Fall/Winter 2021 Noise! - Family Soup

 
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Fall/Winter 2021 Noise! - Family Soup
Noise!
                                                Fall/Winter 2021

                                                 Making a Difference Together
                                                 for Children with special Needs

Best Advocate
for our Daughters
Gabriela & Jesus Resendis are the proud         an easy process for us due to the language
parents of Brianna (age 5) and Ximena           barrier. Alta California Regional Center
(age 3) and reside in Yuba City.                referred us to Family SOUP March of
                                                2019, and they have been our go-to for our
I suspected that Brianna was behind in her
                                                questions, concerns, and resources since
speech when family members started to
                                                I had no clue where to go to get the help
make comments about her development.
                                                that Brianna needed.
I began to look for answers and initially
brought my concerns to our pediatrician         Since connecting with Family SOUP,
and my concerns were dismissed; I was           our family has participated in many of
told that some children are late bloomers.      Family SOUP’s workshops and programs.
I kept insisting my concerns to our             We participate in Sensory Play, PALS
pediatrician who finally told me that           Playgroups, Scrapbooking Support Group,
my daughter was going to be ‘referred’.         Mornings in the Garden, and Lego Club.
I had no idea what that meant; with no          All of the workshops have helped me
explanation as to whom she was being            understand my daughter’s needs. I really
referred or exactly what the referral was       enjoyed this year’s Safe Places, Calm
going to do regarding the concerns I had.       Spaces workshop, and it has made the
Time went on and I never received a call.       biggest impact at home once I put together
I later came across information on the          a calm space in our home. Family SOUP
               Early Start Program and          has supported me with all of Brianna’s
                made the call. Brianna was      IEP meetings since the initial meeting.
                diagnosed with autism           We were not aware that we as Brianna’s
                 and since it was close         parents could be included in the meetings
                 to her third birthday          or that we were able to voice our opinion
                  she received 4 sessions,      such as placement or transportation. If it
                   before transitioning to      was not for Family SOUP’s staff that shared
                          the school district   with me how to voice my concerns with
                         for services. This     the team, I would have never known that I
                        transition was not      was able to do so. Family SOUP encourages
                                                             STORY CONTINUED INSIDE...
Fall/Winter 2021 Noise! - Family Soup
...COVER STORY CONTINUED:
me to become the best advocate for my
daughters. Family SOUP also provided
us with information on ABA (Applied
Behavior Analysis) and who to call for
these services. Once I called it was not
too long before services began at home.
A year and half later, we noticed that our
younger daughter Ximena’s speech was
not developing and I knew exactly who
to call for services. I also reached out to
Family SOUP to keep them informed of
the progress and called as needed. This
time I felt more confident with requesting
services for my daughter. We started
the process with Early Start services
and were found eligible for speech and        Director’s
occupational therapy. Family SOUP has
not stopped providing us with support.
Today, Brianna is a very loving child.
                                              Message
She is always worried when she sees           by Adrienne Maloney
someone sad or crying, she loves her          If these past years, 2020 and 2021,
school and loves to be picked up by the       have taught us anything, it is that we
bus. Every morning she stands by the          are all capable of being flexible and
window waiting for her bus and when           resilient as we have had to adjust
she sees a bus that isn’t hers, she says      with the changes that have come
“oh, it’s not my bus”, when she’s watching    along with living in the midst of a
TV and sees a school bus she starts           global pandemic. We have learned to
asking when her bus will come to pick         value community, relationships and
her up. Ximena loves big hugs and lots of     have learned to never take for granted
kisses. She was found eligible for special    the simple things that we never even
education with the school district and        imagined we would one day have to live
is receiving speech therapy. She loves        without. We learned the importance
animals and anything that has to do           of having local organizations to call to
with them, she loves them very much.          get us through the most challenging
She really loved the farm theme in the        times in life. Last year after COVID
Sensory Play group. She enjoyed playing       first hit, Family SOUP staff quickly
with the animals and textures in the tray     pivoted and started to work completely
that was provided to her by the program.      remotely. Staff immediately began to get
This summer both girls participated in        creative and find new innovative ways
the Lego Club and were busy building          to continue to serve our families. The
their Legos and Ximena was happy to           calls to the office increased as parents
build the animals that came in her kit.       struggled with the challenges of their
At Family SOUP there is always someone        children starting distance learning and
that speaks my language and helps me          shared their frustrations and concerns
with all of my concerns.                      as they watched their child’s services
                                              change substantially after they had
Fall/Winter 2021 Noise! - Family Soup
worked so hard to get them all set up. In      and Calm Down Spaces, Understanding
the midst of raising children with special     the Individualized Education Program
needs many parents had to also make            (IEP), the Individual Transition Plan (ITP),
changes and work from home in order to         Visual Supports and offered American
be there to care for their children. Family    Sign Language classes as well. Staff put
SOUP staff continued to attend special         together fun activity bags and ran around
education meetings alongside parents via       the 3 different counties we serve delivering
Zoom as they expressed their concerns          these bags to our families regularly,
and challenges and many teachers rose to       excited to get that brief encounter as we
the occasion finding creative ways to still    saw the kids smile ear to ear, excited in
engage, teach and support the children         anticipation of the upcoming fun Zoom
through these challenging times. Family        playgroups such as Sensory Play and PALS.
SOUP collaborated with the SCSOS Special       Our Scrapbooking Support groups took
Education Team and offered weekly Parent       place virtually and we saw record numbers
Support for Special Education students         in attendance as many of the barriers
via Zoom. Thanks to the Yuba and Sutter        that existed prior to the pandemic such
Co. SELPA’s generosity, all staff got the      as childcare, transportation, etc. were no
opportunity to attend the 2021 Virtual         longer an issue as parents and caregivers
California ADR Conference where we were        could now attend and get a chance to
trained on all things ADR (Alternative         share their stories with others who got it,
Dispute Resolution) and other topics           who were going through similar things,
such as implicit bias, communication           while laughing and crafting. With the
and being mindful, as we worked hard           decrease in positive COVID cases and the
to ensure that we would be able to come        rise in vaccinations, Family SOUP was
alongside our families during some of          finally at a place where we felt it was safe
those most difficult times in their child’s    to allow outdoor activities to resume and
education. Family SOUP offered parent-         we started our monthly Mornings in the
to-parent support as some of our own           Garden in the summer. The kids were
children ran around behind us, tugging         happy to have an opportunity to gather in
at us for refills on drinks and snacks. We     person and enjoyed days such as Water
got the opportunity to attend committee        Play and Yoga in the Garden over at the
and council meetings in which we would         Artisan Community Garden. Family SOUP
witness others in similar situations and get   continues to monitor the conditions of the
glimpses of their children and pets behind     pandemic and keep the health and safety
them during these virtual encounters.          of our staff and the vulnerable population
It would bring joy and lightness to the        that we serve in mind as we move towards
seriousness of our work and was always         eventually reopening to the public when
a wonderful reminder as to why we do           it is safe to do so. We are excited as we
what we do. Rather than canceling all          begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel
of our programs, Family SOUP staff             and know that we have come out stronger
worked diligently to continue to offer         than ever, more resilient, more creative
support groups, playgroups, trainings and      and more understanding of what matters
workshops, and packed in more than             the most. We will continue to be here, to
ever into a year. We offered trainings on      come alongside families as they travel this
subjects such as Applied Behavior Analysis     special needs journey, and we are just a
(ABA) and Video Modeling, Early Start          phone call away. Together we will continue
Services, 504 Plans, School-Based Mental       to make a difference in the lives of children
Health, Self-Determination, Safe Places        with special needs and their families.
Fall/Winter 2021 Noise! - Family Soup
CALENDAR                                            Special Needs
                                                    Mornings in the Garden
                                                    Weather permitting

AUG - DEC 2021                                      Saturdays
                                                    August 28, September 25
                                                    10:00-11:00
                                                    Children with special needs and their families
        SUPPORT/INFORMATION/                        are welcome to bring a friend and join us
          RESOURCE MEETINGS                         at the Artisan Community Garden. Spend
                                                    time outdoor participating in a variety of
Scrapbooking Support Group                          gardening, arts & craft activities.
Monthly Support Meeting                               Register at: https://tinyurl.com/FSGarden21
3rd Wednesday of every month                          Call 530-751-1925 or email
August 18, September 15,                              adrienne@familysoup.org for more information.
October 20, November 17, December 15
6:00-7:00 PM                                        Sensory Play for Children 0-5
Join our virtual scrapbooking support group         with Special Needs
for parents and caregivers of children with         Once a month
special needs.
                                                    1st Thursdays
  Register at: https://tinyurl.com/                 November 4, December 2
  scrapbooking21-22                                 4:30 – 5:15 PM
  Call 530-751-1925 or email chris@familysoup.org   For Sutter County residents: Join us for 45
  for more information.                             minutes filled with sensory activities and
                                                    music with Ms. Leanne Cox from Little Stars
Sibling Support Group                               Music and Movement to support young
4 Weekly Sessions                                   children’s sensory needs.
Tuesdays, October 5 - 26, 4:00-5:30 PM                Group meets virtually, register at: https://tinyurl.
This weekly supportive group is for children          com/FS-Sensoryplay
ages 8-12 that have a sibling with special            For more information call 530-751-1925 or email
needs. Siblings meet peers and find support           adrienne@familysoup.org
in one another as they participate in activities
and games in a fun and safe environment.
                                                    ASL Supportive Classes
  Register your child at:                           6 Weekly classes
  https://sibsupport21.eventbrite.com               Tuesdays
  Call 530-751-1925 or email                        September 7th - October 12th
  adrienne@familysoup.org for more information.     6:00 – 7:00 PM
                                                    These 6 virtual classes are offered in
                                                    collaboration with Norcal Services for Deaf
             FAMILY ACTIVITIES                      & Hard of Hearing for Family SOUP’s families
                                                    and their children to support communication
PALS Playgroup                                      with their child with special needs through
Once a month, 3rd Friday, 10:00-10:45 AM            American Sign Language. If you are not sure
September 17, October 15                            if you are connected with Family SOUP and
November 19, December 17                            would like to participate in these classes,
                                                    please register and we will connect with you.
Playgroup for parents/guardians and children
ages 0-5 with special needs; each month is a          Register at: https://tinyurl.com/FS-ASLclasses.
different theme filled with fun and exciting          For more information call 530-751-1925 or email
activities. Activity bags will be delivered prior     adrienne@familysoup.org.
to the playgroup. Group meets virtually,
register at: https://tinyurl.com/PALSplay21-22
  Call 530-751-1925 or email chris@familysoup.org
  for more information.
Fall/Winter 2021 Noise! - Family Soup
Individual Transition Plan (ITP)
                                                     Friday, October 29, 2021, 5:00–7:00PM
                                                     Presented by the attorneys and advocates of
                                                     Disability Rights California.
                                                     Parents/Guardians, teen students, and
                                                     professionals please join us for a virtual
                                                     presentation and obtain useful information
                                                     on the Individual Transition Plan (ITP) for
                                                     teenage students receiving special education
                                                     services and the support that is provided
                                                     to Regional Center clients. This process
Sensory Friendly Movie                               should begin no later than the age of 14 and
Showing                                              it’s developed to ensure that students are
                                                     prepared for their post-high school life and
Presented by Cinemark                                their future.
December 2021
*Date &Time TBA                                        Presentation will be done through ZOOM.
                                                       Register at: https://itp-rc.eventbrite.com
Bring the family and enjoy a sensory friendly          Call 530-751-1925 or email adrienne@
movie showing of Sing 2. Sensory friendly              familysoup.org for more information.
means that there are no previews, there is
low lighting, and the sound is low.
                                                     CAPTAIN- California Autism
  Purchase your tickets online at https://tinyurl.
  com/Sensoryfriendlymovieshowing                    Professional Training and
  Call 530-751-1925 or email adrienne@               Information Network
  familysoup.org for more information.               Available for Parents and
                                                     Professionals
                                                     CAPTAIN is a multiagency network developed
 VIRTUAL TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS                      to support the understanding and use of
                                                     evidence-based practices for individuals
Workshops and trainings are open to                  affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder across
parents, caregivers, guardians                       the state. Evidence-based practices are not
and professionals                                    only beneficial to individuals affected by the
                                                     spectrum, but they can also benefits others
Individual Education Program                         with behavior and developmental challenges.
(IEP) & 504 Plan                                       For more information and resources that CAPTAIN
Thursday                                               has to offer, visit their website at:
September 30, 2021                                     http://www.captain.ca.gov
5:00 – 7:00 PM                                       AFIRM Modules: They are designed to
Presented by the attorneys and advocates of          help you learn the step-by-step process
Disability Rights California.                        of planning for, using, and monitoring an
                                                     Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) for individuals
Is your child receiving special education            ages birth to 22 years of age. These video
services? Are you looking for extra support          modules are online and free of charge to
to help your child’s learning? Join us to find       parents and professionals.
out more about the Individual Education
Program (IEP) and the 504 Plan. This                   Visit the AFIRM website at
workshop will go over eligibility, the process,        https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/afirm-modules
accommodations, and how to understand
your child’s education through each of these                               Please stay up-to-date
plans. Presenters will also share on parents’                              with our programs and
rights and any latest special education laws.                              events by following us on
  Presentation will be done through ZOOM, register                         Facebook or Instagram @
  at: https://IEP-504.evenbrite.com                                        familysoupyubacity or visit
                                                                           our website calendar at
  Call 530-751-1925 or email adrienne@                                     www.familysoup.org /events
  familysoup.org for more information.
We want to
                                                                     Family SOUP
                                                                     families, are you in

hear from
                                                                     need of Personal
                                              Protective Equipment such as masks,

you!                                          face shields and hands sanitizer? If you
                                              are please contact our office and we will
                                              get a kit together for you.
Community
Service Survey —                              Ways to Stay
Your feedback will                            Connected
help us better serve                          with Family SOUP!
our families!
Family SOUP is gathering local
resources to share with our families.                     Sign up for our email list!
We would love to have your input on                     Stay up-to-date with our events,
recommended services for our kiddos           events in the community, local resources,
with special needs!                           and more! Subscribe by reaching out to
Parents & caregivers of children with         Amber at Ambers@familysoup.org.
special needs sometimes have difficulty       If you have already signed-up but have not seen our
                                              emails coming through; our emails could be landing in
finding a comfortable, flexible, and          your junk mail. If you believe you are experiencing this,
understanding atmosphere when                 please email Amber for assistance at the address above.
looking for the most basic services.
Whether you’re looking for dentists,          Website and Social Media
doctors, or hair care professionals,
finding a good fit for your child can often                        Visiting our website
be frustrating or overwhelming.               is another way you can stay up-to-date
                                              with our programs and events, find
We know that our area has a strong            resources, catch-up with previous NOISE!
sense of community and that there             Editions, and more… Visit us at
are wonderful professionals in many           www.familysoup.org.
fields who go out of their way to ensure
that our kiddos are getting the best                      Have a Facebook page?
care. We would absolutely love to read
                                                        Like us! Follow our page to
feedback and
                                              see posts on Family SOUP’s programs
recommendations
                                              and events offered virtually and in your
from you and get to
                                              community. We also share informational
know what works
                                              articles and resources you might find
for your family!
                                              useful for your child and family.
                                              www.facebook.com/familysoupyubacity

                                                                     .com/familysoupyubacity
Farewell to
Wrangler
Wrangler, a 20-year-old quarter horse,
joined Family SOUP’s Able Riders program
in August of 2016. For over 5 years,
Wrangler brought joy and excitement to
all the Able Riders participants. The kids
and volunteers absolutely loved this gentle
giant. He was a calm and loving horse.
Wrangler had one very special admirer
who was also a rider in the program.             Able Riders
She would visit Wrangler on weekends,
bringing his favorite treats: apples, carrots,   Welcomes a
and oranges. This special admirer would
get such a kick out of Wrangler eating
                                                 New Instructor!
the oranges, skin and all. She also loved        My name is Jamie Nichols .
braiding his mane and would do so before         I am beyond excited to be working
her weekly mount.                                with the Able Riders kids and horses!
Wrangler was recently diagnosed with             I am a lifelong Yuba/Sutter resident. I
Moon Blindness; although he can still            have been in the horse world my entire
see, the severity of the disease has caused      life! My mother owns Red Dog Ranch, and
him to not be a good fit for the Able            my father is a retired horse shoer. Horses
Riders program, as safety is of the utmost       and animals have always been my heart, my
importance. Family SOUP contacted the            happy place. I always said growing up that
original owner of Wrangler, who joyfully         I was only going to have "fur" children.. but
agreed to take him back to their ranch.          there was a different plan for me, and God
Although Wrangler will be missed, it is          gave me 4 boys! I have twins of my own
calming to know he did a full circle.            and 2 step kids that I love as if they were all
                                                 mine! I never knew I needed kids in my life
                                                 until I had them! As my boys grew older, I
                                                 started working at the school, and it was
                                                 such a life-changing experience. I slowed
                                                 down and became present in the moments.
                                                 My oldest son is blind and one of my twins
                                                 is said to be on the spectrum. I never use
                                                 a disability as a disability, but just a way
                                                 to open our minds and do things off the
                                                 beaten path. Kids truly have my heart and
                                                 being able to put my two passions together
                                                 is truly a dream come true! I am looking
                                                 forward to getting to know each child,
                                                 building our relationship and friendship!
                                                 Teaching love and compassion for our
                                                 horses and each other! Most importantly
                                                 having fun, laughing and enjoying the
                                                 evenings together.
Deaf & Hard of
Hearing Resources:
                                               In Our
LEAD-K Family Services
                                               Library...
Works with the Hearing Coordination            Too Loud
                                               Too Fast
Centers under the Department of
Health Care Services and the California
Department of Education to serve families
with children who are deaf and hard of         Too Bright
hearing. Centralized services focus on
connecting families with their local school
                                               Too Tight
district, Early Start home visit teachers,     Written by Dr. Sharon Heller, a
parent mentors, deaf coaches and other         developmental psychologist
supports as outlined in an Individualized      with sensory defensiveness disorder,
Family Support Plan. The main objective        Too Loud Too Bright Too Fast Too Tight
is to increase the number of families          is an excellent book full of practical tools
with deaf or hard of hearing babies to be      and therapies that you can use when you
identified and receive early intervention      or your child are feeling overwhelmed
and support services that ensure age-          by the world.
appropriate language development.              We’ve all been
  www.leadkfamilyservices.org                  overstimulated,
                                               annoyed, and
Hearing Aid Coverage for                       distracted by itchy
Children Program                               clothing, bright
DHCS introduced a new California state-        lights, loud music,
only benefit for children, ages 0-17, who      and food that is the
are otherwise not eligible for Medi-Cal, and   wrong temperature
with a household income up to 600 percent      or texture. There
of the federal poverty level, effective July   are millions of
1, 2021. This benefit will be available to     families whose
children without health insurance or           lives are disrupted
whose existing health insurance does not       by sensory
cover hearing aids and related services.       disorders and see
Referral or valid hearing aid prescription     these things not
from an audiologist, otolaryngologist, or      as harmless distractions, but
physician will be required.                    as harmful stimuli. Sensory disorders often
                                               occur in people diagnosed with autism
  www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Pages/HACCP.aspx    and ADHD and can make a big impact on
                                               how a child learns or gets along in their
                                               everyday life.
                                                 Dr. Heller writes from a professional as well
                                                 as a personal point of view and provides an
                                                 empathetic and compassionate outlook with tools
                                                 to alleviate and sometimes eliminate sensory
                                                 defensiveness completely.
Ryan Jon Maloney
                                            Continuing
                                            Education
Family SOUP will be working in
collaboration with Warmline FRC             Scholarship
and the UC Davis MIND Institute and         Thanks to a generous donation from a
offering the MIND the Gap program           Family SOUP donor in memory of their
to families of children ages 0-8            loved one, Family SOUP is excited to
with suspected or newly diagnosed           introduce a new scholarship opportunity
developmental disabilities in the Yuba,     for students with disabilities who have
Sutter and Colusa County area. Family       made the decision to continue their
SOUP peer navigators will undergo           education. Interested Yuba, Sutter or
thorough training through the UC            Colusa County residents up to 22 years
Davis MIND Institute. Peer navigators       of age are requested to complete a short
are parents of children with special        application, show proof of enrollment at
needs themselves who have experience        a local college as well as connection with
navigating the special needs service        the school’s disability support program,
system and support will be available        and submit an inspiring 700-word essay
in English, Spanish and Punjabi. This       or poem sharing about their experience
short 4–6-month program offered to          in education as someone with special
families includes 12 coaching sessions      needs. A recipient will then be chosen
with a peer navigator in which parents      and awarded a one-time $500 scholarship
are guided and supported as they learn      and their essay or poem will be featured
and understand their child’s diagnosis,     in an upcoming NOISE Newsletter. Here
get access to services, and learn how to    at Family SOUP, we want all children to
handle challenges that come along with      grow up believing that the stars are within
having a child with special needs.          their reach and for that belief to continue
The program was developed as part of        into their adult life, knowing that they can
a research project being done by the        achieve their dreams. We want to foster
Autism Intervention Research Network        independence
in Behavior Health (AIR-B). The research    and help students
team and community members across           with exceptional
the country developed the intervention.     abilities to see
The current project will support            their strengths and
community agencies in using the             successes in a world
program for more families. Families who     where sometimes
qualify have the option to participate in   they get shadowed
the research study and will help make a     by their disability.
difference in communities continuing          For more information please email:
to improve early access to services and       adrienne@familysoup.org
support for families of
children with special
needs.
  For more information
  please email:
  adrienne@familysoup.org
Tips for Talking When Stakes are High
By Lora Gonzalez and Dr. Carolyn Patton
As we return to school, we look back at        handle them poorly by making accusations,
the stress that families have been under       refusing to own their contribution to the
during the pandemic. While we are all          problem, going silent or getting verbally
looking forward to getting back to school,     aggressive.
the return can also bring challenges
                                               Others have learned to face these
needing clear communication and
                                               situations and handle them well by using
understanding. It is critical that staff and
                                               key strategies that allow team members
parents communicate well as students
                                               to create a pool of shared meaning,
transition back to in-person instruction.
                                               resulting in strengthened relationships.
To this end, Yuba and Sutter SELPAs have
been coordinating with Family SOUP on          Crucial Conversations training provides
strategies to aid                                                         a model and
in facilitating                                                           framework for
difficult                                                                 how to hold
conversations                                                             high-stakes
within the                                                                conversations.
context of IEPs                                                           The Crucial
between families                                                          Conversation Big
and school staff.                                                         Ideas include:
This training                                                             Hold the Right
is based on                                                               Conversation,
research by the                                                           Start with Heart,
organization                                                              Make it Safe and
Vital Smarts,                                                             State Your Path.
based on New
                                                                            Hold the Right
York Times
                                                                            Conversation.
bestselling
                                                                            When teams
book Crucial
                                                                            are constantly
Conversations,
                                                                            discussing the
by authors
                                                                            same issue or
Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler.
                                               getting upset, then they may be holding
By their nature IEPs can be crucial            the wrong conversations. Teams need to
conversations. There can be opposing           ask “What is the root of the problem?” For
opinions, strong emotions, and the stakes      example, if a child is struggling to learn how
are high. And to add to this, there is the     to read, discuss the specifics as to why he
risk involved for students when IEP team       is not able to read and what interventions
members do not reach an agreement.             are happening. Be persistent and ask what
                                               can we do at school and at home to support
In approaching a contentious or complex
                                               learning.
IEP, team members may handle the
conversations differently. Without realizing   Start with Heart. If you cannot get
it, some may choose to avoid them building     yourself right, you will have a hard time
up resentment or hope the issue will go        getting dialogue right during an IEP
away. Others may choose to face them but       meeting. In order to get your dialogue right,
ask yourself three questions: 1. “What
do I really want for myself ?” 2. “What do
I really want for others?” 3. “What do I
really want for the relationship?” All team
members need examine their motives for
saying what they say. Unhelpful motives
include: the need to be right, to look

                                                          Meet our
good, save face, win, punish or blame.
Helpful motives include: finding the truth,
collaborative learning, producing results,
strengthening relationships and closing
                                                          Staff...
gaps in understanding. You can restart

                                                     Navpreet
your brain by asking yourself, “How would
I behave if these really were my motives?”

                                                     Gill
Making it Safe. Whether in a formal IEP
meeting or during other conversations, IEP
team members can do a lot to create a safe
space for crucial conversations. People
never become defensive about what you                Please let
are saying, they become defensive about              me take this
why they think you are saying it. During             opportunity
IEP meetings, it is critical for all team            to introduce
members to find mutual purpose and                   myself as
respect. Teams do this by staying focused            the new peer
on the student’s needs and developing                navigator for
goals and actions that support the                   Family SOUP.
student’s progress and overall success.              My name
Safety is about intent not content.                  is Navpreet Gill
                                                     and I live in the
Stating My Path (and allowing others                 Yuba City area.
to state theirs). The only limit on how              I was born and raised in India but
strongly you can argue your point is                 moved here with my family in 2004.
your willingness to be equally vigorous              I live with my husband and two little
in encouraging others to express theirs.             boys: Fateh, who just turned 5 and Tegh,
Curiosity is the best vaccine against                who just turned 1, and one dog whose
defensiveness. IEP teams are best served             name is Lucky. I am happy to say my
by focusing on facts. Start by stating               hands are full. I can say some of the best
facts (I saw, I heard, I noticed) and telling        qualities about me are that I am a team
your story (it leads me to conclude or I’m           worker, I always have a positive attitude,
starting to wonder if or I believe) then you         I am confident and love challenges.
ask other team members “How do you see               I speak Punjabi, Hindi and English. I
it?”, “What are your thoughts?”, “Can you            have compassion towards kids with
help me understand?”                                 disabilities. I want to help children and
  For more information on Crucial Conversations      adults any way I can since I myself have
  or to learn about training opportunities contact   a son who has a disability. I can say I
  Sutter County SELPA or Yuba County SELPA.          understand how hard this can be for
  Yuba County SELPA: (530) 749-4873                  parents and I want to do what I
  Sutter County SELPA: (530) 822-2910                can to help them.
Our Mission
 is to empower families of children
 with special needs through support
 and education to reach their
 full potential as members
 of the community.
                                                                                   1650 Sierra Ave. , Suite 106
 We are a 501(c)3 tax exempt
 non-profit organization.                                                          Yuba City, CA 95993
 Your donations make our
 programs possible.
                                                                                   Thank you Sponsors
                                                                                   & Supporters:

Board Members
 Kimberly Butcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President
 Matthew Miller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President
 Cynthia Martinez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary
 Sukh Purewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer
 LaDonna Curteman

Staff
 Adrienne Maloney . . . . . . . . . Executive Director
 Chris Hickey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Early Start Director
 Cynthia Sandoval . . . . . . . . .  Grant Coordinator
 Janis Perrucci. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Financial Officer
 Brenda Leonhardt. . . .  Administrative Assistant
 Amber Soto. . . . Resources/Referral Coordinator
 Jamie Nichols. . . . . . . . . . . Able Riders Instructor
 Cindy E. Chandler. . . . . . . . . . . Regional Liaison
 Navpreet Gill. .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . Peer Navigator
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