Parent Mentor Newsletter
February Newsletter
Request for Feedback
February is here! It is hard to believe that we are more than half way through the school year. This newsletter includes a parent mentor information survey that I am hoping you will take the time to look over and fill out. As a Parent Mentor one of my jobs is to organize educational outreach. My intention with this survey is to gain insight into topics that matter most to you in order to plan workshops that meet the needs of our diverse and exceptional community.
Winter Routines
With the cold and snowy conditions finally upon us, it is likely that our children might experience school delays or snow days. For information on closings and delays, here are your options
- Worthington's website Worthington Schools
- Worthington's Facebook and Twitter Page
- Email and/or phone call
- Worthington Schools app
Snow days can mean a break from daily routines which might be difficult or overwhelming. Below are a few tips you can use to keep students on track, while giving you some peace of mind.
Let your child know ahead of time
It’s helpful to let a child know in advance that there may be a snow day if you know a large amount of snow is coming. This way they are not caught off guard if they have to stay home from school.Create a “snow day” schedule
Creating a schedule for when school is cancelled and going over it with your child ahead of time could create a sense of control and lessen anxiety.
Pair creative activities with a snow day
Plan multiple creative activities for your child so they stay entertained throughout the day when they are usually in school.
Worthington Occupational Therapists Share Ideas for Winter Time Activities!
Our Worthington Occupational Therapists are amazing and wonderful collaborators. As a parent I have used so many of their suggestions in our home. I wanted to share their great ideas.
Our Worthington team encourages us to get out into the winter snow when we can! We all know the bundling can take time, and sometimes be stressful-why do I have only 1 of so many mittens?? But the time spent outside has many benefits! Sledding or taking a snowy hike, does wonders for little bodies.
Here are a few quick tips
- building a snowman or snow fort, pushing the snowballs through the snow is great heavy work.
- On the creative side, get out the squirt bottles and let the kids write/draw in the snow with colored water.
- If you have been outside and you're ready to come in or if outside isn’t an option, get a large container and bring the snow into the house. Put the container on a towel and let kids explore for toys hidden in the snow. You can also take a tupperware container and freeze toys in them (dinosaurs, little figurines) and let the kids chip away at the ice to get their toys out.
- fill up water balloons, slip a toy inside, then put them out in the yard to see how long they take to freeze. Once frozen break the balloon off on the outside and you have a huge ice ball kids can chip away at. You can also add food coloring to the water for hidden gems in the yard.
Mrs. Hartman, Sutter Park Preschool Intervention Specialist, loves outdoor play as well. She suggests going out into the snow or bringing it inside in tupperware is a great way to explore. Building a small snowman inside and then observing it melt is a great way to get some science in and you can do some writing or drawing about the process.
Check out more below!
Family ECHO
From navigating a diagnosis to learning about new therapies, parents and caregivers of children with autism need an immense amount of knowledge and support to provide the best care for their loved ones. This information can be difficult to access – so Family ECHO is here to help.
Family ECHO is a virtual learning program that brings clinical professionals and subject matter experts right to your screen. In a series of 75-minute sessions, you will learn, engage and build skills around four major topics:
- Understanding and managing challenging behaviors
- Building support for your family
- Anxiety and autism
- ADHD and autism
February is Parent/ Teacher Conference Month!
If you need translation services make sure the teacher is aware. For messages, Talking Points is a free tool that auto-translates communications with multilingual families! https://talkingpts.org/
- Conferences can be short, prepare ahead of time with a list of questions. If not all the questions are addressed make sure you send a follow up email.
- Check in with the student before your conference. Which subjects are they enjoying? Which subjects are more difficult? It may also be helpful to discuss activities that your child enjoys and those that they like least.
- Additional information that’s necessary to review ahead of the parent-teacher conference is your child’s Individualized Education Plan or IEP, and any other progress reports you have received. Do you notice progress or regression? Are there any particular areas that stand out? Perhaps some progress has been noticed at home but not reflected in school. Always ask yourself and the teacher why.
- If you have questions, you are not alone. Schedule a follow up meeting with the student's teacher or Intervention Specialist. You can also reach out to the Parent Mentor for Free services or clarification on next steps.
Inclusive Education for Down Syndrome Updated!
Literacy
Executive Function
DODD Family Advisory Council by Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities
About this event
The Family Advisory Council provides a forum for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) to hear directly from family members about the issues that affect their lives and provides families the opportunity to learn more about the department's current initiatives from executive staff.
FAC is a forum for families to have their voices directly heard by DODD leadership. Service providers or county board staff are welcome to attend but are encouraged to use their membership organizations and other avenues to raise any issues that concern them.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dodd-family-advisory-council-tickets-208651410987