The Connection

We hope you are feeling a little more refreshed after inter-session! This newsletter is full of parent training opportunities, ideas for connection and teaching life skills and upcoming PEC events! Don't miss out on this great information!

We hope you'll take some time to read through these resources, and don't forget that if you need a question answered or just aren't sure where to turn, you can contact our Parent Liaison, Erika Chapman, at 843-292-1008 or echapman@f1s.org. She would love to connect with you!

Turning 18 is a big deal! An 18-year-old is legally considered an adult in South Carolina and can make legal, medical, financial, medical, and educational decisions in their life. For some individuals with disabilities, this will not be an issue, but others may need support. This free self-paced online training will share basic information about things that need to be considered as a person turns 18.

The course begins the evening of March 6, 2023 and will be open through March 24, 2023.

This training contains video content, written content, discussion opportunities and resources.

WAZE to Adulthood will offer a 3-week self-paced online training to help make transition to adulthood planning easier.

Presented by PEATC in collaboration with Family Connection South Carolina

WAZE to Adulthood - Parent/Professional Training (SC) Registration | Eventbrite

Check out these tips from Leanne from @parentingwithABA on Instagram for ways to promote connection during correction!

"Routines, visuals, clocks, and clear directions are all simple behavior tools to help create a little structure, a little support, and take a little pressure off your relationship with your child.

Phrasing our requests in a matter of fact way (as in not a question) and using an established routine, visual, and/or clock to communicate that it is simply time for ____ to happen helps eliminate the opportunity for a “No!” + a power struggle. Phrasing the request in a statement rather than a question does not leave it open for them to reply with a “Nope!”

Now I’m not saying your child is magically going to start agreeing to everything you instruct them to do! - But using these tools makes it more about following routines and systems and less about obeying mom and bossing your kids around. That sounds like a major mom win to me and a much easier day for your child!

This week try saying this:
• It’s time to…
Not these:
• Will you…
• Can you…
• Do you want to…
• Are you ready to...."

Did you know that teaching your child how to do laundry is also a great way to teach so many other important skills like:

1. Fine motor skills: pinch and grip strength, coordination
2. Gross motor skills: upper body strength, core strength, balance, coordination, posture, stability, range of motion
3. Visual motor skills: eye-hand coordination,
4. Visual perceptual skills: visual discrimination, visual scanning, visual figure ground, form constancy,
5. Sensory motor skills: Tactile discrimination, proprioceptive input, vestibular input, visual processing, auditory processing
6. Executive functioning skills: task initiation, task completion, working memory, attention, organization
7. Cognitive skills: Direction following, problem solving, safety awareness

Check out this great post from OT Toolbox about teaching Laundry Life Skills!

We are excited to announce the 2nd Annual Job Olympics will be held on Thursday, March 30, 2023 at South Florence High School. This event is open to non-diploma track students at all three high schools and offers students the opportunity to compete in employability skills tasks.

2nd Annual Job Olympics

Thursday, March 30th

9 am - 1 pm

South Florence High School

Permission slips will be sent to teachers this week to send home with students. All student permission slips are due back to the Office of Transition by Friday, March 10, 2023 in order for students to be eligible to participate.

Please contact Kandee Shelor, Transition Coordinator at kshelor@fsd1.org with any questions.

The National Converge Autism Summit 2023 will be held in

Greenville, SC on May 16 & 17, 2023.

Go to convergeautism.com for more information and to register.

It's that time again--time to register for our 2023 Spring Season of Miracle League!

What is Miracle League?

It is a non-traditional recreational baseball for players with disabilities.

Registration opens February 6th and will end on February 27th with NO LATE REGISTRATION so please be sure and get your athlete registered!!

Opening Day will be on March 25th and the season will run through May 20th! A Meet and Greet will be on Thursday March 23 from 6-8 PM at the field for jersey pick up as these will NOT be given out opening day!

Below is the link for online registration!!

https://registration.florenceco.org/

Visit the Francis Marion University Freshwater Ecology Center, 3742 North Williston Rd on

Saturday, March 4th from 10 am - 2 pm

for World Water Day Celebration!

A Family Friendly Event featuring:

• STEAM Activities
• Fishing demos by SC DNR
• Paddling demos by Naturally Outdoors
• Information tables by SC DNR/Pee Dee River Basin council, SC Office of Relisience, SC Sea Grant, DHEC & others
• Food Vendors

For additional information, contact

Dr. Jeff Steinmetz

843-661-1404

jsteinmetz@fmarion.edu

Do you want to know what your student's school is offering for breakfast and lunch during the month of February? Find out here!

We would love to hear from you! If you have a question or comment you can contact our Parent Liaison, Erika Chapman, at echapman@f1s.org or 843-292-1008 or visit the Parent Liaison website for helpful resources.

You also can contact us at exceptionalchildren@f1s.org or at 843-673-1161.

Email: exceptionalchildren@f1s.org
Website: f1s.org
Phone: (843) 673-1161