Your Newsletter for April 2021
Expanding Support with Assistive Technology
The pandemic is not holding us back from community outreach and support!

We continue to expand our service in the online environment through virtual presentations, media and professional organization interviews, live Zoom sessions, and numerous other meetings.

Our latest outreach is our new, stand-alone Virtual Assistive Technology Demo Experience, made possible under the guidance of our IDA-Oregon Board of Directors. Shelbe Park leads our Student Empowerment Panel, and Michele Barnett supports the group. Our students continue to bravely share their stories with humor, sensitivity, honesty, confidence, and skill! 

Spring Symposium - Last Chance!
"A teacher educated about dyslexia can be the one person who saves a child and his/her family from years of frustration and anxiety. The teacher can play a pivotal role in changing the whole culture of the school." - Dr. Kelly Sandman-Hurley
The IDA-Oregon Annual Spring Symposium is almost here! If you haven't had a chance to register yet, you still have time!
This year’s symposium will be held virtually, via Zoom

Saturday, April 17 2021  |  8:30 am – 3:30 pm (Pacific Time)
'An understanding of learners' cognitive strengths and weaknesses can help guide teachers' choices of teaching strategies and techniques. Some of the most influential cognitive abilities are: attention, verbal working memory, executive functioning, and processing speed. Expert teachers recognize these abilities as critical prerequisites for language learning and use strategies that target these abilities in support of students' oral and written language development'. - Chapter1, Foundations for Language Learning, 'From Talking to Writing'.
IDA Oregon YouTube Channel
All past @DyslexiaYouAreNotAlone conversations are ready for you to view and share on our YouTube Channel.
Lucy spends her days drawing comic books and picking apart movies. She says, ‘If I’m feeling social, maybe I’ll go vintage shopping and take some photos of my friends!’
Executive Director, Andrew Yoshihara, talk about his passions and how he came to found the nonprofit Bustin' Barriers, that provides after school and summer camps for youth with special needs.
The provision of Assistive Technology can be a game-changer. It levels the playing field for those with learning differences. Debra is the Coordinator for the Oregon Technology Access Program.
Local High School Senior needs your help!
Imaan Mohandessi is member of the Student Empowerment Panel, and he needs your help!
He recently wrote to us about his Senior Project, stating, "I am a senior at Seton Catholic College Prep high school. For my senior project I am raising money for IDA-Oregon's Running the Distance Scholarship. This scholarship fund provides three, $1000 scholarships to dyslexic students. (Renewable for one year). These scholarships can be used for four-year universities, community college, or trade school.

There are multiple ways to support my senior project:

One way is to purchase a t-shirt that I designed. Proceeds made by the shirts will go directly into funding the Running the Distance Scholarship, and the link for buying the t-shirts is here, https://www.bonfire.com/grad-strive-beyond/.
Another way you could help is to make a direct donation to the scholarship fund:
The link for doing that is here, 

I hope that you can contribute to a wonderful cause and every donation helps. 
One final way you could help is to volunteer to help at The Spring Classic Race at Vancouver Lake Park on Sunday April 18th starting at 6:00 am. If I can get 40 volunteers to help with the race, we will earn $1000 for the RTD Scholarship fund!

If you can help, please email me at:  imohandessi@setonhigh.org I will need your name, phone #, email, and an emergency contact name and phone #."
What to know about Dyslexia Training Programs?
Across the US there has been an increase in the passage of dyslexia legislation, including stipulations for educator training.

This webinar will provide resources to help educators better understand dyslexia training programs and help determine the most appropriate training path for them.

The webinar will also help parents evaluate the dyslexia training used by local education agencies and/or tutors.

This is a free event. There will be a Q&A time after the presentation. Registrants are invited to submit a question during registration, and attendees may submit questions during the live event.

Attendees may request a Certificate of Attendance.
Upcoming Events
easter_bunny_kids.jpg
We hope you had a very Happy Easter
and as always ...
THANK YOU for all you do!