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The Parent Network
November 2018
Parent Training and Information Center -
IDEA Part D

Extended School Year

It is not too early to start thinking about summer school. Students accessing special education services may or may not qualify for the Extended School Year service, or ESY. ESY is not summer school. There is a qualification process and the way to determine eligibility and measure the need is to review and discuss goals and skills and what that looks like while students are away from school. 

This means that the following criteria must be examined in order to determine eligibility: 
Is there a new or emerging skill that could that the student is working on? 
Would the student significantly regress in skills and goals during a break in education? 
Is there a critical life skills that could lead to independence that would be greatly affected if there were a break in services? 

The appropriate times to review and examine the above scenarios would be during any prolonged interruption in services. For example, fall break, winter break, or spring break.  
Clear and detailed documentation of students behavior during the break and upon return will provide the necessary information to discuss whether or not ESY would be the best fit for a student. Parents and educators should consider looking into ESY eligibility at the beginning of a school year. For more detailed description of this service please visit the Idaho State Department of Education’s website or by accessing the following link. 


Family to Family Health Information Center - Idaho Family Voices

Parents are often excited to see their children achieve developmental milestones. These can include their children learning to roll over, crawl, walk and talk. A less common milestone is finally being able to switch from a rear-facing car seat to a forward-facing car seat. 

As exciting as this may be, a recent recommendation update by the American Academy of Pediatrics tells us that holding off on transitioning from a rear-facing car seat at age two to "as long as possible" until the child reaches the highest weight or height allowed by their seat is the best way to keep your child safe when riding in a vehicle. This recommendation update is made in large part because of the lack of data available to determine with certainty at what age it is safest to turn children to be forward-facing, and that given a choice, keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible is the best way to keep them safe.

Here is a list of Resources for parents to check out regarding car seat recommendations based on height, age and weight
 
NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
  -Provides important steps to choose the right seat, install it correctly, and to keep your child safe
 
Process
  -Learn about the four car seat types
  -Follow NHTSA's car seat recommendations based on your child's age and size
  -Find and compare car seats
  -Car seat installation instructions
  -Car seat Inspections
  -Register your car seat
  
Center for Disease Control and Prevention cdc.gov
  -Provides information and age and weight guidelines for when to use a rear-facing car seat, a forward-facing car seat, a booster seat, and seat belt.
 
Safeseats4kids
  -Provides information and statistics about proper use of car seats
  -Provides information about when to switch from a rear-facing to a forward-facing car seat
  -Discusses when your child is ready for a booster seat, to use a regular seat belt and when they can ride in the front seat.
  -Provides state law information by state
 
  -Provides information about buying the right car seat, installation, getting the right fit, & when to change your car seat

Youth Corner

Transition Fair 

Transitioning to adulthood can be a very exciting time, but it can also be a stressful one. No matter what the circumstances, it's a major life change for many young adults.  Making the transition for teens successful during this time can take an enormous amount of energy for both the student and their parents. The idea of adding more expectations can seem extremely overwhelming. However, it is essential for young adults to leave high school not only with awareness and acceptance of his or her learning challenges, but also with the capabilities to acquire the accommodations they will need in college, vocational training or in a job. And, it is always best to try and make this transition as smooth as possible.
 
Looking for resources in the community is a great way start. On November 15th, there will be a Transition Fair at the Sandpoint, ID Library from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
VSA Idaho - The State Organization on Art and Disability
VSA Idaho, The State Organization on Arts and Disability, provides arts and education opportunities for people with disabilities and increases access to the arts for all. VSA's mission is empowering and engaging people with disabilities in the creative process through opportunities which are fully inclusive, educational, and participatory.

VSA Idaho is member of the VSA Affiliate Network, a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. VSA is an international organization founded by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith in 1974. 
To learn more about IPUL's arts programs please contact Heather@ipulidaho.org. 

For more about VSA International please visit VSA, The National Organization on Arts and Disability:
IPUL Staff
Angela Lindig , Executive Director
Amy Ireland , Parent Education Coordinator
Sarah Tueller , Parent Education Coordinator
Joe Gonzales , Parent Education Coordinator
Casey Gordon , Parent Education Coordinator
Heather Kirk Skinner , Statewide Arts Education Coordinator
Rosario Beagarie , Bilingual Parent Education Coordinator
Candace Garman , Bookkeeper
Bill Nuttycombe , IT Specialist
 
IPUL Board of Directors:

North :
Lisa Richards Evans
Darci Graves
 
South Central :
Becky Novak
 
Southwest :
Dallas Gudgell
 
East :
Jared White
Alycia Birch 
 
                                         
                                        
Join the IPUL Board of Directors!  http://www.ipulidaho.org  
 
 
The contents of this electronic newsletter were developed under a Cooperative Agreement from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education (OSEP) Grant #H328M140020 and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Family to Family Health Information Center Grant # H84MC12896. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the either department, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.     
 
 
 
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