The Connection

It was nice having a long weekend, but it was also great being back with our students! This edition of The Connection is full of important information! We share some family friendly local events going on, as well as a Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports at Home parent training. Do you struggle at times getting your child to listen and follow through? Join us on Sept 28th to learn some positive strategies to use at home!

You will also find information on how to seek eligibility for resources through the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs. And don't miss the short video about the South Carolina High School Employability Credential. This is a great opportunity for many of our non-diploma seeking students.

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!

Our Programs for Exceptional Children teachers and assistants participate yearly in a behavior management and crisis intervention training called Safety Care. This program teaches strategies and skills in de-escalation, behavior management and helping our students in self-regulation.

We are offering a similar training for our parents! It is powerful when our students see both their parents and teachers using the same strategies to model and help them manage their own behavior.

We would love for you to join us for one of these monthly 2 hour sessions. Please fill out the form below if you would like to be scheduled for one of our future sessions. They will be taught in small groups by Kelly Long, our Autism Coordinator and Erika Chapman our Parent Liaison.

Family Safety Care Parent Training Event

"Parents, do you feel like you are constantly saying “No/Stop/Don’t” to your child? Learning about how to use the power of positive phrasing can be an asset for parents everywhere....

So, how do we put a positive spin on the way we are delivering instructions, and also ensure that the child will comply? Try phrasing your request as a positive statement. By doing so, you are teaching your child what you want to see them doing more of. Add in a little positive reinforcement after they complete the task and you will see the power of positive phrasing come to life!"

Read Dana Howell's entire post on The Power of Positive Phrasing here.

How to limit the overuse of "No/Stop/Don't".

Say this:

"It's time to use walking feet." instead of "STOP running!"

"Let's take a few out at a time." instead of "DON'T dump your toys!"

"Show me how your quiet voice sounds." instead of "NO yelling!"

"I have something to tell you. Come closer so you can hear it." instead of "GET over here!"

"Use two hands when you carry that." instead of " DON'T spill that!"

REMEMBER: Label the behavior that you would like to see more of and begin each interaction with a positive statement.

Would you like some help with teaching your child some new skills and positive behaviors at home? We would love for you to join us at our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Parent Training!

Join us on Thursday, September 28th from 1:00pm-3:00pm

in Room 213 at the McClenaghan Bldg at 500 S Dargan St

for a Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports at Home parent training

led by representatives from the Federation of Families.

We would love to see you there! Register here: PBIS Parent Training Registration

Does your child receive services through DDSN?

South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) provides services to eligible children and adults with severe, lifelong disabilities. They serve people in 7 different categories of eligibility.

• Intellectual Disability
• Related Disability (i.e., a disability related to an Intellectual Disability)
• High Risk Infant
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Head Injury
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Similar Disability (i.e., a disability similar to a head [traumatic brain] or spinal cord injury)

DDSN is an important agency for your child to be connected with for both now and in the future. To request DDSN eligibility:

• Call Toll Free 1-800-289-7012, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
• Have the following information about the applicant available:
  • Full Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Social Security Number
  • Medicaid Number if Medicaid eligible
  • Home Address
  • Phone Number
  • E-mail Address, if available
• Plan to spend about 15 minutes on your call.

If you have questions or need assistance with this process call Erika Chapman at (843)-292-1008 or email at echapman@fsd1.org.

If your student has an IEP, and is not working toward a diploma; there are other great opportunities for them, including the South Carolina High School Employability Credential.

The SCHS Employability Credential offers applicable students with disabilities the opportunity to work towards a uniform, state-recognized credential. The purpose of the South Carolina High School Employability Credential is to provide job-readiness opportunities for students throughout the state, ensure they have evidence of employability skills, and honor the work they have undertaken in our public schools.

Check out the video above for more detailed information about the South Carolina High School Employability Credential. If you would like to know more please reach out to our Florence 1 Transition Coordinator, Kandee Shelor at 843-292-1005 or kshelor@fsd1.org.

September is National Self-Care Awareness Month! It’s a time to
reflect on the habits and techniques that you have in place to take care of yourself and live a more fulfilling life! Let’s get the care you need this September at the Florence Wave Fest!
Saturday, September 16
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Florence County Library, 509 S. Dargan St.
The Florence Wave Fest is a FREE community event that promotes wellness by connecting children, youth and families to available resources and fun activities! Food Truck(s)! Kids Zone! Live Entertainment! Resources! Health Screenings and much more!

Explore the Wellness Village which has vendors providing free services to include financial advice, exercise instruction, health screenings, live entertainment and bouncy houses!

Visit www.fedfamsc.org/event/florencewavefest/

Saturday, September 16th at Sunset (predicted 7:30pm)

Come enjoy the Pirates of the Caribbean:The Curse of the Black Pearl at

The City Center Farmers Market

200 Sanborn Street, Florence, SC 29501

Concessions open at 6:30pm with hot dogs, candy & drinks - $1 each cash only

Popcorn is FREE

Bring your friends, family & chairs!

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 September? 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