Two Free Workshops Will Address Special Education

For more information, contact:

Kim Horyn, Director
Nantucket Autism Speaks Resource Center
646-341-3043
khoryn@autismspeaks.org [1]

Two Free On-Island Workshops will Address Special Education

The Nantucket Autism Speaks Resource Center and the Special Needs Advisory Council (SNAC) will host two free workshops for parents of children with special needs, 9:00am - 1:00pm, Saturday, October 4th in the Nantucket High School's Large Group instruction Room. Spanish translation, childcare for up to age 10, lunch and a resource fair will also be provided. Pre-registration for the workshops is required by September 26th to ensure adequate materials and personnel. Please register and note if Spanish translation and childcare are needed, as well as the ages of the children. To register, please contact Kim Horyn, Director of the Nantucket Autism Speaks Resource Center, khoryn@autismspeaks.org [1], or at 646-341-3043.

The first workshops, Let's Get Organized!, conducted by Miriam Scrivener, Southeast Regional Coordinator of Families TIES of Massachusetts, will offer effective ways for parents to organize and manage important paperwork and information, such as evaluations, Individual Education Plans, doctors' reports, progress reports and more. This workshop will also include tips for developing community connections for children with special needs. Family TIES, based in Canton, MA, is a project of the Boston-based Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN), and is designed to provide parent-to-parent information and a support network for families.

The second workshop, How to Navigate Your Child's Special Education, will be presented by Christine Reilly, a certified instructor for FCSN. The goal of this workshop is to help parents become stronger and more effective advocates for their children, and it will address the rights of parents, the role of the school system and how Massachusetts law impacts special education. The FCSN, which informs, educates and empowers families, advocates for quality education, parent participation and access to quality health care services for all children, especially those with disabilities.

For more information about the workshops, please contact Kim Horyn.

For more information, please visit www.autismspeaks.org [2], or contact Kim Horyn, Nantucket Autism Speaks Resource Center Director, at khoryn@autismspeaks.org [1],
646-341-3043.