SARRC has been awarded 10 full-time scholarships for their Community School, an inclusive preschool program for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and their typically developing peers (50% students with ASDs, 50% typically developing students). The scholarships may only be used by typically developing students, and SAARC is reaching out to let us know they have both funding and space available for the school year beginning on August 9, 2010.

Eligible families include:

· Students without a diagnosis of ASDs.

· Parent(s) gross annual income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (see attached).

· Parent(s) who are attending training or education, unemployed and actively seeking employment, and/or employed.

· Maximum of 2 scholarship slots may be awarded to one family.

Benefits of the SARRC Community School Preschool:

· Three classrooms: toddler (18 months to 3 years), preschool (3-4 years), and pre-k (4-5 years).

· 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

· Small class size.

· Highly educated and trained staff (most have bachelor’s degrees and are pursuing master’s degrees).

· Flexible scheduling.

· Individualized instruction primarily focused on improving language and play.

· Classrooms designed to maximize child engagement and meaningful learning opportunities.

Interested families should contact Rachel McIntosh, Community School Director, at rmcintosh@autismcenter.org <mailto:rmcintosh@autismcenter.org> or 602-340-8717.

Experts revising psychiatry’s diagnostic manual have proposed eliminating Asperger’s syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, folding them into a single, broader diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The New York Times reports that the change is part of an effort to modernize the mental illness model as a continuum, with many degrees of severity.

To view link, please cut and paste in your browser:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/health/03asperger.html?_r=2&ref=health

For more details, please visit the website for the conference:  www.SpectrumTrainingSystemsInc.com/Conferences.html

Read below for the conference schedule.

Career Planning for Individuals
with Autism Spectrum Disorders
April 2-3, 2009

After several years of planning, Spectrum Training is delighted to announce that our two day Autism Career Planning conferences are now ready. After much dialogue with career planners, transition teachers, parents and other ASD concerned persons we planned these conferences to meet those specific, critical needs.
This high caliber career planning is the key to a successful future with positive long-term outcomes and is ESSENTIAL for:
* Career counselors, job developers/job coaches, rehab administrators, vocational coordinators
* Special education administrators, teachers, teacher assistants, case managers, therapists
* Students, parents, caregivers, young adults with ASD (16+)

Date and Location

April 2-3, 2009 Phoenix, AZ

Topic Schedule
Conference Schedule Day One:

Career Planning
A. Communication Skills in the Initial Interview
B. Interview Communication Graffiti Activity
C. Structuring the Interview Environment
D. Interview Structure Activity
E. Theory of Mind
F. Building the Career Portfolio
G. Career Portfolio Development Activity

Career Assessment
A. Creating the Evaluation Plan
B. Assessment Processes for Job Seekers With ASD
C. Skill/Interest Testing
D. Assessing Social/Communication Skills
E. Career Assessment Activity

Workplace Supports
A. Workplace Problems
B. Natural Support Development
C. Take Workplace Supports
D. Minnesota Work Adjustment Theory
E. Work Values Graffiti Activity

Conference Schedule Day Two:
Social Communication in the Workplace
A. Basic Self-Advocacy
B. Asking for Help Activity
C. Sins of the System Overview
D. Sins of the System Graffiti Activity
E. Courtesy Rule Card Activity
F. Social Skill Supports
G. Workplace Visuals Graffiti Activity
H. Workplace Social Story Make/Take

Implementing the Career Plan
A. Career Strategies in Action
B. Working with the Business Community
C. Final Wrap Up – Q & A Session

Presented by Spectrum Training Systems, Inc.

spectrumtrainingsystems@yahoo.com

(920) 749-0332 

Here are the links for more information on the Sports League as well as  a link to obtaining registration forms.  Also find below flyer information on the Sports League.  If you have any further questions, please contact HFA Sports directly. 

hfasports@gmail.com

www.phoenixautism.com <http://www.phoenixautism.com/>

Registration packet is:
http://phoenixautism.com/Files/Sports_league_registration_packet.pdf

There’s a new team in town! 

Come join a new and different sports league 

for kids with HF Autism/Aspergers* and their siblings.  

Finally a game in town for THEM! * 

( *Grades K-12, Easy payment plans too, some families may be able to use DDD habilitation hrs) 

8 wks from April 9th-May 28th  ea. Thurs.  4-6 p.m. 

Scottsdale Bible Church Town Centre  

their air conditioned gym (East side of campus) 

7601 E Shea Blvd in Scottsdale 

    Sports program/goals: 

  1. Have a non competitive sports league where HFA/Asperger kids have fun   

   2. Gain expertise in sports to help them adapt successfully with others  

   3. Help with social skills/ dispute resolution while playing games/ sports 

   4. Work on improving  motor skills to accomplish sports 

   5. Improve self esteem by gaining proficiency 

   6. Make friends that understand and accept them 

  Get the complete registration packet two ways:       

1. email:   hfasports@gmail.com 

2. copy and paste this web address (exactly) – the packet is online: 

http://phoenixautism.com/Files/Sports_league_registration_packet.pdf 

sponsored by  

Phoenix HF Autism/Asperger Family Network 

www.phoenixautism.com      Email: hfautism@cox.net 

Come join a new and different sports league-

for kids with HF Autism/Asperger and their siblings.

Finally, a game in town for THEM!

Easy payment plans too.

Sports League

for HFA/Asperger kids and their siblings
In an air conditioned gym
8 wks from April 9th -May 28th
4-6 p.m. Thursdays

This is a different kind of sports league. A place the kids can go and have fun, work on sports and games, and feel good, not bad. Where people understand them, not criticize them. The goal of this program is:

1. to have a place where HFA/Asperger kids can fit in with sports/games in a non competitive way
2. to gain expertise in sports to help them fit in at school/P.E./other places
3. to help them with social skills and dispute resolution while playing team sports
4.to help them to practice and work on gross and fine motor skills
5. to improve their self esteem by gaining proficiency in various sports and games
6. to make friends while doing what they love
Meet our Program Director and Head Coach
Sara Patterson

” I am very excited about this program because I love sports and have a passion for the youth across the globe. I have been involved in many sports programs locally and internationally. Here in Phoenix I have been the head coach for 5 different basketball teams ranging from 5th grade to 9th grade. I have also coached basketball to inner city/ at risk kids through a program run by The Phoenix Mercury. I have worked for The Boys and Girls Club, been a referee at ASU for their intramural program, the head coach for third and forth grade volleyball, and lived in South Africa coaching every sport from rugby to netball. I have a special place in my heart for children with disabilities because I watched the struggles my older sister went through having high functioning autism. I want every child no matter who they are or where they come from have the opportunity to dream big, have fun, and succeed in their life. Sports build confidence, raise self-esteem, and teach teamwork, while getting exercise and having fun. Come join a new and different sports league! Sign up now!”
Sign up here!
Registration packet
Email hfasports@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Children with Autism Architect Their Ideas Using 3D Design Software

Project Spectrum was developed by the SketchUp Team at Google to help people with autism take advantage of their visual and spatial gifts.

The idea for Project Spectrum originated when we began getting phone calls and emails from users telling us about how much kids on the autism spectrum were enjoying SketchUp. <more>

Also, see: Google for Educators

This morning, I found an article on msnbc.com that shows that other therapist and teachers are already exploring the use of virtual worlds for working with kids with Autism and Asperger’s.

Virtual reality helps autistic kids develop skills: Lessons learned in controlled environment are transferable to real world

I suspect the applications might be much wider than just those mentioned or for these specific diagnosis.  Any experiences that you have to share?

The ASA-Greater Phoenix Chapter’s Annual Conference will be May 3-4, 2008 in Phoenix.  This year’s conference will feature Jenny McCarthy, Kathleen Ann Quill and many others…

The conference brochure is available for download from our website (http://www.phxautism.org/conferences.html) and online registration is coming soon!

IN MY OPINION: Knowing autism is knowing me

By: Amanda Phillips

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) include:

• Autism
• Asperger’s Syndrome
• Pervasive Developmental Disorders/Not Otherwise Specified (PDD/NOS).

Did you know that today 1 in 150 children is diagnosed with an ASD?

A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes resulting in 67 children being diagnosed per day.

There will be more children diagnosed with an ASD this year than with AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined. It affects over 1.5 million people in America and is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.

In SUSD 1 out of every 145 students has a diagnosis of ASD.

——————————————————————————–

Autism is a spectrum disorder. This means that it affects every individual differently. Some people with an ASD will be mildly affected, some moderately and others, severely affected.

There is no known cause or cure at this time.

ASDs can affect sensitivity to sound, smell, sight, touch and taste. The effect can be hyper sensitivity (too much) or hypo sensitivity (not enough). Furthermore, because of the complexity of ASDs, each individual’s senses may or may not be affected and there can be a combination of hyper/hypo sensitivity within the affected senses (i.e. hyper sensitive to sound, hypo sensitive to touch/pain and no issues with smell, sight or taste).

Key areas of development that are impacted are communication and the ability to know how to build social relationships.

The good news is that individuals with ASDs can learn, progress and develop. How much they do differs from individual to individual.

One of the easiest ways to help a person with an ASD learn, progress and develop is to provide them with support from peers. The SUSD offers social programs that help provide social encounters for individuals on the Spectrum and their peers. The social interactions students experience in school are a stepping stone toward independent adult life. These experiences help students learn to navigate the world…get a job, drive, go to college, live away from home. Many times, amazing strengths and skills can be present in individuals with ASDs. They can really excel in the areas of math, music, art, architecture and memory which make them prime candidates for many rewarding jobs. But because of their deficit in socialization, these gifts can be overlooked and lead to being misunderstood and ostracized. The social programs are geared toward expanding understanding and awareness in the school community, guiding peers to recognize and focus on the strengths, and increasing exposure to social interactions that build skills that can lead to a better chance later in life for the individuals with ASDs.

There are many remarkable people with ASDs who have made notable contributions to society because of their ability to look at things with a unique perspective. Temple Grandin is a prime example. She holds a PhD and is a professor at Colorado State University. In addition, she is an inventor, author, and public speaker. She attributes much of her progress and success to having supportive mentors.

To learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorders, visit the Autism Society of America’s web page at www.autism-society.org