Conference Prepares Parents, Students & Advocates on Student Supports & Services
[Newark, NJ] The 2019 SPAN Parent Leadership & Advocacy Conference will be held this Saturday, March 23 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at NJIT, 154 Summit Street in Newark. You can register online at parentleadershipconference2019.eventbrite.com and use the Promo Code: NPS.
The conference is a collaboration between SPAN Parent Advocacy Network and the Newark Board of Education. According to Carolyn Granato, Executive Director of Special Education, the conference is being held to provide information on student support services, including how parents and caretakers can best advocate for their children.
Ms. Granato said, “We encourage parents to come and spend the day to learn important tools to advocate for their children; across services, such as health, mental health, family support, human services and child welfare systems.” She added that individuals who attend the conference will also receive a certificate of their participation. Finally, the Conference will provide information on knowing your rights, how to best advocate for children, how to prepare for life after high school and identify important resources and information to help you navigate schools, agencies and government.
Workshop Topics include; Create Change: A Policy Forum: Discussion of Issues Impacting Children and Families. This particular workshop will also address making action plans, addressing issues around race, injustice and poverty and public policy and how it impacts the academic and life experience for your children.
The conference will also address issues impacting children and families, helping to build parent leaders, changing school leadership and more. Also addressed will be topics such as building relationships with policymakers, serving on parent groups, and using technology for community organizing.
According to conference organizers, attendees will receive a comprehensive training to prepare them for almost any issue, topic or subject that may arise in a school environment or impact your children as students in New Jersey and Newark.