IFLC 7th Annual Family Conference: Resources and Inspiration for Adult Family Members and Caregivers of Children with Disabilities

by Mary Meduna
March 9, 2013
Reg. 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Central Time)

Description:If we're all in this together, why do I feel so all alone? Unfortunately, our children do not come to us with individualized training manuals to help us guide them into their greatness. This is especially challenging when your child has needs that lie outside of the typical range. The special education process can be especially daunting. This presentation will give parents information that will support them in their role as the leaders in their families and give support and recommendations for preparing for the IEP meetings. Participants will have a greater understanding and skills to * Look at and take care of their own emotional needs * Understand the conflict cycle and know how they can break it * Identify and articulate what they believe that their child needs * Understand and use the IEP document to meet the needs of their child. The Illinois Family Leaders Collaboration's 7th Annual Conference is specifically for adult family members and caregivers of children (birth-22) who have developmental delays or disabilities. Service providers and educators are also welcome. There is a nonrefundable fee for this event: $10 per family member, $20 per professional. Checks can be made payable to Starnet Regions I & III and mailed to Starnet, WIU Horrabin Hall 32, Macomb, IL 62367.

Presenter Bios:Dr. Meduna has 18 years of experience as a special educator. She worked seven years as a teacher and 11 years as an administrator. Dr. Meduna's work as an administrator provided her the opportunity to work with groups of highly skilled teachers and related service providers. The skills she developed while listening to and learning from these professionals helped her facilitate IEP teams to coordinate instruction and services to support students in less restrictive settings. Dr. Meduna has always placed a high value on the participation of families in the IEP development and implementation process. She learned from her Aunt Linda the importance of considering, respecting, and honoring the perspectives and needs of families. By keeping those factors in mind, Dr. Meduna was able to successfully facilitate discussions with school staff and families in order to make the best possible decisions for students. Dr. Meduna earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Special Education from Wayne State College, Master of Science in Community Mental Health Counseling from the University of Tennessee, and an Ed.S. and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Indiana State University. In addition, Dr. Meduna is also certified in Reality Therapy through the William Glasser Institute and is an Energy Leadership Master Practitioner.

This training will provide 5 contact hours for the following:

• CPDUs (Continuing Professional Development Units) for teacher certification
• CDA (Child Development Associate) credit in area(s) #4
• CE credit for SLP, SW, LCPC, PT, and OT professionals
• Gateways to Opportunity credit in area(s) E

Full attendance is required to receive a certificate.

In collaboration with: Illinois Autism PDD Training and Technical Assistance Project
Illinois School For The Deaf Outreach and Hearing and Vision Early Intervention Outreach
Family Matters Parent Training Information Center
Illinois Deaf-Blind Services Project Reach - Philip J. Rock Center
The Arc of Illinois / Family Voices / The Illinois Life Span Project
Heart of Illinois Down Syndrome Association, Inc.