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March 2020
ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS
February Workshops at the Parent Resource Center (PRC)
Our February workshops are listed below. Click the workshop title to register. All workshops are held at the Dunn Loring Center for Parent Services, 2334 Gallows Road, Entrance 1 - Room 100, Dunn Loring, VA, unless otherwise noted. You may view additional information on upcoming workshops and register for workshops online at https://www.fcps.edu/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center/workshops-parents-educators-and-community.
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Special Education: Understanding the Process and Collaborating with Your School
• What is special education?
• How do children qualify for services?
• What is Least Restrictive Environment?
• What is the difference between accommodations and modifications?• What is an IEP?
• What are the roles and responsibilities of IEP team members?
• How can I work with the school team to develop an IEP?
• How do I advocate for my child at school and in the IEP process?
Presented by Mary Beth Harrison-Cunningham, Manager of the FCPS Parent Resource Center, and Susan Kannengiesser, FCPS Procedural Support Liaison.
Friday, March 6, 2020, 10 a.m.-noon. Will be recorded for the PRC YouTube Channel.
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Drugs, Alcohol, and Vaping: What Every Parent Needs to Know
Talking with your teen or young adult can be challenging. Having meaningful, ongoing conversations about drugs and alcohol, however, is key to helping keep your son or daughter healthy and safe.
Presentation highlights:
• Current trends in substance use and abuse.
• Image of substances on physical and emotional development.
• Paraphernalia display and discussion.
• Tools for parents.
Presented by Brian Maslowski, FCPS Alcohol, Tobacco, and other Drugs teacher.
Friday, March 20, 2020, 10 a.m.-noon.
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Sibshops
An exciting workshop for brothers and sisters of children with special needs!
• Session 3: Saturday, March 21, 2020. This session will be held at Gums Springs Community Center and Providence Community Center.
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Launching Your Adolescent into Adulthood
A recent survey of young adults in the US reported that nearly 45% of young adults between the ages of 18 and 34 now live with their parents – even though they are employed.
This session will provide:
• 10 tips to help launch your young adult successfully into adulthood.
• Strategies to teach your child “soft” employment, money management, and communication/self-advocacy skills.
Presented by Dr. Amy Fortney Parks, LPC, ACS, founder and owner of The Wise Family – Counseling & Assessment services in Alexandria and Arlington.
Friday, March 27, 2020, 10 a.m.-noon. Will be recorded for the PRC YouTube Channel.
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Fitness Activities: A Parent’s Guide to Getting Your Child Moving
Learn fun activities for the whole family to get your child moving while reinforcing a wide range of skills needed to participate in physical education.
You will learn how to:
• Motivate your child to be physically active.
• Use provided games to enhance movement while reinforcing the adaptive skills students need to be successful in PE.
Presented by Phyllis Orner, FCPS Adapted PE Specialist, and Manda Tirado and Christy Slone, FCPS Adapted PE Teachers.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020, 10 a.m.-noon.
Lending Library
The Parent Resource Center Lending Library contains over 7,000 books, DVDs, and CDs on topics related to parenting and educating all children including those with learning challenges, mental health concerns, special needs, and disabilities. Learn more about our lending library at https://www.fcps.edu/node/31312.
Sample of materials available for checkout:
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It’s Hard to be a Verb!, by Julia Cook.
When Louis has trouble paying attention and sitting still, his mother has a few ideas to help him focus.
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Screamfree Parenting: The Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool, by Hal Edward Runkel, LMFT.
Introduces a practical approach to parenting that explains how to overcome the stresses and anxieties of parenting by learning how to relate to children in a calm, cool, and connected way. (CD)
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Ages and Stages: A Parent’s Guide to Normal Childhood Development, by Charles E. Schaefer and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo.
Tips and techniques for building your child’s social, emotional, interpersonal, and cognitive skills.
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A Crooked Kind of Perfect, by Linda Urban.
Ten-year-old Zoe Elias, who longs to play the piano but must resign herself to learning the organ, instead finds that her musicianship has a positive impact on her workaholic mother, her jittery father, and her school social life.
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Train Your Angry Dragon: A Cute Children Story to Teach Kids About Emotions and Anger Management (My Dragon Books), Volume 2, by Steve Herman.
Andrew explains the unique problems involved in having a dragon for a pet – particularly the dangers that an angry dragon poses.
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Hot Stones and Funny Bones: Teens Helping Teens Cope with Stress and Anger, by Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.
Provides an inside look at ways in which teens cope with their stress and anger, such as keeping a journal, meditating, or having a good laugh, and includes advice for parents and other teens.
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Real Life ADHD! A DVD Survival Guide for Children and Teens (DVD), by Chris A. Zeigler Dendy and Alex Zeigler.
Real Life ADHD! contains first-hand real experience direct from the hearts of young people who have lived with ADHD.
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Children and Divorce: Children Teaching Children About Divorce (DVD), by Professor Child.
By sharing their personal stories and perspectives, the eight children featured in this video offer advice, hope, and a relatable message to other children coping with divorce.
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Last One Picked…First One Picked On: Learning Disabilities and Social Skills (DVD), by Richard D. Lavoie.
Playing with friends is a happy ritual for most children, but kids with learning disabilities are often isolated and rejected, lacking the social skills to make and keep friends. Richard Lavoie shows how to help these kids succeed in every-day situations.
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I Can Do That!: A Book on Self-Regulation, by Kayla J. W. Marnach.
Told through rhyme from a child’s point of view, strategies are shared empowering the child to effectively learn and practice ways they can control their emotions and actions when they feel themselves becoming dysregulated. The questions at the end of the book provide an easy transition for counselors and parents to open a discussion, assisting the child in exploring ways they can learn to manage themselves.
About the Parent Resource Center (PRC)
The Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Parent Resource Center (PRC) provides resources, information, and consultations to support the success of all students. Confidential consultations, an extensive lending library, and a year-long calendar of workshops are offered for parents, educators, and community members. For more information please visit the PRC website at https://www.fcps.edu/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center.
Assistive Technology Services (ATS)
During the 2019-20 school year, ATS will be offering training sessions focused on the use of high-end Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. Participants will learn basic programming and maintenance of the devices, as well as integration ideas. These sessions are open to both staff and parents of students using the specific devices. To register, contact the ATS Resource Teacher who supports your school. March sessions will include the following topics:
- March 10, 2020, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., PRC Devices – Lanier Middle School
- March 20, 2020, 9 a.m.-noon, Words for Life App – Leis Center
- March 23, 2020, 9 a.m.-noon, Proloquo2Go App – Leis Center
- March 26, 2020, 9 a.m.-noon, Words for Life App – Virginia Hills Center
Extended School Year (ESY)
ESY 2020 direct, class-based service dates will be June 29 – July 24, 2020. July 3 will be a holiday. Information regarding site locations and bell schedules is available on the ESY website at: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/academic-overview/special-education-instruction/extended-school-year-esy-services .
Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD)
The ACSD monthly meeting will take place on March 11th at Dunn Loring Center in room 108 beginning at 7 p.m. The major purpose of the ACSD is to provide an opportunity for parents and other school board appointees on the committee to have a voice in the way FCPS provides services to students with disabilities. The ACSD is an extension of the FCPS school board since members are appointed by them, and the ACSD provides an annual report and recommendations to the school board. For more information, please visit the ACSD website at https://www.fcps.edu/committee/advisory-committee-students-disabilities-acsd-2019-20 .
ESPECIALLY FOR STAFF MEMBERS
Assistive Technology Services (ATS)
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Building Self Determination
In the Building Self Determination TOPS Group, teachers will develop an understanding of the elements of self-determination and the I’m Determined Project in order to better support students’ growth in advocacy for themselves and others at home, school, and in the community. Participants will also learn about the AT Ambassador Program and the ways that FCPS students are already working to increase inclusive models in their schools. Teachers of students from elementary through transition aged students who participate will use, adapt, and/or create resources that will be shared on the ATS website. All course information and communications are delivered through FCPS Google Classroom. Online from March 2 to April 3, 2020.
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Learning Ally
Join this online opportunity to explore Learning Ally. We will cover a review of basics, new features, engaging your students, growing your community, and reading incentives. You will need to have access to Learning Ally to get the most out of this group. All course information and communications are delivered through FCPS Google Classroom. Online from March 3 to March 31, 2020.
Career and Transition Services (CTS)
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Transition Tip Tuesday: Transition Goals and Benchmarks
As part of an initiative this school year, Career and Transition Services (CTS) will provide monthly mini trainings for special education staff in the high schools. On the first Tuesday of each month, CTS will deliver targeted and relevant information to school staff regarding effective transition planning. For March, the topic focus is on school-based transition services.
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Transition Works: Start Smart – Finish Strong (#AC-2659)
CTS is offering this 1 credit Academy Course (30 points) this spring. Participants enrolled in this course will understand the intent behind IDEA mandates specific to post-secondary preparation. If you are an educator who works with students with disabilities or aspires to work in special education and are interested in improving post-secondary outcomes through transition services, consider taking this course. The five-session course will be held on Wednesdays through the month of March (March 4, 11, 18, and 25), ending on April 1. Class will be held from 4:45 to 7:45 p.m. at Willow Oaks Administrative Center. Course registration is in MyPDE. If you have any questions, contact course instructors Sharon Denisar (SADenisar@fcps.edu) or Sue Eaton (seeaton@fcps.edu).
ESY and Assessment
Don’t forget to collect data for Extended School Year (ESY) discussions during IEP meetings. A specialist from ESY and Assessment would be glad to schedule a time to speak to school teams about ESY criteria and goal writing.
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ESY Job Opportunities
ESY Direct, class-based service dates will be June 29 – July 24, 2020. July 3 will be a holiday. Job opportunities are available now. A link to the various positions can be found on our intranet site at: http://fcpsnet.fcps.edu/ssse/sei/esy/ under ESY Job Opportunities. Instructional staff contracts will begin in June, so please make note of the start date for these positions as all staff are expected to work on all contracted days.
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Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP)
Selection of scorers for the VAAP Scoring Event will be completed in March 2020. Applicants will be notified if selected to score. Scorers will be required to attend one full day of scorer training and two days for the grade relevant scoring event.
- VAAP scorer training dates:
- Monday, March 30, 2020 – Willow Oaks, Room 1000-B
- Tuesday, March 31, 2020 – Willow Oaks, Room 1000-B
- VAAP binder turn-in deadline: April 15, 2020 – Test Distribution Center (TDC)
- VAAP scoring event dates:
- Secondary: April 21-22, 2020 – Virginia Hills
- Elementary: April 23-24, 2020 – Virginia Hills
Office of Special Education Instruction (OSEI) Trainings for Staff Members
During the month of March, OSEI is offering the following trainings for staff members. Registration is available in MyPDE. For more information about OSEI trainings, visit: http://fcpsnet.fcps.edu/ssse/trainings/osei/
- Building Independence – Course #SS-33275
- Building Literacy Opportunities Using Story-Based Lessons – Course #SS-33112
- Collaborative Team Lead Trainings – Course #SS-22089
- Connecting Math Concepts – Course #SS-33247
- Corrective Reading Decoding & Comprehension – Course #SS-27050
- High Leverage Practices for Cat B – Course #SS-33349
- Reading Mastery – Course #SS-33249
Note: Intranet access is required to open some of the links in this email. If you're using a mobile device or working remotely, you can connect to the intranet via the Pulse Secure VPN (Virtual Private Network). Email RequestIT@fcps.edu with questions.
Department of Special Services
Teresa L. Johnson, Assistant Superintendent
Michael Bloom, Director, Office of Special Education Instruction
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