Saturday, December 19, 2009

Parent Support Group of Teens with Social Cognitive/Communication Needs and Kern Autism Network Conference

Who:  Parents or other caretakers

          No students please

          

When:  Tuesday, January 19, 2010

              5:30 – 7:00 PM

                    

Where:  Room 605

              Stockdale High School

              2800 Buena Vista Road

              Located at northeast corner of White Lane and Buena Vista Rd.

  Please park in Buena Vista Road lot (just north of White Ln.)

Why: 

v  Guest Speaker: Local Professional Adult with Asperger Syndrome

o   Discussing Sensory Integration, Disclosure, and Successful Strategies

o   A “Not To Be Missed” presentation and Q & A Session

v  Parent Exchange of Successes and Frustrations

 

 

RSVP by phone or email to Holley Arbeit, Speech-Language Pathologist

               holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us      665.2800  X68

 

 

Hello all,

 

I can’t let the 2009 year end without a head’s up on the January 19th, 2010, Tuesday, Parent Support Group meeting.  This will be a “must attend” meeting.  A professional with Asperger Syndrome, working in a medically-related field here in Bakersfield, is willing to engage in a very open discussion about his experiences.  This person is amazingly articulate and insightful about life from his unique perspective.  He is able to truly paint a picture about his experiences with social and sensory integration difficulties and equally explain many of his strategies to become a successful, independent adult.  I strongly encourage you to attend this meeting.

 

The January 2010 meeting is NOT open to students.  While we may have a “repeat performance” at a later date which would be open to families, this individual has chosen to have his “debut” with only parents and professionals.

 

Please RSVP to me and see attached flyer.

 

FYI: The 15th Annual Autism Awareness Conference will be Feb. 12, 2010 at the Marriott Hotel in Bakersfield.  For more information: www.Eventbrite.com Space is limited,  The speakers and the opportunity to see community resources at this event are impressive.

 

If there are other professionals or parents/caretakers in the community that you feel should be on this distribution list, please let me know or forward this to them.  If you want to “stop the world and let me get off”, let me know as well and I will remove you from this list.

 

Finally, I wish each of you a loving and giving holiday season.  I would also like to honor each of you, as parents and professionals , for caring to make this a better world for those experiencing the joys and the difficulties with communication.  We are fortunate to be able to form a community of support.

 

Holley Arbeit

Speech-Language Pathologist

Kern High School District

Stockdale High School

Room 606

2800 Buena Vista Road

Bakersfield, CA 93311

 

O:    661.665.2800

Fax: 661.665.0914

Intradistrict: 62068

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

November 17, 2009: Taft College TIL -- Transition to Independent Living

Taft College TIL -- Transition to Independent Living

Presented by:
Cindy Popejoy, Program Director, TIL
Taft College students currently enrolled in TIL

Last year's presentation of the TIL program was such a success that this year Ms. Popejoy brought several students to help present and answer questions.

The meeting started with a 13 minute film, "Realizing Independence", giving an over view of the TIL program's history from its beginning through its current goals and implementation. There were programs for the developmentally disabled since about 1976 that evolved an "jelled" into an independent living curriculum in 1995 with TIL, an independent living classroom situation where students are not graded but evaluated on how well they are progressing on life transferable basic skills. They follow up with students up to 10 years later for the sake of the students and to evaluate the program. Depending of the life skills area being followed up on, TIL has an 80%-98% success rate!

Currently there are 48 students in the program. They try to allocate 24 freshmen and 24 sophomores (though this year those numbers are different). Even though this is typically a two year program, the TIL staff are flexible when it comes to the needs of individuals. But be forewarned, this is an intense program geared toward training the student life skills and life/social skills success. It is evolving toward career training instead of job training. It includes self-defense and interpersonal skills. It involves a lot of self directing, self scheduling, self motivation, problem solving, and decision making. It helps the student transition from asking parents (and staff/authority figures) if something is "ok" to informing parents and staff of their plans, showing responsibility in the process.

For most parents and students in need of this, it is a godsend. So much so that there is a three year waiting list (local families get priority), and multiple interview/evaluation process. TIL is the only such program that I know of that is non-profit. It receives its funding because of the Higher Education Opportunities Act, which opens up education to the developmentally disabled.

Students spend the first year in the campus dorms. They will be assisted in finding jobs on campus that will be supplemented in part by the "rent" that SSI or parents pay for their dorms. They will be evaluated on living skills in the dorm setting -- scheduling their day, budgeting, paying their own way, all of these begin as part of their curriculum. During this and the next year, they will really only have time for maybe one or two night classes per semester-- the life skills curriculum is that intense. They have a fixed schedule of 30 hours a week in the morning with a more flexible scheduling options for their afternoon.

Students spend the second year in off campus housing. There are several houses available besides the couple that are owned by Taft College. All are less than a mile from campus, to transportation (walking) is not a problem. By the second year, students are usually responsible for all aspects of living in a rental situation -- planning, meals, shopping, rent, working, transportation, "what are we having tonight" pantry meals, etc. are all things they will be expected to do and be evaluated on. They will be working off campus in a real paying job. Students will graduate with Certificate of Completion. 25% of students continue to full time study. 75% of students go directly to jobs/careers.

The TIL program coordinates with Kern Regional Center (KRC), other California Regional Centers, and Supportive Living Services (SLS), who will follow up with their own programs after the student leaves the TIL program. Their philosophy is simply that since you are putting the money up front, the individuals will need less services later on. In these economic times, I wish many services would remember this simple truth. It could literally save millions later on.

Interpersonal relationships: There is also a weekend program no longer covered by regional centers that evaluates students' transition to normal leisure time. This and other activities are evaluated by completion of required activities, sometimes "ghosted" by staff. That means that staff are not seen but are available if needed. There is tremendous student peer support for such activities, so staff are often not required. The students are assigned to go on group dates, which they plan and go on together. After that is successful, they are then assigned to go on personal dates, which the couple again plan and successfully enjoy. The staff notes the progress in these interpersonal developments and gives feedback as needed.

The students who came to present were from all over the state -- local, Sacramento, Bay Area, and Northern California. The starting age for the program can be as young as 18 years old, though the average age is in the 20's. The staff is looking for a certain level of maturity for the program.

Financial Aspect: Regional Centers pay approximately $30,000 per year for the program itself. If the student is not receiving SSI, then parents will have to pay for the dorms in the first year. This amount, currently approximately $610 per month, pays for the dorm room, utilities, food, etc. As mentioned before, part of this amount comes back to the student as their pay for work study (on campus work). Next year, this too will be eligible for financial aid due to new legislation!

Back to the program ...: Life would not be real life without some problems. TIL takes the students through the following methods:

• CALM Method:
•• Calm down
•• Ask why I am feeling this way
•• Look for ways to feel better
•• Move on or let it go

• COOL Method

• "I" Statements
•• I feel ....
•• I want ....

There is also a student representative team to assist with conflicts and planning issues.

Trip plans in particular have to be made in detail:
• Who -- is going? -- are you going to see? -- are you going to tell of your plans (staff - required)? -- is your travel buddy (required)?
• What -- are you going to do?
• When -- are you going? -- are you returning? -- does the event start? • Where -- are you going?
• How -- are you going to get there? -- much money do you need (required)?
••• Local and distance transportation and be arranged through Kern Regional Transport (KRT) and Amtrak
• Why -- are you going? (to have fun? good enough!)
• Do -- you have what you need?

The students were asked the the following questions: Why did you want to be in the TIL program? What is hard for you? What is scary, surprising, or what are you learning? Their answers were inciteful.

• it helps you adjust to the real world

• personal finances are hard

• we get an end of year trip

• we plan and go on the trip

• staff goes separately

• adjusting to the weather

• town is very small -- everything is in walking distance and people all know you

• I like traveling

• reading class is hard

• leaving parents was hard

• if you need help you call friends or (girl)friend

• if you need (feedback) they do so privately, not publicly

• you will get homesick

• happy atmosphere

• you get to go home for holidays
plus more often if your parents are local

• learning to be on your own
happy to be independent

• get more freedom if they use it responsibly
to go to work

• earning money for what you want
doing things without parents by myself

•cooking was hard until I (got used to) the oven -- I was afraid for awhile

• most students relocate close to parents after they graduate from program

• curfews
•• freshmen: 10pm
•• sophomores: 11pm

The students are, on the whole, academically capable but socially disabled. 20%-25% of TIL's students are autistic. A lot of the classroom curriculum is social skills.

Roommates: During the first year, they do screen but they have found that actually matching people up doesn't work. By the second year, they are allowed to make first, second, and third choices. These are evaluated by staff. All of the off campus housing are in safe neighborhoods less than a mile away from the campus, within walking distance of the college.

The students can bring all the tech they want -- computer, laptop, TV, games, etc. There are no limits to "things" but rather how their things affect how they are supposed to function. They are responsible for the consequences of their behavior. They can flunk a class if they fall asleep or bomb the class because of their decisions.

In case of academic problems: No one wants to see a student fail a program designed to develop independence and build self esteem. So the following have evolved as safety measures and natural consequences of persistent behavior.
• the first and second warnings are between staff and student
the third warning, parents are involved only if the student agrees to such communication
• for legal reasons, the student must sign a paper agreeing to allow parent involvement for that involvement to take place
• the student doesn't have to sign the paper but they won't be let in the program without it

The meeting was still going well when time ran out and all met and mingled -- TIL staff and students, PSG parents and members -- before going home. Ms. Popejoy had said earlier that she was taking the students to Applebee's after the meeting -- we hope they had a great time.

---------------------

Bob Moawad --
"Help others get ahead. You will always stand taller with someone else on your shoulders."

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Here is a link to the Taft Independent Living Program PLUS Op-Ed Contributor New York times | The Short Life of a Diagnosis By Simon Baron-Cohen

Here is a link to the Taft Independent Living Program that will be presented this Tuesday, Nov. 17th at the Parent Support Group.
 
http://web.taftcollege.edu/student_services/independent_living.shtml

In addition, below is an article related to an important controversy in the area of Asperger Syndrome which may be worth a discussion at the support group meeting.
 
Op-Ed Contributor New York times
The Short Life of a Diagnosis
By Simon Baron-Cohen
Published: November 9, 2009
Cambridge, England

THE Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the bible of diagnosis in psychiatry, and is used not just by doctors around the world but also by health insurers.

Changing any such central document is complicated. It should therefore come as no surprise that a committee of experts charged with revising the manual has caused consternation by considering removing Asperger syndrome from the next edition, scheduled to appear in 2012. The committee argues that the syndrome should be deleted because there is no clear separation between it and its close neighbor, autism.

The experts propose that both conditions should be subsumed under the term "autism spectrum disorder," with individuals differentiated by levels of severity. It may be true that there is no hard and fast separation between Asperger syndrome and classic autism, since they are currently differentiated only by intelligence and onset of language. Both classic autism and Asperger syndrome involve difficulties with social interaction and communication, alongside unusually narrow interests and a strong desire for repetition, but in Asperger syndrome, the person has good intelligence and language acquisition.

The question of whether Asperger syndrome should be included or excluded is the latest example of dramatic changes in history of the diagnostic manual. The first manual, published in 1952, listed 106 "mental disorders." The second (1968), listed 182, and famously removed homosexuality as a disorder in a later printing. The third (1980) listed 265 disorders, taking out "neurosis." The revised third version (1987) listed 292 disorders, while the current fourth version cut the list of disorders back to 283.
This history reminds us that psychiatric diagnoses are not set in stone. They are "manmade," and different generations of doctors sit around the committee table and change how we think about "mental disorders."

This in turn reminds us to set aside any assumption that the diagnostic manual is a taxonomic system. Maybe one day it will achieve this scientific value, but a classification system that can be changed so freely and so frequently can't be close to following Plato's recommendation of "carving nature at its joints."
Part of the reason the diagnostic manual can move the boundaries and add or remove "mental disorders" so easily is that it focuses on surface appearances or behavior (symptoms) and is silent about causes. Symptoms can be arranged into groups in many ways, and there is no single right way to cluster them. Psychiatry is not at the stage of other branches of medicine, where a diagnostic category depends on a known biological mechanism. An example of where this does occur is Down syndrome, where surface appearances are irrelevant. Instead the cause — an extra copy of Chromosome 21 — is the sole determinant to obtain a diagnosis. Psychiatry, in contrast, does not yet have any diagnostic blood tests with which to reveal a biological mechanism.

So what should we do about Asperger syndrome? Although originally described in German in 1944, the first article about it in English was published in 1981, and Asperger syndrome made it only into the fourth version of the manual, in 1994. That is, the international medical community took 50 years to acknowledge it. In the last decade thousands of people have been given the diagnosis. Seen through this historical lens, it seems a very short time frame to be considering removing Asperger syndrome from the manual.

We also need to be aware of the consequences of removing it. First, what happens to those people and their families who waited so long for a diagnostic label that does a good job of describing their profile? Will they have to go back to the clinics to get their diagnoses changed? The likelihood of causing them confusion and upset seems high.

Second, science hasn't had a proper chance to test if there is a biological difference between Asperger syndrome and classic autism. My colleagues and I recently published the first candidate gene study <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19598235?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&amp;ordinalpos=1> of Asperger syndrome, which identified 14 genes associated with the condition.

We don't yet know if Asperger syndrome is genetically identical or distinct from classic autism, but surely it makes scientific sense to wait until these two subgroups have been thoroughly tested before lumping them together in the diagnostic manual. I am the first to agree with the concept of an autistic spectrum, but there may be important differences between subgroups that the psychiatric association should not blur too hastily.

Simon Baron-Cohen, the director of the Autism Research Center at Cambridge University, is the author of "The Essential Difference."

Holley Arbeit
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kern High School District
Stockdale High School
Room 606
2800 Buena Vista Road
Bakersfield, CA 93311
 
O:    661.665.2800
Fax: 661.665.0914
Intradistrict: 62068

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Parent Support Group on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009

Hello Parents and Professionals,



We will have Sandy Popejoy, the Program Director of the Taft Independent Living Program at Taft College, joining us as many of you expressed an interest in a return visit.  Even if you attended her presentation last year, it may be very helpful to attend once again.  There is a lot of information to remember and as your student continues through high school, your understanding of his/her needs and options may change. 



Please RSVP to me if you plan to attend.

 

Finally, a reminder:  There will be no December Parent Support Group Meeting.  We will reconvene on January 19, 2010.



Holley Arbeit

Speech-Language Pathologist

 

Stockdale High School

Room 606

2800 Buena Vista Road

Bakersfield, CA 93311

 

Work: 661.665.2800X 68

Fax:  661.665.0914

Intradistrict: 62068

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Special Needs Trust Seminar a Success - Watch for another one in November

While I admit to being home with sick children that evening, I have heard good things about the Special Needs Trust Seminar.  If you missed this one, they will have another presentation for BARC in November.  Keep an eye on BARC's Upcoming Events page for further news.

Monday, October 12, 2009

RSVP information for October 20th Meeting/Workshop

Who:

 Parents or other caretakers

 Professionals who work with individuals who may need this service as an adult

No students, please



When: Tuesday, October 20, 2009

5:30 - 7:00 PM



Where: Room 605

Stockdale High School

2800 Buena Vista Road

Located at northeast corner of White Lane and Buena Vista Rd.

Please park in Buena Vista Road lot (just north of White Ln.)

Why:

Special Needs Trust Educational Workshop



This is a free informational presentation.

KHSD is not endorsing the purchase of this service.



RSVP by phone or email to Holley Arbeit, Speech-Language Pathologist

holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us 665.2800 X68

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

You are invited to a

Parent Support Group of Teens with
Social Cognitive/Communication Needs
invite you to attend a
Special Needs Trust Educational Workshop

October 20 at 5:30pm

Stockdale High School
2800 Buena Vista Road
Room 605
(northeast corner of White Lane & Buena Vista Road
Please park in Buena Vista Road lot north of White Lane)

Light Refreshments will be served

This complimentary workshop will provide you with the following
valuable information that benefits people of all financial levels:

Why you and your child may need a Special Needs Trust

How to create a Special Needs Trust

An explanation of the difference between a standard trust and a Special Needs Trust

What are the best methods to provide for your child's future
financial security, recreational activities & medical care without
placing unrealistic burdens on other family members

How to make certain your child qualifies for state & federal aid

Funding techniques for your Special Needs Trust, no matter what your financial level

This program is being presented by attorney Richard McBurnie who is a past president
of the Kern County Bar Association. He has worked tirelessly on behalf of charitable causes in our community including High School Mock Trail
and
Barry Rosenfeld, Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Lifetime Assistance Planner & Chartered Life Underwriter. Barry and his wife Pat are keenly aware of the challenges parents of special needs children face

RSVP by phone or e-mail to Holley Arbeit, Speech-Language Pathologist by October 20
holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us or 665 2800 x68
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Saturday, October 10, 2009

KAN event

The message below is from Ramona Puget, the president of the Kern Autism Network (KAN). This is a community event sponsored by KAN. 
 
Hello Everyone,

The Black Balloon" movie is to be shown on Thursday, October 15th at the Majestic Fox Theater.  Admission is FREE of charge in recognition of Autism Awareness and part of the "Meet Your Special Neighbors Project" which is a month of events occurring in Bakersfield recognizing all disabilities, including Autism.  We hope you can join us with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. and movie starting at 7:00 p.m.  [The movie is rated PG-13]. We also have a special guest joining us to do the commentary following the movie, Dr. Stephen Shore from New York, please see bio below for further information.

The Black Balloon is a story about fitting in, discovering love and accepting your family when you have a loved one with autism.  To read more about the movie starring Toni Collette and see who else stars in this award winning film, please visit the movie website www.theblackballoonmovie.com

  You can also watch the trailer for the film.
To register for this event, please contact the Autism Society -Kern Autism Network for further details 661-588-4235 or email kernautism@gmail.com


Our Guest Speaker to review the movie and discuss will be Dr. Stephen Shore:
Biography of Dr. Stephen Shore
Diagnosed with "Atypical Development with strong autistic tendencies" Dr. Shore was viewed as "too sick" to be treated on an outpatient basis and recommended for institutionalization. Nonverbal until four, and with much help from his parents, teachers, and others, Stephen completed his doctoral dissertation at Boston University focused on matching best practice to the needs of people on the autism spectrum. Click here to see an abstract of the dissertation. Recently, Dr. Shore has accepted a professorship at Adelphi University teaching courses in special education and autism.
In addition to working with children and talking about life on the autism spectrum, Stephen presents and consults internationally on adult issues pertinent to education, relationships, employment, advocacy, and disclosure as discussed in his books Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Ask and Tell: Self-advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum, and the critically acclaimed Understanding Autism for Dummies.
President emeritus of the Asperger's Association of New England, Dr. Shore serves on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, for the Board of Directors for Autism Society of America, Unlocking Autism, MAAP, the College Internship Program, and USAAA.

Please feel free to pass this information on to others who may be interested in attending.  Have a great day!

Best Regards

Ramona Puget
Supplemental Autism Program
Supervisor, Special Education Programs
Kern County Superintendent of Schools
661. 852-5052 FAX 661.636-4039
rapuget@kern.org
 
Holley Arbeit
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kern High School District
Stockdale High School
Room 606
2800 Buena Vista Road
Bakersfield, CA 93311
 
O:    661.665.2800
Fax: 661.665.0914
Intradistrict: 62068

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Thursday, October 1, 2009

MeetYourNeighborsevents.pdf - Adobe Reader

forward of interest: edited, shortened
--------------------- 
...  I would especially like to call your attention to the Kick Off event which will be held this Sunday, October 4, 2009 in Central Park at Mill Creek in on 21st Street in down town Bakersfield.  It will run from noon until 4:00 pm.  There will be a variety of activities including a vendor fair.  You can come for as long or short of time as you wish. A tri tip lunch from the KRC All Star Cafe will be available for purchase for $5.00 for KRC clients and children or $8.00 for adults.  Please come by and join us if you can.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Please RSVP for the Oct 20 Parent Support Meeting!

Response is big and we may need a bigger room/facility for our monthly meeting -- this month on Special Needs Trust with
Richard McBurnie who is a past president of the Kern County Bar Association and Barry Rosenfeld, Chartered Financial Consultant

Please RSVP for the Oct 20 Parent Support Meeting!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Scholarship opportunity

 
http://www.disaboom.com/Resources/DisabilityScholarships/Default.aspx 
 
Great resource for financial aid and scholarships for students with disabilities.
Best,
Holley

Monday, September 21, 2009

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sept 15th parent meeting - October is Bakersfield's "Meet Your Special Neighbor" Month - opportunities for OUR group to participate - upcoming events

(heavily borrowed from Holley Arbeit's handout from the September 2009 Bakersfield Parent Support)

October is Bakersfield's "Meet Your Special Neighbor" Month -- a month to increase awareness of developmental and acquired disabilities. http://www.meetyourspecialneighbor.org/

Here are some opportunities for OUR group to participate this month:

October 4, Sunday from 12noon-4pm, Kick-off Event at Mill Creek Park (R & 21st St) by the Bakersfield Museum of Art. There will be many fun, family-friendly events.

• There will be a booth for our group, Bakersfield Parent Support Group of Teens with Social Communication Difficulties shared with Bakersfield Area Speech Pathologists and Audiologists, BASPA, of which Holley is member.

• There will be a booth for Achieving in Higher Education with Autism/Developmental Disabilities, AHEADD, (www.aheadd.org), an organization that provides coaching, mentoring, and personal advocacy for college students, of which Holley is the local representative.

October 15, Thursday, from 7pm-10pm? at the Fox Theater-- Kern Autism Network, KAN, will present the movie "The Black Balloon" with Stephen Shore as a discussion leader after the viewing. This is all free of charge thanks to KAN's enormous willingness and ability to fund this. AHEADD, BASPA, and Bakersfield Parent Support Group (us) will have some sort of booth arrangement (shared, I think) prior to the event. The booth/table will probably be set up by 6:30pm until the start of the movie. Volunteers will probably just pass out informational materials and then enjoy the rest of the evening, the movie and the discussion afterwards.

• The movie has autism as the main theme and it will be released in major theaters and on DVD. We will be seeing the movie prior to release!

• Dr Shore is an international authority on ASD. He, himself, has Aspergers Syndrome.

• From the KAN website:
• Autism Society Chapter Kern Autism Network Presents -- "The Black Balloon" to be held at the Majestic Fox Theater, 2001 H St, on Thursday October 15. This film will be shown FREE to the public in recognition of "Autism Awareness" and "Meet Your Social Neighbors Project of Events". "The Black Balloon" is a story about fitting in, discovering love and accepting your family when you have a loved one with autism. To read more about the movie starting Toni Collette and see who else stars in this award winning film, "The Black Balloon wins Best Feature Film at the Berlin International Film Festival", please visit the movie website http://www.theblackballoonmovie.com. Stephen Shore will be doing the commentary for the film, following the end of the movie. For further information about Stephen Shore, please refer to his website: http://www.autismasperger.net. To register for this event, please contact the Autism Society Chapter Kern Autism Network for further details 661-588-4235 or email kernautism@gmail.com.

October 20, Tuesday at 5:30pm-7pm -- our regular monthly meeting. We will have Richard McBurnie and Barry Rosenfeld as guest presenters on Conservatorship for adults with disabilities. All parents and professionals are welcome. This presentation is free, as always.

• They will share the following information that benefits people of all financial levels.

•• Why you and your child may need a Special Needs Trust

•• How to create a Special Needs Trust

•• An explanation of the difference between a standard trust and a Special Needs Trust

•• What are the best methods to provide for your child's future financial security, recreational activities, and medical care without placing unrealistic burdens on other family members

•• How to make certain that your child remains eligible for state and federal aid

•• Funding techniques for your Special Needs Trust, no matter what your financial level

• Guest Presenters

•• Richard McBurnie, Attorney-at-law, a past president of the KErn County Bar Association. Richard has worked tirelessly on behalf of charitable causes in our community

•• Barry Rosenfeld, Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant, and Chartered Lifetime Assistance Planner. Barry and his wife, Pat, are keenly aware of the challenges parents face

To visit Oct 5 at Mill Creek park, just show up. To volunteer, contact Holley Arbeit at holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us or 665.2800 x68

To see "The Black Balloon", Oct 15, contact KAN at 661-588-4235 or email kernautism@gmail.com. To volunteer, contact Holley Arbeit at holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us or 665.2800 x68

To attend our monthly meeting Oct 20, just come to Stockdale High School Room 606, Buena Vista Rd parking lot. You are welcome to come, even if you arrive late or have to leave early. Contact Holley Arbeit at holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us or 665.2800 x68

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Welcome Parents and Colleagues!

Well, this is launched thanks to the dedication, patience and technological skills of a wonderful, pro-active parent of the support group, Jane Burch. I honor her efforts.

It takes all of us working, sharing, laughing....and maybe griping... together to create a more positive world for those in our community. By sharing our dreams, visions, knowledge, hard knocks experiences, successes and even the failures, we can support each other while helping those experiencing the difficult job of understanding our social world.

So let's post our thoughts, pearls of wisdoms, humorous tales, found website gems, community contacts, etc. We can make our support community as large as we wish. But, it takes a village of shared compassion and knowledge to impact our children/students/peers in a positive way.

Make a difference in someone's life. Join others both here and at the support group meetings.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Parent Support Group of Teens with Social Cognitive/Communication Needs

Parent Support Group of Teens with


Social Cognitive/Communication Needs


Who: Parents or other caretakers

No students, please



When: Tuesday, September 15th, 2008

5:30 – 7:00 PM



Where: Room 605

Stockdale High School

2800 Buena Vista Road

Located at northeast corner of White Lane and Buena Vista Rd.

Please park in Buena Vista Road lot (just north of White Ln.)

Why:

 Defining Your Student’s Strengths and Needs

 What Do YOU Want From this Support Group?

 Parent Exchange of Successes and Frustrations





RSVP by phone or email to Holley Arbeit, Speech-Language Pathologist

holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us 665.2800 X68

RE: Parent Support Group tomorrow

To All,

Check out the new Bakersfield Parent Support blog at http://bakersfieldparentsupport.blogspot.com/



From: Holley Arbeit [mailto:holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 8:01 AM
Subject: Parent Support Group tomorrow

See attached.  Join us and share what YOU would want out of YOUR support group on Tuesday from 5:30 - 7PM support group this year.  Do not be concerned if you must arrive late or leave early.   Thank you for a RSVP email.



Holley Arbeit



Speech-Language Pathologist

Kern High School District

Stockdale High School

Room 606

2800 Buena Vista Road

Bakersfield, CA 93311



O:    661.665.2800

Fax: 661.665.0914

Intradistrict: 62068






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Saturday, September 5, 2009

Forward of interest: Cool Websites and Tools [September 5] DirectTextbook – Compare 30 book stores to find cheapest book prices

Check out some of the latest MakeUseOf discoveries. All listed websites are FREE (or come with a decent free account option). No trials or buy-to-use craplets. For more cool websites and web app reviews subscribe to MakeUseOf Directory.

(1) TechPosters - Web resource that lists around 500 free IT-related posters with useful shortcut cheat sheets and manuals. These Information Technology posters are organized in different categories like Mac, Linux, PhotoShop, Exel, iPhone, Browsers, CSS, HTML and much more. You can search for posters, browse them by categories and download the ones you like with a click of a button. Read more: TechPosters - Download Free Information Technology Posters

(2) Business Card Generator - Online utility that lets you make your own business cards for free and then print them out using any printer. All you need to do is enter your contact details, point to your logo and click on "Make Business Cards!". You can also customize text font and alignment. Read more: Business Card Generator - Make Business Cards For Free Online

(3) PDF Pirate - Next time you need to unlock restricted PDF files head straight to PDF Pirate.net. It is a PDF restrictions remover that lets you do this in no time and without leaving your browser window. Read more: PDF Pirate - PDF Restrictions Remover Freeware

(4) Typedia - If you love typography then you would definitely love Typedia. Launched recently by well known graphic designer Jason Santa Maria, Typedia is a web-based shared encyclopedia of typefaces. You can search and explore font arts, designs, learn about typography, participate in the forums, add and share your own creativity and print the nice typefaces you come across. Read more: Typedia - Online Encyclopedia Of Typefaces

(5) DirectTextbook - Online book price comparison site that lets you quickly compare book prices across 30 major book retailers including Amazon, eBooks.com, Powell's, Buy.com, Walmart, Book Closeouts and more. Read more: DirectTextbook - Compare 30 book stores to find cheapest book prices

Submit Your Web App

These are just half of the websites that we discovered in the last couple of days. If you want us to send you daily round-ups of all cool websites we come across, leave your email here. Or follow us via RSS feed.

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Related posts
makeuseof extra #27 (53)
Finally Stick To Your Resolutions With StickK (33)
Cool Websites and Tools [May 9'th] (9)
Cool Websites and Tools [May 8'th] (8)
Cool Websites and Tools [May 7'th] (13)


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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Fw: [FVCAFamAdv] [FV-Talk] [MEAFLink: Back-to-School with the White House]

FYI, feel free to forward.
 
Dian Elaine Schneider
Resource Specialist
H.E.A.R.T.S. Connection FRC
3101 N. Sillect Ave., Suite 115
Bakersfield, CA  93308
661.328.9055 ext. 256
Fax - 661.328.9940
 
"What lies behind us
and what lies ahead of us
is tiny compared to
what lives within us."
        -Ralph Waldo Emerson
----- Original Message -----

Subject: MEAFLink: Back-to-School with the White House
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:09:09 -0700

Please see following announcement from Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to
the President for Disability Issues, about a Back-to-School conference
call with the White House.
----------------------------------------------------------

This Thursday the White House will be hosting a conference call with all
interested groups to discuss the President's education plan and more
specifically Back to School. You may forward this call information. The
President will be delivering a Back to School speech on September the
8th that will be available to watch live across the country.

When: Thursday, September 3rd
Start Time: 4:00 PM EST
Participant Number: (800) 230-1074
Title to be connected to call: Back to School

Kareem Dale
Special Assistant to the President
The White House
Phone: 202.456.4767
kdale@who.eop. <mailto:kdale%40who.eop.gov> gov <mailto:kdale@who.eop. <mailto:kdale%40who.eop.gov> gov>

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF).
MEAFlink is designed to share information and news for and about young
people with disabilities. Information circulated does not necessarily
express the views of MEAF. MEAF does not verify the accuracy of the
information or content of messages posted on MEAFlink, and MEAF
expressly disclaims all responsibility for any errors or omissions.

Family Voices or the Family Voices Board of Directors.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Forward of interest: Office Depot Sale & Coupon for Teachers

Throughout the month of August, Office Depot has been running some great penny specials each week. Now they're offering an online printable coupon which is good for 20% off all Carson Dellosa teacher books. 

Carson Dellosa offers quality books and supplements for grades preschool through eighth grade.  They also have grade books, planners, decorating supplies, motivational tools, resources for parents, and more.  

This Office Depot coupon is valid through August 29, 2009, however, Office Depot says that more coupons will be coming in the following weeks.  To stay on top of Office Depot sales, be sure to become an Office Depot fan.

Office Depot also has some penny specials going on this week.  These end tomorrow, but maybe you can still snag some of the deals.

Glue sticks – 25 cents
Book covers – 25 cents
5 1/2 "– 8" notebook – 25 cents

With $10 purchase, the following items are FREE:
Office Depot acrylic ruler
12-pack eraser caps
8-pack Scholastic crayons

Enjoy the savings!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

http://www.blisstree.com/thriftymommy/office-depot-coupons-for-teachers/

Forward of interest: Startup Website Offers Disaster Updates

DisasterUpdates.com, as the domain name suggests, is a startup website that offers disaster updates. Dave Miller, a spokesman for the website, believes that this website offers disaster updates in an easy to use format.

Said Miller: "Existing web resources were either too specialized or too complex for the average homeowner or businessperson in need of quick disaster information. To this end, the website was specifically designed to be more useful by individuals, families and businesses reacting to a disaster emergency."

While the website was launched during the beginning of hurricane season, it covers other tyeps of disasters such as floods, pandemic flu, wildfires, earthquakes and tsunamis.

Information that can be found on this startup site includes everything from evacuation routes to links to the online FEMA disaster application. While the website looks like it can still use some work, this is the type of niche website that are being launched left and right.

Hurricane (Image: Flickr)

Post from: Startup Spark

http://www.bizzia.com/startupspark/startup-website-offers-disaster-updates/

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Forward of interest: Stress : Effects of Stress

Stress has many physiological affects on the human body. As we have already learned, certain types of stress can be good, but too much stress can lead to all sorts of problems.

The first thing that stress does is to cause the adrenal glands to start secreting adrenaline and epinephrine. These hormones are produced to help use get ready to fight or run away from a threat. Fortunately, we don't face mortal danger on daily basis anymore; but unfortunately, this means that these hormones just make use feel a lot of anxiety.

The "flight or fight" reaction also causes our body to have an increased metabolism. Your heart rate increases, your breathing speeds up, you start sweating, and your blood sugar levels increase. If you are temporarily escaping from a lion this is a good thing, but if you are living your life in a constant state of stress, this can lead to some serious problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Additionally, the body turns off certain unessential functions. After all, if you are running away from a lion there is really no point in wasting energy with things like digestion, reproduction and growth. This is exactly why highly stressed people get ulcers, have trouble getting pregnant and under extreme conditions have stunted growth.

Finding and eliminating stressful parts of our lives is important, but for short term relief, relaxation exercises can be a big help.


http://www.braingle.com/mind/566.html?r=0908
*e

--
This article was sent using my Viigo.
For a free download, go to http://getviigo.com


Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Monday, August 10, 2009

Forward of interest: Adding Social Element to Document Sharing

If you are looking how to share documents, presentations or PDF's then a good website is Scribd. Interestingly they have also added a social networking aspect to their site. This makes sense as the site was a way of sharing but lacked that ability to build a community feel to your visit. Now you
Can see a news feed of your friends
Reply to friends feeds
Add items of interest to your profile
Easily follow and find new friends.

It is another example of how web sites are understanding the social aspect to sharing and in many ways Scribd has "copied" aspects from Twitter and Friendfeed. Whether these additions will help Scribd which has struggled over the last few months I am unsure, and whether it adds anything extra to other sitesagain I am not sure. However, I do find Scribd is a great place for document sharing and another way of connecting with people of similar interests.

Post from: Buzz Networker

http://www.bizzia.com/buzznetworker/adding-social-element-to-document-sharing/

Forward of interest: Stress : Autogenic Relaxation

Stress can cause all sorts of problems for us in our daily lives. Not the least of which is a decreased ability to think productively and creatively. Autogenic relaxation works by influencing the autonomic nervous system through self-suggestion. The goal is to learn how to relax your limbs, heart and breathing.

Start by sitting in a comfortable position in a quiet place. Concentrate on your legs and arms. Feel them getting heavy. Repeat to yourself over and over, "My arms are getting heavy. My legs are getting heavy."

Now feel your arms and legs getting warmer. Repeat to yourself, "My arms are getting warm. My legs are getting warm." Try to really feel them getting warmer.

Now, concentrate on your pulse. Feel it beating calmly. Repeat to yourself over and over, "My heart rate is calm and regular."

Now, focus on your breathing. Take deep and regular breaths. Repeat, "My breathing is calm and regular."

Focus on your abdomen and feel it getting warmer. Repeat, "My abdomen is feeling warmer."

Lastly, pay attention to your forehead. Feel it getting cooler. Repeat to yourself, "My forehead is pleasantly cool."

Repeat as many times as you desire. A feeling of peacefulness and relaxation should come over you as you progress through this exercise.


http://www.braingle.com/mind/546.html?r=0908

Friday, August 7, 2009

Forward of interest: Your Life, Simplified

"Our life is frittered away by detail simplify, simplify." - Henry David Thoreau
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

A lot of people seem to connect with my message of simplicity, and yearn to find a simpler life in this world of ever-increasing complexity, of overwhelming technology.

We want to take the good things in our lives, the benefits of technology, but simplify things, get rid of the complexities.

And while I've written dozens of articles on simplifying (and an entire book on it), I'd like to offer a simple method.

Something you can do today, without being overwhelmed.

A 12-step method, perhaps, simplified into just 6 steps.

1. Write down your top priorities. We all have a long list of things we want to do, to try, to learn, to accomplish. Just pick 4-5. You can do that right now make a short list of the things that are most important to you. My list: spending time with my family, writing, reading and running. These are the things you'll build your life around, for now. You can always change this list later, as your priorities change.

2. Reduce one commitment. What is something you do every day or week that's not on your short list? Is there any way you can get out of it? Make a phone call or send an email right now that will get you out of that commitment. It might mean disappointing one or many people but you are going to create the simple life you want, not the complicated life others demand of you. By reducing this one commitment, you are simplifying your life, creating more time and space for the important stuff. Make the choice to put your priorities first, to find the time for them, by reducing your commitments.

3. Simplify your to-do list. Same concept, but at a smaller level what's on your to-do list that doesn't need to be there? Something you've been dreading that you don't absolutely have to do? Can you tell someone you're just too busy to work on this? Can you give it to someone else, or automate it? See if you can pare your to-do list to just the most important things. Alternatively, just pick 1-3 things to do each day, and don't worry about the rest.

4. Set aside some disconnected time. If you're connected all the time, this step is essential. Don't skip it! Pick one hour to be disconnected no Internet, no email, no IM, no phones. You can use your computer, but just for desktop computing, like writing in a word processor or text file, or working in Photoshop, or what have you. Use this time to really focus, to pour yourself into important tasks that you love to do. Or you can use this disconnected time to relax.

5. Create your perfect day. You've blocked aside some disconnected time, but let's take that a step further: what would your ideal day look like? What would you do when you woke up, what would your work day look like (hint: it doesn't have to be the work you're doing now, but it could be), would you have time for exercise or sports or taking a walk or relaxing or reading or doing a hobby, would you have time for loved ones, time to clean or do errands, time for checking email, etc.? List the things you'd do, ideally, then simplify to the most important ones. Then lay them out in a schedule. You don't have to stick to this schedule exactly, but knowing what's ideal gives you something to work toward. In some cases, you can simply start living this day, tomorrow, but in others you'll have to make gradual changes to allow this ideal day to happen. The key: taking control and responsibility for making the perfect day a reality.

6. Declutter. You want a nice, decluttered, serene space to surround you in your new simplified life. So you're going to create it. Two ways to go here: if you don't have much time, just do 10-15 minutes for now, and continue to do small increments until you get to where you'd like to be. Here's how. Second method is if you have an entire day or weekend set aside a big block of time and just overhaul your workspace or one or two rooms in your home. Here's a good method.

Next Steps
Once you get to this stage, things should be a bit more simplified. But you're probably interested in going beyond that. Here's what you can do next but please, please, don't try to do these all at once. Pick one at a time, and do it slowly, over time. Simplifying isn't a race it's a life.
Declutter some more. Read.
Letting go of wanting to buy more. Read.
Reducing more commitments. Read.
Transitioning to doing only work you love. Read.
Creating time for solitude, quiet and relaxation. Read.
Slowing down in everything you do. Read.
Being present more often. Read.
Single-tasking. Read.

And most importantly: enjoy the process! The important thing isn't a destination a perfect, simple life but the journey along the way.

Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
- Lao-tzu

If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Twitter. I'd appreciate it. :)


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Forward of interest: The Little But Really Useful Guide to Creativity

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." - Albert Einstein
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

It's easier than ever to be creative, to create, to imagine and make what's imagined become reality.

It's also tougher than ever, with distractions surrounding us in ways never before imagined.

No matter what kind of creative type you are writer, painter, musician, marketer, blogger, photographer, designer, parent, business owner you are likely always looking for inspirations, for ways to let loose your creative genius.

And while there are millions of creativity tips on the Internet, I thought I'd share the ones I've found most useful the ones that I've tried and tested and found to be right.

Here they are, in no order at all:
• Play.
• Don't consume and create at the same time separate the processes.
• Shut out the outside world.
• Reflect on your life and work daily.
• Look for inspiration all around you, in the smallest places.
• Start small.
• Just get it out, no matter how crappy that first draft.
• Don't try for perfect. Just get it out there, asap, and get feedback.
• Constantly make it better.
• Ignore the naysayers.
• But let criticism help you grow.
• Teach and you'll learn.
• Shake things up, see things in new ways.
• Apply things in other fields to your field, in ways not done before.
• Drink ridiculous amounts of coffee.
• Write all ideas down immediately.
• Turn your work into play.
• Play with kids.
• Get out, move, see new things, talk to new people.
• Read wildly different things. Especially stuff you disagree with.
• Get lots of rest. Overwork kills creativity.
• Don't force it. Relax, play, it will start to flow.
• Allow your mind to wander. Allow distractions, when you're looking for inspiration.
• Then shut them off when you're going to create.
• Do it when you're excited.
• When you're not, find something else to be excited about.
• Don't be afraid to be stupid and silly.
• Small ideas are good. You don't need to change the world just change one thing.
When something is killing your creativity, kill it.
• Stop reading creativity advice, clear away everything, and just create.
• Most of all, have fun doing it.

"Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." - Lewis Carroll

If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Twitter. I'd appreciate it. :)


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Forward of interest: Robert Bresson

"Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Robert_Bresson

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Monday, August 3, 2009

Forward of interest: Creativity : Clear Your Mind

Because we are always thinking, planning, and worrying about things, our minds tend to get cluttered with thoughts and it becomes difficult to focus all of our mental energies on a specific task. You can't think creatively about a problem when half of your mind is thinking about what you want to eat for dinner or how bad the traffic is going to be when you leave work. Before you begin a task where you want to apply all of your creative ability, start by clearing out your mind.

There are many ways of doing this, try this one to start. Sitting comfortably, find a nearby object such as a pencil. Now, stare at it. Try to empty your mind of every thought that isn't related to your object. Your whole universe is the pencil. What would it be like to be a pencil? Without touching it, close your eyes and imagine what a pencil feels like. Does it have a smell? A taste? If any unrelated thought enters your mind, refocus your attention onto your object. With practice you will become better at shutting out unrelated thoughts. Do this for at least 5 minutes (set a timer so you aren't thinking about the time). You should find that your mind is more focused and has fewer distracting thoughts. This is the correct mindset for creative thinking.


http://www.braingle.com/mind/44.html?r=0908

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - AHEADD's Adult Autism Awareness Brown Bag Series

@SearchAutism: AngieMC1966 : AHEADD's Adult Autism Awareness Brown Bag Series - http://shar.es/iG39 http://bit.ly/14Sdbp

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/SearchAutism/statuses/3109991385

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Forwarded by burchworks: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Look not mournfully into the past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the present. It is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Henry_Wadsworth_Longfellow

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: George Burns

"You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old."

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/g/george_burns.html

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: Thought for Fri, 31 Jul 2009

He who finds a thought that enables him to obtain a slightly deeper glimpse into the eternal secrets of nature has been given great grace. - Albert Einstein...

http://www.amidabuddha.org/news/31Jul2009.html

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: Stress : Types of Stress

There are four types of Stress that can impact our lives. Not all of them are bad. In fact, some stress is good for us. Good stress gets us out of bed in the morning and motivates us to excel.

Eustress
Eustress is a good type of stress. This is what you feel when you are watching a suspenseful movie, riding a rollercoaster or about to finish running a marathon. Eustress helps motivate us to finish projects that we are excited about and contributes positively to a creative mindset.

Distress
Distress refers to frustrations, unresolved anger, or fear. It causes anxiety and mental suffering. This is a bad stress and does a great job at blocking creativity.

Under-stress
Under-stress is the lack of any stress, and is similar to boredom and hopelessness. An unchallenging job can lead to under-stress. If people are not challenged then they are not motivated to be creative.

Over-stress
Over-stress is what you feel when you have pushed yourself too hard, are late for an important meeting, or have a big deadline that is looming. People who are in this condition do not have the time to think creatively. They are only worried about dealing with the issues immediately at hand and cannot step back to look at the big picture.


http://www.braingle.com/mind/535.html?r=0908

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Saturday, August 1, 2009

To those who miss the "forwards" and left us comments -- THANK YOU!

Thank you for your comments! We've moved the "forwards" to another site so the main posts and following communications won't get lost in the massive news feeds.

You can still see them below under BakersfieldNewsTicker.blogspot.com. You can leave feedback on either site. And we hope you keep coming back!

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - House E&C Committee pass Rep. Doyle's autism insurance reform amendment to H.R. 3200!!

@autismvotes: 8/1/09: House E&C Committee pass Rep. Doyle's autism insurance reform amendment to H.R. 3200!! Read more at www.autismvotes.org!

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/autismvotes/statuses/3070819164

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - grant

@ScanGrants: Posting: A3CR2 Advisor's Award; http://bit.ly/1pnqV

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/ScanGrants/statuses/3070836702

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Friday, July 31, 2009

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - New Blog:School Planning-Old and New: College,Teaching Aides and Autism

@Autisable: RT @SearchAutism aspergers2mom : New Blog:School Planning-Old and New: College,Teaching Aides and Autism http://.. http://bit.ly/12VosZ

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Autisable/statuses/3056881282

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - Rethink Autism Offers Web Site to Train Parents in Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy

@healingautism: More News: Rethink Autism Offers Web Site to Train Parents in Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy - http://tinyurl.com/mvrcn2

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/healingautism/statuses/3057003787
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - US House Approves $2B Car Purchase Program

@TurnTo23: US House Approves $2B Car Purchase Program - http://www.turnto23.com/automotive/20232340/detail.html

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/TurnTo23/statuses/3055766685

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - CFN - USFS: USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan: FY 2007–2012

@CalFireNews: CFN - USFS: USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan: FY 2007–2012:
USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan: FY 2007.. http://bit.ly/y478N

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/CalFireNews/statuses/3055844831

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - Amazon.com: The Bully Blockers

@Autisable: RT @autismspeaksla Amazon.com: The Bully Blockers-Standing Up for Classmates with Autism: Celeste Shally, David .. http://bit.ly/HlRmR

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Autisable/statuses/3055844688

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - grant

@ScanGrants: Posting: National Organization for Hearing Research Foundation 2010 Annual Research Awards; http://bit.ly/zcput

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/ScanGrants/statuses/3055895437

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Forwarded by burchworks: Jill Churchill

"The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Jill_Churchill

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: H. H. Williams

"Furious activity is no substitute for understanding."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/H._H._Williams

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: Heidi Wills

"We do not believe if we do not live and work according to our belief."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Heidi_Wills

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: Jill Churchill

"The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Jill_Churchill

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: Sir Francis Bacon

"Read not to contradict and confute, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Sir_Francis_Bacon

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: An SMS can force a URL or app on smartphones

Talk about text message attacks continues at Black Hat with the third of a handful of mobile-related sessions.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10300536-245.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: Cool Websites and Tools [July 30] - WatchKnow: 1000s of Educational Videos

Just go to link at bottom of forward.
Burchworks
---------------
Check out some of the latest MakeUseOf discoveries. All listed websites are FREE (or come with a decent free account option). No trials or buy-to-use craplets. For more cool websites and web app reviews subscribe to MakeUseOf Directory.

(1) Cynergy Systems Map -  Google Maps mash up that lets you view US census data online. Simply enter any zip code and the application will display the corresponding census data sets such as age and ethnic distribution, household and population stats, housing units and vacancy rates. Read more: Cynergy Systems Map: View US Census Data Online

(2) Mecanto - Web service which can help you take your entire music collection online. Using its desktop client, which is currently Windows only, you can upload your iTunes library/music folders to the online Mecanto account and keep it synchronized. Read more: Mecanto: Sync Your Music Playlists to Web

(3) WatchKnow - New educational video resource for students and teachers. It aggregates quality educational video content from all over the web and nicely organizes them into various categories (Mathematics, Science, History, Practical Skills, Pedagogy… etc.). Read more: WatchKnow: 1000s of Educational Videos

(4) WatchThatPage - This service lets you monitor web page changes and get updates by email or in your online account. You can specify the frequency of updates and choose when to receive the updates during the day. Read more: WatchThatPage: Monitor Web Page Changes & Get Alerts

(5) Wishpot - Online application that lets you create wish lists by adding products from any online store. The wish list can be then shared with friends and family. Read more: Wishpot: Create Wish Lists by Adding Items From Any Website

Submit Your Web App

These are just half of the websites that we discovered in the last couple of days. If you want us to send you daily round-ups of all cool websites we come across, leave your email here. Or follow us via RSS feed.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on Twitter ? Now you can follow MakeUseOf on Twitter too.
Related posts
makeuseof extra #27 (45)
Finally Stick To Your Resolutions With StickK (28)
Cool Websites and Tools [May 9'th] (8)
Cool Websites and Tools [May 8'th] (8)
Cool Websites and Tools [May 7'th] (12)


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Forwarded by burchworks: Stress : Stress

Stress is a mental or emotional condition that occurs in response to external influences. All organisms on earth respond to stress in physical and physiological ways. When an antelope is being chased by a lion, it is under stress and it experiences certain physiological changes such as an increased heart rate that help it escape the danger. To conserve energy, the antelope also turns off certain functions that are unnecessary for survival, such as digestion, reproduction and the immune system. People react in the same way to stress, which is why we can develop high blood pressure, ulcers and other illnesses. The only difference is that in most cases the stressor in our lives is not going to eat us for dinner.

Stress has a large impact on our ability to think creatively and to form strong memories. When you are worried about something, your mind wastes energy on the worry and becomes inefficient at working towards a solution to the problem. We have a tendency to jump to conclusions and rush ahead in order to get the stress out of our lives. People under stress rarely step back and try to explore their options.

We have several relaxation techniques that can be used to deal with stress and continue to think creatively.


http://www.braingle.com/mind/534.html?r=0907

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Forwarded by burchworks: Children Perfectly Capable of Doing CPR

We don't often hear about children learning how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but that doesn't mean they can't. After all, skills learned early are often retained in some sense. And, researchers found that this is true for CPR too.

When I used to teach first aid, people used to say to me that they couldn't possibly learn first aid or CPR because they always panicked in an emergency. I'd counter with, they probably panic because they don't know what to do.

Knowing first aid or CPR doesn't mean you have to know how to do everything perfectly. It does mean that you learn how to do things, you learn the best you can and then you do what you feel comfortable with and what you can do well.

For some people, the limit is recognizing an emergency and calling for help. With others, it can be knowing how to ensure a victim is stabilized. Yet others can do everything they were taught. And this is the same for children.

While teaching CPR means teaching compressions and using a defibrillator, if all the children remember how to do well is how to check for a heart beat, call for help and use the rescue position, then that's great! It's more than they would have known before the course. And, according to a study just published in the online journal Critical Care , they can do that just:

although the smallest may lack the requisite strength, the knowledge of how to perform basic life support is well retained by young children.

Researchers studied 147 9-year-olds who took 6 hours of emergency support training. When they were quizzed on what they learned 4 months later, over 80% had remembered what they'd been taught.

The press release concludes :

The researchers conclude, "Given the excellent performance by the students evaluated in this study, the data support the concept that CPR training can be taught and learnt by school children and that CPR education can be implemented effectively in primary schools at all levels. Even if physical strength may limit CPR effectiveness, cognitive skills are not dependent on age, and with periodic retraining, children's performance would likely improve over time."

What do you think? Do you feel children should be taught CPR?

~~~~~

Images: iStock.com

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Post from: Blisstree

Children Perfectly Capable of Doing CPR

http://www.blisstree.com/articles/children-perfectly-capable-of-doing-cpr/

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@gtdguy: Without your own crisp edges, life will force them on you. No? Wait & see.

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - grants

@ScanGrants: Posting: Rethinking Mental Health: Improving Community Wellbeing; http://bit.ly/RyubS

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Forwarded by burchworks: Anne Frank

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Anne_Frank

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Forwarded by burchworks: Lily Tomlin

"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific."

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/l/lily_tomlin.html

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Forwarded by burchworks: Schwarzenegger signs long-awaited California budget

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a package of bills on Tuesday to balance the state's budget, which should allow the state to stop issuing IOUs instead of paying bills and to prepare for a crucial sale of short-term debt.

http://mobile.reuters.com/mobile/m/FullArticle/CUSN/ndomesticNews_uUSTRE56R69N20090728?src=RSS-USN

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Forwarded by burchworks: Words That Move You . . .

"You don't stop playing because you get old. You get old when you stop playing."
-Old Rugby saying

Need some more motivation? Check out all of my words that move you.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fitsugar/~3/aIFTaIuKpGU/3617781

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - ChARM online treatment software - useful?

@Autisable: RT @SearchAutism finding_words : Anyone with an autistic child should look at ChARM, online autism treatment .. http://bit.ly/rrtZV

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - @BarackObama

@BarackObama: To small business owners: your input is crucial in the health insurance reform debate. Please weigh in: http://bit.ly/Wj3J1

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@ScanGrants: Posting: William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement; http://bit.ly/KSgGu

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - grants

@ScanGrants: Posting: John P. McGovern Science and Society Award; http://bit.ly/116voY

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Monday, July 27, 2009

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - www.booksfree.com

@autismfamily: RT @MsCharlotte www.booksfree.com It's like Netflix for books! Create a list of all the books you want & they come to you in the mail

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - TACA & adulthood

@autismfamily: RT @saracinomom here's a new article on TACA's site on preparing for adulthood: http://bit.ly/bctNk #autism

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - GTD

@gtdguy: Friends at NetCentrics released new v. of GTD Outlook add-in. Better UI, capture, 2-min timer, etc. http://bit.ly/ubSL3

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - "quiet mind" state

@Autisable: RT @LianeGentrySkye If it works, great toy to help kids control brain waves, learn "quiet mind" state: http://pr.. http://bit.ly/TPglY

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - aspergers & bullying webinar

@autismfamily: the #aspergers & bullying webinar has been changed from Mon to Fri July 31st 6PM PST http://www.momsfightingautism.com/conference/

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@Autisable: RT @MoreUtterPiffle UK Audit Office says lack of jobs for autistic adults costs $15bn a year. US must be more? h.. http://bit.ly/rF6j0

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Dag Hammarskjold

"For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Dag_Hammarskjold

Dag Hammarskjold

"For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes."

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Dag_Hammarskjold

--

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - CalFireNews

@CalFireNews: Online scanner feed at http://www.incidentfeed.com

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/CalFireNews/statuses/2861338517

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - lack of jobs for autistic adults costs

@Autisable: RT @MoreUtterPiffle UK Audit Office says lack of jobs for autistic adults costs $15bn a year. US must be more? h.. http://bit.ly/rF6j0

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Autisable/statuses/2862027952

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - Learning Aids, Education Books & Toys

@Autisable: RT @brighthub Learning Aids, Education Books & Toys for Autistic Children http://budurl.com/lwte #autism: Learn.. http://bit.ly/5RylK

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - aspergers & bullying webinar

@autismfamily: the #aspergers & bullying webinar has been changed from Mon to Fri July 31st 6PM PST http://www.momsfightingautism.com/conference/

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - "quiet mind"?

@Autisable: RT @LianeGentrySkye If it works, great toy to help kids control brain waves, learn "quiet mind" state: http://pr.. http://bit.ly/TPglY

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - TACA preparing for adulthood

@autismfamily: RT @saracinomom here's a new article on TACA's site on preparing for adulthood: http://bit.ly/bctNk #autism

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Tweet forwarded by burchworks - www.booksfree.com

@autismfamily: RT @MsCharlotte http://www.booksfree.com/ It's like Netflix for books! Create a list of all the books you want & they come to you in the mail

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Saturday, July 25, 2009

Tweet forwarded by burchworks - Join Autisable

@Autisable: Do u have a blog bout Autism Spectrum? We'd like 2 help promote ur site, DM us 4 details. Don't have a blog? Join Autisable.

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Friday, June 19, 2009

June Potluck at Holley's

Just a brief note to share how well the Swim Party/Potluck went.

ALSO, we are experimenting on blogs, so -- be on the lookout for changes coming soon!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

May 21, 2009 1:19 PM - Final 2008-2009 Parent Support Meeting and Pot Luck

Well, as we all came home from the final meeting, we were probably all full of the wonderful food thateveryone brought, full of the time that we spent together, and full of the information that was conveyed soquickly.

Here’s a quick recap

http://www.aheadd.org/ is a program that will help transition seniors from high school into college, advocating forthem to learn to advocate for themselves – helping with the transition into adulthood. It is different than the TILprogram in Taft College. AHEADD is a national program that has been well established back east for the pastseven years and can locally be used through Bakersfield College or California State University, Bakersfield.They are looking for students and families to apply for the program. This will help the program get establishedlocally, coordinating the necessary resources for the first time in our area. If you or your senior grads areinterested, please contact the local AHEADD coordinator, Holley Arbeit by phone orholley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us . (Have patience with her, summer school and probably Film Camp willprobably keep her at a fast pace until summer is really here.)

http://www.autismspeaks.org/ has grants totaling over $1.5 available, but the deadline is coming soon. The directpage address is http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/family_services/grants.php .

• Holley Arbeit invited all teens to her home for a swim party on June 13th, 5pm-7:30pm. They were given anassignment to get phone numbers of two others to make sure they all remember to come. The assignmentcame complete with scripts for the teen to follow in case they can’t think of anything to say.

• The Kern Performing Arts Workshop (also known as Joey Travolta’s Film Camp) will be Monday throughFriday, June 1-June 12, 8am-12noon at the Goodwill Industries’ Vocational Training Center, 1731 ChesterAvenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301.. This time around, it is for ages 8 through young adult. For this event, pleasecontact Jill Egland, Director of Special Projects, at 661-324-9000 for more information. The Arts Council ofKern is a KRC vendor (#PK3713). Please see the Attached 2009 performing arts camp.pdf .

• Also during the event, this blog was introduced. The site will be worked on off and on during summer, so feelfree to keep in touch with us and each other through posting in this blog. We will also try to keep the calendaraccurate, though I don’t know if you will be able to post directly to it yet. we are also working to make sure this site and the pending domain name remain compatible with the District filters.