Informational Opportunities for Parents & Educators

Instructional aides, student helpers, cafeteria monitors, bus drivers, teachers, administrators, and parents are welcome to attend any or all of the following training sessions:

District staff should sign up on CPE tracker to attend

Parents and non-district staff, please call the Pupil Services Office at 424-8500 Ext. 1907 to reserve your seat.

Coming to one session does not require attendance at all sessions.

NOTE:  These trainings may be used toward the 20 hour annual training requirements for Special Education Instructional Aides and Student Helpers.  Other staff may be able to use some of these trainings toward Opt Out hours for the March In-Service Day (for training attended prior to December 1st of the current school year). Please obtain appropriate form(s) prior to the training in order to obtain the trainer’s signature.  Forms for Opt-Out or the 20 Hour Training Requirements will NOT be available from the presenter the night of the presentation.  Please come to the training WITH your form. Signatures may ONLY be obtained at the training. 

Bookshare

Bookshare is an organization that is available for free for students with disabilities that affect their ability to read and access printed materials. Not all students with an IEP qualify.

• Bookshare® is free for all U.S. students with qualifying disabilities, thanks to an award from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
• Bookshare dramatically increases the accessibility of books. People with disabilities deserve the same ease of access to books and periodicals that people without disabilities enjoy.
• A searchable online library. Bookshare offers approximately 90,000 digital books, textbooks, teacher-recommended reading, periodicals and assistive technology tools.
• Readers of all ages. Bookshare offers affordable membership, unlimited library privileges and a community of Members, Volunteers, parents, publishers and authors. This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (Cooperative Agreement #H327K070001).

Bookshare puts the responsibility of certification on the professional signing the Proof of Disability form to confirm that each Bookshare Member meets the copyright definition. Here’s a simplified guide on students who should be able to qualify for Bookshare services and have a certifying professional sign off on their qualification:

• Students with visual impairments that keep them from reading standard print (blind, legally blind, or with other functional vision limitations).
• Students with severe learning disabilities that keep them from being able to effectively read standard print. This includes students with IEPs that call for text accommodation to respond to specific language learning disabilities.
• Students with physical disabilities that prevent them from reading print or using a print book. Such a limitation could be the result of a spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, a neurological condition, etc.

Bookshare Homepage
Proof of Disability
Bookshare Member Registration

BASIC Support Group Announcement

Parents/Students - Secondary Transition Resource Folder/CD

Each year, the Pennsylvania Training & Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) creates a Secondary Transition Resource Folder/CD. At age 14, secondary transition planning begins for all students with disabilities. The Secondary Transition Resource Folder/CD helps students with disabilities and their families get information about what to expect as the student transitions from high school and what sorts of agencies and resources can help.

We would like to know if you and your child received the Secondary Transition Resource Folder/CD, and if so, what you thought about it. We want to use the information that you provide to help improve the process for students in the future. We will only look at results for the entire group of parents who take the survey. Your answers will not be connected to you by name. Below is a link to an online version of the survey. Please click on the link or copy and paste it into a web browser to access the online survey.

Online Survey

If you do not want to complete the survey online, please request a paper copy from David Berquist at dberquist@pattan.net or 1-800-446-5607, extension 6869.

The survey should not take more than 10 minutes to complete. Please complete the survey by March 28, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact David Berquist at dberquist@pattan.net or 1-800-446-5607, extension 6869.

Your opinions are very important to us! Please take a few minutes to complete this survey to let us know what you think about the Transition Folder/CD. We really appreciate your input!