As President of Arkansas LDA, it was my honor and privilege to represent our state at the National LDAA Conference held in February in Baltimore. There were over 150 sessions presented by leaders from all over the world in the continuous development of Learning Disability and ADHD research and education. State Affiliate President’s met daily to share ideas concerning a common agenda. One recurrent theme took form: “WE ARE ALL STAKEHOLDERS.”
Have you heard the saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child?’ Although I have heard it used for some time now, it was brought back to life in 1996 when then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton published the book “It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us.”As a teacher of students with special needs and a parent of a child with Autism, I believe today we need more than a Village; we need Stakeholders.
The term stakeholderrefers to anyone who is invested in the welfare and success of a school and its students, including administrators, teachers, staff members, students, parents, families, community members, local business leaders, and elected officials such as school board members, city councilors, and state representatives. Stakeholders may also be collective entities, such as local businesses, organizations, advocacy groups, committees, media outlets, and cultural institutions.1
LDA of Arkansas is devoted to this mindset by assisting parents and educators in the following ways:
-We are Stakeholders! We strive to help parents understand the spectrum of disorders known as Learning Disabilities;
-We are Stakeholders! We strive to instruct parents/teachers on best research based practices for instruction both in the home and the classroom;
-We are Stakeholders! We strive to raise awareness of environmental factors that can harm brain development;
-We are Stakeholders! We strive to promote opportunities for success for all person’s with Learning Disabilities;
-We are Stakeholders! We strive to promote legislation that does not limit the rights of people with disabilities but strengthens their voice.
My board members want you to get the most out of LDA. We are constantly working to make this information more accessible to you through our website and our Facebook. Give us a like! Share our posts! Send us an email! Or better yet, join us! We are all Stakeholders!
1Hidden curriculum (2014, August 26). In S. Abbott (Ed.), The glossary of education reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/hidden-curriculum