By: Kara Fitzpatrick
MONTGOMERY A workshop intended to provide parents of public school students with guidance for the Individual Education Plan process will be held 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Montgomery Center for the Arts.
The workshop, sponsored by A Parents’ Initiative for Every Child’s Education, will include parent training and an update on the recently approved changes to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. Participants also will receive a brief description of the annual Statewide Parent Advocacy Network conference scheduled to take place in West Windsor on March 18 and 19.
The workshop aims to provide parents with the skills they need to prepare for the IEP renewals that usually occur in the spring, APIECE member Bob Witanek said.
"There are many challenges to the special-needs parent, one of them being working to assure that the public school districts are providing the optimal program for the child’s success," Mr. Witanek said. "It can be a tremendous effort to become an expert in your child’s challenges and in how to advocate best for your child. This workshop hopes to instill the skill set needed to see your way through a very complicated process."
A small donation is suggested to cover room rental, but nobody will be turned away for lack of ability to donate, he said.
Advance registration is recommended, as the room capacity is limited to 50 participants. The event is open to the public, but those who are pre-registered will have priority over anyone who attends without registering.
Those interested can register by calling Mr. Witanek at (908) 881-5275 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Registrants should provide their name, the number of attendees, phone number, mailing address and e-mail address.

