Hello everyone I hope your summer has been going well, the weather has been fantastic.
I just wanted to let everyone know that Cheryl and I met yesterday and we feel we have a great lineup of speakers for this years meetings. I don't want to say to much until we have all the confirmations back.
We are looking forward to a exciting new school year and hope that our members feel the same way.
My twins are starting at the Oxford Middle School in a few weeks and Rebekah is really nervous, while Ryan is just taking it all in stride. It's there birthday on Sunday and now they are both 10, boy where does all the time go.
Well please stay posted as the SEPAC schedule should be complete within a week or so.

Introduction

Hi everyone,

I have wanted to join a meeting this year, and just haven't been able to. I am glad I saw a flier at Bryn Mawr with info about this blog. My name is Bonnie, and I have two boys ages 4&6. My 6yrold is dx w/ Aspergers, and is undergoing a full neuro eval this week. He also just completed his three year re-eval at Bryn Mawr in Auburn, and has his IEP in a few weeks. I have been recommended to get an advocate, but I'm wondering if there's any downsides to this.

I look forward to meeting all of you, if not this year, then in the fall.

Best,
Bonnie

New to This Blog

Hi, I'm Bernie Engvall of Auburn. I co-chaired the Auburn SEPAC for many years with Cheryl Chan, and before that with others. (Probably a total of 10 or 12 years) So, the SEPAC is not new to me, but this blog is. My husband Greg and I have two sons, Eric (age 21) and Wesley (age 17). Eric has autism. He is still getting services from the Auburn Public Schools, but is only at the high school 2 days a week. The other three days he volunteers at two different sites with a job coach. They have been actively looking for a part-time paying job for him, but no luck so far. Eric will age out of special education on January 3rd of next year when he turns 22. It's very scary not knowing what he will be doing then.
I work in the Auburn Public Schools as an instructional assistant for kids with special needs. This is my 13th year. This is a job that my son led me to (before that I was a bookkeeper for about 20 years!). By having an older child, and by my experience in the school system, I hope I can help others on this blog as they deal with the many challenges that we all face having a child with special needs.

Bernie Engvall

Last meeting/dinner with the NEW Auburn/Oxford SEPAC

Hi everyone!

It's great to see more and more people joining us - we now have 10 people here and 3 new invitations just went out! This is exciting. Please be SURE to introduce yourself - many haven't yet - by posting to the group. Tell us anything you'd like about you and your family. As Karl has already posted, please tell us your thoughts on what you'd like the SEPAC to do for you next year. The sooner we hear the better we can plan.

At our last meeting we only had Karl, myself, and 2 other parents along with administrative representatives from our districts. It was a great meeting despite the low attendance. We were each able to share our visions about what our group can and should do. Some of the things that came out of that discussion include:

1. The importance of recruitment to the group - more members = more activity, more support & more strength!

2. The importance of diversity of topics - we represent a wide and diverse range of disabilities among our children, and so topics should be varied and/or of interest to all.

3. Including the opportunity for social interaction among us, not just meetings with speakers each time.

We did discuss a few topics but would like to hear more ideas from everyone. Maybe the best place to do that would be over drinks & dinner - PLEASE JOIN US ON TUESDAY, JUNE 1ST AT 6:30PM at Oxford Casual Dining Restaurant on route 12 in Oxford. It's a great place and we hope to enjoy the company of all of you, new and old friends alike.

Can't wait!
Cheryl Chan

Hello All

Just wanted to introduce myself. Kristen from Auburn. I have one 15 year old son. This is my first time involved in a PAC but am looking forward to meeting others for the benefit of our children.

The first SEPAC meeting was good. If you did not make it, make sure you come to the next meeting! It is going to be fun!

High everyone and welcome new members. I would like to say that our meeting tonight went very well. It was very productive and a lot of good ideas on the direction that the group would like go in and topics that we would like to discuss. Please feel free to chime in on what topics you would like to see us talk about, we are here to offer mutual support for each other and help or children get the most out of there lives.

We are trying to organize a meet and greet for our last meeting on June 2nd or 3rd at Oxfords Casual Dinning. Please let us know which day is better for you so we can let the restaurant know.

Look forward to meeting and getting to know you folks.

Thanks and have a good night.

New member

Hi. My name is Chris and I live in Auburn with my husband and four children. All of my children attend Auburn Public Schools. My daughter is in the 8th grade and has cerebral palsy. Services have been ok, some requiring a push. We are in the process of her 3yr re-eval and had to break the meeting due to time constraints! Got to LOVE those looooong IEP meetings! I am looking forward to making new connections and hopefully helping with the growth of this pac!
Chris M.

New member intro

Hi! I just joined SEPAC blog and am new to SPAC in general. I have 2 children in Auburn schools, both at Pakachoag School. My son will be moving to middle school next year.

Joshua is in 5th grade and has been diagnosed with Central Aud Processing Disorder and ADHD. It's been a tough year for him. Meds not effective and school not following IEP very well. I know it's been because the teachers are being pulled out of the classroom an excessive amount of time. They are not getting regular subs either.

Ashley is in 3rd grade and was recently tested by a Behavior Optomotrist who suggested Vision Therapy. Not covered by insurance and very expensive. If anyone knows anything about eye teaming, focus, and eye tracking please share! I am researching age approp. issues that may resolve themselves. Ashley was prescribed glasses, vision is 20/20. I think me next step is an Opthamologist.

Looking forward to the support of this group.

Happy spring! The flyer about this blog has started to reach our mailboxes - thank you Rick and Mary! So requests to join the blog are coming in. If you just joined please take a minute to introduce yourself and make sure you mark your calendars for our April 1 meeting in Auburn!

As Cheryl mentioned we are both very excited about getting this SEPAC group up and running.
I would like to thank Mary Baker from the Oxford Schools for having faith in me to be the co-chair.
I have lived in Oxford for almost 15 years now. I have a set of 9 year old twins in the Oxford school system 1 boy and 1 girl , (my daughter has Aspergers). And I have a 20 year old son in collage (I know I am nuts).
I look forward to being part of a postive group of parents that want to spend time with each other in a postive enviroment while trying to make our childrens lives more positve and productive.
Please join us on the blog and at our meetings, we look forward to your coments and suggestions.

Thanks

Introduction - Cheryl Chan

Hi Everyone, and welcome! I am Cheryl Chan. I live in Auburn; have been here for nearly 10 years, with my husband, 17-yo son with Autism, 11-year old daughter, 2 cats and a dog. Together with Karl Brown of Oxford, I have been asked to lead a revitalization of the Auburn SEPAC in partnership with Oxford. I couldn't be more honored. Thanks to Rick McInerney, Director in Auburn, for having faith in me and giving me a chance. Truth is, this is my 'second chance'; I was co-chair of the Auburn SEPAC for 5 years WAY back in the mid-90's. We had an incredible, dynamic, highly involved and committed community of parents who actually got together all year round, summer included, to support each other; whether it was at a pool party at my house or a cozy evening at a restaurant, or with a guest speaker, we had a great time. I still cherish the friendships I made then.

Karl and I envision a community much like I describe; one that is engaging, supportive to each other and our schools, energized and above all FUN for everyone. We all know that living the lives we do, it gets tiring hearing the negative all the time. Using valuable respite money for a meeting stinks. Connecting is great, but only if it's done in a positive environment - so let's make that together, shall we? I can be reached at any time by email at crchan(at)charter(dot)net, or here on the blog.

Now it's time for you to introduce yourself!