Special Programs & Services News
February 2023
Family Education Events
Be sure to save the dates for our upcoming meetings! We will send out weekly reminders in our Special Programs Remind classes.
- Wednesday, February 15th - Family Education Workshop Night
- Friday, February 17th - Coffee Chat
- Saturday, February 25, 2023 - AAC Out & About
All previous Parent Night presentations are housed on the Parent Meeting Archive for asynchronous access.
Job Coaches
Our Leander ISD Job Coaches are tasked with providing support to students receiving Special Education services that are currently enrolled in our High School Vocational and 18+ Transition Services programs within the district. Job coaches assist students in developing employability skills, adult living skills and supervision in community settings. They work closely with over 100 community partners to develop opportunities for students to participate in work-based learning and obtain competitive employment. Along with many other important responsibilities, this position is instrumental in evaluating and providing crucial feedback to students in the workplace and other real world settings to ensure that each individual can accomplish their goals on the way to a meaningful and fulfilling life in adulthood. Thank you Leander ISD Job Coaches for all of the hard work you do for students!
It's never too early to begin thinking about your child's life beyond Leander ISD. Is it pursing further education, employment, or a day habilitation center? Have you considered what skills are needed for independent living? These are all options to begin discussing with your family. Here are some resources to help you prepare for these conversations.
Destination Life Transition Fair and Conference
On Saturday, March 4th from 9:00am - 1:00pm Leander ISD and surrounding districts will host the Annual Regional Destination Life Transition Fair and Conference at McNeil High School! This conference helps Central Texas families prepare and support their student(s) with disabilities for life beyond high school. Families can expect to gather information and gain access to experts on how to help their student(s) with disabilities ranging from early childhood through high school to successfully transition to adulthood. There will be choice sessions discussing everything benefits, community resources, and employment. You can RSVP Here.
These are fun activities for students of any age that utilize everyday household items.
Sink or Float
What you'll need:
- A large bowl or container of water
- Objects to test. You can use almost anything that you can think of: fruits, vegetables, sponges, eating utensils, small toys, aluminum foil, water bottles, cans, etc.
Instructions:
- Fill the bowl or container about ⅔ full of water
- Create your predictions about which items will sink or float
- Gently place the objects one by one onto the water
- Record and discuss your observations. You may notice that some objects floated at first, then sank afterwards
To further your family's sink or float research check out more experiments on Science Spark.
What you'll need:
- Skittles or other bright candy
- Water
- White bowl, plate, or container
Instructions:
- Spread the candy into a pattern inside the container
- Pour about quarter of an inch of water into the center of the container. You can test out different temperatures of water
- Watch as the color slowly spreads out from the skittles toward the center of the container
- Shake up the container and watch the colors mix
- Leave them alone for a few more minutes, and watch the colors start to separate again
Visit Toucan Box to learn about the science behind your observations and other ways to create candy rainbows.
Choice Making
The Self-Determination skill of the month is Choice Making. This is an easy skill to work on at home. Allow your student to make choices during activities at home. This can be as simple as starting with 2 options such as "Would you like to wear a green shirt or a yellow shirt today?" Choice making allows the student to have their voice heard and feel as if their choices matter. Validating your child's voice as they grow older helps boost their confidence in their ability to be successful.
Click here for more information and tips on Self-Determination.
Medicaid Waiver Lists
If your child has an impairment or suspected impairment that may require long-term assistance in their adulthood, don’t put off placing your child on the Medicaid Waiver program list. Navigate Life Texas will explain all you need to know about Medicaid Wavier services including who to call to get your child on the list today. The list is long, so don’t delay!
You can find out more about Medicaid Waiver Lists and other community resources within our Commonly Asked Questions that can be found in the Special Programs Handbook.
Heart Health Month
February is American Heart Month! An easy way to a healthy heart is getting up and moving around! A fun way to do this is having a family dance party. Have everyone pick a favorite tune to add to your playlist and then get your groove on! Check out this article from Children's Health for more ways to help keep your child's heart healthy.
Reading Nook
Check out these resources from our team that supports young readers! This month they are covering topics of reading comprehension, fluency, and vowel sounds.
