Bridges4Kids News Digest

National News	*top*
New Publication Addresses Dropouts: Whatever It Takes http://www.aypf.org/publications/WhateverItTakes.htm Whatever It Takes, a recent American Youth Policy Forum publication, provides background on the serious high school dropout problem and describes in-depth what twelve communities are doing to reconnect dropouts to education and employment training. It also includes descriptions of major national program models serving out-of-school youth. IN Indiana Moves to Fight Youth Gambling Addictions http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-09-06-teen-gambling_x.htm Indiana's after-school program that educates youths about the dangers of drugs will have an additional focus beginning this fall: It will warn them about gambling addiction, a reflection of nationwide concerns about how pervasive gambling on TV and on the Internet is ensnaring teenagers. Severely Troubled Boys 'Soothed by Fish Oils' http://www.ednews.org/sendsmail/users/link.php?UserID=426&Newsletter=22&List=1&LinkType=Send&LinkID=299 School findings warrant more research, say experts. Experts on omega-3 fatty acids said yesterday there was an urgent need for properly conducted scientific research on the impact of diet on the brain, amid claims that fish oils have dramatically improved the behavior of boys with some of the UK's most severe emotional and social problems. The College Living Experience (CLE) Advantage http://www.cleinc.net/ College Living Experience is a post-secondary program that provides intensive assistance with academic, independent living and social skills to college students with LD, ADD, ADHD, Autism, Asperger's and other special needs as they transition to become independent adults. CLE locations include Austin, Denver and Ft. Lauderdale. MA More Than 16,000 Score Free College Tuition http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=157766 State education officials yesterday mailed letters to each of the 16,169 class of 2007 high school students who qualify for a John and Abigail Adams Scholarship, offering four years of free tuition at any public Massachusetts college. Rewarding Exemplary Community and Volunteer Service http://www.principals.org/s_nassp/sec.asp?CID=539&DID=48173 The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor young people in grades 5 through 12 who have demonstrated exemplary voluntary service to their communities. Maximum Award: $5,000. Eligibility: Students grades 5-12 who have conducted a volunteer service activity within the past year. Deadline: October 31, 2006. Two Fellowships Available: Wellstone and Villers http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/9-06/fellowships.wellstone.villers.9-06.html#top Families USA is now accepting applications for the Wellstone Fellowships for Social Justice and the Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice. The application deadline for both fellowships is February 2, 2007. TutorVista – Live, Online Tutoring and Homework Help http://www.tutorvista.com TutorVista provides live, online tutoring and homework help for K-12 and college students. The student talks naturally with the tutor using a headphone with an attached microphone. Both student and tutor communicate using a whiteboard that can be drawn or written on with both seeing what is being written or drawn. The cost is $79.99 per month (current special) for unlimited hours. TutorVista tutors all have post-graduate degrees in the subjects they teach as well as teaching credentials. The company is located in India and some American families report that it might take one or two sessions to become comfortable with the tutor’s accent, but that the results are worth it. As Homework Grows, So Do Arguments Against It http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/11/AR2006091100908.html The nation's best-known researcher on homework has taken a new look at the subject, and here is what Duke University professor Harris Cooper has to say: Elementary school students get no academic benefit from homework -- except reading and some basic skills practice -- and yet schools require more than ever. High school students studying until dawn probably are wasting their time because there is no academic benefit after two hours a night; for middle-schoolers, 1 1/2 hours. And what's perhaps more important, he said, is that most teachers get little or no training on how to create homework assignments that advance learning. Bridges4kids Book Spotlight: Alpha Girls: Understanding the New American Girl and How She is Changing the World http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Girls-Understanding-American-Changing/dp/1594862559 In his new book, Dan Kindlon, PhD turns the notion that adolescent females are "psychologically disadvantaged" on its head. Kinlon's research actually finds the opposite: today's young females are better equipped to succeed, athletically gifted and driven, have a stronger sense of self, and are often academically superior to their male peers.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)	*top*
U.S. Homework Outsourced as "e-tutoring" Grows http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2006/09/29/us_homework_outsourced_as_e_tutoring_grows/ Private tutors are a luxury many American families cannot afford, costing anywhere between $25 to $100 an hour. But California mother Denise Robison found one online for $2.50 an hour -- in India. For more information on No Child Left Behind, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/ESEA.html
Parenting/Parental Involvement	*top*
Nourishing the Super Kid http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=fe684e5a-da2d-41a0-86bd-d0d6ce10fd62&p=1 Although no blueprint exists on how to raise a gifted child, there are things parents should keep in mind. Bridges4kids Featured Resource: Free Spirit Publishing: Helping Kids Help Themselves Since 1983 http://www.freespirit.com/ Free Spirit is the leading publisher of learning tools that support young people’s social and emotional health. Everyday life presents many challenges for kids, from home to school to the wider world. No matter how many choices and changes young people face, our mission of 22+ years remains the same: to help children and teens think for themselves, succeed in life, and make a difference in the world. For more information on Parenting, Siblings, Adoption and Foster Care, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Parenting.html
Early Childhood	*top*
American Education Research Association (AERA) Spotlight: Early Childhood Education (PDF) http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/Journals_and_Publications/Research_Points/RPFall05.pdf AERA erects an important "Stop" on the "making sense highway" for policymakers. The AERA quarterly series, Research Points, shines a spotlight on early childhood education. In four pages, written in crisp, understandable language, readers learn what’s at stake and what actions policymakers can take to address the situation. MI State Reports that Talk Early/Talk Often Program is Working http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/9-06/michigan.news.9-06.html#2 Michigan Surgeon General Kimberlydawn Wisdom announced that the pilots for the Talk Early And Talk Often program are helping the state move toward its goal of preventing unwanted pregnancies. MI Kent County Early On Workshop Schedule for 2006-2007 (PDF) http://www.earlychildhoodmichigan.org/06-07EarlyOnKent.pdf For more information on Early Childhood issues, visit www.EarlyChildhoodMichigan.org
Michigan News	*top*
Report Outlines Proposals for 'Aging' Foster Care Youth http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/10-06/news10-10-06.html#top A plan to provide Medicaid health care coverage and immediate access to job training to young people who "age out" of the foster care system at age 18 was unveiled Monday by the Department of Human Services. Dropout Numbers Not Always Verified http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/10-06/news10-10-06.html#2 Data used by state and federal policymakers to set education policy, and by parents in making location decisions, could very well be inaccurate, according to an audit released today. Bridges4kids Featured Website: Michigan Special Education Mediation Program (MSEMP) http://www.cenmi.org/msemp/ The MSEMP website provides contact information for the MSEMP center serving your area. It’s as easy as calling 1-800-8RESOLVE. More educators and parents are turning to the MSEMP to find mutual solutions to complex issues. They also are contacting the MSEMP to increase their conflict resolution skills. Either way, the MSEMP can help you reduce conflict and increase the time spent on education. MSEMP services are free to parents and educators. Custody Bill Causes Rift, Speculation Among Advocacy Groups http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/9-06/michigan.news.9-06.html#top Legislation that would assume equal parenting time in child custody decisions provoked appearances from two groups on Wednesday that held very different views about what the bill would do to family law practices. Michigan State Board Of Ed Candidates Kick Around Issues http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/9-06/michigan.news.9-06.html#3 The four major party candidates running for two seats on the State Board of Education said today they will vote no on the controversial ballot plan to ban race-and gender-based affirmative action, and three reject the so-called K-16 school spending ballot plan, as well. Arc Downriver New Generations Programs Announcement 2006/2007 http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/9-06/arc.downriver.9-06.html#top After careful consideration the Arc Downriver in Wyandotte has agreed to pay for the following Programs for the New Generations group, during the 2006-2007 school years. The programs mentioned below are at no additional cost to your Annual Arc Membership Application/Renewal fee, for your family.
Disability News	*top*
Study: ADHD Cases Linked to Lead, Smoking http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/nation/15552738.htm About one-third of attention deficit cases among U.S. children may be linked with tobacco smoke before birth or to lead exposure afterward, according to provocative new research. Even levels of lead the government considers acceptable appeared to increase a child's risk of having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the study found. Federal Grant Applications to Support Parent Training and Information Centers for Parents of Children With Disabilities Now Available http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2006-3/092606g.html This applies to Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Alabama, Oklahoma and Region 3 of Florida. To ensure that parents of children with disabilities receive training and information to help improve results for their children, the federal government funds "Parent Training and Information Centers" (PTI's) in every state. Funding will begin October 1, 2007 and is generally for five-years. Applications are due on November 13, 2006. SchwabLearning Creates Online "Toolkit" on Learning Disabilities http://www.schwablearning.org/banners/bts2006.asp This new Back-to-School Kit delivers the information you need now and to plan for the school year; includes information, resources, and articles about learning disabilities. Attention Fathers of Children with Disabilities: You Are Invited to Participate in a Research Study http://www.bridges4kids.org/final.questionnaire.fathers.9-06.pdf The purpose of this study is to identify areas of support and services needed by fathers of children with disabilities. This questionnaire will help occupational therapists better identify how to best help fathers of disabled children. To participate, simply download the short, 3-page survey (PDF), fill it out, then contact the 3 Occupational Therapy students from CSU Dominguez Hills for further instructions. The students can be reached at (714) 585-6692 or by email at cazarez67@aol.com. Toy Chain Offers Catalog For Children With Disabilities http://www.toysrus.com/differentlyabled Free guide helps pick toys for disabled kids. MI Pretty Pony Pastures http://www.prettyponypastures.org A Therapeutic Riding center offering a safe and enjoyable horse experience for persons with special needs. Our programs include horsemanship and horse management as well as riding. For more information on Disabilities, Disorders and Diseases, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Disabilities.html
Special Education Issues	*top*
CEC IDEA Regulations 2004 Side-by-Side Now Available http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PolicyAdvocacy/IDEAResources/default.htm CEC's Side-by-Side compares major issues of the IDEA 1997 and 2004 regulations and gives a comprehensive analysis of how the changes will impact students and teachers. This popular, timely publication is FREE to CEC members. Members, get your copy today. Non-members can purchase the Side-by-Side in late October. Non-members can preview the brief now at http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PolicyAdvocacy/IDEAResources/IEPs.pdf MI Seclusion Room Built in New School Building in Livingston County http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060921/METRO04/609210417/1015 A "seclusion room" -- a 5-foot by 5-foot padded room with a peep hole that locks from the outside -- was built into a $5 million special education building and has some parents worried. MI Special Education Retooled: Flint District Takes New Look at Serving Students With Needs http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-39/1160576499260920.xml&coll=5 The Flint School District is evaluating the needs of special-education students and is moving some students who were included in general-education classes this fall back to self-contained settings. For more information on Special Education, IEPs and Section 504, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Rules.html
Ask the Attorney/Advocate	*top*
Bridges4Kids Exclusive: Ask the Attorney with John Brower Visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/AA.html for dozens of John's previously posted Q&As.
Upcoming National Events	*top*
These are NEW calendar listings that have been added this week, along with events taking place this week. To view a complete calendar of National events, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Conferences.html Education-A-Must Workshops: Parents and Professionals WHEN: Full-day workshop for Parents only October 17, 2006; For Professionals only October 18, 2006 WHERE: Southern New Hampshire University, Robert Frost Hall-Walker Auditorium, 2500 N. River Rd. Manchester, N.H. 03106-1045 DESCRIPTION: Parent Agenda: The focus is on empowering parents. Issues that may impede parent's current functioning within the special education system are discussed, and much more. Professional Agenda: "How to Use the New Law Rather than be Used by It": Specific strategies regarding eligibility, classification, transition, and other topics related to IDEA 2004. "How to Use that 'Other' Law": Specific strategies to obtain services and address disability discrimination and harassment under Section 504" and much more. FOR MORE INFORMATION: In order to assist in planning, Dot French (Education-A-Must, Inc. Director) wants to determine the level of interest in this event. If you think that this is a workshop you would be interested in attending, please email Dot at info@education-a-must.com. Genetics in the Classroom: Behavior and Interventions for Students with Genetic Syndromes WHEN: December 14-15, 2006 (12/14: 8:00 - 5:00; 12/15: 8:00 - 12:30) WHERE: Baltimore Marriott waterfront Hotel, Baltimore, MD 21202 DESCRIPTION: This conference for special education professionals and parents will focus on the practical applications of genetic information in the school setting. Conference sessions will describe advances in genetic diagnosis and key research in behavioral, psychiatric, and cognitive genetics in specific genetic conditions, including fragile X, 22q11.2 deletion, Smith-Magenis, and Angelman syndromes. COST: Cost is $120 per person, including meals. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information, contact Brenda Finucane, MS, CGC at brenda_finucane@elwyn.org or visit http://www.elwyngenetics.org.
Upcoming Michigan Events	*top*
These are NEW calendar listings that have been added this week, along with events taking place this week. To view a complete calendar of Michigan events, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Conferences.html WACC Luncheon Lecture Series 2006-07 "The Angry Child: Strategies to Defuse Angry Behaviors" WHEN/TITLE: Bullying Behavior - October 18, 2006; Anger Management - November 1, 2006; Self Inflicted Violence - Feb 7, 2007; Non-Violent Communication - March 15, 2007 FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit http://www.washtenawchildren.org to download the brochure w/registration information. Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes Open House WHEN: Thursday, October 19, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Birmingham Learning Center, 148 Pierce Street, Birmingham, MI DESCRIPTION: This free open house will provide information on Lindamood-Bell’s scientifically-based learning programs, which develop language and literacy skills for reading, spelling, comprehension, critical thinking, and math. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on Lindamood-Bell and the Birmingham open house, please call (800) 233-1819 or visit www.lindamoodbell.com. 2006 disAbility Awareness Benefit Concert with Two-Time Grammy Award Winning Jazz Singer Diane Schuur WHEN: Thursday, October 19, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Live Onstage at Jackson Community College Potter Center DESCRIPTION: Join us for Cocktails, Hors’d Oeuvres & Silent Auction. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information, call (517) 782-6054 or download the flyer (PDF). LDA of Michigan's ANNUAL FALL CONFERENCE: "RETOOLING for the FUTURE" WHEN: October 23-24 2006 WHERE: Kellogg Center at MSU, East Lansing DESCRIPTION: LDA of Michigan's Annual Conference is dedicated to providing the most current information in Research, Education, and Advocacy on Learning Disabilities topics, interests and methods. See brochure for agenda and registration information. A limited number of Parent Scholarships are available to help with the cost of conference registration. To apply, call (888) 597-7809 toll-free, (517) 485-8160 Lansing area, or e-mail LDAMICH@sbcglobal.net. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Download the information and registration brochure here (PDF). Taking A Look At Autism 2006 WHEN: November 2-3, 2006 from 8am-5pm WHERE: Comfort Inn 2209 University Park Drive, Okemos, MI 48864 DESCRIPTION: Two-day conference with 12 speakers on different topics that relate to autism-aba/avb, diet, accommodations & modifications, behavioral & educational strategies, and more. COST: Cost for parents $40 1 day/$75 2 day & professionals $60 1 day /$100 2 day FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information, contact Lori Swan, Autism Foundation of Ingham County, at 517-655-1895 or aficlori@hotmail.com. Free Conference and Expo “Life Without Limits Through Assistive Technology” WHEN: Wednesday, November 8, 2006 WHERE: The Doubletree Hotel, Dearborn DESCRIPTION: Keynote Address by Norman Kunc, Also featuring Lisa Bardach, MS, CCC-SLP, Owner and President of Communicating Solutions LLC. This conference is being sponsored by UCP of Michigan. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information visit http://www.ucpdetroit.org or call 248-557-5070.
Bridges4Kids NewsDigest Staff Deborah Canja Chief Executive Officer deb@bridges4kids.org Jackie Igafo-Te'o Director of Information Technology & Information Systems jackie@bridges4kids.org Bella Djordjevski Resource Assistant news@bridges4kids.org