Finding Your Voice as a Parent: How to Better Manage Your Child’s Special Education Advocacy

Monday, December 3rd, 2012 at 7:00pm

Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven Shoreline Office

705 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT 06437 (in Lighthouse Square behind Planet Fitness)

This is a FREE hands-on workshop to help parents of special needs children navigate the special education maze and articulate their concerns.

A Discussion and Q&A with:

Attorney Lawrence W. Berliner, Special Education and Disability Law, Law Office of Lawrence W. Berliner, LLC, Westport and Guilford, CT

Dr. Shelley Pelletier, Neuropsychologist and School Psychologist, Old Saybrook, CT

10 starting points for our discussion together:

Attorney Berliner:

• Student’s basic educational rights mandated by the IDEA

• Monitoring your child’s progress and helping you plan for the year ahead

• How to make the IEP a framework for success – understanding the goals and objectives

• Preparing for any PPT meeting throughout the year

• Building a collaborative relationship with the school

• Working with a special education attorney as your legal advocate

Dr. Pelletier:

• Neuropsychological evaluation – how it could be helpful in understanding why your child is struggling in school

• Understanding the process of completing a neuropsychological evaluation: gathering information, child’s history, direct observation of the child, standardized testing, feedback with parents and school staff to provide interpretation of testing results

• The IEE: independent educational evaluation – when to seek one, the benefits, your child’s rights in the educational process and how to obtain an IEE.

• How a neuropsychologist can work with the PPT team to assist in clarifying diagnoses, coordinating educational and other services, and putting this into practical terms for parents and the school team.

This workshop is presented by Kidsteps, A Division of SARAH, Inc., Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven on the Shoreline, and in conjunction with the Guilford PTA - Special Education Committee.

Contact Kathy Fadel of KIDSTEPS Family and Children Center, a division of SARAH, INC at (203) 453-7592, ext. 2 or kidsteps-fcc@sarah-inc.org to register. Registration is required due to limited space.

For directions, please contact Jill Lesage at the Jewish Federation at (203)-640-2461

Please visit www.berlinerspecialedlaw.com for more information.