… the latest updates and announcements for special education and more in Scottsdale, Arizona

For more information about this event and other exciting recreational opportunities through the Phoenix Adaptive Recreation Program go to www.phoenix.gov/parks/adaptiverec

All-Access Summit Challenge
Still Time to Register
November 5th

The Phoenix Summit Challenge is a non-competitive hiking event that embraces various ages, abilities, and fitness levels to challenge an individual’s mind and body while enhancing the quality of life and promoting healthy outdoor recreation. We challenge participants with and without disabilities along with their families to join us on the barrier-free and challenge trails of the Phoenix Mountain Preserves and desert parks. This is a family friendly event with three courses to choose from.

Come on your own or join the adaptive recreation staff for a fun filled day outside while challenging yourself.

Even though this has already started, you can join in.  Just email Missy Farrington as indicated below.  Have fun!

The special needs ministry at Highlands Church is thrilled to announce our new (FREE!) Music Therapy program starting October 14th.

Come join us for a fun afternoon of music making, great sensory input, and fun.  Kids with special needs, ages 2 to 11, will get an opportunity to play instruments and interact with peers, and parents will learn techniques to provide sensory support at home.  Skills addressed through neurologic music therapy include communication, motor, and socialization all while maintaining a safe and fun group environment. (parent or caregiver will need to stay with their child)

Jenna Anderson is a Board Certified Music Therapist.  She has worked as a neurologic music therapist in the Valley for seven years.  Currently, Jenna is the owner of Therapy Foundations, serving individuals with neurologic impairments and providing support to their families.

The session will run from 4:15-5:00pm and will meet twice a month.  Reservations will be required. E-mail Missy Farrington with any questions or to make your reservation, missyf@highlandschurch.org.

For our teens and adults, Get fit with our Special Needs ministry’s Zumba class twice a month on Friday at 4:00- 4:45pm in the Rockhouse. This Zumba class is a calorie-burning dance fitness-party that is adapted to create a slower pace, but still with all the fitness benefits and in a safe, fun and loving community.  The next Zumba class will be October 14th.

Rosie Herrera is a certified Zumba instructor with experience working with students with special needs as a parent of a daughter with special needs.

Please share this information with Spanish speaking families you know who may benefit from this program.

Join our School Community Specialists and SEPAC of Scottsdale for an IEP informational meeting specifically designed for our Spanish speaking parents.  The program, funded by the English Immersion Studies Title III Title I Parent Education series, features Felisa Flys, a Spanish speaking patient advocate at the Children’s Rehabilitative Services with over 20 years of experience in advocacy.

November 2, 2011 from 6:30pm-8pm

Paiute Neighborhood Center Building 9 (cafeteria)

6535 E. Osborn Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

For more information  contact:

ANLC ~ Rosita Pinedo ~ 480-484-7513

Arcadia ~ Sonia Otero Hanley ~ 480-484-6308

Hohokam ~ Lily Saldana ~ 480-484-1806

Navajo ~ Elizabeth Kloehr ~ 480-484-2619

Tavan ~ Claudia Hernandez ~  480-484-3522

Tonalea ~ Laura Race ~ 480-484-3618

Yavapai ~ Mariela Duarte ~ 480- 484-3800

To RSVP, please contact your school community specialist.

We apologize for the inconvenience, but several notices posted a couple of days ago never got sent to your emails.  So, while I’m figuring out the problem, please go to www.sepacs.org and check out the recent notices.  Thanks for your patience and understanding…….Pam Murphy

ASU Phoenix is hosting an art show entitled “Inclusive Communities.”  This is to honor and share understanding of people with physical, emotional and mental challenges.  It is in the UCENT (University Center) building in downtown Phoenix near 2nd St. and Fillmore, weekdays only.  The address is 411 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004.  For more information go to http://asunews.asu.edu/20110926_411gallery.

So sorry for the late notice, but…….

STARS (Scottsdale Training and Rehabilitation Services) has a free workshop Wednesday at 5:30pm for families of individuals with developmental disabilities who are under 22 years of age/ in high school about transition to adult life.  For more information go to http://starscommunityworkshop.eventbrite.com

A friend of mine and fellow parent of a young person with special needs stumbled upon an ASU program that provides innovative  life coaching services to adults with disabilities - 18 years old and older.   They are based at ASU’s Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy (CABHP) at the downtown Phoenix Campus.  They serve the metropolitan Phoenix area adults with diverse disabilities including ASD, Asperger’s, ADHD, specific learning disabilities among others.

Check them out at http://iic.asu.edu/.  If you’ve used their services, let us know more about them.

This is from Laura Holgate, who brought “Lose the Training Wheels Camp” to the Phoenix area.  Check it out!

Dear Friends,

As many of you are aware, I run a marathon of sorts every day with my children who have special needs. Nicolas has had many challenges in his 13 years of life, many of which have prevented him from learning to ride a bike. I was determined to provide Nicolas with a learning environment so he, too, could enjoy bike riding with the neighborhood kids and our family. Riding a bike is a rite of passage for every child. Children with disabilities are not afforded that rite of passage because their parents do not have the knowledge or equipment to teach their children how to ride a conventional bike. I discovered an organization called Lose The Training Wheels (LTTW) that teaches individuals how to ride a bike using a fleet of adapted bicycles, a specialized instructional program and a trained staff to teach these disabled kids how to ride a bike. LTTW is a national non-profit organization devoted to teaching people with disabilities to ride a two-wheel bike and become lifelong independent riders. LTTW relies on donations to provide this camp for these special kids.

Because I have been blessed with the energy to run my own race, I wanted to share my energy and passion with others not so fortunate. So many parents of special needs kids do not have this energy or the resources to persevere because they are struggling just to survive. In order to bring this camp to Phoenix I had to figure out a way to raise the funds to bring them here, organize the volunteers to “spot” campers during the week, and let the special needs community know that this opportunity would be available. In addition to organizing 80 volunteers and 40 participants to be a part of this experience, I am also tasked with raising a large chunk of money, to fund individuals to be a part of this life-changing experience. We are excited to bring this camp back to Phoenix for the 2nd annual LTTW Camp Arizona for Nicolas and friends.

I chose to run this race in honor of Nicolas and his “friends”. After completing the camp last year, Nicolas now enjoys riding his bike with his family and friends!!!! It has been life changing for Nicolas and our family. While I am working hard in my “spare time” to prepare for this year’s camp, I am also asking for the financial support of my friends and family to help me reach my fund-raising goal. Please visit my fund-raising page http://www.active.com/donate/2011TeamNicolas and consider supporting my race to help other families and their children realize this seemingly simple goal to learn how to ride a bike. Please feel free to pass this link along to anyone I may have missed who might have a passion for helping these special children achieve their dream of riding a bike. NO DONATION IS TOO SMALL.

This article was written last year after our successful camp. It was a very moving piece and illustrates how this camp affects so many people. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/2011/01/09/20110109wheels0109.html

Thank you so much for your support.

Laura Holgate
Even the smallest contributions can make a huge difference.

To learn more about the camp go to www.losethetrainingwheels.org/camparizona