The summer months are in full swing, and even though travel may occur, we all know that teaching and being part of a worthy cause is a full-time gig—with no time off! Our state LDA affiliates are showing the truth to this statement—staying busy, busy, busy!
Planning is underway for a number of state conferences. Illinois has been planning for a seven week Saturday workshop series. Each week will tackle a new topic. These topics include: bullying, behavioral interventions, how to prepare for performance evaluations with data collection, literacy interventions, special education services for English language learners, planning for transitions, and preparing students with learning disabilities for the postsecondary world. Illinois has also been working to offer LDA memberships to families in need through their newly established Janet Lerner Memorial Membership Scholarship Fund.
LDA Hawaii is also about to kick-off their traveling mini-conference “Building Bridges.” This conference will address education and disability information for parents, students, and professionals as it makes its way to eight different locations in the state. This, in addition to, the video-conference trainings they offer will help bridge the different islands!
New Jersey is another state that has had a busy summer planning for their fall conference. New Jersey is also offering a number of workshops on topics that include: executive function, testing accommodations for the SAT, a dyslexia simulation, technology, and teaching math to adults. The keynote speaker for their conference is LeDerick Horne.
New Hampshire has announced their fall conference keynote, as well. Richard Lavoie will be delivering a workshop on “Turning on the Tuned-out Child.”
LDA Maryland has been giving back to their community. They awarded five psycho-educational assessment scholarships to individuals in need. These assessments were administered by doctoral students in the University of Maryland, Department of Psychology. A nice partnership between LDA and the local university is starting to form there!
South Carolina is continuing to get press for the first-ever LDA student organization formed. They won the affiliate accolade at the National LDA conference this year, and were highlighted in last edition’s “Across the States” write-up. The most recent press, however, can be seen on the Citadel’s website: http://www.citadel.edu/root/zucker-cadets-award-disabilities
We welcome Dana Beth Wells Goodwin, as the new state president of Maine. We appreciate your service! The state affiliate support committee is looking to reach out to all the state presidents and create a tighter knit community. In the past few weeks you hopefully received a short note just saying “hello” and checking-in. In the next few months we will continue with this out-reach by making phone calls to the state presidents. We are excited to hear first-hand how awesome your state is doing! Again, thank you for all that you do for this organization. It is appreciated!
Kristina Scott, Ed.D., is an assistant professor of special education at Salem State University. She has experience teaching special education in grades P-8 in inclusion and substantially separate classrooms in urban districts. Her research areas of interest include: social programming in academic contexts, neuroscience and disabilities, and university teacher preparation. She is the state president of the LDA New Hampshire affiliate.
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