used as the first step. Individuals who are interested in being trained to teach the curriculum must meet the following criteria: Be the parent or other primary caregiver of an individual who began experiencing symptoms prior to the age of 13 (it is not necessary that the child have been formally diagnosed prior to 13). It is important that all individuals trained in this curriculum have lived through the experiences of having a young child with a mental illness. Be at a point in their life where they are familiar and comfortable with the emotional issues families face and can self-disclose about their own feelings of guilt, anger, shame, ambivalence and grief regarding their life situation. Be willing to participate in an intensive weekend training on how to teach the curriculum. Be willing to make the commitment to participants in the course, the co-leader and to the NAMI organization to complete the 15-hour course once it begins.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has been widely celebrated for providing millions of disabled children with broader educational and life opportunities. This Note seeks to improve the implementation of the IDEA by questioning one of its key assumptions: that parents possess the tools to advocate for their children in special education matters. This Note argues that many parents need assistance to achieve optimal outcomes for their children because of the complexity of both the disabilities involved and the formal rules of the system itself. Several policy options are considered in the hope that local educational agencies will implement pilot programs to further explore the issue of external advocacy in special education.

Mark your calendar for GREAT presenters on universal design for learning, discipline, dispute resolution and much more. Send your ideas for speakers and topics to Cathy Haarstad, Director ptidirector@srt.com or 1600 2nd Avenue SW Ste 30 Minot, ND 58701 or call 1.800.245.5840

Click here to download the flyer (PDF) What: A series of 6 classes, over three weeks, structured to help parents and direct caregivers understand and support children and adolescents with serious mental illness while maintaining their own well being.  The course is taught by a team of trained NAMI family members and direct caregiver volunteers who know what it’s like to have a child struggling with one of these brain disorders.  Topics covered will be the ‘no fault’ approach, the biology of mental illness, getting an accurate diagnosis, an overview of treatment options, the impact on family, communication, crisis management, the systems/agencies involved with your child, the importance of record keeping, and advocating and team building for you and your child. We invite you to call for more information. There is no cost to participate in the NAMI Basics Program and you will be given course materials to take home. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited to 20. When: March 1 – March 17, 2011 Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00am to 11:30am Where: Summit Medical Fitness Center 205 Sunnyview Lane Kalispell To register: Call Stephanie Luehr at 406-270-1086 or email stephanie.luehr@pluk.org

The Montana State Special Education Advisory Panel is recruiting potential members to serve a three-year term on the Panel.  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that each state establish and maintain an advisory panel for the purpose of advising the state special education staff regarding the education of eligible children with disabilities.  The panel meets four times a year in Helena. Our first meeting is scheduled for September 22-23.  Expenses are reimbursed. The panel has specific membership requirements.  We are currently recruiting the following member positions: Private School Representative State/Local School Administrator Representative of Other State Agencies Involved in the Financing or Delivery of Related Services  to Children with Disabilities Representative of Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Parent of a Child With Disabilities (ages birth through 26) Multiple Positions A majority of the members of the panel must be individuals with disabilities or parents of children with disabilities (ages birth through 26). Panel positions are appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.  If you would like to apply to become a member of the advisory panel, please submit a letter or e-mail of interest to: Dick Trerise Special Education Division Office of Public Instruction PO Box 202501 Helena, MT 59620-2501 Or dtrerise@mt.gov Please include a short biography, an indication of your interest in serving, whether you have a disability or are the parent of a student with a disability, and what insights you believe you possess that will benefit the work of the panel. For additional information, please contact Dick Trerise.

Approximately 32 percent of students report being bullied at school. Bullied students are more likely (1) to take a weapon to school, get involved in physical fights, and suffer from anxiety and depression, health problems, and mental health problems. They suffer academically (2) (especially high-achieving black and Latino students). And research suggests that schools where students report a more severe bullying climate score worse (3) on standardized assessments than schools with a better climate.

Making decisions about medication for a child with emotional or behavioral problems can be daunting and fraught with worry, especially when more than one medication is involved. Studies show that the number of children taking several psychoactive medications is soaring. Here are some guidelines to help you understand why your doctor might recommend multiple medications for your child, and whether you should have concerns about this treatment.

Click here to download the flyer (PDF) When: April 7, 2011 6pm to 9pm, 3 CEUs, $50.00 Where: Summit Medical Fitness Center Community Conference Room 205 Sunnyview Lane, Kalispell What: This is an overview of a 15 hour course designed for parents of a child with a brain disorder.  NAMI Basics is a peer education program. Parents and other primary caregivers of children and adolescents with mental illness have diverse and complex needs. Education and support for families helps them to live the best life possible while managing the trauma that often accompanies the onset of mental illness. NAMI Basics allows families to connect to one another while learning about brain disorders and empowering themselves to overcome new challenges. It provides information families want and need about their child.  This course is taught by a team of trained NAMI family members and direct caregiver volunteers who know what it’s like to have a child struggling with one of these brain disorders.  Topics covered will be: the ‘no fault’ approach, the biology of mental illness, getting an accurate diagnosis, an overview of treatment options, the impact on family, communication, crisis management, the systems/agencies involved with your child, the importance of record keeping, and advocating and team building for you and your child.  To register:  Contact Stephanie Luehr at stephanie.luehr@pluk.org, or 406-270-1086

Academic achievement is a strong predictor of high school graduation and is critical to long-term success in college, work, and life. A sixth grader who fails math or English, has unsatisfactory behavior, or poor attendance has a 75% likelihood of dropping out.