Upcoming Trainings

Description:

Learning how to effectively communicate your viewpoint will help you to make a difference in your children’s education as well as in your community.  Serving on Groups is a nationally recognized leadership tool that empowers family members to actively and fully participate in decision-making groups, such as their child’s IEP team, school advisory council or other government councils.  Sections 4 and 5 will go over helpful tools, tips, and strategies often used by decision makers to improve communication and collaboration to help the group work together better.

Presenter:

Jan Serak is the Director of Serak Consulting Services, LLC, where she provides board training, interim nonprofit management, curriculum development, and related services to nonprofit organizations. Before retiring, she was the founder and CEO of WI FACETS and a founder and Parent Partner of the Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System. Jan has held extensive leadership and advisory roles with state and national organizations focused on education, disability advocacy, and dispute resolution, including the National PLACE, Autism Society, and the National Center for Deaf-Blindness. She earned a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology and Dispute Resolution from Marquette University. She is the parent of two adult sons, one of whom has autism.

Learning Objectives:

Learn about tools groups can use, such as facilitation, agendas, minutes and ground rules, to run more efficient and effective meetings.

Learn about specific strategies for improving group dynamics.

Learn ways to improve two-way communication and the importance of culturally responsive practices.

This webinar has been pre-recorded. We will not have the ability to take questions during this webinar. If you have any questions about the webinar or your individual special education journey, please call our office at (414) 374-4645.

Description:

A reevaluation to see if a child continues to be a child with a disability with special education and related services needs is required by law at least every three years.  This module of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Mini Modules Series includes: when a reevaluation is required, other times someone could request a reevaluation, parent consent, and the independent educational evaluation (what it is, why ask for one, how it works).

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to discuss when reevaluations must or can be done.

Participants will be able to describe the reevaluation process.

Participants will be able to understand basics about the independent educational evaluation process.

Presenter:

Ann Zielke is the Parent Training and Information Center Trainer for WI FACETS. As a parent who understands firsthand the complexity of navigating the special education system in Wisconsin, she is passionate about the importance of accessible and informative parent education and training. She is a fierce advocate for her daughter and all children with disabilities and she looks forward to serving families across the state with WI FACETS.

Description:

This workshop builds on a foundational understanding of neurodivergence and twice-exceptionality (2e) by centering strengths, support needs, and effective advocacy. Parents and professionals will explore how to identify and communicate a learner’s whole profile, including strengths, challenges, and contextual needs, in ways that foster collaboration rather than conflict. The session introduces tools to distinguish between strengths, support needs, and environmental mismatches, reducing blame and power struggles. Attendees will leave with practical, neuro-affirming language and strategies to support 2e and asynchronously developing learners through informed, strengths-based advocacy.

Presenter:

Teresa Nair is the Parent Community & Services Program Manager at REEL (Resilience and Engagement for Every Learner), a nonprofit supporting twice-exceptional and neurodivergent learners and their families. She holds a Master’s degree in Education (M.Ed.) in Cognitive Diversity in Education and a Certificate in Twice-Exceptional Education from Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity. With over 20 years of experience across education, business, and community leadership, Teresa designs and facilitates neuro-affirming workshops and trainings grounded in research, lived experience, and compassion as a neurodivergent individual and parent.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will: Identify core strengths and support needs common among neurodivergent and twice-exceptional learners, and understand how these can vary across settings and over time. Apply neuro-affirming frameworks and language to advocate effectively for appropriate supports, accommodations, and understanding in educational and community contexts.

For parents and caregivers: Develop greater confidence and clarity in describing their child’s profile and partnering with educators and professionals to support their child’s growth and well-being.

The relationship between dyslexia and special education is a topic of wide-spread interest. Parents, caregivers, and educators share the goal of ensuring that students with dyslexia and related conditions receive the educational services and supports they need to make progress in grade-level academic standards in literacy whether or not they have an individualized education program (IEP). Understanding the special education evaluation and IEP development process helps parents be informed partners in the IEP process and work with schools to meet their child’s needs. This presentation will focus on special education evaluation and IEP development as well as the relationship of dyslexia and specific learning disability.

Descripción:

La relación entre la dislexia y la educación especial es un tema de gran interés. Padres, cuidadores y educadores comparten el objetivo de asegurar que los estudiantes con dislexia y condiciones relacionadas reciban los servicios y apoyos educativos que necesitan para avanzar en los estándares académicos de su grado en el área de lectura y escritura, tengan o no un Programa de Educación Individualizado (IEP). Entender el proceso de evaluación de educación especial y el desarrollo del IEP ayuda a los padres a ser participantes informados en el proceso y a trabajar junto con la escuela para satisfacer las necesidades de su hijo. Esta presentación se enfocará en la evaluación de educación especial, el desarrollo del IEP y la relación entre la dislexia y la discapacidad específica de aprendizaje.

Presenter:

Rose Kilmurray has a nineteen-year career as a special education teacher, administrator, and education consultant. Rose holds a BS in Special Education (UW–Eau Claire), an MS with an emphasis on literacy (UW–Stout), and an Ed.D. in Educational Sustainability (UW–Stevens Point). She trains and presents on topics including Universal Design for Learning, special education systems, accessible education materials, reading instruction, and social emotional learning. Rose currently works as an education consultant for the Department of Public Instruction and serves as the DPI liaison to the Wisconsin Council for Exceptional Children.

Dr. Stacy Gray has more than 20 years of experience supporting early literacy in Wisconsin, including work in 4K–12 classrooms, district-level literacy leadership, and educator preparation programs. She is committed to collaboration across the field of education; family–school–community partnerships; and asset-based approaches that honor each child’s language, culture, lived experiences, and rightful presence in meaningful learning. Dr. Gray focuses on strengthening equitable, culturally and linguistically sustaining, research-informed early literacy opportunities that support all learners in advancing their literacy development.

Presentadoras:

Rose Kilmurray tiene diecinueve años de experiencia como maestra de educación especial, administradora y consultora educativa. Rose obtuvo una Licenciatura en Educación Especial (UW–Eau Claire), una Maestría con énfasis en alfabetización (UW–Stout) y un Doctorado en Sostenibilidad Educativa (UW–Stevens Point). Ofrece capacitaciones y presentaciones sobre temas como el Diseño Universal para el Aprendizaje, los sistemas de educación especial, materiales educativos accesibles, instrucción en lectura y aprendizaje social y emocional. Actualmente trabaja como consultora educativa para el Departamento de Instrucción Pública (DPI) y es la persona enlace del DPI con el Consejo de Wisconsin para Niños Excepcionales.

Dra. Stacy Gray tiene más de 20 años de experiencia apoyando la alfabetización temprana en Wisconsin, incluyendo trabajo en salones desde 4K hasta grado 12, liderazgo distrital en alfabetización y programas de preparación de educadores. Está comprometida con la colaboración en el campo de la educación, las alianzas entre familia, escuela y comunidad, y los enfoques basados en las fortalezas que valoran el idioma, la cultura, las experiencias de vida y la participación significativa de cada estudiante en el aprendizaje. La Dra. Gray se enfoca en fortalecer oportunidades de alfabetización temprana que sean equitativas, cultural y lingüísticamente sostenibles, y basadas en la investigación, para apoyar a todos los estudiantes en el desarrollo de sus habilidades de lectura y escritura.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will understand the basic requirements for special education eligibility.
• Participants will learn about DPI resources related to dyslexia in general as well as resources about dyslexia and specific learning disabilities.
• Participants will learn about how the consideration of additional information they bring to an IEP meeting can inform the development of their child’s IEP.

Objetivos de Aprendizaje:

• Los participantes comprenderán los requisitos básicos para la elegibilidad en educación especial.
• Los participantes conocerán los recursos del DPI relacionados con la dislexia en general, así como los recursos sobre la dislexia y la discapacidad específica de aprendizaje.
• Los participantes aprenderán cómo la información adicional que aportan a una reunión del IEP puede ayudar a desarrollar el IEP de su hijo.