The PTO would like to thank the Cotting community for making the Fall Family BBQ such a rousing success last Sunday. Almost 300 Cotting students and family members kicked off the new school year in style at this annual community-building event. A big thank you to the many parent volunteers who helped plan the event, responded to the call for raffle baskets and pitched in during the event to make this day of fun, games and great food run smoothly.
A special thank you to our BBQ sponsors, the Marcucci family, Puzzo family and Hilberg family, plus the volunteers from Lexington High School NHS and to Mr. Phelan’s class for helping to prepare the crafts.
Please Complete your Falcon Forms
Don’t forget to complete your Falcon Forms (Annual Forms)! This includes the emergency dismissal form, publicity & fundraising consent form (aka photo permission form–many have expired) and student handbook acknowledgement, which all need to be completed annually. Only students who have returned all required annual school forms will be allowed to register and participate in after-school student programs. The fall schedule is coming out soon!
You and your Cotting student are invited to celebrate 50 years of Chapter 766 special education law at the State House. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to Pam Varrin at pvarrin@cotting.org by Monday, September 19th.
Info Sessions
Info sessions will be on Fridays from 9:30-11:00 am. Please feel free to share this information with your network.
This year, we’ll be hosting information sessions on the following Fridays: 10/28, 11/18, 1/20, 2/17, 3/17, 4/28 and 5/19.
Learn more here. To RSVP, contact Director of Admissions Elizabeth Russell at erussell@cotting.org
Community Resources & Events
Family Leadership
Conference 2022
Moving Forward: Embracing Change and Transformation
October 18-20, 2022
Registration closing soon! THIS FRIDAY, September 16, is the IN-PERSON attendance ticket registration deadline. September 30 is the VIRTUAL attendance ticket registration deadline. Visit familyleadership2022.org to see the schedule, sessions, registration and more.
Effects of Sleep and Socioemotional Processing on Memory in Individuals with Down Syndrome
BOSTON COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE NEUROSCIENCE LABORATORY
Researchers at Boston College are conducting a new study examining how emotion may help to support and enhance cognition in individuals with Down syndrome ages 15-25. The goal of this research is to identify strategies that individuals with Down syndrome may use to optimize learning, both in the classroom and in daily life. It is our hope that this study will serve as a critical step toward understanding how these strategies can take advantage of distinct interactions among brain regions in this population. The results of this research will be published and shared with you in the coming months.
Participants will be asked to come to the Boston College campus for a 5-hour session (including several breaks) to complete a series of computer-based and pen-and-paper tasks. At the end of your session, participants will be compensated with a $70 Amazon gift card.
If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please email Dr. Jaclyn Ford and Dr. Elizabeth Kensinger at learnmemory@bc.edu.
Friday, September 16 at the Burlington Town Common from 6-7 p.m.
It will feature a broad array of trucks. There won’t be horns, loud sirens or flashing lights, though, in an effort to accommodate visitors who might get overwhelmed by those sensory experiences.
Anyone with questions about the event can contact Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Emma Jones by phone at 781-270-1695 or by email at ejones@burlington.org.
Peer Mentoring Program for Young Adults with Disabilities
Waypoint’s 2022 fall program dates are set (just in time for leaf-peeping season in New England)! Sign up ASAP to reserve your spot and enjoy the fall foliage, freedom and fun of community hiking or biking. Don’t miss the SPOOKY hike at Maudslay State Park!
Framingham, MA, Fall 2022. FREE. CP Soccer is building a national league for kids with cerebral palsy, stroke or traumatic brain injury who are ambulatory and active:
Come to any clinic date you choose.
Meet and play soccer with other kids with CP.
This special training program is paving the way for some kids to play at the Paralympic level.
To qualify, players must have cerebral palsy, stroke or traumatic brain injury and be able to walk unaided.
Open to ages 8-18, girls & boys, all skill levels.
Webinar Series, September 28, 2022, with the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS). Join interactive discussions about expanding choices and control in your life through self-directed supports:
This is an opportunity to hear how participants and their families can design individualized services to meet their needs through the Participant Directed Program or Agency With Choice.
Self-direction is a process through which an individual/family can design and direct their own services, thus providing people with more options.
Self-direction gives people the opportunity to use their allotted DDS budget to purchase supports and services that meet their needs and goals.
This enables the principal of self-determination to be achieved by self-directed supports.
Agency With Choice is a way to support individuals and families to engage in self-determination.
The Agency With Choice provider agrees to hire qualified staff to provide an individual and their family with direct supports.
Danvers, MA, September 20, 2022. Hosted by PLAN of MA & RI, the Northeast Arc, Special Olympics Massachusetts and Best Buddies Massachusetts & Rhode Island.
Join the hosts for an in-person resource fair at Northeast Arc’s Center For Linking Lives at the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers.
This is an opportunity to learn about programs that can support you and your family.
Navigating Vocational Rehabilitation Disability Services for Teens & Adults
Webinar, September 20, 2022, with the Massachusetts Office of Disability (MOD).
Target Audience: students and youth with disabilities ages 14-22, their families, Pre-ETS stakeholders and special education personnel.
Navigating Vocational Rehabilitation Disability Services for Teens & Adults – Join the Client Assistance Program staff for an interactive presentation to learn about navigating vocational rehabilitation (VR) services.
This workshop will cover the purpose of MOD’s VR program and the role of each party (consumer and VR agency staff) in implementing services to reach an employment goal. We will also discuss how parents support the process, the unwritten expectations of the consumer and the VR agency, how to recognize when something might be going wrong and how to get back on track.
To request reasonable modification to participate in this program, please contact MOD General Counsel and ADA Coordinator Julia O’Leary at Julia.E.OLeary@mass.gov or 617-727-7440 x27324. Requests made after September 13, 2022 will be considered but may not be possible to fill.
Concord Conservatory of Music (CCM) uses the language of music to help children with special needs flourish. Parents often seek extracurricular activities for their children to help expand their horizons. It’s not an easy task, and it becomes even more complicated when a child has special needs.
Deeply committed to providing educational opportunities for all learners, CCM has contracted with the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs to bring Tones of Fun Developmental Music Class to our community. Starting on September 21, 2022, the 45-minute class will meet on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. for ages 3–6 and at 5 p.m. for ages
7-10 for a 10-week semester.
Music and its creative interactions make Tones of Fun the perfect teaching tool for children with special needs. Physical, language, social, cognitive and musical development are stimulated through musical play in a celebratory social group of all ages and skill levels. Each class will incorporate simple percussion instruments, creative movement, improvisation and playful props. A highly trained instructor from the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs will lead the class and ensure that each student receives the attention they need in a safe and welcoming environment.
No previous musical experience is necessary to participate. However, students must be accompanied by an adult to every class, participate effectively in class and maintain an environment that is safe for themselves and others. Parents/Caregivers can apply through CCM here.
Visit ConcordConservatory.org for more information. Concord Conservatory of Music is the area’s non-profit community music school, located at 1317 Main Street in the West Concord Union Church. Financial assistance is available.
Register for The Arc’s Transition Conference Part Two
The Arc of Massachusetts will be hosting regional forums on transition. Each forum will feature panels of self-advocates, parents, and professionals discussing entering adulthood. In addition, attendees can learn about local programs and services from exhibitors.
The forums follow the Charting the LifeCourse framework’s three “buckets” of support:
Discovery and Navigation: having the information and tools you need to navigate life
Connecting and Networking: making connections with peers and resources to help you navigate
Goods and Services: the day-to-day tangible items you buy or use from public and private organizations in your community
Saturday, September 24
8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Bridgewater State University
Rondileau Student Union
Self-advocate and parent panels will be held in the morning with time to visit resource tables to find out about services in your area. Morning refreshments and a box lunch provided.
Saturday, October 29
8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
The Guild for Human Services
521 Virginia Road, Concord
Self-advocate and parent panels will be held in the morning with time to visit resource tables to find out about services in your area. Morning refreshments and a box lunch provided.
AANE’s Fall 2022 Virtual Daniel W. Rosenn Connections Conference
A one-day virtual event for the entire autism community: adults with Asperger/autism profiles, family, friends and professionals!
When: November 5, 2022 – Livestream only (Please note that this conference will not be recorded.)
Time: 10 am-3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: $40 for AANE Members, $50 for non-AANE Members, $75 for professionals seeking CEUs (CE/CEU/CMEs for MA based social workers, psychologists, LMHCs and medical professionals)
Contact fundraising@aane.org to learn more about membership. AANE provides discounted and free admission upon request. Contact events@aane.orgto inquire further.
For too long, autistic perspectives were not valued in key fields that significantly impact life. This year’s virtual conference event will include a series of presentations highlighting how integrating lived experience into professional practice can improve and advance the fields of medical & behavioral healthcare, education, and employment. This annual conference provides autistic adults, families, and professionals working in the autism community opportunities to come together and learn.
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Cotting School every time you shop, at no cost to you. Just select “Cotting School, Inc.” as your charitable organization and remember to shop at smile.amazon.com! Amazon will then donate a portion of your order’s purchase price to Cotting School!
Spread the Word!
Do you know someone who would like to learn more about Cotting School? Please share the information at the links below with someone you know. Cotting School parents are our best ambassadors, and our team is available to connect with families that would like to learn more!
