Family Bi-Weekly Update
This fall we will be offering Sibshops for both children and teens at our Northbrook location. We will begin each Sibshop as a large group for an opening activity and then separate into age groups (children and teens).
Fall In-Person Sibshop Dates for Children/Teens, ages 6-16 are as follows:
August 27
October 15
November 12
December 10
All In-Person Sibshops are on Sundays from 1pm to 3:30pm at our Northbrook location, 255 Revere Drive, Suite 200.
Virtual Sibshops, ages 7-12 (will be offered for Teens if there are enough participants)
Thursdays, 6-7pm
September 21
October 26
November 30
*Virtual Sibshops are for children who cannot participate in person AND for siblings who wish to connect between the in-person Sibshops.
In-Person Sibshops are $30 per session; partial scholarships are available. Virtual Sibshops are free of charge. Pre-registration is required for in-person and virtual Sibshops. Please contact Yuto Kanii or Tammy Besser if you have any questions and/or to request registration materials.
Registration is per Sibshop. Virtual Sibshops are free but registration is required to attend.
Children can attend one, two, three, or all of the Sibshop series. To register email: mailto:TamaraBesser@JCFS.org
LOCATION
Elaine Kersten Children's Center
255 Revere Drive, Suite 200
Northbrook, IL 60062
Navigating the IEP Process: Special Education Rights Webinar
September 23, 2023 10:00 AM via Zoom
Do you have questions about your child’s IEP, but don’t know how or when to ask them? Are you concerned about how your child’s IEP is being followed? Do you want to learn how to effectively prepare for your child’s IEP Meeting?
This webinar provides an overview of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and discusses the parents role as a member of the IEP team.
The presentation will also focus on:
-Individualized Education Program (IEP),
-Least Restrictive Environment (LRE),
-Procedural Safeguards.
-Preparing for your child’s IEP meeting.
-What to do after the meeting.
Curt's Cafe...the place to be!
Looking for a warm and cozy place to hang out on a Monday morning, either by yourself or with friends? Come by to enjoy a hot cup of coffee and fresh scone while you support TrueNorth Transition students demonstrate their amazing job readiness skills at this job training site. We're open for business every Monday that school is in session, from 9-11 am. Curt's Cafe is located at 1766 2nd Street in Highland Park.
Do you want to learn Sign Language? Or improve your current skills? CHS offers a variety of classes and tutors to meet your needs!
Adult Classes
CHS offers sign language classes both in person and through Zoom. We offer Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level classes for adults.
At this time, Youth Classes are being restructured and will be offered at a later date.
Class schedules and registration information: Click Here
*All classes are non-credit*
**All times are CST**
Questions? Contact CHSLearn@anixter.org
Custom Classes
CHS offers classes for companies and organizations. We make sure that we also adjust our curriculum based on your need. For example, we can add banking signs, residential living signs, medical signs, etc. Contact us to discuss your specific needs.
Tutoring
If you're looking for one-on-one support, CHS has sign language tutors ready to create lesson plans to meet your needs. Tutoring packages come in 10-session packs and are scheduled based. To request tutoring from CHS, Click Here.
The Illinois Autism Taskforce (IATF) is seeking feedback from parents and guardians on their understanding of the high school (Secondary) transition process.
The Autism Transition Subcommittee is conducting The IATF: Transition Sub-Committee Survey 2023 to assess parent/family knowledge when it comes to understanding services available for the autism population leading up to and during their high school transition years. By gaining understanding of this, the IATF as well as autism-based service entities and schools can target their messaging and parent education to better guide parents, students, and families with the goal of improving student success after high school.
This Survey makes no distinction between educational classification of autism or medical diagnosis, all are encouraged to complete the survey.
The survey will be available beginning September 1, 2023, ending December 1, 2023:
The survey should take 15 minutes and your responses are completely anonymous.
Winnetka Voices
Winnetka Voices is a podcast hosted by The Winnetka Public Schools, featuring candid conversations on issues relevant to education and shared resources to support our students and families.
Children In Therapy and You - Dad's Hang Out
This month's hang-out will be at 7:00pm at Spears in Wheeling.
Email: hello@cityofsupport.org with any questions or to sign up for email alerts. No RSVP required.
New! CATCH Conversations
Are your child's mental health struggles impacting you and your family? Are you wondering how to start finding help?
We recommend seeking support for yourself first with a CATCH Conversation.
Sign up and a CATCH volunteer will reach out to schedule a time to talk, meet for a cup of coffee, or go for a walk to give you a chance to share what's going on and learn how CATCH can support you.
Sound Experience: a social experience for families of children with hearing loss
Lurie Children's Sound Experience is a social experience for families of children with hearing loss. We offer Sound Experience four Saturday afternoons throughout the school year at our Outpatient Center in Westchester.
The program aims to provide:
- A network of parents of children with hearing loss who are going through or have gone through similar situations and to share experiences and information
- Information for families about hearing loss and how it affects our children
- An opportunity for children with hearing loss to meet other children with hearing loss
What to Expect at Sound Experience
- Parents informally share information and stories before the formal breakout sessions
- Children and siblings of all ages are entertained with a dedicated staff of volunteers
- Parents meet in an adjoining room to discuss the meeting’s topic
How to Get Involved
To learn more about Sound Experience, ask your audiologist or contact Cara Donahue at 312.227.3061 or cdonahue@luriechildrens.org.
ParentConnect: a family support group offered in partnership with The Chicago Lighthouse’s Virtual Parent Support Group
APH FamilyConnect and The Chicago Lighthouse are pleased to offer this virtual support group for parents and families of children who are blind or visually impaired. These monthly sessions are for families to connect with and learn from each other about the joys, challenges, and adventures of raising children with visual impairments and blindness. These sessions are open to families. You only need to register once for this ongoing series. The No ACVREP or professional development credits will not be available.
TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 neither endorses nor sponsors any external organization or activity represented in this material. The distribution or display of this material is provided as a community service.
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