Special Education Information from Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA) - February 2021
2/2/2021 10:19 am
The following events were compiled by the Fairfax County Special Education PTA (SEPTA). Many of the events are relevant to all Clermont families.
All these opportunities are online and FREE unless noted.
In most cases you must register if registration information is provided.
ADHD Summit
Mon.-Fri. Feb. 1-5, schedule provided at registration
ADHD experts share experience and tips for helping children with ADHD thrive.
Talk Saves Lives
Tue. Feb. 2, 7:00-8:30 pm
Suicide can be prevented. Learn how by recognizing common risk factors, and warning signs, and learning appropriate responses.
Superpowers Activate: Embracing ADHD and Autism
Learn about the positive aspects of autism and ADHD.
Wed. Feb. 3, 7:00-8:30 pm
Which Therapy is Right for That?
Thu. Feb. 4, 11 am-noon
An expert panel highlights common therapies, their benefits, and how they can complement each other.
Innovative Child Therapy Symposium
Mon.-Fri. Feb. 8-12, daily pre-recorded sessions available
Parents interested in innovative therapies and therapists may wish to attend this symposium for clinicians and therapists.
Advice from Siblings: What We’ve Learned and How We’re Involved Now
Tue. Feb. 9, 11-noon
A panel discusses what it means to be a sibling of someone with DD, how it shaped their lives, and tips for other siblings.
Behavior Therapy Techniques: The Gold Standard Treatment for Children with ADHD
Tue. Feb. 9, 7:00-8:30 pm
Learn some techniques you can use right away to help manage challenging behaviors and ways to teach your child how to cope with difficult emotions.
Escape from Escape: A Guide to Digital Use Disorders for Parents: Lockdown Edition
Tue. Feb. 9, 7:00-8:30 pm, $10
Learn how to create reasonable but effective screen limits. The challenges of lockdowns and distance learning will be addressed.
Kinship Café
Wed. Feb. 10, 6:30-8:00 pm
Kinship caregivers are now meeting virtually to discuss the joys and challenges of raising a child for a family member or friend.
Lunch and Learn: Autism and the Black Family
Thu. Feb. 11, noon
A Black therapist and mom to a child with autism shares her knowledge and perspective.
The OCD-ADHD Link: What You Should Know When You Have Both
Thu. Feb. 11, 1 pm, with replay link
Recognizing and treating the often-overlooked dual diagnosis of ADHD and OCD are key to managing symptoms and improving outcomes.
Charting a New Course: Introducing a Deeper D.I.V.E.
Thu. Feb. 11, 7 pm
This is the first in Virginia PTA’s series on Diversity and Inclusion via Education (D.I.V.E.). Learn about one PTA’s work on equity challenges at their school.
From Chaos to Calm
Fri. Feb. 12, 10:00-11:30 am
Learn practical tools that you can apply immediately to restore your calm, focus, and ability to cultivate joy and connection in your family.
Strategies to Support Social Emotional Learning at Home
Wed. Feb. 17, 6:30-8:00 pm, OR Fri. Feb. 19, 10:00-11:30 am
Help children develop social-emotional know-how with strategies for modeling skills, attitudes, and behaviors.
How Playfulness Can Help Us Use Change to Our Advantage
Wed. Feb. 17, 7-8 pm
Discover how a playful attitude helps us accept our mistakes and broaden our experiences as learners, parents, and educators.
Teaching Your Children to Follow Directions
Thu. Feb. 18, 10:00-11:30 am, OR 6:30-8:00 pm
Parents are provided an instructional overview with strategies for supporting their children’s ability to follow directions.
Introduction to Autism and ABA
Thu. Feb. 18, 11 am
Gain a basic understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which is a common therapy for autism.
Managing the Angry Child
Fri. Feb. 19, 10:00-11:30 am
Learn techniques to help K-8 children in managing their anger and ways to teach skills to help them do so.
SPAN Forum on Coping with Grief and Loss
Mon. Feb. 22, 6:00-7:30 pm
Learn about healthy ways to process loss and grief, including the loss of important rituals during the pandemic.
Building LGBTQ Awareness and Acceptance: A Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Family Sensitivity Training
Mon. Feb. 22 and (not or) Mon. Mar. 1, 6:30-8:00 pm
Learn how to provide vital emotional support to LGBTQ children and youth to decrease their vulnerability to depression and suicide.
Understanding Behavior: What are Children with ASD Communicating?
Wed. Feb. 24, 7:00-8:30 pm
Gain an expanded understanding for the possible reasons a child with ASD may be acting in a counter productive way, and how to respond.
Lunch and Learn: Distance Learning for Students with ASD
Thu. Feb 25, noon
Explore a new tool for distance learning for students with ASD with both classroom and home setting supports.
12 Principles for Raising a Child with ADHD
Thu. Feb. 25, 1 pm, with replay link
Learn to provide unconditional support in the face of meltdowns, disorganization, and academic challenges.
Courageous Conversations: Creating a Safe Space in Our PTAs
Thu. Feb. 25, 7 pm
This is the 2nd in VAPTA’s series on diversity and inclusion. It will focus on antiracism in creating a safe space within the school community.
Is it Over Yet? How to Help Your Child Cope with the Pandemic and the Eventual Return to Normalcy
Fri. Feb. 26, 10:00-11:30 am
Help children cope with general stress, uncertainty about the future, the continuation of virtual school, and loss of social interaction.
Ongoing and On Demand
Dyslexia & the IEP: How to Make Sure the IEP Is in Tip-Top Shape
Webinar, available 24/7
Accommodations for Recreational Classes and Camps with Fairfax County Parks
Accommodations include physical accessibility, ASL interpreters, assistive devices, sensitivity training for classmates, and staff training.
Scholarships for Classes with Fairfax County Parks
Children of families that receive public assistance (medicaid, free school lunch, SNAP, TANF) are eligible to take one set of classes per quarter for a $15 registration fee.
NAMI Basics
This 6-session course is for adults who provide care for youth (ages 22 and younger) who are experiencing mental health symptoms (including ADHD and ASD).
Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy Training
Learn about special education law, rights and responsibilities; tests to measure progress and regression; SMART IEPs; and strategies for effective advocacy.
The Parent Playbook — 9 Module Online Course on Autism
From the VCU Autism Center for Excellence & Virginia Autism Council. An introduction on Autism Spectrum Disorder for families, including tips for caregivers, characteristics, interventions and recommended programs and services.
Support Groups for Parents
All these support groups are open to newcomers, most are online, and they are free, except where noted. No diagnosis is required to participate. Participants are typically given the opportunity to share their story, experience support, and glean guidance (as desired) from group members regarding both community and school resources. Confidentiality is respected.
Alpha Moms This support group for adoptive parents meets monthly in McLean. Contact:
robin4brady@gmail.com
Autism Dads meets one evening monthly. Contact: George Buzby at 571-419-1257 or
gbuzby@aol.com
Autism Society of Northern Virginia Virtual Support Group 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, 1:00-2:30 pm via Zoom. Meeting ID: 83085728013
Business Networking Event for Special Needs Parents
Alternate Fridays, May 29 and following, 9:00-10:30 am
Via Zoom. Connect with fellow special needs parents and business owners, build your referral network, and share best practices. Contact:
https://thearcofloudoun.org/networking/
CHADD: Children & Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
- Alexandria CHADD Parent Support Group 4th Mon. of each month at 6:30 pm. Contact: Alyssa ADHDParentMountVernon@gmail.com or call 303-903-9972.
- Loudoun County CHADD Parent Support 3rd Sun. evening of the month. Contact: Bonnie Little 571-306-2932 or on Facebook @loudounahdhsupport
- West Fairfax/Burke CHADD Parent Support Group 1st & 3rd Thur. of each month at 8:00 pm Contact: Cathy, ocgreulich@aol.com
CSB Family Support Group at Gatlan Center 2nd and 4th Wed. of each month 6:00-7:30 pm via Zoom Contact:
Samar.Chwairy@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-799-2882.
D.A.D.S. Dads Appreciating Down Syndrome 3rd Tue. each month, 7-9 pm via Zoom. Contact: George
gbuzby@aol.com or call 703- 545-6089.
Grupo de Chat para Padres: Unete a nuestro nuevo
GRUPO DE CHAT mediante la aplicación de WhatsApp y podras mantenerte al tanto de todo lo que PEATC Latino esta haciendo. Entra al GRUPO:
https://bit.ly/2VoU2vw (Chat Group for Latino Parents: Join our new CHAT GROUP through the WhatsApp application and you will be able to keep up to date with everything that PEATC Latino is doing.)
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness builds better lives for affected families. Arlington Parent Support Group meets two Sundays a month at 7:00-8:30 pm. Contact: Michelle Best
mczero@yahoo.com
OCD Family Support Group meets the 1st Mon. of each month, 7:30 pm. Contact:
ela.mike@verizon.net or call 202-215-5859
Parent Café (for all Fairfax County parents and guardians) meets via Zoom in English on Mon., 7:45-9:15 pm, and en español, miércoles, 7:00-8:30 pm. Register at least 24 hours in advance by email
BuildingStrongerFamilies@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-324-7720
Parents in a Pandemic is for families of children or young adults with developmental and/or behavioral challenges. They meet twice monthly, 5:30-6:30 pm on Tuesdays. Contact Diane Manning
dmonnig@thearcofnova.org .
Parents of Autistic Children (POAC-NOVA) Parent Support Group meets on Saturdays occasionally. Contact: Brianne Russel-Morris
administrator@poac-nova.org .
REACH Parent Support Group meets monthly to support parents of individuals with developmental disabilities who also have mental health or behavioral issues. Contact: Dr. Pourmand
mojgan.pourmand@eastersealsucp.com
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