Seminar to Focus on Special Education Laws for Relative Caregivers

CCEUC's Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) and Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) are inviting kinship caregivers and their families to attend a very special seminar entitled, “The Nuts and Bolts of Special Education Law” on Monday, November 2 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Ulster County BOCES, 175 Route 32 North in New Paltz, NY. This seminar is FREE. Refreshments will be served and children’s activities will be offered.

This informative and interactive seminar will be presented by LSHV Staff Attorneys, Mary Jo Whateley and Lara Burkareff, Esq.

Many topics will be covered including:
- An overview of Federal and State education and other relevant laws and regulations
- Confidentiality issues
- Strategies for accessing Special educational services and supports as mandated by
Federal and State law
- Successful negotiation and conflict resolution with school personnel
- Disciplinary issues
- How LSHV and RAPP can assist relative caregivers.

To pre-register for this seminar please call Barbara Grumberg at 845-340-3990. For more information about RAPP, contact RAPP Coordinator, Erica Smith at 845-340-3990.

Lessons of Life and Leadership Equine Workshop Comes to New Paltz

This informative workshop is for equine professionals and 4-H volunteers to discover new information and acquire skills in equine training. The workshop will be Monday, September 14 from 9:45am to 3:30pm at the Ulster County Fair Grounds located on Libertyville Road in New Paltz and will feature special guest speaker Dr. Lew Sterrett of Leaders by H.E.A.R.T (Human Equine Analogies in Relational Training).

There is a fee of $25 if registered by September 7; $40 thereafter after and at the door the day of the event. Fee includes lunch; no refunds. For questions contact Audrey Reith at 845-344-1234 or email ald5@cornell.edu or to pre-register call Jenny Burkins at 845-340-3990.

Participants will have the opportunity to witness Dr. Sterrett’s unique and entertaining approach to leadership as he addresses key issues through the use of horse training illustrations and interactive dialogue. The horse training presentation will be followed by a time of application and problem solving that will take coaches, trainers and leaders to the next level.

AGENDA

9:45am
Registration
Jane W. Barley Youth Building

10:00am
Session I: Capturing and Correcting the Heart
- See how healthy boundaries establish foundations for respect and security
- Learn how to better evaluate horses and people
- Learn how to communicate more effectively

12:00pm
Lunch

1:00pm
Session II: Horse Training Presentation
- See a 1,100 pound picture of what a healthy relationship looks like
- Experience the mystique of watching a trainer win the heart of a horse
- Insight for successful liberty work
Exercises that increase suppleness

3:30pm
Wrap Up

This event is hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange & Ulster Counties Adult Equine Advisory Committee, and Region 6 of the New York State Association of Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Educators.

Ashokan Watershed Internships for Youth Offered this Fall

Our Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program is offering a fall semester Youth Watershed Steward Intern program starting on September 15, 2009 for students in grades 7-12 who either live in the Ashokan Watershed or attend Onteora schools.

Interns will meet every Tuesday from September 15 to December 15 at 2:30pm at the Onteora High School. The sessions will last until 4:00pm or 5:00pm depending on that day’s activity. Occasional outdoor activities will take place on Saturdays. A spring semester program is also planned.

The watershed internship is both fun and educational. Interns will meet environmental professionals, spend time outdoors, and develop hands on skills in environmental science. Specific topics to be covered this fall include watershed science, field biology, Computer Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and working with public media. The project culminates with participants creating their own community service project in the watershed.

Last spring, five Onteora students participated in the program and developed their own community project. Armed with augurs, waders, and plant identification books, the watershed interns set out to identify and map wetlands. With the help of a local NYC Department of Environmental Protection wetland scientist, Frank Parisio, the interns identified the boundary of a wetland on Mink Hollow Road in Lake Hill, NY using plant identification, soil sampling, and hydrology.

Youth Watershed Internship applications are currently available by contacting Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County. For more information or to obtain an application contact Kristen or Colleen at 845-688-3047 or email Kristen at kew67@cornell.edu. The applications can also be downloaded online at www.esopuscreek.org.

RAPP Kidz Club Returns to Kingston in October

Our Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) will again host the RAPP Kidz Club and Support Group which is set to begin on Saturday, October 3 from 11:00am to 1:00pm at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County Education Center located at 10 Westbrook Lane in Kingston. The club is FREE and meetings will be held every first Saturday of each month from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Refreshments are served at each meeting.

The RAPP Kidz Club is for children ages five and up who are being raised by a relative and reside in Ulster County. Participants are given the opportunity to get together for a variety of fun activities such as arts and crafts, cooking and science projects, and other enrichment activities. While the children are engaged adult participants will be able to take advantage of great guest speakers and discussion topics important to relative caregivers.

Caregivers are asked to pre-register their children as space is limited. For more information or to pre-register call RAPP Coordinator, Erica Smith at 845-340-3990.

Bio-Control Workshop Offered to Commercial Greenhouse Growers

CCE along with NYS Integrated Pest Management and the NYS Flower Industry, Inc. will be offering an informative bio-control workshop where participants will learn how “good bugs” can be used to control “bad bugs”. Participants will learn application techniques, and how to make sure these insects are working to their advantage. Bio-controls for thrips, fungus gnats, aphids, and whitefly will help growers to begin using bio-control methods in their own greenhouse.

The workshop will take place on Friday, October, 23 from 9:30am to 12:00pm at Silverleaf Greenhouses located at 2736 State Route 208 in Walden, NY. There is a $15 fee per person to attend this workshop. Pre-registration is encouraged no later then Wednesday, October 21. For more information or to pre-register contact Teresa Rusinek at Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County at 845-340-3990.

DEC pesticide recertification credits have been applied for. This workshop is partially funded by a grant received from the New York Farm Viability Institute.