Governor Baker Approves Plan for Dyslexia Screening!

DYSLEXIA SCREENING & REMEDIATION 

proposal signed Friday, 10/19/2018 by Governor Charlie Baker!

My apologies, I tried to copy and paste the article here, but I couldn't get it to work.  Please go to the link below for the article in the Salem News.

https://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/baker-approves-plan-for-dyslexia-screening/article_7856998f-ffb5-5345-bc3d-04ad4ef9d642.html

TRANSITION FAIR - More Info!

Transition Resource Fair Hadley Farms Meeting House
41 Russell Street, Hadley
October 17, 2018
5:00-8:00 (Panel discussion 5:00-6:00; Exhibitor Fair 6:00-8:00)
The Transition Fair (similar to a college fair) addresses the needs of students with a broad range of abilities and learning differences, aged 14-22+. The Fair highlights options and supports for all students with learning differences who want to explore post secondary education and employment possibilities. This is a free community event.

5:00-6:00 p.m. Panel Discussion
The Panel Discussion will highlight college and career opportunities for students who have graduated from high school with a diploma and are looking for full time jobs and careers.
Please RSVP to Michelle at michelle. mendes@pathlightgroup.org for this presentation. We want you to get a seat, and the room fills up fast.

6:00-8:00 p.m. Exhibitor Fair
Exhibitors will be available to discuss topics related to the transition process for students 14-22+.
Exhibitors* include programs
for college and post-secondary education options, job training, career investigation, day and recreation activities, living options, and special needs financial planning.
*See back side for a complete listing.

For more information call Donna or Michelle at 585.8010.
The Transition Resource Fair is co-sponsored by Family Empowerment and the Franklin/Hampshire area DDS office.

41 Russell Street, Hadley MA 01035 413.585.8010 Family Empowerment is a Pathlight program

New location!

Take a look at the exhibitors coming to the Transition Fair!
Representatives will be available to talk to you about your needs, and the services and programs they have to help you.

Adaptive Driving Program, Inc.
Autism Connections (a Pathlight program) Baroco Corporation
Berkshire Hills Music Academy
Bonni Alpert Educational Consulting
Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP CareerNext
Center for Public Representation
Charter Oak Financial
College Steps
Children and Youth with Special Health Needs -DPH DDS- Franklin/Hampshire Area Office Department of Developmental Services Developmental Milestones Lab, UMass
Family Empowerment (a Pathlight program) Franklin Hampshire Career Center
Institute of Abilities
J Lynn Enterprises
Law Office of Matthew Engel
LifePath
MAICEI Program University of Massachusetts Amherst Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change MCDHH
New England Business Associates
Pathlight - Adult Family Care
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
PLAN of Massachusetts & RI
Porter and Chester Inst.
RIverside Industries, Inc
ServiceNet’s Prospect Meadow Farm
Stavros Center for Independent Living
The College Experience
The Federation for Children with Special Needs The United Arc
United Cerebral Palsy-Assistive Technology Valley Educational Associates
Viability, Inc.
Western Mass Training Consortium/Self Advocacy Westover Job Corps Center

RESOURCE FAIR: TRANSITON

Resource Fair and Panel Presentation for transition age students, parents/guardians, and professionals in Western MA. 

Stop by for the panel presentation on College and Career Opportunities-students who have earned a diploma and are looking for careers or full-time work and the Transition Resource Fair or just stop by the fair, where exhibiters for students with all ranges of disabilities will be present.  Find out about the wide variety of services that may touch your student's life as they transition into the adult world.  40 exhibiters will be joining us this year.  Come for the information and stay to ask as many questions as you can think of. 

October 17, 2018

5:00 - 6:00 Panel presentation

6:00 - 8:00 Exhibiter Resource Fair

at Hadley Farms Meetinghouse

41 Russell Street

Hadley, MA  01035

GRANTS FOR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Deadline: September 14, 2018

The Hope Grant Program is now accepting applications. Applications are for families living in Massachusetts with two or more children diagnosed with a disability. Applicants may apply for one service or item per child.  Any funds granted shall be paid directly to vendors or facilities (when applicable) with a maximum value of $5,000 per family. Applications must be submitted online  by Sept 14th, 2018. Here’s a link that should work to connect to this grant http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Grants-for-Families-with-Two-or-More-Children-Diagnosed-with-a-Disability.html?soid=1112548980712&aid=xb2c8Z1iWVE

TUESDAY 3/13/18 IEP WORKSHOP CANCELLED

DUE TO FORECASTED WINTER STORM THE IEP FOR MY CHILD WORKSHOP IN TURNERS FALLS ON TUESDAY 3/13/18 HAS BEEN CANCELLED

We are working on rescheduling the event and I will post the new date as soon as I have it.

At this time this same workshop will proceed as scheduled at 

The United ARC

361 Main St

Athol, MA 01331

on Wed 3/14/18 starting at 5:30.

This event is an IEP Clinic, meaning that after the presentation, there will be advocates available to meet with you and go over your IEP with you and try to answer any questions you may have.

Come to Athol on Wednesday, 3/14/18 and bring your IEP!

FREE WORKSHOPS IN MARCH 2018

REMINDER

FREE WORKSHOPS: An IEP for My Child

The Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN) brings you the workshop: An IEP for My Child

Does your child have special needs?  Does your child have an IEP?  Do you want to learn more about the different sections of the IEP and how it all fits together?

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

An IEP for My Child Workshop

Co-hosted by:

The United ARC & Gill-Montague Regional School District

The United ARC

294 Avenue A

Turners Falls, MA. 01376

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Refreshments will be served.

Register at www.theunitedarc.org, or contact

Darlene Reilly

darlenereilly@unitedarc.org

(413) 774-5558 x 1042

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

An IEP for My Child Workshop & CLINIC

NOTE: This workshop now includes a CLINIC. This means that advocates will be available to meet with you and answer questions you have about your child's IEP. 

*BRING YOUR CHILD'S IEP TO THIS WORKSHOP*

Hosted by:

 The United ARC

The United ARC

361 Main St.

Athol, MA. 01331

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Refreshments will be served.

Register at www.theunitedarc.org, or contact

Karon Parker

karonparker@unitedarc.org

(978) 249-4052 x 1047

College Prep Mentoring Program for HS Students with ASD

COLLEGE PREPARATION MENTORING PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

Ashleigh Hillier, Ph.D. (Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Lowell) is offering the “Horizons” college preparation mentoring program.Horizons is designed to help high school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) learn more about college and feel more confident about attending college in the future.

High school students with ASD who plan to go to college in the next year or two will meet with their mentor (a trained UMass Lowell student) once a week for an hour, for six weeks at a time convenient to them. Participants do not have to be considering UMass Lowell as one the colleges they are planning to apply to. The program curriculum includes topics such as “why go to college?”; “where should I apply?”; “what will a typical college day look like?”; “how do I manage my time in college?” etc. Meetings will start in mid-March.

There are two versions of the Horizons program that we would like to compare:

1) an in-person version of the program where students would meet with their mentor in-person at UMass Lowell; 2) an on-line version where students would meet with their mentor via Google Hangout. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of these versions, so you must be willing to do either the in-person or the online version. Both versions of the Horizons program have a $75 fee to participate (scholarships are available for those who cannot afford the fee).

Research component of the Horizons program:

We also want to investigate how useful the Horizons program is for those who participate – how much do students learn about college and whether their feelings about going to college change through participating in the Horizons program. We also want to see whether there are differences between the in-person and online versions of the program. It is not necessary to take part in the research component of the program to still participate.

High school students who participate in the research component will be asked to complete a questionnaire at the beginning and end of the program and complete brief weekly feedback surveys so we can make sure they are enjoying and benefitting from their meetings with their mentor.

Parents / guardians will be asked to complete a questionnaire and do a brief interview at the end of the program to let us know how they think their son / daughter responded to the Horizons program. Interviews can be done either in-person or over the phone. There is no compensation for completing the questionnaires or interview.

If you think you may be interested in participating in the Horizons program or have any questions, please contact Ashleigh Hillier by e-mail atAshleigh_Hillier@uml.edu

Ashleigh Hillier, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Director, Center for Autism Research and Education (CARE)
University of Massachusetts Lowell
113 Wilder Street, Suite 300

Lowell, MA 01854-3059
ashleigh_hillier@uml.edu
http://faculty2.uml.edu/ahillier
CARE: https://www.uml.edu/Research/autism
Visit our CARE Facebook page: Facebook.com/UmlCARE

FREE Music Lessons at Berklee for Adults with ASD

Free Music Lessons at Berklee to Adults with ASD
Starting Tuesday, 2/20/18

Every Tuesday - 2/20, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8

Time: 7 - 9 PM

Host: Berklee Students


Cost: Free *Please note that lessons are free, but instrument rental is $20 through Berklee for the semester


Space is limited. Please register no later than February 14, 2018


The Berklee College of Music has been kind enough to offer free music lessons to adults on the autism spectrum.


Students will be required to choose from the following instruments:

• Alto saxophone
• Clarinet
• Flute
• Trombone
• Trumpet

*Please note that lessons are free, but instrument rental is $20 through Berklee for the semester.
**It is also important to note that you will be charged $350 if you DO NOT return the instrument. A credit card will be put on file during the first meeting. It will not be charged but the number will be held in the event that the instrument is not returned.

Register

https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ef36pfo5449f9568&oseq=&c=&ch=

MORE FREE WORKSHOPS

Do you want to know more about Special Education Regulations & the IEP process?

Here's a list of FCSN (Federation for Children with Special Needs) workshops I will be doing in February & March 2018.

Wednesday February 7, 2018

Basic Rights Workshop

Co-hosted by:

The United ARC & Gill-Montague Regional School District

The United ARC

361 Main St.

Athol, MA. 01331

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Refreshments will be served.

Register at www.theunitedarc.org, or contact

Karon Parker

karonparker@unitedarc.org

(978) 249-4052 x 1047

Tuesday February 13, 2018

Basic Rights Workshop

Co-hosted by:

The United ARC & Gill-Montague Regional School District

The United ARC

294 Avenue A

Turners Falls, MA. 01376

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Refreshments will be served.

Register at www.theunitedarc.org, or contact

Darlene Reilly

darlenereilly@unitedarc.org

(413) 774-5558 x 1042

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

An IEP for My Child Workshop

Co-hosted by:

The United ARC & Gill-Montague Regional School District

The United ARC

294 Avenue A

Turners Falls, MA. 01376

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Refreshments will be served.

Register at www.theunitedarc.org, or contact

Darlene Reilly

darlenereilly@unitedarc.org

(413) 774-5558 x 1042

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

An IEP for My Child Workshop

Co-hosted by:

Gill-Montague Regional School District & The United ARC

The United ARC

361 Main St.

Athol, MA. 01331

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Refreshments will be served.

Register at www.theunitedarc.org, or contact

Karon Parker

karonparker@unitedarc.org

(978) 249-4052 x 1047

All workshops are FREE and open to the public.

FREE WORKSHOP: Basic Rights

The Federation for Children with Special Needs presents

BASIC RIGHTS

Thursday February 1, 2018

Hatfield Elementary School

33 Main St.

Hatfield, MA. 01038

6:00 - 8:00 pm

I will be presenting this workshop which is FREE and open to the public.