Dear Colleague, I Hope You Will Join Us for the ARMEA Annual

Dear Colleague, I hope you will join us for the ARMEA Annual Conference: The Power of Peers on September 29-30, 2016 at the Holiday Inn Airport Conference Center. Here are some highlights of this year’s conference: • We are excited and honored to collaborate with Partners for Inclusive Communities to host Joey Travolta and 3 of his film students as our Keynote speakers on September 29, 2016. Born into a show business family, Joey Travolta began his career as a performer in 1978 as a recording artist with Casablanca Records, appearing on popular variety shows such as American Band Stand and the Donny & Marie Show. Joey made his acting debut starring in feature films such as Sunnyside (1979), Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), and Oscar (1991), in addition to theatre performances in West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie, and Guys and Dolls. As an actor, Joey regularly appeared in television shows including Simon & Simon, Dream On, and Splash II. In the early nineties, Joey made writing, directing, and producing his focus. Joey’s directorial debut was Vegas Vice (1994), followed by the critically acclaimed Enemies of Laughter (2000), starring Peter Falk, and the comedy, Partners (2000). In 2005, Joey produced the documentary Normal People Scare Me while mentoring a fifteen year old boy with autism who directed the film. Before he made it on the big screen, Joey worked as a special education teacher in New Jersey. Today, Joey merges his passion for working with individuals with special needs with film by creating workshops and camps that educate students about film making. Joey’s unique teaching style and expertise enables those with special needs alongside their typically developing peers to have to learn about production and their own creativity. Once a side project to his feature films, Joey has cultivated Inclusion Films into a growing network of programs supporting individuals with special needs—his greatest professional achievement thus far. Check out this link which gives you a little taste of Joey’s presentation: o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyHNRaEfx3E&feature=em- share_video_user • We will also focus on the importance (and evidence-base) of using peer supports in our schools to assist students with disabilities and mental health disorders. Karan Burnette and Diana Varady will speak to us about using Peer Mediated Supports in Special Education. John Murphy will talk about involving students in the provision of SBMH services. • Students who have been identified with Emotional Disturbance continue to present challenges in our schools. We are honored to have Jose Martin speak to us on the Legal Issues Related to Emotional Disturbance. Mr. Martín is a partner with the school law firm of RICHARDS LINDSAY & MARTÍN, L.L.P. in Austin, Texas. His practice focuses exclusively on disabilities issues and litigation affecting the schools, including special education consulting and litigation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. He represents dozens of public school districts in Texas, and has developed a close understanding of the day-to-day challenges faced by schools in achieving compliance with state and federal disabilities laws. He is a graduate of the University of Texas in Journalism, and the University of Texas School of Law. • Finally- need a room? The Holiday Inn has great room rates at $88 per night plus tax. Call 501-490-1000 and ask for the ARMEA Conference rate. Sure hope to “See you in September”! Deb Swink, Co-Chair, ARMEA .

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