![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/_fr/beach.5fa6c26a.jpg)
Family Engagement Newsletter
June 2023
![Family Engagement Newsletter June 2023](https://cdn.smore.com/u/2ebb/0c42c913d11f5cea1060d1cbe8969815.jpg)
Families and schools working together, because our students are worth it!
June 1st is Global Day of Parents!
"School's (almost) Out for Summer!" Make the most of this month by celebrating parents and families. In your continuing family engagement efforts, show acknowledgement and appreciation of all that families contribute to their children's education, their community, and your school community. Learn more...
Two Tiers of Support Available!
The PA Bureau of Special Education is excited to introduce the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance 2023-24 Support Plan! As a priority of this plan, PaTTAN consultants, along with IU partners, will provide LEAs direct support, at a local level, in various areas of need, including family engagement. Two types of support are offered:
- CUSTOMIZED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Systemic
- Allows for collaboration in identifying areas of need
- Offers a broad range of training and technical assistance, including long-term plans that align with your LEA's specific goals and objectives
- Grant funding may be available to support your evidence-based practices that you co-construct with your PaTTAN and IU support team.
- Applications for Customized Systemic Support are accepted through June 30, 2023. Visit supports.pattan.net for consideration.
- CUSTOMIZED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Short-term
- Critical - immediate in nature
- Emergent - specific help for unforeseen, basic needs; not necessarily immediate in nature
- Professional Development - partnering with IU, assistance with general PD, e.g., Opening Day training
- Applications available as of 7/1/2023. Visit supports.pattan.net for consideration.
Find out more information on PaTTAN’s Customized Professional Development and Technical Assistance: Watch this short video to learn more and visit PaTTAN - Customized Professional Development and Technical Assistance.
Our PaTTAN Family Engagement Team is available to assist you through your family engagement requests process! Please email us at familyengagementconnect@pattankop.net
Enhancing Family Engagement (EFE) School Teams "Graduate"!
We congratulate all of the EFE teams who successfully completed the 18-month Enhancing Family Engagement team training series! On May 17th, during the final PaTTAN training series event, these powerhouse teams presented some of the great things are doing as a result of their professional development and collaboration. Each member of the Greater Latrobe School District, HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy, McKean Elementary School, and McGuffey School District will be presented with a Certificate of Completion, and each school or district will receive a customized banner to display their commitment to enhancing and maintaining strong school-family-community partnerships.
Greater Latrobe School District
HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy
Summer Strategies
Promote Family-School Partnerships Over the Summer!
Set up summer success---read this blog by Emily Anderson, PhD, of Carnegie Learning, Inc., to learn the 3 Ways to Promote Family-School Partnerships Over the Summer. You can also download Carnegie Learning's Summer Learning Kit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strategies for a Successful Summer Break
- Why is structure important for kids during the summer break?
- What are some ways that families can provide structure for kids?
- How should families handle behavior issues over summer break?
- Learn the answers to these questions in the Child Mind Institute article, Strategies for a Successful Summer Break: Tips for managing your kids' downtime to help make it relaxing for everyone. AND DON'T FORGET TO SHARE THIS HELPFUL INFORMATION WITH YOUR STUDENTS' FAMILIES! The article is available in English and Spanish.
Upcoming Summer Professional Development Opportunities
National Community Schools & Family Engagement Conference - June 7-9
This event, "Spreading Love & Supporting All Children," sponsored by the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) and the Coalition for Community Schools, will happen in Philadelphia this June. Virtual options available; in-person conference capacity is full. Learn more HERE.
2023 PaTTAN Math Conference - June 13-14
Session topics include:
Evidence-based Math Instruction
Multi-tiered Systems of Support
Increasing Engagement
Universal Design for Learning and more!
Learn more...
2023 Virtual Includi-Con June 20-22
RENEW, RESTOCK, and REFRAME! Includi-Con will inspire and energize you as you continue your work to support all students learning together in general education classrooms, find new connections, and feel supported in your efforts.
Pennsylvania's Deaf-Blind Project's Family Learning Conference - June 23-24
Do you know a student who has both a vision and hearing loss? The family (parents/guardians, siblings and child with deaf-blindness) is welcome to join us for our hybrid Family Learning Conference!
Learn more HERE.
National Autism Conference - July 31 - August 3 Registration is OPEN
Register HERE to attend this national event in person at The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center or virtually. Learn about the Art of Expression Exhibit, family scholarships and conference childcare and camp for tweens with Autism, and submit a poster proposal to highlight promising practices within educational programs.
2023 PA Community of Practice Transition Conference - Aug. 9-10
Join us at the 2023 PA Community of Practice Transition Conference in State College. Registration is now OPEN for in-person and virtual opportunities to attend this event supporting secondary transition. Learn about feature presenters, youth and family scholarships, and more!
Safe and Supportive School Training--August 16 & 17
Join colleagues in Harrisburg for a two-day training, Safe and Supportive Learning Environments: Prevention Before the Crisis, focused on keeping our students, staff, and school communities in safe and supportive learning environments. Share family scholarship opportunities with your families!
HELIX Conference - November 15-17 SAVE THE DATES!
NEW LOCATION! Join us this Fall for HELIX: High Expectations for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities, in historic downtown Lancaster, PA! This year, our hybrid conference will take place at the Lancaster County Convention Center. See why hundreds of educators, administrators, family members, related service providers, and experts in the field participate in this extraordinary event each year, touted as "a wonderful experience and opportunity to...revitalize ourselves for the rest of the year!"
HELIX Conference - High Expectations for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities - Nov. 15-17
NEW LOCATION! SAVE THE DATES: Nov. 15 - 17, 2023
Join educators, administrators, families, related service providers, and experts in low-incidence disabilities in November in historic downtown Lancaster, PA! Our annual hybrid event will be held at the Lancaster County Convention Center. Learn more about the HELIX Conference here.
New Resources for Educators and Families!
New! Framework for Access and Belonging (FAB) Publication
The FAB Process uses supplementary aids and services that expand participation and learning in a general education setting for a student with a disability. FAB is an enhancement to the former Supplementary Aides and Services (SaS) Toolkit. Check out the new FAB publication!
Hot off the Press!! Teachers' Desk Reference (TDR): Deaf-Blindness
See a new PaTTAN resource for low-incidence disabilities
HUNE's New Family Engagement Publication (Updated)
HUNE empowers and supports families of children and youth with disabilities by providing cultural and linguistic best practices for .
If you found this family and community engagement newsletter to be helpful, please share it with colleagues and families in your school, district, IU, or agency. Thank you!
This is the last edition of the newsletter until the 2023-24 school year begins. We, the PaTTAN Family Engagement Team, wish you a relaxing and engaging summer!
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.