Community Connections: August 2003 Newsletter

The Community Connections Communicator
August 2003

In this Issue:

The theme of this month's issue is Back to School Tips and Ideas.

	Tip Sheet: Back to School Tips
	This tip sheet provides a general overview of ways to help your child have a successful school year. It also provides a checklist for the first day of school as well as tips for better learning
	Article: Managing Your Child's Education: Creative and Smart Ideas
	This article has information on managing your child's education, including: getting involved, creating a notebook, and keeping high expectations.
	Spotlights of the Month:
	Partners for Success, Parent Center
	Provides training, telephone consultations and resources for families with children with disabilities in Prince George's County Public Schools.
	Prince George's County Memorial Library System
	Going to the library, more than just borrowing books! Check out the services the county library provides which can enhance your child's education.
	Helping Your Child Succeed In School
	On this website you will find resources for helping your child with homework and information on creating home assignments which boost learning.
	Prince George's County Public Schools Website
	Provides an array of information for students, parents and teachers. You can also link into your child's schools web page from this site for more specific information.
	Tufts University Child & Family Web Guide
	Provides links to some free homework help websites.
	Recommended Websites:
	Family Networks http://www.family-networks.org
	Disability is Natural http://www.disabilityisnatural.com
	Maryland State Department of Education http://www.msde.state.md.us
	Kids Health for Kids Section http://www.kidshealth.org/kid

Back to School Tips

The summer has zoomed by and it is already time to start planning for the first day of school. In this tip sheet, created by the American Academy of Pediatrics, you will find resources which will help make this school year a bit easier for you and your child. This tip sheet focuses on making your child feel comfortable about the beginning of another school year. It lists strategies for talking with children, which both parents and educators could use. Included is a checklist for the first day of school with reminders about such things as filling out health forms along with emergency contact information and making arrangements for after school care if it's needed. This tip sheet also provides information on learning, homework, and carrying a safe backpack. Once you read this tip sheet, your child will be off to a better start.

Read the full tip sheet.

Check out the following links for more tip sheets on making your child's school year more successful.

Ten Tips For Negotiating the Best Education For Your Child
http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/parenting/10_tips_for_negotiating_the_best_education.html

18 Tips For Getting Quality Special Education Services For Your Child
http://ldonline.org/ld_indepth/special_education/18tips_en.html

Managing Your Child's Education: Creative and Smart Ideas

Are you sometimes overwhelmed with your child's educational needs? Could you benefit from organizational tips? If so, this article is for you. This article provides essential information needed for parents to become more confident, organized, and involved with managing their child's education. Such topics as becoming an educated parent, creating a notebook for your child's assignments, and keeping high expectations are discussed in this informative piece. In addition, you will find information on ways to enhance your child's learning as well as how to talk with your child about their disability.

Read the complete article here.

Here are some more helpful articles:

Back to School for Kids with Special Needs
http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/backtoschool.html

How to Help: Show You Think Education and Homework are Important Assignments
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/homework.html

Early Childhood Special Education - Teaching Strategies
http://ericec.org/faq/ec-teach.html

Spotlights of the Month!

Partners for Success, Parent Center
Bonnie F. Johns Educational Media Center
8437 Landover Road
Landover, Maryland 20785
(301) 925-2811

Did you know there is a place where parents can receive resources, training, and consultation with respect to their child's specific disabilities and special education programs? The Partner's for Success Parent Center is just that place. They provide training and workshops on an array of topics, which include understanding special education and transition planning for children with disabilities. Parents can also speak with trained individuals who will be able to provide them with resources and information about their child's disability, special education policies and procedures, and organizations that work with families with children with disabilities. For further information, please contact Gloria Hobbs, Coordinator or Melonee Clark, Parent Liaison at (301) 925.2811. Please spread the word, the Parent Center is willing and able to help!

Prince George's County Memorial Library System
www.prge.llib.md.us

If you need to assist your child in a project, find out about reptiles, or have your child attend evening story time, your local library is the place to be. In addition to the many books available on every topic under the sun, the Prince George's County Memorial Library System has various children's programs, computers available for research, and skilled librarians to provide assistance. The website includes great information on home, school, fun and games as well as links to numerous educational resources. Please visit your library. Reading is vital to every child's education.

Helping Your Child Succeed In School
www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Succeed/index.html

Would you like to learn more about activities that can promote your child's learning? If so, the Helping Your Child Succeed in School web page is an excellent resource. On this website you can find information for preschool and school aged children including: academic activities, tips for working with teachers and schools, and information about how to help your child take tests. This site also includes a ready for school checklist. Click here for more further information.

Prince George's County Public School's Website
www.pgcps.org

Do you need to know what time your child's bus will arrive? What about important phone numbers or emergency procedures? If so, you can find these and other necessary resources on the Prince George's County Public Schools website. This website also provides parent, teacher and student resources in the areas of before and after care, parental rights and responsibilities, and links to 700 great websites for kids and parents. You can also browse your child's school site by clinking the link for school finder.

We currently offer training and technical consultation to businesses, churches, and other community organizations to help make them more welcoming to families and children with special needs. If you know of a business or other organization that would like to take advantage of these services, please e-mail us at: communityconnections@umd.edu
OR
If you know of a business that is already welcoming to children with special needs and their families and you would like to share this information with other families and professionals, please send us your name as well as the name and contact information for the business with a brief description of why you believe they are welcoming to families. If appropriate, we will post the business on our website and we may even feature it as a 'Spotlight if the Month'. E-mail your submissions to: communityconnections@umd.edu

*Questions or Suggestions about our newsletter? Have an idea you would like to submit? Please feel free to contact us at communityconnections@umd.edu

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Disclaimer
Unless otherwise noted, all referenced articles are available at no charge to you. Community Connections provides this for informational purposes only and cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by linked sites. The opinions and views expressed at these web sites do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Community Connections. Any personal information requested by any of the web sites will be governed by the privacy policy at the site, and any questions you have related to the sites' use of information should be directed there. The information contained in this newsletter is not intended to make any offer or commitment to purchase, subscribe to, provide or sell any service or product or to provide any recommendations on which readers should rely.

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Helping to Facilitate the Participation of Children with Disabilities in Community Settings

The Community Connections Communicator August 2003

In this Issue:

Back to School Tips

Managing Your Child's Education: Creative and Smart Ideas

Spotlights of the Month!

The Community Connections Communicator
August 2003