parents and educators working together · talk four: overcoming depression: function-al coping...
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Hand-In-Hand Parents and Educators Working Together
A joint publication of the Special Education Citizens’ Advisory Committee (SECAC) and the Baltimore County Public Schools, Office of Special Education. Its purpose is to provide families and staff with information related to children with disabilities.
Volume 26, Issue 2 Winter 2019
Chairperson
Megan Stewart-Sicking
Secretary
Kim Parry
Past Chair
Elisa Hartman
Past Chair
P.J. Shafer
Resource Center Rep
Ellen Galvez
New Members Welcome!
On the Web:
www.bcps.org
To find SECAC on the web, look for
it under the Office of Special
Education.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM SECAC!
Our meetings are planned around specific topics of interest for parents of chil-dren with special needs. Each session is designed to help families learn about programs, possibilities and resources available in Baltimore County Public Schools. We hope you will consider joining us for any or all the scheduled SECAC meetings below. Registration is not required. All meetings are open to the public.
SECAC Schedule for the remainder of the school year
Date Topic
January, 2019 No meeting scheduled
Feb 4,2019 Autism
March 4, 2019 Literacy
April 1, 2019 Social & Emotional Learning
May 6, 2019 General Meeting/ Inclement Weather Make-up Date
Meetings are from 7-9 p.m.
Location: Greenwood Campus, Building E, Room 114
6901 Charles Street, Towson, MD 21204
If Baltimore County Public Schools are closed or close early for any reason, the SECAC meeting will be canceled.
Areas of Focus: Education & Advocacy
Our voices will continue to be used in a positive, organized effort to help par-ents and professionals convey information and experiences to leadership, to support the Office of Special Education in their goals, and to advise the Board of Education and top-level decision makers in Baltimore County Public Schools.
For information and updates join the SECAC Yahoo Group:
Go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo
Click on “sign in” then create a Yahoo ID (if you don’t have one)
Send an e-mail to: [email protected]
SPECIAL EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER (SERC)
FREE PARENT WORKSHOPS
You asked, we listened! Based on parent feedback evening workshops will now be offered at various locations throughout the county. We hope you will be able to join us for one or more events! Additional workshops will be offered in the Spring. Workshops are sponsored by the Baltimore County Office of Special Education, Special Education Resource Center located at The White Oak School. See below for event details and registration information.
2019 Winter Workshops
Help My Child is Anxious! Understanding Anxiety and How to Help Your Anxious Child
An overview of anxiety disorders and how they develop will be discussed. Additionally, the speaker will ad-dress common difficulties seen in anxious children; current treatment options for anxiety; and what par-ents can do to help their anxious child. Presented by Tana Hope, Ph.D. The Child and Family Therapy Clinic of the Department of Behavioral Psychology at Kennedy Krieger Institute
Wednesday January 30, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Catonsville Library Meeting Room
Wednesday February 20, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., White Marsh Library Meeting Room
Wednesday March 6, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Reisterstown Library Meeting Room
Wednesday March 27, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., North Point Library Meeting Room
Understanding Your Child’s IEP
This workshop is designed to give parents a more in depth examination of the components of their child ’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) document. A closer look at the IEP will help you learn what you need to know to become more effective as an equal member of your child’s IEP team. Presented by Attor-neys from Disability Rights Maryland
Wednesday February 6, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Reisterstown Library Meeting Room
Wednesday February 27, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., North Point Library Meeting Room
Wednesday March 20, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., White Marsh Library Meeting Room
Thursday March 21, 2019, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Catonsville Library Meeting Room
Registration is required and limited!
To register, please call or email the Special Education Resource Center
(410) 887-5443 [email protected]
Let us know in advance of any accommodations you may require
Let’s Talk Series Presented by Tana Hope, Ph.D. The Child and Family
Therapy Clinic of the Department of Behavioral Psycholo-gy at Kennedy Krieger Institute
All events will take place at White Oak School Main Training Lab. To register call SERC at (41 0) 887
-5443, or email [email protected].
Talk One: Help My Child is Anxious! Under-standing Anxiety and How to Help Your Anxious Child
An overview of anxiety disorders and how they de-velop will be discussed. Additionally, the speaker will address common difficulties seen in anxious children; current treatment options for anxiety; and what parents can do to help their anxious child.
Tues, January 29, 2019 10:00a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Talk Two: ADHD – Intervention Strategies for Home and School
Specific strategies that have been proven to be successful for improving your child’s behavior and successful learning will be provided. Topics cov-ered will include home-school communication, social interactions, executive functioning/ organizational skills, behavioral self-control, and homework/ class work completion.
Tues, February 5, 2019 10:00a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Talk Three: Behavior Management at Home
Effective home behavior management strategies for use with elementary age children and teens will be discussed. Emphasis will be on how to effective-ly improve your child’s behavior at home. Ways to increase cooperation, foster prosocial behavior and promote positive family interactions will be ex-plored.
Tues, February 12,2019 10:00a.m.–12:00p.m.
Talk Four: Overcoming Depression: Function-al Coping Skills for Parents to Share with their Teens & Tweens
Depression in Tweens and Teens is quite common, and the consequences can be devastating. In this workshop, parents and caregivers will learn about causes of depression, how to identify signs of de-pression versus naturally occurring teen moodiness, prevention strategies that can be completed by parents and/ or their child, and how to assist your child through their depression.
Tues, March 5, 2019 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Spotlight
Great things are happening in Baltimore County!
Shout out to the following groups who have
highlighted individuals with special needs and
promoted inclusion in recent months.:
PTA SEL Maria Eng, the Warren Elementary
School PTA and Warren Elementary School
for hosting the Maryland Ravens Wheelchair Bas-
ketball team for a disability awareness assembly.
Members of the WES staff and Eighth Grade stu-
dents rose to the challenge and played a great
game against the Ravens!
Lisa Burton, the staff and students at Edmon-
son Heights Elementary School for their cele-
bration of National Inclusive Schools Week in De-
cember. Students entered the “Together We’re
Better” Art Contest presented by Arc Baltimore,
listened to stories centered around inclusion dur-
ing Library, signed a “Go Orange for Inclusion”
Pledge and finished the celebration with a special
assembly hosted by Arc Baltimore where
amongst other speakers they met Al who shared
not only the challenges he experiences as an in-
dividual with Autism but his “superpowers” too!
Erin Hancock and Towson High School Best
Buddies program for hosting another fabu-
lous Snowball Dance for high school students in
our FALS and CLS Regional Programs.
To share exciting events taking place in your school
community email [email protected].
Meet Our New Parent Liaison
Ellen Galvez has been a Special Educator for over twenty years. She is a graduate of Boston University and is certified to teach both Elemen-tary and Special Education. Throughout her ca-reer she has worked with students ages 3-21 and their families with a variety of disabilities, predominantly Autism. Ellen is married with three kids ages 17, 15 & 12 and an easygoing Yellow Labrador. She enjoys yoga, barre, read-ing, traveling and the beach. Ellen has been in-volved in her children’s PTAs over the years and is proud to be a Wingman with Athletes Serving Athletes. Ellen can be reached at [email protected].
Community Bulletin Board
@SpecialEducationResourceCenterBCPS
@SERCBCPS
BCPS.org (under Office of Special Education)
MSDE Survey is coming!
Your voice is important! Make it your 2019 New Year Resolution to complete
the Maryland Special Education Involvement Survey. Survey packets should
be mailed to your home in early 2019.