Traveling with Your Special Needs Child/Adult
2024-05-02 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
Come join Parent to Parent NYS for this NEW Presentation on Traveling with Your Special Needs Child/Adult. Have you dreamed of going on a vacation with your child or adult with special needs? Does your child express a desire to go visit grandparents or a friend? Does he/she want to go on a field trip? Are theme parks or cruises a wish? Does the thought of even planning a trip make you nervous? Whether it’s a day trip or a long vacation, get tips and tricks for planning and implementing a trip with your family member with special needs. Learn how a trip can benefit all of your family members.
Register here.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) What You Need to Know - webinar
2024-05-02 18:30 - 19:45
Come join Namita Modasra, Education Advocate, Parent to Parent of NYS, for this wonderful presentation and learn what the laws says about LRE. Have you heard of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)? Many parents are unaware of what it means. (LRE) stands for Least Restrictive Environment and is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It refers to the placement that your child is in. Least restrictive environment is an important part of your child’s IEP.
REGISTER HERE.

Charla Con Nosotros Grupo De Apoyo via Zoom
2024-05-02 18:30 - 20:00
¿Eres padre de un niño/a que tieneuna discapacidad o sospechas quetengan una discapacidad?
DISCUCIONES YPERSPECTIVAS
OBTEN APOYO
Consigue información práctica,constructiva, y útil.
CONECTA CON OTROS
Consigue información práctica,constructiva, y útil.
Aprende mas sobre como manejar con susproblemas a través de experienciascompartidas.
EXPRESATE
Tén un espacio seguro para compartirsus experiencias y dificultades.

Primer Jueves de cada mes. 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

REGISTRACIÓN
www.parentnetworkwny.org/events
Mas Información
716.332.4170 o
info@parentnetworkwny.org
Registración es necesaria para recibirel enlace de Zoom.
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Special Education 101: A Parent Member
2024-05-03 15:00 - 16:00
Learn about the Special Education Process and the Individualized Education Program!

Gain understanding about procedures, NYS regulations, and strategies to promote a parent’s understanding and participation in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting.
This course is required to receive a Parent Member Certificate to support a parent of a child with a disability in an IEP meeting.

*Please note that this is a 2-part training! Part 1 must be completed online in order to receive the zoom link for this session.
*Certificate of completion available upon request*
REGISTER HERE! FREE EVENT!
Call: 716-332-4170 | Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org
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GO, DOG. GO! - A Sensory-Friendly Performance at Theatre of Youth
2024-05-05 10:00 - 11:10 | Theatre of Youth, Buffalo, New York
GO, DOG. GO! – P.D. Eastman’s classic children’s book comes to life on stage in an exploration of movement, color and space. The dogs delve into life with gusto, creating a visual spectacle for the audience to feast upon. A big and little musical world of doggy fun. Like a pop-up book that comes to life – and never stops.
Theatre of Youth (TOY) welcomes you to enjoy a performance in a sensory-friendly environment. Your children can sit where they are most comfortable and move around as they need, all while enjoying the magic of live theatre. These tickets are made available for children and families who desire a sensory-friendly environment.
This performance incorporates special modifications to accommodate audiences with sensory needs, including, changes to the performance:
?Increased lighting in the seating area and house throughout the performance.
?Lower sound levels.
?Lowered seating capacities to allow for more space and movement between patrons.
*Dates and titles subject to change.
Ticket Code to Order: SENSORY23
SENSORY-FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE on Sunday, May 5 at 10AM
Purchase tickets here.

What Does Advocacy Mean in Special Education - webinar
2024-05-07 18:00 - 19:15
Please join Namita Modasra for this training on What Does Advocacy Mean in Special Education. Not everyone starts out by being a good advocate. Many parents, guardians and grandparents have faced challenges in getting their child’s education needs met. Parents, guardians, grandparents, must learn the skills they need to become good advocates for their children. Participants will learn that communicate effectively with teachers and other school personnel is one of the best ways to ensure that your child’s school is creating a good learning environment for your child, and to ensure that your child’s school is providing your child with the services or programs that he or she needs to succeed in school. If you are a Parent, Grandparent, Family Member or just interested in this topic then this training is for you!
REGISTER HERE!

Education Records Organizer via Zoom
2024-05-08 10:00 - 11:00
This workshop is where parents, guardians and advocates of children who receive 504, CPSE and CSE special education services take their educational records and organize them into a record-keeping binder. This workshop will assist in being more organized in planning a child’s education, and in the CPSE/CSE process.
REGISTER HERE.

Motor Skills and Executive Function in Autism - webinar
2024-05-08 13:00 - 14:15
Learn about emerging research on the relationship between the development of motor skills and executive function in autistic children.
The Speakers
Megan MacDonald, PhD is a professor of kinesiology, the early childhood research core director at the Hallie E. Ford Center for Children and Families and the OSU IMPACT for Life faculty scholar – all housed within the College of Health and. Her vision is that every child is active and accepted.
Megan McClelland, PhD, is the Katherine E. Smith Professor of Healthy Children and Families at Oregon State University (OSU) where she serves as Endowed Director at the Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families. Her research focuses on optimizing children’s development, especially as it relates to children’s self-regulation, early learning, and school success. Her recent work has examined links between self-regulation and long-term outcomes from early childhood to adulthood, recent advances in measuring self-regulation, and intervention efforts to improve these skills in young children. She works with colleagues and collaborators around the world and is currently involved with a number of national and international projects to develop measures of self-regulation and improve school success in young children.
Register here.

CANCELED - Effective And Collaborative Implementation Of Family Engagement Resources - via Zoom
2024-05-08 16:00 - 17:30
Participants will:

Explore meaningful and equitable training resources/tools to support effective family engagement and communication.
Explore the use of critical thinking skills to deepen connection and understanding of the resources to support equitable family engagement.

*Certificate of completion available upon request*
REGISTER HERE! FREE EVENT!
Call: 716-332-4170 | Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org
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Know Your Rights: School Discipline and Special Education
2024-05-08 18:00 - 19:00 | Parent Network of Western New York, 1021 Broadway Street, Floor 4, Room 442, Buffalo, NY, 14212, United States
Know Your Rights: School Discipline and Special Education
Do you have a child with an IEP or 504 Plan?
School Discipline Project Supervising Attorney Sam White will discuss the protections for children with disabilities during school disciplinary matters!
In-Person Workshop or Attend Via Zoom
*Certificate of completion available upon request*
REGISTER HERE! FREE EVENT!
Call: 716-332-4170 | Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org
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Specially Designed Instruction: A Guide For Families And Caregivers - via Zoom
2024-05-09 10:00 - 12:00
Participants will:

Understand the concepts of SDI
Understand that there is both federal and state regulations around SDI
Be able to examine what SDI might look like in the classroom and in the home
Understand their value as engaged meaningful parent

*Certificate of completion available upon request*
REGISTER HERE! FREE EVENT!
Call: 716-332-4170 | Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org
Download Flyer

Addressing Sleep Challenges for the Neurodivergent Child via Zoom
2024-05-09 15:00 - 16:00
Join Parent Network and Dr Amanda Hassinger for an informational workshop on addressing sleep issues in neurodivergent children. This could include those with diagnoses or suspected: ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Dyslexia, and more. While this workshop is specific to these needs, good sleep patterns can be disrupted in children for many different reasons, and this workshop may help support any family that has a child with significant sleep disturbances.
Presenter: After working a decade in pediatric critical care, Dr Hassinger went back into training and completed a Sleep Medicine Fellowship. She worked with UBMD Pediatrics to develop the only pediatric-dedicated Sleep Medicine Center in WNY which opened in 2020, which provides both inpatient and outpatient pediatric sleep medicine consultations on a variety of children’s sleep problems. The Center sees patients 0 to 25 years old and has begun partnerships with community providers for neuro-diverse children; developing a multi-faceted program to improve the sleep and CPAP use in children with special needs in WNY.
*Certificate of completion available upon request*
REGISTER HERE! FREE EVENT!
Call: 716-332-4170 | Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org
Download Flyer

Chautauqua County Family & Caregiver Support Group via Zoom
2024-05-09 18:30 - 20:00
Receive Support – Connect with Others – Express Yourself
Free Support for parents, family members and caregivers of children with special needs
REGISTER ONCE FOR MONTHLY EMAIL REMINDERS AND ZOOM MEETING LINKS!
Call: 716-332-4170 | Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org

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Parent to Parent of NYS-Residential Placement Online Discussion Group- Parents who have a child or adult in a Residential placement
2024-05-09 19:00 - 20:00
For families with children and adults of all ages that currently have children in residential school or a group home. Come join us for an hour of support and conversation.
Register here.

Work-Based Learning (WBL) Updates & Collaboration
2024-05-10 12:30 - 14:30 | Erie 1 BOCES, 355 Harlem Road, West Seneca, NY, 14224, United States
Join us in-person for updates around Work-Based Learning!
We will be discussing the family’s role in WBL, updates from the new manual, and have round table discussions around work-based learning and schools.
*Certificate of completion available upon request*
REGISTER HERE! FREE EVENT!
Call: 716-332-4170 | Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org
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Au-Some Evenings at Explore & More - The Ralph C Wilson Jr. Children's Museum
2024-05-10 17:30 - 19:30 | Explore & More – The Ralph C Wilson Jr. Children’s Museum, 130 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14202, United States
Once a month, Au-Some Evenings give children with autism and sensory processing needs, their friends and family an opportunity to play and learn together in an understanding and supportive environment. In addition to a fun night of play with access to the museum space and exhibits, we have special programming for families! The evening features themed Art Studio projects, sensory exploration in our Tinkering Tank, therapy animals from the SPCA and student volunteers from SUNY Buffalo State’s Exceptional Education program. Parent outreach materials including links for social stories, child development resources and play tips are always available. We even provide small giveaways or snacks in the lobby, at the end of the night to help with the transition of leaving the museum. We look forward to having you join us!
To register for the next Au-Some Evening please complete the form, here!

Special thanks to the Exceptional Education department from SUNY Buffalo State for providing volunteers who help support children and families develop language skills, promote social interactions, and facilitate learning through play. Au-Some Evenings was created in 2012 and presented in partnership with: Kathy Doody, Professor in Exceptional Education, and Jana Mertz, The Arc Erie County.

Click here to download our Au-Some Evening flyer!

Questions? Email accessibility@exploreandmore.org.
SPACE IS LIMITED!

Parent to Parent of NYS- Statewide-Virtual Fathers Group
2024-05-13 19:00 - 20:00
Parent to Parent of NYS Fathers Group to meet online via Zoom and discuss the role of dads in navigating their children’s special needs. Come join Bing Feng for an informal meeting to share information, resources, and support. Parents of children and adults are welcome.
Register here.

How to Prepare for a Successful CPSE/CSE Meeting - webinar
2024-05-14 13:00 - 14:15
Please join Parent to Parent of NYS, Tina Beauparlant, Regional Manager/Education Specialist, as she presents this wonderful presentation on How to Prepare for a Successful CSE Meeting. This training is to help parents, who approach IEP meetings with fear and dread. If this is, you attended this training then we have some suggestions to help you feel more at ease and participate as a full member of the team that plans your child’s special education program. If you are a Parent, Grandparent, Family Member, or guardian then this training is for you!
Register here.

Getting Started with the Residential Process: Tips, Tricks, and Information via Zoom
2024-05-14 18:30 - 19:45
Where Do I Begin?
The process of pursuing residential placement can be overwhelming. This presentation will help you organize your needs, preferences, and documents to help you navigate the process.
REGISTER HERE.

Growing with Others - Neurodivergent Social Group for high school students
2024-05-14 18:30 - 20:00 | North Tonawanda High School Library, 405 Meadow Drive, North Tonawanda, NY 14120, NY, 14120, United States
Neurodivergent social group for high school students meets 2nd Tuesday of every month from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Community Connection – Connect with other high school students and build positive relationships.
Develop New Skills – Opportunities to develop skills such as self-awareness, social wellness, coping with stress, and more!
Feel Supported – Discuss feelings, ideas, interests, and goals in a safe and supportive environment.
FACILITATOR
Patty McCalister, LMHC is a licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 20 years in the Human Services fields, working with individuals with intellectual disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
If you have any questions, please contact Patty McCalister at patriciamccalisterlmhc@gmail.com or 716-345-5450.
LOCATION
North Tonawanda High School Library, 405 Meadow Drive, North Tonawanda, NY 14120

Changes in Autism Symptoms Across Childhood - webinar
2024-05-15 13:00 - 14:15
Tune in to this presentation by Dr. Einat Waizbard-Bartov to learn about how autism symptoms change throughout child development.
The speaker: Dr. Einat Waizbard-Bartov is a post-doctoral researcher working with Dr. Ilan Dinstein at the Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research at Ben-Gurion University, Israel. Dr. Waizbard-Bartov completed her doctoral studies at the University of California, Davis, working with Dr. David Amaral at the UC Davis MIND Institute’s Autism Phenome Project. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist trained in autism assessment and play-based and cognitive-behavioral therapies with children. Dr. Waizbard-Bartov is especially interested in assessment and measurement of autism symptoms, developmental trajectories across the life span and how these translate into individual needs, and the female autism phenotype.
Register here.

Behavior as Communication: Addressing Neurodivergent Needs (In-person event)
2024-05-15 18:00 - 20:00 | Cloverbank Elementary School, 2761 Cloverbank Rd., Hamburg, NY, 14075, United States
Join Parent Network to learn about Behavior as Communication for Neurodivergent Needs. Children and young adults with diagnoses or suspected diagnoses that fall underneath the neurodivergence umbrella such as autism, ADHD, learning differences, and tic disorders, to name a few, typically need supports in additional ways. This may mean adjusting how parents and caregivers work with challenging behaviors. This workshop is appropriate for parents/caregivers and professionals!
*Certificate of completion available upon request*
REGISTER HERE! FREE EVENT!
Call: 716-332-4170 | Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org
Download Flyer

Parent to Parent of NYS- Upstate Parent Group: For families residing in Western New York, Central New York, Northern New York:
2024-05-15 19:00 - 20:00
Are you a parent navigating the unique journey of raising a child with special needs? Join Parent to Parent of NYS for their monthly Online Parent Group. Parent to Parent of NYS is dedicated to creating a warm and inclusive environment where parents of children and adults with special needs can connect and support each other. If you’re a parent or caregiver navigating the journey of raising a someone with special needs, we invite you to join.
Register here.

Parent to Parent of NYS- Black, Indigenous, Person of Color (BIPOC) virtual Parent Group and learning series
2024-05-15 19:00 - 20:30
Are you a BIPOC Parent of a child with special needs of any age? (BIPOC – Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) Like you, I understand the realities of parenting our children with special needs while walking that tightrope of living on the margins struggling to be seen! Let’s address the high pressure reality on us as BIPOC parents so we may begin to re-energize ourselves, re-focus on what’s most important, and re-up our enthusiasm to increase our effectiveness in our roles. As we share our paths forward together, the better off we will be for our journey ahead, emotionally and physically, and the better off our families will be. Join me, Melanie Baker, for an honest conversation as we consider where we have been, where we are now, so that we may see our way forward.
Register here.

Let’s Take a Crash Course on Understanding How to Read an IEP - webinar
2024-05-16 12:00 - 14:00
Please join Tina Beuparlant,Regional Manager, Education Specialist for this training on Let’s Take a Crash Course on Understanding how to Read your child’s IEP. Does your child have an IEP (Individualized Education Program)? We’ll walk through the different sections of the IEP and discuss how to advocate for supports to make sure the IEP reflects your child’s abilities and needs. Because states and local school systems may include additional information, forms differ from state to state and may vary between school systems within a state. The IEP, Individualized Education Program, is a written document that’s developed for each public-school child who is eligible for special education. The IEP is created through a team effort and reviewed at least once a year. This training will teach you how to read the IEP so you can understand what should and can be in the IEP. If you are a Parent, Grandparent, Family Member or guardian then this training is for you!
REGISTER HERE.

Guidelines for Determining the Need for a One-to-One Aide
2024-05-16 18:30 - 19:45
Please join Namita Modasra, Education Advocate, Parent to Parent of NYS as she presents this wonderful webinar: Guidelines for Determining the Need for a One-to-One Aide Let’s explore what the IEP team needs to consider, supplemental aids, services and program modifications for all students with disabilities. A key question for the IEP team is to consider whether the student with a disability does or does not require one-to-one support to make meaningful progress toward annual goals in the IEP in the least restrictive environment (LRE).
REGISTER HERE.

Communicating with the CPSE / CSE through Letter Writing - webinar
2024-05-21 18:30 - 19:30
Please join Namita Modasra, Education Advocate, Parent to Parent of NYS, as she presents a webinar on Communicating with the CPSE/CSE through Letter Writing. Letter writing can be a very effective method of communication and advocacy for parents of children with disabilities. This training assists parents, guardians, grandparents how to clearly and effectively express concerns, ideas or suggestions to the professionals involved in their child’s special education program.
REGISTER HERE.

A Guide for Families to Understanding Supports & Services Administered by OPWDD
2024-05-23 11:00 - 12:30
Please join Parent to Parent of NYS, for this great presentation on A Guide for Families to Understanding Supports & Services Administered by OPWDD.
The purpose of this training is to introduce families to the language of service delivery systems and to define and clarify information about services and supports. Participants will gain an increased awareness and understanding of eligibility criteria and the eligibility determination process. The training includes an overview of Home and Community Based Services Waiver, and Family Support Services.
REGISTER HERE.

Blood-brain barrier dysfunction in Pediatric Acute Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Regulation
2024-05-29 13:00 - 14:15
Tune in to learn research updates on blood-brain barrier dysfunction in Pediatric Acute Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Regulation.

The speakers:
Noor A. Hussein, PhD is a pharmacology scientist.
“My experience as a researcher has taught me to seek out new perspectives for exploration and discovery. As a dedicated biological and pharmacological researcher with over 7 years of experience with models of diseases such as cancer both in vitro and in vivo. During my masters and Ph.D. studies, I mastered lots of molecular biology techniques, including cell culture, cytotoxicity assays, western blot, quantitative PCR, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry. I utilized my skills to design experiments finding solutions to common problems in the biomedical field, especially cancer experimental and molecular therapeutics.”
Ayan Mondal, Ph.D. is a third-year post-doctoral research fellow in Prof Elizabeth Mellins’ laboratory at Dept of pediatrics, Stanford University. “I completed my graduation from University of Calcutta, India, in 2017. I have conducted 1.5 years of research on molecular medicine following graduation and joined as a post-doctoral researcher at the Arnold School of Public health, University of South Carolina, in the year 2019. During the training, I studied neuroimmune signaling mechanisms in the gut-liver-brain axes in mouse models of metabolic disorders and military-deployment-associated disorders. My studies elucidated the mechanism of neuroinflammation and blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction mediated by specific proteins that are elevated in blood during these disease conditions. In my post-doctoral research with Prof Mellins, I am studying changes in BBB function in PANS. I am focusing on elucidating the mechanisms of action of novel modulators of BBB that are relevant to homeostatic maintenance of the BBB and other novel modulators that increase BBB permeability during flares of PANS. My proposed experimental strategies include transcriptomic and proteomic approaches in cell types of the CNS neurovascular unit.”
Register here.

Middle to High School Transition (In-person event)
2024-05-29 18:00 - 19:00 | Clarence High School, 9625 Main St., Clarence, NY, 14031, United States
New building, new teachers, new responsibilities, new opportunities.
Let’s talk about the changes that come with Middle School. We will talk about how to prepare for the first day, discuss the challenges that we may see and some strategies to have transition success for students with disabilities.
*Certificate of completion available upon request*
REGISTER HERE! FREE EVENT!
Call: 716-332-4170 | Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org
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