5th Annual FERIA Partnership Conference
Saturday, November 9, 2019
8 AM – 3:30 PM (PST)
Theme: Knowledge is Power: Continuous Learning Builds Parent Leadership
Our goal is to provide families in the South Bay and San Diego area with educational information to better support their children’s education, mental health well-being and access to community resources.
For this event, pre-registration is required and space is limited to 250 participants.
The registration extended deadline is November 1, 2019.
Registration fee includes a continental breakfast and lunch.
Before you register, please have the following information:
Registration is paid by? Learn which one are you here…
- San Diego Regional Center (SDRC)
- Exceptional Family Resource Center (EFRC)
- Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA)
- Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD)
- San Diego Unified School District (SDUSH)
If you are with SDRC, please know the name of your service coordinator and your child’s ID number (UCID). Also be ready to prodive a phone number and a valid email address.
Event Schedule
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00 – 9:00 AM | Sign-in, Resource Fair & Continental Breakfast |
| 8:30 – 9:00 AM | Entertainment |
| 9:00 – 10:00 AM | General Session |
| 10:45 – 12:50 PM | Workshop Session I |
| 12:00 – 12:50 PM | Lunch, Entertainment, & Resource Fair |
| 1:00 – 2:15 PM | Workshop Session II |
| 2:30 – 3:30 PM | Closing Remarks/Raffle |
Conference Offerings
Workshops/Resource Fair Designed for Families: Birth – Adult Years
- Early Years Strand
- School Age Strand
- Secondary – Student Leadership Academy
- Adult Strand
- Parent Strand
- Professional Strand
Parent Workshop Sessions I & II
La Voz de Padres Latinos: Parent Leadership Academy
La Voz de Padres: Advisory/Support Group was established as an extension of the FERIA Partnership Conference; the special education parents hold bi-monthly meetings to provide input in the development of the conference program.
The Parent Leadership Academy 2019-20 is jointly sponsored with TASK (Team of Advocates for Special Kids) of San Diego. Upon parent request and the results of the 2019 annual needs assessment the FERIA Partnership is now offering follow-up classes jointly with the Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK) and La Voz de Padres Latinos Advisory. The attendees are past 2018 conference participants who have enrolled in the bi-monthly Parent Leadership Academy (see supplemental attachment). In June the parents will receive a Certificate Completion from TASK, the graduates will serve as mentors and parent support to other parents in need as part of their commitment and agreement to participate in the academy. Parents will receive 20 hours of comprehensive special topic instruction in the following areas: 1) Basic Rights, 2) Assessment Process, 3) Navigating IEPs & Effective Communication Skills, 4) Transition to Early Start, 5) Transition to Middle School & Journey to Adolescence, and 6) Mapping Dreams. Two optional workshops will be offered (see attached Parent Leadership Calendar). The classes to end June 2, 2019.
It is our hope and aspiration that you join our La Voz de Padre Latino Parent Facilitators and 15 invited parents in the journey to become Parent Leaders and Mentors which will aid and provide you support tools as a parent to be knowledgeable, informed, and educated in key areas that will empower you and guide you as a parent to be a thoughtful and critical decision-maker in the IEP Development process of your child. In addition, this new key learnings will enable you to help and mentor other parents/family members in need of assistance.
The “Parent Leadership Academy” will help guide you in the following areas:
- Why you have an amazing opportunity ahead of you as a change maker.
- Become knowledgeable in the basic rights and protections, the assessment process and essential information that will help guide and navigate your child’s IEP process, leading to your child’s educational success and well-being throughout their life.
- Acquire the essential awareness and key learnings needed to help families and professional understand the cultural and linguistic needs of Latino children, determining appropriate services and placement options, accommodations as well as transitions from cradle to school to college/career and adult life.
- Learn “Parent to Parent Strategies” as well as effective communication skills to help other parents that will be asking for needed support.
Please note: You must attend the required six workshops in order to receive a completion certificate in August 2020. If you need further information contact: Dr. Rebecca Sapien-Melchor, 619-890-6624.
La Voz de Padres Latinos’ motto is, “We Build Parent Leaders”.
Self-Determined/Self-Advocacy: Student Leadership Academy
For the past four years, the conference has implemented a successful Self-Determination, Self-Advocacy, Student Leadership Academy which is designed for high school students (11th and 12th graders) who are enrolled in special education (mild, moderate and severe classes in the Sweetwater Union High School District). These students are identified by their teacher and/or counselor as a college-bound student who has demonstrated a potential to success in college and is then invited and encouraged to participate in the Student Leadership Academy. Two students from each high school in the Southwestern Union High School District from 14 high schools are encouraged and invited as to attend. Parents of the 28 students attending the Student Leadership Academy are also sponsored to attend the conference by the Sweetwater Union High School District Special Services Department.
In April, a student who has participated in the Student Leadership Academy and completes a “Scholarship Application” as well as submits the required application in March may then be strongly considered for the possibility of receiving a College Scholarship for $1,000 to assist with their tuition fees and/or books. The student recipients are requested to read their essay at a Bonita Optimist Club evening meeting.