From: Dr. Eugene R. Thompson
Director of Educational Leadership
To keep you updated with activities taking place through the CSPD efforts on the Navajo Nation, I am sending you a “Friday Fax” with information about current and upcoming professional development activities.
This past week, training and technical assistance was provided as follows:
The Improving Communities of Practice project staff at the Institute for Human Development/Northern Arizona University (Diane Lenz and Genevieve Begay) made introductory visits on February 16 to Chinle Boarding School, Rock Point Community School, and Cottonwood Day School; and Kayenta Community School and Jeehdeez’a Academy on February 17. The visit that was previously scheduled for Tonalea Day School will be rescheduled to a later date.
Co-sponsored by the Navajo Nation Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services/Growing in Beauty and the UNM Center for Development & Disability’s Improving Communities of Practice project, a one-day parent conference on IDEA 2004 has been scheduled for April 19, 2005 at the Navajo Nation Library & Museum, Window Rock. The day long conference is for parents of children with disabilities on the Navajo Nation receiving special education, teachers, educational leaders, and all others interested in students with disabilities in BIA-funded and operated schools, public schools, private schools, charter schools, and early intervention programs in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The featured speaker will be Ruth Luckasson, Regent’s Professor and chair of the Department of Educational Specialties at the University of New Mexico. She has served on many boards and commissions, including the chair of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Mental and Physical Disabilities Law. Prior to becoming an attorney, Professor Luckasson was a general and special education teacher. BIA-funded and operated schools may contact Daisy Thompson at the University of New Mexico (505) 726-6301 for registration forms. Please join us to learn about the new amendments to IDEA and how they will affect special education on the Navajo Nation.
Finally, you may contact us at any time regarding professional development training plans and/or activities for the current or future school years. We always look forward to hearing from you as to how we might facilitate a plan for your agency or school or for providing technical assistance or training above and beyond what we have currently set out to do in the present scope of work.
The UNM and NAU Improving Communities of Practice project staff meeting at the University of New Mexico to discuss education research issues.
Curriculum Mapping workshop for Teachers and the Curriculum Director at the Rocky Ridge Boarding School.
Curriculum Mapping workshop for Teachers and the Curriculum Director at the Rock Point Elementary School
February 26, 2005.
Level I residential class for Western Navajo Agency home-living assistants and their supervisors at the Dennehotso (north schools) and at the Northern Arizona University College of Education (south schools). Topics will include: Staff Role in Student Development; Managing Behavior and Positive Behavioral Supports; and Professionalism in Residential Staff Roles.
School-Wide Positive Behavior Support: Implementing BEST for school staff at Kaibeto Boarding School.
Community and Parent Conference on Reading at the Alamo Navajo School . . . where they love to read and they read to succeed.
Curriculum Mapping workshop for Teachers and the Curriculum Director at Chinle Boarding School.
Curriculum Development training for Teachers and Curriculum Director at Kayenta Community School.
You may consult the CSPD Activity Calendar on the Navajo
Nation on the CDD website at: http://CDD.unm.edu/cspd/
for further information. Have a great week.
