Page 1 I Tellai The Bridge Guam CEDDERS Newsletter Volume 9, Number 2 March 2, 2007 Inside this issue: Page PAC6 Institute 1-3 Transportation Issues 4 Transportation Issues con’t 5 Walk, Wheel, Run Ad A Day with Guam CEDDERS 6 GSAT Conference Ad 7 Project Tinituhon Moves Closer 8 Cochlear Implants on Guam System of Care National Community Meeting 9 Teacher Certification Proposal 10 GMHA Board Hears Guam EHDI Update 11 Research Updates on TBI Calendar of Events 12 PAC6 Assessment Institute Brings Together National, Regional, and Local Experts Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, & January brought some new faces, as well as familiar faces to Guam for the week-long assessment institute on “Building Local Capacity for an Inclusive Assessment System” held at the Guam Westin Resort on January 8-12, 2007. Facilitated by Guam CEDDERS, the purpose for the institute was to bring together national, regional, and local expertise to review the requirements and best practices for reporting the participation and performance of students with disabilities in statewide assessment systems. One of the outcomes of the institute was for the six Pacific Basin jurisdiction teams to have the ability to implement specific short-term activities for improving the participation of students with disabilities in their general education/statewide assessment system for the 2006-2007 reporting year, including the pilot implementation of the “4-Step Process” for collecting alternate assessment data for students with significant cognitive disabilities who are not able to participate in the general education/statewide assessment. In addition, with a greater understanding of the requirements, current situation, and best practices in the field of inclusive assessment systems, the jurisdiction teams will be able to complete their Pacific Assessment Consortium (PAC6) Project self-assessment and identify critical long-term goals for inclusion into their jurisdiction plan for improving their inclusive assessment system. Funded through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) General Supervision Enhancement Grant (GSEG) PAC6 Planning Project, the institute brought together over 60 representatives from the six Pacific Basin entities, regional technical assistance providers and higher education representatives, and national technical assistance providers on inclusive assessment systems. Entity representatives included special education and general education teachers, program coordinators, and administrators, curriculum program coordinators/ administrators, assessment/evaluation program coordinators/specialists, data specialists, and a parent representative. Regional representatives included higher education representatives from the Northern Marianas College and the American Samoa Community College, along with the PAC6 Project facilitators and evaluator from the University of Guam. National representatives included the PAC6 project partners from the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) in Minnesota and the Western Regional Resource Center (WRRC) in Oregon. In addition, consultants from the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment (NCIEA) in New Hampshire and the University of Kentucky’s Center on Inclusive Large Scale Standards and Assessment (ILSSA) co-facilitated the institute offering their experiences on inclusive assessment systems. The week-long institute offered content and processes on the components of an inclusive assessment system, including the technical qualities of an assessment system, accommodation policy and practices, development of local assessment systems, and the development of an alternate assessment. Some highlights of the week included: * Rachel Quenemoen, Senior Research Fellow from NCEO, and June De Leon, PAC6 Project Director from Guam CEDDERS, provided an overview and purpose of the institute, emphasizing Standards-Based Reform, Assessment Systems, and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and IDEA requirements. As a team, they were the key facilitators in guiding the content and process throughout the week. * Dr. Karin Hess, Senior Associate for NCIEA, provided the content on “Unpacking the Standards” for reading and math. She presented current issues and efforts and had teams identify issues and challenges they currently face in their jurisdiction. The participants were then asked to use their entity content standards as the foundation for determining content/skills for assessing students with disabilities, including those with significant cognitive disabilities. * Dr. Martha Thurlow, Director of NCEO, presented “A General Overview of Accommodations and Policy”, providing participants with federal requirements, State policies, State implementation practices and directions for best practices to address short term and long term goals. * Jean Clayton and Michael Burdge, Technical Assistance Specialists for ILSSA, introduced participants to the “4-Step Process” connecting assessment to instruction. “The Stepwise Process to Access Grade Level Content Standards and Curriculum” provided participants with a process for assessing students with significant cognitive disabilities on grade-level content standards, which teams had begun to develop by the fourth day of the institute. * Dr. Brad Lenhardt and Caroline MaGee from WRRC, with Dr. Mary Spencer, PAC6 Project Regional Expert, and June Quitugua, PAC6 Project Assessment Coordinator, provided technical support to individual jurisdiction teams and the overall facilitation of the institute. Dr. Dan Robertson, PAC6 Project Evaluator, was able to observe the institute engagement for the full week. * PAC6 Jurisdiction Liaisons provided daily feedback during the end-of-the-day facilitators debriefing session. As designed, the jurisdiction liaisons were the special education coordinators/directors of the entities responsible for facilitating the local application of the requirements and best practices for improving the participation and performance of students with disabilities in their general education/statewide assessment system. The daily feedback allowed for immediate adjustments to the content and process to ensure that, as much as possible, the learning needs of the jurisdiction teams can be met during the week. * Katrina Celes-Pieper, GPSS Associate Superintendent of Special Education, and her Division program coordinators and staff, with support from the Guam Team and Guam CEDDERS, hosted a Chamorro style fiesta dinner on the last day of the institute for all facilitators and participants as a closure to the week-long institute. As a result of the institute, PAC6 Project personnel and personnel from project partner WRRC, will be conducting follow-up on-site visits with each jurisdiction to provide technical support for completing their individual PAC6 Project self-assessment and short-term activities. All site visits will be completed by April 2007, which will result in each jurisdiction completing a specific jurisdiction plan for improving the participation and performance of students with disabilities in the general education/statewide assessment system, including an alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards. Photo on Page 1 with caption: June De Leon, PAC 6 Project Director from Guam CEDDERS (standing), checks in with (L-R) Dr. Karin Hess, Consultant from NCIEA, Michael Burdge and Jean Clayton, Consultants from ILSSA, & Rachel Quenemoen, Senior Research Fellow from NCEO. Photos on Page 2 with captions: CNMI Team: Some members take a photo break during a small group session. (L-R) Rosario Hocog, Teacher; Josie Jones-Lizama, Reading/ESL Specialist; Jackie Quitugua, Associate Commissioner ACIS; & Doreen Tudela, Acting SPED Director. Marshall Island Team: Members listen to the presentation. (L-R) Stanley Heine, Assessment Specialist; Frank Horiuchi, SpEd Specialist; Rudy Lokeijak, SpEd Director; Clarence Luther, SpEd Specialist; Kanchi Hosia, Assistant Secretary for ElemEd; & Cheta Anien, Language Specialist. FSM Team: Representatives from the National Office and the four state education departments confer during a team exercise. Arthur Albert, FSM SpEd Executive Director (Left) consults with Burnis Danis, FSM Education Assessment Specialist during one of the team exercises. Photos on Page 3 with captions: Palau Team: Members, with Guam CEDDERS and WRRC staff, proudly display their certificates of participation at the end of the institute: (L-R) June De Leon, Guam CEDDERS; Evans Imetengel, SpEd Coordinator; Caroline MaGee, WRRC; June Quitugua, Guam CEDDERS; Lyliza Madris, Assessment Specialist; Pillar Ngiraswei, SpEd Data Manager; & Raynold Mechol, Chief of Research and Evaluation. American Samoa Team: (L-R) Taufou Fagasa, SpEd Teacher; Lau’ipou Ma’ae, Curriculum Specialist; and Moeolo Vaatausili, Assistant Director for SpEd engage in a team discussion regarding what they learned during the concurrent sessions. Guam Team: Some of the members take a photo break: (Standing L-R): Nancy Leon Guerrero, Research, Planning, & Evaluation Division; Florence Ganacias, High School SpEd Teacher; Michelle Cerizo, SpEd Program Coordinator; Ellen Flores, SpEd Teacher; and Royanne Salas, SpEd Teacher; (Sitting L-R) Marie Barretto, Project Hatsa Mentor; Terese Crisostomo, SpEd Federal Projects Coordinator; & Elizabeth Umagat, SpEd Teacher. Page 4 Transportation Issues Receive 1-2-3 Punch Guam CEDDERS transportation initiative is in full swing this quarter with a one – two – three punch for the months of January and February. Transit Personnel Training Fifty-eight transit personnel were actively engaged in hands on training in “Wheelchair Safety and Securement” during the month of January. Drivers, dispatchers, supervisors, a planner and a manager put theory into practice, securing passengers in a manual wheelchair and a powered scooter on a public transit bus. Volunteer Evelyn Duenas joined presenter Mike Terlaje, Guam System for Assistive Technology (GSAT), for a two hour focus on safety, practice, and customer communication. Ginger Porter concluded the training session with “Front Line Problem Solving” situations, discussing appropriate action to problematic transit situations seen within the last three months. Transit personnel engaged in active discussion of the newest American with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines and local rules and regulations supporting decision making enroute. Drivers overwhelmingly expressed their desire for future training on a semi-annual basis, recommending sensitivity training, policy updates and new technology information. Overall, they have demonstrated implementation of their new knowledge and skills. Within weeks of the training, three riders reported improvement of customer service and efficiency in wheelchair loading and securement. Grievance Review and Appeals Board Training The seven voting and five alternate members of the Public Transit Grievance Review and Appeals Board were oriented to their role and to the processes they will use to resolve appeals of transit riders on February 6 and 8. With representatives from the Division of Public Transportation Services, advocacy groups, the Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities, representatives of the 29th Guam Legislature, and para-transit riders, Ginger Porter of CEDDERS provided all members with general information regarding the Guam Public Transportation Services, ADA standards and guidelines, and local rules and regulations as a foundation for understanding appropriate services as guided by approved standards. The full morning session concluded with exposure to the same issues drivers and dispatchers face in making front line decisions. The functional assessment of para-transit eligibility processing constituted the primary focus of the second morning session. Topics that followed were the rights and responsibilities of riders and drivers, contractual responsibilities of the provider, and a brief look at available resources and questioning techniques. In spite of the intensive attention required for the morning, participants remained engaged in topical discussion and questioning to the very end. Para-transit rider Cecilia “Lee” Perez stated, “Now I realize that I have more rights than I thought. I feel so empowered. I learned things I hadn’t known before.” Page 5 Transportation Issues con’t. The GATE Opens Activities of data collection of community transportation options began in mid-February with the addition of new personnel to the Guam CEDDERS staff, Ms. Lydia “Lee” Cooper. Funded by a United We Ride initiative, Ms. Cooper has begun the process of interviewing community providers and agency personnel to assess their level of resources dedicated to transporting people. Once data is compiled, primary partners will be identified to form a Mobility Coordinating Consortium to engage in self-assessment of Guam Transportation Services and develop a state plan to coordinate human services transportation. The plan is a requirement for the application of federal transit funding for the years of 2007 and beyond. Ms. Cooper brings expertise in information management and community networking to the GATE Project, which is expected to conclude by the end of June. Photos on Page 4 with captions: A transit driver practices proper securement techniques on a 3-wheeled power chair as he lowers Evelyn Dueñas on the bus power lift. A training participant practices securement in the bus for this passenger using a standard chair. Photos with captions in the Transportation Issues article con’t on Page 5: Lydia “Lee” Cooper has joined the Guam CEDDERS staff as project coordinator for the GATE project. Members of the Transit Grievance Review & Appeals Board take a break from training. (L-R) Leah Rassier, DISID; Ginger Porter, Presenter; Mrs. Rosanne Ada, DISID Director; Zeni Natividad, DISID; Cecilia Perez, Rider; Francisco Reyes, Guam DDC; Kathleen Milhoff, Rider; Lydia Cooper, Guam CEDDERS; Senator A.B. Palacios, 29th Guam Legislature; Felix Dungca, Jr., Division of Public Transportation Services; Gregorio Calvo, DISID; Joseph C. Manibusan, DOA Deputy Director; & Eric Sanchez, DISID. Advertisement: MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!! GSAT’s 5K/1 Mile Walk, Wheel, Run Event Saturday, April 14, 2007 Show time: 5:00 a.m. Go time: 6:00 a.m. Dean Circle, University of Guam For more information contact Mike Terlaje at 735-2490/1. Page 6 A Day with Guam CEDDERS January 6, the first Saturday of the new year, had Guam CEDDERS ringing in four training activities that involved a variety of participants. Public school teachers and administrators, center based child caregivers, home-based family child caregivers, and educational interpreters were provided an opportunity to enhance their skills. Project Håtsa conducted a 2-hour workshop at the Project training room on developing mini-grant applications for technology and professional development grants for Guam Public School System (GPSS) teachers and administrators. The project offers opportunities for funding support to individual schools who apply for the grants with the goal of increasing student achievement. Twenty-two school personnel gave up their Saturday morning to attend this workshop, a component of GPSS’ Teacher Quality Enhancement Grant in partnership with Guam CEDDERS. Project Director Dr. Nieves Flores conducted this workshop. The second training activity that took place the same day was facilitated by Mary Kidd, Guam CEDDERS Training Associate, for center-based child caregivers. The 8-hour training, was held at the Guam System for Assistive Technology (GSAT) Center and focused on “Developmentally Appropriate Practices.” Thirty caregivers of children from birth to 5 years attended the session. The next training event, also with child caregivers, specifically targeted family/home providers. Twenty-one participants met at the Catholic Social Services training room in Barrigada from 8am to 4pm to undergo training conducted by Guam CEDDERS Training Associate Carmelita Ogo Connelley. The social and emotional development of young children and how to assist positive growth in this critical area was the focus of this training. Both child caregiver training sessions were made possible through funding support from the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services, Division of Public Welfare, Child Care and Development Fund Program. The fourth training session, led by Hawaii-based consultant Jan Fried, was held for the seven individuals who work as educational interpreters in GPSS’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program. Ms. Fried conducted a 7-hour workshop to help prepare the participants for the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) later in the school year. The EIPA is emerging as the leading assessment for school-based interpreters national-wide. Ms. Fried’s training was made possible through funding support from GPSS, Division of Special Education. Photos with captions: Center-based child caregivers listen intently to the points covered during Mary Kidd’s training on “Developmentally Appropriate Practices.” Jan Fried, (standing) Interpreter Training Coordinator at Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii, expounds on strategies to maximize the effectiveness of interpreters in K-12 settings. Soaking in the tips are (seated L-R) Connie Estes, Darlene Mendiola, & Jennifer Lujan. Carmelita Ogo Connelley (standing) stresses the importance of knowing about typical milestones in the area of social and emotional development of young children under 5 years of age. Page 7 Full page advertisement: You Are Invited to Attend The Guam System for Assistive Technology (GSAT) 13th Annual Assistive Technology Conference April 20 & 21, 2007 Westin Guam Resort 8:30 a.m. to 12 Noon Friday, April 20 Sessions * Selecting The Best Wheelchair fFor Your Needs * Cell Phones For Individuals With Disabilities * New AT Solutions In Vision * Microsoft Windows XP And Vista—Accessibility Features * Transportation: Future Changes * Is Small Business Right For Me Saturday, April 21 Sessions * AT In The Workplace—What is Reasonable Accommodation? * Renovating Your Home — What Are The AT Options? * Using Web Pages For Instruction * Veterans’ Benefits * Parent Perspective Of DOE SpEd—How To Get AT For Your Kids * Access To AT For Transitioning Students * TBI—How Much Do We Know? There will also be numerous displays and information booths. For special accommodations please submit your request 72 hours or 3 days prior to the event by contacting GSAT. This conference is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), U.S. Department of Education, State Grant for Assistive Technology, P.L. 108-364 and Guam Legal Services Corporation/Disability Law Center, with support from the Guam Public School System and the Guam Developmental Disabilities Council. To register, call GSAT at 735-2490/1 (v), 735-2491 (TDD) or email Mike Terlaje at mterlaje@ite.net. The University of Guam is an equal opportunity employer and provider. Page 8 Project Tinituhon Moves Closer to Plan Completion Project Tinituhon’s Strategic Management Team and Working Group Members came together on February 1 and 22 to begin the process of the development of Guam’s Strategic Directions for a Comprehensive System of Services for All Young Children Birth to Five Years. During these two days, members went through a process of identifying current issues and barriers and participated in a visualization activity of what they would like an early childhood comprehensive system to look like over the next three years. One of our local pediatricians who is completing his fellowship at the Kapiolani Women’s and Children’s Medical Center in Hawaii, Dr. Brian Que, is a new member of Project Tinituhon’s working group and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the area of Medical Homes. Guam’s strategic plan will be available by the Fall, 2007. Project Tinituhon Strategic Management Team includes: (Front row, L-R) Julie Celeste, Abraham Mora, Christine San Nicolas, Vilma Gray, Mary Kidd, Laura Taisipic, Evelyn Claros; (second row, L-R) Linda Denorcey, Dr. Suzanne Sison, Rose Zabala, Ma. Teresa Arcangel, Kerina Oshiro, Estela Gapas, Monaeka Flores, Cathy Schroeder, Terry Aguon, Arlene Cura, Ama Underwood; (third row, L-R) Ruth Leon Guerrero, Diana Calvo, Angelina Cruz, Michelle Sasamoto, James Gillan, Mary Meadowcroft, JoBeth Aquino, Lydia Tenorio (hidden), Maggie Huffer, Jerry Huffer. Not pictured are Angel Tackney and Pat Mantanona. Cochlear Implants Now An Option For Guam Residents Guam residents who have significant hearing loss and meet qualifications now have an option that has never before been available on island: cochlear implants. Through the concerted efforts and international contacts Dr. Richard W. Fee, Associate Professor of Special Education, at the University of Guam, all the elements necessary to achieve this milestone for assistive technology on Guam have fallen beautifully into place. Dr. Fee, who previously was the Educational Consultant on the Cochlear Implant Team and Director of the Educational Consultant Training Program for cochlear implants at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, has identified a local facility for the surgery to take place, has identified volunteer surgeons to perform the implant operation on Guam, has established contact with the manufacturer of the device and has assisted in the process of obtaining approval from a local health insurer to cover costs. He will also conduct training for local speech and language pathologists and teachers of the deaf, who will conduct the follow-up therapy. Most importantly, he has identified three candidates who meet the criteria to receive the implants. It is anticipated that 8-10 cochlear implant surgeries could occur each year for deaf children and adults on Guam. On Saturday, February 24, Dr. Fee was joined by Brendan Murray, Director of Clinical and Technical Services, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia, to formally introduce the Guam community to the implants. Dr. Fee’s students in the special education teacher training program and the local Council for Exceptional Children chapter, assisted in facilitating the event. The staff of the Guam Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Project, a project under Guam CEDDERS and members of the Guam EHDI “Parent-To-Parent” Group co-sponsored the event. The first implants are scheduled to take place this summer. Photo with caption: (L-R) Dr. Richard W. Fee, Associate Professor, University of Guam and Brendan Murray, Director of Clinical & Technical Services, Cochlear Corporation, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia, lead a discussion on Cochlear Implants on February 24, at UOG. Over 70 participants attended the “Introduction to Cochlear Implants” forum. Page 9 Guam Collaborators Join System of Care Community Meeting The Winter 2007 System of Care Community Meeting was held in Atlanta, Georgia January 30 – February 1. The theme of this Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sponsored meeting was “Collaboration, Connections and Creativity: The Three (3) Cs for Sustaining Systems of Care.” Funded system of care communities across the U.S. and territories participated in a wide range of meetings, presentations, and networking sessions geared to increasing collaboration among site teams and across funded communities to achieve sustainability of systems of care. Project Famagu’on-ta staff, Annie Unpingco, Mary Therese Edgerle, Berni Grajek, and Will Jones, were joined at this meeting by a family member and youth enrolled in Project I Famagu’on-ta, Bonnie Brandt, Guam CEDDERS Child Mental Health Initiative (CMHI) Project Lead Evaluator, and Fred Alig from the Department of Youth Affairs. Also participating as part of the Guam team were two key members of the Guam Legislature, Senator Eddie Calvo, Chair of the Finance Committee, and Senator Frank Blas Jr., Chair of Health, Human Services and Homeland Security, as well as, Lou Perez, Director of the Department of Administration. Their participation was especially noteworthy in light of the theme for this meeting and the fact that collaboration with key members of the legislature and executive branch is essential for sustaining Guam’s system of care for children and youth with mental health needs. During the meeting, the Senators, Mrs. Perez, and other members of the team were provided with numerous opportunities to become familiar with issues in children’s mental health and strategies for sustainability. Additionally, Ms Brandt presented an overview of the evaluation component of Project I Famagu’on-ta for members of the Guam team and shared demographic and outcome data demonstrating the need for, and positive impact of, Guam’s system of care. The team also participated in several key networking meetings, including a lunchtime discussion with Gary Blau, Chief, Child and Adolescent and Family Branch, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Mr. Blau acknowledged that despite the many challenges Project I Famagu’on-ta has encountered in trying to meet the needs of youth with serious emotional disturbances, the evaluation data clearly shows that positive outcomes are being achieved. He commended the Senators for their willingness to become collaborative partners and shared his insights about meeting the challenges of sustainability. Photo with caption: Representatives from Guam’s system of care for children with mental health needs met with Gary Blau, Ph.D., Chief of the Child Adolescent, and Family Branch, SAMSHA. (L-R) Bonnie Brandt, Guam CEDDERS, Senator Eddie Calvo, Mary Therese Edgerle, Project I Famagu'on-ta, Senator Frank Blas, Annie Unpingco, Project I Famagu'on-ta, Gary M. Blau, Berni Grajek, Project I Famagu'on-ta, Lou Perez, Department of Administration, Will Jones, Project I Famagu'on-ta, & Fred Alig, Department of Youth Affairs. Advertisements: Coming in April! Gross Motor Is Not Gross is a new Dept. of Public Health & Social Services video produced in partnership with Guam CEDDERS. With intended audiences being parents and child caregivers, this product focuses on ways to promote gross motor development in young children. To obtain a copy, please email Margaret Johnson at mjohnson@ite.net. Visit These Websites! Guam CEDDERS www.guamcedders.org Project Håtsa www.gdoe.net/hatsa Page 10 Teacher Certification Proposal Up for GBEPB Consideration After conducting extensive research, holding regular focus group meetings, deliberating over revisions, and conducting presentations at each Guam Public School System (GPSS) school, the Proposed Initial Educator Certification and Recertification Policy and the Proposed Professional Growth Program were unanimously approved by the Guam Certification Advisory Council (CAC) on January 23. The new system being recommended is standards-based, with the focus placed on what teachers must be able to do rather than on the number of courses and credit hours completed. This proposed shift to a standards-based certifying model enables GPSS to permit greater innovation and flexibility in how teacher education programs operate by assessing their outcomes rather than merely regulating their inputs or procedures. CAC is now working with the superintendent to forward the proposal to the Guam Education Policy Board for their review and action. Also endorsed by the CAC were the Guam Administrator Standards. These proposed standards were developed through the work of the Focus Group on Administrator Standards and were based on information from the Interstate Leaders Licensure Consortium, the Council of Chief School State Officers, and the National Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education. Text in colored box: Proposed Administrator Standards Standard 1: Vision Leadership Standard 2: Instructional Leadership Standard 3: Organizational Leadership Standard 4: Community Leadership Standard 5: Ethical Leadership Standard 6: Contextual Leadership Standard 7: Evaluation Leadership The complete draft of the Proposed Administrator Standards may be found at Project Håtsa’s website at www.gdoe/hatsa/. Photos with captions: With funding provided through the Project Håtsa Mini-Grant Program, Untalan Middle School 6th grade students in Mrs. Juvy Gao-ay Cariño’s Language Arts class are learning how to use hand-held computers to enhance their skills in composition. Project Håtsa, Guam Public School System’s Teacher Quality Enhancement Grant in partnership with Guam CEDDERS at the University of Guam, provides funding for technology to schools to assist in increasing student achievement. Students are shown above holding their Palm Pilots. (Front row, L-R) Eassia Leon Guerrero, Imeelyn Nucum, Lise West, Zorro Ulloa, Janise Lumanlan, Storm Rosario, and John Pangelinan. (Back row, L-R) Russel Simon, Paul Dimalanta, Darren Ulloa, Ka’anilee DeGuzman, Seahara Cruz, & Mia Rosas. (Left Photo) Mrs. Juvy Gao-ay Cariño assists a student in her Language Arts class. Mrs. Cariño and her colleagues in the Untalan Middle School Language Arts Department received funding to purchase hand held computers. Student achievement will be tracked closely to measure the impact of the devices on learning. Page 11 GMHA Board Hears Guam EHDI Update (Left Photo) Dr. Heidi San Nicolas, Guam CEDDERS Director, (standing) provides an overview of the Guam Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (Guam EHDI) Project on January 18. (Right Photo) Jennifer Rosario Cruz, R.N., GMHA Acting Administrator of Nursing, and Dr. San Nicolas discuss the merits of the Guam EHDI program. Nurse Cruz facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to allow newborn hearing screening, data collection, and tracking activities to continue at the hospital. Research Updates on Traumatic Brain Injury Michael Kimbarow, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCNCD, FASHA, incoming Speech and Language Department Chairperson at San Jose State University, was on-island on February 5-14 to teach “Seminar in Cognitive Linguistic Communication Disorders in Adults” as part of the coursework for Project Fo’na students. The class is continued on-line until April 15. Project Fo’na is a graduate program in speech and language pathology through a collaborative partnership between the University of Guam CEDDERS and SJSU. Photo with caption: Dr. Kimbarow is shown here giving a lecture entitled, “Update on Evidence-based Research on Traumatic Brain Injury” attended by over 50 participants, including Guam Public School System speech and language pathologists, clinicians, Project Fo’na students, physical & occupational therapists, leisure education consultants, early intervention staff, social workers, special education faculty, Guam CEDDERS staff, parents and consumers. Page 12 Calendar of Upcoming Events March 2007 * Mar 2-Guam CEDDERS Advisory Council Mtg., 3:30pm, GSAT Center * Mar 3-13th Annual GSAT Fair, Agana Shopping Center, 10-2 p.m. * Mar 3-Model Child Care Session 3, GSAT Center, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. * Mar 3-Family Child Care Training, “Cognitive Development”, Session 1 , CSS Conference Room, 8 a.m.—5 p.m. * Mar 5-Project Tinituhon Strategic Planning Session * Mar 5-9-GSEG Planning Follow-Up Site Visit, Pohnpei * Mar 6-9-ALONG Curriculum Parent Training, GSAT Center * Mar 10-Family Child Care Training, “Cognitive Development”, Session 2, CSS Conference Room, 8 a.m.—5 p.m. * Mar 13-UOG Charter Day * Mar 14-15-ADD Site Visit, Honolulu, HI * Mar 19-23-GSEG Planning Follow-Up Site Visit, Palau * Mar 26-30-GSEG Planning Follow-Up Site Visit, Saipan * Mar 27-30-Guam National Social Workers Association Conference April 2007 * Apr 2-7-UOG Spring Break * Apr 14-GSAT 4th Annual 5K/1 Mile Walk, Wheel, & Run Event, Dean Circle, UOG, Show time-5:00 a.m., Go time-6:00 a.m. * Apr 14-Model Child Care Training, Session 4, GSAT Center, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. * Apr 14-Family Child Care Training, “Physical Development”, Session 1 , CSS Conference Room, 8 a.m.—5 p.m. * Apr 16-20-FSM Monitoring Visit, Chuuk * Apr 20-21-13th Annual GSAT Conference, Westin Resort Guam, 9 a.m.-Noon * Apr 21-Family Child Care Training, “Physical Development”, Session 2 , CSS Conference Room, 8 a.m.—5 p.m. * Apr 23-27-GSEG Planning Follow-Up Site Visit, American Samoa * Apr 30-Social-Emotional Training, Session 1, CSS Conference Room, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. May 2007 * May 5-Model Child Care Training, Session 5, GSAT Center, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. * May 5-Family Child Care Training, “Self-Help & Creative Development”, Session 1 , CSS Conference Room, 8 a.m.—5 p.m. * May 12-Family Child Care Training, “Self-Help & Creative Development”, Session 2 , CSS Conference Room, 8 a.m.—5 p.m. * May 14-18-FSM Monitoring Visit, Yap * May 26-Social-Emotional Training, Session 2, CSS Conference Room, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. * May 27-UOG Graduation June 2007 * Jun 2-Model Child Care Training, Session 6, GSAT Center, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. * Jun 30-Social-Emotional Training, Session 3, CSS Conference Room, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 2007 * Jul 7-Model Child Care Training, Session 6, GSAT Center, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. * GSEG Assessment Institute, Pohnpei, TBA Newsletter credits on Page 11 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) 734-6531 Email: heidisan@uog9.uog.edu I Tellai is a quarterly publication of Guam CEDDERS. Director: Heidi San Nicolas, Ph.D. Editors: Terrie Fejarang, June De Leon, & 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, Bonnie Brandt, June De Leon, Terrie Fejarang, Ginger Porter, & June Quitugua. 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.