Parent Organizations Academy
in conjunction w/the Statewide Parent Involvement Conference
It's here! We hope you're as excited as we are!
The Parent Coordination Network looks forward to welcoming you to our mini Parent Organizations Academy immediately preceding the kick-off of the Statewide Parental Involvement Conference.
We will gather at 8:30 AM on Thursday, December 6 in Frisco 3 for a robust time of learning and networking. Meagan Orsag, Associate Director at Texas A&M's Center on Disability and Development, will discuss how we become better together - "One Team, One Dream" - to increase student achievement through parent and community involvement. In addition, many of you have expressed that you'd like time to meet and network with each other. SO - bring your business cards, organizational literature (optional), and newly polished elevator speeches to share with the 80ish participants for this pre-conference treat.
A hot, plated lunch will be provided around 11:45 AM, and then you will have time to register before the opening general session, beginning at 1:30 PM. (All other schedules will follow those outlined in the Conference Program.)
* Water stations will be available throughout the Thursday morning session. Should you need/prefer snacks and/or coffee, please come prepared with these items. There is a coffee shop inside the Embassy Suites.
Meet Our Speaker - Meagan Orsag
Meagan Orsag (PhD, MEd, BS) is the Associate Director at the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University. She is Director for the "Aggie Disability Awareness" project, "Purposeful Life Family Training" series, "Whose Life it is Anyway? Person-Centered Practice" project, and the "Success for Today and Tomorrow: Accessing Disability Resources" Conference. Meagan is also the Community Education and Dissemination Council (CEDC) Chair for her national network Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD). Meagan also serves on community boards and steering communities related to community education, outreach, and support services.
She was previously the Program Coordinator for the Postsecondary Access and Training in Human Services (PATHS) program, a certification program for individuals with and without disabilities to become direct support professionals and childĀcare professionals. Meagan graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a PhD in Special Education Administration. She has been published in peer reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Her research interests include: access, equity, leadership development, program evaluation, transition, and diversity on college campuses. Meagan is married to Darren Orsag and they have four daughters (Natalie, Neely, and Nola, and Nash).
Conference Hotel: Frisco Embassy Suites & Convention Center
All sessions will be held at the Convention Center located at:
7600 John Q Hammons Drive, Frisco, TX 75034.
Self-Parking Rate: *$15/day
* Itemized receipts are required for parking. Sales tax will not be reimbursed for parking. Please download/use the Sales Tax Exemption Form, included below, to have sales tax removed from your expenses.
READ THIS SECTION BEFORE TRAVELING
*There may be need for you to print one or all of these forms. Please be aware of your needs and use of the forms therein before traveling begins.
Reimbursement Allowances for Travel Expenses
A total of up to $750 of allowable expenses will be reimbursed per person. This is inclusive of travel arrangements, lodging, and meals. Receipts are required, without exception.
Eligible Participants
* Registration and reimbursement will be made available to parent organization representatives. Funds are not available for ESC or LEA employees.
Travel Arrangements
* If you will be claiming mileage, MapQuest must be used, per Region 9 ESC policy, to provide an estimate. This must be printed and included with your request.
* Itemized receipts are required for airfare, taxi, and parking. Sales tax will not be reimbursed for parking. Please download/use the Sales Tax Exemption Form, included below, to have sales tax removed from your expenses.
Lodging
* You are responsible for making your own hotel reservations and for payment in full after length of stay. Reimbursement will occur post-event.
* You may stay at the conference hotel or another choice hotel.
* Region 9 ESC will not reimburse above the state per diem room rate, which is $120. City and county taxes are allowable, but state sales tax will not be reimbursed. The Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Form is included below. Please print this form and present it at check-in. At check-out, ensure that state tax has been omitted from the bill.
* Attendees from the same organization are encouraged to share rooms, as is feasible, in order to maximize reimbursement allowances.
Meals
* Meal reimbursement is calculated by time of departure and end-of trip arrival. Please notice the time designations on the Meals Allowance Worksheet for allowable meal reimbursements.
* Breakfast - A breakfast voucher will be provided only if the participant stays at the hotel the preceding night. You may eat breakfast at any location and submit your receipt, up to the $750 limit. The hot breakfast is suggested for hotel guests in order to maximize reimbursement allowances.
* Lunch - Lunch will be provided Thursday and Friday. Because this is part of the conference fee, submissions for reimbursement requests from other locations will not be accepted for these two meals. Lunch will NOT be provided on Saturday.
* Dinner - You may select your preferred dining option and submit your receipt, up to the $750 limit.
* Meal receipts must reflect an itemized list of only the attendee's expenses and must not include alcoholic beverages. Receipts with alcoholic beverages on them will not be reimbursed.
General Information
* Completed Non-Employee Travel Reimbursement Forms and associated documents are due by Friday, January 11, 2019, or the request will be void.
* Processing is estimated to be 30 days from time of request receipt at Region 9 ESC. If you have not received your reimbursement or an alternate message from Region 9 ESC before Monday, February 11, 2019, please contact paula.perkins@esc9.net.
Completed Forms
Your completed travel form and associated documentation can be submitted in either format:
1 - Scan into a file and email to: paula.perkins@esc9.net
(Processing will be faster with this option.)
OR
2 - Mail all information to:
Paula Perkins
Region 9 ESC
301 Loop 11
Wichita Falls, TX 76306
Parent Coordination Network
Email: paula.perkins@esc9.net
Website: www.TexasParent.org
Location: 301 Loop 11, Wichita Falls, TX 76306
Phone: (940) 322-6928
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/texasparent.org