District Township HS 113 - Suzanne Aaron

Suzanne Aaron joined APS in 2018 after graduating from Illinois Partners in Policymaking that same year. She has worked and volunteered in the areas of disability advocacy and family support since 2008. She and her husband Rob are the proud parents of Thomas, who earned his Certificate of Completion from Highland Park High School in June of 2020. He is 21 years old, and will be aging out of Transition to Adulthood services provided through TrueNorth during the summer of 2023 after having numerous job training and community living experiences. They have navigated disability services in the states of Indiana, Ohio, and now Illinois.

Her passion is helping families access and understand services that are available to them so they are empowered to build an included and meaningful life with their loved one with disabilities. She is an Information and Outreach Specialist with the Life Span Program of The Arc of Illinois and will celebrate her second work anniversary there this summer.

If you would like to connect with your district representative or have questions for our Parent Engagement Facilitator, Nicole Magesis, just click the button below and leave a detailed email.

A leadership training program for adults with developmental disabilities, parents of children under the age of 21 with developmental disabilities, adult siblings of people with developmental disabilities, legal guardians, and Supporters in Supported Decision-Making Agreements for individuals with developmental disabilities.

The Partners in Policymaking program is about achieving greater:

-Independence

-Productivity

-Self-Determination

-Integration

-Inclusion

through advocacy and systems change.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY 5 PM SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2023, TO BE CONSIDERED FOR CLASS 4

Apply Here

Programa de Formación de Líderes para adultos con discapacidades del desarrollo, Padres de niños menores de 21 años con discapacidades del desarrollo, hermanos de personas con discapacidades del desarrollo, tutores legales y los que apoyan en acuerdos, y toma de decisiones colectivas a favor de las personas con discapacidades del desarrollo.

El Programa de Partners in Policymaking consiste en lograr mayor:

-Independence

-Productividad

-Auto-Determinación

-Integración

-Inclusión

A través de la abogacía y cambio de sistemas

LAS SOLICITUDES VENCEN ANTES DE:

SÁBADO 11 DE MARZO DE 2023, A LAS 5:00 PM

PARA SER CONSIDERADO PARA LA CLASE # 4

Para aplicar haga clic aquí

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The Great Bike Giveaway, a close partner of Rifton's since 2012, provides a fundraising platform for registrants to win an adaptive bike.

Registrants can access funding in 3 different ways:

Most Votes: select a bike and collect votes from family and friends. The participant with the most votes by March 29th in their bike category will win an adaptive bike.

Drawing: any participant who receives at least 50 votes will be qualified for a drawing to win an adaptive bike in their selected category. The drawing will be held on March 29.

Fundraising: each participant will receive a campaign page where they can solicit donations.

Participants can still fundraise to receive a bike at a discounted price even if they do not win their category or the March 30th drawing.

Fundraising ends April 18th at 12:00 pm EDT

With just 50 votes, anyone can win a bike.

FOR STUDENTS:

March 6, 2023 – Public vs. Private

March 13, 2023 – Consent

March 21, 2023 – Social Media and Online Safety

Time for each Session: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

THESE SESSIONS WILL BE PRESENTED ON ZOOM. THEY WILL NOT BE RECORDED.

Individuals under age 18 or under guardianship must be registered by parent or guardian.

REGISTER HERE

Everyone is welcome to join us for our monthly meetup with TotalLink participants and friends at:

Madame ZuZu's Karaoke Night

Dates:

March 16

April 20

May 18

Time:

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Location:

Madame ZuZu’s Cafe

1876 1st St.

Highland Park, IL

Register HERE

Will saving jeopardize benefits? How will employment impact benefits? ABLE account or Special Needs Trust? What is Supported Decision-Making? How to protect against identity theft?

Please join us for an informative webinar presented by Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF)

Date: Monday, March 20th, 2023

Time: 2pm ET

ASL interpretation & Spanish interpretation will be offered!

Register Here!

¿El hecho de ahorrar puede poner en peligro tus beneficios? ¿Cómo se verán afectados tus beneficios si trabajas? ¿Conoces las cuentas ABLE o los fideicomisos para necesidades especiales? ¿Qué es la toma de decisiones con apoyo? ¿Cómo protegerte contra el robo de identidad?

Acompáñanos en un seminario web informativo presentado el 20 de marzo de 2023 a las 2:00 p.m. ET por Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF).

Fecha: lunes 20 de marzo de 2022

Hora: 2pm ET

Se ofrecerá interpretación al español y ASL (lenguaje de señas americano)

Regístrese aquí

Services for People with Disabilities (SFPD)

presents a free Community Education Workshop

Accessible Public Transportation in Chicago Provided by the RTA

When: Wednesday, March 29th, 2:00pm-3:00pm central time

Where: Online via TEAMS

This presentation by the RTA will cover accessible public transportation in Chicago. We will take a closer look at accessibility features on fixed route public transportation, RTA Fare Programs, ADA Paratransit, and the Taxi Access Program. We’ll also discuss RTA’s free Travel Training Program and how to plan an accessible trip in Chicago.

Our Presenter Katie Garrity is a Mobility Outreach Coordinator for the Regional Transportation Authority. She is a licensed clinical social worker and is passionate about community education.

This event is free and open to the public. Continuing education credits are available for QIDP's. *Session may be recorded

Registration is required. To register please click on the link:

https://jcfs.formstack.com/forms/accessible_rta

or call Kathryn Dougherty at 773-765-3158 to register.

You will receive a TEAMS link to participate via email the day prior to the session.

For help with registration, and for any accommodations, please contact

kathryndougherty@jcfs.org

Register - Preparing Your Child (& Yourself) for the Future / Registarse - Preparar a su hijo (y a usted mismo) para el futuro

SAVE THE DATE: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2023

6:00 - 8:00pm

Open to the community at large

NILES NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

9800 Lawler Ave., Skokie

All area students (grades 8-12), parents, siblings and community members are invited to attend this Career Resources Expo to meet with representatives from a wide-range of local companies, organizations and educational institutions which offer post-secondary, non-traditional options including associate degrees, certificate programs, apprenticeships, or other job training credentials, as well as military, gap-year, study-abroad experiences, and summer enrichment programs. A Job Fair is a new addition to this program, including full-time jobs geared toward graduating high school seniors and adults, but also part-time and seasonal jobs for freshmen, sophomores and juniors. Come and discover what non-traditional education, training, and skills are required for a variety of fulfilling careers.

For more information contact: Lisa Edelson, Education to Careers Coordinator, lisede@d219.org

Focus On Your Future is presented by: D219 Student Services at Niles North & Niles West and Education to Careers

Connect to Community, in partnership with the Village of Hoffman Estates Commission for People with Disabilities and the Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO), presents its annual Transition Summit

Saturday, April 15, 2023, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM CDT

On the agenda ...

Housing Options in Illinois: CILAs, Supportive Housing, ICFs, and more: From all the different CILA models (24/7, Intermittent, Host Family, etc.) to Supportive Living, CLFs, ICFs, and SODCs, there are many different housing options for families to consider. I

An Introduction to Host Family CILAs: Based in Peoria since 1950 and now serving 15 counties, EP!C is a community of families, staff, volunteers, and community members working together to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

One Family's Story: Making Independent Living a Reality: Parent Vicki Niswander will share her family’s experience in creating a home for their daughter Annie with support and assistance from Annie’s Microboard and their Independent Service Coordination agency.

Creating Housing Options: The New Futures™ Initiative: The New Futures™ Initiative is a step-by-step process that gives families the ability to open doors to supported living options in their own neighborhood.

ISC Statewide Housing Navigator Pilot: The ISC Housing Navigator Pilot is designed to cultivate and pursue community-based, independent housing options for people with I/DD who are already in the waiver or newly selected from the PUNS list.

Families, educators, service providers and community members are welcome. Registration fee includes morning refreshments, lunch, and seminar materials.

General Registration Fee : $30.00

Professional Registration Fee with 5 hours of CEUs/PDs: $60.00

Space may be limited so register early to reserve your seat for this informative event!

Registration closes on Wednesday, April 12th.

Register Here

GUEST SPEAKERS:

Tina Lowry & Milan Myers, Aspire

6:00 PM - 6:45 PM

Organization Fair

6:30 - 8:00 PM

OPTIONS WEBSITE: CONSIDEROPTIONS.ORG

Spanish interpreting is available.

If requesting additional accommodations, please contact your home district by March 15, 2023

Agencies and resources at the OPTIONS FAIR areas of focus:

Educational Opportunities • Employment Services • Vocational Day

Programs • Government Programs • Health Services • Legal Resources •

Recreational Opportunities • Referral Sources • Residential Programs • Transportation Resources

How do you integrate tax planning into your overall plan? There are so many taxes to consider, including income taxes, estate taxes and more. Questions such as “What government benefits are taxable and which are not” and “If I am charging my child rent, do I claim it on my taxes?” will be answered. We will talk about how the SECURE ACT 2.0 might change how I distribute my retirement accounts to my children. Will it impact me as a parent directly in my own planning? Here is your opportunity to ask the CPA’s the questions you need answered.

Mary Anne Ehlert will host this online Zoom class on:

March 23rd, 2023

12:00pm – 1:00 pm CDT

Click here to register!

Chicago’s Metropolitan Area Parent Training and Information Center!

Date: 03-25-2023

Time: 10 AM-12 PM

Location: WEBINAR (Link to actual webinar will be emailed to you.)

Description:

Discipline and IDEA: This webinar discusses your child’s rights about discipline in the special education system while dispelling any myths and misunderstandings.

Register Here

April 22 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Bring the whole family and your own movie snacks for our FREE Family Movie Nights.

• Doors will open 30 minutes prior to show time.
• These are FREE events; advance registration is required.
• Please note that NSSRA staff will not be available to supervise participants.

All Ages
FREE

Looking for a warm and cozy place to hang out on a Monday morning, either by yourself or with friends? Come by to enjoy a hot cup of coffee and fresh scone while you support TrueNorth Transition students demonstrate their amazing job readiness skills at this job training site. We're open for business every Monday that school is in session, from 9-11 am. Curt's Cafe is located at 1766 2nd Street in Highland Park.

Click Here to Register

Register Registarse

The Arc of Illinois 73rd Annual Convention will be presented in a hybrid format! Join us April 19 - 20 either in person or virtually for two days of presentations.

In-Person: The Convention will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Lisle, IL. As an in-person attendee, you'll be able to hear from speakers in person, visit with our sponsors and exhibitors, view the silent auction items and art exhibit, and meet your fellow attendees. You have the option to attend the breakout session of your choice.

Virtual: The Convention will be presented using Zoom Webinar. As a virtual attendee, you'll be able to join the live stream of the keynote and plenary presentations, and have access to the Convention website with information on the sponsors, exhibitors, silent auction, and art exhibit. Only two breakout sessions per time slot will be available to Zoom attendees.

NEW this year! A track of breakout sessions will be presented in Spanish.

We have a dedicated site on our website for additional information, including our virtual Silent Auction, Art Exhibit, and Exhibitor Hall.

For more information and to register: CLICK HERE

All Applications due March 31, 2023

Apply Here

Are you a family/caregiver who has a passion for improving the lives of children/youth on the autism spectrum, in collaboration with pediatricians? The Autism Subcommittee, a subcommittee within the AAP Council on Children with Disabilities, is looking for a family/caregiver to join the Subcommittee for a 3-year term beginning July 1, 2023.

Additional information about the roles, responsibilities, and time commitment for this position are available here.

Please note that as part of the application process, the Autism Subcommittee requests a letter of recommendation from a pediatrician or another colleague (i.e. family physician, psychiatrist, or any other colleague you have worked with who can speak to the applicant’s experience and work style). After submitting an application, all applicants must submit a letter for recommendation to Molly Hudson (mhudson@aap.org) in order to be eligible for the position.

Please reach out to Alex Kuznetsov (akuznetsov@aap.org or 630-626-6087) with any questions.

Sponsored by ISRC

Date: Wednesday, April 19th, 2022

Time: 6:00-8:00 PM

ECHO

300 W. 154th St. in South Holland

Door 5

The Event Will Include: Storytime, Tie Dye T-Shirts (T-Shirts will be provided) & Pizza!

Come out, have some fun and socialize with other families with

deaf/hard of hearing children.

Email: speak4me@myyahoo.com, Please include Your name, children’s name, number in attendance and T-shirt size for attendees by March 20th

Illinois Service Resource Center

Behavior support for students who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind or Visually Impaired

A Service and Resource Center of the Illinois State Board of Education

Sign Language Interpreter available and Spanish interpreter available by request

June 11-16, 2023

The Institute for Parents of Preschool Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing is scheduled for June 11- 16, 2023, on the Illinois School for the Deaf campus in Jacksonville.

The Institute is for families of children, ages 18 months to 7 years, with a permanent hearing loss. Families from all over the state come together to gain knowledge, support and connections. Participating parents and guardians attend daily lectures by experts in the field to learn about raising a child with hearing loss. Other activities include meeting in small groups and networking with other caregivers.

Topics for the week cover:

• Language development
• Communication options
• Reading an audiogram and learning about the reports from the audiologist
• Hearing aids and cochlear implants
• Reading to a child with a hearing loss
• Working with a child’s behavior
• Working with the school

During the Institute, children attend classrooms overseen by experienced teachers of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. They may receive audiology, psychology, speech/language, vision and educational testing. All of these services are free of charge!
Siblings are also welcome to attend the Institute.

How Do I Get More Information About the Institute?

Contact Division of Specialized Care for Children at (800) 322-3722 or dsccinstitute@uic.edu.

Visit our website: dscc.uic.edu

Flier for The Institute

Haga clic aquí para el folleto informativo

Opening Doors Program

Illinois School for the Visually Impaired

June 7-10th, 2023

The Mission of Opening Doors is to provide support to families of infants and toddlers who are blind or visually impaired, to assist them in making informed decisions on behalf of their child, and to provide information on their child based on observation and assessment. This program is to benefit Illinois caregivers and their children with visual impairments and additional disabilities age birth to five.

Flier for Opening Doors

Registration Link:

https://forms.gle/eAo2C7c5BZeZgoaS6

When: June 7-10, 2023

Where: ISVI Campus/Jacksonville

Register Now! A maximum of 25 families will be accepted.

We look forward to seeing everyone back in person!!

Do you want to learn Sign Language or improve on what you already know?

CHS offers a variety of classes and tutors to meet your needs!

Adult and Youth Classes

CHS offers adult and youth sign language classes both in person and through Zoom. We offer Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level classes for adults and thematic classes for youth of all levels.

Class schedules and registration information: Click Here

Youth (Elementary/Middle School)

Virtual: Tuesdays from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Level I (Beginners)

In-Person: Tuesdays from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Virtual: Thursdays from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Virtual: Wednesdays from 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Level II (Intermediate)

Virtual: Wednesdays from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Level III (Advanced)

Virtual: Thursdays from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

*All classes are non-credit*

**All times are CST**

Disability Benefits 101 gives you online tools and information on employment, health coverage, and benefits.

You can plan ahead and learn how work and benefits go together.

Although the Autism Resource Directory is targeted to families with a family member with Autism many of the resources listed are for individuals with varying disabilities and special needs. For example, dentists or doctors available to families.

Winnetka Voices is a podcast hosted by The Winnetka Public Schools, featuring candid conversations on issues relevant to education and shared resources to support our students and families.

Episode #4: Recruiting & Retaining Incredible Educators

Listen Here

All dads are invited to join this meet-up group sponsored by the Special Father's Network and C.I.T.Y. of Support. The group will be meeting on a monthly basis for the purpose of creating a safe place for dads raising children with special needs to learn from one another, discuss issues of concern, and form long-lasting friendships. https://cityofsupport.org/event/dads-meet-up-group-2

Dads who are interested in joining are encouraged to send an email to: hello@cityofsupport.org for sign-up information.

Join us for information, resources, tips and strategies on a variety of topics to empower you in your parenting or caregiving journey with your child with autism. Come to connect and interact with others navigating a similar journey! Parents of newly diagnosed children are strongly encouraged to attend.

Lurie Children's Sound Experience is a social experience for families of children with hearing loss. We offer Sound Experience four Saturday afternoons throughout the school year at our Outpatient Center in Westchester.

The program aims to provide:

• A network of parents of children with hearing loss who are going through or have gone through similar situations and to share experiences and information
• Information for families about hearing loss and how it affects our children
• An opportunity for children with hearing loss to meet other children with hearing loss

What to Expect at Sound Experience

• Parents informally share information and stories before the formal breakout sessions
• Children and siblings of all ages are entertained with a dedicated staff of volunteers
• Parents meet in an adjoining room to discuss the meeting’s topic

How to Get Involved

To learn more about Sound Experience, ask your audiologist or contact Cara Donahue at 312.227.3061 or cdonahue@luriechildrens.org.

APH FamilyConnect and The Chicago Lighthouse are pleased to offer this virtual support group for parents and families of children who are blind or visually impaired. These monthly sessions are for families to connect with and learn from each other about the joys, challenges, and adventures of raising children with visual impairments and blindness. These sessions are open to families. You only need to register once for this ongoing series. The No ACVREP or professional development credits will not be available.

Register Here