Family & Educator Partnership Newsletter
from Great Prairie Area Education Agency
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Learn more and access resources at
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The Grant Wood AEA Family & Educator Partnership
and the Grant Wood AEA Autism Consultants Present
Family Lunch-and-Learn Series:
Supports & Strategies for Children with Autism at Home
and in the Community
Webinars will be held from 11:30am-12:00pm
**LINKS to recordings and handouts will be created/inserted
within 1 week prior to live date.**
Here is a list of dates and topics with links to materials:
RECORDED October 29 - TOPIC: Internet Safety and Tech Social Skills/Social Rules with Courtney Butler, GWAEA Autism Consultant
RECORDED December 14 - TOPIC: Supports to Build Understanding and Success with Family Gatherings and Community Outings with Michelle Sunner, GWAEA Autism Consultant
February 26
- Building Independence & Planning for Success in Adulthood with Michelle Nuehring, GWAEA Autism Consultant
- LIVE Zoom link (created 1 week prior to live date)
- Link to Google Slides/Handout
- Link to recording (uploaded within 3 days after live session)
April 22
- Extending Learning Outside School (summer break, neighborhood, friends, vacation, etc) with Monica Ryan-Rausch
- LIVE Zoom link (created 1 week prior to live date)
- Link to Google Slides/Handout
- Link to recording (uploaded within 3 days after live session)
For more information, please contact your FEP representative or Kelli Robertson, GWAEA Autism Consultant (ph. 399-6525 or email: krobertson@gwaea.org).
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Child Find is the process used to determine if a child needs special education services and supports.
In this booklet you will find answers to the following questions:
- What is Child Find?
- How Does Child Find Get Started?
- What Comes Next?
- What is Suspicion of a Disability?
- When is a Student Suspected of Having a Disability?
- What Happens Next if a Disability is Suspected?
- What Happens Next if a Disability is NOT Suspected?
- How Does the Full Individual Evaluation (FIE) Work?
- What Happens at an Eligibility Meeting?
- What if My Child is Eligible?
- What if My Child is Not Eligible?
As parents we make better decisions for our kids when we're provided with information that empowers and informs us. Together we can provide the best plan for the child's academic success. This is a great resource to engage parents & educators and build crucial relationships.
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Between issues of Inspiring Possibilities, you can stay up to date on the latest family-friendly, transition-related news, information, and resources via our National Parent Center on Employment and Transition’s Facebook page. In addition to helping you stay informed, we also celebrate the successes of individuals, the broader disability community, and living in an inclusive community.
Join us on Facebook!
Preparing for College
For students with disabilities, preparing for college includes taking any necessary assessments, ensuring current diagnostic test results are available to document the student’s disability, developing self-advocacy skills, and other steps depending on the selected type of college program. Explore
PACER’s Post-secondary Education Learning Center
and be sure to check out the following PACER resources:
Accommodations on College Entrance Exams
Whether students are planning to take the ACT, SAT, or other college entrance exam, there are reasonable accommodations available for qualified students with documented disabilities. Documentation must be submitted to the organization and they, in turn, make an eligibility decision. Make sure to follow the process and timelines, plan ahead, and work closely with your school counselor.
College Entrance Essay Writing Tips
Should I disclose my disability on my college admissions essay? Many college-bound students with disabilities ask themselves this question and there is no right or wrong answer. It is an individual and personal decision. There is no requirement to document your disability anywhere in the college application, but make sure to consider the pros and cons of doing so with your family, friends, and counselors.
How to Write a College Essay
from the Heath Resource Center provides tips for writing your essay and items to keep in mind when deciding whether to disclose your disability. Another helpful resource from Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities,
Applying to College: Use the Essay
, offers additional essay-writing tips and support for students with disabilities.
Preparing Disability Documentation
Each college establishes its own criteria when it comes to disability documentation. One step in preparing for college is to contact the disability services office and ask for their specific requirements when it comes to disability documentation. Then, check your existing documentation and update it as needed. The
College Board
recommends the following seven criteria:
- The diagnosis is clearly stated
- Information is current
- Educational, developmental, and medical history is presented
- The diagnosis is supported
- The functional limitation is described
- Recommended accommodations are justified
- Evaluators’ professional credentials are established
DREAM – College Student Groups
College freshmen often report feeling lonely on campus and not sure how to make social connections.
DREAM (Disability Rights, Education Activism, and Mentoring)
is a national organization for and by college students with disabilities and is open to students of all ages with any kind of disability. DREAM advocates for disability culture, community, and pride, and hopes to serve as an online virtual disability cultural center for students who want to connect with other students. Find local
DREAM Chapters and Affiliates
to join the network of students advancing the interests of students with disabilities in post-secondary institutions across the United States.
PACER’s National Parent Center on Transition and Employment
®
provides quality information and resources for families of young adults with disabilities on transition planning, civil rights, work-based learning, career accommodations, higher education, financial aid, and much more! Whether just starting the transition planning process or searching for information on a specific topic, PACER.org/transition is a comprehensive source of information designed to support families’ varied needs.Copyright © 2018 PACER Center, Inc., All rights reserved.
Mailing address: 8161 Normandale Boulevard, Bloomington, MN, Bloomington, MN 55437
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Assistive Technology (AT)
or adapted equipment is any item a person needs to help them access school, work or to help with daily living activities.
There are many different AT items that help people walk, talk, see, listen, learn and play.
Click on the links to right for detailed AT suggestions to help with learning.
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Great Prairie AEA | 800-622-0027 | www.gpaea.org
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STAY CONNECTED WITH GPAEA
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Great Prairie Area Education Agency works as an educational partner with public and accredited, nonpublic schools to help students, school staff, parents and communities. Great Prairie AEA provides professional development and leadership to promote school improvement, a variety of instructional services, special education support services, and technology and media services. It is the policy of the Great Prairie Education Agency not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy please contact Greg Manske, 3601 West Avenue, Burlington, IA 52601, (319) 753-6561 x1217, greg.manske@gpaea.org (employment practices) or Deb Cook, 2814 N. Court Street, Ottumwa, IA 52501, (641) 682-8591 x5324, deb.cook@gpaea.org (educational programs).
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