FREE ASD Support Groups and Workshops from YAI

The YAI/NIPD Network is sponsoring:

 

MAY AND JUNE PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS FOR CAREGIVERS  OF PEOPLE ON THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM – Information, Support and Resources!

 

URGENT AND TIME LIMITED!

 

Each session will include a one hour presentation from a knowledgeable professional and one full hour of support and discussion – See attached flyers for the schedule of presenters. Sign up for one or sign up for all!

 

LOCATION: 460 West 34th St. 11th Floor, NY, NY 10001 (corner of 10th Avenue) -   Caregivers from all NYC boroughs welcome!

 

May and June DATES: See attached schedule parent-support-series-2008-flyer-master or visit our website at :

 

www.yai.org/autismsupport

         Note:  KEEP CHECKING AS WE ARE ADDING GROUPS REGULARLY!

 

ELIGIBILITY: Must be a parent or a caregiver of a person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Groups are available in English and Spanish.

 

ATTENDEES MUST PREREGISTER BY CALLING YAI LINK:

212-273-6182 or toll free at 1-866-2-YAILINK

 

This Series is supported in part by grants from NYS OMRDD and The New York City Council’s “1 in 150 Autism Awareness Initiative”

YAI/NIPD’s 29 Annual International Conference,’ Visions of Hope & Opportunity’

YAI/NIPD’s 29 Annual International Conference,’ Visions of Hope & Opportunity’ – This years conference is designed for professionals at all levels, family members & individuals with developmental & learning disabilities. The more than 180 seminars & workshops.
May 5-May 9 New York 8a-5p, Cost varies. Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1605 Broadway 10019 – Abbe Wittenberg http://yaiconference.org/  abbe.wittenberg@yai.org 212-273-6193

“Got Pecs?” – Great Links to Websites with Free Pecs

  

 

 

 

 

 

Click onto this link for a great website that lists many great sites that provide free Pecs for kids – scroll to the bottom of the page: http://trainland.tripod.com/pecs.htm

If you would like to go to the NYC DOE website and download some cool adapted books for your child, click onto this link: ADAPTED BOOKS These are adapted books and materials created with Boardmaker picture symbols. Many books have been converted to Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format.

Do To Learn (A web site for those with special learning needs. Why? Life can be challenging, especially for those who see the world in a different way. This site provides information and special learning tools for anyone having difficulty understanding, ordering and functioning in our world. We have planned our activities to help children and adults with diagnosed disorders such as autism, LD or ADD. These activities may also benefit anyone learning basic language and daily living skills, including young children. Our site is designed to allow those with special needs to Do activities in a safe, planned way and To Learn at their own pace)(You are going to LOVE THIS SITE!!. Picture schedules, black and white pictures to print out, templates,really is a GREAT SITE!)

http://www.bry-backmanor.org/picturerecipes.html Picture Recipes for Kids! Great ideas and visuals such as “Bubble Pizza” “Stone Soup” “Magic Milkshake” and “Applesauce Crunch”

Handwriting Page Maker (This utility allows you to create pages of text to assist in the development of children’s handwriting skills. By joining the dots, children can copy the characters. A dark arrow shows where to begin the character. Where applicable, a lighter arrow shows where to start the second part of the character.)

KidsAccess Eye-cons Catalog Main Page

Internet Picture Dictionary

Picture Symbol Dictionary

Pyramid Educational Products (Pyramid Educational Products is dedicated to providing educational materials to ensure that families, educators and students have the materials needed to use communication skills in their everyday  schedules and lives. We continue to develop products that  will enrich not only the student’s lives but also the lives  of those who have dedicated their lives to  teaching these students.)

See it, Say it, Write it

Mental Health Day Celebration- Friday, May 2, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bring the children and yourself to the Mental Health Day Celebration at the George Cromwell Recreation Center, Pier 6 @ Murray Hulbert Avenue, Staten Island, NY (cross streets at Bay & Hannah Streets)

• FREE ADMISSION
• INFORMATIVE RESOURCES
• STEP TEAM
• FREE RAFFLES
• PRIZES
• FREE GAMES
• ARTS & CRAFTS
• CLOWNS
• GUEST SPEAKERS

Directions: From the Ferry, take any Bay Street bus (51, 74, 76, 78). Get off at Victory Boulevard. Walk down the stairs, pass the pool, all the way to the end. Turn right, Cromwell will be on your left.
Driving Directions: From the Verrazano Bridge: Take the lower level of the bridge and use the toll lanes on the extreme right. Get off at the first exit (Bay Street). At the traffic light, turn left onto Bay Street. Follow Bay Street for approximately 2 miles to Hannah Street. Turn right on Hannah and bear left at the fork. Cromwell is the first building on your right.

From the Outerbridge Crossing: Go through toll booth and follow signs for 440 North. Take 440 N to 278 E (Staten Island Expressway) toward the Verrazano Bridge. Exit at Lily Pond Avenue (last exit before Verrazano). At the traffic light, turn left and follow road to Bay Street. Turn left onto Bay Street and follow for approximately 2 miles to Hannah Street. Turn right on Hannah and bear left at the fork. Cromwell is the first building on your right.

Workshop: “Legal Issues Pertaining to Individuals w/Special Needs”

The Staten Island Parent Resource Center is presenting a Free Workshop entitled: “Legal Issues Pertaining to Individuals with Special Needs”.

Speaker: Daniel D. Kuhn, J.K., M.S.W. from KUHN AND O’TOOLE, LLP

• Government Benefits including Social Security/Medicaid issues – What is SSI? – Providing Disability Related Medical Benefits – Social Security Application and Appeals Process
• Estate Planning/Supplemental Needs Trusts
• Guardianship Issues

When: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 from 10 to 12 noon. A light breakfast will be served! AND Thursday, May 15, 2008 from 6-8p.m. A light dinner will be served!

Where: The Parent Resource Center/JBFCS 2795 Richmond Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10314 Reservation Required Call (718) 698-5307

Theatrical Expo at Everthing Goes…Check Out the Costumes on Tuesday, April 29, 2008

FOR THEATER COMMUNITY
AT ETG CLOTHING STORE, 140 BAY ST. TUESDAY, APRIL 29TH FROM 7-9 P.M.

EVERY THING GOES THEATRICAL EXPO… Demonstrations! Performances! Food!
Find out tonight at this special event how the
Every Thing Goes stores are your Staten Island resource for theatrical supplies.
Industry standard Ben Nye make-up; costuming; sets; props; play-books; stage and screen.
This expo event is happening at
ETG CLOTHING, 140 Bay Street.

NYPD Gets Training in Autism Recognition and Response

 

NYPD Gets Training in Autism Recognition and Response
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
By: Carin Yavorcik

Dennis Debbaudt and David Legacy produce training video on behalf of ASA’s Safe and Sound rogram

To say that first-responder training for autism is a personal issue for Jim Holohan is putting it lightly. The retired NYPD captain has a teenage son with Asperger’s, and his efforts helped bring that training to the largest police department in the world.

“When my son was first diagnosed at the age of 5, I knew zero about autism,” Holohan said. “New York police come into contact with someone on the spectrum at least once every day and have no idea about it. Training is absolutely essential and it’s never been done before.”

Holohan made contact with first-responder training expert Dennis Debbaudt after he presented to a local New York autism and Asperger’s group. The retired captain brought Debbaudt’s work to the attention of NYPD training commissioners, and Debbaudt and award-winning videographer, editor and producer David Legacy established a seven-minute training video for the department on behalf of ASA’s Safe and Sound Program.

“We got a heck of a lot in seven minutes, that’s for sure,” Debbaudt said. “I’m just happy that through ASA we were able to get NYPD the most top-quality program designed for their needs with the best materials available.”

The instructional video was presented to a group of training officers on February 29; participants then went back to train the officers under their command. As a result of this one short training session, approximately 25,000 members of the New York Police Department will receive a background in interacting with individuals on the autism spectrum.

 “ASA is honored to be a part of this historic endeavor,” said ASA President and CEO Lee Grossman, who attended the February training. “Thanks to the efforts of these dedicated advocates, the biggest police department of the world will now be able to learn more about autism and the special challenges facing children and adults on the spectrum.”

Future training sessions are still in the works. The program is easily adaptable, and Debbaudt hopes to replicate it elsewhere.

“It’s kind of like a dream come true, to know that people like my son may get treated with more dignity and respect that they deserve when they have an encounter with members of law enforcement,” Holohan said.

 

 

Barnes & Noble Autism Event – Monday, April 28, 2008

National Autism Awareness Month

• The Office of Continuing Education & Professional Development & The Office of Disability Services of The College of Staten Island are teaming up to offer educators of Staten Island an opportunity to participate in professional development specific to Autism Spectrum Disorders as part of an awareness campaign hosted by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, “National Autism Awareness Month”.
• Staci Weile, Director of Continuing Education & Professional Development & Karen M. Gallo, Counselor, Disability Services will be offering instructional strategies, discussion on available resources, IEP’s and the importance of identification of the student population with ASD’s. 
• The event will be held on Monday, April 28^th at 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm with a reading from the book, “All Cats Have Asperger’s Syndrome”.  The professional development component of the event will commence at 4:00 pm and will include a review of selected titles of literary resources that will be available for purchase.  Hand outs will be made available to participants of this event and a question/answer session will follow.
• The Barnes & Noble retailer is located at 2245 Richmond Avenue.  Please RSVP to Michele Murray, Community Relations Manager for Barnes & Noble Booksellers at 718.982.7623.

April 16, 2008 P.S. 373R PTA Minutes

Reading of March minutes waived, as they have been up on the website all month.

Next year, PS 373 will have a seventh site.  The DOE is opening a new school in Sept’ 08.  The old PS 15 on St Paul’s Avenue will reopen as PS 65.  This will be a general ed school, but we will have 3 or 4 classes there. 

Mike McMahon gave us $150,000 for technology at PS 373.

Carnival: We had so many responses for volunteers, so we are asking parents who have consistently volunteered to help at the carnival.  Executive board members will help out plus an additional 10 volunteers.  The carnival is on Friday, 5/23.  Other parents who would like to volunteer can help out at our upcoming plant sale.

Plant Sale is planned for the Thursday before Mother’s Day, May 8th.  The J building will e bussed in to purchase plants.  We will request to be able to set up on Wednesday afternoon before school is out.  We will visit Gerardi’s and other nurseries for prices.  We will purchase party bags at Party City and dollar stores.  Jen Acosta and Siri will make phone calls to parent volunteers. 

Cookie dough Fundraiser:  Laura Strohm will be arranging for a new cookie dough company to supply us with samples to taste test prior to the fundraiser as we had some complaints with the last company we used.   Please don’t give up on us, we will choose a company whose product passes the PTA taste test!

Overcrowding:  The overcrowding issue is now all about the mini building.  One option is to rent out space for classrooms from local churches.  The UFT came to see the mini building in relation to health issues and air samples were taken.  We can consider a “compromise” to our addition request.  It will be easier to get the DOE to agree if we allow part of it to be used for a vocational program.  This means having HS students in the building with our children.

Upcoming Events:

Walk for Autism- Sunday, 6/22/08  Jen Walsh, one of our parents has signed up a team.  Please join them.  Info is available on our school’s web site. 

Nominations for next year’s PTA:

Treasurer:  Kitty Spicer
Corresponding Secretary:  Jen Acosta
Recording Secretary: Laura Strohm, Carol Russo             
President: John Scarso
Vice President: Siri Kagan
Additional nominations can be made up until the elections at the May 21, PTA meeting.

Featured Presentation: Assistive Technology

Celebrate Earth Day! – April 22, 2008

FREE Earth Day Celebration

Staten Island Greenbelt Nature Center, Tuesday, April 22, 2008 2-4p.m.

700 Rockland Avenue
Staten Island NY 10314
1-718-351-3450

Celebrate Earth Day with the Greenbelt educators! Learn through games and activities what you can do to keep our planet healthy. Ages 7 and up. Pre-registration required.

 

Earth Day Hike – Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008
10:00 a.m.
High Rock Park, Staten Island  Telephone (718) 351-3450

Hike from High Rock Park to the BMP (Rockland Avenue and Meisner Avenue) with the Greenbelt educators.

S.I. ZOO’S EARTH FAIR – SATURDAY, APRIL 26TH, 10:30 A.M. TO 4:00 P.M.

This will be the Zoo’s fifth year celebrating Earth Day in a big way with an all-day fair. There will be zookeeper talks, environmental programs, displays, crafts and all sorts of fun. Come and meet local environmental organizations and learn what you can do to keep our planet healthy while having a fair of a time.
Free with regular Zoo admission.
Pre-registration not required  718-442-3100; www.statenislandzoo.org

CENTRAL PARK Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m.

This celebration will feature live musical performances, planting and mulching projects, tree care and composting demonstrations, face-painting, environmental education and crafts with recycled materials.

Address: Rumsey Playfield, Central Park 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

Crafts like: make-and-take-home-your-own vegetable garden, recycled musical instrument-making, contributing their own piece of painted art (canvas and paints are supplied) to the 1,000-piece green mural by Paul and Mark Kostabi.

Musical performances begin at 12:00 pm, featuring:

• Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
• Big Head Todd and the Monsters
• The Bacon Brothers 
• Vusi Mahlasela
• Vienna Teng

212-310-6600,

http://www.centralparknyc.org/site/PageNavigator/Green/green_earthday

GREEN LIVING

Do you want to do more for the environment than recycle phone books and soda bottles? Are you looking for practical, family-friendly ways to go green? Diane Gow McDilda’s “The Everything Green Living Book” provides suggestions on environmental friendly alternatives, green trivia and a quiz to measure the size of your eco-footprint.

Here are her top tips to kick-start your way to better green living:

Use refillable water/drink bottles. Keep a shelf of different sized bottles kids can use for their lunch and sports. According to the Container Recycling Institute, approximately eight out of every 10 single-use water bottles are thrown away, not recycled. Often bottled water is just filtered tap water and isn’t any healthier.

Cut back on individually wrapped snacks. Buy snacks in larger boxes or bags and pack them in reusable containers. This will reduce the garbage you make every day.

Don’t overpack lunches and don’t overcook for meals. If there are leftovers after dinner, try not to waste them. Why? Americans generate approximately 4.6 pounds of garbage every day, food makes up about 12.4 percent of that or about half a pound of food waste per person is thrown away every day.

Turn off the water when brushing your teeth and even lathering up your hands. Common bathroom and kitchen faucets put out 4 to 7 gallons of water a minute. By turning off the water while you’re brushing your teeth or lathering up your hands, you can save over 10 gallons of water a day.

Make thoughtful purchases. Manufacturing and transporting material goods uses up a lot of energy and natural resources. Next time you’re buying something, think about whether or not you really need it or if it’s an impulse buy. When you do go shopping, bring along your own reusable bag. -From an article in SILIVE by Melissa Chapman-Mushnick