I Tellai The Bridge Guam CEDDERS Newsletter Volume 7, Number 1 December 3, 2004 Table of Contents Inside this issue: Page Speech Program Funded 1 Consumer Prevails 2 Crafting Services 3 Peer Supporter Program 4 New GSAT Board 5 Family SupportsTrng FADE Training 6 Ski Hi Training NECTAC Updates 7 Faith & Special Needs Monitoring 8 Transportation Task Force 9 NITCCI Team Visit 10 Activity Snapshots 11 Calendar of Events 12 Page 1: Speech Pathology Training Program Funded G Building local and regional capacity in related services areas, such as speech and language pathology, has always been challenging, more so for the Pacific than the rest of the nation. That is changing with the recent grant award to fund Guam CEDDERS’ Project Fo’na, which will provide Pacific access to quality graduate level training for this specialized area. Guam’s November 2004 figures lists 209 out of 969 students have been identified as eligible but NOT receiving this related service. Despite sustained intensive recruitment efforts by the Guam DOE, the number of graduate level speech pathologists continues to fall far short of meeting Guam’s needs. This fact, combined with the statistic that there are NO local speech pathologists in the CNMI, FSM, Palau, or Marshalls, has demonstrated to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Program, that clearly, the Pacific Basin is an underserved area. Letters of support for the grant application from three mothers of children with significant speech therapy needs provided additional poignant evidence of the critical need. The anticipated outcomes of Project Fo’na will have a significant impact in “growing our own” cadre of speech professionals. The $800,000 four-year grant will fund a master’s degree program in Speech & Language Pathology through the collaborative efforts of Guam CEDDERS and San Jose State University. Up to 30 professionals in Guam and the Micronesian region will be supported by the grant. Courses will be offered at UOG by SJSU faculty and adjunct Guam faculty via on-site instruction and distance education. Practica will be facilitated by Guam DOE speech and language therapists who will supervise students as they gain experience in local school settings. Tuition and fees will be paid by the grant. Velma Sablan, Ph.D., Guam CEDDERS Core faculty, and Project Fo’na Principal Investigator and Project Director, along with Gloria Weddington, Ph.D., SJSU Graduate Speech & Language Pathology Program Director, emphasize that “part of the federal payback requirement is for students funded by the program to work with children who have speech, language, and communicative disorders in Guam and the region.” Students will work for two years in their respective island school systems for every year of grant support they receive. Project Fo’na builds on Project Alula, a previous collaborative effort between UOG and SJSU. Completed in 2003, Project Alula resulted in 14 Guam and regional students receiving BA degrees in Communicative Disorders. Page 2: Consumer Prevails in Accessibility Suit After 3 years of patient waiting for the wheels of justice to pick up momentum, Roland Taimanglo finally had his day in court. Actually, it was more the threat of a field day in court that got the wheels to accelerate fast enough to really get things going. It was in August of 2001 that Mr. Taimanglo, through his attorney Daniel Somerfleck, Director/Managing Attorney for Guam Legal Services Corporation and Disability Law Center, first filed a suit alleging that the defendants, then-Governor Carl Gutierrez and then-Acting Director of Public Works Jesse Garcia had “systematically failed, as a matter of policy and practice, to provide necessary and statutorily guaranteed accessible public sidewalks.” Mr. Taimanglo also alleged that “Defendants’ failure to act is evidenced by the lack of curb cuts, curb ramps, and proper sidewalk slope measurement for individuals with disabilities at numerous sites within Guam,” and that their failure to provide the proper accessible routes is in direct violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A total of 62 violations were noted in the suit. During the course of meetings between Mr. Taimanglo and Government of Guam officials, the defendants admitted to numerous ADA and Rehab Act violations in Guam’s recently constructed public sidewalks. In fact, as pointed out by Attorney Somerfleck in his Motion For Summary Judgement, “government officials have shown a callous disregard and indifference in custom and practice for the ADA and for persons with disabilities on Guam.” The government chose to settle the case, by setting aside about $1.4 million annually to bring Guam’s public sidewalks into compliance with federal standards within 15 years. Filed with the District Court of Guam in November, this settlement, negotiated with current government officials including Governor Felix Camacho and Director of Public Works Joe Duenas, reflects a more cooperative spirit. Finally, the case has reached the beginning of the start,” Mr. Taimanglo said. “There still remains much work to be done by the terms of the agreement. Should the terms of this agreement be followed and fulfilled, our government can truly stand up and say, ‘we are for all the people’. The terms of the agreement also allow the people of Guam to participate by reporting areas that are not in compliance. But the most promising part of this settlement is that it is more global. The government has agreed to do more than my specific complaint and promises to address all access issues on Guam.” Mike Terlaje, Guam CEDDERS AT Specialist and a civil engineer with extensive experience in accessibility, provided consultative support to Mr. Taimanglo’s case. Text in colored box: Governor Camacho’s Comments As Reported in the Pacific Daily News November 22, 2004 issue: “(This administration is) committed to doing what is right and necessary to improve our sidewalks and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. The government of Guam has committed to going beyond what the original lawsuit asked for, including addressing accessibility to all public sidewalks throughout Guam.” First to be addressed will be providing “access to all government of Guam facilities and major roadways and commercial areas.” Photo with caption: This is one example, located in Upper Tumon, of the blatant disregard to accessibility requirements. Page 3: Creating Supports… Crafting Early Intervention Services in the FSM The FSM National Health, Education and Social Affairs (FSM-HESA) Special Education Program has prioritized the development of a coordinated system between Health and Education to ensure the provision of early childhood special education services in each FSM State that supports the full inclusion of young children with disabilities and their families. This initiative was identified as a critical program improvement priority in the FSM Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process (CIMP) Self-Assessment Report and Improvement Plan. Through a contract with FSM-HESA, Elaine Eclavea and June De Leon, Guam CEDDERS staff, facilitated a 4-day workshop held November 1-4 on Nahlap Island, Pohnpei State. The purpose of the workshop was to provide an opportunity for National and State representatives to review and provide input to the National guidelines for providing early childhood special education services and supports for young children with disabilities, birth through five, and their families. Fifteen participants from FSM-HESA, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap included parents of young children with disabilities, Special Education Coordinators, Administrators, Related Services Assistants, and health care providers. During the workshop, participants shared their perspectives on how to improve the written guidelines to ensure meaningful and appropriate support for implementing a collaborative and coordinated service system which would serve as the standard for delivering effective services and supports. Components reviewed included the role and function of the National Inter-Agency Council (NIAC) and specific procedures for implementing a Child Find System, Public Awareness System, Family Centered Services & Supports, and Inter-Agency Dispute Resolution. The FSM National Early Childhood System of Services guidelines will be finalized to reflect the input received during the workshop. It is anticipated that the guidelines will be disseminated by FSM-HESA in February 2005. Photos with captions: The Kosrae State team engages in a conversation about improving public awareness activities. Representatives from Yap State discuss “next steps” for improving early childhood services. While relaxing on Nahlap Island, Emrick Lebehn, Pohnpei State Special Educational Coordinator, reviews the National guidelines to provide his input. Page 4: Peer Supporter Program To Start At New Schools In an effort to make more options available to provide educational services in the Least Restrictive Environment, the Guam Department of Education (GDOE) has established a Peer Supporter Program at the secondary level. With start up support from GDOE’s Special Education Programs for Pacific Island Entities (SEPPIE) Grant, this program promotes inclusive practices by providing peer assistance to students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Initially established at George Washington High School, the program is in its third year of implementation. Facilitated by teacher Gloria Matanane, it has grown into an option for support seen as very beneficial by students, parents, and teachers alike. To help closeout grant activities, a program orientation was conducted on September 29 by Vince Leon Guerrero, GDOE Associate Superintendent of Special Education, Michelle Cerizo, GDOE Technical Assistant in collaboration with Terrie Fejarang from Guam CEDDERS. Participation included teacher and administrator teams from Simon Sanchez and Southern High Schools, along with an administrator from John F. Kennedy High. Although unable to send a representative, Untalan Middle School is also very interested in taking the lead in establishing a similar type program at the middle school level. Students enrolled in the program take the Peer Support class for credit and learn how to assist students with disabilities in areas such as mobility, note-taking, social interactions, organizational skills, task completion and word processing. After a two-week orientation to learn about confidentiality, various types of disabilities, and strategies for support, peer supporters are assigned to work with students in a broad range of classes. To assist in promoting the program, a 15- minute video was produced through the joint support of Guam CEDDERS and GDOE. Next steps in setting up the program at Sanchez, Southern, and JFK High Schools, as well as in Untalan Middle School, include completing program agreements, providing training and technical assistance, and infrastructure supports. Photo with caption: Attending the Peer Support Program Orientation were (L-R, Back row) Michelle Cerizo, CRT-TA, Terrie Fejarang, Guam CEDDERS, Jill White, Southern High School teacher, Jennifer Cruz, Simon Sanchez High Assistant Principal, Gloria Matanane, GWHS Peer Support Teacher, & Darlene Roberto, Southern High Assistant Principal. (Front row, L-R) Art De Oro, JFK Assistant Principal, & Mike Aguon, Simon Sanchez High Teacher. Not shown, Vince Leon Guerrero, Associate Superintendent, Division of Special Education. Text in colored box: The Peer Support Program is a program designed to help educate students in an inclusive environment to learn and improve their understanding and knowledge of a variety of skills and academics. It also allows students and peers to meet new people and establish a friendly relationship. I believe the program can and will increase the peer supporters’, as well as the students’ confidence and self-esteem within themselves in their learning and teaching abilities. The peer supporters are there to encourage these students to do their assigned work, be punctual in turning in assignments, and how to interact with their fellow classmates in group discussions or in-class projects. I undoubtedly feel that the peer support program can make a big difference in our community. So let’s show everyone that we are G.W.H.S. Geckos and prove it! Reinalee I.K. Sato Peer Supporter Page 5: Text in colored box: New GSAT Executive Board Elected Congratulations to the new GSAT Executive Board elected on September 8! Evelyn Duenas Chairperson Dawn Maka Vice Chairperson Lisa Ogo Secretary Linda Leon Guerrero Member-At-Large Rose Palop Member-At-Large Photo with caption: New GSAT Advisory Board members pose for a group picture. (Back row, L-R) Lisa Ogo, GSAT Secretary, Dawn Maka, Vice Chairperson, Joseph Flores, Guam DD Council Executive Director, Julie Stein, GCC representative, Rose Palop, Member-At-Large, Julie Berg, Guam Legal Services representative, (Front) Evelyn Duenas, Chairperson. Family Supports Council Receives Training Guam's Family Support Policy Council members participated in a “Non-Profit Organization Training” on October 28-29 at the GSAT Center. Facilitated by Brenda C. Leon Guerrero, Consumer Leadership and Systems Change Initiative Area Coordinator, training focused on basic responsibilities of being a member of the Family Supports Policy Council and steps to become a non-profit organization. Ms. Reine Salas, Technical Support Officer, Department of Revenue and Taxation, conducted a question and answer session on the second day to address specific concerns of Council members. Photo with caption: (L-R) Guam CEDDERS’ Brenda Leon Guerrero with parents Janet McDermott, Marcial Ikelap, & Dan Cobb take a break during the Family Supports Policy Council’s “Non-Profit Organization Training” held on October 28-29. Advertisement: Mark your Calendars!!! GSAT’s 11th Annual Assistive Technology Conference & Fair March 11&12, 2005 Page 6: FADE Curriculum & Training Completed Because of the unfortunate but ever-increasing incidence of infants being born to mothers with damaging addictions, island service providers must continually prepare themselves to meet the challenges presented by this population. One approach to meet the challenge has been the development of the Fetal Alcohol and Drug Effects (FADE) Curriculum. Guam CEDDERS consultants Brigette Flores-Lobo, Early Childhood Specialist, Rose Tribaudini, Developmental Nurse, and Carmen Quenga, Social Worker, through the funding support of the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) were commissioned to develop a curriculum designed for service providers who work with families of young children with fetal alcohol syndrome or those who are prenatally exposed to drugs. Training on the curriculum, conducted by consultants Flores-Lobo, Tribaudini, and Quenga, took place on November 22-23. Forty-five participants from nine public and private agencies completed the training. These agencies included DPHSS, Alee Shelter, GDOE-Guam Early Intervention Services, Center and Family Based Childcare Providers, Foster Parents, Guam Memorial Hospital, Sanctuary, and Guam CEDDERS. Con’t on Page9 Photos with captions: DPHSS FADE training attendees included (L-R) William Stephens, Tricia Portin, Diana Calvo, and Arlean Kloppenberg. Other attendees included (L-R) Sister Brigid Perez from Alee Shelter, Avelina Opena, GMH Nursery Supervisor, Carmen Quenga, presenter from GEIS, Gajee Parsons and Vilma Gray also from GEIS, and Kilafa Jackson, DOE. NEW SKI-HI Curriculum Training Conducted The Guam Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (GEHDI) Project sponsored a follow-up training with Dr. Paula Pittman and Ms. Mary Woolley, trainers of the new SKI-HI Curriculum from the Utah State University on October 25-27, 2004 at the GSAT Center. The purpose of this workshop was to provide updated information, skills, and strategies in working with young children with hearing impairments and their families. The participants included representatives from the GEHDI Project, the Guam Early Intervention System, and the U.S. Naval Hospital Early Diagnosis & Intervention. In addition to this workshop, Dr. Pittman and Ms. Wooley shared an overview of the NEW SKI-HI Curriculum for staff from GEIS, and the Department of Education, Speech and Language Program on October 27 at the GSAT Center. Photo with caption: (Sitting, L) Mary Woolley, Consultant, (Standing, R) Paula Pittman, Consultant, attentively listen to participants during the SKI HI training that took place on October 25-27, 2004. Page 7: NECTAC Updates on Current Trends Dr. Pat Trohanis, Director of the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC), and Ms. Shelley deFosset, Associate Director of NECTAC, conducted a three-hour presentation, entitled “Including Young Children with Disabilities,” on September 30. The presentation focused on information related to current trends for inclusion and the accountability strategies being implemented by the Office of Special Education Programs. Participants included members from the Guam Interagency Coordinating Council, Guam’s State Advisory Panel, and Guam Department of Education, Division of Special Education Preschool Program. In addition, representatives from Republic of Palau, CNMI, American Samoa, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia were in attendance. Dr. Trohanis provided information on regulations and mandates for providing services and supports for young children with disabilities and their families as covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - Part C (for young children birth - age 2) and Part B (for children 3 - 21 years of age), Americans with Disabilities Act, and Head Start Act. These were timely topics to discuss as Guam CEDDERS is currently working with GDOE on developing more options for serving preschoolers with disabilities, with particular emphasis on a new service delivery model for placing young children with disabilities 3 to 5 years of age in more inclusive settings. As a closure to the presentation, Elaine Eclavea shared the “Inclusive Child Care On Guam” video which highlights young children with disabilities in childcare settings along side their peers without disabilities. The film was produced by the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services and Guam CEDDERS. Photos with captions: Dr. Pat Trohanis and Ms. Shelley deFosset. Dr. Pat Trohanis facilitates a lively discussion during the NECTAC session. Addressing Faith and Special Needs Promoting inclusive practices on Guam have generally focused on education, housing, health, and to a certain extent, recreation. One domain that has generated more attention relative to inclusion within the past two years has been in the area of faith. In the past, children with special needs were referred to the Barrigada parish for special religious instruction. Currently, however, more parents of children with disabilities are requesting that faith formation classes be made available in home parishes with other children. At the invitation of Pale’ Mike Crisostomo, Parish Priest, Guam CEDDERS staffers, Elaine Eclavea and Mary Kidd, conducted a one hour session for 15 participants on “Faith and Special Needs” at the Parish Liturgical Conference sponsored by the Merizo/Umatac Catholic Pastoral Center and held on September 4 at the Guam Reef Hotel. A second session was held for 39 elementary teachers from Mt. Carmel, St. Francis, and San Vicente Schools at the Tri-High Symposium III on September 10 at the invitation of Pilar Williams of Notre Dame High School. The sessions focused on developing an understanding of the importance of all children, with or without disabilities, feeling a sense of belonging within their parish community and identifying ways for the faith community to provide appropriate supports towards inclusive faith formation. Photo with caption: Mary Kidd and Elaine Eclavea share “the spirit” during their “Faith & Special Needs” presentation. Page 8: Partnerships Established for Monitoring At the request of the Guam Department of Education (GDOE), Division of Special Education, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System (CNMI PSS), Special Education Program, Sandy Schmitz, Ph.D. and Jane Nell Luster, Ph.D., conducted on-site technical assistance visits to Guam and Saipan from October 11-19. The request for technical support was in response to the Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process (CIMP) Self-Assessment Report and Improvement Plan priorities for the two entities. Facilitated by Guam CEDDERS through a contract with GDOE and CNMI PSS, the visits provided specific technical support to GDOE and CNMI PSS in their efforts to improve their monitoring system for assessing the effectiveness of early intervention, special education, and related services for improving results for children with disabilities and their families. Dr. Schmitz, Technical Assistance Director, and Dr. Luster, Data Director, National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring (NCSEAM), University of Louisiana, shared their expertise in providing technical assistance that reinforces NCSEAM’s goal: “To provide information and opportunities to consider focused monitoring and evidence-based decision-making approaches for improving monitoring and accountability in special education programs.” Drs. Schmitz and Luster spent their first four days meeting with GDOE, Division of Special Education and Guam CEDDERS personnel to review current practices for meeting the general supervision and monitoring requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A work plan outlining “next steps” for prioritized improvement strategies was then developed collaboratively documenting the partnership established for improving GDOE’s monitoring system for early intervention, special education, and related services. The last half of the consultants’ visit along with Guam CEDDERS staff was spent in Saipan to conduct an orientation and meet with a core PSS team to provide similar technical support. The visit began with a NCSEAM orientation for close to 60 stakeholders representing parents, community leaders, higher education, PSS schools and central office. This overview session described how CNMI PSS is meeting the general supervision and monitoring requirement of IDEA, and how NCSEAM can support improvements to the system. Meetings with a smaller group identified as the core team comprised of CNMI PSS central office and school personnel established the partnership between CNMI PSS, NCSEAM, and Guam CEDDERS, documented through a work plan outlining specific “next steps” for incorporating a focused-monitoring process in the general supervision responsibilities for the Special Education Program under Part B of IDEA. The GDOE and CNMI PSS work plans have specific timelines for completing activities through the beginning of next school year. NCSEAM will monitor each entity’s progress and be available to provide technical support via e-mail and conference calls throughout the year. NCSEAM is scheduled to conduct a follow-up site visit in May 2005. Photo with caption: (Back L-R) Joanne Nicholls, CNMI PSS Special Education Coordinator and Suzanne Lizama, CNMI PSS Early Intervention Coordinator, share how CNMI PSS currently meets the general supervision requirement of IDEA during the orientation session held on October 5, 2004. Page 9: FADE Training con’t from page 6 Participants expressed their appreciation of the much needed information on this topic and reported an increase in their knowledge on FADE, enabling them to make informed decisions when working with pregnant mothers, new mothers, and their children. Text in colored box: FADE Curriculum ? Module 1: Introduction to drugs on Guam ? Module 2: National and local statistics ? Module 3: Laws and Regulations ? Module 4 FADE Effects ? Module 5: FADE Strategies & Techniques ? Module 6: FADE Web of Care Page 9: Transportation Task Force Address Gaps Guam residents with disabilities who ride the transit system know how to speak out, and perhaps their timing couldn’t have been better. Federal initiatives, based on a Presidential Executive Order issued in January 2004, are now moving forward to address transportation gaps for people with disabilities, older adults, and low-income individuals. On August 27, 2004, a group of public transit riders with disabilities met with a representative of Senator Lou Leon Guerrero’s office at the request of Developmental Disabilities Council Executive Director, Joseph Flores. Guam CEDDERS was there to listen to their eighteen enlisted items of concern and assess the underlying problems behind the list of complaints. A full review of each concern followed on September 14, 2004, resulting in the formation of a Transportation Task Force to begin the process of reviewing existing practices and resources to provide a recommendation to the Governor and Legislature on appropriate administrative structure, placement, and personnel resources for the Guam mass transit system. Customer complaints have already flushed out problems emerging from procurement practices, eligibility, inconsistent practices, and general lack of personnel, leadership and future planning for accessible services. Guam CEDDERS, as a part of the Task Force, is coordinating the review of Guam resources as a foundation for thought about benefits and possibilities for coordinating human service transportation in order to provide better access. Photo of Evelyn Duenas, a wheelchair user, on bus lift. Page 10: NITCCI Team Conducts TA Visit Karen Heying and Elizabeth Ford, State Programs Specialists with the National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative (NITCCI) at ZERO TO THREE, located in Washington, D.C., conducted an on-site training and technical assistance visit to Guam’s NITCCI Team on October 21-23. Through a mini-grant received by the Department of Public Health and Social Services and facilitated by Guam CEDDERS, Ms. Heying and Ms. Ford provided assistance to Guam’s Team in assessing Guam’s current system of care for infants and toddlers and providing a framework for improving the current system. Technical assistance meetings were held with Guam’s NITCCI Team as well as with two subcommittees: Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers and the Early Childhood Care and Education Committee (ECCEC), to work on updating the 1978 Standards for Child Care. Guam CEDDERS’ Elaine Eclavea and Mary Kidd are members of Guam’s Team facilitated by fellow Guam CEDDERS staffer Lizzy Borja. In addition to these meetings, Ms. Heying and Ms. Ford met with PeterJohn Camacho, Director of DPHSS and Juan Flores, Superintendent of Education, to assess how the two departments can continue to work closely with each other and share resources to improve the quality of care for infants and toddlers on Guam. The visiting team also delivered a presentation to the ECCEC to initiate further discussion on the importance of interagency collaboration for the improvement of care for infants and toddlers, as well as current concerns for infant and toddler care as identified by Guam’s NITCCI Team. A special evening workshop entitled “Building Meaningful Relationships with Your Infant and Toddler” was held for parents of infants and toddlers at the Onward Beach Resort on Friday, October 22. Twenty–four participants attended this workshop and learned strategies for improving Parent-Provider communication and improving the quality of care for their infants and toddlers. Lastly, 47 child care providers from various centers on Guam attended a 3-hour workshop conducted by the consultants on “Reflective Supervision.” Participants gained strategies for improving work-based relationships, which will help reduce staff turn-over rates and improve work-place morale. Providers received a certificate signed by Ms. Heying and Ms. Ford for completion of the 3-hour workshop. Ms. Heying and Ms. Ford will continue to provide technical assistance to Guam’s NITCCI Team through September, 2005. Photo with caption: The Guam NITCCI Team include (Front row, L-R) Maggie Huffer, Ama Underwood, Joe Diaz, Elizabeth Ford, Mary Kidd, (Back row, L-R) Jerry Huffer, Julie Celeste, Lizzy Borja, Karen Heying, Vince Leon Guerrero, Elaine Eclavea, & Diana Calvo. Page 11: Activity Snapshots Photos with captions: PROCEED Conference: Left Photo: Guam CEDDERS Core Faculty Dr. Velma Sablan conducted a presentation on the “Logic Model For The Development Of A System Of Care For Children With Severe Emotional Disturbances”. during the PROCEED (Parents Reaching Out to Children with Emotional Disturbance) Annual Family Conference held on September 30-October 1. At left is a group photo of Conference attendees. CMHI TA Visit: Ranilo Laygo, Ph.D., Opinion Research Consultants-Management and Consultant Research Organization (ORC-MACRO) Liaison and Robert Stephens, Ph.D., Macro’s Senior Scientist for Guam, provided orientation and training on August 30 to September 3 to Project I'Famagu'on-ta's Evaluation Team and stakeholder community. Training topics centered on the various survey instruments used totheresearch study under the Federal Cooperative Agreement Project I'Famagu'on-ta. (Standing, L-R) Mariles Benavente, ACSW, Evaluation Team Member, and Velma Sablan, Ph.D., Lead Evaluator. (Sitting, L-R) ORC-MACRO consultants Dr. Stephens and Dr. Laygo, and Evaluation Team Members Mary Fegurgur, Psy.D., and Wanda Kraft. Pacific Meeting: Left Photo: Makir Keller, (left) FSM National Special Education Executive Director, confers with Arthur Albert, (right), FSM National CSPD Coordinator, during the Western Regional Resource Center (WRRC) Pacific Regional Meeting held on September 21-23 on Guam. Representatives from all six Pacific Basin jurisdictions prioritized a regional focus of a Comprehensive System for Professional Development for WRRC to provide technical support as part of WRRC’s new grant framework for delivery of technical assistance. Page 12: Calendar of Upcoming Events December 2004 * Dec 1-6-FSM Student Evaluation & Eligibility Training, GSAT ? Dec 3-September 2005 National Summit-Alliance for Full Participation Mtg 1:30, GSAT ? Dec 3-Guam CEDDERS Advisory Council Mtg 3:30, GSAT ? Dec 7-9-FSM National Assessment Orientation Summit, GSAT ? Dec 10-18– Pohnpei CIMP Follow-Up TA & National Monitoring ? Dec 17-Community Integration Training on Housing, Venue TBA January 2005 ? Jan 5-13-Yap CIMP Follow-Up TA & National Monitoring ? Jan 14-20-Chuuk CIMP Follow-Up TA & National Monitoring ? Jan 21-CDC EHDI Site Visit ? Jan 24-29-Kosrae Early Childhood Follow-up Visit February 2005 ? Feb 14-19-Pohnpei EC Follow-up Visit ? Feb 22-25-PBILC Conference, Saipan March 2005 ? Mar 4 - Guam CEDDERS Advisory Council Mtg., 3:30, GSAT ? Mar 11-12-GSAT Annual AT Conference ? Mar 11-19-Kosrae CIMP Follow-Up TA & National Monitoring April 2005 Apr 2- GSAT 2nd Annual walk, Wheel, Run Event Photo with caption: Peter Judicpa, Acting Assistant Superintendent, Division of Special Education, GDOE, and instructor for the Crisis Prevention Intervention class for school aides held on September 25, demonstrates proper techniques in dealing with physical confrontations as part of the SEPPIE closeout activities. See related story on page 4. University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, & Service (Guam CEDDERS) Newsletter Guam CEDDERS Office of Academic & Student Affairs University of Guam, UOG Station Mangilao, Guam 96923 Phone: (671) 735-2480/1 Fax: (671) 734-5709 TTY: (671) 735-6531 Email: heidisan@uog9.uog.edu I Tellai is a quarterly publication of Guam CEDDERS. Director: Heidi San Nicolas, Ph.D. Editors: Terrie Fejarang & Ginger Porter Layout & Design: Margaret Johnson This issue of I Tellai was made possible by contributions from the following Guam CEDDERS staff members: Liz Borja, Elaine Eclavea, June De Leon, Terrie Fejarang, Nieves Flores, Mary Kidd, Brenda Leon Guerrero, Ginger Porter, Velma Sablan, & Mike Terlaje. Alternative formats (e.g. Braille, large print, or audio tapes) of I Tellai will be made available upon request. Please contact Margaret Johnson at (671) 735-2477 (v), (671) 735-6531 (TTY), or (671) 734-5709 (fax) for more information. The University of Guam is an equal opportunity employer and provider.