3 minute read
Resource center seeks to support families
Contributed Report
Hanover County Public Schools’ Department of Special Education has established the Parent Resource Center (PRC) as a source of information, training and support for families, students, teachers, staff and community members.
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The PRC is committed to connecting people with the information and resources that facilitate and strengthen collaborative partnerships between home, school and the community as they work toward the common goal of successful outcomes and inclusion for all of our students in Hanover County Public Schools.
The Resource Center has scheduled several upcoming workshops and webinars:
April 18: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Join Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) for “Planning for the Future: Financial & Decision Options.” Planning for the future is important for all parents, but for parents of children with disabilities it is vital. This workshop will offer information to help learn about options and tools for making these important decisions. Topics covered will be: age of majority, guardianship, power of attorney, supported decision making, special needs trusts, ABLE accounts and letters of intent.
April 20: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. via Zoom. Join Lauren Whitlock and Melinda Simon as they share more about “Using AAC at Home.” They will provide participants with information about how to encourage students to use AAC to communicate and engage in activities in the home environment.
April 22: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Passport to Summer Family Resource Fair: Presented in partnership by the Hanover County Parent Resource Center and the Hanover County Community Services Board, the Passport to Summer Resource Fair will provide families and community members with the opportunity to learn more about resources available in Hanover and the Richmond area for families of students with disabilities. A wide variety of agencies, nonprofits and programs will be represented. Attendees who visit tables and fill their passports with stamps can enter to win door prizes from some of these community organizations and community businesses.
May 11: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Atlee Branch Library. Join Lauren Whitlock and Melinda Simon for the last workshop in the AAC series, “Using AAC in the Community.” Discover ways to encourage students to use AAC to communicate and engage in their communities.
May 16: 6 to 8 p.m. at the Mechanicsville Branch Public Library. Join Dana Traynham from the DisAbility Law Center of Virginia (DLCV) as she shares information on decision making options in Virginia, “How to Decide Who Decides When I Can’t Decide.” This presentation will explore the options families can consider as their students approach the age of majority (and the legal age of independent decision-making) at age 18. Families of students of all ages are encouraged to attend!
May 18: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via online workshop. Join staff from the Virginia Department of Education TTAC (Training & Technical Assistance Center) at VCU as they present on visual supports that you can use at home and in the community to support communication and behavior. This workshop will be a “make and take” workshop, and the materials you will need to create the visuals shared during the workshop (mini schedule and communication symbols with a lanyard) will be delivered through your child’s teacher/ backpack the week before the event, and a Zoom link will be sent to you via email one week before the event. Registration is open until April 20. For more information on any of these topics, contact Katy Wilde, PRC coordinator, at (804) 365-4596 or via email at HanoverPRC@hcps. us.
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