Juice Plus+®

Announcements from February 27, 2008, NCCSE Community Advisory Committee Meeting

Testing Accommodations

OAR ANNOUNCES 2008 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Tennis Camps 4 kids with autism

Children With Autism May Learn From 'Virtual Peers'

Financial Struggles Plague Families Of Children With Autism

The Usual, I Need a Little Help, What Else is New?

Dad in Orange County looking for AIT participants

Mom needs info about sending son off to college

Looking for Aide

Need help getting therapies from Kaiser

"Eat more fruits and vegetables."

It's the one recommendation in almost every diet plan, every guide to nutrition, every fitness book. Even organizations such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the World Health Organization, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion agree. But as much as it's preached, most people still don't eat enough fruits and vegetables every day.
That's why there's Juice Plus+®.

If you can't afford prevention, then how will you afford disease?

Get Kids Involved
Give your kids some hands-on experience in the kitchen, and let the Fruit & Veggie Color Champions teach them about the importance of eating a colorful variety of fruits and veggies. These colorful friends guide children on fruit and vegetable exploring adventures that make learning fun. Join the Champions as their escapades take them through games, coloring, puzzles, and rhymes.

I never endorse anyone or anything. Opinions expressed in what I send out, may not be shared by me. Everything is for informational purposes only.

People who "advertise" through this newsletter have never been checked out by me. This includes professionals and even people who are interested in babysitting, etc.

Please take the time to throughly check out anyone and everyone that will be working with or caring for your child. We are all sadly aware, through news stories and word of mouth, of people who pray upon special needs children because of their extra vulnerability.

Thank you,
Valerie Dodd-Saraf

Check out my new website!

CAC announcements are provided as an opportunity to share information regarding special education- related activities and are not necessarily endorsed or sponsored by the CAC or the NCCSE.

NCCSE and Community Advisory Committee-Related Information

NCCSE Community Advisory Committee Meeting and Presentation
Focus Topics: IEP Goals and Objectives
Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Time 6:15 pm Networking/Refreshments
6:30 - 8:30 pm Community Advisory Committee Meeting

Parent Surrogate Training
Training for anyone interested in serving as an official surrogate parent for students who need representation at IEP meetings. Topics include responsibilities of surrogate parents, special education law, the IEP process and guidelines for interacting with students and staff.

If you are interested, please call (760-761-5120) or email ( lhoughtelin@sdcoe.net) Lisa Houghtelin, NCCSE Parent Liaison to arrange an appointment for training.

NCCSE Professional Development Opportunities Training Booklet

Includes NCCSE-sponsored staff and parent workshops. Booklet is available on line at www.nccse.org under the "Professional Development" link.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:
MAPs: Person Centered Planning (rescheduled from November 1) March 6
Building Blocks of Literacy for Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities March 10 and 11
Working with Students with Asperger's Syndrome March 17
Behavior Strategies for the Classroom for students with Autism March 18
Bipolar Disorder, Dr. Thomas Jensen March 24

Register at www.nccse.org and click on Professional Development, or contact Phuong Nguyen at 760-761-5114.

Ability Awareness in Action! Ability Awareness in Action is designed to give you the tools you need to present an Ability Awareness program at your site.

Presenter: Diana Pastor Carson
Date: March 28, 2008
Time: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Location: NCCSE/North County Regional Education Center
255 Pico Avenue, San Marcos, CA
Register at www.nccse.org and click on Professional Development, or contact Phuong Nguyen at 760-761-5114.

SAVE THE DATE!
Special Education Partnerships that Work for Your Child

For parents in the Carlsbad, Encinitas, and Solana Beach school districts. Developed and presented by special education directors and parents

Workshop One: Understanding the IEP Process
Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Workshop Two: Preparing for IEP's - Parent Perspectives
Date: Thursday, April 17, 2008
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

FYI, Just wanted to let everyone know that the 2008 Testing Accommodations relating to STAR testing, etc. are available on-line.

These are important to know when working with teachers in how to assess and test your student throughout the year and for state tests.

( FYI: STAR testing begins in 2nd grade.)

1. CA Dept of Ed - Testing Accommodations and Modifications (discusses STAR program accommodations & modifications)
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/documents/matrix1007.d oc

2. Accommodations Allowed in NAEP Assessments
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/nr/documents/accommodat ions.pdf

3. California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) (for children with significant cognitive delays)
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/capa.asp
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/participcritria.asp
(guidelines relating to STAR testing)
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/documents/participcriteri a.doc
(Guidelines for determining whether CAPA should be used)
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/coreadaptations.asp
(core adaptations that can be used for testing for nonverbal children, etc.)
http://www.startest.org/capa.html
(STAR testing)

4. STAR (standardized Testing and Reporting Program)
http://www.startest.org/instruct.html

5. High School CAHSEE generally: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/
CAHSEE waiver: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/waivercovltr.asp CAHSEE free study guide:
http://www.studyguidezone.com/pdfs/cahseeteststudyg uide.pdf
Requests for test variations:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/testvarletter.asp (District must propose them 30 days before the test)

Lucile Lynch

Arlington, VA, February 28-- The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) invites applications for the 2008 Schwallie Family Scholarship Program. OAR offers three one-time $3,000 scholarships annually to individuals on the autism spectrum pursuing undergraduate college degrees or post-secondary technical training. The scholarships fall into three categories: students attending four-year colleges, students attending two-year colleges, and persons with autism learning in trade schools or technical and vocational training programs. OAR will make one award in each category. Applications are due April 25; OAR will announce the awards in July.

OAR introduced the program last year thanks to the generosity of OAR Board member, Ed Schwallie, and his family, and received more than 80 applications. The recipients of the first Schwallie Family Scholarship awards were Meaghan Flemming Buck, Atco, NJ; Alexander William Smoot, Forest Hill, MD; and Luke Hutter Ross, Raynham, MA.

To be eligible, an applicant must be enrolled or accepted for admission for the fall 2008 semester at a two- or four-year college or university, or be accepted as a full-time trainee in a vocational/training program that will begin on or after September 1. The application consists of a personal essay and a letter of recommendation from someone other than a family member. For full details, please visit http://www.researchautism.org/news/otherevents/Scho larship.asp.

#####
ABOUT OAR: The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is a national, nonprofit organization formed and led by relatives of children and adults with autism and Asperger Syndrome. OAR is dedicated to promoting research that can be applied to help families, educators, caregivers, and individuals with autism find much-needed answers to their immediate and urgent questions. Committed to the excellence in its services to the autism community, OAR funds applied research that will make a difference in individual lives; provides information that is timely, useful, and cost- efficient; and offers opportunities for the autism community to collaborate and make advances together.

In its first six years, OAR has awarded more than $1.4 million in support of 78 applied research studies and published four community-friendly resource guides in its Life Journey through Autism guide series: A Parent's Guide to Research, An Educator's Guide to Autism, An Educator's Guide to Asperger Syndrome, and A Guide for Transition to Adulthood.

Hi Valerie - I wrote you a few weeks ago in regards to swinging racquets 4 aces in which I give tennis lessons for kids with all special needs but especially love doing it for kids with autism becuase of all the great benefits behind learning the game and the physical fitness, eye coordination and other benefits I can list on in on for kids with autism. I am writing to you again because I have my own company and another company I have teamed up with with a website www.matchpointintl.org will be having a spring break tennis camps for kids of all ages $250 for the week for high school kids from 8am-12pm and then $150 a week for kids ages 4-10 at that time is 2pm to 5pm we can possible switch the hours or have 2 camps going on at the same time if we get enough interest. We take all credit cards, checks and cash. Please feel free to call Kelly Coffman at 619-520-8465 with any questions

ScienceDaily (Feb. 29, 2008) - Using "virtual peers" -- animated life-sized children that simulate the behaviors and conversation of typically developing children -- Northwestern University researchers are developing interventions designed to prepare children with autism for interactions with real-life children.

Justine Cassell, professor of communication studies and electrical engineering and computer science, recently presented a preliminary study on the work at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

"Children with high-functioning autism may be able to give you a lecture on a topic of great interest to them but they can't carry on a 'contingent' -- or two-way -- conversation," said Cassell, director of Northwestern's Center for Technology and Social Behavior.

ScienceDaily (Feb. 29, 2008) - The information that a child has been diagnosed with autism often throws parents into an emotional tailspin. A new study from a University of Missouri researcher says most people don't immediately consider the major financial struggles that follow. She suggests more outreach is needed to help families plan and cope with the profound financial life changes they may face.

Dear Valerie:
It's been a long time, boy, your e-newsletter is very "hi- tech", and interestingly, I just made a vow for 2009's New Year Resolution to become more "tech-savvy". There are tons of links, tons of info, it's fabulous. I also see that you're a bit more focused on Southern California, I guess us New Yorkers can be very persistent especially when we see a "good thing" like Valerie's List. We have Elijah.org, but it doesn't seem (at least the last time that I looked) to have the breadth of what you're doing in California. I always tell my husband that if we want to move, it would have to be to CA. We're pretty much tied to NY, because we both have our law licenses here, and I'm too old to start taking another bar exam, especially California's bar exam.

Anyway, I hope that all is well with you and your family. Your assistance in my early years with William was invaluable, and always right on the money. He is in first grade now, a general education class with a shadow and doing fine. This year was a tough transition for him (and me) though, and I'm feeling a little burnt out. There are so many areas that I try to focus on, but invariably, something gets the short end of the stick. Now, I'm finally doing more of a physical therapy and occupational therapy shift (of course, I focus on speech and language, because that's his primary deficit, but the wires are untwisting, and he's also quite sociable and very likable, he really has a very humorous and wonderful nature, the other kids really like him which is a big plus).

Back to the question, my pediatrician recently recommended additional physical therapy for William. She directed me to a "PT" who I thought she advised was also a personal trainer, and she told me that he handled many children with developmental delays and disabilities. I thought "wow", a physical therapist and personal trainer, what a great combination, we can hit a lot of targets here. Well, I brought William in for what I thought was a "PT" evaluation, I left the gym and all seemed fine. The following week I read the evaluation and it just didn't seem like the typical "PT" evaluation that I had received in the past. William also wanted me to come in for the second session and I noticed that the "PT" had difficulty in getting William to engage in activity with him (we were in a large health club gym with lots of equipment and William was very drawn to the equipment, but the "PT" wanted him to work on ball catching, push ups, sit ups, etc.), so I suggested let him do 10 push ups and then as a reinforcer, let William go on one of the machines, and that's how the session was running with a lot of intervention from me. Toward the end of the session I asked our "PT" are you a "physical therapist" or a "personal trainer", and he told me that he was a "personal trainer" and not a physical therapist.

This is the first time in a long time that I felt at a loss. Well, I'm dusting myself off and trying to get back on the horse, so here I am with you asking whether anyone has had experience in using a personal trainer who specializes in working with children with PDD diagnoses. Ideally, and I don't know whether people combine the two, but a physical therapist/personal trainer is a great combination for kids on the spectrum who need exercise as well as improvement with gross motor delays. I don't know, however, whether these professionals exist, so I'm asking the question, do they?

I also am not quite sure where you post questions from people on the website, and of course, the responses of others. Anyone can feel free to e-mail me relating to this question, or anything else, not that we're far enough down the road to offer too much advice, but as my mother always says, you just have to stay one chapter ahead of the class.

Warmest regards and many thanks as always for throwing me a life line whenever I need it. I hope that one day I can give back to the many members who receive your e-mails who have helped me, and I'm working on it.

Gratefully Yours,
Susan

Dad in Orange County looking for other families in the area who are interested in Berard Audiory Iintegration Training (A.I.T.) Last year, Dad drove his son almost 2 hours each way everyday for his son to participate in an AIT session with AIT for YOU. He would like him to repeat AIT this spring. He wonders, are there other parents in Orange County who want Berard AIT? If so, email me AIT for YOU for more specifics and details. We want to organize a group in Orange County, perhaps during spring break April 4-13, 2008.

Terrie Silverman terries@execpc.com
Phone: 262.569.7828 Fax: 262.569.1011
Website: www.AITforYou.com

Dear Val and Val's list,
I am interested in anyone who has sent their high - functioning child with autism off to college. My son Ben, a high school junior right now, is planning to go to away to college and we are worried but hopeful. He took the SAT (without accommodations) yesterday, I am keeping my fingers crossed he did well. We feel he needs to go somewhere he has family support but also want him to achieve his dreams. He has decent grades, but some residual issues (sensory and social). Any advice out there? Thanks, Erin Kenney

Hi Valerie,
Thanks for sending useful info for me always. Would you post my request for seeking one on one aide for my daughter? She is 5 yrs. old and she belongs to high-functioning special Ed. class. She can communicate in verbal. I am looking for one on one aide for her tap & ballet class at Mira Mesa area on Saturdays at 10-11a.m. The class will start on April 12 and following 10 Saturdays and recital day (about 2 hours on one Sat. or Sun. afternoon in early or mid June). I prefer the person who knows behavior modification because she sometimes has big tantrum. Please e-mail me if anyone is interested in it.
Yumi