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January142020

Valentine's Day Dance – February 21

Meet new friends, have fun, and DANCE! Featuring the very special DJ Stephanie Rasul. Light drinks and snacks will be provided.
(Attendees must be 19 and older, Participants that need assistance for physical and behavioral needs must be accompanied by their caregiver)
Register Here!
When: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21 | 6:30-8:00PM
Where: ALLY ADVOCACY CENTER – Located at The Arc of Loudoun
601 Catoctin Circle, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176
Stay updated on future The Arc of Loudoun events by subscribing to our email list here.

January142020

Next Chapter Book Club

The Next Chapter Book Club (NCBC) offers opportunities for people with cognitive or developmental disabilities to read and learn together, talk about books and make friends in a relaxed community setting.
Interested in joining? Please email Nyteisha Stith at nstith@thearcofloudoun.org

NEXT BOOK CLUB MEETING IN RUST LIBRARY:

Mondays; 6:30pm-8pm (check dates on flyer above)
At Rust Library’s Story Time Room
Finding ways to learn and participate in the community can be challenging for adults with intellectual disabilities. The Next Chapter Book Club offers a great opportunity to do both and have fun.
What is it? The Next Chapter Book Club (NCBC) offers opportunities for people with cognitive or developmental disabilities to read and learn together, talk about books and make friends in a relaxed, community setting. Each group is comprised of between five and eight people. The small size ensures that each participant feels valued, and facilitates the development of strong friendships between members. Anyone may join the club, regardless of reading level and abilities. EVEN IF YOU CAN NOT READ, you can join this group! Club members take on active roles: together they decide which books to read and how they would like to structure their get-togethers. All meetings are held in local settings, such as coffee shops and the library and will take place the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month..
In partnership with the Loudoun County Public Library and generously funded by 100 Women Strong.
Interested in joining us? Please contact Nyteisha at 703.777.1939 extension 200 or nstith@thearcofloudoun.org

January282018

Open Door Learning Center's OPEN HOUSE on March 3

Open Door Learning Center Preshcool: Open House on March 3 from 1-3pm

Join us at Open Door Learning Center Preschool Open House on Saturday, March 3 from 1-3 pm. You’ll have the chance to You’ll have the chance to meet our awesome staff, tour our school, and learn about our curriculum. Your child can also enjoy fun activities, arts and crafts, and have their face painted! The Disney Princess, Belle, will also be making a special appearance!
Where: Open Door Learning Center
The Arc of Loudoun at Paxton Campus
601 Catoctin Circle, NE
Leesburg, VA 20177

January172018

Preschool to Kindergarten Transition Workshop – April 25th

Before the Bus Starts Coming:Still Deciding If You Will Send Your Preschooler to Kindergarten?

TOPIC: This is the workshop for parents and families in the community who are having a difficult time deciding on whether or not to send their child to Kindergarten
SPEAKERS: Lori Padgett, Special Education Supervisor, ECSE and Karin Spencer, Consulting Teacher in the Office of Special Education
WHEN: Wednesday, April 25, 2018; 6:00 pm
WHERE: ALLY Advocacy Center on Paxton Campus
601 Catoctin Circle, NE
Leesburg, VA 20176
FREE, No registration required.
Questions: Eileen Shaffer
EMAIL: eshaffer@paxtoncampus.org TEL: 703.777.1939 ext. 208

January172018

Parent Support Group meets May 1; 5:30pm-6:30pm

Interested in joining our Parent Support Group? Please contact Eileen Shaffer at: eshaffer@paxtoncampus.org
Are you the parent or caretaker of a child with a disability or special needs? Do you wish you could talk with other parents who are in similar situations? Please consider joining our Parent Support Group!
Parent Support Group will meet the first Tuesday of each month of the School Year and coincide with Social Skills Group. While your child attends Social Skills Group, you are welcome to join a network of other parents. PLEASE NOTE: Your child does not need to be enrolled in Social Skills to attend.
Upcoming meetings:
Tuesdays from 5:30pm to 6:30pm
October 3
November 7
December 5
January 2
February 6
March 6
April 3
May 1
Parent groups can serve many purposes, but one of their most important can be to introduce families to others like themselves, building a sense of community and of understanding.
For more information on this group, please contact Eileen Shaffer at: eshaffer@paxtoncampus.org

December92017

12 Band Jam and Ride – August 11th; 10:30am-12am

12 Band Jam & Ride

Come out and enjoy 12 different awesome bands that will be jamming all day and night! Proceeds benefit the Aurora School serving students with special needs.

Saturday, August 11, 2017 | Spanky’s Shananigans – Leesburg, VA

RIDE: 10:30am Kickstands up – Riders Depart
$20 for motorcycle riders/$10 for passengers, includes t-shirt and lunch
Riders, come and enjoy ½-price breakfast starting at 7:30 am!
JAM: 12:00pm to 12am – Enjoy the bands – 12 Band Jam Lineup
$10 admission at door for 12 Band Jam
Win fabulous raffle prizes!
50/50 raffle! Prizes awarded every hour between 3pm – 10pm!
List of Bands:

12 PM: Andy Hawks Train Wreck Endings
1 PM: Striped Cows
2 PM: Gary Hoffman Band
3 PM: Chris Timbers
4 PM: Ricky J and the Blue Rhythm
5 PM: Fresh Cracked Pepper
6 PM: Fast Eddie and the Fast Lane Blues Band
7 PM: Stone Cold
8 PM: The Hipnecks
9 PM: David Lange
10 PM: Bastards of the Twang
11 PM: Willie White

December92017

Social Skills Groups – Tuesdays Jan. 8-April 30, 5:30-6:30pm

Social Skills Groups for students ages 5 to 18 years old

We currently full for Spring 2019 Social Skills, we will re-open for Fall 2019 Social Skills in May.

About Social Skills Groups

Our Social Skills Groups are designed for students who need coaching in peer relationships and conversations. If your child is able to converse with others but may need prompting to initiate or respond to peers, he or she is our ideal participant.
During Social Skills Groups, we use the principles of Verbal Behavior and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
Each group session consists of fun social games and activities. However each activity includes learning opportunities that are specifically designed to focus on intensive instruction that supports peer-to-peer socialization. Intensive instruction is embedded into activities. And it is derived from evidence-based concepts of verbal behavior and behavior analysis. Moreover, intensive instruction focuses on developing the necessary skills needed to initiate with and respond to peers.
Each session is supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). And the group conversations and verbal skills are facilitated by applied behavior therapists.
We have created 2 types of specialized social skills groups to best fit different student’s social needs. One group is a best fit for children who are conversational but require extra help and prompting to socialize. And the second group facilitates basic social skills for students who need more intensive instruction to interact with peers.
We are also developing a social skills class which will focus on more subtle issues such as bullying, personal space, perspective taking, etc. All classes will meet on Tuesdays from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. An interview with parents will help determine the best group for your child.

Social Skills Group for older students

December92017

Giving Tuesday, December 3rd

On December 3rd, The Arc of Loudoun is celebrating Giving Tuesday.

Your donation will help to support and grow The Arc of Loudoun programs and the communities we serve. Thank you for your support in empowering, embracing, and engaging adults and children with disabilities and their families.

Become a Friend-raiser…We invite you, a member of our Arc of Loudoun Family, to become a friend-raiser and help raise much-needed revenue to serve people with disabilities and their families. By rallying your friends, family, neighbors, classmates, and co-workers, you directly help people with disabilities and their families in Loudoun County, and you’ll help your friends feel good about doing good.
Starting a fundraiser on behalf of the Arc of Loudoun is easy to do and it’s fun. We’ll give you all the tools you’ll need to make a difference. With your help we can provide a lifetime of opportunities for people with disabilities not only during this holiday season but for their lifetime.
Our goal is to raise $20,000 by the end of 2019! Start your Friend-riaser today. Learn more.

December92017

DMV comes to The Arc of Loudoun; February 5; 10am-3pm

ALLY Advocacy Center is bringing DMV to you!!! We are thrilled to announce that DMV-Connect will be setting up shop in the ALLY Advocacy Center building at The Arc of Loudoun on Tuesday, February 5th from 10am-3pm (by appointment only).

How to Schedule an Appointment

**Please contact Eileen Shaffer at eshaffer@thearcofloudoun.org or 703-777-1939, ext. 208 for an appointment. To be eligible for an appointment, you must have a family member with a disability or be a staff member at The Arc of Loudoun.

About DMV-Connect

DMV-Connect is an outreach program of the Department of Motor Vehicles that connects Virginians to services who may not be able to travel to or wait in line at a traditional DMV office.
If you have a family member with a disability and would like to get them an Identification Card (even if they are under 15 years old), they now offer the opportunity to get an indicator on the card designating the following categories: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Hearing Impairment, Speech Impairment and Insulin-dependent diabetic. This a great, proactive way to insure that First Responders are notified of the disability. Please note that in order to do this, you must bring a doctor’s evaluation or note that lists the diagnosis.
They will also be able to conduct other services including: Virginia State IDs, Veterans IDs, Child IDs, Driver’s licenses, Disabled parking placards and Vehicle titles and registrations. To avoid long waits, we are scheduling appointments for this service.

**Please contact Eileen Shaffer at eshaffer@thearcofloudoun.org or 703-777-1939, ext. 208 for an appointment. To be eligible for an appointment, you must have a family member with a disability or be a staff member at The Arc of Loudoun.

Documents to download before your appointment:

The DMV Application (DL1P)
The DMV Connect Brochure
Proof Document (DMV141) – this lists the acceptable proof documents
The Child ID Application (DL 5)– for children under the age of 15
The Disabled Placard Application (MED10)

December92017

Decoding Dyslexia – December 12 , 7pm-9pm

Decoding Dyslexia

This is monthly series of speakers and discussion, aiming to raise dyslexia awareness and empower families to support their children with dyslexia.
The next workshop is on Wednesday, December 12 from 7pm-9pm

Speakers: Emily Miller

The topic is “Assistive Technology 101 for Students with Dyslexia.” Our guest speaker will beEmily Miller who is an Assistive Technology Coach. Stemming from her own challenges with dyslexia, Emily has learned to use assistive technology as a life-changing tool. In this presentation, Emily will teach you the ins and outs of assistive technology and how you can use it to help your child today. Emily is currently a special education teacher and assistive technology tutor in the summer. She is also finishing a graduate certificate in assistive technology.

Place: The ALLY Advocacy Center, Arc of Loudoun

Time: 11am – 1pm “Lunch & Learn”

Register here.

For more information on Decoding Dyslexia, please search “Decoding Dyslexia Virginia” on Facebook or email decodingdyslexialoudoun@gmail.com.

Questions? Please contact Eileen Shaffer at eshaffer@thearcofloudoun.org or call 703.777.1939 x 208
For more information on Decoding Dyslexia, please search “Decoding Dyslexia Virginia” on Facebook or email decodingdyslexialoudoun@gmail.com.