Additional Resources

Some additional resources we think you may find useful.

Education

• From Massachusetts school and district profiles to assessment and accountability to family and community, the Massachusetts Department of Education website offers a wealth of information for parents and families.
• The National Center for Learning Disabilites has created a new parent advocacy brief, Preschool Services Under IDEA, to help parents understand their children's education rights.
• The School Talk TV / Internet shows and videos provide a catalyst for discussion about education. Interviews with leading experts in education, government, psychology, and business foster positive change within schools.Massachusetts PTA president, Michelle Tremont, and Rhode Island PTA president, Kathy Patenaude, were recently two of those experts!
• The U.S. Department of Education's Education Resource Organizations Directory (EROD) is visited regularly by customers in search of organizations that provide resources and/or assistance on a broad range of education-related topics. EROD currently contains contact and descriptive information about more than 2,950 national, regional, and state organizations.
• The Massachusetts Department of Education has released an updated version of the Requirements for the Participation of Students with Disabilities in MCAS (pdf). The purpose of the document is to provide guidelines for the participation of students with disabilities in statewide tests and to familiarize educators and parents/guardians with available test accommodations.

• TeachersDesktop.com is a user-friendly dynamic internet portal that provides products and services to meet the needs of its users. The website is free and provides educators and visitors access to essential teacher resources. School service providers have an opportunity to advertise and market their services to gain access to the buying community of teachers, administrators, and parents. TeachersDesktop.com offers efficient and comprehensive tools to meet all educational needs via an internet website community. This innovative education portal facilitates communication and creates new electronic marketplace opportunities. Finding the right assembly, class trip, teacher tools, specialty service provider, or relevant education resource should not be difficult and time consuming. Join our community and brighten the future of your students.

Health

• Healthychildren.org is a website designed for parents by the American Academy of Pediatrics. They have great information on imuniztions:  http://www.healthychildren.org/english/safety-prevention/Pages/default.aspx
• Adults aren’t the only ones at risk for heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases; increasingly, kids are at risk too. That is why the American Heart Association is working to help kids and families live heart-healthy lives.
• Nagging ... Childhood Obesity ... Materialism ... Ads in Schools ... Eating Disorders ... Violence ... Underage Drinking ... Smoking ... Precocious Sexuality. What do these problems have in common? Find out at Commercial Free Childhood.
• Families that work together are best able to cope with depressive disorders. Families for Depression Awareness, helps people in caregiver roles and people with depressive disorders understand the conditions, reduce stigma, and share issues.
• The Massachusetts Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition is a network of more than 200 members dedicated to decreasing cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality in the Commonwealth.
• The Massachusetts Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting healthy active lifestyles, working with allied organizations to achieve common goals, and supporting research initiatives.
• The mission of the Massachusetts Department of Health is to serve all the people in the Commonwealth, particularly the under served, and to promote healthy people, healthy families, healthy communities and healthy environments through compassionate care, education and prevention.
• "The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School program encourages safe, healthy trip options for travel to and from school. Successful Safe Routes to School initiatives include the five Es: education, encouragement, enforcement, engineering, and evaluation. Visit them on the web or call 1.888.4COMMUTE.
• The URhealthy website and campaign are projects of The Medical Foundation and are paid for through contracts with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Department of Education under a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This searchable data base is designed so teenagers can find youth-friendly health clinics that have Department of Public Health funding. Teens can search by health question and their location to find free or low-cost services.

Internet Safety

• The iKeepSafe.org web site teaches children to safely navigate the Internet through a virtual playground. Educational materials, including worksheets and tests, also are available for parents and educators.

Parenting & Parent Involvement

• Families for Depression Awareness, a nonprofit organization based in Waltham, MA has launched an innovative program to help teens who are diagnosed and being treated for depression and their families. The teen guide has been designed to help the teen understand that depression is a treatable medical condition. The accompanying parent guide gives parents the skill set to help monitor treatment and an action plan to help their child in a crisis. Massachusetts residents, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 781.890.0220 to receive your free guide.
• The Family Involvement Network of Educators (FINE) is a national network of people who are interested in promoting strong partnerships between children's educators, their families, and their communities. FINE's membership is composed of faculty in higher education, school professionals, directors and trainers of community-based and national organizations, parent leaders, and graduate students.
• “Girl Talk: A Guide for the Mom of a Teenage Girl” -- choices and consequences of underage drinking. Research shows that moms are the most important influence in a teen’s decision to drink or not to drink alcohol and involved parents who set clear rules protect their daughters against potential drinking problems. You daughter is listening to what you say!! “Be careful” and “don’t drink and drive” are NOT the only messages you need to communicate.
• Parents Place: Massachusetts Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC) offers tools to support families and schools working to ensure a quality education for all students. Massachusetts PIRC was established to help families in Massachusetts learn how to take an active role in their children's education and to help schools become places where family involvement is welcomed and encouraged. Tools offered on this website, at no cost to Massachusetts families, schools, and communites include workshops, services and publications. Website and all materiels are offered in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Running a Non-Profit

• Guide Star is a leading source of information on non-profits.
• IRS Tax Information for Non-Profits and Other Charities.
• The Non-Profit Times provides readers with up-to-the minute news, helpful hints and proven ways to improve their organizations and covers all areas of nonprofit management including fundraising, financial, endowment, asset, board governance, operations, technology and legal issues.