Special Ed on Special Ed

"Back to school" elicits images in my head of long lines in stationery stores, exorbitant shipping fees for backpacks I forgot to order, and the promise of a great new school year. None of that, however, was part of back to school 2020, at least not for us.

As we have learned, nothing is written in stone with COVID-19. Here in CT, we heard schools had to open at full capacity. Then they were allowed to consider a hybrid plan. Now some are only offering virtual options and some withholding services from those taking the digital offerings. Special education is changing rapidly and we are adapting accordingly.

Today I am going to talk to you about important information you need to help you preserve your child's rights and hold your school accountable during these unusual times.

The one thing that has not changed is the IDEA and your school district's requirement to provide your child with a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Despite changing information and ambiguous guidance, the IDEA and all its protections for students with disabilities remains intact. This, however, does not mean your child will receive the exact same services in the exact same way as pre-COVID. Everything has changed and so should your child's IEP

This episode is not meant as legal advice specific to your child but rather general information that can help you in your journey. Some of the links I discuss:

Need to Know Episode Can You Comp My Ed? Need to Know Episode LRE: What Now? Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates

Being a mom is hard on a good day but just because something is hard doesn't mean it can't bring you joy!

Today I talk with Meredith Masony, a work-from-home mom of 3, helping other woman through one of the most isolating jobs they have: motherhood. We talk about her new book, her quest for self-discovery, & the fun that disabilities adds to the joy of parenting!

Maredith is a wife, mother to three children, dog mom of two, and founder of That's Inappropriate and That's Inappropriate Parents. She started this community in October of 2014 because she felt alone and thought she was the only Mom who was losing her mind on a daily basis. Here is her story:

I had been sick for months, always turned away as the picture of health. When I finally demanded an endoscopy and what they found turned my world upside down. At 34 years old with three children under the age of 8, I encountered my own mortality.

While sitting in bed crying a week before the surgery I took inventory of my life. I married my soulmate and blessed with three children, but I had not left my mark on this world. Becoming a mother left me with no idea who I was. After my surgery I awoke to three amazing words. My husband leaned over and said, "It's not cancer." At that moment I vowed to find myself and make my mark. My blogging adventure began in October of 2014 when I created That's Inappropriate, for parents just like me.

In three years the That's Inappropriate Community has grown to just shy of 1 million followers across all channels. I strive to help parents thrive instead of survive. I think that most women tend to lose themselves after having kids. They either didn't know who they were before they had them, or they got lost in the trenches of parenting. It's important all women know that they are Moms not Martyrs. You need to know who you are in order to be the best Wife, Mom, Sister, Friend you can be. Putting yourself first at times does not make you selfish.

My mission is to educate parents about choosing their battles in life and helping women find themselves. As a parenting and women's empowerment expert I strive to help every parent I can. My journey through illness and self-discovery has given me the insight necessary be able to help others. My book Scoop The Poop released in Nov. 2016 and it was a #1 new release in Parenting and Humor. I have traveled to conferences to speak on parenting, women's empowerment, and how I created a business while juggling marriage and raising three kids. Join me in the Hot Mess Express Community for Perfectly Imperfect Parents.

You can learn more about Meredith and That's Inappropriate Community Here:

That's Inappropriate Website https://thatsinappropriate.com/

Meredith also references Dena Blizzard, One Funny Mother, and she can be found here:

One Funny Mother, Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/onefunnymother

What is the least restrictive environment? The one that is appropriate! And which one is that in the world of hybrid models where no one even knows what regular education looks like? Great questions. Join Stacey Tié and me as we discuss LRE, what that might look like now, and how to advocate for your child. More information about Stacey can be found on her website: https://wholechildadvocates.com/

As parents contemplate their options for Fall 2020, the terms "online learning" and "virtual instruction" have become more commonplace than "unprecedented." Many students struggled to access their education in Spring of 2020, which made parents wary of the new digital components for Fall 2020. But what is that digital component and how can you advocate for the teaching modality your child needs?

Lucky for us, Dr. Jennifer Walsh Rurak, Ed.D, is with us today and she talks to us about what successful instruction over the internet can look like. What is the difference between online learning and virtual instructional? Which is best for your child? They aren't mutually exclusive and they aren't the same. So join us to learn about what the differences are and how you can advocate for your child.

Jennifer is the District Vice President for Fusion's Northeast area. She earned her Doctor of Education degree with a concentration in Educational and Instructional Leadership from Northeastern University. Additionally, she has a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership/Administration and a Master of Science degree in Special Education both from Canisius College, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and Exceptionalities from SUNY Cortland.

Prior to joining Fusion Academy, Jennifer spent nine years as a school principal working in public school settings in New York State and taught at the middle school level prior to becoming an administrator. In addition, she has worked as an adjunct graduate professor in the Educational Leadership department at St. Lawrence University. When Jennifer is not working, she enjoys running, Pilates, and boating. Jennifer is excited to be a part of the Fusion team and believes deeply in the power of one-to-one education.

You can find Jennifer on the Fusion Academy website:

https://learn.fusionacademy.com/

A Tale of Two Approaches: Online Learning and Virtual instruction:

https://www.fusionacademy.com/blog/a-tale-of-two-approaches-online-learning-versus-virtual-instruction/

Raising a child with Autism can be difficult for anyone, however, in the Black community there are additional challenges that may affect you. Although early intervention is key, African American children with autism are one to two years older than white children before they're even diagnosed!

Maria Davis-Pierre is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with extensive experience working with children on the spectrum and their families. In addition, Maria is the parent of a child with Autism. Maria's passion is being an autism advocate with her mission being to bring awareness to the impact culture can have regarding an ASD diagnosis.

Maria tells us what we need to know about why Autism is different when it's in Black. Join us to listen and learn!

More about Maria can be found on her website: https://www.autisminblack.org/about/

Where are your kids hanging out these days? Are they learning the social skills they need to navigate the world in-person AND online? To be a friend? To get a friend? To maintain a friend? And, what do Applied Behavior Analysis, Precision Teaching, Natural Environment Teaching (NET) have to do with any of this? This episode is what you need!

Today I speak with Meghan Cave, M.Ed. BCBA LBA (CT) and Justyna Balzar, M.Ed. BCBA LBA (CT), co-founders of The Hangout Spot (https://www.thehangoutspotllc.com/), a behavior analytic social skills development center for children of all ages and abilities. All programs at The Hangout Spot are evidence-based and rooted in the FUNdamentals of science.

Join us and learn what you need to know about social skills, how to teach them, and how they generalize - both in person and in our new digital world!

Amy Pleet-Odle is an inclusion coach and founder of Inclusion Focused Coaching. She brings nearly 50 years of experience in education to her coaching work. She's been an English teacher, special educator, department chair, secondary transition coordinator, state department specialist, college professor, and parent. And in this episode she talks to me about what inclusion really is, what it should look like, and how we get there! In other words, what you need to know about inclusion! Amy Pleet-Odle can be found at: https://amypleet.com/

ESY, or extended school year, provides students with services beyond the end of the school year for those who need it. While these services typically happen in the summer, they are not summer school. ESY is for students who would otherwise regress (more so than typical peers) over the long summer break or for students whose disabilities are such that they require services beyond the typical school year to meet their goals and objectives.

Today, Diane Willcutts, a special education advocate, joins me to discuss ESY services. These services are critical to some children's success so we discuss who get's them, why, how and what this all means during COVID-19.

You can Diane here:

Diane Willcutts Education Advocacy, LLC (860) 992-5874 [email protected] http://www.educationadvocacyllc.com/

Schools closed due to a global pandemic. If that's not enough to trigger you, what about having to stay home, having to go out, having to work, not working? And the cherry on top? You now need to oversee your child's education, whatever that is right now. Speaking of your child, their schedules have been obliterated, the people who support them daily gone, and the people caring for them now (that's you!) are spread so thin, quality time is nothing more than a mirage.

Terry D'Elisa, Psychologist, PsyD, NCSP, joins me today to talk about why the last few months have been traumatic to both children and you, how you can identify anxiety in your children, and what you can do to help!

Terry D'Elisa can be found at: https://DrTerryDelisa.com/ [email protected] 203.966.9203

The purpose of transition goals and objectives is to prepare your child for life after high school, whatever that may be for them. So now, all you need to figure out is what life after high school will look like for your child AND what skills your child will need to be there AND how to successfully teach those skills to your child. No pressure.

Luckily, we have people like Muncie Kardos, Ph.D., OTR/L, ATP, to light the way! Muncie founded Kardos Educational Consulting, LLC, which provides families and schools with transition planning, occupational therapy & assistive technology, and educational consulting.

On today's episode, Muncie tells us what we need to know about transition planning! We discuss assessment, program development, and training. In addition, we discuss what parents can gain from working with their children at home during the COVID closures. Join us!

You can find Munce at http://www.munciekardos.com/