Welcome to the SSEPAC Site
Other Events
This page contains information regarding workshops, speakers and other events that you may find helpful. They are offered by other organizations so please check the links provided for further information and pre-registration information.
For listings of many of these events and workshops as well as others across Massachusetts, please check SPED Child Mass.
Events/Programs - In The Local Area
Physical Activity and Recreation Program For Autism Spectrum Disorders Teens: Research Study
"Supporting Physical Activity and Recreation in the Community (SPARC)" is a no-cost, walking and physical activity program for Autism Spectrum Disorders teens, 12 -17, with moderate needs. SPARC includes support and supervision provided by trained staff (1 staff per 2 teens), an individualized SPARC plan, and an opportunity to meet new people and have fun.
SPARC starts on February 21, 2010 and runs
to June 10, 2010 twice a week.
Two different site locations:
Malden, Sunday 12:30-2pm and Wednesday 4:30-6pm
West Newton, Sunday 3-4:30pm and Thursday 4:30-6pm
For more information about SPARC, and to see if your child qualifies for participation, please call Renee at 781-642-0259; or email:
Free Workshops - In The Local Area
Here are a few of the free workshops that are being held in the local area. They are offered by the Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN). Please check this link FCSN workshops for further information, pre-registration and to reference all of their workshops that are currently scheduled.
January 2010
1/25/2010 Dedham, Transition 101: Planning for Life after High School
101 Endicott Estate, 656 East Street, 6:45-8:45pm
1/27/2010 Franklin, MCAS
Franklin Municipal Building, 355 East Central Street, 7-9pm
1/27/2010 Jamaica Plain, Turning Three
Thom Boston Metro Early Intervention Program, 555 Amory Street, 6-8pm
February 2010
2/8/2010 Needham, Effective Communication in the IEP
Broadmeadow School, 120 Broadmeadow Road, 7-9pm
April 2010
4/12/2010 Canton, Basic Rights, Canton High School room 138, 900 Washington Street, 7-9pm
Free Workshop - Seminars on Residential Settings by JF&CS
Monthly workshops designed to provide the opportunity to learn about the issues, and programs, families may want to consider when creating successful, and affordable, residential settings for our children with disabilities. For more information click JF&CS
Making Healthy Connections: Youths ages 14-22
with disabilities and/or special health care needs, may apply to Making Healthy Connections (MHC), a program of Partners for Youth with Disabilities. Participants can meet new friends with similar disabilities, learn about independent living and fitness, talking with their health care providers , adaptive driving, and enjoy adaptive sports and recreation activities. There is a parent group component as well. Pre-registration appointments are required.
-Boston MHC meetings will be two Friday evenings per month, 7-9:30 p.m., beginning in October 2009. For more information call 617-556-4075, x20, or email
Telephone Conferences/Radio Series
WGBH 89.7 10 part radio series called Educating Everyone: The Struggles and Costs of Special Education in Massachusetts
Beginning Monday, January 11, reports air weekdays at 7:35am on 89.7 WGBH, Boston's NPR Station for News and Culture and WCAI 90.1, 91.1 and 94.3 for the Cape and Islands. Click here for more information on the series.
The current 10 part series is an outgrowth of a similar series done by WCAI radio on Cape Cod a few months ago called Educating Everybody: The human side of the special education story. This series can be heard here WCAI radio series
OTHER SPECIAL EDUCATION PAC WORKSHOPS
Bedford SEPAC presents
Dr. Ross Greene To Speak in Bedford on "Managing (and Resolving) Challenging Behavior in Children
and Teens"
Date: Tuesday January 26
Time: 7-8:30 PM
Location: Bedford Town Hall Auditorium
On January 26, 2010, Bedford Special Education Parents' Advisory Council
(SEPAC) in collaboration with Bedford Youth and Family Services will host a
presentation by Dr. Ross Greene, associate clinical professor in the Department
of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of the highly acclaimed
books, "Lost at School: Why Our Kids with Behavioral Challenges are Falling
Through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them" and "The Explosive Child".
Dr. Greene is the originator of the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) model,
an approach to working with children or teens to identify and manage the
specific problems or skill deficits that are at the root of most challenging
behaviors. Dr. Greene lectures widely throughout the US and abroad and consults
extensively to general and special education schools, inpatient psychiatric
facilities and residential and juvenile detention centers. He is the author of
numerous articles, chapters, and scientific papers on kids with social,
emotional, and behavioral challenges. He has also been featured on Oprah, Good
Morning America, Dateline, The Morning Show and National Public Radio.
The presentation will take place in the Bedford Town Hall Auditorium from
7-8:30 PM. All are welcome.
For more information, contact Irene Gravina at igravina@yahoo. com or (781)
275-6535 or BYFS at (781) 275-7727.
The Westwood Special Education Parent Advisory Council Westwood SEPAC is hosting a workshop presented by the Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN).
Discipline in Special Education Tuesday January 19, 2010 from 7 pm - 9 pm at the Professional Development Room, Westwood High School, 220 Nahatan Street, Westwood
This workshop explains discipline rules and procedural safeguards required under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Learn how to recognize and assess the function of behaviors and how to proactively approach behavior management in a way that can yield positive results. Understand the role of school discipline codes and suspension/expulsion policies.
Please RSVP to reserve your handouts by JAN. 18 to
or 781-326-0547
Foxborough Special Education Parent Advisory Council Foxborough SEPAC
Framingham Special Education Parent Advisory Council Framingham SEPAC
The Canton Parent Advisory Council for Student Services (CPACSS) is hosting several workshops:
CANCELLED January 11, 2010 The Influence of Executive Function Skills on Written Expression and Reading Comprehension Speaker: Bonnie Singer, Ph.D., CCC from Architects for Learning www.architectsforlearning.com
April 12, 2010 Basic Rights workshop from The Federation for Children with Special Needs. Canton High School room 138, 900 Washington Street, Canton 7-9pm
May 17, 2010 Overwhelmed No More! Strategies for a Balanced Life Speaker: Joan Celebi Ed.M., CLC from SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com
For more information such as pre-registration on these CPACSS workshops click CPACSS
For a Fee Workshops/Events/Programs
YouthCare (a therapeutically-based program of the Massachusetts General Hospital) serves children and adolescents with social cognitive deficits such as Asperger’s syndrome, non-verbal learning disabilities and high functioning autism.
See their website for more information on their social skills groups for children and their summer programs.
YouthCare Transitions for teenagers programs beginning this February. Both programs (TV Dinner Group and Saturday Explorations) are designed to offer teenagers with Asperger's Syndrome and related challenges opportunities to develop important social and life skills while transitioning into adulthood.
TV Dinner Group
(February 2-May 25, 2010)
This weekly therapeutic group
teaches teens aged 15-19 valuable
communication and perspective-taking
skills through viewing and discussion of
current television shows. Teens also
eat a group meal together and engage
in board games, card games, and other
carefully designed group activities.
Wellesley Hills, MA
Tuesdays 6:30pm-8:00pm
$75.00 per session
(15 sessions in total)
Saturday Explorations
This program offers teens aged 13-19
fun recreational experiences while
learning practical life skills. Teens take
part in skill instruction (e.g. money
management, communication, public
transportation, safety, leisure
planning), a field trip each Saturday,
team building activities and more.
Charlestown, MA
Saturdays 12:30-4:30pm
$125.00 per session
(8 sessions in total)
The Center for Excecutive Function Skill Development
Advanced Workshop on Executive Function Skills
Topics covered:
• How to improve student motivation and task initiation
• Increasing a student's ability to make decisions and prioritize tasks
• Teaching students to pace and monitor their workload/tasks and to effectively manage distractions
• Helping students to use prior experiences to guide future actions
Wednesday February 3, 2010
Time: 9-11:00am Registration Sign-In: 8:45
Cost: $94.00
Courtyard Marriot Waltham
Executive Function Skills in Nonverbal Learning Disability and Asperger Syndrome
to help these students learn explicit strategies to:
• Improve awareness and have forethought
• Develop gray scale thinking
• Be more effective at decision making and prioritizing
• Increase pacing skills for successful self regulation
Wednesday February 10, 2010
Time: 9-11:00am Registration Sign-In: 8:45
Cost: $94.00
Courtyard Marriot Waltham
Raising CEOs:
Competent Everyday Organizers
A Full Day Seminar on Executive Function Skills
This is a practical strategies seminar. To see immediate improvement in the Executive Function skills, Sarah Ward will provide participants with everyday strategies to help students of all ages to have improved awareness and to effectively access and use forethought and hindsight. Participants will learn how to teach students to sense the passage of time and change or maintain their pace to carry out routines. Strategies will be provided to improve initiation, management of tasks and homework and independent organization and management of space and personal materials.
Saturday February 27, 2010
Time: 9-3:30am Registration Sign-In: 8:30
Cost: $223.00
Crowne Plaza Boston North Shore
5 Week Intensive Parent Seminar
Fostering Independent Task Completion:
How to Teach Executive Function Skills
This series of weekly seminars will take place in a small group setting and allow for some individual attention while still covering all the information on the topic. Attendees can better understand the facts and methods of fostering effective independent thinking with opportunities to practice related strategies through case studies and guided examples. This hands on approach and immersion in the topic of how to create an executive function culture in your household will assure you move towards a stronger and more effective parenting style. This seminar is designed to involve you in the learning process. The complexities of the executive function skills will be learned through direct instruction, thoughtful dialogue and guided practice.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 - Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Time: 9-11:00am Cost: $500.00
Place: ALoft Hotel, Lexington
Asperger's Association of NE Parent to Parent Topic Discussion - Bullying and Teasing
Learn why kids with AS are often targets of bullying and teasing and what strategies and structures support self advocacy and safe environments.
Date: January 19, 2010
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Time: 7:30-9:00 pm
Facilitators: Jean Stern, M.Ed. and Brenda Dater, MPH, MSW
Join other parents of children to discuss specific topics, strategies and resources.
To register, please email
.
Topic nights may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment; please make sure to email or call to register.
Topic nights are a membership benefit for AANE members. Please join or renew at the AANE Membership page.
Let’s Motor! http://www.letsmotorskills.com/index.htm
68 Vanderbilt Ave. Norwood MA 02062, 718-255-5501
Intro to Sign Language Workshop
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 6:15 to 7:15 pm
Workshop fee: $15
This introductory hour will:
*Teach you signs to take home and use
*Include fun student participation activities
*Illustrate how sign helps children with limited language skills
*Discuss general language development
Sign Language Class
Tuesdays, 2/2/10 to 3/16/10 (Class will not be held Feb. 16th.)
Class Fee: $150
This class will:
*Give you a wealth of signs to use at home, school, and play
*Help you develop a good understanding of how to use signs effectively
*Include fun activities to aid in learning and use of signs
To register for the workshop or class, call 781-255-5501 or send an email to
Registration will begin Jan. 4th, space is limited, enroll soon!
SPEDWatch http://www.spedwatch.org
Workshop: “Basic Rights: Denied”
Speaker: Ellen Chambers
Date: Tuesday March 16, from 6 to 8 pm
Location: St. John the Evangelist Church, 47 High Street, Mansfield
Fee for the workshop is $35.00 per person, $60 per parenting couple.
This workshop teaches participants how to use the law, policy, procedure, and basic advocacy techniques to address the most common problems and regulatory violations that occur at each stage of the special education process. The material is presented in a meaningful context so it is easy to understand and retain. This is powerful information that will give parents and others the ability to effectively maneuver around systemic roadblocks that frequently deny children a free appropriate public education.
Registration is required by contacting Ellen Chambers at (978) 433-5983 or email
Sensory Friendly Films: Framingham
AMC Entertainment and the Autism Society offer families affected by autism and other disabilities a monthly opportunity to enjoy films in a safe and accepting environment with the "Sensory Friendly Films" program. Movie auditoriums will have their lights up and the sound turned down, families may bring their own gluten-free, casein-free snacks, and no previews or advertisements will be shown. Audience members may dance, walk, shout or sing. Tickets are $4-6 depending on location and can be purchased on the day of the event.
February 6 – The Tooth Fairy
March 27 – How to Train Your Dragon
April 24 – Oceans
May 22 – Shrek 4
June 16 Wednesday – Toy Story 3
July 10 – Despicable Me
August 7 – Cats & Dogs 2
September 25 – The Guardian of Ga’Hoole
October 9 – The Zookeeper
All shows are on Satursday (except where noted above) at 10:00 am at the Framingham 15.
Click on Sensory Friendly Films for more information.
Parent(s)/Guardians:
The ADHD Program of the Developmental Medicine Center at Children's Hospital, Boston is pleased to announce our next series of Parent Training Groups for parents of children between the ages of 5-12 who have been diagnosed with ADHD.
The next Group runs on Mondays from 2:30pm – 4:00pm on the following dates:
· Monday, January 25: Overview of ADHD
· Monday, February 1: Attentional and Organizational Strategies
· Monday, February 8: Increasing Compliance and Following Rules
(NO GROUP on February 15: Presidents’ Day)
· Monday, February 22: Using Poker Chips and Behavioral Charts
· Monday, March 1: Time Out and Other Ways to Discipline
· Monday, March 8: Improving School Performance - Daily Report Cards
(NO GROUP on March 15)
· Monday, March 22: Developing an Effective 504 Plan/IEP
· Monday, March 29: Handling Future Behavior Problems and Wrap-Up
It is very important that you are able to attend ALL of the group sessions, as the program is very structured and includes homework assignments. If you know now that you will need to miss more than 1 session of the dates above, we can put your name on a waiting list for our next 8-week session.
WHERE:
Children's Hospital, Boston - Fegan 10
Developmental Medicine Center
TO ADD YOUR NAME TO WAITING LIST:
Contact Mei-Lin Hanrahan – Intake Coordinator DMC ADHD Program
(617) 355-5208 or by email
For more information visit ADHD Parent Training.
COST: Please call your insurance company to ask about your benefits and coverage for this parent group. Many insurance providers will cover the majority of the cost of the group. If your insurance company requires referrals, please request them from your child’s primary care doctor. If you have questions after you speak to your insurance company or PCP, please call the DMC Insurance Coordinator, Caitlin Erhard at (617) 355-0965.
After School Programs
The Bridge Center, Bridgewater, MA www.thebridgectr.org/home.html
Bridges to Independence
A Group Program promoting Career, Life, Vocational & Social Skills
Ages 14-25
Saturdays 11:00am - 3:00pm
Cost – $900 per 9-week module. Financial assistance based on demonstrated need may be available.
Register on-line at Bridges
Social Adventures
Weekly Social Skills Groups
Age-Appropriate Groups Available for Children Ages 5-22
Social Adventures for pre-teens and teens meets on Friday from 4-6pm.
Social Adventures for elementary students and pre-teens meet on Saturday from 3:15-5:15pm
Cost – The cost for the full session is $225. Financial assistance based on demonstrated need may be available.
Register on-line at Social Adventures
House of Possibilities, Stonehill College, Easton, MA www.houseofpossibilities.org
Childrens Saturday Respite Program
Saturdays - January 9, 23, 30
Cost $40/4 hours
Accepting Applications send an email to
* For children with special needs, ages 8-18
* Our activity-rich program operates from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
* A special focus on social skills enhances lives of families, friends and communities while increasing self-esteem and improving interpersonal skills of children and youth.
* Life skills--Improve personal hygiene and daily living skills; such as cooking and other targeted activities that will improve a child’s quality of life.
* Meaningful Activities that may include community outings, exercise, arts & crafts, nature walks, pet therapy, gardening, games, sports, and more
