February 22, 2023 | Issue 67 (View newsletter as webpage) Para leer este boletín en Español, haga clic aquí

Important News

Closing Out Black History Month

As we prepare to close out Black History Month in the coming week, let us all recommit ourselves to strive for racial justice and equality. Black History Month isn’t only about celebration, it’s also about changing perceptions and recognizing the strengths and contributions of the Black community.

Ways to continue your commitment:

Work to recognize your own biases and improve your own cultural awareness: Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Checklist
Interrupt everyday bigotry - speak up and express your refusal to tolerate racist/inappropriate comments, language, or acts in your presence: Speak Up! Handbook
Continue to educate yourself and others by sharing stories of Black excellence and triumph in appreciation of those who have come before us: StoryCorps
Recognize racial trauma as a mental health issue and seek or provide support to those experiencing those challenges: Mental Health America: Racial Trauma
Volunteer your time and money to entities dedicated to investing in Black education and racial justice: NEA Racial Justice in Education Resource Guide
Support Black-owned businesses: Amazon’s Buy Black Store

Black history is the collective history that shapes our experiences today. We hope you will find these resources useful in your efforts to make a difference in your own community. Remember, change starts with each of us.

Resources

Discipline and Behavior Series: Our Discipline Policies Reflect Our Priorities

1,591,473 - This is the total number of disciplinary removals that students with disabilities experienced during the 2019-20 school year.

A recent OSEP Blog by Valerie C. Williams, Director, Office of Special Education Programs, focuses on the importance of school discipline policies reflecting our priorities.

She states, " As the data noted above show, a common response to addressing challenging behavior is to remove a child from their typical learning environment. While removal may be warranted in selected situations, particularly those related to safety, removal alone rarely provides us with the true remedy we are seeking:

to support students' behavioral needs, and
to minimize or prevent challenging behaviors before they occur."

Family Connections: How We Stand Up to Bullying

March 2, 2023

1:30 - 2:30 pm ET

Nicole Pratt, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network will share her experiences on this webinar hosted by the National Family Support TA Center.

Bullying continues to be a serious issue for children of any age – whether they are the ones being bullied, others who witness the bullying, and even the bullies themselves.

The effects of bullying can be pervasive and long-lasting -- including depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

We’ll look at the challenges facing parents and caregivers whose children experience bullying, how to advocate on their behalf, and how some states are responding with Anti-Bullying policies. Finally, we’ll take a look at what happens when the bully might be yours.

Upcoming Events

SPAN offers a variety of learning opportunities for families and the professionals who work with them.

Highlighted Event This Week

The Reluctant Reader: Using Their Interests to Make Reading Fun

Thursday, March 2, 2023

12:30 PM

Via Zoom

Guest Presenter:

Dr. Jamie Zibulsky, Co-Author,

"Book Smart: How to Support Successful Readers"

Do you have a hard time getting your child to turn off technology and read a book?

Join us to discuss strategies for using your child's interests to motivate them to read.

We will be sharing tips and answering questions for parents/caregivers who want to motivate children to read more.

See all of SPAN's upcoming events with details and registration links here

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Positive Forces

Learn about historical examples of positivity being a force that overcomes negative and desperate times, such as the Civil Rights and disability rights movements, in the latest's blog post, "Positive Forces."

Featuring: Brad Lomax (1950-1984), who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, was a powerful advocate for Civil Rights and disability rights, lifted both movements, and urged the government to implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Click here to read the blog

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SPAN Parent Advocacy Network | spanadvocacy.org

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