Event Calendar

This presentation will:
1.Explain what an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) is and what is its purpose
2.Discuss who develops the IEP
3.Identify the parts of the IEP and the areas it covers
4.Identify ways to work as a team
5.Discuss the role of parents, the individual, the school and providers
Graciela Sharif serves as Parent Resource Coordinator with the Family Care Enhancement Project and as the Responsive Family Programs Advisor with the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Munroe-Meyer Institute. Ms. Sharif has worked with families that have children with disabilities for over 21 years. She served 17 years as the outreach coordinator at Nebraska’s Parent Training and Information Center and has been working for 8 years at the Munroe Meyer Institute. Ms. Sharif has extensive experience in building family-professional partnerships, providing family-centered care and supporting youth transition.
As a Peruvian immigrant, and mother of a young adult with developmental disabilities, Ms. Sharif knows firsthand about the obstacles that individuals with disabilities and special healthcare needs and their families frequently face in many aspects of their lives. In her role at MMI, Ms. Sharif provides education, information, and support to families, so they can be active participants in the development of their children’s education and health care services.
Ms. Sharif leads a monthly Educational Series that focuses on disability issues for Spanish speaking parents. She serves on many local and statewide committees and boards where she advocates for inclusive practices and helps to bring forward diverse perspectives. She currently serves on the Special Olympics Nebraska Health Advisory Committee, the state’s Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC), which she chaired last year, the Omaha Public Schools’ Special Education Advisory Board, the South Omaha Care Council Health Committee, and the Omaha Refugee Task Force.