November 2008

I also want to make sure everyone knows about the ADE media lending library. It works like Netflix…

There are videos like Rick Lavoie FAT city which has the audience explore what it feels like to have a learning disability (and I highly recommend if you haven’t seen) to videos based on Autism, behavior, classroom management, ADHD, transition, specific disabilities, behavior and much more.  

Here’s a link to the Free Media Lending Catalog from the Arizona Department of Education.  On page 20 of this booklet is the form to request a video/DVD with fax instructions. Requested items may be checked out for two weeks.

VSA arts and CVS Caremark All Kids Can announce All Kids Can…CREATE!, a national call for children’s art

Submission deadline: March 6, 2009

For the second year, VSA arts and CVS Caremark All Kids Can are encouraging children to share their creativity by submitting artwork to All Kids Can…CREATE!. The theme, “Celebrating Who I Am,” invites young people with and without disabilities across the United States to create visual art about their interests, talents, and dreams. All artwork submitted before the March 6, 2009 deadline will be included in an online art gallery. One artwork from each state and the District of Columbia will be displayed in a national touring exhibition that will debut June 2009 in Washington, D.C. Ten of the selected artists will be invited to a congressional reception to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. Teachers are eligible to receive $1000 for use in the classroom by submitting their students’ artwork and answering a few short questions.

Please visit www.vsarts.org/allkidscancreate for more information, including eligibility, entry instructions and a link to the online application. All artwork must be submitted electronically through Artsonia (www.artsonia.com/allkidscancreate).

Thank you,

Jennifer C. Wexler
Visual Arts Manager
VSA arts

An Affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

818 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 600
Washington, D.C. 20006
(202) 628-2800 (voice)
(202) 429-0868 (fax)
(202) 737-0645 (TTY)
www.vsarts.org

“Creating a society where people with disabilities can learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts.”

Registration for the SUSD winter camp for students with special needs is now available.  Completed packet is due to the district by December 12th, 2008.

Dates: December 29, 30, 31 (3 days)
Time: 9am – 2pm
Location: Scottsdale Bible Church

Registration Packet

Here’s a relavant article from today’s AZCentral.com: 4-day week could ease money woes

David Peterson, the interim co-superintendent of Scottsdale Unified School District, estimated he could save 15 to 18 percent of the costs to run Scottsdale’s 33 schools if the district switched to a four-day week.

Peterson cautioned that he was not an advocate or a supporter of the schedule but was simply estimating cost savings.

Read the rest of the article

From Lisa Dee Meyerson Marshall: 

Here is a link to a parent lending library with great resources for parents in our district. There are books on learning disabilities, autism, divorce, grandparenting, anxiety, sensory integration disfunction, etc., etc. It was put together by the Cherokee LRC teacher Jen Germain with donations from some parents. She wants to make it available to teachers and parents districtwide.

I visited the web site and have included the information from Jen’s web page. She has collected quite a few of the “classics”, as well many other interesting looking books, providing a great resource for parents of children with special needs.

Cherokee Parent Book Lending Library

The lending library is ready! I will be available on Tuesday from 7:15-7:45 and Thursday from 2:15-2:45 for you to browse and check out. Feel free to email me if you would like a book sent home with your child or would like to have me set aside a book for you.

These are the titles in the library-

• Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew by Ellen Notbohm
• Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew by Ellen Notbohm
• Letters to Sam: A Grandfather’s Lesson on Love, Loss, and the Gifts of Life by Daniel Gottlieb
• Born on a Blue Day: A Memoir by Daniel Tammet
• It’s All About Attitude: Loving and Living Well with Autism by Kathy Almeida and Gayle Nobel
• Mainstreaming: Ideas for Teaching Young Children by Judith Souweine, Sheila Crimmins, and Carolyn Mazel
• A Mind Apart by Susanne Antonetta
• Simple Secrets of Parenting Easy as ABC by John Q. Baucom, Ph.D.
• Ready or Not, Here Life Comes by Mel Levine, M.D.
• It’s So Much Work to Be Your Friend by Richard Lavoie
• The Dog Trainer’s Guide to Parenting by Harold R. Hansen
• Thinking in Pictures and Other Reports from My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin
• Chicken Soup for the Preteen a compilation of authors
• The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
• Grandparenting-A New Challenge by Helene Gonski
• Family First by Dr. Phil McGraw
• What I Wish You Knew from the editors of American Girl
• Helping Your Depressed Child by Martha Underwood Barnard, Ph.D.
• Learning Disabilities and Your Child by Lawrence J. Greene
• You’re a Stepparent… Now What? By Joseph Cerquone
• A Mind at a Time by Mel Levine, M.D.
• Understanding Dyslexia by Anne Marshall Huston, Ed.D.
• Helping Your Anxious Child by Ronald M. Rapee, Ph.D., Susan H. Spence, Ph.D., Vanessa Cobham, Ph.D., and Ann Wignall, M. Psych
• Everyday Parents Raising Great Kids by James D. MacArthur, Ph.D.
• Childhood Speech, Language & Listening Problems by Patricia McAleer Hamaguchi
• Helping Children Survive Divorce by Dr. Archibald D. Hart
• Life Landscapes-Parents Talk About Raising Children with Disabilities The Saskatchewan Family Resilience Project
• Keys to Parenting the Gifted Child by Sylvia B. Rimm, Ph.D.
• Overcoming Autism by Lynn Kerns Koegel, PH.D and Claire LaZebnik
• Worried no More Help and Hope for Anxious Children Second Edition by Aureen Pinto Wagner Ph.D.
• Behavioral Intervention for young Children with Autism Edited by Catherine Maurice, coedited by Gina Green and Stephen C. Luce
• Relationship Development Intervention with Young Children Social and Emotional Development Activities for Asperger Syndrome, Autism, PDD and NLD by Steven E. Gutstein & Rachelle K. Sheely
• Helping a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder or Asperger’s Syndrome by Kathryn Stewart Ph.D. Leading founder and Executive of the Orion Academy
• Do-Watch-Listen-Say Social and Communication Intervention for Children with Autism by Kathleen Ann Quill
• Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs (Raising the Bar of Expectations) by Judy Winter
• Love and Logic Solutions for Kids with Special Needs by David Funk
• Negotiating the Special Education Maze (Third Edition) A Guide for Parents and Teachers by Winifred Anderson, Stephen Chitwood, and Deidre Hayden
• A Parent’s Guide to Developmental Delays (Recognizing and Coping with Missed Milestones in Speech, Movement, Learning and Other Areas) by Laurie LeComer, M.Ed.
• Engaging Autism by Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D. and Serena Wieder, Ph.D
• It’s All About Attitude (loving and living well with autism) by Kathy Almeida and Gayle Nobel
  Activity Schedules for Children with Autism (Teaching Independent Behavior) by Lynn E. McClannahan, Ph.D. and Patricia J. Krantz, Ph.D.
• My Baby Can Dance (Stories of Autism, Asperger’s and Success through the Relationship Development Intervention (RDI Program) Introduction by Steven E. Gutstein Ph.D. Edited by Steven E. Gutstein, Hannah R. Gutstein and Carlotta Band
• Children with Autism (A Parents’ Guide) Second Edition Edited by Michael D. Powers, Psy.D. Foreword by Temple Grandin
• Let Me Hear Your Voice (A family’s triumph over autism)A universal tale of hope, love, hard work and ultimate triumph by Catherine Maurice
• Right from the Start (Behavioral Intervention for young Children with Autism. A guide for Parents and Professionals) by Sandra L. Harris, Ph.D. and Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.d
• Helping Your Socially Vulnerable Child (What to do when your child is shy, socially anxious, withdrawn, or bullied) by Andrew R. Eisen, Ph.D. & Linda B. Engler, Ph.D.
• Overcoming Autism (Finding the answers, and hope that can transform a child’s life) by Lynn kerns Koegel Ph.D., and Claire LaZebnik
• It’s So Much Work to be Your Friend (Helping the child with learning disabilities find social success) by Richard Lavoie
• Understanding Autism for Dummies by Stephen M. Shore, MA and Linda G. Rastelli, MA Note: (Free eTips at dummies.com)
• The Child With Special Needs by Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D. and Serena Wieder, P.h.D. with Robin Simons
• The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Integration Dysfunction by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.

At this time, I am requesting donations to put in the library. If you have any books at home that you thought were excellent, please consider sharing them with other parents in the Cherokee community. If you have any recommendations for great books that you can’t part with, email me at jgermain@susd.org with the titles. Lastly, if you can donate time to monitor the library or money to buy books that aren’t donated, I would appreciate any assistance!

Laura Holgate from the Scottdale 2e Group sent over the following info on this upcoming webinar:

Common Misdiagnoses and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: What Parents, Educators and Psychologists Need to Know

90 Minute Webinar Presentation
Presented by James T. Webb, PhD

Thursday November 20
8:30PM Eastern Time (5:30PM Pacific)

Please consider your time zone for correct time in your area!

Cost: $40

Because they lack training, mental health professionals are misdiagnosing gifted and talented children and adults as having mental disorders. The characteristics of gifted/talented children and adults – particularly if not understood at school, home, or work – often are mistaken for significant behavioral or emotional problems that can be misdiagnosed as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Conduct Disorder, or Bi-Polar Disorder… Parents and educators, therefore, must become more informed about these issues.

However, for other children and adults, their giftedness is related, but often overlooked,for diagnoses that are accurate such as Existential Depression, Bi-Polar, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, Sleep Disorders or Multiple Personality Disorder. That is, these children and adults do indeed have dual diagnoses – giftedness and some disorder. It is important that the aspects related to giftedness not be overlooked or misunderstood by professionals. This session provides information to help parents, educators, and health care professionals understand how they can differentiate gifted behaviors from behavioral pathology. Dr. Webb will describe commonalities and contrasts between the characteristics of gifted children and adults and the behaviors described in the DSM-IV that are used by mental health professionals to make differential diagnoses. In addition,

Dr. Webb will discuss dual diagnoses and how treatment approaches with gifted children and adults often need to be modified.

Dr. James T. Webb founded SENG in 1981, and is the lead author of award winning books including Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults, Guiding the Gifted Child, A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children, Grandparent’s Guide to Gifted Children, and Gifted Parent Groups: The SENG Model. He was previously President of the American Association for Gifted Children, on the board of directors for the National Association for Gifted Children, President of the Ohio Psychological Association, and a member of the Council of Representatives of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Webb was recognized as one of the 25 most influential psychologists in a national survey published in Gifted Child Today.

Sign Up Today!

At our last SEPACs meeting on “Special Education in the Scottsdale School District”, we had three guest speakers:

• Katy Cavanagh, Interim Co-Superintendent – Teaching and Learning
• David Peterson, Interim Co-Superintendent – Finances and Operations
• Lois Healey, Administrator – Special Education Services

Today, I’ve posted both the minutes taken by Shauna Mattson, as well as the presentation pack that David Peterson shared with us on the SUSD Special Education budget and its chronic underfunding by the state and federal government.  Please take a moment to review the information, as it’s key to the education of our children, all our children.

Presentation

Meeting Minutes

You can also find information from our previous meetings and presentations on the SEPACS web page “Past Meeting Notes“.

Save these dates for the SUSD Special Needs Winter Camp

Dates: Dec 29, 30, 31 (3 days)
Time: 9am – 2pm
Location: Scottsdale Bible Church

More to follow when available.

The idea of beginning a new school year is exciting for students, teachers and families. This excitement can be upheld when adequate transition planning is coordinated among all stakeholders. Transition may mean joining a new class in the same school, moving to a new class in a new school or moving on to post secondary experiences. Whatever the situation, it is important that careful planning take place, communication is open and timely, and decisions are made based on input from all IEP team members.

The following ideas are provided as guidelines when preparing for transitions:

• Request a meeting after winter break to begin to gather information. Ask the school psychologist to attend the complex meeting to bring information about appropriate available programs.
• Request a visit to the program determined to be most appropriate by the IEP team. It is most helpful if the school psychologist or special education coordinator accompany parents during their visit. This makes it possible to have questions answered without disturbing the teacher and the class during the visit.
• Schedule a “transition” IEP meeting before the end of the school year. Request that at least one team member from the receiving “new class” or school attend the meeting.
• Prepare a list of questions before the transition meeting. Ask how the school will assist with the transition. Will there be a student “walk-thru” or practice for students to learn about their new schedules? Is there a buddy-system? Would the teacher like a brief description of “what works” with your child? What are your child’s strengths? What should the teacher know before day one about your child?
• When possible, take your child to the new class or school before the first day of school. This may mean multiple visits to the playground during the summer or a walk to the classroom before school begins. Some parents have asked to take pictures of the new class at the end of the school year and have used these photos to build familiarity during the summer.

The Parent Information Network (PINS) found at the Arizona Department of Education website is very useful in helping families prepare for school transitions. pins@azed.gov

Transitions should be seamless and the student who is being transitioned should take an active role. By responding to the questions and concerns of the student, many facets of a transition are brought into focus and the student is provided a positive and stress free experience. Communication is a key ingredient to any successful transition among all stakeholders.