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  Check Out the New and Improved NDSS.org!

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NDSS is pleased to unveil a new and improved website, with a new e-newsletter template to match! The newly designed www.ndss.org gives you a more user-friendly experience, with improved look and navigation, as well as updated and additional information and resources.

Some exciting new features include:

  • Search Tool: You can now search the entire site without a character limit and chose which section to search for specific information.
  • Icons: Every page of the redesigned site has easy-to-use icons to make navigating to our top pages one click away.
  • Local Support: Our new Local Support page features an interactive map, powered by Google and BatchGEO, which allows you to quickly find the local NDSS affiliate in your area.
  • You May Also Be Interested In: The “You may also be interested in” section on the right side of each article helps connect you to other areas of the site you might like to see, and didn’t even know were there!
  • Social Media: Each article now has a quick share function so you can post articles from the NDSS site on your social media pages or easily email them to your family and friends. You can also quickly connect to the NDSS Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest pages.

NDSS invites you to spread the word to anyone interested in learning more about Down syndrome, NDSS or our resources, programs and initiatives to peruse the new site. We look forward to continuing to be the national advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome and providing the most up-to-date information about Down syndrome.

We encourage our affiliates to update all links and information about NDSS on their respective websites. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions or need more information.

Resources
Scholar Spotlight
Since 2005, NDSS has provided financial assistance to young adults with Down syndrome who choose to take classes or enroll in postsecondary educational programs, through the O’Neill Tabani Enrichment Fund. Congratulations to this year’s O'Neill Tabani Enrichment Fund recipients! Eleven outstanding students who have Down syndrome were awarded scholarships to help cover the cost of their postsecondary or enrichment courses.
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Webinar Series
Each month, NDSS provides a free educational webinar to anyone who is interested in learning more about various topics relating to Down syndrome, including health, education, research, advocacy, family life and more.

On September 20 at 2:00 PM ET, NDSS, Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action (DSAIA) and the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC) are cohosting a webinar entitled How You Can Help Pass a Down Syndrome Prenatal Testing Information Law in Your State to help local Down syndrome support organizations work to pass similar legislation in their states.

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Ways to Give

Shop NDSS: eTrak

eTrak was created for the safety of those with special needs. In partnering with NDSS, eTrak hopes to give peace of mind to families and caregivers so they always know where their loved ones are. eTrak will help keep your loved ones safe by constantly monitoring their location on a map from any smartphone or computer. Roughly the size of a domino and weighing less than an ounce, eTrak can fit almost anywhere - in a backpack, a pocket, keychain, or on a belt or shoelace.
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Fundraiser Focus Advocacy Alerts

Darlene Reeves

Darlene Reeves
NDSS is energized by motivated people who contact us about wanting to make a difference in their community and on a national level. Each month, this section features an individual, family or group who has donated time and energy to creating exciting ways to support the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome by raising awareness and money for NDSS.
New Jersey advocate Darlene Reeves registered to be a part of NDSS Your Way in June in honor of her daughter Cadena, who has Down syndrome. She created her personal fundraising page in the NDSS New Ideas section and set out to reach her goal of $1,000. Darlene has solicited her personal network using Facebook and has asked her community for support.
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Flagship Events
Flagship Events NDSS hosts annual events in the New York Metro Area that raise money and awareness for the organization. Our events are growing, and we are so pleased to welcome people from across the country as our guests. Please consider joining us at one of our upcoming events.
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My Great Story

Share Your Back-to-School Story!

Story Time Image The My Great Story campaign seeks to ignite a new way of thinking about people with Down syndrome by sharing stories written by and about them. As summer comes to a close and school gets back into swing, we want to hear your back-to-school stories! The My Great Story education section is a great place to share them. Check out the education section and click the “submit” bookmark to share your story!
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My Great Story of the Month Contest
Congratulations to Michelle Schrader on winning the My Great Story of the Month Contest! Michelle’s story received the most votes in August and she will be receiving the complete Signing Time Series One DVD collection.

The author of the story with the most votes in September will win a Down Syndrome Footprint gift set including a unisex long sleeve t-shirt, baseball hat and clear plastic drinking glass with a straw. Share your story and spread the word throughout the month to win this prize!

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My Great Stories of the Month
Each month, the two stories with the most votes in the My Great Story collection are featured in this section. The votes are reset at the end of each month.

God’s Gift to Me
Michelle Schrader, Lake City, Florida

Story Time Image Just twelve years ago God gave me the best gift ever - my son Chad, who was born with Down syndrome. I was only 17 at the time and scared to death that he wasn't gonna live. The doctors told me that they would do everything they could to keep him here with me, and they did just that!
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The Love Chromosome
Derrick Tennant, Atlanta, Georgia

Story Time Image My beautiful sister Julie is blessed with the "love chromosome." When she was five she was at the grocery store with our mom. A homeless man entered the door wearing a dirty, wrinkled, old trench coat. He was unshaven and disheveled. His hair was so greasy that it stuck in clumps. He probably smelled too, but Mom was not going to get close enough to find out.
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Buddy Walk�
Buddy Walk Image Join over 285,000 people at one of over 250 Buddy Walks� to promote the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome in their own communities.
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Buddy Walk News

Times Square Video Presentation

Times Square It isn't too late to attend the presentation of the 2012 NDSS Times Square Video! We invite you to join us in New York City on Saturday, September 22 to watch it on the News Corporation Sony screen at One Times Square, located on Broadway between 42nd and 43rd Streets, beginning at 10:00 AM and will be replayed at approximately 10:20 AM. If you can’t join us in person, you will be able to view the 2012 Times Square Video on our website for a year or order your own copy.
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Imagination Movers Video and Special Opportunity

Imagination Movers NDSS is pleased to share an exciting new Buddy Walk video, brought to you by our newest National Partner, the Emmy-award winning Imagination Movers! During their Fall 2012 Rock-O-Matic Tour, the Movers will be providing local Buddy Walks with two family four-packs of tickets to a Movers show along with meet-and-greet passes, to be used as prizes or raffle items. These families will be invited to take the stage at the concerts in their respective areas to promote their upcoming Buddy Walks. Check with your local Buddy Walk to see if your Walk is involved!
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Buddy Walk Pinterest Board

NDSS is excited about our newest Pinterest board, which features photos and anecdotes from recent Buddy Walks! Check it out and share your photos with us for a chance to be added.
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Advocacy Advocacy Alerts
National Policy Center News

The ABLE Act: Full Steam Ahead in the US Congress

National Policy Center The US Congress might be in recess until the week of September 10, but NDSS, our advocates from the Down syndrome community and other national disability organizations are not. We are working hard to pass the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE) of 2011 (S. 1872/H.R. 3423) during this session of Congress. The ABLE Act has gained the support of 193 US Representatives and 29 US Senators. Have you contacted your Senators and Representative? Find out how you can make a difference
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2013 NDSS Buddy Walk� on Washington – Save the Date!

Buddy Walk on Washington The annual 2013 NDSS Buddy Walk� on Washington is coming up on March 13-14, 2013. The Buddy Walk on Washington is your annual opportunity to join advocates from the Down syndrome community to storm Capitol Hill, and meet with Senators and Representatives to advocate for Down syndrome legislative priorities. Stay tuned for more information about registration.
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Government Accounting Office (GAO) Publishes a New Report on Transition

The Government Accounting Office (GAO) published a report, Better Federal Coordination, which highlights the transition process from school to employment and postsecondary education for students with Down syndrome and other disabilities. NDSS staff asked to provide input and interviewed by GAO.
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NDSS Meets with US Department of Education (USDOE) to Discuss Concerns over the State Education Issues

NDSS met with high level officials at the US Department of Education (USDOE) to discuss concerns over the approved state Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) flexibility request applications, which waive certain provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and to discuss the USDOE’s recent efforts to shift focus of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) state monitoring.
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NDSS Participates in 2012 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Leadership Conference

State Special Education Directors, Parent Training Center and early childhood staff from across the country gathered in Washington, DC for the 2012 IDEA Leadership Conference. NDSS Senior Policy Advisor for Postsecondary Education Stephanie Smith Lee presented a session on “Partnership Strategies to Promote Inclusive Postsecondary Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disabilities”.
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State Advocacy Updates

Maryland State Board of Education Passes Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Regulations

The Maryland State Board of Education recently passed proposed regulations requiring districts to use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines and principles in the development and provision of curriculum, instructional materials, instruction, professional development and student assessments. This effort was spearheaded by the Maryland Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (MDAC), an NDSS government affairs committee (GAC), after MDAC passed a state UDL law establishing a task force to study UDL implementation.
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About NDSS
Straight Talk with Chris Burke
Chris Burke NDSS Goodwill Ambassador Chris Burke is best known for his TV role as Corky Thacher on the hit ABC show "Life Goes On" and his recurring role as Taylor, an angel, on the CBS series Touched by an Angel. Chris works in the NDSS office, where he is a member of the staff. Chris is an actor, singer, writer, and dedicated self-advocate. This month, Chris tells us the Straight Talk about heading back-to-school.
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NDSS in the Media
NDSS is pleased to work with so many people across the country who help us further our mission of promoting the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. We thank those who covered NDSS in the media this month.
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