Registration information is now available for five regional "Arkansas Schools Are For All Kids" (AR-SAFAK) workshops on inclusion, to be sponsored during the 2001-2002 school year by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), Special Education Unit. The two-day training will be offered at five regional sites around the state in the fall of 2001.
The AR-SAFAK workshops have been adapted from training developed by the California Research Institute on the integration of students with severe disabilities, and from materials from other sources, such as the Vermont Systems Change Project. The adaptations were developed by a committee of Arkansans from school districts, higher education, state consultants and the ADE, Special Education Unit.
For the training, and to assist the schools in developing and implementing inclusive policies, school districts are encouraged to identify an AR-SAFAK School Building Inclusion Team. This team is expected to identify a specific student around whom the team planning will occur during the training. Schools are strongly encouraged to include the identified student's parent(s) on their teams.
School teams must include the building principal or assistant principal. Other suggested team members are general and special education teachers, and the identified student's parent(s). The teams may also include superintendents, special education supervisors, related services personnel and any other staff involved with the identified student. Team membership should not exceed six members.
The registration fee will be $45 per person, which includes the following:
- 2 days of training
- training materials
- follow-up visits
- lunch provided on site
- breaks/snacks at training
Please register for the training by e-mail (copy and complete the form in this notice and send to ljohnson@arkedu.k12.ar.us) or fax the completed form to 501-663-7363 or mail to:
Lisa S. Johnson
ASERC
1405 North Pierce, Suite 101
Little Rock, AR 72207
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Registrations must be received by September 10, 2001. Registrations will not be accepted after September 10!
Payments must be received by September 28, 2001. Teams that have registered but have not made payments by September 28 may attend, but lunch will not be provided.