The Nebraska ASD Network is committed to providing up-to-date information and training based on current research about autism spectrum disorders. They have workshops that scheduled throughout the state on a variety of subjects. Check out their upcoming events HERE.
Great Plains Paralyzed Veterans Association and Ollie Webb Center, Inc host a Basketball League for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
6 week league: September 20 - October 28
COST: $35 Arc Member / $45 Non-Arc Member
LOCATION: Great Plains PVA at 7612 Maple Street, Omaha, NE
If you have questions, please call contact person Annie Anderson at the OWC at 3465220, ext. 23.
For more information and to download their registration form please refer to page 2 in their Newsletter HERE. Scholarships may be available.
The use of restraint and seclusion in the schools has been an issue of significant concern and activity at a local as well as national level. The Our Children Left Behind organization (a volunteer, parent-led organization) has done significant work for the rights of children with disabilities and their families in Special Education law and policy and now see this as a priority in their work.
It is vital that you know that there are discussions going on within the Senate and that there is a possibility that the Senate might pass a bill that would not prohibit the use of restraint/seclusion as a planned intervention in a student’s IEP. Now is the time to educate ourselves about this issue so that we all can be ready to advocate for our children’s safety at the national level once the Senate bill has taken its final form and is presented for debate.
Founded in 2003, BSC TOPSoccer has had the joy of extending the sportsmanship, camaraderie and thrill of competition through soccer to hundreds of children and young adults with special needs. TOPSoccer stands for the Outreach Program for Soccer and is a national program created to give young people with differing abilities the opportunity to learn and play the game of soccer.
The goal of BSC TOPSoccer is to provide all children with physical or intellectual disabilities a place where they can safely participate and enjoy the game of soccer.
The TOPSoccer program not only gives young athletes with differing abilities an opportunity to play soccer, it also gives them a renewed sense of accomplishment and self worth. As the season progresses, we see not only improvement in athletic ability and physical stamina but also development in emotional and social well being.
BSC TOPSoccer is fortunate to have volunteers of all ages participating as coaches, buddies, team parents, field crew, committee members and fans. These dedicated people attest that in assisting our TOPS players they have experienced true joy and have learned wonderful lessons about themselves and others. They return season after season and are a valued members of the BSC Tops Family.
The TOPS community hopes that you will encourage others with differing abilities to join us and enjoy the game of soccer and all it has to offer!
It is time to register for the TOPSoccer Fall 2010 Season. All registrations are due by Aug. 5th, 2010. Registrations received after this date can not be guaranteed team placement as team formation and uniform ordering will be done at that point. Acceptance of late registrations will be based on availability of open spots on teams.
Registration forms can be found HERE. Fall registration for NEW and RETURNING players is due by Aug. 5, 2010 Fee $20. All 3 forms are required. After 8/5/10 registration fee is $40. The first game is 9/12/10. Confirmation email with information about team placement and a season schedule will be sent the beginning of September.
Transitions is a new program designed to assist high-functioning young adults on the autism spectrum develop and refine social skills needed for their tranisition into adulthood. Transitions has been created through a collaboration among Autism Action Partnership,the Robertson Family Foundation, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Participation is free and completely voluntary. Participants will be paired with college-aged peers to develop and practice social skills, attend regular group meetings to prepare for organized social activities, interact with other participants and peers, and complete periodic written surveys to assess the effectiveness of the program.
Participants will be selected for Transitions in mid August of 2010. Participants who are selected will be asked to commit about four hours a month to the program.
For more information or to apply to participate in the program, please contact Catelyn Newman at crnewman@unomaha.edu . You can download a flyer HERE.
This award winning, national affiliated program for youth ages 6 -13 is uniquely designed to provide high-energy activities for siblings of children with developmental disabilities. Sibshops will be held at the Ollie Webb Center from 10:00am to 12:15pm To make reservations for Sibshops, call Annie at 346-5220 ext 23 or email her at aanderson@olliewebbinc.org
CUMC Pediatric Therapy Program in Bellevue is offering two programs this summer.
The Write Stuff: Help to Better Handwriting, for children entering 1st and 2nd grades this fall. Program Dates: Aug 2 - 6. Screening required. $80
First Annual Bike Camp - The Spinning Jays, designed for children aged 4 - 10. Program Dates: July 12, 13, 14 and 19, 20, 21. Screening required. $80
For more information on either of these programs or to register please call (402)449-5800.
The Autism Society of America was disappointed to report that their “Set up a 24/7 support line for families and people with autism” idea did not get Pepsi Refresh project funding in May (the grant was only awarded to the two ideas that got the highest number of votes).
However, since their idea was in the top 100 in number of votes cast, we now have a second month to try and get to the top!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO VOTE EVERY DAY IN JUNE AT www.refresheverything.com/autismsource.
When a diagnosis is made, parents and family members often wonder what to do next. Even where valuable treatments and support services exist, families must negotiate a maze of agencies and providers in search of support appropriate to their individual needs—a process that consumes time and energy already in short supply for families affected by autism. Parents, individuals on the spectrum and professionals often want to talk to a skilled professional about their situation, and many times cannot or do not know who to call. The Autism Society already provides this line of support to many families and individuals, but with the help of this grant, we can expand our contact center to make trained professionals available at any hour of the day or night, and provide more training and support to Autism Society chapters to improve their local outreach efforts.
We sincerely thank all of you who have been voting for us, the comments from many of you have certainly reaffirmed our conviction to find funding that will allow us to set up this kind of round the clock support.
Please help us make this project a reality by visiting www.refresheverything.com/autismsource to cast your vote every day!
**On behalf of the Nebraska chapter we would like to urge you to vote as well as ask your family and friends to vote EVERYDAY! Our local chapter is primarily volunteer driven and one of the most challenging tasks for us is providing this support in a timely manner. We strive to provide this support to our new families as well as our veteran families but the idea of having a professional available to answer and support these families 24 hours a day is absolutely amazing! PLEASE lend your support to us help make this happen!
Great Plans PVA Adapted Martial Arts Summer Session began on Monday, June 14 and runs through August 2. Class will be held from 9:15 - 10:00 am. Class is held at Great Plains PVA located at 7612 Maple Street. Cost is $25.00 for the sessions. For more information, call 398-1422.
Study name: A Sibling Case-control Study of Maternal Prenatal Body Mass Index
Mothers of two children, one diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, one not. Children who were born from January 1, 1992 to December 31, 2007 with a minimum of 36 weeks of gestation. Participation to this study has been simplified. Please take this online survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LVQ3ZYM
The purpose of this study is to determine if the early pregnancy weight differs by pregnancy for women who have a child later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Body mass index is the main study variable; another will be birth order.
Your responses are confidential, only the accumulated information from all participants in the study will be presented. The approximate time to complete this survey is less than 20 minutes. Please email Ruthann.hendrix@waldenu.edu with any questions.
**Two participants will be randomly selected for a U.S. $30 gift card. Participants have a one in 60 chance of winning.
There are a few spots left during the week of camp for youth with Autism. This camp is held June 28th - July 2nd. This camp is a day camp, with transportation provided to camp by Easter Seals.
There may be some scholarships available as well. Check the website for application materials. www.campeastersealsne.com
Without our dedicated Volunteers we would not have a therapeutic riding program! We would love to have you join the HETRA team. To become a volunteer, you do not need to have experience with horses or working with individuals with disabilities. All it takes is one volunteer training session, and you are on your way to becoming part of the volunteer team! Email jan@hetra.org or call 402-669-1504 for the June trainings. Thank you for supporting HETRA in our mission to improve the quality of life both physically and emotionally of adults and children with disabilities through equine assisted activities!
June 4 – New Volunteer Training at the Omaha barn 4906 S 180th Street, 6:00-8:00 pm.
June 19 - Grooming & Tacking Training - must attend a new volunteer training before attending grooming training. Omaha Barn 8:00-9:30 am and Valley Barn 29430 Ida Street, Valley NE 1:00-2:30 pm
June 19 - Horse Leader Training- must attend new volunteer training and grooming training before attending leader training. Omaha Barn 9:30-12:00 am and Valley Barn 2:30-5:00 pm
Can’t make this training? Check out their events page at www.hetra.org for the next scheduled volunteer training.
Summer Camp at HETRA - Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy facilities
Discover what it takes to keep a horse healthy, happy and strong. Each student will learn how to groom and saddle a horse, make horse treats, even how to clean a stall. There will be plenty of “horsey” crafts and activities for all ages. This camp is open to everyone. For more information contact www.hetra.org or 402-359-8830. HETRA’s mission to improve the quality of life both physically and emotionally of adults and children with disabilities through equine assisted activities.
Valley: July 5-9, 2010 - 29430 Ida Street, Valley NE
Omaha: July 12-16, 2010 – 4906 S 180th Street, Omaha NE
Advanced Independent Riding Camp: July 19-23, 2010, Valley NE (Student must have previous riding lessons and ability to walk and trot independently.)
Hours: 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Cost: $35/day or $150/week
Step By Step is a fun, safe dance class for special needs students up to age 16. They meet weekly for an hour and stretch, learn basic dance positions, leap, jump, tap and hip hop!
When: June and July 7:35-8:35pm (begins Thurs. June 3)
Where: Broadway Connection Dance Center, 2329 N. 90th St. (90th & Blondo)
Instructors: Sue Booton and Carly Nass plus community volunteers
Tuition: $35 per month (you may participate in one month or both!
Download a registration form here. Contact Sue Booton at 571-4446 with any questions.
This is a 6 week summer program for children with low muscle tone, decreased strength, coordination difficulties, and sensory processing differences. Sessions will focus on increasing strength, improving coordination, and developing healthy habits. This camp will provide opportunities for learning and participating in a variety of team and individual sports. This is a great oppportunity for developing skills and increasing activity in a fun and encouraging environment where kids can be successful and make new friends.
Pediatric Therapy Center
10791 S. 72nd St.
Papillion, Nebraska 68046
402-932-2782
Ages 6 - 12
June 21 - August 22
Monday and Wednesday at 3:30pm
Cost $75
Project EXCEED (Excellence in Collaborative Education & Early Development) & Ruth Staples Child Development Lab will be accepting applications for young children with an educational verification or medical diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder to take part in a research, teaching and service project as part of the Ruth Staples Child Development program. Participating children receive research-based individualized instruction and opportunities to practice critical early social, communication and behavioral skills while participating in a high-quality early childhood program.
For the 2010-11 academic year, Project EXCEED is accepting applications for children between the ages of 18 months-3 years of age. The program takes place Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. from August 23rd 2010 through April 29th 2011. The Ruth Staples child development program is a full-day program (7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.). Participating families will be responsible for partial tuition costs (see application for details). Project EXCEED participants will be required to attend during the morning hours (7:30-12:30) and parents/guardians may choose whether their children continue to participate in the Ruth Staples child development program in the afternoon.
Space for participants is limited. Children and families who are selected will be invited to join Project EXCEED and to voluntarily make a decision whether to participate or not participate. Direct questions to Laura Maddox via email at autismproject@unl.edu or by phone at 402-472-2121. Download an application here.
TOOLS FOR DEVELOPING SOCIAL SKILLS
Presented by: Liz Anderson, Speech Therapist
Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes - The First Tee of Omaha is launching a Golf Buddies league to help support individuals with special needs. They focus on 9 Core Values…Courtesy, Honesty, Respect, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Responsibility, Confidence, Judgment, and Perseverance. While teaching golf is an important part of what they do, their primary objective for the past 20 years, has been to involve youth who would not otherwise have the opportunity to have access to the game, and the inherent values it teaches.
Cost is $75 for the 7 week program. Download a registration flyer here for more details.
