Consider This...
Things to Consider in July 2021 from RTSC
By Mary-Beth Landy, Senior Trainer for RTSC
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In this Month:
- July Articles
- Useful Tips and Resources
- New Project Associate
- Upcoming Federation Events
- RTSC Job Posting
Click titles for links
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News and information about education, research, and support for SESPs; adoptive, foster, and kinship caregivers; and child welfare and education professionals helping children with trauma and other special needs get the most from their education. |
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By Mary-Beth Landy, Senior Trainer for RTSC |
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It’s Never Too Early!
Know what time it is? It’s Making a Difference Conference time! Yes that’s right. We have been working hard on making this another great conference, and I must say that we have done an outstanding job. This year’s conference will be held virtually again, allowing for distant attendees to avoid traveling, especially in the unexpected snow storm that seems to happen most years. So Save the Date: November 16th! This year our conference will be held over several days, with the full day being on Tuesday, November 16th.
I’m pleased to announce this year’s keynote speakers: Rodney Walker, a Chicago native, has a bachelor's degree from Morehouse College and a master's degree from Yale University. He is the founder of Forever Life Productions and speaks about the importance of education, entrepreneurship, mentoring at-risk youth, and corporate philanthropy. His recent release, New Day One: Trauma, Grace, and a Young Man's Journey from Foster Care to Harvard, is a great read, that I highly recommend.
Our second keynote speaker is the renowned author, playwright, and award winning child psychiatrist Nancy Rappaport! Dr. Rappaport received the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's Sidney Berman Award for the School-Based Study and Treatment of Learning Disorders and Mental Illness in 2012. Rappaport is the author of The Behavior Code: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Teaching the Most Challenging Students (Harvard Education Press, April 2012), written with behavioral analyst Jessica Minahan.
So make sure that you mark your calendars and we will let you know when registration is open. And remember, as always, the conference is free for Special Education Surrogate Parents (SESPs), so if you have ever considered becoming one go to our website at RTSC.
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Massachusetts Advocates for Children, or MAC, has implemented a new initiative referred to RISE or Recovering with Inclusion, Support and Equity. They are looking at the inequities of students of color, English Language Learners, and low income students and the impact the COVID school closures had and are having on these students during the summer learning period and the reopening of school this coming fall. One fear is that the learning lose that occurred during the closer due to lack of access to technology and internet, poor or no communication with families who speak a language other than English, will not be remediated through the American Rescue Plan funding. Students of color already are disproportionately disciplined through punitive means verses there white peers. MAC is concerned that due to the communal trauma these students are even more at risk for suspension and worse.
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"Summer learning loss or summer slide is a real phenomenon for most children, even those without learning disabilities. Now, I am not advocating that every child needs to be in summer school to prevent this loss, but I am suggesting that we should be mindful and think about ways to promote learning over the summer," says Dr. Amity Kulis, a Pediatric Neuropsychologist at NESCA. She suggests that with some innovative planning of summer activities can help to retain skills in areas such as reading, math, physical activities, and social skills. Not only are some of her suggestions good for the children they are great family friendly activities.
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At RTSC, we talk a lot about trauma, especially as it relates to the students that we support. The question that I get asked most frequently is "Can you recovery from trauma?" Although the answer isn't a simple yes or no, especially for children with Developmental Childhood Trauma, which effects the neurology and architecture of the brain. Even though these individuals are able to process through their trauma, there still are some lasting effects, such as learning disabilities, that they will cope with well into adulthood. But the aspects of the reactivation of the nervous system and re-occurring triggers, can be dealt with using several effecting therapies, such a EMDR, which helps to reprocess the memories of the trauma.
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Many of the largest companies view thinking differently as an asset, launching hiring campaigns focused on recruiting workers with autism, ADHD and other brain differences. However, in many educational settings, disability is seen as a limitation. Sarah D. Sparks explains how schools should teach students to "leverage their strengths rather than make up for their disabilities when preparing for colleges and careers."
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Useful Tools, Media and Resources
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"Join Julie Beem & Ginger Healy as we explore the trauma-informed, attachment-focused concepts of Regulation (self-regulation/co-regulation) and Relationship (building connection) and how we can help children build resilience and emotional health through the ways in which we parent, teach and care for children. This podcast is produced by the Attachment & Trauma Network, or ATN, a leading national non-profit supporting children impacted by trauma through their families, schools and communities."
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Andrew Pulrang discusses disability podcasts as a way for people with disabilities to connect with the broader disability community. It is also a great way for those without disabilities to learn about thoughts and ideas of disabled folks and the issues faced by people with disabilities. This article lists out 8 podcasts to start with!
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Welcome the New RTSC Project Associate! |
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Emma Gregory
Please welcome our new Project Associate, Emma Gregory. Having grown up with a brother who has Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, Emma is passionate about disability advocacy and support Prior to joining the Federation, Emma served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Communities in Schools of Michigan and completed a Master’s in International Development and Social Change at Clark University. She has also volunteered as a tutor and mentor for refugee youth. Emma is very excited to be a part of the Federation’s community-based mission and to learn from her new colleagues!
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Upcoming Federation Events |
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Rebecca Davis, Transition Project Manager at FCSN, will discuss rights, laws, and practices involved with transition planning. Topics include: transition and the law, school based planning, and graduation and adult services
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Janine Solomon, of Mass Advocates for Children's (MAC), and Eileen Sandberg, of RTSC, will discuss issues related to returning to school this fall. Topics will include: Covid-compensatory services, changes to the hospital and home school form, evaluations, districts trying to take students off of IEPs or switch to 504 plans without evaluations, and any reopening guidance changes.
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Trauma Training: This interactive training will study trauma’s effects on the academic and social/emotional learning of a student and the impact on their IEP.
Discipline and Suspension: This training describes different types of disciplinary offenses, the school responsibilities for discipline, range of consequences for rule violations, the difference between suspensions, expulsions, and emergency removals, different categories of suspensions, procedures for out of school suspensions and expulsions, and legal protections for students on IEPs.
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Free Upcoming Online Orientations
Saturday, July 24, 12:00pm
Tuesday, July 27, 9:00am
Monday, August 2, 6:00pm
Wednesday, August 11, 10:00am
Friday, August 20, 11:00am
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RTSC Project Director
Full-time position - 40 hours
Job Summary
RTSC Director provides direct oversight, management and planning for the FCSN Recruitment, Training and Support Center. S/he works closely with contract partners to ensure eligible students in the care and custody of the state have access to a free and appropriate public education by recruiting, training and supporting community volunteers.
To Apply:
Send your resume and cover letter by email to FCSN at fcsnjobs@fcsn.org; or by mail to: Federation for Children with Special Needs, Attn: HR, 529 Main Street, Suite 1M3, Boston, MA 02129.
See full job description HERE
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For more information on becoming a Special Education Surrogate Parent
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Federation for Children with Special Needs
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