Workshops

NH Connections provides professional development to create and maintain partnerships among school district personnel and parents in special education by giving educators and parents the skills to be an effective partner in a child’s education.
Workshops attended by school personnel and parents address shared interests.
Workshops include (see description below):

• Parents and Educators Working Together
• Expanding Parent Involvement in Children’s Education
• Partnership for Student Success in Special Education
• Effective Communication and School-Family-Community Partners
• District Partnership Team for Student Success in Special Education

Additional workshops are being developed. Workshops are held face to face or through a webinar.

Benefits to a District when opportunities are provided for school personnel and parents:

• Educators and parents will gain the skills for effective communication to increase their comfort level as they work with each other.
• Educators and parents will develop their shared interests.
• Educators and parents will gain respect for one another as they learn to understand each others’ situations.
• Educators and parents will learn the tools to create goals and action plans to address the priorities of the district.
• Educators and parents will develop the skills to implement effective two way communication.

• Teacher: How can I truly understand where the parent is coming from?
• Parent: How can I understand the teacher’s needs and help the school district for all children in special education?
• Teacher: How can I work with difficult parents?
• Parents: How can I work with a teacher who seems to be difficult?
• Teacher: What is the best way to tell a parent to be involved in their child’s education?
• Parent: How can I explain to the teacher that I am doing the best that I can for my child?

Workshops available to districts:

Parents and Educators Working Together (2 hour session)

This workshop will help parents and educators to work together effectively to support student learning. The workshop includes tips on successful parent/teacher conferences, the importance of two-way communication and shared responsibilities in the education of children.

Expanding Parent Involvement in Children’s Education (2 hour session)

This workshop offers a blueprint for developing parent involvement strategies and practices which can lead to increased student achievement. Through interactive activities, parents and educators will plan the first steps in the development of comprehensive and effective parent/school/community partnerships.

Effective Communication and School-Family-Community Partners (2 hour session)

This workshop is highly interactive that will help school personnel and parents of children with disabilities to understand interpersonal skills.

Partnership for Student Success in Special Education (2 hour session)

The P4SS workshop includes a power point presentation and a ready-to-use guide to equip you to develop and support advisory groups, parent support groups and special education groups toward increased performance and sustainability.

District Partnership Team for Special Education (one day session)

This one day workshop will provide the opportunity to learn how your district can create and maintain a partnership team in special education. Attendees leave the workshop with a customized action plan for the next school year. Their plans identify their goals and objectives and how they will develop family and community involvement programs to support special education topics.

Contact NH Connections today to schedule a workshop in your school/school district!

The Parent Leadership Training in Special Education gives parents of children with disabilities skills to assume leadership positions on their children’s school teams, on parent support groups, and to support school personnel. Read further to find out the Benefits to School Districts when the district provides the opportunity for parents to attend this effective training that includes curriculum of research based concepts.

Your District can sponsor a Parent Leadership Training in Special Education. A Sponsoring district means that the district supports parent education, realizes that there is a need in the district for parents with children in special education to become involved in their school district issues, and that  the District can provide the space for the training. 

During the series, the Special Education Director will have the opportunity to present to the parents about the infrastructure of special education in their district (what a parent should know about their district to help to be the bridge between the school and other parents, what a parent should know about the organizational chart - roles and responsibilities of the Special Education Director, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, regular education teachers, principal role and anything else that parents should know to be effective supporters of their district).

Benefits to a District to develop parents as leaders:

• Someone equipped to help other parents understand and navigate the special education system
• Someone who understands the district position of special education issues and topics
• Someone who will support the district at school board meetings
• Someone who can nurture collaboration among parents and educators
• Someone who is adept at identifying the school needs and figuring out what needs to be done and who is able to enlist, advocate for, and represent other parents on behalf of the school’s students
• Someone who can act as a bridge between educators and parents
• Someone who can work with school administrators and teachers
• Someone who can offer themselves as a resource to teachers and administrators

Strategies offered by NH Connections are developed research based methods to give parents the skills necessary to make the most of each relationship with educators, school administrators, community members, and other parents.

Parents who wish to become leaders in their school want to know...

• How does the special education process work and what’s my role?
• How can I develop a shared vision with other partners?
• How do we develop action plans to address the goals?
• How do I develop effective strategies to communicate and collaborate?
• How can I enhance my strategies to understand cultural differences?
• How can I help the school and develop my skills to work with school personnel?

Components of the Parent Leadership Training in Special Education include:

The Basics—An Overview of the NH Special Education Process
This session provides participants with an introduction to the NH special education process.  It includes a brief overview of each step, a description of the important role parents have in the process, and how to navigate the special education system in your district. 

Rising to the Leadership Challenge
Parents will learn to understand and use exemplary leadership practices; develop a shared vision; mobilize and enlist others to act; understand the roles and responsibilities of members within a partnership; and celebrate every success!

Developing Effective Partnership Teams
This session teaches how to set SMART goals; develop effective Action Plans; understand the basic principles of partnership; understand the stages of partnership development; develop strategies for effective communication and collaboration; and obtain official funding and support.

Me, You, Us and Them: Diversity in Practice
The goal of this workshop is to increase awareness, knowledge and skills required to function effectively in team and community settings with cultural, ethnic, gender and generational differences.

Parents and Educators Working Together
Effective and frequent parent-teacher communication is essential for ensuring your child’s academic success. This session teaches parents how to: understand positions vs. interests as a means to mediate conflict; develop a variety of effective home/school communication strategies; and prepare for successful parent/teacher conferences.

Taking the Next Step
The final session will give participants an opportunity to apply what they have learned by choosing a project — large or small — and developing an action plan individually or in partnership with others. We will also celebrate the graduates of the Parent Leadership Series.

The Parent Leadership Training in Special Education is a series that is offered in partnership with one or more school districts. Click here for application form (Word Docx). Call NH Connections to find out more!

Check the Region Support Network Calendar to find a Parent Leadership Training in Special Education offered near you.