News & Resources for North Dakota Parents & Professionals | About Us
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Webinar - The Why, What, and How of the Special Education Evaluation Process
Pathfinder Services of ND is providing a series of webinars for parents and educators that focus on the special education process implemented in North Dakota schools.
On April 25, please join us for the second in our webinar series, "The Why, What, and How of the Special Education Evaluation Process". This interactive webinar will provide participants with answers to question such as: - Why is a special education evaluation completed?
- What are the key components of an accurate, individualized, and comprehensive special education evaluation?
- How are the Individuals with Education Act (IDEA) evaluation requirements embedded within the North Dakota special education evaluation process?
The webinar will be presented on April 25, 2018, at 3:30pm. For more information and to register, please refer to our website. |
News from the Department of Education
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Department of Education Issues Q&A on Free Appropriate Public Education following Supreme Court Decision
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District Re-1, which clarified the scope of the free appropriate public education (FAPE) requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
In this decision, the court held that "to meet its substantive obligation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a school must offer [a child] an IEP [individualized education program] reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child's circumstances."
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has released of a 9-page Question and Answer (Q&A) document addressing the Endrew F. decision. OSERS has issued this Q&A document to provide parents and other stakeholders information on the issues addressed in Endrew F. and the impact of the Court's decision on the implementation of IDEA. Read the Q&A here:
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Everybody Is Different
by Fiona Bleach
This book is specially designed to give answers to the many questions of brothers and sisters of young people on the autistic spectrum. As well as explaining the characteristics of autism, it is full of helpful suggestions for making family life more comfortable for everyone concerned.
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Experienced Parent
Program
Experienced Parents provide support services to other families through one on one conversation, group activities, planning meetings, facilitated parent connections, discussions with services providers, and more.
Learn more:
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Getting Them Off to a Good Start
Early Childhood Education From Birth to Age 7
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Learn the Signs, Act Early - Developmental Milestones Checklists How your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves offers important clues about your child's development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. The CDC has created a site that offers checklists of developmental milestones for ten different age groups (2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, 18 months, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years). Each checklist notes 'What Most Children Do at this Age' and 'What You Can Do for Your Child' at that age.
Visit the site here to find the checklist for your child:
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Raising Elementary Students
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Five Options, 1-2-3 There are times when parents and schools simply do not agree on some issue affecting a child's education. They may try informal approaches to resolving the conflict, such as reviewing and revising the child's IEP or holding a facilitated IEP meeting (an approach emerging in the field). When these don't result in agreement on what represents an appropriate education for a child, the law (IDEA) provides several approaches that parents and schools can use to help resolve the dispute.
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Community Leadership Academy Registration Independence Inc. is launching Community Leadership Academy (CLA). The program provides an interactive training experience for people with disabilities interested in enhancing personal leadership skills and creating change in the community.
CLA is comprised of six sessions. Training curriculum will focus on important topics such as board functions, community engagement, professionalism, disability history, advocacy, and networking. Through this initiative, participants will gain the knowledge and confidence needed to effectively serve on non-profit boards, government committees, and coalitions.
They are currently accepting applications for Summer 2018 enrollment. For more information and to apply, visit their website:
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April is Autism Awareness Month! April is designated Autism Awareness Month, and to recognize this we would like to highlight a few of the autism awareness activities going on across the state this month.
Light It Up Blue 2018 Hosted by BisMan Autism Families Community
When: April 7, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: Horizon Middle School, 500 Ash Coulee Dr, Bismarck, ND
Light It Up Blue for Autism Awareness Month! This is a FREE community event where kids and families of all ages are invited to come out and celebrate. Inflatables, face painting, informational booths with fun games, and so much more! https://www.facebook.com/events/658945741129499/
Minot Walk for Autism
hosted by Caleb's Clubhouse
When: April 7, 10:00 am Where: Oak Park, 1300 4th Avenue NW, Shelter #7, Minot, ND Join Minot Center for Pediatric Therapy and Caleb's Clubhouse for the 1st annual Minot Autism Walk. Start a team, join a team, or come on your own. Either way, this is going to be a fun family event, connecting and raising autism awareness.
Autism Awareness & Spring Carnival hosted by Dakota Family Solutions When: April 10, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm Where: The Williston ARC, 822 18th St E, Williston, ND This event is designed for families of children with autism.
Autism Awareness Evening Event sponsored by Anne Carlsen Center When: April 12, 10:00 am Where: Moorhead High School Cafeteria, 2300 4th Ave S, Moorhead, MN This event is free and features a presentation, "Innovations, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Finding Solutions to Difficult Behaviors".
AuSome Evening 2018 hosted by North Dakota Autism Center When: April 27, 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm Where: DoubleTree West Fargo, 825 E. Beaton Drive, West Fargo, ND The AuSome Evening is a business formal attire event that is designed to motivate, rejuvenate, and inspire our guests! Enjoy an adult-night-out with dinner, a program speaker, games & silent auction while benefitting the AuSome Kids Day Program. For additional information on autism spectrum disorders, head to our resource page on autism spectrum disorder here: View Resources
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Training Opportunities & Upcoming Events
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Training | When | Where | Cost | Link | Free Early Development Screenings from Anne Carlsen Center
| April 6 9:00 am to 2:00 pm | TNT Fitness 2800 Main Ave Fargo, ND
| Free | More Info | Minot Walk For Autism
| April 7 10:00 am | Oak Park 1300 4th Avenue NW, Shelter #7 Minot, ND
| Free | More Info | Light It Up Blue 2018
| April 7 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Horizon Middle School 500 Ash Coulee Dr Bismarck, ND
| Free | More Info | Autism Awareness & Spring Carnival
| April 10 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | The Williston ARC 822 18th St E Williston, ND
| -- | More Info | 2018 Mind Matters Conference
| April 10-11 | Holiday Inn Fargo 3803 13th Ave South Fargo, ND
| Varies | More Info | Autism Awareness Evening Event
| April 12 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | Moorhead High School Cafeteria 2300 4th Ave S Moorhead, MN
| Free | More Info | Assistive Technology that Supports Independent Living for Young Adults with Disabilities (PACER Webinar)
| April 12 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm | Online
| Free | More Info | 2018 Early Childhood Education Spring Conference
| April 12-13 | Baymont Inn & Suites 2611 Old Red Trail NW Mandan, ND
| Varies | More Info | Getting and Keeping the First Job (PACER Webinar)
| April 24 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | Online
| Free | More Info | 50th Anniversary NDRA Reading Conference
| April 26-28 | Legacy High School 3400 E Calgary Ave Bismarck, ND
| Varies | More Info | AuSome Evening 2018
| April 27 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm | DoubleTree West Fargo 825 E. Beaton Drive West Fargo, ND
| Varies | More Info |
All listed times are in Central Time.
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Stay Connected
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The contents of this newsletter were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, #H328M110021. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
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