25. How Do We Measure Up?: What We Can Do to Improve Family Engagement in Our Schools Moving Forward
Speakers: Jacqui DiDomenico, Linda Cartwright
Session Handouts:
*This speaker will be presenting in person at the Penn Stater.
**This session is available for in person and virtual attendance.
In this hands-on session, participants will examine and assess their local successes and challenges in their family-school partnership practices. Participants will be provided with many resources that they will, in turn, be able to share locally to improve practices.
Credits: Act 48
Audience: Special Education Teachers; Teachers who work with students who are blind or visually impaired; Teachers who work with students with hearing loss; Teachers who work with students who are Deaf-Blind; Teachers/other professionals who work with students who have sustained traumatic brain injury; Speech therapists; General Education Teachers; Supervisors/Administrators; Assistive Technology Specialists; Occupational Therapists and/or Physical Therapists; Orientation and Mobility Specialists; School Counselors and/or School Psychologists; Parents, Guardians, Family Members; Paraprofessionals; Other (ESL teachers)
Speakers' Bios:
Jacqui DiDomenico is a parent consultant with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN). She has a background in early childhood education and brings her experience of parenting three children, including her middle child who has Down syndrome. She is currently working on the following initiatives: Family Engagement, Procedural Safeguards and OSEP Grants.
Linda Cartwright is a Parent Consultant in the PaTTAN East office. Linda brings a combined perspective of parent and professional, having navigated the special education system as an advocate for her now-adult son with Down syndrome, as well as working for the Bureau of Special Education to provide resources to families and professionals. Her current areas of focus at PaTTAN are: Family Engagement, Assistive Technology, Inclusive Practices, and OSEP Grant projects. Linda helps coordinate the FAMILIES TO THE MAX Statewide Family Network, which brings together families, professionals, and community members who work to build awareness, empower families, and lead change in Pennsylvania. The Network promotes maximizing access, expectations, and learning for all students, including those with diverse needs.