November 27, 2002
M E M O R A N D U M #02-102
TO:
Exceptional Student Education Administrators
District Autism Contact Persons
FROM:
Shan Goff
SUBJECT:
Upcoming Florida Department of Education/Center for Autism and Related
Disabilities (CARD) Staff Development Opportunities
The Florida Department of Education (DOE) is aware of the need for quality staff development
opportunities for school personnel who work with individuals with autism. To help fill this need,
the Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services (BISCS) has partnered with the
Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) to implement a variety of staff development
activities. We are pleased to provide you with information about two special DOE activities that
will precede the 10
th
Annual CARD Conference in St. Petersburg, Florida.
BISCS, through a project with CARD, is sponsoring a Pre-conference Day for Educators on
Friday, January 17, 2003. This day is specifically designed to provide educators with
information about innovative and effective classroom practices. Dr. Cathy Pratt, Director of the
Indiana Resource Center for Autism at Indiana University, will be the keynote speaker for this
event. We encourage you to send as many teachers as possible to this important staff
development opportunity. While there is no fee for the pre-conference day, participants must
complete and submit the registration form for the CARD/DOE Pre-conference Day for Educators
which is available on-line at https://registration.outreach.usf.edu/CARD2003.htm.
In addition, Bureau staff will be hosting a meeting for district autism contact persons that will
also be held on January 17, 2003. This meeting will provide district staff with an opportunity to
receive information about statewide issues related to serving students with autism as well as
provide participants with an opportunity to discuss issues specific to their district. A draft
agenda for this meeting is attached. District autism contact persons are asked to complete the
attached response form and return it to our office by fax at (850) 922-7088 no later than
January
3, 2003.
Participants attending this meeting must also complete and submit the registration form
MEMORANDUM #02-102
November 27, 2002
Page Two
for the CARD/DOE Pre-conference Day for Educators which is available on-line at
https://registration.outreach.usf.edu/CARD2003.htm.
We would like to encourage those people who are attending either of these events to consider
attending the CARD Conference as well. If you would like more information about the
conference, please contact Ms. Donna Casella, Education and Training Coordinator, University
of South Florida, Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (USF-CARD), at (813) 974-2532.
Conference brochures, including the registration form, are available on-line at http://card-
usf.fmhi.usf.edu/conf2003/index.htm. If you have questions about either of the DOE events,
please contact Mr. Mike Muldoon, Program Specialist, at (850) 488-1106 or by e-mail at
Michael.Muldoon@fldoe.org.
SG/mmh
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