Riverview Gardens / SSD
Newsletter for Families, September 2023
Riverview Gardens School District Information
Special School District Information
Family and Community Engagement (FACE)
Would you like to learn more about how you can support your student through the IEP process? Join FACE virtually on September 5th at 6pm for a webinar that will link the use of Charting the LifeCourse tools with preparing for your student’s IEP. Click here to register.
SSD Family Leadership Institute – Fall 2023
SSD's Family and Community Engagement (FACE) program is seeking applicants interested in participating in the Fall 2023 SSD Family Leadership Institute.
Family Leadership Institute participants can:
● Build an understanding of future planning and problem-solving utilizing the Charting the LifeCourse tools.
● Learn to effectively participate in their student's education and improve the educational climate for all children.
● Learn how to positively interact and collaborate with other families and school personnel.
● Discover new resources and network with other families.
This program, offered at no cost to participants, is designed for family members who are the educational decision-makers for a student with a disability.
The three sessions will be held in-person on Wednesdays from 5:30-8:00 PM on September 20, 27, and October 4. Dinner will be provided for attendees.
Location: Special School District Central office Room 60-61, 12110 Clayton Road, Town and Country, Missouri 63131. (Enter at lower level circle drive)
Are you interested in joining this year's Family Leadership Institute?
Apply online! Paper applications are available by request. For more information, call 314.989.8460 or email face@ssdmo.org.
Family Cafe
Join FACE for the first Family Cafe of the 2023/24 school year. On Sep 14, 2023 at North Technical High School. FACE will join with families to provide a safe and welcoming space to connect and learn from each other. Family Cafes are centered on the Strengthening Families Protective Factors: Resilience, Relationships, Knowledge, Support, and Communication. Register today!
American Sign Language (ASL)
New this year, SSD's FACE (Family and Community Engagement) will be offering an immersive environment for learning American Sign Language (ASL)! Learn to communicate with Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HoH) individuals with an introduction to fingerspelling and basic signs to use in the home, school, and community. There are only 20 spots available for this six part series that will be held weekly starting September 21st. Click here to register!
Lunch and Learn Series
FACE’s Lunch and Learn Series is back with an exciting lineup of presenters. This month will highlight an SSD community partner, Easter Seals. Join us live on YouTube on September 27th at 11:30am to learn all about this amazing resource.
FACE: Virtual Open House
Do you want to learn more about SSD? FACE is offering a Virtual Open House on Tuesday, September 21st at 6pm for an introduction to the services and resources available through SSD. Join us here.
Tips for Families
Helping Students Navigate Back-to-School Anxiety: The start of a new school year can bring both excitement and apprehension for students, especially after the challenges posed by the previous year. It is common for students to experience back-to-school anxiety as they face new classrooms, teachers, and classmates. As a family member, your support and guidance play a crucial role in helping your student manage these feelings and start the year positively. Read more...
SSD Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Message:
Greetings Families!
Has special education got you stressed out? The beginning of a new year and unknowns can be extra scary with an IEP or 504. The system can be hard to navigate even in the best districts. Those great documents, laws, & policies put into place to help us are hard to understand. It can be a lonely journey. But you are not alone! You have the SSD PAC.
The SSD PAC is open to every family with a child receiving SSD services. We have monthly zoom meetings. We are parents like you. We get it. You can just log on and watch. SSD and FACE share updates, great information, and presentations based on your needs. We advocate to inform policy with our parent voice. We share parent perspective to help our schools know how to best help our kids.
We’re having an in-person Family Gathering on Sept. 13, 6:30 PM, at the SSD Learning Center in Hazelwood. Please come; tap into this community that exists for you.
Your New SSD PAC President,
Rebecca Flieg
Online SSD Resources to Help Families
Visit SSDMO.org for links to resources that will direct you to information that will be helpful throughout the year - bookmark the webpage to make it easy to find. The links below apply to all students county-wide who receive services from SSD.
Free Flu Shots Through BJC
Receiving a flu shot helps keep you and your community healthy! Free flu vaccinations are being provided through Barnes-Jewish Hospital. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit https://bit.ly/3oCxqYu
Special School District of St. Louis County
Website: www.ssdmo.org
Location: 12110 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO, USA
Phone: 314.989.8100
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SSDStLCo
Twitter: @SSDDStLCo
Riverview Gardens School District
Website: http://www.rgsd.k12.mo.us/
Location: 1370 Northumberland Drive, St. Louis, MO, USA
Phone: 314-869-2505