Events sponsored by Decoding Dyslexia CA (DDCA) are indicated on the events calendar. Local events held by other organizations may also be listed that may be of interest to our members. DDCA does not endorse any specific program or company.
Are you a parent or professional who want to help children who struggle with focus and attention, including those with ADHD?
Join this lunchtime webinar featuring Dr. John Brentar, Ph.D. and Executive Director at Morrissey Compton Educational Center, a non-profit in Redwood City that provides diagnostic, intervention, and treatment services for those with learning, behavioral, and social-emotional challenges. Morrissey Compton also offers scholarship opportunities for families in need.
Dr. Brentar will discuss how to support individuals in the area of focus and attention and cover the following questions:
- What is the difference between focus (concentration) and attention?
- How do these areas relate to ADHD?
- How do these areas affect academic performance and interpersonal relationships?
- How can parents, teachers, and others in the community who work with kids, help build related skills and resilience?
Click the Get Seats button to register for this event on Zoom. Please know that the registration questions asked are required by grants the U.S. Dept of Education that fund our education specialists.
About John Brentar, Ph.D., Executive Director at Morrissey Compton Educational Center
Dr. Brentar is a licensed psychologist who received his undergraduate degree at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Ohio University. He completed his predoctoral internship at the Albany Medical College in New York. Following his internship, Dr. Brentar was a postdoctoral fellow at the Children’s Health Council. He remained at the Children’s Health Council for 13 years, serving as a staff psychologist, Clinical Director, and Clinical Training Director. In 1991, he joined the staff of Morrissey-Compton Educational Center on a part-time basis, and in 2006, Morrissey-Compton was excited to welcome him as its Executive Director. In addition to his role as Director, Dr. Brentar conducts evaluations and provides therapy to children and adults. He also consults with the Behavioral Pediatrics Department at the Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford and is an Adjunct Clinical Instructor at the Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Brentar’s professional interests focus on learning disabilities, executive functioning, Attention/Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Asperger’s Disorder, and other developmental disorders.
Aprenda sobre el proceso para considerar la tecnología de asistencia para su estudiante y descubra las herramientas que pueden beneficiar a los estudiantes con discapacidades de aprendizaje.
Do you have a child who has or may have a learning disability? You won’t want to miss this Webinar about Assessment for Learning disability; Including Questions and Answers
Dr. Mittelstadt, a pediatric neuropsychologist, completed her doctorate at California School of Professional Psychology in Alameda in 1990.
- Completed special education degrees: Bachelor’s in Emotional Impairment (1980) at Eastern Michigan University; Master’s in Learning Disabilities/Communication Disorders (1984) at Johns Hopkins University.
- Board certified with ABPdN in 1999.
- Licensed psychologist in California since 1992
Speaker: Chris Harris, MEd, Chief Schools Officer at CHC
Learn about 3 key elements of supporting a struggling learner:
1. Early detection
2. Assessments
3. Strategies of support
Mr. Harris has developed and refined specialized interdisciplinary programming for children with learning, social-emotional and attention challenges at Children’s Health Council for 15 years. He is also an adjunct lecturer in the Graduate School Special Education Department at San José State University. In the past, Chris has also served as Executive Director at The Janus School, Pennsylvania, The Chartwell School, Monterey, California, and Children’s Health Council.
Education
· MEd, Special Education, Boston College
· BA, Psychology, Trinity College
Professional Affiliations
· California Association of Private Special Education Schools
· International Dyslexia Association
el orador: Brenda Alvarez Moya
Conozca estos apoyos prácticos que le ayudarán a su hijo con el manejo del tiempo, motivación, atención, memoria y ansiedad, entre otras funciones ejecutivas.
Nací en Chihuahua, México. Estudié la carrera de Medicina en la Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua. Tengo estudios de posgrado en Medicina Ocupacional. Hace 9 años vine a vivir a San Jose, CA y 2018 realicé un entrenamiento en Coaching de vida con especialización en TDAH en ADDCA. Desde entonces estuve atendiendo clientes para coaching y dando unos talleres para padres hasta enero de 2020 que comencé a trabajar en PHP.
Speaker – Marcie Schwartz LCSW, PhD
Learn about the college application process and special considerations of the LD student; special programs at some colleges; working with the student support centers; accommodations; college alternatives… preparation programs, gap year, and more.
High school students welcomed.
Dr. Marci Schwartz is the founder of Thrive College Counseling in Los Gatos where she works with students with unique learning profiles. Students have the opportunity to learn the skills necessary for independence and provide support in locating the best college fit to meet their educational and social/emotional needs. She is also an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.
IDA NorCal is thrilled to host this 3-hour Workshop by two respected Bay Area leaders in reading instruction and research. This workshop will deepen participants’ understanding of fluency and the science of reading and will cover the following content:
- contrast the MSV model of instruction (common in Balanced Literacy materials) with the Four-Part Processing Model (aligned with the science of reading)
- unpack the shifts necessary to transition from Balanced Literacy to evidence based instruction
- explore reading fluency; how its acquired, taught, and assessed
Presented by:
Margaret Goldberg currently teaches first grade in a Title 1 school in Oakland, California. She previously served the district in a variety of roles including Early Literacy Lead, site-based literacy coach, and reading interventionist. Her work leading a grant-funded project to align reading instruction with reading research was featured in the APM Reports documentary At a Loss for Words. She is the co-founder of The Right to Read Project, a group of teachers, researchers, and activists committed to the pursuit of equity through literacy. Her writing is published on The Right to Read Project blog and on Reading Rockets.
Lani Mednick is currently the Assistant Principal of Instruction at Ascend, a TK-8th grade Title 1 school in Oakland, California. She was previously a teacher of students in TK-6th, a reading interventionist, and an Early Literacy Lead of a grant-funded Early Literacy Cohort in Oakland Unified (with Margaret). She has supported district leads, principals, coaches, teachers and tutors in systematically bringing reading research to practice in classrooms – keeping student outcomes at the center. She joined The Right to Read Project because she firmly believes that learning to read is a civil right and works to give as many students equitable access to this right. You can hear her in podcasts, such as the APM Reports documentary At a Loss for Words and Amplify’s Science of Reading Podcast.
IDA NorCal Members: $30
Non Members: $40
(Join IDA NorCal)
Who should attend this workshop:
- General Education / Special Education Teachers
- Literacy Specialists / Coaches
- Administrators
- Teaching Credentialing Candidates
- Parents / Caregivers
November 3, 2021 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Learn from an expert about Dyslexia and what interventions really work. Emma will show us what Barton, Orton-Gillingham and Slingerland interventions should look like and the science behind how they work. Learn the similarities and differences of these 3 major literacy programs and methodologies to decide if one is right for your child or student.
Emma Elizalde is the past President of NorCal International Dyslexia Association. She currently works as a Reading Specialist at Town School for Boys in San Francisco. She also has a private practice where she works with students who have language-based challenges. She previously worked as a 3rd and 4th Grade Teacher at North Bridge Academy. She holds a Certificate in Education Therapy from Holy Names University, a Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a B.A. in Psychology and Education from Mount Holyoke College.
English Eventbrite registration and info
Spanish Eventbrite registration and info
- Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the special education process?
- Are you interested in learning how to understand your child’s IEP to ensure it is appropriate for their individual needs?
- Please join us for a free virtual presentation by an education advocate from the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) followed by a Q&A session with an expert panel comprised of special education attorneys and advocates regarding serving students with dyslexia in special education in California.
The dyslexia-focused presentation will include a detailed walk-through of important sections of an Individual Education Program (IEP) document. This critical legal roadmap serves many purposes in meeting the needs of students in special education. The presentation will also touch on students with Section 504 plans.
Following the presentation, there will be a dyslexia-focused panelist Q&A with expert special education attorneys and advocates. This portion of the webinar will cover commonly asked questions regarding special education students with dyslexia under California law. There will be an opportunity for webinar participants to submit questions to the panelists (note that all answers provided should not be considered legal advice).
During the webinar, Decoding Dyslexia CA (DDCA) will provide information of some of their favorite special education resources for parents, caregivers and educators.
The goal of this immersive simulation is to increase public awareness of the challenges & difficulties experienced by those with dyslexia.