The Arkansas Department of Education, Special Education Unit will sponsor the regional meetings of the Arkansas Collaborative Educators (ACE) Network. The theme of this year’s meetings will be “Supporting or Teaching Students with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom.”
The ACE Network regional meetings provide general and special educators the opportunity to discuss common concerns and share strategies for modifying/adapting instruction and materials for challenging students, including those with disabilities. Each meeting will involve a formal presentation, small group problem-solving sessions to address issues identified by the participants, and presentations by regional expert educators on programs or strategies that are being successfully implemented in school situations.
Site locations for the regional meetings are listed in the attachment.
Membership in the ACE Network and attendance at the regional meetings are FREE to all general and special educators who are involved in collaborative activities. Participants include educators involved in Co-Teaching and/or Indirect Services, as well as educators whose informal collaborative relationship supports students receiving services in a Resource or Self-Contained setting but spend a portion of the day in the general education classroom. Although everyone at the meeting will be offered the opportunity to join the ACE Network, membership in the Network is not required to attend.
As part of the efforts to strengthen the relationship between collaborating general and special educators, the Arkansas Department of Education, Special Education Unit will provide financial support for educators who would like to attend a regional meeting. In addition to the FREE meeting and networking luncheon, substitute reimbursement is available for one special and one general educator per building up to a maximum of eight per district. To qualify, each special educator must be accompanied by a general educator from the same address and attend the entire session.
There will be limited space available, so reservations will be on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have questions about the meetings, please contact Rose Merry Kirkpatrick at 1-800-482-8437 or (501) 663-3835 or by e-mail at rkirkpatrick@arkedu.k12.ar.us.
The attached registration form must be completed and returned 10 business days before the meeting data. Confirmation notices will be sent to all registered attendees. Send the completed attached registration form to:
Rose Merry Kirkpatrick
Arkansas Special Education Resource Center
1405 North Pierce, Suite 101
Little Rock, AR 72207
FAX (501) 663-7363