Navigating the special education arena can be overwhelming for many parents. The New Jersey Parent Advocates organization is hoping that their first annual providers fair and conference on March 16, 2013, will help to inform parents and connect them with local service providers.
This free event will be held in the JFK Medical Center conference center in Edison, NJ. The day’s talks will focus on topics such as extended school year, summer camps, social skill programs and recreation. The conference will feature several guest speakers:
- Paul Barger, Esq. - “Legal Rights to an Extended School Year Program: Entitlement and Disputes"
- Claudia Sommerer, Director of Pediatric Rehabilitation - “JRI Pediatric Programs”
- Ellen Kurtz, MEd,LRC,CRC - “JRI Adult Vocational Rehabilitation Services”
- Jeannine Manias, Director of Lindamood-Bell Learning Center - “Your Child and the Reading Process”
- Dr. Rory Panter - “Best Practices for Social Skills Development Throughout the Whole Year; What Role Can Parents Play?”
- Frank M DeLucca, Assistant Director/Project HIRE - “Transitioning to Adulthood”
“I think this is a good opportunity to increase awareness about the types of resources available to children and families. My hope is that families find the information presented very useful in navigating their journey,” says Donna Krenc, the president of New Jersey Parent Advocates. Parents can also use the event as a way to interact with each other. Krenc continues, “It might also be a good way to network with other families - as a special needs parent myself, I always feel a sense of camaraderie when I attend these events.”
New Jersey Parent Advocates began last April with a small group of parents wanting to help their special needs children. Krenc says, “The goal or mission of our organization is not be advocates for parents, but to help teach parents how to advocate for their child. We'd like to help parents become a strong voice for their child and to help them feel empowered.” The group has grown to more than 800 members in less than a year and will soon be expanding their training workshops to additional locations in New Jersey.
New Jersey Parent Advocates' 2013 Provider Fair and Conference
Saturday, March 16, 2013
8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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