The Connection

It's hard to believe that it's already February! There is a lot going on that you might be interested in! There is a free dental clinic coming up on Feb.18th, Famiily Connection SC Hopes & Dreams annual conference is March 27th and AutismConnect will be April 2nd! These are three great opportunities to check out! In this edition of The Connection you will also find a short video with tips for parents of students that use AAC AND a virtual parent training for parents of students with autism by our Autism Coordinator, Kelly Long.

We hope you'll take some time to read through these resources, and don't forget that if you need a question answered or just aren't sure where to turn, you can contact our Parent Liaison, Erika Chapman, at 843-292-1008 or echapman@f1s.org. She would love to connect with you!

Kelly Long, Autism Coordinator for Florence 1 Schools, will share information about common behaviors related to autism and strategies to help parents and guardians promote more positive behavior in the home and community.

Join us on

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

6:00 pm

Meeting will be virtual. Register below to receive the link to attend.

Register here: https://forms.gle/oyLgY5LQXUcobvw69

Contact Erika Chapman with questions at echapman@fsd1.org or 843-292-1008.

Registration is now open for AutismConnect 2025! The SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, the CAN Center and the SC Developmental Disabilities Council are proud to present AutismConnect 2025!

Event Details

• Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2025
• Time: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Location: Brooklyn Banquet and Conference Center, West Columbia, South Carolina

AutismConnect 2025 will feature:

• Hands-on sessions with tools and techniques you can immediately apply.
• Skill-building workshops, panel discussions, and opportunities for networking.
• Resources and insights tailored to individuals on the autism spectrum, caregivers, families, school professionals, and direct care providers.
• Visit 75 exhibitors to learn what resources are available in your community.
• Engage with experts at 21 unique presentations who have an in-depth knowledge of Atism.
• Connect with other families and build your support network.
• Free parking and registration!
• Free Continuing Education.
  
  

Bringing together the autism community for a day filled with connections, support, and understanding! Cost for attendees is FREE!! Attendance is limited to the first 700 registrants!

Click Here to Register for AutismConnect 2025

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at autismconnect@ddsn.sc.gov.

@instituteofchildpsych

• I believe you can handle this.
• Match your breath to mine.
• You are safe.
• You can do hard things.
• You feel so scared/worried; I get that.
• Everyone feels scared. Even me.
• What would you like to say to your worry.

Stop, Drop, and Stay in Control

• When parenting we sometimes.... Stand above the child.
• It can be more helpful to.... Be at eye-level with the child.
• When parenting we sometimes.... Give time-outs or ignore the child.
• It can be more helpful to.... Stay close until the child is calmer to connect.
• When parenting we sometimes.... Yell or raise our voice.
• It can be more helpful to.... Remain calm and speak at a relaxed tone.
• When parenting we sometimes.... Take their actions personally.
• It can be more helpful to.... Recognize children's emotions are often not about us.

View more resources at aap.org/TIC

"Have you ever worked with a student who appears to be randomly activating icons on their AAC?

You may hear people say that the child is “just stimming” or that they're “just playing with it” or they “aren’t using it functionally”. When in actuality, they're engaging in a very crucial part of language development!"

Rachel Madel explains more about this in her blog post that you can read here and in the short video below. If you work with a student that uses an AAC communication device make sure to check this out!

The Miracle League of Florence County is a modified style of baseball tailored towards participants with physical disabilities. This league is open to all ages, and is $20. Leagues are currently held in the Spring and Fall. All games are played on a new rubber-surface field at our Greenwood Park. The Miracle League is 7 weeks long (1 game per week) with 3 innings or 1 hour per game. All players get an at-bat each inning and they also have an on-field “buddy” that helps them during the game. Games are played during the week and Saturday mornings.

Please feel free to visit the Miracle League Facebook Page and the Miracle League Profile.

REGISTRATION for our 2025 Spring Season of Miracle League Baseball begins TODAY through February 27th with NO LATE REGISTRATION!!!

You can register online at the link below or call the Rec office at 843-667-0920. Don’t wait-get your athletes signed up!!

https://registration.florenceco.org/

Come join the fun and LET'S PLAY BALL!

Registration now open for our

Hopes & Dreams Conference!

Event Details: Thursday, March 27, 2025

R2i2 Conference Center (763 Fashion Dr, Columbia, SC 29229)

Join Family Connection SC for the annual Hopes & Dreams Conference—a day of learning, collaboration, and inspiration designed for parents, students, and professionals. They are excited to welcome two keynote speakers: Tanner Smith, a South Carolina native who came into the public eye after appearing on Season 2 of Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum, and "Quirky Kid" Amy Nelson, an autistic professional and award-winning author of Every Bunny Can Learn: A Tail of Inclusion. There will also be a wonderful array of workshops planned and CEUs available.

Limited Parent Scholarships are available—apply today!

Parent Scholarship Application
For more information, contact: Megan Branham

Sponsorship and Exhibitor opportunities are still available! Contact Jacki Garbinsky

Learn more and register!

Florence-Darlington Technical College offers Little Smiles FREE dental care!

When: Tuesday, Feb. 18

Where: HSC Dental Clinic/320 West Cheves Street/Florence

In honor of National Children's Oral Health month in February, the FDTC Dental Hygiene Department will be providig FREE dental care for children at our health Sciences campus.
FREE Dental Care, inluding:

• Dental assessments
• X-rays
• Cleanings
• Fluoride
• Sealants

Appointments are required to be seen. Please call 843-661-8224 or visit fdtc.edu/little-smiles-at-fdtc to make an appointment.

Erika Chapman is the Florence One Schools Parent Liaison for our Program for Exceptional Children. Erika serves as a liaison between teachers, parents, students, support staff and the community regarding educational programs, services and student issues in areas of Programs for Exceptional Children.

You will receive our PEC parent newsletter, The Connection, twice a month. It's full of helpful information, announcements and the dates for all upcoming parent training events. Erika can help parents/guardians to connect to resources both within and outside of the district; as well as get connected to agencies like DDSN, fill out paperwork for Medicaid and understand your child's IEP.

The Parent Liaison website also has lots of helpful resources for families. On the website you can find all past PEC newsletters and helpful webinars on Understanding Your Child's IEP and All About Resources in the Florence area. Check it out!

Please feel free to reach out to Erika if she can assist you in any way! Her email is echapman@fsd1.or and her phone number is 843-292-1008.

Do you want to know what your student's school is offering for breakfast and lunch during the month of February? Find out here!

We would love to hear from you! If you have a question or comment you can contact our Parent Liaison, Erika Chapman, at echapman@f1s.org or 843-292-1008 or visit the Parent Liaison website for helpful resources.

You also can contact us at exceptionalchildren@f1s.org or at 843-673-1161.

Email: exceptionalchildren@f1s.org
Website: f1s.org
Phone: (843) 673-1161