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The Family Resource Group
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Hope you had a wonderful school year!
It's hard to believe that the school year is coming to a close. We hope you have a wonderful summer and find the time to rest, relax, and prepare for the 2023-24 school year! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at any time. To be sure that you continue to receive all future updates, or information, directly to your email address, sign up on the Family Resource Group mailing list.
Erin Campion
Family Resource Group Editor
Are you looking for summer camp ideas?
Check out last month's newsletter for summer opportunities!
May is Better Hearing and Speech Month!
Voice, speech, and language: What are they?
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, (National Institutes of Health) has made an infographic to highlight the difference between voice, speech, and language.
Great Start is back in 2023!
July 11 –12 | 2023 Wyndham Gettysburg Gettysburg, PA
Great Start focuses on topics of interest to infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children withdeafness, hearing loss, blindness, visual impairment, or deaf-blindness and their families. Families of young children and the Early Intervention Service Coordinatorswho work with them are invited to attend. No conference registration fee or hotel room costs for participants. Scholarships, including a childcare allowance, available for families. Registration opens May 2023
For more information, please contact: Anne Gaspich at agaspich@pattan.net
Hearing Loss Expo is back in 2023!
OCTOBER 11-12 | Penn Harris Hotel, Harrisburg, PA
Pennsylvania's Hearing Loss Expo is the place to be! Plan on visiting this one-of-a-kind expo. There is no other place to see technology in action, learn about services and attend informative sessions. Everything is about people who are deaf, DeafBlind or hard of hearing. Stay tuned for more info!
717.783.4912V/TTY
717.831.1928/484.866.9929 VP
FAMILIES TO THE MAX (F2MAX)
Thursday, May 18 | 7:00 pm
The F2MAX family network is growing! They are looking for more input. Join the meeting and hear what is happening with families of children with disabilities - across Pennsylvania. You are welcome to log in and listen or share your insights. The virtual link for the meeting is in their newsletter and the passcode is RFLC.
Future Conference Dates: Plan to Attend!
and be on the look out for Parent/Family Scholarships
that may be available to help you attend for free/less!
Includi-Con: June 20-22, 2023
2023 Summer Inclusion Institute
Reconnect to the Power of Inclusion & Educating - a virtual event.
"This year, Includi-Con is designed to provide opportunities for school personnel and parents to RENEW, RESTOCK, and REFRAME. Life in schools and their respective communities has been difficult and more challenging than ever, as the impact of the pandemic for students, families and schools was fully understood and felt.
We’ve put together a program and speakers that we believe can help all to remember our “why”, to forge positive pathways for students and ourselves; learn new strategies; and expand our circles of connection with others who embrace inclusive education. And we will also have some fun!
We hope that 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."
National Autism Conference: July 31- Aug 4, 2023
The Autism conference provides comprehensive, evidence-based information to assist educators, other professionals, and families in developing effective educational programming for all students with autism spectrum disorders.
Family members, physicians, speech-language pathologists, administrators, higher-education faculty, general and special education professionals, early-intervention staff, related service personnel, behavioral health analysts/professionals, and anyone interested in autism spectrum disorders.
Join us onsite at the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center for the 2023 conference or watch live-streaming and recorded sessions remotely from wherever you are.
Visit the conference archives to discover videos, presentations, and schedules from past years
Secondary Transition Conference: Aug 9-10, 2023
2023 PA Community of Practice Transition Conference
Join in-person or virtually for the "Our Voice, Our Plan, Our Future" conference from The Penn Stater Conference Center. Registration will open spring 2023. Transition occurs at all ages. Come and see what you and your child can put in place to be ready for after the school years end. Starting early and being prepared make moving on more successful!
Safe and Supportive Learning Environments Conference: Aug 16-27, 2023
Prevention Before the Crisis
The Bureau of Special Education and PaTTAN are pleased to offer Family Scholarships to Pennsylvania residents who are not employed in a professional capacity by a school entity and are adult caregivers. You are invited to apply for a full scholarship to attend the Safe and Supportive Learning Environments: Prevention Before the Crisis Summit being held, August 16 & 17, 2023 at PaTTAN Harrisburg, 6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112 the scholarship includes:
- Waived registration (for one)
- Lodging for up to two nights.
- Reimbursement for food and mileage.
All scholarship applications must be completed by June 15, 2023. Please contact Tina Rife, trife@pattan.net , if you have difficulty using the application link below. One scholarship will be awarded per application. Spouses, partners, and children are not able to attend the event with you and if attending must register on their own. An email will be sent to inform the applicant if your application has been accepted or declined. Due to the size of the event, we are not able to accept all applicants.
Application link: Family Scholarship Application
Hotel Information
Upon approval of your scholarship, your hotel room will be arranged for you, based on the information you provided via the application, please be on the lookout for an email with the confirmation #.
The hotel is: Best Western Premier, the Central Hotel
800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17111, (717)561-0668.
If you decide not to attend the event or no longer require lodging notify Tina Rife via email at trife@pattan.net no later than August 1, 2023.
Conference Registration
Visit the conference webpage here to learn more about the conference including keynote presenters and session titles and descriptions. Register for event sessions online at: PaTTAN - Prevention Summit. Registration for the summit closes on August 1, 2023. For additional information contact: Tina Rife, 717-901-2278, or trife@pattan.net.
PaPBS Network and MTSS Implementers' Forum:
Nov 1-3, 2023
Join in person at the Hershey Lodge & Convention Center or virtually to look at steps and supports that can help your child improve academic, behavior, and social-emotional outcomes with this joint conference. There are many things that can help students learn, focus, and participate in the classroom, come hear from experts and network with others.
HELIX: High Expectations for Low Incidence Disabilities
Nov 15-17, 2023 for DHH, BVI, & DB
Join us to celebrate high expectations for students with low incidence disabilities and to support school staff and families who are working hard to make those expectations a reality in our current school environments. This annual statewide conference offers an opportunity to learn and engage with presenters who are recognized in the field, as well as colleagues from across the state, highlighting effective instructional strategies and interventions designed specifically for students with low incidence disabilities.
The 2023 HELIX Conference will be offered in a hybrid format - in person at the Lancaster Convention Center or online through Zoom. Each time slot will offer sessions from our PaTTAN Initiatives of Assistive Technology and AAC, Blind-Visual Impairment, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind, Significant Cognitive Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Families to the MAX Statewide Parent Network.
Are you, or your child looking at a new or future career in special education?
The Attract-Prepare-Retain Career Exploration Series is writing and sharing a set of brief explanations about the many kinds of jobs that are available in the field of special education. They have completed the first set of flyers. Click below if you or your child would like to explore one of those jobs!
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.