Military Family Symposium

 The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), Department of Special Education and Student Services (SESS), in collaboration with the

Department of the Navy, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic is offering a one-day Military Family Symposium training opportunity for military families of students with disabilities and those who provide them with educational supports. The Symposium will be convened virtually using the ZOOM platform on Saturday, November 14, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Login to the ZOOM platform will begin at 8:30 a.m. The Symposium will open with remarks from the Secretary of Education, the Honorable Atif Qarni; Deputy Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, the Honorable Kathleen T. Jabs; a representative from the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic command group; and Navy Spouse of the Year, Michelle Norman.

 

Additionally, Symposium participants will receive information on: (i) current federal and state educational laws affecting military families (i.e., parental consent, remote registration, enrollment flexibility when residing in temporary housing, and open enrollment policy for those residing in military housing; (ii) special education dispute resolution options, with an emphasis on due process hearing procedures; and (iii) post-secondary transition programming. The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) and the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Center for Family Involvement (CFI) will provide briefings on the services that they provide specifically for military families. There will also be briefings on the resources and supports available through the State Special Education Advisory Committee (SSEAC), a school division’s local special education advisory committee, and the parent resource centers located throughout the Commonwealth. There are also two sessions set aside to address questions directly from the Symposium participants.

There is no registration fee for participation in this Symposium. Space is limited for this symposium; as such, registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. All participants must pre-register using the following link: Military Symposium November 2020. Upon acceptance of their registration, attendees will receive an email with additional login information to access the Symposium on November 14, 2020.

 

For questions regarding online registration, or to register by phone, interested participants should contact Lisa Crafton, at (804) 225-2402. Please direct general questions regarding the Symposium to Hank Millward, Director, VDOE, by email, at Hank.Millward@doe.virginia.gov, or via telephone, at (804) 371-0525. 

Critical Decision Making Points

 Culpeper County Public Schools, SEAC and the PTRC will be holding 2 Virtual Sessions on:

Critical Decision Making Points for Parents

Family Engagement Month

 November Recognized as Family Engagement in Education Month

∙ Governor Ralph S. Northam, Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. James F. Lane, and  the Virginia Board of Education recognize November as Family Engagement in  Education Month in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

∙ The Virginia Board of Education believes that families and schools working together can  create meaningful relationships that lead to significant gains in student achievement and  success.  

∙ Over 30 years of research clearly indicates all students achieve at higher levels when  schools and families support each other. 

∙ Research has shown that when schools and families are engaged in meaningful two-way  communication and collaboration students have: 

o More positive attitudes toward school 

o Higher grades and test scores, which equals higher achievement 

o Better attendance 

o More homework completed  

o Higher graduation rates  

o Greater enrollment in post-secondary education 

∙ Family Engagement in Education Month is an opportunity to recognize the importance of  families and schools and the work being done throughout the Commonwealth to ensure  that we work together to build better futures for all children. It is also an opportunity to  recognize that, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the operation of  our public and private schools, parents have had to take on a more direct role in the  education of their children.

Community Resources; Provider List

We all have heard the saying that it takes a village in raising our kids.  The attached Provider List is part of that village. This is a comprehensive list that includes information for services and providers in the areas of:

 Physical Therapy

Speech Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Applied Behavioral Analysis

Therapeutic Riding

Durable Medical Equiptment

Developmental Pediatricians

Pediatric Dentists

Audiologists

To view and download the Provider List, use QR code below

VDOE News

 

Resources for Families of Children with Disabilities - October 15, 2020

Below, please find valuable resources for families from Special Olympics Virginia and the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC).

Special Olympics Virginia- Disability Awareness Month Videos Did you know that October is Disability Awareness Month? Celebrate differences during Disability Awareness Month!  All month long, Special Olympics Virginia is offering age-appropriate videos promoting inclusion of people with differences.  Picture books and student profiles highlight how people turned their experiences with isolation into inclusive opportunities.  The Special Olympics Virginia website offers videos that encourage inclusive practices that make everyone at school feel welcome.  Check them out!   Learning Opportunities from the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) is the parent information and training center serving families and professionals of children with disabilities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. PEATC promotes respectful, collaborative partnerships between parents, schools, professionals, and the community that increase the possibilities of success for children with disabilities. PEATC provides families of students with disabilities many training opportunities throughout the year, such as Transition University, a free parent-friendly five-week, self-paced online transition course. It is never too early to start learning about students with disabilities transitioning to adulthood and it is never too early to begin taking steps to prepare for the future, so register for Transition University today! For more information about Transition University, as well as PEATC's many other offerings, please refer to PEATC's online calendar of events, where you will find course descriptions and registration information.

October is Disability History and Awareness Month

The VDOE and the VCU's Partnership for People with Disabilities are celebrating Virginia's Disability History & Awareness month through different activities and events. Please join us in celebrating the contribution of people with disabilities. 

*During the month of October, the VDOE and the Center for Disability Leadership Facebook page is going to post a historical event each day. Here is the link.  https://www.facebook.com/centerfordisabilityleadership.cdl

The Inclusion Project, sponsored by VDOE,  is hosting two events with critically acclaimed leaders. Please see the Eventbrite invitations and make sure to register for these events. These events are free and open to the public, so please share within your networks!  Fliers are attached.

*The Inclusion Project, a youth-led project, is hosting a Black Disability Art History workshop led by Leroy F. Moore Jr.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-disability-art-history-101-from-back-in-the-day-to-today-tickets-123688406353

*The Inclusion Project, a youth-led project, is hosting a discussion on "Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution" with guest Judy Heumann.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crip-camp-a-disability-awareness-panel-discussion-tickets-123409453999

Step in and Explore your Future!

 Step In & Explore Your Future!

Are you ready to explore “life beyond high school?”

Are you a student that is Deaf or Hard of Hearing?

Are you age 14-21?

This program may be for you.

WHAT:         “Step in Tuesday” to a Different Topic Twice/Month

WHERE:       Online Interactive Class (taught in ASL)

WHEN:         Twice/Month @ 4:00 pm   

 

• October 27 - DMV Learner's Permit and License: Learner's vs. License, learn how to better access DMV
• November 10 - Internships:  Learn how internships can help you get a job!
• November 17 - Communication Access / Interpreters: What you need to know about interpreters & communication access
• December 1 - Mock Interviews: How to prepare for the perfect job interview
• December 15 - Exploring Training Programs: What training do you need to succeed? Where can you go?

Interested in one session or all sessions?  Come as you can!  Free! 

Are you interested and want to register?
Contact:  Traci Branch      

Email:  Traci.Branch@dars.virgina.gov  

DHH Services, Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) 

PTRC Perspective

 It is hard to believe that Fall is here, and we are completing the 7th week of the first nine weeks in the 2020-2021 School Year!  This has truly been a year of many firsts and celebrations.

Today I'm adding the first issue of the PTRC Perspective. This is our newsletter to share about some happenings in our schools, new staff, and different resources.  

This month we are also celebrating Disability Awareness Month.

Parent Workshops; Updated Schedule

 Hi Everyone,

We have updated our Parent Virtual Workshop Schedule for this month.  We have combined the October 8 Connecting the Dots Workshop into the October 22 Q&A Workshop.

The next live workshop will be on Thursday, October 15 with the topic I'm Determined in a Pandemic.

Here is our new schedule: