Evanston Citizens for Appropriate Special Education (CASE) is a community advocacy organization working to improve the range, quality and accessibility of special education services in Evanston/Skokie District 65 and ETHS District 202.

We provide information and support for parents of children with special needs through Parent Connections meetings and our CASEline number.
We are commited to advancing disability awareness in the Evanston community.

On the CASE 

 October 2014

Hello Evanston CASE community,

I hope your children have had a smooth transition back to school.  If you have any concerns or questions about the services and supports your student is receiving, we are here to help.  Feel free to give us a call or send an email.

This month's newsletter is packed with information. 

Save the dates!

• Parent Connections program: New format, new location.  Starting Tuesday, October 21st, we will meet once monthly on the third Tuesday in a support group format.  Connect with other parents who "get it" to share information and experiences. The group will be moderated by Cari Levin, LCSW.  Meetings will be held at 1940 Sherman Avenue, at the corner of Sherman and Foster, just a few blocks north of downtown Evanston, from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
• Special Needs Resource Fair:

  Saturday, November 8, 2014

  11:00am - 3:00pm

  Evanston Public Library, Main Branch, Large Community Meeting Room
• October is ADHD Awareness Month 

Warm regards,

Cari Levin, LCSW

Founding Director

Evanston CASE 

 
"The number one reason for supporting ADHD Awareness Month...
 Changing misperceptions about ADHD has the potential to improve the lives of millions of people."  ADDitude Magazine
 
 However you choose to participate in this year's ADHD Awareness Month, head to ADDitude's Guide to ADHD Awareness Month and ADHDAwarenessMonth.org to discover helpful statistics and tools, humor, perspective, support, and motivation. 

Social Skills Apps

*Published in ADDitude Magazine by Barbara Albers Hill (from the book Breaking Through: Using Educational Technology for Children with Special Needs.

Friendly Apps for Social Success

"Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity can prevent kids with attention deficit from making -- and keeping friends. Here are our top picks for apps to help your ADHDer develop the social skills he needs to navigate the social sphere."

Here are some examples from the article:

How Would You Feel If...

Social Quest

Model Me Going Places

The Social Navigator

Touch and Learn -- Emotions

To find out more, and for price information, click HERE 

*From the Child Mind Institute

Jerry Bubrick, PhD

Senior Director, Anxiety & Mood Disorders Center; Director, Intensive Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders Program

"For children who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, functioning in school can be complicated and very difficult. And for a teacher, it can be easy to misread the symptoms of OCD as oppositional behavior on the child's part, or as ADHD.

But if teachers can recognize the behaviors associated with OCD, especially when a child is embarrassed and trying to hide his anxiety, they can help save him from unnecessary struggle, and clear the way for him to learn successfully."

To read the rest of the article, click HERE

Legislation Update:

Recovery of Expert Witness Fees 

and

New Procedural Requirements for Dyslexia

Proposed Legislation for Recovery of Expert Witness Fees

Parents are at a disadvantage during Due Process Hearings because they have to private pay to have experts testify on their behalf.  Expert witnesses are essential in supporting a family's case, and school districts have plenty of their own.  Stay tuned for progress on new legislation to address this disparity.

"U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, is proposing new legislation that would ensure parents who successfully challenge a school district under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act can recoup costs for psychologists, behavior specialists, physicians and other experts they engage in order to bring their case."

To read the complete article, click HERE 

=================================================

Executive Functioning Coaching

Beyond Book Smart