<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello All,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here are two programs to help all of us understand PARCC. Please participate and ask questions. The host of these events is Marcella Franczkowski, the Assistant Superintendent of Special Education and Early Intervention at the Maryland State Department of Education. She will be an excellent resource so get your questions ready. Read below. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:49.5pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>Thursday, February 26, 2015 </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:49.5pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>MSDE Twitter Chat </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>The PARCC Assessment & Accommodations for Students with Disabilities</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>Follow on Twitter<b> <a href="https://twitter.com/MdPublicSchools" target="_blank">@MdPublicSchools</a></b> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Use the hashtag <b>#MSDEChat</b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>Marcella E. Franczkowski will be live tweeting responses to family concerns about PARCC and accommodations for students with disabilities, on Thursday, February 26, 2015 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Ms. Franczkowski is the Assistant State Superintendent for Special Education/Early Intervention Services at the Maryland State Department of Education. Parents of students with disabilities are encouraged to follow and join the conversation on Twitter <b><a href="https://twitter.com/MdPublicSchools" target="_blank">@MdPublicSchools</a></b> using </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>hashtag <b>#MSDEChat</b><span style='color:#262626'>. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:49.5pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>Friday, February 27, 2015 </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:49.5pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>12:30 – 1:30 p.m.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>MSDE Webinar for Parents </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>The PARCC Assessment & Accommodations for Students with Disabilities</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'> ‘A Piece of the PARCC Puzzle’</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>Register online at </span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue'><a href="http://bit.ly/PARCC-1" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/PARCC-1</a> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>Marcella E. Franczkowski will present a free webinar addressing family concerns about PARCC and accommodations for students with disabilities on Friday, February 27, 2015 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Ms. Franczkowski is the Assistant State Superintendent for Special Education/Early Intervention Services at the Maryland State Department of Education. Parents of students with disabilities are encouraged to participate and chat with Ms. Franczkowski and assessment specialists from the Maryland State Department of Education. Register to participate at </span><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue'><a href="http://bit.ly/PARCC-1" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/PARCC-1</a></span></b><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626'>.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Sharon Maneki, </b>President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>