Wordless Wednesday: Sunshine Girl

 

Go Wordless here.

Tuesday Linkage

Welcome to another edition of Tuesday Linkage, where I direct you towards all the happenings in the Autistic community.

Autism in the News: April 08, 2008

Global coverage of World Autism Awareness Day events

Writer’s Showcase: Austen Davis

NYSE Opening Bell Celebrates World Autism Awareness Day

Autism Speaks Collaborates to Investigate Brain Overgrowth in Autism

Last, but not least, a bunch of people from my family (including the 5 of us) are participating in an autism walk on April 26. We would like to raise as much $$ as we can. If any one of my blogging buddies would like to make a pledge for the cause, please feel free to email me at photomommy1979(at)yahoo(dot)com. Please do not feel obligated to do so, we’re just trying to drum up as much support as possible

All new stories courtesy of: 

 

The Kindness of Strangers

Normally, I do not post full news articles on this blog. 

I wait until my “Tuesday Linkage” day and post links to important news stories then.

This is too big a story to wait, and, it’s local…

From the Kalamazoo Gazette:

Anonymous donor gives $2 million to Croyden school to add classrooms

An anonymous donor has given $2 million to Croyden Avenue School that will allow for the construction and operation of six more classrooms in a new facility being built in Portage.

Croyden is operated by the Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency and enrolls Kalamazoo County children with severe disabilities. Its highly regarded autism program was recently featured in a report on National Public Radio.In November, voters approved a $25.4 million bond issue to construct a new facility for Croyden programs. The new school will be built near KRESA’s administrative offices on East Milham Road in Portage. The project is still in the design stage and the school is scheduled to open in fall 2010.The donor’s money will allow for an expansion of the project, KRESA officials say.The donation is being funneled through the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. Part of the money will pay for construction and furnishing of six additional specialty classrooms. The remainder will be put in an endowment to pay for the classrooms’ operating costs.“We are very thankful that we live in such a wonderful community where there are people who will step up to help students with special needs,” KRESA Superintendent Ron Fuller said. “The rooms will add so much to the new school. What a lasting legacy.”KRESA officials said the new facility is needed to relieve overcrowding and because Croyden is a former elementary school with a design not well-suited for special education.

Croyden’s enrollment has increased in recent years, they say, because of a spike in autism rates as well as the number of premature babies who survive, but are disabled.

The specialty classrooms will include a room for music therapy and an art room with specialized equipment such as adaptive paintbrushes and electric scissors for children lacking fine motor skills.

The school’s recycling program, now greatly limited by space constraints, will have its own room where students can learn a vocational skill and help the environment by sorting recyclables and shredding paper.

The “teen closet,” another vocational opportunity, will become a teen room, where students help sort donated clothing.

Other ongoing vocational projects, like making potpourri and paper, also will have rooms of their own.

Croyden Principal Angela Telfer said the new facility was planned without the specialty classrooms to save money.

“We were just trying to have enough (regular) classroom space,” she said.

But Telfer added that she and the staff are thrilled at the idea of getting dedicated classrooms for special programs.

“We’re doing these things right now out of storage closets” or with therapists moving around equipment on carts, Telfer said. “It will be so nice for those programs to have their own space.”

This is the second large donation that Croyden has received recently. Last year, an anonymous donor established a $1 million fund for assistive technology and other types of adaptive equipment to help Croyden students communicate.

“Up until now, we’ve only been able to dream about these types of extras,” Telfer said.

Posted by Julie Mack, Kalamazoo Gazette on April 01, 2008 11:16AM

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This is Taylor’s school!

How cool is this?!

Unfortunately, by the time this new school opens, Taylor will already have moved on into the public school in our discrict.

But it warms my heart to know that children in this county with disibilities are going to have a wonderful place to learn and grow as individuals. 

The school and the staff have done such great things for Taylor and for our family, and this is a great opportunity for them as well. 

Wordless Wednesday: World Autism Awareness Day

Go Wordless here.

Tuesday Linkage

Welcome to another edition of Tuesday Linkage, where I direct you towards all the happenings in the Autistic community.

Autism in the news: April 1, 2008

Concert for Autism Speaks featuring Lionel Richie raises $1.8 Million!

CNN Announces Global Coverage for First World Autism Awareness Day

Autism Speaks Telethon raises over $371,000

Chevrolet Will Donate up to $1 million to Autism Speaks when Consumers Take Virtual Test Drives of the All-New Chevy Malibu during Autism Awareness Month

New Research Opportunity in Autism and Related Disorders Announced

Please also check out CNN’s website. There are lots of great articles and videos there.

These are just a few of the great finds on CNN:

Autism in China: A Mother’s Journey

Autistic poet gives rare glimpse into mystery illness

Autism assistance dog opens girl’s world

Pediatricians urge early autism screening

It’s really worth checking these out!  Lots of great info!

Cool Autism Video

I was originally going to post this video almost a week ago, but due to some computer problems, I haven’t been able to be online for awhile.

My computer is not fixed, but I am using our old one.  It’s ancient and slow, but it does the job.

Anyhoo, because of having to use the old computer, I can’t actually post the video, but I will link you to it. 

Please watch!

Not only is it informative, but it has a lot of great photos of children from across the country that have autism.  (Including Taylor!)

This video was made by Jackie, who happens to be one of my MySpace friends.  Please check out her page, it is beautifully done, and she has lots of great info on autism there.

Also, don’t forget!  Tomorrow (April 1) marks the first day of Autism Awareness Month, 2008.  Plus, World Autism Day is April 2! 

Until next time!

 

Tuesday Linkage

Welcome to another edition of Tuesday Linkage, where I direct you towards all the happenings in the Autistic community.

Autism in the News: March 25, 2008.

HBO and Autism Speaks Screen “Autism: The Musical” in New York.

Autism Speaks Week in South Florida March 24-30, 2008.

Autism Speaks Co-Founders Bob and Suzanne Wright Join Other Families of Children with Disabilities in Support of Tax-Free Disability Savings Accounts

New Early Identification Campaign Begins this April

Local event: Walk About Talk About Autism April 26, 2008

I hope you find these links informative!

Gotta Love the Laugh

Oh my gosh, my daughter laughs like Spongebob Squarepants.

Miss J and Miss K went home early today and Emma was napping. 

Therefore…video time!

It’s kind of hard to hear her talk…working on yes and no…but that laugh is something else.

The laugh is a recent development.  Usually, her it’s more of a snicker or a giggle.

Now she’s laughing like her favorite cartoon character!

I’ve always said that what Taylor lacks in speaking ability, she makes up for in personality.

I wasn’t kidding, was I?

Tuesday Linkage

Here’s the most recent news is the Autism Community:

Autism in the News: March 18, 2008

NY Times: Autism Speaks President Roithmayr on the Puzzle Piece Pin

Kickoff for a Cure III Raises Over $1.97 Million

INSAR Publishes Inaugural Issue of Autism Research Journal

How Autism Speaks plans on celebrating World Autism Day on April 2nd.

I hope you find these links helpful and informative.

Bathing Barbie

Taylor has a barbie that she loves.

It goes just about everywhere with her.

It eats when Taylor eats.

It sleeps when Taylor sleeps.

It bathes when Taylors bathes…until recently, that is.

Barbie must have told Taylor that she wanted more baths. 

And Taylor, being the problem solver that she is, checked out the best places in the house for Barbie to bathe.

Barbie now likes to bathe in my dishwater. {Hot tub?}

And my toilet. {Pool?…Gross!} 

Now the dishwater I don’t mind too much….except for the mess. 

The toilet is another story…

Taylor is a sneaky thing.

She is very good at getting into the bathroom unnoticed.

I think her and Barbie are tag teaming.

You know…Babs scopes the joint out and lets Tay know when the coast is clear.

Then they make a break for the porcelain pool.

Pretty soon they’ll be having parties in there…

Ken, Skipper and the whole gang will be invited.

I can see it now…

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Photos from earlier today:

Barbie’s taking a qiuck dip.

She sure loves the bubbles!

*These images were censored for her own protection.*

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I hope ya’ll got a laugh from that…I know I did.