April Flyer
CSD Special Education Department 2022-23
April is National Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month
Student Spotlights
*We send a very special thank you to the parents that were willing to share about your student with other families! We appreciate you!
Meet Jonathan "Nat"
Meet Jon Wesley "Wes"
Wes loves
He likes to go get ice cream/sorbets every chance he gets.
Going for walks with his dog Gizmo.
He has loved swimming since he was a toddler, specially at the beach.
He loves visiting family in Puerto Rico and enjoying the food and culture there.
Meet Aaron
Aaron loves
His twin sister Stella
His friends at school
Airplanes/flying/travel
Trains
The Beach
Riding his tandem bike with his dad
Milkshakes - Legend has it.. he might be Dairy Queen's top customer in downtown Decatur.
This Spring Break he went on a train ride in Bryson City, NC. And he's looking forward to the beach this summer - He goes every year! He loves to travel and is an absolute pro when it comes to planes, trains, and automobiles. He "skipped" Christmas last year and instead went to Hawaii with his family.
Meet Hanley
Hanley Loves
she especially loves going to live shows and watching Irish dancing.
She loves toys that make music-especially puppies/bears.
She loves to snuggle with her dog(Australian shepherd), Seamus.
She loves it when he sneezes and tries to get him to sneeze for her.
She LOVES to swim. If she could swim every day she would.
She especially likes to dunk herself underwater and to splash. She loves sitting at the edge of the ocean and letting the waves go over her feet and legs. She loves water slides. She also loves silliness-people being silly with her.
Upcoming Meeting
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Meeting
Ms. Alicia Lipscomb, Public Affairs Specialist, for the Social Security Administration will share an overview of how to access SSI for individuals with a disability.
- What is SSI?
- How do parents apply for their student?
- What does it mean to qualify for SSI?
- What comes with the SSI benefits
- What recourse do families have if denied the benefit?
This will be one of the most important meetings of the year and parents are encouraged to participate.
Thursday, Apr 27, 2023, 06:00 PM
undefined
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
- Participate in a 12-week training led by current Youth Ambassadors
- Create & implement a project that will teach others about Supported Decision-Making
- Join the movement to promote alternatives to guardianship across Georgia
Background:
Georgia was one of the first states selected in 2022 to participate in a national project promoting alternatives to guardianship though the Center on Youth Voice and Youth Choice (CYVYC). With support from the Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO), the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), and Sangha Unity Network (SUN), six young people with I/DD participated in the first CYVYC project and became Georgia’s Youth Ambassadors for Supported Decision-Making (SDM).
Now, with support from CareSource Foundation, GAO and SUN launch Youth DECIDE Georgia to train and support additional youth in Georgia to be ambassadors for Supported Decision-Making.
Youth DECIDE Georgia is a new project that grew out of I DECIDE Georgia, our state’s Supported Decision-Making project. I DECIDE Georgia is a coalition of advocates, organizations, and allies working together so that all Georgians, including people with disabilities, can make decisions, supported by people they trust, in order to live a life of dignity and autonomy. I DECIDE Georgia’s vision is to be Georgia’s first and preferred option for decision-making resources, tools, and coaching that provides viable, sustainable alternatives to guardianship.
Youth Ambassadors will gain experience and skills in:
- project management
- time management
- goal development and attainment
- leadership
- presentation development
- public speaking
- convening groups of people
- using SDM as a tool
- explaining SDM as an alternative to guardianship
Youth Ambassadors will be expected to:
- attend and actively participate in training (most online via Zoom and 2 in-person events)
- complete follow-up assignments
- meet with mentors
- create and use a personal SDM plan
- design and implement a project educating others about SDM
- participate in the Youth DECIDE Showcase
- commit to being a part of Youth DECIDE Georgia
- participate in training others about SDM
Frequently Asked Questions and More Information
To apply:
1. Make sure you meet criteria (seeking young people ages 16 - 24 with I/DD who live in GA)
2. Review FAQ for more information, including session dates/times HERE!
3. Complete application in Google Form. Applications are due May 1, 2023.
Important Dates:
1. April 3: Opportunity Announced, Applications open
2. April 10: Community Strong Zoom 4:00 PM – learn from current Youth Ambassadors
3. April 18: Applicant Q&A 5:00 PM Zoom
4. May 1: Applications due
5. May 15: Applicants selected & notified
6. May 22: Selected applicants must confirm role as Youth Ambassador
Registration Links for Information Session and Applicant Q&A
April 10, 2023 4:00 - 5:00 Community Strong
April 18, 2023 5:00 - 5:30 Applicant Q&A
For Questions or More Information, email: info@idecidega.org
Community Events
The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (also known as IDD).
Join 40,000 walkers across the country to support the Best Buddies programs in your schools, workplaces and communities. You’ll be making the world more welcoming to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – one friendship, one job, and one life-changing connection at a time.
Schedule
April 22, 2023
Check-in: 8:30AM
Opening Ceremonies: 9:30 AM
Walk: 10:00 AM
Celebrate Until: 12:00 PM
Location
Blackburn Park
3493 Ashford Dunwoody Rd.
Brookhaven, GA 30319
Event Contact
Autism's Got Talent!
Register for free to perform!
All ages! All special needs are welcome to perform!
Compete for amazing prizes!
October 6, 2023
7pm-10pm
Woodruff Arts Center, Rich Theatre
Atlanta, GA 30309
Note: Previous 1st place winners are eligible to co-host and perform (non-judged) during intermission and at the top and end of show only, to allow others an opportunity to win.
www.HouseOfArtistsFoundation.org | 404-793-4431
Camp Dream.Speak. Live., is an annual, week-long summer camp offered to children and adolescents who stutter. There is no cost to families and families may contact the Blank Center via email at stuttering@austin.utexas.edu or by phone at (470) 693-4226 for further information and to register.
Additionally, the Blank Center provides evidenced-based treatment programming for people of all ages. Both in-person and virtual sessions are offered at no cost. To learn more about the Blank Center research and mission, click the video below.
Celebrations
Airport Travel Hacks When Traveling with a Child with Special Needs
Cheryl Grant, Special Education Parent Mentor
Parent Mentors are parents of children with disabilities hired by the district to support family engagement, as well as special education directors and other administrators, teachers, and support personnel within the district.
Parent mentors support other parents by providing information and resources to help their children succeed in school and transition from school to adult life. The mentors work to increase parent participation in IEP meetings, provide information related to improving reading and math, graduation rates, and help parents locate needed services and supports.
404-371-3601 EXT.1042