1. October 11, 2011        7 pm at Clark Elementary Library           
   

Study Skills for Academic & Emotional Success  Speaker:  Angela McLean, Educational Consultant. Have you ever said to yourself, “my kid doesn’t listen to me.”  Or, “he/she can’t remember what I tell them to do.”  They can verbally answer questions after reading a story, but write a summary - forget it.  How do you determine what the real cause of the difficulty is?  Is it traits of Autism, AD/HD, another learning disability, or a combination of neurological difficulties. Join us for our first meeting of the school year while we discuss how attention, language, and memory affect a student’s academic and emotional success and strategies to improve areas of weakness.

1. November 8, 2011        7 pm at Clark Elementary Library           
   

Helping the Behaviorally Challenging Child - Introduction  Speaker:  Sara Gardner.  If you are a parent of a child for whom sticker charts, rewards, and other behavior programs just don’t seem to work or your child get frustrated and melts down or simply puts on the brakes, this presentation will explore these and other issues through the methods described by Dr. Ross Greene in his books Lost at School and The Explosive Child.  Participants will learn how these methods help to guide children to avoid meltdowns, gain skills in frustration tolerance & flexibility and improve adult-child communication.  www.BehaviorToday.info 

1. January 10, 2012        7 pm at Clark Elementary Library
   

iPad as an Assistive Device  Speakers:  Janis Pock & Elizabeth Cambier. By now you have probably seen, or heard of, or read of (or purchased) Apple’s iPad and how it is being used by therapists and teachers to help children with special communication needs.  If you are thinking about purchasing one for your child, but are not sure the iPad would meet their assistive technology needs, we hope you will join us as Elizabeth discusses how she uses the iPad in her practice.  Find out which apps she uses with her clients and why.  Don’t forget to bring your questions.  InteractiveTherapyWA.com     Janis Pock from ISD will also join us to let us know how the school district is using the iPads they received this fall with the Issaquah Schools Foundation Grant.  We are partnering with Life Enrichment Options (LEO) for this informative meeting.  Hope to see you there.  

1. February 7, 2012        7 pm at Clark Elementary Library
   

Participation in the IEP & Discipline Processes  Speaker:  Angela Dawson of Advocate Collaborate, LLC Please join us as Angela discusses how she coaches her clients to participate fully in their child’s education and to move past the “Us vs. Them” thinking.  Even if you have attended years of IEP meetings, you are sure to learn something new and helpful.  Hope to see you there.

1. March 13, 2012            7 pm at Clark Elementary Library
   

Students with Autism and Aspergers in the Issaquah School District   Speakers:  Natalie Brodeur, Kathy Birley, and Erin Mathias (ISD school staff) Come join the conversation with Issaquah School District staff about students with Autism Spectrum Disorders.  Learn about district-wide and school specific programs.  Bring your questions.

1. March 23, 2012            7 pm at Sunset Elementary Multi-Purpose Room
   

Eastside Summer Options Fair:  recreational & academic resources for children and adults with disabilities   Special Event in partnership with Lake Washington School District PTSA Special Needs Group and Life Enrichment Options (LEO).  Come gather information and speak with representatives from the many organizations who offer special summer opportunities in our area.

1. April 3, 2012                7 pm at Clark Elementary Library
   

Cancelled - Enjoy your Spring Break!

1. May 22, 2012                  7 pm at Clark Elementary Library
   

Topic to be determined  Speaker:  Greg Abell from Sound Options Group  . 

All meetings include networking time for parents from 8:30 - 9:00 pm