Wisconsin FACETS at
National Parent Centers Conference
1/23/02 - 1/26/02

Nelsinia Ramos, Monica Lopez

WI FACETS joined other parent centers at the 5th Annual Alliance Conference, "Collaboration - Connecting for Children" in Washington, D.C., Jan. 23-26, 2002 for a chance to learn, reflect, comment and network with colleagues from other parent centers and the IDEA Partnership national projects.

The Alliance is funded by the U.S. Dept. of Education's Office of Special Education Programs to serve as the national coordinating project for 106 federally funded Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIC) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC) as they provide training and information for parents of children and youth with disabilities in each state. FACETS has a grant for one of each type of center.

Charlotte Price, PTIC Co-Director, and Susan Endress, CPRC Director, attended the Directors' pre-conference workshop. Sessions attended by WI FACETS staff Gail Kolvenbach, Monica Lopez, Pat Patterson and WI Statewide Parent Educator Initiative representative Barb Breen included: Personnel Shortage and Training in Special Education, Mental Health- A Schoolwide Concern, Positive Behavioral Supports, IDEA and Reauthorization, Section 504: the other Service Option for Children with Disabilities.

A WCDD DAWN leadership grant enabled WI FACETS' Parent Leaders Minnie Neal and Nelsinia Ramos to attend the conference, visit with legislators and attend a legislative reception on the "Hill," and do some D.C. sightseeing.

Susan Endress, Minnie Neal, Pat Patterson, Barb Breen		Louis Danielson, OSEP with Minnie Neal, Susan Endress, and Nelsinia Ramos