The Connection

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving break with family and friends! We are looking forward to these next couple weeks of finishing the year strong and enjoying preparations for the holiday ahead! There are quite a few opportunities for parent training events in this edition of The Connection, as well as a chance for our students to visit Santa! Make sure you check it out!

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!

The Palmetto Partnership of All 4 Autism and Stirrup Hope have partnered to provide a sensory friendly holdiay event for local families.

This event will be held at Trinity Oak Farm, an Equine Learning Facility, where your child can enjoy visiting with Santa, without the wait, noise and crowds that may be overwhelming to those with disabilities, and their caregivers.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED! In order to plan appropriately, all participants must be registered.

Refreshments and activities will be provided, and space is limited.

A special thank you to AMBER COKER PHOTOGRAPHY for providing a free photo with Santa!

Date: Sunday, December 3rd

Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Location: Trinity Oak Farm (2151 Woodville Rd, Florence)

REGISTER HERE

When a child with disabilities is having a behavior problem that interferes with their learning or the learning of others, the team must consider the use of positive behavior interventions and supports to address the behavior. Sally Baker of Family Connection of SC will share best practices for addressing problem behavior at school.

Join us on Thursday, December 7th at 10 am in the McClenaghan Building at 500 S Dargan St, to learn about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how it pertains to functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plans. We will also cover how to conduct an effective behavior intervention plan, process for progress monitoring a behavior intervention plan and additional resources in preparing or reviewing a plan.

Register here: https://forms.gle/d22roYCCBdAQ5nt56

Did you know the 504 plan for students with documented disabilities should provide support for learning and remove the barriers students may face because of their disability. Join Dr. Susan Thomas, retired Special Education Director, for this session on November 29th from 12-1 pm, as she discusses the process for obtaining a 504. She will cover the required components for evaluation, eligibility, and creation of the plan. Participants will receive additional resources for support in understanding the 504 process.

This virtual training is being presented by Family Connection of SC, our state parent training institute.

Register here, space is limited!

Do you want to change special education policy? Are you a SC parent/caregiver of a student with a disability?

Register to participate in this free virtual advocacy training December 5th from 6-7pm!

Medical appointments can be scary for children, and this is especially true for autistic children. Medical visits may involve long wait times that can be challenging for autistic children, and the environment can present many sensory challenges, such as large crowds, lots of noises, and unfamiliar smells. During this webinar, we will discuss strategies that may be helpful for making medical appointments easier for you and your child.

You are invited to join us for this free webinar for parents and caregivers

of children with autism. Register today by clicking the link below!

Making Medical Appointments Easier

Thursday, November 30, 2023

5:15pm - 6:30pm ET

Presenter: Charlotte Kerwin, M.S., LABA, BCBA
Clinical Director, May Center School for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Chicopee, Mass.

Register here

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 November? 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