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Partners Resource Network PEN Project is one of three Texas Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) funded through the Department of Education. We provide free information, technical assistance and ARD support to parents of children with special needs. Our mission is to empower youth with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities to be effective advocates for their children and to promote positive parent/professional partnership.

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Reach for the Stars, Lubbock!
Conference & Disability Resource Fair

Sponsored by Amerigroup
September 14, 2019 | 10:00 a.m.

5917 66th Street
Lubbock, TX

*Exhibitor opportunities available!
 
Register at:  
El Poder del Saber: La Educacion Especial y Mas

Este evento es para padres y profesionales que quieran aprendar mas sobre la Educacion Especial, los derechos bajo IDEA y otros temas de mayor interes! 

**Tenemos becas disponibles para hotel y el viaje (cantidad depende que tan lejos vive). Informacion sobre estas becas sera dada en los proximas dias. Sigue visitando nuestra pagina para obtener mas informacion.**

Partners Resource Network presenta:

El Poder del Saber: La Educacion Especial y Mas 
Conferencia y Feria de Recursos
.

Esta conferencia se llevara acabo el 28 de Septiembre del 2019, en las instalaciones de ESC 13 en Austin, TX.

Esta conferencia sera especialmente para nuestros padres y profesionales del habla hispana. Tendremos oradores de:

Registrate haciendo clic en este enlace: https://prnelpoderdelsaber2019.eventbrite.com

**Tendremos becas disponibles para hotel y el viaje (cantidad depende que tan lejos vive). Informacion sobre estas becas sera dada en los proximas dias. Sigue visitando nuestra pagina para obtener mas informacion.**

Para mas información, favor de contactar a
Alejandra Barger al 832-720-2127
Celia Ulloa al 832-720-2369.

*Sponsorship Opportunities Available!

*Exhibitor registration:  
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf443SRatGwXkPJJqYqgskSePjQQQkQTXsdZgGuIxzv52t25g/viewform

Upcoming Webinars
Regions 14 & 15
Serves Abilene & San Angelo Areas
Jamie Thomas
325.450.2774
jthomaspen@gmail.com
Region 18
Serves Midland/Odessa Areas
Lacye Martinez
432.530.4382
lmartinezpen@gmail.com
Regions 16 & 17
Serves Amarillo & Lubbock Areas
Stephanie McLoughlin
806.281.3495
smcloughlinpen@gmail.com
Region 19
Serves El Paso/Hudspeth Counties
Sonia Barrozo
915.494.3925
sbarrozopen@gmail.com
Click HERE to view PEN Project's Events Calendar
Free Online Learning
Q&A with Chuck Noe –
Facebook Live

Join Chuck Noe, Education Specialist for Partners Resource Network, for his bi-weekly Q&A via Facebook Live. Chuck will discuss a range of topics and answer your questions. 
https://www.facebook.com/PRNTexas/

 
Partners Resource Network is always looking for new ways to help parents and caregivers on their way to becoming advocates for their children. We believe the best way to meet this goal is to empower parents and caregivers through education.
You can register for our online courses by going to:  
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XQ8MWPS
Youth Workshops & Trainings
The intent of these workshops and trainings is to teach youth (14 - 26 years) with disabilities how to self-advocate. 
Self-Advocacy is learning how to speak up for yourself, making your own decisions about your own life, learning how to get information so that you can understand things
that are of interest to you, finding out who will support you in your journey, knowing your rights and responsibilities, reaching out to others when you need help and friendship, and learning about self-determination. 

You can click HERE to sign up to receive information on upcoming events in your area!

Useful Articles
How to Get Your Child to Talk About School

Some kids love talking about school. With others, it’s like pulling teeth to get them to share even a few details about their day—especially if there are things going on that are upsetting them, like bullying or struggling in school.

If your child is on the quieter side or is very private, there are ways to ask questions that will open up a conversation instead of shutting one down. Here are some key concepts for starting a dialogue.

1. Ask open-ended questions. If you ask a question that can be answered with one word—yes or no—that’s what you’ll get. A one-word answer.

Example: “What was the best thing you did at school today?”

2. Start with a factual observation. Kids often have a hard time answering questions that seem to come out of the blue. Making an observation gives your child something to relate to.

Example: “I know you have a lot more kids in your class this year. What’s that like?”

3. Share something about yourself. When someone tells you about themselves, it’s natural to want to do that in return. Share something with your child and see what you get back.

Example: “We always played dodgeball at recess. What do you and your friends like to do?”

4. Avoid negative questions. If you think something isn’t going well, your questions may come out in a negative way, with emotion-packed words like sad or mean. Asking in a positive way lets your child express concerns.

Example: “I heard that you sat with new people at lunch today. What did you talk about?”

When Schools Punish Sick Children Who Miss School: A Game Plan

The purpose of laws that require children to attend a certain number of school days is to deter truancy.

A law that is intended to deter truancy must include exemptions for children who have chronic illnesses or who are injured, not truant. Your child passed her classes with flying colors but the school is threatening to withhold credit for these classes because she was ill and unable to attend school.

>>> Read Article
Independent Educational Evaluations: What? Why? How? Who Pays?
by Wayne Steedman, Esq.

What is an IEE?

Federal regulations state unequivocally that parents of a child with a disability have a right to obtain an IEE. 34 C.F.R. 300.502(a)(1). An IEE is broadly defined as "an evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the public agency responsible for the education of the child in question." 34 C.F.R. 300.502(a)(3)(i). An IEE may be obtained by parents at their own expense or at public expense as explained later in this article.

>>> Read Article
8 Apps to Help Kids Manage Back-to-School Challenges

Starting a new school year can be a difficult time for many kids. Technology like apps can help—not just with reading, writing, and math, but also with organization and social skills. Here are eight apps that can help kids manage back-to-school challenges.

>>> Read Article
5 Topics to Go Over With Teachers Early in the School Year

Parents often don’t want to bother teachers in September and October. But talking early in the school year can set the stage for strong communication throughout the year. Here are topics that can get the dialogue going.

>>> Read Article
5 Things Not to Say to Kids With Learning and Attention Issues About Going Back to School

You want to help your child with learning and attention issues make the transition from summer to school. But it’s easy to send messages about going back to school that may hurt more than help. Here are some things you may find yourself saying—and what might work better.

>>> Read Article
How Can We Ensure That Every Child Will Learn to Read?

Reading is a fundamental skill that not only gives access to knowledge and alternative points of view, but also provides the foundation for success in school and opens up vocational opportunities. Every child has the right to learn to read well, but in many countries, especially developing regions, there are unacceptably low levels of literacy.

>>> Read Article

Parent’s Guide to Teen Depression

Teenagers face a host of pressures, from the changes of puberty to questions about who they are and where they fit in. With all this turmoil and uncertainty, it isn’t always easy to differentiate between normal teenage growing pains and depression. But teen depression goes beyond moodiness. It’s a serious health problem that impacts every aspect of a teen’s life. Fortunately, it’s treatable and parents can help. Your love, guidance, and support can go a long way toward helping your teen overcome depression and get their life back on track.

>>> Read Article
Fire and Ice: 4 Strategies for Dealing with Your Unpredictable Middle Schooler

Your tween screams insults in your face — then bursts into tears when you get upset. She insists she’s old enough to keep track of her own homework — then loses half of it before she can turn it in. During the middle school years, your child’s body, brain, and sense of self are changing rapidly, and ADD makes everything from organization to emotional control more complicated (and much more explosive). Here’s how parents can put out four of the biggest fires facing middle schoolers with ADHD.

>>> Read Article
The Use Of Technology In Special Education

In the modern world, we’re witnessing the gradual erasure of borders. This process is related not only to business or politics. Nowadays, almost any person despite their citizenship of physical state can get medical or educational services all around the world. To regulate such relationships between a person and international organizations, there are dozens of specialized commissions creating laws and standards.

>>> Read Article
My Child Has a Diagnosis. Where Do I Start?

Finding out that your child has a disability or special health care needs can change your world in a moment. You might be feeling like someone just sucked the wind from your sails. You might be filled with anger and grief. Or you might feel a little relieved to finally have a diagnosis. Maybe you were in denial about your child’s diagnosis and are just now ready to move forward. All of these emotions – and more – are perfectly okay. Give yourself permission to feel your feelings without judgment. Begin where you are, take a deep breath, and come back to this page as much as you want and need – on your timeline. 

>>> Read Article
Helpful Tips
5 Steps to Surviving the Witching Hour
 
Do you experience the “witching hour” at your house? I love time with my kiddos so much, but I gotta be honest: sometimes weeknights after work are plain hell. We’re all tired and hungry and stressed, so 5:00 until bedtime can feel like…total chaos.
But then, I changed things up: Now, we walk in the door and our evening STARTS with a family snuggle—and sometimes it ends with “bowling” (but not the kind with a ball).

>>> Read Article
Questions 4 Kids, Week of September 2

Happy Labor Day, from all of us at ParentsTogether! We hope you had a wonderful weekend, and enjoyed some time with your family. Here are this week’s Questions 4 Kids!

>>> Read Article
Back-to-School Introduction Letters
 
For parents of children with disabilities, writing a back-to-school introduction letter to their child’s teacher can help get the school year off to a good start. It’s also a great way to start building a positive relationship. Parents can use this model letter from Understood.org to share important facts about their son or daughter and strategies that have worked in the past. It’s also a good idea for parents to identify any accommodations or modifications the child will need, as well as specific aspects of the child’s IEP that the teacher should know about.
 
>>> Visit website
New Webinar Series: Trauma-Informed Changemakers 

Through her work, Hannah has spoken with – and helped - hundreds of concerned mothers and fathers. Her essays and stories hit home with good reason. This piece from the Baltimore Sun is just one example of her moving and uplifting work.

Join Ukeru President, Kim Sanders as she speaks with Hannah about her family’s experience with restraint, the transition from public to private school and back again, and her mission to help other parents navigate often confusing terrain.
There will be time allotted to ask questions of both Kim and Hannah.

>>> Register for the webinar
Handling a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR)
A "How To" for Attorneys (and Parents) by Bill Brownley, Esq.

When a child with a disability engages in behavior or breaks a code of conduct and the school proposes to remove the child, the school must hold a hearing to determine if the child’s behavior was caused by his disability. This hearing, a Manifestation Determination Review (MDR), is a process to review all relevant information and the relationship between the child’s disability and the behavior.

Consequences for problem behaviors should not discriminate against a child based on his disability. Yet, schools continue to suspend and expel students with disabilities for behavior caused by their disabilities.

>>> Read Article
Download: Lunchbox Notes to Help Your Child Build Confidence

For kids with learning and attention issues, school can be a stressful place. While you can’t always be there to cheer your child on, a little note in his lunchbox can go a long way. A lunchbox note can help him build confidence to make it through the day.

>>> Download Printable
Back to School Tips for Parents

Every child faces challenges when heading back to school. But back-to-school time can be exceptionally difficult for the 20 percent of children who suffer from a mental health or learning disorder.

The school environment demands many things that summer activities don’t — the ability to sit still; get organized; stay on task; and adapt to a new, highly structured daily schedule. School also requires kids to separate from their parents and interact with peers — enormously challenging tasks for any child with anxiety. 

>>> Read Article
Tips for Calming First-Day Jitters in Different Grades

No matter what grade they’re in, kids may get nervous about starting the new school year. And for kids with learning and attention issues, it can be especially scary. Get tips on how to help your child calm those first-day jitters and start school with a positive attitude.

>>> Visit Website

Talk to Kids About Body Safety & Boundaries
 
As a caregiver, you can and should talk openly about our bodies and healthy boundaries with your kids. This helps build a strong bond that will make you the "go-to-person" when they have questions or if a situation arises. 
 
>>> Visit website
Download: Tips for Talking About Sexuality

Many parents of children with developmental disabilities need help talking about sexuality. Here are some general tips for talking about this sensitive topic.

>>> Download Tip Sheet
We Want to Hear From You
We value and appreciate your compliments, suggestions or complaints in order to improve our services and the way we communicate. If you are satisfied with the service you have received from us, please let us know ❣
Who is PEN Project & How Do We Help?
You are receiving this email because you have requested information from PRN or the PTI Projects.

The contents of this newsletter were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, #H328M150023  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.  

Our mailing address is:
3 Butterfield Trail, Suite 128A
El Paso, TX 79906
Office: 915.259.8717
Toll free: 1.833.843.2686
penprntx@gmail.com

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