Please join Steve Holland, Paul Carson and other NWDSA dads on Saturday, January 28th for an afternoon of conversation and good times at McMenamin’s Backstage Bar pool room.

If you haven’t been there, the Backstage Bar is a great space with classic oak pool tables and a relaxing vibe. This is a great chance for us dads to take a break and get together for some fun and camaraderie. We hope to see you there! Just let them know you are looking for the NWDSA group when you get there, and they’ll help you find us. Leave the kids at home for this one!

January 28th, 2:00pm – 4:00pm
McMenamin’s Backstage Bar
3702 S.E. Hawthorne, Portland

Friday, February 17th, 10:30am – 1:30pm
Multnomah Education Service District (MESD)
11611 NE Ainsworth Circle
Portland OR 97220

Learn about iPad and tablet applications that support learning and communication at home and in the classroom. Spend 3 hours with experts getting tips on the best apps out there and how to use them. There is a tremendous amount available for the iPad that can support all types of learners.

For more information and to RSVP, please call 503-238-0522.

Saturday, March 3rd, 9:00am – 12:00
Multnomah Education Service District (MESD)
11611 NE Ainsworth Circle
Portland OR 97220

What’s more fun than a bouncy castle, air hockey, photos with Santa, and pizza? That’s right, the company of family and friends! Join the NWDSA as we celebrate the holidays at JJ Jump.

Sunday, December 4
2:30 – 4:30 pm
Clackamas JJ Jump
9057 SE Jannsen Road
Just off I-205 at exit 13

Please visit www.jjjump.com to download a map and a waiver.

Space is limited. Please RSVP by Dec. 2nd by calling 503-238-0522.

The NWDSA would like to thank der Rheindlander for their continued support. A $2 portion of the door fee from everyone who attended the Oktoberfest in September funded this years Winter social. Plans are already underway for a family day on September 22, 2012 during next year’s Oktoberfest. Check out their website, www.rheinlander.com if you want to dine out and support one of our partners.

Kick-Off Meeting October 26th, 6:00pm

Staff and families are welcome to come to our kick-off meeting on October 26th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm to learn about the Kindergarten Inclusion Cohort and ask questions.

The NWDSA Kindergarten Inclusion Cohort is about to form its second class focused on informing and empowering families around inclusive placements for their young students. This is a cross disability cohort for ALL children who experience a developmental disability that will be entering Kindergarten in the Fall of 2012.

We need your help to get word out about this unique and valuable opportunity!

Our first cohort was a great success! ALL the children whose parents participated in last year’s cohort received placements in the general education classroom for the majority of the school day. Parents have found the trainings and networking opportunities to be very valuable as they advocated for their children during transition and into the school year.

With the first set of kids off to school, we are ready to enroll families in the 2011-2012 cohort. Please share this information with families and help us get the word out about the cohort! Our first meeting on October 26, 2011 is open to anyone, staff or parents, who want to find out more about the cohort and get any questions answered.

Here’s What It’s All About!

The Kindergarten Inclusion Cohort program is designed as a series of interactive and best practices driven trainings. In order to receive the full benefit of the cohort we ask participants to commit to attending all of the sessions. This is not just about preparing families, but also about building a community of parents who will support each other as their children move through the transition process and beyond. Often along with big dreams there can also be fears. Our coordinators and guest speakers have all ‘walked in those shoes’ and will help families along the way by building skillsets, communication strategies and support connections.

We have some great speakers joining us and we are very excited to get the second year of this project up and running. We, as parents, are the experts on our children and the constant in their lives. Moving from early childhood to the school years can be a confusing and sometimes dis-empowering transition without tools and mentors to help navigate this new phase. We will help you to create a portfolio about your child, learn about the law, your rights and school responsibilities, share success stories and strategies from others and much more.

Over the next year, the cohort will feature six interactive training sessions with expert speakers and best-practices resources as well as graduates from our first session that will share their experiences and successes. Session topics will include information about the law and your child’s rights, tools and supports to use in the classroom, IEP goal writing to help support inclusion, communication and behavior strategies, tips from parents and teachers and more.

We are also seeking volunteers, teachers and other supportive professionals who would like to help in this work.

Please call Cohort coordinator Alicia DeLashmutt at 503-238-0522 or email alicia.kindergartencohort@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to participate in our 2011 / 2012 session.

Thank you!

Learn more about the Kindergarten Inclusion Cohort

21 & over 5 to 10pm, Friday September 23rd and Saturday the 24th; featuring Munich beers on tap, a live Oktoberfest band, dancing, contests and Oktoberfest fare.

Bring your kids on Saturday from noon to 5 and enjoy live polka music, performances by Rogue Valley Alpenhorns, Liederkreis German Choir and Grant High School a Capella; plus arts & crafts.

A portion of the cover charge will go to the Northwest Down Syndrome Association.

www.rheinlander.com

September 24th, 2011 at the Rose Quarter in Portland.

Click here to learn more about this year’s Buddy Walk and learn how to register online.

Have you been naughty or nice?

The Northwest Down Syndrome Association invites you to our Annual Winter Social!

Sunday December 12th, 12 to 3 pm.
JJ Jump, Clackamas
9057 SE Jannsen Road (just off I-205 at exit 13)

Please RSVP by Friday, December 3rd by calling 503-238-0522.

• Yummy treats
• Photos with Santa
• Activities for all ages

What’s more fun than a bouncy castle, air hockey, photos with Santa, and pizza? That’s right, the company of family and friends. Join the NWDSA as we celebrate the holidays on December 12th at JJ Jump.

Visit www.jjjump.com to download a map and waiver. Space is limited so please RSVP by December 3rd.

We are looking for some helping hands! Call 503-238-0522.

• Is kindergarten just around the corner for your child with developmental disabilities?
• Do you want to be in the driving seat as a prepared and empowered advocate for your child?
• Do you have a vision of your child in an inclusive kindergarten class?
• Do you live in the Portland Metro area or Southwest Washington?

If you would like to help your child get off to a great start in school, then please join the cross-disability kindergarten inclusion cohort we are forming. Join with other parents with a similar dream and create a network of support as you build your own expertise.

Over the next year, the cohort will feature six interactive training sessions with expert speakers and best-practice resources. Session topics will include information about the law and your child’s rights, tools and supports to use in the classroom, IEP goal writing, communication, behavior strategies, tips from parents and teachers and more.

The kickoff meeting is for parents and caregivers of children with developmental disabilities who will be entering kindergarten in the fall of 2011, as well as professionals who work with families who may have had a child ready to start kindergarten next year. We will share more information about the cohort, answer questions and provide resources, as well as hear some parent success stories.

Applications will be available for the twenty spaces we have in our first cohort. Applicants will be considered from all over the Portland Metro area, including Southwest Washington.

Hors d’oeuvres and refereshments will be provided.

Come join a cross-disability community that shares the dream of inclusinong! Please respond quickly as space is limited.

RSVP to 503-238-0522 or email ajarvis-holland@nwdsa.org.