Week 5 Discussion 1 More Website Sharing and Feedback This discussion provides a second opportunity to share your website. Again, sharing your website for feedback provides you with perspectives on your design and content to consider for enhancing your website before you finalize it during Week Six. To prepare for this discussion, construct a mission statement and add it to the homepage of your website. To construct your mission statement, consider the models you reviewed during the Week Four assessments and the tips for writing an effective mission statement from Education World (Links to an external site.). Next, update your working definition of at-risk. Then, be sure you have created pages for and linked to your Week Three Child Maltreatment Brochure and the Week Four School-Based Efforts: A Plan to Support At-Risk Youth assignment. Finally, if you have not already, adjust your website’s design using the feedback from peers and the instructor received during Week Three. Initial Post: Create an initial post that includes a link to your website and addresses the following: a. Describe the inspiration behind the design of your own mission statement. b. Discuss the changes made to your working definition of at-risk and how you believe the changes improved upon your original draft. If you made no changes, explain why not. c. Explain where and how you made revisions to any artifacts and/or the design of your website based on the feedback previously received from peers or your instructor’s evaluation of the work. d. Introduce peers to the Child Maltreatment Brochure you developed during Week Three by briefly describing what you learned about the topic and about designing an effective brochure while creating it. Discuss any challenges associated with designing the brochure as well as what you like best about your creation. e. Introduce peers to the School-Based Efforts: A Plan to Support At-Risk Youth assignment you developed in Week Four. Briefly discuss some of the most important concepts learned while researching and preparing this assignment. What do you like best about this creation or the process of creating it? f. Describe what you like so far about the process of gradually adding to your website and sharing so as to participate in reciprocal feedback. Week Five Instructor Guidance Welcome to Week Five of EDU644: Child and Family Welfare!  Please be sure to review the Week Five homepage for this course to see the specific learning outcomes for the week, the schedule overview, the required and recommended resources for the week, an introduction to the week, and a listing of the assessments for the week. Next, be sure to read this entire Instructor Guidance page. Overview Week Five will be a vital week of learning because you will be refining the topic of groups at-risk and selecting a specific at risk group for which to “specialize” in for your website.  By now, you have formed preliminary ideas of the patterns and themes emerging in yo ...

1. Week 5 Discussion 1 More Website Sharing and Feedback
This discussion provides a second opportunity to share your
website. Again, sharing your website for feedback provides you
with perspectives on your design and content to consider for
enhancing your website before you finalize it during Week Six.
To prepare for this discussion, construct a mission statement
and add it to the homepage of your website. To construct your
mission statement, consider the models you reviewed during the
Week Four assessments and the tips for writing an effective
mission statement from Education World (Links to an external
site.). Next, update your working definition of at-risk. Then, be
sure you have created pages for and linked to your Week Three
Child Maltreatment Brochure and the Week Four School-Based
Efforts: A Plan to Support At-Risk Youth assignment. Finally,
if you have not already, adjust your website’s design using the
feedback from peers and the instructor received during Week
Three.
Initial Post: Create an initial post that includes a link to your
website and addresses the following:
a. Describe the inspiration behind the design of your own
mission statement.
b. Discuss the changes made to your working definition of at-
risk and how you believe the changes improved upon your
original draft. If you made no changes, explain why not.
c. Explain where and how you made revisions to any artifacts
and/or the design of your website based on the feedback
previously received from peers or your instructor’s evaluation
of the work.
d. Introduce peers to the Child Maltreatment Brochure you
developed during Week Three by briefly describing what you
learned about the topic and about designing an effective
brochure while creating it. Discuss any challenges associated
with designing the brochure as well as what you like best about
your creation.

2. e. Introduce peers to the School-Based Efforts: A Plan to
Support At-Risk Youth assignment you developed in Week
Four. Briefly discuss some of the most important concepts
learned while researching and preparing this assignment. What
do you like best about this creation or the process of creating it?
f. Describe what you like so far about the process of gradually
adding to your website and sharing so as to participate in
reciprocal feedback.
Week Five Instructor Guidance
Welcome to Week Five of EDU644: Child and Family Welfare!
Please be sure to review the Week Five homepage for this
course to see the specific learning outcomes for the week, the
schedule overview, the required and recommended resources for
the week, an introduction to the week, and a listing of the
assessments for the week. Next, be sure to read this entire
Instructor Guidance page.
Overview
Week Five will be a vital week of learning because you will be
refining the topic of groups at-risk and selecting a specific at
risk group for which to “specialize” in for your website. By
now, you have formed preliminary ideas of the patterns and
themes emerging in your website creation of resources,
programming, and strategies for families and children at risk.
Additionally, during Week Five, website sharing and feedback
will occur during the discussion, giving you another opportunity
to make needed enhancements to build the most effective
website resource.
This and an early chance to brainstorm and organize the
required components of the Final Project will position you for
success in Week Six!
Intellectual Elaboration

3. “So you have to love the kids and make them see that they have
a chance, opportunity in this country to become whatever they
want to.” Jaime Escalante
As you embark on this fifth week, consider all that you have
learned thus far about what it means to be at-risk, what groups
and individuals are considered at risk, and how vital it is to
know of and have access to resources that provide support for
those at risk. Also consider what your role may be in
supporting children and families at risk as you progress in your
current or anticipate profession. To summarize the quote by
Jaime Escalante, we must first have belief in children if they are
to have belief in themselves. It is up to the adults in this world
to provide the opportunities for children to live up to their
dreams and their potential.
Expanding Populations at Risk
As we move further into the 21st century, the populations at
risk and their needs have expanded greatly with a need for
team-based decision-making. Use what was learned about the
various groups at risk including those who are homeless, those
living in poverty, child maltreatment and neglect, risks that put
students at risk, as well as the numerous other ways one is
considered at risk as featured in the text by Rubin. Unique and
diverse varieties of groups at risk occupy the United States and
have expanded to include unaccompanied new immigrant
children, chronic poverty in isolated urban/suburban areas, and
homeless veterans to name a few. To reach the populations
effectively, a team-based decision-making model provides one
way to support families at risk. By including different
stakeholders in the problem solving process, the selection of
effective frameworks, models, approaches, and strategies for
interventions and support is more likely to support a child or
family at risk.

4. Team-Based Support for Populations at Risk
Understanding different team-based options for solutions
represents a critical factor in making valid and reliable
decisions. Models are programs that are research-based and
proven to be reliable and valid. Approaches are ways to address
a given situation or problem such as using Constructivist or
Humanistic resolutions. Finally, strategies are methods to assist
or teach using specific techniques such as collaborative team-
based approaches or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Rather than forming isolated decisions, team-based decision-
making incorporates input from multiple stakeholders with each
being experts in their own field as well as potential related
sources of support. One way to gain a higher level of results and
acceptance to meet the multitude of needs with populations at
risk relates to forming risk and resilience indicators as learned
during Week Four. Consider also what you observed from
Biotech Academy during Week Four. The learning environment
at Biotech nurtured a team-based approach to decision making
including that of the student and the parent as well as fellow
teachers and administrative staff. Contemplate the message this
team approach sends to the student at risk. The student sees and
hears the belief the team has in them. The parent sees a
committed team that is unwilling to give up on her/his child.
When a team of caring, experienced adults are advocating for a
student’s success, the student is more likely to attain that
success than if they were on their own or had but one other
person in their corner.
Teams are more effective at developing solutions for students
and families at risk than an individual
A specific example of using a team based approach to support
students at risk involves Positive Behavior Intervention
Supports (PBIS) for students with chronic, atypical behavior
issues. Research shows that a school- or team-based approach
and school-wide systems approach work together to create more

5. effective school environments and improved student outcomes
for students with or at risk of behavioral challenges (Eber,
Sugai, Smith, & Scott, 2002).
Another prime example of a team based approach to problem
solving and supporting students at risk is that of the Individual
Education Program (IEP) team (Links to an external site.).
Students found eligible for special education services require an
IEP developed by “a team of individuals that includes key
school staff and the child’s parents”
(http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iep/). As defined in
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), the IEP
team consists of the parents of the child; at least one general
education teacher of the child; at least one special educator of
the child; a public agency representative; an individual who can
interpret evaluative results (such as a school psychologist),
other individuals who have knowledge or expertise regarding
the child (at the discretion of the parents or agency), the child
with the disability when appropriate (Source (Links to an
external site.)).
Each team member plays an important role in the decision
making process when designing the IEP. Not one member is
more important than the other—with the exception of the
student! Each has information and expertise they bring to the
table regarding the child and can thus, provide valuable insight
as to the child’s strengths, interests and ideally, their potential.
Assessment Guidance
This section includes additional specific assistance for excelling
in the discussions for Week Five beyond what is given with the
instructions for the assessments. If you have questions about
what is expected on any assessment for Week Five, contact your
instructor using the Ask Your Instructor discussion before the
due date.

6. Discussion: More Website Sharing and Feedback
This discussion is another opportunity to demonstrate your
mastery of the first four course learning outcomes, which are
noted on the course Syllabus page. The Week Five Discussion
provides a second opportunity to share your website. Using the
feedback provided by your classmates enables you to gain new
perspectives on your design to enhance your website before you
finalize it during Week Six.
Before sharing your website with others, you will add two
previously completed assignments: the Week Three Child
Maltreatment Brochure and the Week Four School-Based
Efforts: A Plan to Support Youth at Risk assignment. Also, if
you have not done so already, you should make desired
enhancements since sharing your website with others in during
Week Three. Additionally, you will apply updates to your
working definition of at risk, since much learning has occurred
since you originally developed it. Last, you will add a new
element to the Homepage of your website; your own mission
statement as it pertains to your current or anticipated
professional position working with children and families at risk.
An excellent resource from Education World is shared in the
Week Five Discussion description and is recommended to be
used as a guide as you construct your mission statement.
Remember, it is just as important to provide thoughtful, specific
feedback to others in addition to receiving it. Follow the Guided
Response prompt as you participate with fellow classmates and
review their websites.
Assignment: Group at Risk Specialization Mind Map
This assignment is another opportunity to demonstrate your
mastery of the first four course learning outcomes and the fifth:
“Distinguish among various frameworks, models, approaches, or

7. strategies for supporting populations at risk.” The Week Five
Assignment forms the opportunity for you to select a specific
group at risk to become “specialized” in by conducting
additional research on your selected group. Looking ahead to
the Final Project in Week Six, you will notice that information
regarding your selected at risk group have their own respective
pages within your website; a) Specialization Group: Overview;
b) Specialization Group: Strategies; and c) Specialization
Group: Resources. Therefore, you’ll want to construct your
mind map with these in mind.
You will plan your content and design using a digital mind
mapping tool, such as bubble.us, Coggle, Text2 Mind Map,
Popplet, XMind, Murally, or any other free digital mapping tool
of your choosing. Below is an example of how a mind map for
this assignment might look when using Popplet. This first
graphic displays each of the three “markers” for your
specialization group selected.
The graphic below shows what it might look like when
planning the Overview page (see red box above). Consider that
the terms in each respective box are the required discussion
points for the Overview page as outlined in the Week Six Final
Project Content Instructions. You would of course, add specific
information pertaining to each of these sub-topics within each
box.
References
Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004 (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,dynamic,TopicalBrief,3,
Center for Parent Information and Resources (September, 2010).
All about the IEP. Retrieved from
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iep/

8. Eber, L., Sugai, G., Smith, C.R., & Scott, T.M. (2002).
Wraparound and Positive Behavioral Interventions and
Supports in the schools. Journal of Emotional & Behavioral
Disorders, 10(3), 171.
Required Resources
Article
Education World. (2011).School mission statements: Where is
your school going? (Links to an external site.)Retrieved from
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin229.shtm
l
· This article from the Education World website provides a
practical approach to writing a school mission statement and
provides examples of school mission statements. View the
website’s privacy policy (Links to an external site.). This article
should be referenced in the Week Five Assignment.
Recommended Resources
Text
Rubin, A. (2012). Clinician’s guide to evidence-based practice:
Programs and interventions for maltreated children and families
at risk. Retrieved from https://redshelf.com
· Chapter 11: Project-Support: Reducing conduct problems of
children in violent families
· Chapter 15: The HomeBuilders® model of intensive family-
preservation services
Articles
18 facts about homeless veterans (Links to an external site.).
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://fanofthefeather.info/18-facts-
about-homeless-veterans
· This website describes 18 essential facts about the homeless
that would form a background on the issue. The site focuses on
support and volunteer work for the homeless veterans such as
current policies and initiatives. This resource can be used as a
source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
American Psychological Association (n.d.). Education and
economic status (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from

9. http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/factsheet-
education.aspx
· The website analyzes how a low socio-economic status
impacts their health and increases inequities for resources.
There is also data on the school environment and academic
achievement for children of low-income families. This resource
can be used as a source of support for the Week Five
Assignment.
Escarce, J. J. (Ed.). (2013). Socioeconomic status and the fates
of adolescents. Health Services Research, 38(5), 1229–1234.
Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database.
· The article evaluates the fate of adolescents of low SES
compared to affluent teenagers in terms of opportunities and
issues both at home and at school. There is a major focus on the
health consequences from their low-income experiences that
impacts their physical and emotional health. This resource can
be used as a source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
Fullwood III, S. (2013, September 24). Race and beyond: Why
economic disadvantage becomes educational
disadvantage (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2013/09/24/7
5320/why-economic-disadvantage-becomes-educational-
disadvantage
· The article examines the impact of both race and economic
disadvantage on academic achievement. Resources include
information from experts and projects that address the links
between economic situations and academic success for families
and children at risk. This resource can be used as a source of
support for the Week Five Assignment.
Main, A. (2014, July 30). The Central American child refugee
crisis: Made in U.S.A (Links to an external site.). (Links to an
external site.) Retrieved from
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/op-eds-&-columns/op-eds-&-
columns/the-central-american-child-refugee-crisis-made-in-u-s-
a
· The article contains publications and information about the

10. reasons for the refugees coming to the United States. There are
also research tools for additional data and resources for the
children at risk. This resource can be used as a source of
support for the Week Five Assignment.
National Coalition for the Homeless. (2009, September).
Homeless veterans (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/veterans.html
· This article examines the huge number of veterans who are
homeless and includes a breakdown of the demographics. Also,
the site reviews programs and policy issues linked to the
homeless veteran’s issues. This resource can be used as a
source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
Reardon, S. F. (2011, July). The widening academic
achievement gap between the rich and the poor: New evidence
and possible explanations (Links to an external site.). Retrieved
from
https://cepa.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/reardon%20whither
%20opportunity%20-%20chapter%205.pdf
· The article focuses on the parental investment based on
changes in the income disparities. In addition, the article
discusses the major gaps in academic achievement for students
living at low-income levels. This resource can be used as a
source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
Tuckman, J. (2014, July 9). ‘Flee or die’: violence drives
Central America’s child migrants to US border (Links to an
external site.). The Guardian. Retrieved from
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/09/central-america-
child-migrants-us-border-crisis
· This article examines the crises in July of 2014 with the
Central American children with many details about the
situation. There is an analysis of the connection of violence and
poverty to the children’s plight. This resource can be used as a
source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (n.d.).
Children on the run: Unaccompanied children leaving Central
America and Mexico and the need for international

11. protection (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from
http://www.unhcrwashington.org/sites/default/files/1_UAC_Chil
dren%20on%20the%20Run_Full%20Report.pdf
· This report discusses the United Nations view of children on
the run from Central America. The site also provides resources
and ways to get involved towards helping the Central American
Children. This resource can be used as a source of support for
the Week Five Assignment.
Websites
Bubbl.us (Links to an external site.). ( https://bubbl.us)
· bubbl.us is a free digital source that makes brainstorming
easy. It provides ways to create colorful mind maps and
organize information that makes sense to the user. Sharing and
collaborating is also possible with an exporting feature. View
the privacy policy (Links to an external site.). Bubbl.us is a
recommended mind mapping tool for the Week Five
Assignment.
Coggle (Links to an external site.). (http://coggle.it)
· Coggle is a free and easy way to produce beautiful notes with
the option of sharing them with friends and colleagues and
enhance through collaboration. View the privacy policy (Links
to an external site.). Coggle is a recommended mind mapping
tool for the Week Five Assignment.
Mural.ly (Links to an external site.). (https://mural.ly)
· Mural.ly provides a 30-day free trial and a limited-use free
membership in which users create collaborative online walls
that help organize and share ideas. With Mural.ly, ideas can be
dumped onto a flexible canvas and supplemented with
multimedia from the internet or the user’s computer. View the
privacy policy (Links to an external site.). Mural.ly is a
recommended mind mapping tool for the Week Five
Assignment.
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (Links to an external
site.). (http://www.nchv.org)
· This website discusses the resources such as locating benefits
and replacing records. In addition, the site provides information

12. on jobs as well as resource guides for additional services. This
resource can be used as a source of support for the Week Five
Assignment.
Popplet (Links to an external site.). (http://popplet.com)
· Popplet is a fun and easy way to map your thinking and even
record what is outlined as a presentation to share. An example
of a mind map using Popplet is included in the Week Five
Instructor Guidance. View the privacy policy (Links to an
external site.). Consider this mind mapping tool for the Week
Five Assignment.
U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. (n.d.). Homeless (Links
to an external site.). Retrieved from
http://www.va.gov/homeless/
· This website discusses benefits and vocational rehabilitation
to assist veteran’s in regards to their monetary and career
options. Furthermore, the site examines mental health and PTSD
support that can best assist homeless veterans with their
psychological needs. This resource can be used as a source of
support for the Week Five Assignment.
Week 5 Discussion 1 More Website Sharing and Feedback
This discussion provides a second opportunity to share your
website. Again, sharing your website for feedback provides you
with perspectives on your design and content to consider for
enhancing your website before you finalize it during Week Six.
To prepare for this discussion, construct a mission statement
and add it to the homepage of your website. To construct your
mission statement, consider the models you reviewed during the
Week Four assessments and the tips for writing an effective
mission statement from Education World (Links to an external
site.). Next, update your working definition of at-risk. Then, be
sure you have created pages for and linked to your Week Three
Child Maltreatment Brochure and the Week Four School-Based
Efforts: A Plan to Support At-Risk Youth assignment. Finally,

13. if you have not already, adjust your website’s design using the
feedback from peers and the instructor received during Week
Three.
Initial Post: Create an initial post that includes a link to your
website and addresses the following:
a. Describe the inspiration behind the design of your own
mission statement.
b. Discuss the changes made to your working definition of at-
risk and how you believe the changes improved upon your
original draft. If you made no changes, explain why not.
c. Explain where and how you made revisions to any artifacts
and/or the design of your website based on the feedback
previously received from peers or your instructor’s evaluation
of the work.
d. Introduce peers to the Child Maltreatment Brochure you
developed during Week Three by briefly describing what you
learned about the topic and about designing an effective
brochure while creating it. Discuss any challenges associated
with designing the brochure as well as what you like best about
your creation.
e. Introduce peers to the School-Based Efforts: A Plan to
Support At-Risk Youth assignment you developed in Week
Four. Briefly discuss some of the most important concepts
learned while researching and preparing this assignment. What
do you like best about this creation or the process of creating it?
f. Describe what you like so far about the process of gradually
adding to your website and sharing so as to participate in
reciprocal feedback.
Week Five Instructor Guidance
Welcome to Week Five of EDU644: Child and Family Welfare!
Please be sure to review the Week Five homepage for this
course to see the specific learning outcomes for the week, the
schedule overview, the required and recommended resources for
the week, an introduction to the week, and a listing of the
assessments for the week. Next, be sure to read this entire

14. Instructor Guidance page.
Overview
Week Five will be a vital week of learning because you will be
refining the topic of groups at-risk and selecting a specific at
risk group for which to “specialize” in for your website. By
now, you have formed preliminary ideas of the patterns and
themes emerging in your website creation of resources,
programming, and strategies for families and children at risk.
Additionally, during Week Five, website sharing and feedback
will occur during the discussion, giving you another opportunity
to make needed enhancements to build the most effective
website resource.
This and an early chance to brainstorm and organize the
required components of the Final Project will position you for
success in Week Six!
Intellectual Elaboration
“So you have to love the kids and make them see that they have
a chance, opportunity in this country to become whatever they
want to.” Jaime Escalante
As you embark on this fifth week, consider all that you have
learned thus far about what it means to be at-risk, what groups
and individuals are considered at risk, and how vital it is to
know of and have access to resources that provide support for
those at risk. Also consider what your role may be in
supporting children and families at risk as you progress in your
current or anticipate profession. To summarize the quote by
Jaime Escalante, we must first have belief in children if they are
to have belief in themselves. It is up to the adults in this world
to provide the opportunities for children to live up to their
dreams and their potential.

15. Expanding Populations at Risk
As we move further into the 21st century, the populations at
risk and their needs have expanded greatly with a need for
team-based decision-making. Use what was learned about the
various groups at risk including those who are homeless, those
living in poverty, child maltreatment and neglect, risks that put
students at risk, as well as the numerous other ways one is
considered at risk as featured in the text by Rubin. Unique and
diverse varieties of groups at risk occupy the United States and
have expanded to include unaccompanied new immigrant
children, chronic poverty in isolated urban/suburban areas, and
homeless veterans to name a few. To reach the populations
effectively, a team-based decision-making model provides one
way to support families at risk. By including different
stakeholders in the problem solving process, the selection of
effective frameworks, models, approaches, and strategies for
interventions and support is more likely to support a child or
family at risk.
Team-Based Support for Populations at Risk
Understanding different team-based options for solutions
represents a critical factor in making valid and reliable
decisions. Models are programs that are research-based and
proven to be reliable and valid. Approaches are ways to address
a given situation or problem such as using Constructivist or
Humanistic resolutions. Finally, strategies are methods to assist
or teach using specific techniques such as collaborative team-
based approaches or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Rather than forming isolated decisions, team-based decision-
making incorporates input from multiple stakeholders with each
being experts in their own field as well as potential related
sources of support. One way to gain a higher level of results and
acceptance to meet the multitude of needs with populations at

16. risk relates to forming risk and resilience indicators as learned
during Week Four. Consider also what you observed from
Biotech Academy during Week Four. The learning environment
at Biotech nurtured a team-based approach to decision making
including that of the student and the parent as well as fellow
teachers and administrative staff. Contemplate the message this
team approach sends to the student at risk. The student sees and
hears the belief the team has in them. The parent sees a
committed team that is unwilling to give up on her/his child.
When a team of caring, experienced adults are advocating for a
student’s success, the student is more likely to attain that
success than if they were on their own or had but one other
person in their corner.
Teams are more effective at developing solutions for students
and families at risk than an individual
A specific example of using a team based approach to support
students at risk involves Positive Behavior Intervention
Supports (PBIS) for students with chronic, atypical behavior
issues. Research shows that a school- or team-based approach
and school-wide systems approach work together to create more
effective school environments and improved student outcomes
for students with or at risk of behavioral challenges (Eber,
Sugai, Smith, & Scott, 2002).
Another prime example of a team based approach to problem
solving and supporting students at risk is that of the Individual
Education Program (IEP) team (Links to an external site.).
Students found eligible for special education services require an
IEP developed by “a team of individuals that includes key
school staff and the child’s parents”
(http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iep/). As defined in
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), the IEP
team consists of the parents of the child; at least one general
education teacher of the child; at least one special educator of
the child; a public agency representative; an individual who can
interpret evaluative results (such as a school psychologist),

17. other individuals who have knowledge or expertise regarding
the child (at the discretion of the parents or agency), the child
with the disability when appropriate (Source (Links to an
external site.)).
Each team member plays an important role in the decision
making process when designing the IEP. Not one member is
more important than the other—with the exception of the
student! Each has information and expertise they bring to the
table regarding the child and can thus, provide valuable insight
as to the child’s strengths, interests and ideally, their potential.
Assessment Guidance
This section includes additional specific assistance for excelling
in the discussions for Week Five beyond what is given with the
instructions for the assessments. If you have questions about
what is expected on any assessment for Week Five, contact your
instructor using the Ask Your Instructor discussion before the
due date.
Discussion: More Website Sharing and Feedback
This discussion is another opportunity to demonstrate your
mastery of the first four course learning outcomes, which are
noted on the course Syllabus page. The Week Five Discussion
provides a second opportunity to share your website. Using the
feedback provided by your classmates enables you to gain new
perspectives on your design to enhance your website before you
finalize it during Week Six.
Before sharing your website with others, you will add two
previously completed assignments: the Week Three Child
Maltreatment Brochure and the Week Four School-Based
Efforts: A Plan to Support Youth at Risk assignment. Also, if
you have not done so already, you should make desired

18. enhancements since sharing your website with others in during
Week Three. Additionally, you will apply updates to your
working definition of at risk, since much learning has occurred
since you originally developed it. Last, you will add a new
element to the Homepage of your website; your own mission
statement as it pertains to your current or anticipated
professional position working with children and families at risk.
An excellent resource from Education World is shared in the
Week Five Discussion description and is recommended to be
used as a guide as you construct your mission statement.
Remember, it is just as important to provide thoughtful, specific
feedback to others in addition to receiving it. Follow the Guided
Response prompt as you participate with fellow classmates and
review their websites.
Assignment: Group at Risk Specialization Mind Map
This assignment is another opportunity to demonstrate your
mastery of the first four course learning outcomes and the fifth:
“Distinguish among various frameworks, models, approaches, or
strategies for supporting populations at risk.” The Week Five
Assignment forms the opportunity for you to select a specific
group at risk to become “specialized” in by conducting
additional research on your selected group. Looking ahead to
the Final Project in Week Six, you will notice that information
regarding your selected at risk group have their own respective
pages within your website; a) Specialization Group: Overview;
b) Specialization Group: Strategies; and c) Specialization
Group: Resources. Therefore, you’ll want to construct your
mind map with these in mind.
You will plan your content and design using a digital mind
mapping tool, such as bubble.us, Coggle, Text2 Mind Map,
Popplet, XMind, Murally, or any other free digital mapping tool
of your choosing. Below is an example of how a mind map for
this assignment might look when using Popplet. This first

19. graphic displays each of the three “markers” for your
specialization group selected.
The graphic below shows what it might look like when
planning the Overview page (see red box above). Consider that
the terms in each respective box are the required discussion
points for the Overview page as outlined in the Week Six Final
Project Content Instructions. You would of course, add specific
information pertaining to each of these sub-topics within each
box.
References
Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004 (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,dynamic,TopicalBrief,3,
Center for Parent Information and Resources (September, 2010).
All about the IEP. Retrieved from
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iep/
Eber, L., Sugai, G., Smith, C.R., & Scott, T.M. (2002).
Wraparound and Positive Behavioral Interventions and
Supports in the schools. Journal of Emotional & Behavioral
Disorders, 10(3), 171.
Required Resources
Article
Education World. (2011).School mission statements: Where is
your school going? (Links to an external site.)Retrieved from
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin229.shtm
l
· This article from the Education World website provides a
practical approach to writing a school mission statement and
provides examples of school mission statements. View the
website’s privacy policy (Links to an external site.). This article

20. should be referenced in the Week Five Assignment.
Recommended Resources
Text
Rubin, A. (2012). Clinician’s guide to evidence-based practice:
Programs and interventions for maltreated children and families
at risk. Retrieved from https://redshelf.com
· Chapter 11: Project-Support: Reducing conduct problems of
children in violent families
· Chapter 15: The HomeBuilders® model of intensive family-
preservation services
Articles
18 facts about homeless veterans (Links to an external site.).
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://fanofthefeather.info/18-facts-
about-homeless-veterans
· This website describes 18 essential facts about the homeless
that would form a background on the issue. The site focuses on
support and volunteer work for the homeless veterans such as
current policies and initiatives. This resource can be used as a
source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
American Psychological Association (n.d.). Education and
economic status (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/factsheet-
education.aspx
· The website analyzes how a low socio-economic status
impacts their health and increases inequities for resources.
There is also data on the school environment and academic
achievement for children of low-income families. This resource
can be used as a source of support for the Week Five
Assignment.
Escarce, J. J. (Ed.). (2013). Socioeconomic status and the fates
of adolescents. Health Services Research, 38(5), 1229–1234.
Retrieved from the EBSCOhost database.
· The article evaluates the fate of adolescents of low SES
compared to affluent teenagers in terms of opportunities and
issues both at home and at school. There is a major focus on the
health consequences from their low-income experiences that

21. impacts their physical and emotional health. This resource can
be used as a source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
Fullwood III, S. (2013, September 24). Race and beyond: Why
economic disadvantage becomes educational
disadvantage (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2013/09/24/7
5320/why-economic-disadvantage-becomes-educational-
disadvantage
· The article examines the impact of both race and economic
disadvantage on academic achievement. Resources include
information from experts and projects that address the links
between economic situations and academic success for families
and children at risk. This resource can be used as a source of
support for the Week Five Assignment.
Main, A. (2014, July 30). The Central American child refugee
crisis: Made in U.S.A (Links to an external site.). (Links to an
external site.) Retrieved from
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/op-eds-&-columns/op-eds-&-
columns/the-central-american-child-refugee-crisis-made-in-u-s-
a
· The article contains publications and information about the
reasons for the refugees coming to the United States. There are
also research tools for additional data and resources for the
children at risk. This resource can be used as a source of
support for the Week Five Assignment.
National Coalition for the Homeless. (2009, September).
Homeless veterans (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/veterans.html
· This article examines the huge number of veterans who are
homeless and includes a breakdown of the demographics. Also,
the site reviews programs and policy issues linked to the
homeless veteran’s issues. This resource can be used as a
source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
Reardon, S. F. (2011, July). The widening academic
achievement gap between the rich and the poor: New evidence
and possible explanations (Links to an external site.). Retrieved

22. from
https://cepa.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/reardon%20whither
%20opportunity%20-%20chapter%205.pdf
· The article focuses on the parental investment based on
changes in the income disparities. In addition, the article
discusses the major gaps in academic achievement for students
living at low-income levels. This resource can be used as a
source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
Tuckman, J. (2014, July 9). ‘Flee or die’: violence drives
Central America’s child migrants to US border (Links to an
external site.). The Guardian. Retrieved from
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/09/central-america-
child-migrants-us-border-crisis
· This article examines the crises in July of 2014 with the
Central American children with many details about the
situation. There is an analysis of the connection of violence and
poverty to the children’s plight. This resource can be used as a
source of support for the Week Five Assignment.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (n.d.).
Children on the run: Unaccompanied children leaving Central
America and Mexico and the need for international
protection (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from
http://www.unhcrwashington.org/sites/default/files/1_UAC_Chil
dren%20on%20the%20Run_Full%20Report.pdf
· This report discusses the United Nations view of children on
the run from Central America. The site also provides resources
and ways to get involved towards helping the Central American
Children. This resource can be used as a source of support for
the Week Five Assignment.
Websites
Bubbl.us (Links to an external site.). ( https://bubbl.us)
· bubbl.us is a free digital source that makes brainstorming
easy. It provides ways to create colorful mind maps and
organize information that makes sense to the user. Sharing and
collaborating is also possible with an exporting feature. View
the privacy policy (Links to an external site.). Bubbl.us is a

23. recommended mind mapping tool for the Week Five
Assignment.
Coggle (Links to an external site.). (http://coggle.it)
· Coggle is a free and easy way to produce beautiful notes with
the option of sharing them with friends and colleagues and
enhance through collaboration. View the privacy policy (Links
to an external site.). Coggle is a recommended mind mapping
tool for the Week Five Assignment.
Mural.ly (Links to an external site.). (https://mural.ly)
· Mural.ly provides a 30-day free trial and a limited-use free
membership in which users create collaborative online walls
that help organize and share ideas. With Mural.ly, ideas can be
dumped onto a flexible canvas and supplemented with
multimedia from the internet or the user’s computer. View the
privacy policy (Links to an external site.). Mural.ly is a
recommended mind mapping tool for the Week Five
Assignment.
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (Links to an external
site.). (http://www.nchv.org)
· This website discusses the resources such as locating benefits
and replacing records. In addition, the site provides information
on jobs as well as resource guides for additional services. This
resource can be used as a source of support for the Week Five
Assignment.
Popplet (Links to an external site.). (http://popplet.com)
· Popplet is a fun and easy way to map your thinking and even
record what is outlined as a presentation to share. An example
of a mind map using Popplet is included in the Week Five
Instructor Guidance. View the privacy policy (Links to an
external site.). Consider this mind mapping tool for the Week
Five Assignment.
U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. (n.d.). Homeless (Links
to an external site.). Retrieved from
http://www.va.gov/homeless/
· This website discusses benefits and vocational rehabilitation
to assist veteran’s in regards to their monetary and career

24. options. Furthermore, the site examines mental health and PTSD
support that can best assist homeless veterans with their
psychological needs. This resource can be used as a source of
support for the Week Five Assignment.