Family Engagement Sept 22
August 12th, 2022
Welcome Back!
The start of a new school year is always exciting, and so is family engagement! Family engagement promotes equitable partnerships among schools, families, and communities to actively advance student achievement through shared commitment, decision making and responsibility. We hope this resource provides you with some information you can use to engage ALL families and your communities. Have a wonderful school year!
SAVE THE DATES! Registrations are opening soon.
Several PaTTAN conferences offer scholarships for family members to attend. See details on individual conference pages.
- HELIX, (High Expectations for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities), November 14-16, 2022, State College. HELIX sessions are specifically designed for those who support students who are deaf, deafblind, blind, visually impaired, hard of hearing, and/or have an intellectual disability. Attend this hybrid event in-person or online .
- PA PBS Implementers' Forum, November 29-December 2, 2022, the Hershey Lodge & Convention Center. The focus of the Forum will be on Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to improve behavior outcomes for all learners.
- PA Department of Education (PDE) Conference, March 1-3, 2023, Hershey Lodge & Convention Center. The annual PDE conference will be held in a hybrid format with in-person sessions and online sessions, as well.
Want to Make an Impact? JOIN THE TEAM!
Family Support Specialist for Blindness and Visual Impairment (BVI) - PaTTAN East Office
PaTTAN is looking for a family member of a student with blindness or visual impairment to join its staff. A vacancy exists for a Family Support Specialist for Blindness and Visual Impairment (BVI) to work for the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit at PaTTAN East! The Family Support Specialist will provide technical assistance and training related to blindness and visual impairment as part of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN).
Youth Ambassadors (YAs) are needed to impact the provision of services for students with disabilities from high school to college or work in the community. YAs will participate in local and statewide meetings, help develop employment programs in PA, help create youth engaging media and support students with disabilities in their communities."
For more information about this paid work experience in your location, contact Krista Sloan 814.619.8512 or krsloan@pa.gov.
National PTA Resource - Questions Families Should Ask their Children's Educators
The checklist follows the set of rights that the Department released outlining what families should be able to expect for their children's education. The rights follow the educational journey of a student—from access to quality preschool; to engagement in safe, well-resourced elementary and secondary schools that hold all students to high standards; to access to an affordable, quality college degree.
The checklist suggests these “key questions” that parents should pose to their child’s educators."
Options for Resolving IEP Team Disagreements: Pennsylvania's Alternatives to Due Process Hearings
The Bureau of Special Education (BSE) encourages all issues involving a student's educational programming be resolved as close to the student as possible. Schools and families should try very hard to work collaboratively, keeping the child at the center of the conversation. If disagreements occur, there are various options for communication and solutions before pursuing legal action. Watch the PaTTANpod, Having Those Tough Conversations: Mediation Process for IEP Teams, to discover resolution platforms and strategies.
Understanding Special Education Due Process Hearings: A Guide for Parents and Families is a helpful resource for those seeking additional information about a due process hearing. This guide has replaced the Office for Dispute Resolution's (ODR’s) document Dispute Resolution Manual.
Click on the image for the Guide.
The mission of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is to support the efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education, and to build the capacity of local educational agencies to serve students who receive special education services.