Weekly Update November 7, 2025
Strive Center for Autism
Friendly Reminder - Holiday Schedules
Strive Centers will be CLOSED on the following dates:
Wednesday, November 26th - Friday November 28th (returning to therapy on Monday December 1st)
Monday, December 22nd - Friday January 2nd (returning to therapy on Monday January 5th)
Resource for Parent Workshops of all kinds!
Michigan Alliance for Families provides a wide variety of training opportunities for families, including an upcoming workshop titled "Empowered Parent IEP Workshop." Please see the attachment for a full list of workshops. Registration is required and can be accessed through the attachment.
It's getting colder outisde!
It's starting to feel chilly...and we go outside to play two times every day at Strive. Please be sure to send your child with a warm coat, mittens or gloves, hat, and boots if needed. We will practice putting all the gear on and taking it off at every recess. You are welcome to send the extra items in your child's backpack or in a separate bag. Please let your tech know if you want the winter gear to come home every night, on the weekends, or to stay at Strive.
Weather Related Closure
The Strive Center for Autism will plan to be open and available for services as much as possible. In the event that we may need to cancel sessions, we will provide as much notice as we can.
Parents must sign up for our www.remind.com account, and we will inform families of any cancellations through that account. (Please ask your therapist if you are not signed up for Remind.)
The following guidelines will be used to make a decision to close due to weather:
● Because our families transport their children, the Strive Center may not close due to cold temperatures.
● A decision to close will be made by 6:00am and posted on www.remind.com.
● The Strive Center will close when driving conditions in and around Brighton or Burton are noted to be dangerous.
● Please note that locations close individually; one center may be closed while the other is open.
Parents will not be charged any fee for days cancelled by the Strive Center.
Holiday Tips
With the holidays fast approaching, here are a few tips that we hope will de-stress the season a bit for you!
• Prepare! Help your child understand when different things are going to take place – use a calendar to count down days until a big visit, or use a visual schedule for the special day – we’re happy to help you design something.
• Decorate! Some children find decorations disruptive. Be sure to engage your child in decorating as much as possible, and be clear about the rules for decorations – if you have some that can’t be touched, tell your child clearly and consistently. We can provide visual supports to indicate things that can’t be touched. We will decorate at the center (as we always do!) but everything here can be touched and enjoyed by the children. We will help practice with your child if you need him to learn to keep his hands off.
• Take a break! Teach your child to ask for a break when things get overwhelming, and make sure that at any get together, there’s a quiet, calm place for your child to go. At home, it can simply be his bedroom, if you’re visiting family, ask ahead if there’s a bedroom or small space that can be kept quiet for your child. Let other family members know that when he’s in this space, he should be left alone, and family should try to keep noise to a minimum. If your child can’t yet ask for a break, gently direct him to this space when he appears overwhelmed.
• Travel with his favorites! If you’re traveling, make sure you bring favorite toys, comfort objects, and foods. A little familiarity can go a long way to ease stress.
• Share pictures of the family! Prepare a photo album of all the relatives that you expect to see over the holidays – send it in to therapy, and we’ll be happy to show your child the pictures, and remind him who he’ll be seeing. If you email the pictures to your BCBA, we can print them and keep them here – just let us know what your child calls each person.
• Prepare your family members! If you’ll be seeing people you don’t see often, let them know what your child responds well to, and what he doesn’t like. Let them know what questions he’s likely to answer, and what he struggles with. Let them know what games and toys he likes, so the kids can all play together.
• Let us know what we can do to help! Tell us what you’ve struggled with in holidays past, and we’ll be happy to help you make a plan for this year, or teach skills that will help. We can work on opening presents, taking turns, and vocabulary related to the holidays your family celebrates.
• Relax and enjoy! Don’t over-schedule your family this year – sometimes just a small get together with a few family members is the best for everyone. Use this time to reflect on all the changes in your child and your family over this past year. Give yourself a giant pat on the back for bringing your child to therapy and committing to his progress.
Grant Information for Families
We know how hard all our families work to ensure their children have everything they need. We like to share information on available grant programs with you periodically as a way to help.
Bluestone Voices for Autism This program awards financial aid each quarter to support families of and providers for children on the autism spectrum. We have had families have success with this program in the past, and they have a deadline of September 5th for this quarter's awards.
United Healthcare Children's Foundation This program has some eligibility requirements outlined at the link, but reviews applications on an ongoing basis, so there is no specific deadline to apply. We have had families receive grants from this organization as well.
Autism Speaks Grant Info This page lists a variety of grants for families affected by Autism.
Meet the team!
Emma joined Strive in May 2025, bringing with her valuable experience as a Behavior Technician. Emma is currently working toward her Associate's degree in Psychology. Emma plans to continue her education with a Bachelors in Behavioral Science, and she’s not stopping there — she’s also paving the way to earn her Master’s and become a BCBA.
Outside of work, Emma loves spending quality time with her friends and family, trying out new activities, and exploring new travel destinations whenever she can.
Vacations and other time off
We'll just keep this link right here, for your convenience. For any absences scheduled in advance, please use this form to report the dates. You may take an entire day or half day, depending on your needs.
Here are some upcoming dates that the centers will be closed:
Wednesday, November 26th - Friday November 28th - BOTH centers closed for Thanksgiving
Monday, December 22nd - Friday January 2nd - BOTH centers closed for holidays
If your family is planning a longer absence around one of those dates, or at another time, please let us know as soon as you are able!
About Us
Email: info@sc-centers.com
Website: www.sc-centers.com
Location: Burton and Brighton, MI
Phone: 810-344-8082