What’s New and Exciting
March Break – Kids Positive Program
For the first time, we are having a full-time March Break program. The overwhelming success of the Kids Positive Social Skills program has encouraged us to try a March Break program. The full-week program will have different theme days as follows: Monday – “Manners If You Please”. Tuesday – “Shhhh…We’re Learning Here – Listening Skills”. Wednesday – “Friends Make the World Go Round”. Thursday – “Count to 10 – Dealing with Anger”. Friday – “Celebrate Me Day – Building Self-Esteem”. In addition to two social skills lessons each day, the children will have some free play time, play cooperative games and do crafts. The program can only accept 20 students – ten in the 6-9 age group and ten in the 10-13 age group. The cost for the week
is $78 for members and $140 for non-members. Financial help is available if required.
Study Smart Program
We have a new program!! We are proud to introduce a new 10-week program called Study Smart: Learning Strategies for Becoming a Successful Student. The 10-week pilot program starts Thursday, April 15, 2004 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. The program will follow a 10-week outline as follows: Week One – What type of learner are you? Week Two – Time Management. Week Three – Your Planner is Your Friend. Week Four – Note-taking Skills. Week Five – Organizing Notebooks. Week Six – Organizing your Desk/Locker. Week Seven – Keeping Track of Assignments. Week Eight – The Studying Environment. Week Nine – Study Smart Skills. Week Ten – Test-taking Skills. This program will be for students in Grades 6-8 and 9-12. The two groups will each have their own facilitator. Depending on the outcome of the pilot program, we will be offering this program again in September and permanently thereafter.
I think this program is an excellent idea. We know that the key to success for students at any level of education is not as dependent on measured intelligence so much as the habits and attitudes that the students bring with them. Educator Carolyn Elzinga is hard at work putting the program together and it looks extremely good. As the mother of a 6th grader with the messiest school desk in Lambton County, I can’t wait for Study Smart. In fact I wish I could take it. The cost for the 10-week program is $48.00 for members and $110.00 for non-members. As always, financial help is available if required.
Changes to Existing Programs
Our Parent Support Group has been going through a bit of a transformation. We toyed with the name – changing it from Parent Support Group to Seminar Series - in an effort to get a larger turnout of parents. Ultimately the Education Committee has decided to offer Educational Workshops geared to parents four times per year instead of the Parent Support Group. This way we can focus on content and make the events larger and more relevant. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that the four events this year will be:
Educational Workshops
APRIL 2004
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, April 20, 2004 at the Imperial Theatre from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.. We are hosting an event called “Understanding ADHD – Recent Updates in the Field of Learning Disabilities, ADHD and Impulsive Personality Disorders”. We are very pleased to bring to Sarnia Dr. Umesh Jain, M.D., F.R.C.P.(C). Dr. Jain is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who is a nationally recognized expert in ADHD and in psychopharmacology. His research interests also include the genetics of ADHD and impulsive personality disorders. Dr. Jain currently leads the Aggression Initiative at the
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Adolescent and Adult ADHD Research Service jointly between the Hospital for Sick Children and the CAMH. The cost of this presentation is $12.00 and will be of interest to parents, educators and professionals.
MAY
2004
As part of the Need to Read Festival, Pat Hatt will be
speaking in Sarnia on Thursday, May 6, 2004 regarding learning
disabilities. Pat Hatt is a former Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario
President and a professional in the adult literacy field. The location is not final yet but the Sarnia
Library auditorium is the probable location for this event.
NOVEMBER 2004
IPRC and IEP
Workshop – What the Letters Mean and How They Can Help my Child
Probably the most
important communication you receive on behalf of your child is an invitation to the IPRC
(“Identification, Placement Review Committee”).
The IPRC is a negotiated process that determines the child's special
support at school. Once an IPRC placement
is made the IEP (“Individual Education Plan”) is developed. This working document or
“blueprint” if you will should determine the child's special needs and
talents, and state who is going to provide the services.
FERUARY 2005
Natural Alternatives Workshop. Planning is still in the initial stages, but as part of this event we also will feature a viewing/discussion group on the bestselling book The Indigo Children by Lee Carroll/Jan Tober.
LDA-LC Ongoing Programming
Parenting Children with Learning Disabilities – The next session for this Parent Advocacy course is set to begin Wednesday, March 31 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for 10 weeks ending June 2, 2004. This program is a joint partnership between our organization and Childrens Services Department, City of Sarnia. There is no fee for this valuable program. If you haven’t taken it and have a child with special needs please set aside 10 weeks and sign up. The single best thing we can do for our children is become knowledgeable: about their disability, their rights and how to advocate effectively for them.
Kids Positive Program – The Wednesday afternoon Kids Positive Program is set for the year. The next session of Kids Positive Social Skills Program begins April 14 to June 16 (4:30 to 6:00 p.m.). In the fall we will be running a session from October 6 to December 8. Space is limited to 20 children per program (ten 6-9 years and ten 10-13 years) so call for sign-up.
Learning to Learn Differently – The Learning to Learn Differently Program is running exceptionally well. Thirty committed volunteers are helping Senior Kindergarten and Grade One students throughout Lambton County. You may see the tutors, students and parents at the Sarnia Library or here in our Resource Centre at Devine Street School. If you have an hour or two a week to spare and enjoy working with children, please consider volunteering for this valuable program. All tutoring materials and training provided by us. Contact Carolyn Elzinga, Program Coordinator, Learning to Learn Differently for details on next training session for tutors.
Fun Stuff – For When that White Stuff Finally Goes Away
Garage Sale – Saturday, May 15, 2004 is the next date set for our Garage Sale. If you have any items you would like to donate to the cause please give us a call and we can take it off your hands.
Golf Tournament – Saturday, June 5, 2004 at Arkona Fairways Golf Club. Details not finalized yet but if last year’s event is any indication, this will be tons of fun. Scramble format so technique and handicap unimportant. Please consider joining us or volunteering to help at one of these fundraising events.
Workshops – Out of Town
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Scholarships
Available to Students with Learning Disabilities
Association
of Universities and Colleges Awards Program
600-350 Albert St.,
Ottawa, ON K1R lB1
T: (613) 563-1236 F: (613) 563-9745
www.AUCC.ca
- Mattinson Endowment Fund Scholarship for Disabled Students: For undergraduate studies in a degree granting program; $2,500 one year; application deadline June 1st.
- Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited Scholarship Fund for Disabled Students: For university or college studies by students with disabilities; $5,000 annually; application deadline is June 1st.
- The Justin Eves Foundation
595
Bay St., Ste 1202,
Toronto, ON M5G 2C2
T: (416) 586-0085 F: (416) 586-1480
www.justinevesfoundation.com
- Justin Eves Foundation Scholarship: For students with learning disabilities attending college or university:
LDA
of Canada
323 Chapel Street,
Ottawa, ON KIN 7Z2
T: (613) 238-5721 F: (613) 235-5391
www.ldac-taac.ca
- Carol Thompson Memorial Fund Scholarship: For students with learning disabilities attending college or university; $700; application deadline May 15.
- Doreen Kronick Scholarship: For graduate studies in a program which will train students to work with persons with learning disabilities; $700; application deadline is May 15.
LDA
of Ontario
360 Bloor St. E., Ste. 1004, Box 39,
Toronto, ON M4W 3L4
Tel: (416) 929-4311 Fax: (416) 929-3905
www.ldao.on.ca
-
Gloria
Landis Memorial Bursary:
For an adult with learning disabilities attending a postsecondary program,
after an absence from full time education of 3 years; $1,000; application
deadline June 15.
- Roy Cooper Scholarship: For a HS student with a documented LD entering university or college in an engineering or physical sciences program; $1000; apply to local chapter/satellite by May 30.
Online Scholarship Resources:
National
Directory of Financial Assistance Programs for Post-Secondary Students with
Disabilities posted by the National Educational Association of Disabled
Students
Studentawards.com is a
Canadian database of thousands of scholarships, bursaries, fellowships, grants
and other financial awards.
Fillers
March is Public Awareness
Month for Learning Disabilities. The
theme this year is “Stay in School, Succeed in Life”, a focus on Youth with
Learning Disabilities.
Grocery Tapes
We are still collecting
A&P and Zehrs grocery tapes. Please
keep us in mind – heck, call and we will even pick them up. The hard part is getting started on
collecting but once you’ve started its easy.
This fundraising initiative allows us to add to our Resource Library on
a regular basis.
Project Advance
This 6-week summer program is
designed to prepare high-school students with specific learning disabilities
for success in their university studies.
Students learn about academic support strategies, study and life skills,
assistive technology and the availability of campus support. This summer Project ADVANCE is scheduled
from June 28th-August 6, 2004, operating daily from 9:00-4:30 Monday
to Friday at the Keele Campus of York University, Toronto, Ontario. Applications due by May 3, 2004. See website: www.yorku.ca/cdc/ldp/project_advance/advance.htm for an application or contact
Maureen Haig, B.Ed., M.A. Tel: 1-416-736-2100 (ext. 22543).
Dante Club Pasta Fest 
In support of the
Learning Disabilities
Association of Lambton
County
Friday, March 12, 2004
2 SEATINGS: 5:00 to 6:00 or 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $7.00
for adults, $5.00 for children under 12 or
$25.00 for family of 5 (2 adults-3
children).
Price includes all you can eat
pasta, meatballs,
salad, assorted breads/rolls and coffee.
Complimentary juice for children and
children’s
activities.
Tickets available at
Dante Club, 1330 London Road, Sarnia
(542-9311), Lambton Financial Credit Union
or Learning Disabilities
Association of Lambton County (344-7745).
March is Learning Disabilities
Awareness Month.
Thank you for your support.