Area 1: Goals:

The Parent Partnership Program is a component of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council, consisting of a parent representative of a classified child from each school within the district. The goal of the Parent Partnership Program is to promote parent and student empowerment. The program creates parent leaders through a series of workshops, fairs, and conferences provided by the Special Education Parent Advisory Council and these parent leaders then work with the school support team, parents, principals and different community agencies. Within the different forums, the parent leaders are taught to turn-key the information learned to their own children and the parents of their respective schools providing them with the knowledge to advocate for themselves.

When students are provided the skills to advocate for themselves, they open the doors of opportunity to achieve throughout their lifetime. The New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards "embody a vision of the skills and understandings all of New Jersey's children need to be successful in their careers and daily lives."

The Parent Partnership Program utilizes the NJCCCS for Language Arts through participation in conversation with peers and adults, elaborating on experiences and ideas, interpreting the connection between the visual and verbal messages and demonstrating effective paraphrasing, questioning and responding techniques. In the area of Health, the program employs appropriate ways to prevent and resolve conflicts and explain wellness and how to make healthy choices. Physical Education standards are incorporated into the program through the performing of motor skills in games, sports, dance and recreational settings; in addition to the explanation of the importance of good sportsmanship and demonstrating positive behaviors during participation.

The workshops have integrated the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Science by identifying the parts and functions of the human body and identifying the basic needs of living things and how those needs are met. Social Studies is applied through developing an understanding for the need for rules, problem solving skills, the concepts of respect and trust and recognizing each person is responsible for his own actions. In the NJCCCS, Career and Technical Education states "All students will explore career opportunities and make informed choices based on aptitudes and interests." The Parent Partnership Program presents parents and students with the knowledge necessary to enhance success in the workplace.

Area 2: Activities:

Some of the Parent Partnership Program's forums are targeted for specific audiences and are stated below while the remainder are targeted for the 31 parent representatives and parents of the district's 31,000 (approximate) students. Activities include:

• "Social Skills Training" presented by Jed Baker, Ph.D.
• "Developing Social Skills in Children with Autism" presented by Tom Caffrey, M.Ed., B.C.B.A. and Ida Palmieri
• "The Bipolar Child and Adolescent" presented by Louise Aldrich, L.C.S.W.
• "Nutrition and Better Food Choices for Kids" which will be presented by Sarah Bond, nutritionist.
• "Relaxation Techniques" which will be presented by Elsie Jimenez, L.C.S.W.

Activities which embraced or will embrace an evening of quality family time are:

• Make It and Take It Night for parents and their children, ages 8 - 12.
• Family Fun Night for parents and their children, ages 3 - 7.
• Ice Cream Social for the parents and students of the district.

Activities also include:

• Annual Advocacy for Independence Conference - The targeted population are parents of transitioning students in the cognitive moderate classes, autistic classes and severely challenged. The featured speakers are from various community agencies.
• Annual High School Transition Expo - The targeted population are eighth grade students and their parents who will learn about the many opportunities afforded to them in the district high schools including subject areas, athletic programs, clubs, R.O.T.C., Fifteen Together, and community programs such as Jersey City Recreation and Jersey City Employment and Training.
• Community Information Fair - The targeted population are the parents of students in the district. Representatives provide information on community agencies and colleges and knowledgeable staff are available to answer questions.

Area 3: Outside Resources:

The community groups supporting the Parent Partnership Program are comprised of SPAN (Statewide Parent Advocacy Network), The Association for Retarded Citizens, Chubb Institute, Faces of Horizon Health Center, Family Support Center of New Jersey, Hudson Prenatal Consortium NJ Care, Jersey City Medical Center Child Services, Jersey City Public Schools Early Childhood Department, New Jersey City University's Project Mentor, Pediatric Therapy Resources, Sensory Kids LLC, The Family Support Organization of Hudson County, Urban League of Hudson County, Women Rising Family Advocacy, Jersey City Public Library, Jersey City Police Athletic League, Jersey City Fire Department, Jersey City Recreation, Gang Awareness: Jersey City Police Department, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, United Cerebral Palsy, Hudson County Enterprises/Occupational Center, Access Point Solution: Assistive Technology, Autism Family Services, International Institute of NJ, Heightened Independence & Progress (HIP), Division of Developmental Disabilities, Legal Aid, Social Security.

If selected, the $1,000 cash award will be used to sponsor a Parent/Principal One Day Symposium in which parent representatives and school principals would come together to engage in activities designed to teach them how to inspire children to succeed.

Area 4: Evaluation:

Parents who have participated in the training have been eager and excited to share the information and look forward to working with the parents they represent in their home schools. The members find the sessions not only to be informative but quite useful. The workshops and activities have given the parents confidence to become more involved in their home schools and support each other when problems arise. Parents are recognized in May on Proclamation Day with Certificates for their training. Our community resources are presented with Certificates of Appreciation and many have stated the program through its fairs, conferences and workshops are a great resource for them to get their own programs out to the community and look forward to joining us next year.

Area 5: Stability:

The program was reestablished during the 2005-2006 school year. Officers are elected democratically every year and the parents have been actively meeting every month since the spring of 2006. Funding is through the LEA and IDEA. Through the leadership and guidance of the foremost advocate for parents and students, Priscilla H. Petrosky, Associate Superintendent, Jersey City Public Schools Special Education Department, the Parent Partnership Program is supervised by Dr. Vincent E. Castro and facilitated by Pamela Gardner, L.C.S.W., Child Study Team, and Dorothy Walsh, Parent Liaison.

Area 6: Endorsements:

"I am very excited to work with S.E.P.A.C. and helping to make parents in my school everywhere aware of services that are observed through S.E.P.A.C.!"

Parent: 9/11/07

"Ms. Jimenez is an excellent presenter - very informative and easy to follow and understand material. Thank you."

Parent: 1/8/08

"I'm happy to be part of this team. I know that I can help others, too."

Parent: 1/22/08