Answers for Special Kids

Power Panel on Special Needs - February 11, 2010

Power Panel on Special Needs: three critical topics relating to your child with Special Needs.

Experts answer YOUR questions on Advocacy, Family Support and In-home Intervention

Micki Moran, JD, Child & Family Law Center of the North Shore Micki is the founding partner with experience including special education, school discipline, juvenile justice, mental health and complex child custody cases.

Paul Nevin, PhD, Heartlight Psychological Services Paul has over 20 years of clinical experience and has a special interest and expertise in stress management. He has conducted workshops on stress management for families with special needs children.

Pam Raymond, MA, BCBA, VP of Care & Support, Autism Home Support Services Inc. 

Pam has over 18 years of clinical experience, as well as, experience in special education for children with autism and other special needs.

Thursday -February 11, 2010 -6:30-8:30 PM

2201 Waukegan Road
Suite 1455
Bannockburn, IL
RSVP Requested: mckim@lawforchild.com, 847-926-0101

Dr. Hallowell and Summer Programs at Leelanau School

ADHD expert, Dr. Hallowell will be conducting two summer programs at Leelanau School this summer.

The first is a week-long summer camp at the Leelanau School on the shores of Lake Michigan near Traverse City that runs from July 18 through July 23. This unique introductory program is intended for students entering grades 5 through 12 and their parents. Each morning, I meet with the parents, while the wonderful teachers at Leelanau meet with the students and help them develop an appreciation of their strengths, as well as some new grasp of skills to promote their education and lives in general. After the morning sessions, students and parents can go enjoy the lovely resort at Leelanau. Last year it was exciting to see how much the parents gained simply by being with other parents of kids who had ADD, and how much the kids gained from learning in a strength-based situation. In just a week it seemed that we accomplished a year's worth of growth and understanding.

If you'd like to learn more about this program, visit the website at The Leelanau School.

The second week-long summper camp is an advanced session at Leelanau for students entering grades 5 through 12 and their parents that runs from July 25 through July 30. This advanced class is for participants who previously attended the introductory camp in 2007, 2008 or 2009 and wanted to learn more about ADHD and deepen their experience from the summer before. For additional information regarding costs and registration,
visit the website at The Leelanau School.

And, if you have any questions about either ADHD Summer Enrichment Camp at the Leelanau School, call 231.334.5800. You may also email them at admission@leelanau.org.

IEPs for Children with Behavior Problems

Must the IEP team develop a plan to address these problem behaviors? Are school districts required to train teachers to use positive behavioral interventions and support? Visit Wrightslaw's article for answers to questions from parents whose children have behavior problems.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/07/nl.0516.htm

College of Charleston Launches Postsecondary Initiative for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

The College of Charleston will launch the Realizing Educational and Career Hopes (REACH) program in Fall, 2010, an inclusive program designed to provide postsecondary education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. The College Transition Connection (CTC) is funding the development of this innovative model program, with financial support from the State of South Carolina. CTC Chair Donald Bailey announced that the grant will total $155,000 over three years and that it is the fourth project to be funded in South Carolina. The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) is providing technical assistance and grant administration.
 
Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. joined College of Charleston President P. George Benson and Board Chair Marie Land, State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, State Representative Harry B. "Chip" Limehouse, III, Charleston County School District Superintendent Dr. Nancy J. McGinley, College of Charleston faculty, CTC board members, NDSS representatives, and prospective students with disabilities and their parents when the program was announced today at an event on the College of Charleston campus.
 
The four-year inclusive program is designed to provide students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities the opportunity to participate in the academic, residential, social and professional experiences offered by the College, with appropriate support for success. REACH students will participate in regular classes and a career development program and will receive a certificate upon program completion.
 
"The College of Charleston's leadership in developing innovative, inclusive postsecondary education opportunities, coupled with financial support from the College Transition Connection and the State of South Carolina, will result in long-term benefits for students with and without disabilities and will serve to transform the education and employment of students with intellectual disabilities within a state that is developing a comprehensive system of such opportunities," said Stephanie Smith Lee, NDSS Senior Policy Advisor.
 
A small number of students will be admitted for the pilot starting Fall semester, 2010, with additional students accepted each Fall thereafter. REACH will be co-lead by Dr. Cindi May, Associate Professor of Psychology, and Dr. Fran Welch, Dean of the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance. A director will be appointed to administer the program.
 
The College of Charleston REACH program is supported by a partnership between CTC, NDSS, and the Center for Disability Resources at the University of South Carolina.
For more information visit: http://blogs.cofc.edu/life/

The Autism Society of Illinois 6th Annual Parent and Professional Networking Conference - Saturday March 13th, 2010

The Autism Society of Illinois 6th Annual Parent and Professional Networking Conference

Saturday March 13th, - 8:30am-5:30pm    

2010 College of DuPage,

245 Fawell Blvd.

Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137

Includes choice of five breakout sessions: Behavioral and Educational Supports, Advocacy, Biomedical/Alternative Treatments, Adult Supports, and Professional/Advanced. Includes access to exhibitor area, light breakfast, one box lunch, PPNC disc, and a certificate of attendance. CPDUs are provided at no additional charge.

Parent Rate: $50.00/Professional Rate $60.00

For more information and to register, go to: http://autismillinois.org/eventsregistration.aspx

LD Online-Legal Briefs from Matt Cohen

February 2010 Legal Briefs from Matt Cohen

Some of the questions from this month:

• Is an IEP applicable once a student graduates from high school?
• Can my son who attends private school have access to an IEP and LD reading resources at the local public school?
• Can the school staff hold a pre-IEP meeting without the parents?

Read the answers and more of these questions at: http://www.ldonline.org/experts/cohen/current#3

Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia, and Vision

By: Reading Rockets (2010)

Thanks to advances in imaging techniques and scientific inquiry, we now know much more about learning disabilities (LD), dyslexia, and the role of vision problems. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Council on Children with Disabilities, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology published a joint statement that summarizes what is currently known about visual problems and dyslexia. The statement also covers what treatments are and are not recommended when diagnosing and treating vision problems, learning disabilities, and dyslexia. Read full article at: http://www.ldonline.org/article/35053

Special Gifts Theatre Celebrates “Decade of Magical Moments”

Theatre program for kids with special needs marks 10 years of celebrating every child’s special gifts

Special Gifts Theatre, which gives special needs children a chance to have their moment in the spotlight, is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2010. Recognized throughout the state and country for its unique approach, Special Gifts Theatre uses creative arts as a therapeutic and developmental tool, tapping into the creative spirit and honoring talent inherent in all people.

Since the program’s inception in the Chicago suburbs in 2000, Special Gifts Theatre has blossomed from a program for six children to one that has serve hundreds. It has grown to encompass both a traditional theater arts program that ends in a full-scale musical production each year, as well as a new early childhood program that uses creative arts as an aid to mastery in the areas of language, social skills and emerging literacy

To commemorate the tenth anniversary, Special Gifts Theatre is:

Presenting a production of the Disney hit ‘High School Musical.’ The popular franchise has been adapted for our students and is providing special surprises this season. Performances will take place on March 6, 7, 13 and 14.

Hosting an exclusive gala to celebrate the lives touched by the organization. The fundraiser gala will be held on February 20, 2010 at the Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel. The event will be emceed by entertainer and comedian Stuart Jacobsen and will feature cocktails, dinner, live entertainment and a silent auction with all proceeds going to programming for the children. 

For more information about Special Gifts Theatre, please contact Laura McGowan, 630-863-8709 or visit their website at: www. specialgiftstheatre.org.

STAR Legacy Modules—Collaborating with Families and You're in Charge! Developing Your Own Comprehensive Behavior Management Plan

We are pleased to announce the expansion of our catalogue of Spanish-language resources. Two more of our STAR Legacy Modules—Collaborating with Families and You're in Charge! Developing Your Own Comprehensive Behavior Management Plan—are now available in Spanish and can be found by clicking the En español button on the IRIS homepage or by accessing the IRIS Resource Locator.

•    Collaborating with Families is designed to help teachers build positive relationships with families by highlighting the diversity of families and addressing the factors that school personnel should understand about working with the families of children with disabilities.

•    You're in Charge! Developing Your Own Comprehensive Behavior Management Plan neatly complements the first behavior module, Who's in Charge? Developing a Comprehensive Behavior Management System, encouraging students to create and print rules and procedures for their own classrooms based on the PAR model.

Be sure to stop by the IRIS Web site to check out all of our Spanish-language offerings. As always, we encourage you to share all of our materials ( http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu ) with your colleagues and students. If you have any questions concerning IRIS materials, please contact Kim Skow at 800-831-6134, kimberly.a.skow@vanderbilt.edu, or iris@vanderbilt.edu.

KGH Consultation & Treatment hosts Winter Parent Support & Education Group

Parents and Children as Partners:Perspectives on Enriching your Family Life and Enhancing your Child's Social World!!
 
We invite all parents to join in and share your thoughts and concerns, ask questions and receive answers, meet other parents, and learn valuable information.  This 6-week support and education group is conducted by Sara, our Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Registered Nurse.
 
Focusing on children from preschool through 5th grade: Tuesdays from 10-11am beginning February 9th
 
Focusing on children from middle school through high school: Tuesdays from 12pm-1pm or Thursdays from 7:30pm-8:30pm beginning on February 9th or February 11th
 
You are not alone!  Come talk to other parents and let Sara help navigate you to important resources. Learn more about the Parent Support Group and other programs at KGH at:  http://www.kghconsultation.org/news.php

Stanley Greenspan 2010 Infancy and Early Childhood Training Course - presented ONLINE!

THE INFANCY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAINING COURSE COMES TO YOU – ONLINE!

The Basic Course on the DIR®/Floortime™ Model Taught by  Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D.
Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, The George Washington University Medical School, Supervising Child Psychoanalyst, Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, and Chair, Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders

Take the course in the comfort of your own home or office, at your own pace and without the added expenses of travel and lodging!

To Register and for more information, visit www.stanleygreenspan.com

The Basic Course will be available to registered participants for over eight weeks, from March 12 through May 9, 2010