If you have never been able to bring your child with autism to see the Easter Bunny, now’s your chance!
AbilityPath, an online special needs community for parents and professionals, is bringing “Caring Bunny” to Simon malls to allow children with special needs the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with the Easter Bunny in a quiet, unrushed setting and get their picture taken. Great care has been taken to ensure a sensory-friendly environment that allows children to enjoy their time with the Caring Bunny. Families will be able to purchase a photo as a keepsake of the day.
In Massachusetts, Caring Bunny will be at the following locations:
You must pre-register for the event by going to http://www.abilitypath.org/love-laugh–live/family-fun/caring-bunny-mall-photos.html
Location: The Lurie Center at MGH
It has been documented that symptoms of autism decrease in some individuals during fever. This change may be due to the cell stress that is caused by the rising body temperature. It is believed that this type of cell stress may be the basis of symptom improvement seen during fever.
Sulforaphane, obtained from extract of broccoli sprouts, has been shown to have a protective effect on cells because it produces a mild stress. We believe that this protective stress can mimic the positive role of a fever in reducing symptoms of autism.
This study will enroll 45 males aged 13 to 30 years who have been diagnosed with autism. 30 subjects will be randomly selected to receive sulforaphane and 15 inactive placebo, and their symptoms will be followed at the Lurie Center for 22 weeks. Study procedures will include:
- Medical and Neurological Exams
- Blood and urine sampling
- Assessments of social communication and behavior
Compensation for time will be provided.
You’re invited to our next exciting, educational evening lecture for parents, occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants, and teachers.
Program Cost: $25
Parent Couple: $35
Spiral Foundation
74 Bridge Street
Newton, MA 02458
Andrea Leung
Spiral Foundation
74 Bridge St. Newton, MA 02458
617-969-4410 ext 231
courses@thespiralfoundation.org
Continuing Education
Contact hours:
1.5 hours (.15 CEUs)
Course level: Introductory
OccupationalTherapy Practitioners/ Occupational Therapy Assistants: The Spiral Foundation is an Approved Provider of continuing Education for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants by the American Occupational Therapy Association. The assignment of AOTA DEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Please note: CEUs will be calculated depending on the hours of attendance and the completion of the course evaluation.
ADA/Section 504: If you require special accommodations, please contact us at the address above.
As part of the OTA The Koomar Center family, the Spiral Foundation warmly invites you to participate in any of our educational offerings.
The Spiral Foundation is the not-for-profit research and education affiliate of OTA The Koomar Center; at the request of OTA The Koomar Center, we will be emailing upcoming lectures and courses as well as newsletters filled with helpful tips and the most exciting updates in SPD research. You may unsubscribe from our email list at any time.
The Spiral Foundation is an Approved Provider of Continuing Education for occupational therapists & occupational therapy assistants by the American Occupational Therapy Association. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Please note: CEUs will be
calculated depending on the hours of attendance and the completion of the course evaluation.
As always, please contact us with any questions.617-969-4410 ext. 231http://www.thespiralfoundation.org
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We are pleased to offer another year of Challenger League Baseball in 2013. The Challenger Division is designed to provide children with disabilities who are ages 6-22 with the opportunity to play baseball in a comfortable and caring environment. This will be our 8th season with the Sudbury Red Sox Challenger Team. If you are interested in joining the Sudbury Red Sox team you can sign up at http://www.sudburybaseball.com and follow the “Register Online” prompts on the left hand side of the page. Once again Sudbury Little League has generously offered to waive the registration fee for our team, so registration is free and a t-shirt, hat and certificate or trophy will be provided! T-shirts will be ordered by April 5th so please plan on registering before then if you would like a t- shirt.
This year our games will be played every Sunday from May 5th to June 16th from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. at Upper Featherland Field on Concord Road in Sudbury. (Please note that there will be no games on Sunday May 26th, Memorial Day weekend). Each session will usually begin with a warm-up period that will allow each child to throw, catch, and bat. We use RIF (Reduced Injury Factor) baseballs and ultra-light bats, your child may bring his or her own bat and helmet if they prefer. We will have “buddies” on the field and in the dug out helping to organize and shadow the players, but cannot always guarantee that each player will have their own “buddy”. Families are also welcome to join their child on the field to assist during the game if they wish. After the warm-up period, the players will be split into two teams and will play a two or three inning game as long as they are able. Each child will have the opportunity to bat at least twice each time their team is up. A coach will either deliver the pitch, or place the ball on a batting tee. The runners advance through the bases with assistance or independently, while the fielders make plays. Please note that all batters must wear a helmet.
Please feel free to come and watch a game to see if your child would benefit from participating in our program. Our goal is to provide the children with a chance to experience the joy and camaraderie that the game of baseball can bring and we hope to see as many families as possible join our team. We hope that the Challenger Division of Sudbury Little League will continue to grow and provide children from all over the area the chance to play baseball for years to come. If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact either of us. We look forward to seeing you at the ballpark this spring!
Carole-Ann Baer, Commissioner
caroleannbaer@comcast.net
John Morrissey, Coach
jmorrissey@mxschool.edu
DO YOU HAVE A BABY JUST LEARNING TO TALK? At the Tufts University Infant Development Lab, Dr. Emily Bushnell and her students are currently conducting a study on early word learning and recognition. We desperately need infants 16 – 22 months old to help us out! The baby simply sits on a parent’s lap and sees a series of colorful picture pairs, while a voice names one of the pictures in each pair. Parents are with the child throughout the 30-minute session, which takes place at the Tufts Medford campus; free parking and a thank-you gift are provided. If you have an infant 16- to 22-months-old and would be willing to help us out, please contact us at babylab@tufts.edu. Leave your name, baby’s birthdate, and a contact phone number or email address. We will get in touch with you to provide further information and see if you would like to make an appointment for your infant to participate. Thanks
“The Lights are up and the sound is down. Come enjoy a sensory friendly movie at the Framingham 16 Theatre. Families are allowed to bring in their own snacks, there are no previews or advertisements and the ‘Silence is Golden’ policy is NOT in effect.”
* Date: February 23, 2013
* Time: 10:00 am
* Cost: Normal movie rates apply
* Where: See list below
For more information contact the AMC Movie Theaters or the Autism Society of America. Other independent theaters may also be holding sensory friendly screening, but AMC and the Autism Society have specifically partnered for this series.
AMC Burlington (personally, I haven’t been very impressed with this theater)
20 South Avenue
Burlington, MA
AMC Braintree 10
121 Grandview Road
Braintree, MA 02184-2616
AMC Framingham 10
22 Flutie Pass
Framingham , MA 01701
1-888-AMC-4FUN
Directions
Located on Flutie Pass between the Natick Mall & Shoppers World, one block North of Route 9.
AMC Dartmouth Mall 12
140 North Dartmouth Mall North Dartmouth, Mass. 02747
AMC Tyngsboro 12
440 Middlesex Road Tyngsboro, Mass. 01879
AMC Loews Methuen 20
90 Pleasant Valley St. Methuen, Mass. 01844
The National Fire Protection Association has produced an interactive storybook, “I Know My Fire Safety Plan,” that teaches children with autism spectrum disorder what to do if a smoke alarm sounds. The story can also be helpful to children with other developmental disabilities.
(We’ve done this the last two years and it’s amazing and it falls during April vacation week!)
“Join Variety for its Annual Spring Sesame Place Day! Come see your favorite characters, ride your favorite rides and sing your favorite songs at this one-of-a-kind amusement park!
This event is open to Variety children and up to 4 family members and a TSS/Aide. If you are from somewhere outside of our “service area,” which includes the Greater Philadelphia Region, Delaware and New Jersey, you are still invited to attend. We just ask that you submit an Intake Form to us (see below).
We will continue updating the website with information regarding this event as we get it. Please do not contact our office about Sesame until registration opens on the 8th.
Click here to learn about our new Intake Form and registration process for our Variety at Play events.
To download a Fact Sheet and a printable registration form, please click on the Download Forms button below. *Please note you will not be able to download a registration form until March 8th.
*Please make sure that you have completed and submitted an Intake Form. If you have not done so, click here to download the form.
Interested in sponsoring a resource table? Please email Nicole Simon at nicolesimon@varietyphila.org.
- When: Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 10:00 AM
- Where: Sesame Place, 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, PA
- Cost: Admission is free; however parking is $25 per vehicle (paid at the park on the day of the event)
”
The Price Center is sponsoring the following seminar for families of persons with developmental disabilities:
Special Needs Planning
Do you lie awake thinking about how your special needs child will manage if you are not able to look after her? Attorney Alexandra Golden will present an overview of special needs planning, including:
- A review of potential benefits and services,
- How special needs trusts fit into your estate plan,
- Creative uses of life insurance to expand options for your child,
- The importance of nominating an appropriate guardian.
- When: Tuesday February 26, 2013
- Time: 6:30 to 8:30pm
- Where: The Price Center, 77 Rowe Street, Auburndale MA (next to Finagle a Bagel Factory)
Please contact Karen Manning, Director of Family Support to register at 617.332.7477 x220.
Sasha Golden
Golden Law Center
200 Highland Avenue, Suite 302
Needham, MA 02494
The Arlington Public Schools is pleased to welcome three finalists for the position of Director of Special Education and Support Services to Arlington to meet with teachers, students, parents and Administrators. Please note that parents and community members are invited to meet with the candidates from 6:30 – 7:30 PM on the day of his/her visit in the School Committee Room on the Sixth Floor of Arlington High School. The three finalists are:
John Tiano, who will visit the District on Tuesday, February 5, 2013 to visit schools and meet with faculty, administrators and parents. Mr. Tiano is currently the Special Education Director for the Pentucket Regional School District. Mr. Tiano has more than ten years’ experience as a Special Education Administrator in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He has also served as a Special Education Teacher and Coordinator. Mr. Tiano received a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell and a Master of Education in Special Education from Rivier College in New Hampshire.
Debra Bromfield, who is currently the Director of Student Services for the Canton Public Schools. Prior to her position in Canton, Ms. Bromfield was the Director of Special Education and Title I Director for the Masconomet Regional School District. Ms. Bromfield has significant experience as a Special Education Teacher and Coordinator. Ms. Bromfield received a B.A. from Boston University, a Masters in Special Education from the University of North Carolina, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and she has completed doctoral coursework in Educational Leadership at UMASS Lowell. Ms. Bromfield will visit the District on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 to visit schools and meet with faculty, administrator and parents.
Marisa McCarthy, who will visit the District on Thursday, February 7, 2013, where she will have the chance to visit the schools and meet with faculty, administrators and parents. Ms. McCarthy is currently the Interim Director of Special Education and Student Support Services for the Attleboro Public Schools. Prior to assuming this position, she was the Director of Pupil Services in the Granby Public Schools. She has also worked for the Chicopee Public Schools as a Special Education Supervisor, Team Leader, School Adjustment Counselor and Extended School Year Program Director. Ms. McCarthy has a B.A. from Western New England University, a Master of Educational Psychology, School Adjustment Counseling from American International College, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from American International College, and is currently working on completing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Supervision from American International College.
