TEAM Project has partnered with Gulf Bend Center, the Down Syndrome League of Victoria and Connect 2 Autism for the second annual Victoria Special Education Parent Academy and Resource Fair on March 1. "The primary goal of the conference is to provide parents with information and resources so they can be informed participants in the special education process and to know that they are not alone on their journey," Brenda Nelson, regional coordinator for TEAM Project, told the Victoria Advocate. Professionals are also welcome to attend.

TEAM Project is a nonprofit Parent Training and Information Center funded through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. The free conference will feature three breakout sessions on a variety of topics including Practical Strategies for Parenting a Child with a Disability, How to Encourage Positive Behavior, Transitioning from School to Work and Beyond, Special Education Law and the Rights of Parents under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), Guardianship and Alternatives to Guardianship, the Collaborative ARD (Admission, Review and Dismissal) Process, Bullying and much more. The resource fair will feature local and state resource providers.

Community sponsors include Devereux of Texas, Citizens Medical Center, Prosperity Bank and Dick's Food Store.

The Victoria Special Education Parent Academy and Resource Fair will begin at 8:30 a.m., March 1st at the First United Methodist Church, 407 N. Bridge St. Admission is free. Walk-ins are welcome, but preregistration is requested. For full details and to register online, go to VictoriaAdvocate.com and click on the link provided.https://2014victoriaparentacademy.eventbrite.com.

For more information or to register by phone, contact Brenda Nelson at 979-616-0393 or bnelsonprnteam@sbcglobal.net.

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