Schools are closing across Connecticut in an effort to slow the pace of the coronavirus pandemic. The federal Department of Education has issued a Q&A. Here is what parents need to know.
As the risk of coronavirus reaches Connecticut, children are starting to hear about it and some may become anxious. Parents may be wondering if/when schools may close and what that means for their children. Many parents are wondering how to talk about coronavirus with their children without causing alarm. The Child Mind Institute has put together this helpful guidance on talking to children in a way that will be reassuring and won’t cause more worry.
While coronavirus has not yet hit Connecticut hard, schools around the state are gearing up in anticipation of needed closures of schools. In relation to this, the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) has issued guidance to school districts, in the form of a planning tool.
It is National Eating Disorders Awareness week. People don’t often think about eating disorders when they think about special education, but eating disorders can have a significant impact on education. Eating disorders can impact cognitive functioning. Children with eating disorders often have co-occurring disabilities, like depression and anxiety.
Today, February 4, 2020, is officially World Cancer Day. According to the National Cancer Society, about 11,050 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2020. When children are diagnosed with cancer, school takes a back seat as parents and doctors focus on medical treatment. When kids are ready to return to school, things may be different.
You may not know about these free training events happening throughout the state in Connecticut. If you are a parent or caregiver of a child who requires special education, has a learning disability and/or developmental disability then you can't afford to miss out on these free upcoming events in Connecticut.
As the rush of the first few weeks of school ends and you begin to settle in, it’s a good time to pause and take a look at your child’s Individualized Education Plan (“IEP”). The IEP is a critically important document. It is the document that describes what your child’s needs are and what the school is doing about it. So, it is really important that it be accurate and comprehensive.
I am excited to present at SpEdConnecticut’s 12 week Special Education training series. My presentation, “Emotional Disturbance – Advocating in the School,” will take place on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 from 11 am to 1 pm.
A parent’s attendance at IEP meetings is essential, but some parents may struggle to take time off in order to attend these meetings. If this sounds like you, you are in luck! A recently published opinion from the Department of Labor (DOL) details how parents can take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in order to attend meetings to develop your child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), known in Connecticut as PPT meetings.
September is suicide awareness month and I keep thinking about something I came across recently. As I often do when writing a blog post, I looked back at previous blog posts to see what I had written on the topic, in this case service animals.