YUHSD, Raising Special Kids to offer special services parent training nights

Yuma Union High School District has partnered with Raising Special Kids to help families and raise awareness about the special education process.

Throughout the 2017-18 school year, YUHSD campuses will host Special Services Parent Nights. The trainings will be hour and a half long presentations at various campuses on a rotating basis. New topics are introduced each month and range from information about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to positive behavioral support to the journey toward adulthood and more.

"The trainings are important because they train parents to have the ability to become advocates for their children/student," said YUHSD Special Services Director Walther Flores. "They also provide an opportunity to meet parents who have different or similar experience and questions in regards to raising and educating students with special needs. This can be a valuable support system."

According to Flores, the first meeting, which centered on the basics of how an IEP is implemented as well as 45-day screenings, 504 plans, and speech therapy, was successful.

"Parents seemed pleased to receive training and were enthusiastic about inviting other parents and community members to our next training," Flores said.

Childcare will be provided for free on-site at each meeting. In addition, free food will be made available for attendees of the January meeting with light snacks available at all subsequent meetings.

Raising Special Kids is a nonprofit organization that began in 1979 as a "grass-roots effort" of families, professionals and community leaders determined to provide support and information for parents of children with disabilities and special health care needs. According to their official website, the organization exists to improve the lives of children with the full range of disabilities, from birth to age 26, by providing support, training, information and individual assistance so families can become effective advocates for their children. They have helped more than 9,000 families in their three-plus decades in Arizona.

The next Special Service Parent Night Training will take place in the Cibola High School Library on Thursday, Oct. 26 at 5:30 p.m.