Special Education Community Events and News

Presented by SFCD. Offered in English, Spanish and Cantonese. Learn about Special Education law, the IEP process, what to do when things aren’t working, and how to become a more active and effective team member.

To register, please call our Warmline at 415-920-5040, email info@supportforfamilies.org,
or click the registration link below.

Presented in Cantonese: 1st Thursdays; 6-7:00pm
Presented in English: 2nd Thursdays; 4-6:00pm
Presented in Spanish: 3rd Thursdays; 4-6:00pm

點擊這裡登記粵語IEP講座

Click here to register for the English IEP Clinic

Haga clic aquí para registrarse a la Clínica de IEP en español

ABOUT US

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News

Monthly Programs

Thursday, September 7 @ 6:00 - 7:00pm: Open House

Great opportunity to meet staff and learn about programs, resources, and volunteer opportunities. Monthly on the first Thursday. Zoom. 

Saturday, September 9 @ 10:30 - 11:45am: Saturday Strolls

Community walk on Saturday morning! Led by NAMI staff/board. Meet at Murphy Windmill in Golden Gate Park and walk along the Pacific Ocean (closed section on Great American Highway). Monthly on the second Saturday. In-person.

Thursday, September 14 @ 6:00 - 7:00pm: In Our Own Voice Presentation

Educational presentation - all about personal storytelling and humanizing mental health! Hear peer speakers share about who they are, where they've been, and their recovery journey. In Our Own Voice is a core NAMI program. Monthly on the second Thursday. Zoom. 

Sunday, September 17 @ 10:00 - 10:45a: Community Art Class

NAMI SF is hosting free monthly art classes on the third Sunday of every month! Creating art can help focus, reduce stress and anxiety, boost creativity and expression, and is a great way to engage in community. Open to folks of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Monthly on the third Sunday. Zoom. 

September Programs

Thursday, September 21 @ 6:00 - 7:30pm: Suicide Awareness Training (Feat. SF Suicide Prevention) 

Join NAMI SF and San Francisco Suicide Prevention for a presentation on suicide prevention. Topics include risk factors, risk assessment, de-escalation, and guidelines for emergency protocols. Learning about suicidality, contributing factors, and how to support yourself and/or a loved one is a great first step toward combatting suicidality and suicidal attempts. Zoom. 

Jueves 28 de Septiembre // Thursday, September 28 @ 6:00 - 7:00pm: Salud Mental en Español 101 / Mental Health 101 (in Spanish)

En honor al Mes de la Herencia Hispana (del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre), el equipo de NAMI SF está organizando una presentación enfocada en la experiencia de la comunidad latina/hispanohablante con la salud mental. // In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) the NAMI SF team is hosting a presentation focused on the Latinx/Spanish-Language community's experience with mental health. Zoom.

Sneak Peak: NAMI SF x Youth Mental Health Event Series (October)

Event Collection: NAMI SF x Youth Mental Health: Anxiety and Substance Use

Events incorporate the perspectives of mental health professionals or peers/loved ones who will discuss youth mental health relative to anxiety and substance use challenges. 

Thursday, October 12 @ 6:00 - 7:00pm: In Our Own Voice (Young Adult Edition)

Thursday, October 19 @ 6:00 - 7:30pm: Second Annual Youth Mental Health Symposium: Anxiety and Substance Use Disorders

Thursday, October 26 @ 6:00 - 7:15pm: Parents as Allies & Advocates

Elementary School Soccer Skills Day

Tuesday, October 3, 2023  | 10:30am-12:15pm

           South Sunset Fields

Middle School Unified Soccer Tournament

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 | 10:30am-12:00pm

West Sunset Fields 

High School Unified Soccer Tournament

Tuesday, October 10th, 2023 | 10:30am-12:15pm

Washington High School 

ACCESS Soccer Tournament

Date TBD | Time TBD

Location TBD

This training will provide an overview of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Learn how a Section 504 Plan can provide the accommodations a student needs to participate fully in school.

You must register in advance for this meeting, which can be done using this registration link.

Social Detective Thinking to Start the School Year via SocialThinking 

• Watch how to introduce a practical social observation lesson taught by a 3rd-grade teacher
• Discover innovative ways to adapt these concepts for older kids (ages 12-18+)
• Participate in live Q&A with Kari Zweber Palmer, MA, CCC-SLP, Ryan Hendrix, MS, CCC-SLP & moderator Dr. Pamela Crooke
• Receive unlimited access to the recorded replay of the webinar, plus downloadable resources & Certificate of Completion

This webinar will highlight:

• The importance of social observation in the classroom, home, and community
• How to introduce becoming a Social Detective at the start of the school year
• A look inside You Are a Social Detective! Curriculum & Teaching Guide
• Innovative ideas for bringing concepts into the secondary grades
• All participants receive downloadable resources, Certificate of Completion, & unlimited access to recorded replay

Register Here

Register here

Join Support for Families for a family fun day at Crissy Field Center, in Tunnel Tops Park in the Presidio! Learn about inclusive recreation, after-school, and summer programs available in San Francisco, while exploring one of San Francisco’s newest accessible parks. Connect with other families and staff from Support for Families and SF Recreation and Park’s Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services.

American Sign Language, Cantonese, and Spanish interpretation will be provided. For other accommodation requests, contact lucas.tobin@sfgov.org. 

Access to Adventure Day is presented by Support for Families of Children with Disabilities, SF Recreation and Parks Department, and Partnership for the Presidio, and sponsored in part by Waymo.

Event Flyers English | Spanish | Chinese

More information here

Thursday, September 21 @ 6:00 - 7:30pm: Suicide Awareness Training (Feat. SF Suicide Prevention) 

Join NAMI SF and San Francisco Suicide Prevention for a presentation on suicide prevention. Topics include risk factors, risk assessment, de-escalation, and guidelines for emergency protocols. Learning about suicidality, contributing factors, and how to support yourself and/or a loved one is a great first step toward combatting suicidality and suicidal attempts. Zoom. 

NAMI SF Website

Learn more about our programs and how you can get involved. Register for upcoming support groups and classes.

NAMI SF Resources Page

General and community-specific resource pages and guides.

Donate

NAMI San Francisco provides free mental health education and support to diverse, minoritized communities. Visit our website to learn more. Support these efforts by donating today!

Esta capacitación proporciona una visión general de la Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación. Conozca cómo un Plan de la Sección 504 puede proporcionar las adaptaciones necesarias para que un estudiante participe plenamente en su educación.

Debe registrarse con anticipación para esta capacitación: Enlace de registro.

Hello Educational Partners, 

Thank you for your participation last year in support of improving the educational and socio-emotional outcomes of Black/African American students. 

We are inviting you to return to the conversation to discuss what we've accomplished, what we plan to do next, and how you can continue to support the work of interrupting disproportionality of Black/African American students in Special Education, attendance, and discipline. 

Our next meeting, on Monday September 25th at 5:30 PM will be virtual. 

Find out more at https://www.sfusd.edu/cceis

Presented by the CAC

MEETING TOPIC: TEACHTOWN CURRICULUM & ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY TO GRADUATION

English | Español | 中文 | عربي | Tagalog | Tiếng Việt

Please join the CAC for a presentation on the new Teachtown Curriculum and Alternative Pathway to Graduation options in SFUSD. Presenters will share information about this new program/curriculum and how SFUSD teachers will be using it as well as which students will have access to this new curriculum and graduation pathway.

CAC General Meetings are held in person at Support for Families at 832 Folsom St, Suite 101 or you can watch the meeting on Zoom. A light dinner will be served for in person attendees. All CAC meetings are open to the public.

Please register in advance for this meeting. 

In person registration

Zoom registration

ASL and interpretation services are available with advance notice. To reserve, please send an email to cacspedsf@gmail.com or call 415-447-7802.

The 2023 SFASA-Stanford Adult Autism/DD Conference

Presented by the Stanford Autism Center at Packard Children's Hospital and the Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area

Register Here

When: Saturday, October 14, 2023, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Where: Li Ka Shing Center, Stanford University, 291 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, on both the 1st and 2nd floors

Subject matter: Planning and supports for adults with substantially disabling autism and related developmental disabilities. Themes include: legal planning, financial planning, public benefits, regional center services, self determination, housing, medical and dental care, psychiatric care, behavior and communication therapy, recreation and social growth, family and parent wellness, staffing, advocacy and policy, and other topics that relate to the quality of life. (For neurodiversity related topics please check out the Stanford Neurodiversity Project conferences.)

Who should attend: The target audience is parents, caregivers, family members and professionals who have responsibilities to plan and care for late teens and adults with autism and related DDs.

Format: The conference features a wide variety of presentations in classrooms and a resource fair in the main hall.

Detailed agenda: To be announced in late September. We anticipate about 50 vendor tables and 30 presenters.

Registration: $65 per ticket (we are working to make this fee reimbursable by our regional center, we will provide updates). Includes materials, coffee, lunch.

Scholarships: If you have financial need and cannot receive a reimbursement from your regional center, we can provide a scholarship. Scholarship requests open in September.

Sponsorships and vendor tables: We welcome sponsorships of $500, $1,000 or more, and a few vendor tables remain available. Please see here

For conference updates: Please sign up for the SFASA newsletter and join our Adult Autism/DD Facebook Group here

Questions: Please email us at info@sfautismsociety.org

Superfest 2023 will occur online Thursday, October 19th through Sunday October 22nd with in-person screenings Saturday October 21st at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley and Sunday October 22nd at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Stay tuned for more information, and for now, read below to check out the blurbs for our 2023 films and save the date!

Explore the Film List

The CA Reading Summit is coming! The 3rd Annual Summit will be on Thursday, November 2. This virtual & free event brings together literacy leaders from across the state and nation, with a laser focus on improving results for California. State Board President Linda Darling-Hammond heads a speaker of roster that includes "Districts on the Move" with early literacy initiatives.  The California Reading Summit brings together leaders in improving reading results in California to share successes and struggles, and help chart the course to move our state forward.

Attendance is free, but registration required and space is limited. Learn more about the featured speakers and the event itself on the California Reading Coalition page.

Register Today!

Questions:  Email us at info@CAreads.org

Register Here

Location: Oakland Marriott City Center

The Oakland Literacy Coalition’s Annual Literacy & Justice for All Symposium brings together school and community educators, practitioners, funders, leaders, influencers, and community stakeholders committed to sharing and learning effective strategies, approaches, and tools that address the literacy needs of all learners. This event provides fighters for literacy justice with expanded spaces for professional learning in community and a chance to collaborate with literacy allies and champions across the region.

​

Our work toward literacy justice is critical. 1 in 3 children who started school during the pandemic need extensive literacy support. At the state level, California has the lowest literacy rate in the country with only 77% of adults are considered mid to highly literate. In our hometown of Oakland, only 1 in 3 students are reading on or above their grade-level.

Learn more about the symposium here

May 2023

• ‘Netflix For Neurodiverse’: World’s First TV Channel For Autistic Kids by John Jeffay, NoCamels
• Apple Previews iPhone, iPad and Mac Accessibility Features by Abrar Al-Heeti for CNet
• Why the ‘science of reading’ may be the next dyslexia battleground by Joe Hong | CalMatters
• Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on Senate Confirmation of Glenna Wright-Gallo
• ‘Wings for All’ introduces flyers with special needs to Atlanta airport
• SMART IEP Pop-up Tool from Wright's Law
• Barbie’s Path to Inclusion - from the DREDF Blog
• How A First-Grader With Cerebral Palsy Helped Make His Playground More Inclusive by Zach Hammack,

April 2023

• "BART Has Local Kids with Autism Doing Station Announcements for Autism Acceptance Month" by Joe Kukura via SFist
• "I have an invisible disability myself: Edward Enninful and Sinéad Burke on their fashion revolution" via The Guardian
• Self-Advocacy Matters! Key Resources from DREDF
• "Special Education is Getting More Expensive, Forcing Schools to Make Cuts Elsewhere" by Mark Lieberman via EdWeek
• Autism in Girls & Women with Dr Donna Henderson by Dr Jeremy Sharp from the Testing Psychologist
• "Never Empty Nesters" Benefit From More Time to Love by Beth Lederer via The Guardsman
• What Does OCD Look Like in the Classroom? by Jerry Bubrick, PhD via the Child Mind Institute
• Autism now more common among Black, Hispanic kids in US by Mike Stobbe via AP News
• Thank You to Our Paraeducators! from SFUSD Communications
• ‘I thought I was dumb for not being able to pay attention…’: Cymeria Robshaw shares her experience as a neurodivergent young adult from Project Eye to Eye 
• Marion Joseph's literacy crusade for teaching phonics in California is paying off by Dan Walters in CalMatters
• A Reading Teacher Makes a Case for Early Dyslexia Screening by Elizabeth Heubeck via Education Week
• A New Pathway to a High School Diploma for Students with Disabilities from California Department of Education
• It’s Time for a Transition IEP Meeting- What should I do next? by Erin Mahaffey
• Autism Now Affects 1 In 36 Kids, CDC Says from Disability Scoop

March 2023

• It’s time to screen all students for dyslexia risks by Carol Kocivar from Ed100
• Despite union opposition, many teachers support dyslexia screening for all students from Cal Matters
• Special Olympics Celebrates Women's History Month
• “Could I Be Autistic, Too?” Signs of Autism in Women with ADHD
• 20 Signs and Symptoms of ADHD in Girls from VeryWell Mind
• Teens Are Struggling Right Now. What Can Parents Do? from the NYTimes
• What are SMART IEP Goals? from Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
• Using the IEP Meeting to Create an IEP that Works from Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
• Summer Resource Fair Features Enrichment Opportunities from SAN FRANCISCO RICHMOND REVIEW on MARCH 2, 2023 By Kate Quach

February 2023

• U.S. based Legoland Parks to become certified Autism Centers by spring 2023 from Fox5 San Diego
• Celebrating Black History Month from National Center for Learning Disabilities
• Black, Brilliant, and Dyslexic: Neurodivergent Heroes Tell Their Stories edited by Marcia Brissett-Bailey
• Black Women Leaders and Disability Justice
• 'Love on the Spectrum' shows what dating can be like for people with autism from NPR
• Learning to read by third grade requires evidence-based instruction, panel says from EdSource
• Five Step Emergency Preparedness in ASL from the Listos California Resource Hub
• Emergency Preparedness from the Cal OES (Governor's Office of Emergency Services)

January 2023

• DSPS Accessible Theater Arts Teacher Sparks Creativity, Self-Confidence, and Self-Expression by Beth Lederer
• The Best Way to Explain Learning Disabilities to Your Child, by Rick Lavoie via ADDitude
• IEP Progress Reports: What Should be Reported vs What is Reported, by Callie Oettinger via Special Education Action

December 2022

• Should We Say 'with Autism' or 'Autistic'? Here's Why It Matters
• New documentary "In A Different Key" follows first person diagnosed with autism
• Office of Special Education Programs Update - A Newsletter for OSEP Grantees and Interested Stakeholders
• Disability Rights Advocate Justice Maria Araujo Kahn nomination approved by Senate Judiciary Committee from Daily Kos
• By Rethinking How Reading Is Taught, Bay Area Schools Hope To Boost Overall Literacy by Ida Mojadad, The San Francisco Standard

November 2022

• Meet the Special Ed Advocate Who Ousted Ann Hsu for a Spot on SF’s School Board by Ida Mojadad
• Confronting Ableism on the Way to Justice by Keith Jones from Learning for Justice
• Inclusive Education Benefits All Children by Mellanie Willingham-Jaggers and the Glsen Team from Learning for Justice
• Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong hosted by Emily Hanford 
• Unified Sports Level the Playing Field for Students With Disabilities by Sarah D. Sparks from Education Week
• SFUSD pleads for drivers to obey traffic laws after car hits school bus, flees scene by Lyanne Melendez, ABC7 News
• How to Document and Resolve Issues With the IEP Team from Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund

October 2022

• “I am a Neurodivergent Black Woman — and I am Filled with Hope.” By Alyssa Tundidor
• Ensuring All Students with Disabilities have a Pathway to a High School Diploma in California from DREDF
• Roundup: Education policies passed, failed and vetoed in 2022 by Carol Kocivar 
• New literacy standards for teacher candidates could be pivotal to improving student reading scores. by 
  Diana Lambert 

September 2022

• **Year of the Tiger: Debut memoir by Alice Wong**
• NIH Awards $100 Million for Autism Centers of Excellence Program
• My Parents Are Hackers Out of Necessity: NY Times Opinion
• Office of Special Education Programs Seeking Input: Prioritizing Equity
• “Love on the Spectrum U.S.” Wins Multiple Emmy Awards
• Thomas the Tank Engine and Peppa Pig welcome friends with autism and 2 mommies

August 2022

• Dallas nonprofit aims to break down barriers that disabled people face
• Sonoma County teacher pens book celebrating her hearing-impaired students
• How to talk about disability sensitively and avoid ableist tropes
• Uber WAV provides affordable rides in wheelchair-accessible vehicles, where available

Past Articles

• Why “Special Needs” is Not Helpful | medium.com
• Creating trauma-informed individualized education programs  | American Psychological Association
• Parent-Teacher Conferences - What to Ask for Kids with IEPs from A Day in Your Shoes
• Changing the Conversation Around ADHD with New Documentary The Disruptors
• 5 Reasons Why Disability Issues Should Be A Higher Priority, Even Now  | Forbes
• Nancy Armstrong Is Changing the Conversation Around ADHD with New Documentary The Disruptors. By Jessica Migala
• At a Loss for Words:  How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers | APM ReportsU.S. Department of Education Announces Intent to Strengthen and Protect Rights for Students with Disabilities by Amending Regulations Implementing Section 504. 
• Microsoft unveils new adaptive PC accessories with modular components. 
• Watch My Disability Roadmap about Samuel Habib in the New York Times "Op-Docs".  
• Self-Advocacy: Participating in Your IEP Meetings.
• 2 UC Berkeley students make history as 1st nonspeaking autistic graduates.
• Access SFUSD presents its Insider Guide
• 504 and Me By Meriah Nichols, from the Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund Blog
• AB 1663: The Probate Conservatorship Reform and Supported Decision-Making Act
• Slate.com: Why Are Special Education Teachers Quitting Across the Nation?
• Washington Post: Disability Community Pushes To keep Masks Aboard Mass Transit