Ask the Experts
Leah Siuta, Family Service Department Head, Home and Community Based Program Coordinator

What is OPWDD and why is it important for my child?
The New York State Office for Persons with Developmental Disabilities is often referred to as OPWDD. The goal of OPWDD is to provide a wide variety of supports and services for people with developmental disabilities, enabling them to live richer lives. 

These services and supports are for the home and/or community and are in addition to the educational programs and services your child already receives. These OPWDD services will also change and develop as your child grows and their needs change. Some examples of services may include having a Care Manager, in-home respite care, parent workshops and trainings, community programs and habilitation, home modifications, adaptive technologies, employment supports, housing supports, Self-Direction, etc.

OPWDD services are initially accessed by “going through” the Front Door process. This will guide you through the steps involved in finding out if your child is eligible for services offered by OPWDD, identify service needs, and help you work on a plan for getting those services. The goal of the Front Door process is to provide supports and services that help individuals and family members understand the services that OPWDD offers and how...Click Here for the full article.
Parent–Teacher Conferences
 
At Spectrum Services, we have found that when our parents and the educational team work closely together, we can best meet the needs of each child. There are many ways we can work together such as home book or email notes, workshops and trainings, parent discussion groups, video sharing, phone calls, written reports, and of course, parent-teacher conferences.

This year, our calendar permits us to close for one half day for virtual parent conferences, which is scheduled for this coming Wednesday, 11/3/2021. We will be holding conferences from 11:30 to 4:00. Virtual conferences are being scheduled for other days as well, typically at 8:00am or 2:15pm.

These conferences are optional and can be held at later dates throughout the entire school year. This means that if you would like to schedule a conference, we can do it at a later time when it will be more meaningful for you and for the educational team.

Please contact your Family Service Coordinator about your interest in having a virtual conference and if there are other ways you would like to connect with the educational team. Please let us know of specific questions or topics you would like to discuss. We may also be reaching out to you to set up a conference, especially for our new families. 
Parent Support Groups and
Training Workshops

At Spectrum Services we believe that parents are partners in their child’s educational program.

For this reason we offer Parent Support and Parent Workshops free for any parent of a child with a developmental disability. All are online and virtual, so you can easily participate. Click the links below for more into.

This workshop will help parents understand that using reinforcement is an integral component of all teaching programs. Reinforcement is also critical for teaching appropriate replacement behaviors, and strengthening current positive behaviors.

In this workshop parents will be exposed to a variety of teaching techniques that will increase positive behaviors as well as set the stage for teaching a variety of higher level skills.

This group is an “open conversation” for parents to share stories, discuss research, identify community supports and services, and to ask and answer questions from other parents.
Holiday Gift
Card Drive
 
This time of year can be very challenging in many ways for some members of our school community. Our Family Service Department does its best to help support families of our students who are in need of some extra financial resources during the Holiday Season. 

For this reason, we invite families to make a contribution to our annual Gift Card Drive by sending in pre-purchased gift cards to local markets such as grocery stores, Walmart or Target, or other shops where food or gifts can be purchased. If you prefer, we can also accept checks made out to the school, with the notation of “Holiday Gift Card Drive” in the memo line. Please send in Gift Cards by Friday, November 19th.

Every single dollar donated will go directly to one of our families that is in need for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you have any questions, please contact Denise Hanlon in our Family Service Department at ext. 174.
Bike Safety Event This
Saturday in Kingston

Got a bell on your bike? Riding without one could mean a traffic ticket. New York state requires a bell, horn, or other audible device on a bicycle. And if you drive after dark, you need a set of front and rear lights. What about a helmet? If you're under 14, you must wear a helmet.

The YMCA of Kingston, Ulster County, and Bike Friendly Kingston will be distributing Bells, lights, and helmets at the My Kingston Kids Halloween Festival this Saturday, October 30th between 4pm and 7pm.at the YMCA parking lot on Pine Grove Avenue in Kingston. The event is free, with no registration required, and donations welcome.
We are grateful for Spectrum Services Annual Sponsors, who support our students and families.
70 Kukuk Lane, Kingston NY 12401 - 4 Yankee Place, Ellenville, NY 12428