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NJ Governor, Phil Murphy stands behind SPAN's own Policy Director, Peg Kinsell and beside NJ Senate Majority Leader, Teresa Ruiz at the early literacy bill signing. |
Gov. Phil Murphy Signs Bills Intended to Boost Early Literacy
On August 13, many families, student advocates and educational groups gathered to witness the signing of two Early Literacy Bills. SPAN's Policy Director, Peg Kinsell, is a member of a core working group, led by NJ Senate Majority Leader, Teresa Ruiz, who gathered to share ideas and input on the early literacy efforts. Although more work remains to be done, the group is proud of the partnership and looks forward to additional productive efforts to come.
For more on the bills and the signing, click here to read great coverage from the New Jersey Monitor.
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Back to School Mental Health Resources for Students, Caregivers, and Educators
After summer break, it’s common to feel back to school jitters. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has created resources for students, educators, parents and caregivers, and trusted adults to help with the return to classrooms. With these resources, adults can help children, teens, and young adults ease into school routines, develop healthy habits that foster mental wellbeing, and talk about mental health openly.
Click here to access the resources.
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Caring School Communities: Questions to Ask Schools
Parents and caregivers want to ensure that their children are safe, respected, and able to learn when they are at school. But many parents and caregivers feel that they don't know what happens inside school walls. When parents and school leaders talk together about what the school is doing to create a safe and caring community, everyone can learn and engage in positive change efforts.
To help parents and teachers communicate more effectively, The Making Caring Common Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education developed a list of questions that parents can ask principals and teachers. By asking these questions, you can help school staff think about what they’re doing now to help students – and also what they might be able to do differently. The school staff you discuss these questions which might not have answers right away. But by asking, you can show them what matters to you and your children.
For the questions and more from the Making Caring Common Project, click here.
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How to Help Your Child Manage Back to School Anxiety
Going back to school can be a stressful time for kids and families. There may be big changes like switching to a new school or having more than one teacher. Kids who learn and think differently can be particularly anxious about keeping up or fitting in.
If your child is anxious or worried leading up to the start of school, these tips from Understood.org can help.
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Upcoming Events
SPAN offers a variety of learning opportunities for families and the professionals who work with them.
Highlighted Event This Week
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Smart Beginning 2024 Webinar Series
August 27-29, 2024
Virtual
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) will be hosting the Smart Beginnings 2024 webinar series August 27 - 29, 2024. The webinars will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about resources for promoting effective early intervention and instruction using data-driven decision-making to support early learners and students with disabilities as we head into a new learning year.
Smart Beginnings is a three-day virtual mini-conference designed to help families, providers, and leaders better support and promote developmental outcomes and educational excellence for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities and their families. K-12 educators, early childhood personnel, related services providers, administrators, and families are invited to learn more about improving academic and developmental outcomes, expanding family engagement, and advancing equitable access to high-quality early intervention and instruction through the implementation of evidence-based practices. Attendees will hear from OSEP leaders and subject matter experts who will highlight action-orientated resources and evidenced-based practices. Sessions will include a live question and answer session with presenters.
Dates and Audience:
Time:
- 2:00 - 3:30 pm Eastern each day
To access the registration site directly, click here.
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Personal Hygiene 101
Read our latest youth blog post, "Personal Hygiene 101," to explore how personal hygiene boosts self-improvement, improves social interactions, and offers more benefits.
To access the post, click here.
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