Pathfinder Services of ND - Webinar Trascript Slide 1: Welcome to Pathfinder Services of North Dakota. The purpose of this webinar is to introduce who we are and how we can help families and educators throughout North Dakota. Slide 2: Every state in America has a Federally Funded Parent Training and Information Center. The PTI program is one of the primary vehicles under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (also known as IDEA) for providing information and training to parents of children with disabilities. Parent Training Centers may vary from state to state, but he intent is to provide children of disabilities and their parents with training and information designed to assist these children in meeting developmental, functional, and academic achievement goals; and to inform them of their rights, responsibilities, and protections under IDEA. Slide: 3 Kathryn Erickson of Mohall, ND, founded Pathfinder in 1987. Shortly after Pathfinder was founded, Dr. Wayne Sanstead, then State Superintendent of Schools, publicly introduced Kathryn as “a pathfinder for parents” Thus, our name was born. Pathfinder has been providing services for over 30 years. Pathfinder Services of ND is a statewide nonprofit organization funded, in part, by the US Department of Education. Pathfinder provides support services for families of children ages 0-26 as well as supports to the professionals that work with these children. The Pathfinder Board of Directors is composed of parents and professionals, with a majority of the members being parents who have children with physical, emotional, learning, or sensory disabilities. Slide 4: The Mission of Pathfinder Services of ND is to …. To unite families and educators by giving them the resources to build positive futures for and with children, students, and young adults with learning differences or challenges. We partner with parents and professional to ensure the success of each student’s education. Our mission includes individuals from birth to age 26. Slide 5: WE HELP FAMILIES… Understand their child’s disability; Understand the Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP), Individualized Education Program (IEP), and 504 plan components; Prepare to transition from Part C to Part B; Prepare for life after high school; Find helpful information through books, DVDs, and brochures; and Find information on available statewide support services. Slide 6: The goal of Pathfinder Services of ND is to help educators and parents work together to provide the best educational experience for children with learning challenges! Slide 7: WE HELP PROFESSIONALS… By providing trainings and workshops By partnering to promote successful parent communications By providing resources and information on additional statewide services available Slide 8: Pathfinder Services of North Dakota focuses on the components of … Public Awareness Outreach Parent and Professional Education Guidance Leadership Self-Advocacy Slide 9: Pathfinder uses public awareness to reach parents and professionals throughout the state through a number of different methods. Our bi-monthly newsletters include informative articles, training schedules, and links to partner websites. We are available on social media through both Facebook and Twitter. We promote special events and news to our email list subscribers. Our website features online resources, links to statewide services and resources, and news relevant to North Dakota. Slide 10: Under Pathfinder’s Outreach component we provide literature in various reading levels and languages. Our website offers a feature that provides automatic translations into 100 different languages. Slide 11: Under the components of Education and Guidance, Pathfinder is committed to providing … Up to Date Resources Packets of Information on Numerous Topics Brochures Lending library of DVDs and Books Statewide Service Information In our mission to provide services throughout North Dakota, our resources and lending library are available to be mailed at no cost to parents. Slide 12: Pathfinder demonstrates a commitment to leadership by promoting a …. Family Friendly Services Effective Partnership Strategies Networking Opportunities Helpful Resources Slide 13: PARENT ADVISING… Pathfinder Services of ND helps parents become well informed advocates for their children. Slide 14: Pathfinder Services of ND is constantly developing trainings on current trends and topics. We relay this information in various formats that include In Person Trainings, On-Demand Archived Webinars, and Live interactive Webinars. A schedule of upcoming trainings and webinars can be found on our website at Pathfinder-nd.org. Slide 15: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Pathfinder offers technical assistance for both youth, parents, and professionals. We review the information we provide on a regular basis to assure that it is current and relevant for the practices of North Dakota. Slide 16: Some of the organizations providing resources to the families of North Dakota include: The Office of Special Education Programs The US Department of Education The Peak Parent Center The PACER Center The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction The North Dakota Department of Human Services The Center for Parent Information and Resources Slide 17: (Slide Hidden) What are Leadership Groups? Leadership groups brings together families and professionals from across the state. Group members brainstorm current trends and topics, share ideas, and create a pathway that helps participants network and build strong partnerships. Through Peer and Professional interactions, group members become better advocates, implement plans, obtain resources, and discuss strategies for positive change that meet the ever changes needs of educational practices. Pathfinder is currently organizing an Early Childhood, American Indian, and Military leadership group. This list will increase in the upcoming months. Slide 18: WHAT PARENTS TELL US “The conversation we had the other day really helped me gather my thoughts and feel at peace.” “You have been a great help when I felt lost and didn’t know where to go.” Slide 19: WHAT EDUCATORS TELL US “I especially appreciate Pathfinder in keeping the most recent research available. As an educator, we don’t always have the time or resources to search for the information that Pathfinder Services has readily available. Thank you for your excellent service!” Slide 20: Thank you for listening to our presentation today. For more information, or to host a training in your area, call us at 701-837-7500 or visit our website at pathfinder-nd.org.