New Haven school fair connects families with special education services

Oct. 06--NEW HAVEN -- School district officials are enlarging an annual tradition to give parents firsthand experience with the services their special-needs children need.

The New Haven Public Schools Student Services Department will hold a Community Resource Fair Oct. 11 to connect families with special education services. Typhanie Jackson, director of student services, said the fair, a tradition, has been reconceptualized as a kindergarten through twelfth-grade event.

"This is an opportunity to make sure we're helping to connect families with colleges and universities and places of employment and other agencies," she said. "Sometimes it's very difficult to navigate, so it gives families a chance to meet the appropriate connections."

Jackson said there will be a college and university presence from local colleges such as Gateway Community College, Quinnipiac University, Albertus Magnus College and the University of New Haven, as well as others from Fairfield County, such as the University of Bridgeport and Sacred Heart University.

There will also be representatives from certification programs meeting with students and families, such as Paul Mitchell, Porter and Chester Institute and Lincoln Technical Institute.

"A lot of the agencies are targeted to students with disabilities," Jackson said. "The Community Resource Fair was initially meant for high school, but now it's kindergarten through twelfth grade."

The fair will give families an opportunity to interact with the Early Childhood Assessment Team, the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, the Department of Rehabilitation Services, Autism Services and Resources Connecticut, Oak Hill and the Bureau of Education Services for the Blind.

"It's like baby steps," said Nijija-Ife Waters, president of the Citywide Parent Team, who has in the past challenged the Board of Education to update its policy around allergies. "Finally, you're getting the picture of what parents need."

Waters said she won't know what the fair entails until she attends, but she believes the fair is a display from the district that it's listening to parents.

Students from the district's Off Campus Classroom program, which helps 17- to 21-year-old students with disabilities transition into post-graduation careers, will be serving refreshments at the fair.

"It's a high-quality program," said Jackson. "They teach life skills, functional math, functional English, and the rest of the day they meet with job coaches."

The fair will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at Career Regional High School.

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