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August 17, 2006 |
Bridges4Kids
NewsDigest Topics
| • Disability News | |
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• No Child Left Behind (NCLB) |
• Special Education Issues |
| • Ask the Attorney/Advocate | |
| • Upcoming National Events | |
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http://www.bullies2buddies.com/ Sam wears glasses and gets called four-eyes all day long. He believes he is being called four-eyes because he wears glasses. But Sam is wrong. Maybe he wears glasses, but that's not the reason he gets teased. Bullies2Buddies.com has a complete, free online manual, How to Stop Being Teased and Bullied without Really Trying can be downloaded at http://bullies2buddies.com/manual/kids/index.html. Most kids can learn how to stop being victimized by simply reading the manual. The website also has a free manual for parents and teachers, A Revolutionary Guide to Reducing Aggression between Children which can be downloaded at http://bullies2buddies.com/manual/adult/index.html. This manual teaches adults how to dramatically reduce bullying between kids with almost no effort, while increasing students' emotional maturity and independence. It enables teachers to go back to being teachers instead of policemen and judges.
The goal of the WhyTry Program is to help youth answer the question, "Why try in life?" (when they are frustrated, confused, or angry with life's pressures and challenges.) The WhyTry Program teaches youth that "yes", it is worth trying hard in life. It offers real solutions and presents these solutions in a way that the youth can both understand and remember. WhyTry emphasizes a character education program that consists of ten visual analogies (pictures) that relate to specific problems and special challenges that at risk youth face in their every day lives. Each picture includes various solutions and questions, to help the youth gain insight in dealing with their own challenges.
http://www.ncjfcj.org/content/blogcategory/69/440 Brevity is a publication of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
http://www.HealthierGeneration.org In May 2005 the Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association partnered to create a new generation of healthy Americans by addressing one of the nation’s leading public health threats: childhood obesity through The Alliance for a Healthier Generation. The Alliance focuses on preventing childhood obesity and creating healthier lifestyles for all children. The Alliance effort will focus on four key areas: industry; schools, healthcare professionals and kids.
http://www.rwjf.org/newsroom/newsreleasesdetail.jsp?id=10422 202 schools from 12 states have been chosen to be part of a joint effort by the Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association to raise healthier children. A key component of The Alliance for A Healthier Generation's Healthy Schools Program is the provision of direct support and assistance to schools to help them assess their current school environment, develop action plans and implement changes that will make their school environments healthier. “School is where our children spend their days and where they learn habits that stay with them for life,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. All schools nationwide can apply for recognition and receive online tools and resources by going to http://www.healthiergeneration.org/.
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/NEWS01/60721002/1083/ LIFE03&theme=YOUTH_CHALLENGE&template=theme This series from the Lansing State Journal focuses on how the Michigan Youth Challenge basic training program pushes kids to the limit.
Educators across the U.S. are using a new website to buy and sell reliable class materials. As a young teacher, Kristen Bowers toiled night after night, struggling to grade tests and come up with innovative teaching materials. Unsatisfied with the little she found in the way of help, Bowers spent two years creating literature and writing guides she could share with other teachers online. Since posting her guides on http://TeachersPayTeachers.com, a new, eBay-like website that allows educators to post their work online, Bowers has seen her course materials fly off the site. [Free registration required to read this article.]
KBTeachers.com A website created by teachers for teachers where you can buy and sell lesson plans and worksheets. Sample documents are available on the website.
$14 Million Study Proves Student Laptops Ineffective http://www.educationnews.org/Commentaries/Study_Proves_Student_Laptops_Ineffective_Academically.htm Our country has been waiting for a scientifically conducted study on laptops. Now we have it. Presented below are excerpts from the $14 Million Texas Technology Immersion Pilot (April 2006 report -- funded by the U. S. Department of Education) which is supposed to prove whether student immersion on laptops by middle-school students will raise their academic achievement.
Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2006 (PDF) http://www.bridges4kids.org/Schoolssummary-Forintroduction.pdf Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts has introduced a new bill in the U.S. Senate called the "Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act of 2006". This act sets forward clear guidelines in the statute for providing and receiving reimbursement for medical care in schools, rather than put schools, families, and their disabled children, and States in a situation where they are uncertain whether or not these medically-necessary services and related administrative and transportation costs will be covered under Medicaid.
New Medicaid Eligibility: Documentation of Citizenship Now Required http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=121040 Health officials in many states warn that a federal law requiring Medicaid recipients to prove citizenship starting July 1 could lead to long lines, dropped coverage and general confusion for the program's participants. State officials are scrambling to implement the new rules, because the Department of health and Human Services told states only three weeks before the changes kick in what documents are acceptable as proof of citizenship. At least 46 million poor people on Medicaid for the first time will need to produce documents showing they were born in the United States or are here legally, the result of a budget-cutting measure signed by President Bush in February. The law targets illegal immigrants (who aren’t eligible for Medicaid), but administrators say it also will hurt American citizens.
http://www.abanet.org/child/rclji/education/caseyeducationproject.pdf
Ever struggle to gain access to education
records? Are you ever unsure what education information can be shared,
and with whom, when a child is in foster care? Ever tried to determine
who in a child's life was responsible for making education decisions?
This publication answers common questions by individuals involved with
the child welfare system, including judges, children's attorneys,
parents, foster parents, youth, caseworkers, and court appointed
special advocates (CASAs). Use the publication online and benefit from
the interactive functions, including links between sections and to
additional outside resources or download and print a copy of the
document to use offline at
http://www.abanet.org/child/rclji/education/home.html#11.
http://www.bridges4kids.org/pdf/fcvoice.pdf Fifteen Statements from the Youth Board; Today, more than half a million children in America live in foster care. This year alone, 20,000 of us will "age out" of foster care, typically at age 18.
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No Child Left Behind (NCLB) |
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How do you build a high school from scratch? In Collin County's Lovejoy ISD, it begins with high expectations. All students in the small district's first high school will take pre-AP classes when the new campus opens. The strategy is unusual and makes some parents nervous, but local officials and some experts say it potentially could boost student performance. Principal Mike Goddard visited schools as far away as New Hampshire and Minnesota to help develop the school's strategy.
For more information on No Child Left Behind, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/ESEA.html
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Parenting/Parental Involvement |
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First Day of School Success Tips http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/7-06/coulter7-26-06.html#top Most of us can remember some wonderful and terrible things about school. In many ways, the first day of class can set the tone for a whole school year. If you have a child with special needs, or one who is new to the school or district, you can help lay the groundwork for a successful year's launch with some basic preparations.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060726/SCHOOLS/607260351/1026 It
was almost 3 a.m., Alex Del Monte recalled, and he was cramming. He
gulped can after can of Red Bull to stay awake, but he knew he would
flunk his statistics exam later that day if he didn't call his tutor
for help. But so late? No problem if your tutor works 8,500 miles away
and 9 1/2 hours ahead in Bangalore, India. In an hour-long session
that cost $18, the Indian tutor, who said his name was Mike, spent an
hour walking Del Monte through such esoteric concepts as confidence
intervals and alpha divisions. He got an A on the final exam. Bridges4Kids Review: The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child: Helping Your Child Thrive in an Extroverted World http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/7-06/IntrovertedChild7-06.html How can parents help their introverted children discover and cultivate these wonderful gifts? Help is here. Written by Dr. Marti Olsen Laney, author of The Introvert Advantage, The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child fully explains introversion as a hardwired temperament, not a disability, and tells just what parents need to do to help their child become the person he or she is meant to be—and succeed in an extroverted world.
http://www.bridges4kids.org/shyness.phelan.august06.pdf In a very general sense you might say there are three kinds of childhood temperaments: aggressive, normal or anxious. Aggressive children have serious social skills problems, but, ironically, don’t seem to be able to appreciate this fact. “Normal” kids get along reasonably well with others and are easier to like.
http://www.bridges4kids.org/Reviews.html#gymbrat Just the Right Leotard for Your Fashionable Gymnast or Fussy Dresser: Bridges4Kids own Kim Murphy (former Editor of the Bridges4Kids NewsDigest) has launched a line of cute, comfortable and affordable leotards for little girls that are especially designed not to ride up in the back! Moms love them and little girls adore them!
http://www.projo.com/education/content/projo_20060730_steiny30.186fc8c.html On a visit to my parents' home years ago, I took my twin boys to a nearby park because everything in my mother's house was begging to be broken. Along with the makeshift toys cobbled from the kitchen, I installed their rambunctious bodies in a large sandbox where they could make roads, hills and sundry destinations. Other women with kids came, and soon a little peer group was sharing toys and space.
For more information on Parenting, Siblings, Adoption and Foster Care, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Parenting.html
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Teen Moms Learn the Power of Singing to Their Babies http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060731/NEWS05/607310330/1006/ARCHIVES The simple crooning of a lullaby could change the lives of children born to single teenage mothers, educators at the Salvation Army say.
The role of stay-at-home dad to colicky infant daughter Faye inspired CDs from Sherman Oaks, Calif., music producer Michael Preston, 35. Infant Calm features “white noise” from everyday baby-calming items (tracks include Clothes Dryer Hum and Vacuum Clearner Waltz). And Storieszzz: The Adventures of Faye & Fred is intended for nap and bedtime resistant toddlers. Learn more at http://www.prerecords.com/ Steven Dunn, 48, of Los Angeles started an entire business in 1991 around his infant daughter. Steve Dunn’s Munchkin Inc. baby product line includes spoons that turn white when food is too hot and a bottle system with adjustable flow rates. Learn more at http://www.munchkin.com/
http://ap.hillsdale.net/pstories/health/20060730/75540968.shtml The growing list of childhood vaccinations reads like an alphabet soup: Hib, HepA, HepB, IPV, PCV, MCV4, DTaP, Tdap, varicella and influenza. Parents dragging their kids to the doctor's office for those required school shots can expect to hear about more vaccines and, if they're uninsured, new expenses. Twenty years ago, it cost $75 to $100 to immunize a child with the four available vaccines. Today, 12 are generally recommended for kids and adolescents, at a private-sector cost of about $1,250.
Job Opportunity: MI Early On Developmental Specialist This individual will: Provide Developmental Assessments, Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP’s), and Service Coordination to families with children birth through three (0-3) with developmental delays and/or disabilities. Serve as a resource to families, school personnel and community agencies. Credentials Required: BA or BS in Child Development, Early Childhood or Education. The position is based in Pontiac, Michigan. Contact Karen Anthony, Oakland Family Services, 114 Orchard Lake, MI 48341 or fax (248) 858-7112.
For more information on Early Childhood issues, visit www.EarlyChildhoodMichigan.org
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Michigan’s ETV Program
has a new fact sheet and a new contact person. ETV provides $5000 per
year for two years for foster care youth to attend school past high
school/GED. Ann Rossi with Lutheran Social Services of Michigan, based
in Jackson, is the new contact person. The new updated fact sheet
explains the program and contains Ann’s contact information. Ann is
interested in discussing the ETV program with anyone interested in
learning about resources for children. You may also call the ETV
Program toll free number at 877-660-6388.
http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/8-06/Gongwer8-1-06.html#top Despite a small increase in the 2006-07 Department of Community Health budget for the care of the disabled and elderly, advocates for those groups say the process took a turn away from the long-term care goals of the federal government and a majority of other states.
http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/8-06/Gongwer7-14-06.html#top Attorneys who represent themselves in successful Open Meetings Act cases are entitled to an award of attorney fees from public bodies, a divided Court of Appeals has ruled.
http://www.michiganmethwatch.org
http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/7-06/MIRS7-27-06.html#top "Able to Play"
playgrounds, the first universally acceptable playgrounds in the
nation to be built at highway rest stops, have been constructed at the
two of the busiest Department of Transportation (MDOT) welcome
centers.
The editorial board of The Michigan Child Welfare Journal invites manuscripts for an issue regarding practice in the field of juvenile justice. The Journal takes an interdisciplinary approach to child welfare, as broadly defined to encompass those areas of law that directly affect the interests of children. The main text of the manuscripts must not exceed 20 double-spaced pages. The deadline for submission is October 1, 2006. Manuscripts should be submitted electronically to kozakiew@msu.edu. Inquiries should be directed to: Joseph Kozakiewicz, Editor, The Michigan Child Welfare Journal, School of Social Work, 238 Baker Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823.
Jeff
and Laura Edwards of Livingston County faced one of the harshest blows
any parent can endure when their 12-year-old son took his own life in
2003. But out of their grief has come a new state law that may help
prevent such tragedies in the future. The Michigan Legislature
approved and the governor last week signed into law House Bill 4375,
which amends the Revised School Code to encourage school districts to
educate students and personnel about suicide and depression. |
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http://www.bridges4kids.org/Reviews.html#1 "It’s about time. I loved this magazine just as I loved the documentary “Murderball” because it shows powerful visual images of people in wheelchairs leading active, fun lives. Each subscription includes a Kid’s Edition (to teach and entertain) and a Parent’s Edition (to inform and support) and each issue is packed with useful information."
http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/8-06/Philpott8-06.html#top I have a beautiful
6-year-old granddaughter who is in the autistic spectrum. Because she
looks "normal" we, as her family, have to endure some rude looks,
stares and occasional comments from people who think she is a spoiled
brat when she has an occasional meltdown. It is hard enough to raise
an autistic child, dealing with all the various issues she has on a
daily basis, without the blatant rudeness of people who these days are
quite vocal about saying things they seem to think they have a right
to say. Researchers Find Fewer Neurons in the Amygdala of Males With Autism http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/7-06/ScienceDaily7-06.html#top Researchers at the University of California, Davis, M.I.N.D. Institute have discovered that the brains of males with autism have fewer neurons in the amygdala, a part of the brain involved in emotion and memory.
http://www.autism-society.org/about_course This online course will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. The course covers the following areas: Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder, Treatment Options, Treatment Assistance, Transition to Adulthood, and More Information and Resources. At the end of the course you will be able to download a certificate of completion. You must first register to take this free course.
http://www.bridges4kids.org/Links.html#9 Support the Christopher Reeve Foundation’s quest to find a cure for paralysis by ordering Superman Tags. Last July, with support from Warner Bros. Entertainment and DC Comics, the Christopher Reeve Foundation launched Superman Tags – dog tags that are engraved with the Superman S-Shield and the Foundation’s new tag line, “Go Forward.” All proceeds ($10 for two) benefit the Foundation.
http://insidehighered.com/news/2005/07/29/disabled Students with disabilities, over all, are less than half as likely as their peers to have attended college in the two years after high school, but the college-going rate varies greatly by type of disability.
Undergraduates Invent Braille Writing Tool A group of U.S. undergraduate students has created a lightweight, portable Braille writing tool for the blind that requires no electronic components. The invention was born in a Johns Hopkins University class called the Engineering Design Project. Four mechanical engineering undergraduates were asked to produce an instrument that would cost less than $50 a copy.
Peanut Allergy Can be Lethal, but Treatments Show Promise http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060727/LIFE02/607270345/1079/life It began with a shortness of breath. Twenty minutes later, my ears were so inflamed I could barely hear. Angry red hives covered my neck and chest, which didn't go too well with my black dinner dress.
http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/8-06/nwa.html#top Devin Weekley was born with atopic dermatitis (eczema). About 15 million people in the United States have eczema and it’s generally not a cause for concern. But Devin was different. By age 2, it started getting bad. Everyone thought it was just allergies. Then, during a span of two weeks, Devin’s eczema got so bad that he couldn’t walk. Betsy Weekley, his mother, had to push Devin around in a stroller at age 3.
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http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html#regulations The U.S. Department of Education has announced the final Part B regulations to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). An official copy of the final Part B regulations of the IDEA will be published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006.
Fact Sheet (PDF): Raising the Achievement of Students w/ Disabilities: New Ideas For IDEA
http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/speced/ideafactsheet.html
http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060728/SCHOOLS/607280349
http://www.bridges4kids.org/articles/8-06/cec8-06.html#top While the law requires teachers to use evidence-based practices in their classrooms, the field has not yet determined criteria for evidence based practice nor whether special education has a solid foundation of evidence-based practices. Also, those teaching strategies that have been researched are difficult for teachers to access.
US Child Expert Quits Britain Over Special Needs 'Crisis' http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1833449,00.html "It was always my intention eventually to return home to the United States, but I'm going years early because in all conscience I can no longer participate in a corrupt and dysfunctional system that is dishonest in its treatment and management of children with special needs."
MI MPAS Comments on Due Process Hearings & Summary (PDF) http://www.bridges4kids.org/pdf/MPASrulescomments8-06.pdf http://www.bridges4kids.org/pdf/MPASdpcomments8-06.pdf The Michigan Department of Education has posted proposed rules that would affect how special education due process hearings are handled and how administrative law examiners are trained. Read the complete comments of Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc. (MPAS) to the rules and a 1-page generic comment summary. The rules are posted on the MDE OSE/EIS website at http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_6598-147301--,00.html.
For more information on Special Education, IEPs and Section 504, visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/Rules.html
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Ask the Attorney/Advocate |
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Bridges4Kids Exclusive: Ask the Attorney with John Brower Visit http://www.bridges4kids.org/AA.html for dozens of John's previously posted Q&As.
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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
25th Annual Juvenile
Probation and Justice Management Conference
Resources for Children with
Special Needs, Inc.'s 22nd Annual Free Special Camp Fair
The Down Syndrome Family Support and Advocacy Group of Michiana present Strategies for Teaching Children w/Down Syndrome and other Developmental Disabilities WHEN: February 3, 2007 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: John Young
Middle School in Mishawaka, IN
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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
Out & About Autism Run/Walk
for Autism Awareness FOR MORE INFORMATION: To download registration and/or pledge form, go to www.macombasa.org. This event will benefit the Macomb/St. Clair Chapter/ASA's Recreational/Social Grant for Special Education Classrooms.
The Michigan Branch of the
International Dyslexia Association's Fall Conference: All About
Reading
Free Conference and Expo
“Life Without Limits Through Assistive Technology”
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Bridges4Kids NewsDigest Staff
Deborah Canja
Chief Executive Officer
Director of Information Technology & Information
Systems
Bella Djordjevski
Resource Assistant
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