Upcoming Events

We post as much information as we have so if you have questions, please contact the event representative directly. Here are some upcoming events:

Students learn in different ways, and parents need to find the best school for each child. Sometimes that means another public school in a different neighborhood, or a private school. Step Up For Students exists to help low-income families enjoy all of those options. Their goal is to give your family a choice in your child’s education.

For the 2013-14 school year, Step Up will be awarding scholarships worth more than $4,700 for private school tuition or $500 to help cover transportation costs to attend a public school in another county.

The scholarships are based on financial need not how well your child does in school. They are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Step Up for Students 2013-2014 (PDF)

Opportunities for foster children and children who are homeless (PDF)

From Allie Spangler, Bright Feats Resource Magazine:

We wanted to share with you the following information about an upcoming study that may be beneficial to you and/or your families. Please feel free to share this information via email, social media sites or any other way that reaches anyone that may benefit.

A recruitment is underway for participants in an upcoming research study. Parents of children ages 5 to 12 with developmental or intellectual disabilities, or attention deficit disorder may qualify to receive free training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and parental coping strategies as part of an investigation into the effects of such training on child compliance, parenting self-efficacy, and parental coping and sense of well-being.

The researcher is Carmen McGuinness, a doctoral student at Nova Southeastern University’s Fischler School of Education, and a behavior analyst at Chrysalis Center for Change in Lake Mary Florida.

Participants will attend a comprehensive parent-training workshop for parents of children who are demonstrating problem behaviors related to a developmental disorder, attention deficit disorder, or intellectual disability.

The six-week training will incorporate lectures, behavioral skills training, and role-playing. In addition to learning a behavior analytic approach to managing your child’s problem behaviors, participants will develop effective coping behaviors of their own, a key ingredient in your sense of well-being and your child’s outcome. The group will meet one night per week for six consecutive weeks from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at a Lake Mary clinic, commencing on June 4, 2013.

You and your child may be eligible for the study if your child is 5 to 12 years old and has been diagnosed with a developmental disorder, attention deficit disorders, or intellectual disability.

Time commitment associated with the study including workshop attendance, home observations, and completion of three subjective measures of coping, well-being, and parental self-efficacy, is approximately 25 to 30 hours over nine weeks.

Benefits of participation may include parent training in the principles and procedures of Applied Behavior Analysis, training in parenting coping behavior associated with increased parenting self-efficacy and improved sense of well-being, and improved child compliance to parental requests.

An initial information meeting will be held for those interested in participating in the study on May 14 at Chrysalis Center for Change, 1301 South International Parkway, Suite 1005, Lake Mary, FL 32746. For the confidentiality of participants, the information meeting will only be open to those who have pre-registered for the meeting.

Contact: Carmen McGuinness at 321-422-4171 or via email at carmen@chrysaliscenterforchange.com

Lift Disability Network is committed to parting the clouds that obscure the potential of the disability family through a new initiative, Breakaway Camp. This family experience is designed to provide the disability family an experience in recreation, relaxation, and spiritual renewal.

When: July 9-13, 2013

Where: 39034 County Road 452, Eustis, FL 32726

Cost: $375.00 per person, includes motel style accommodations, food, and all activities. If you cannot afford the full amount, a limited number of partial scholarships are offered depending upon available funds. Lift encourages families to reach out to at least two additional funding sources.

Breakaway 2013 Camp (PDF)