Hello 2025!
Feb 20, 2025
In This Issue
- Fun Times with the PTSO
- What we’ve been working on
- Upcoming Events and Happenings
- Food For Thought: Sensory friendly and inclusion
- Did You Know: Info and resources
Horse Riding at Son Rise Ranch
This is our second year of being invited to Son Rise Ranch to meet the animals and ride the horses. Thank you Son Rise for providing this event!
Did you know that if your child has a DDA waiver, you could go to Son Rise to learn to care for and ride the horses. Contact your caseworker and let them know you’d like to register with Stella’s Chance. To learn more click HERE.
Holiday Craft Family Night
We had a blast at Prune Hill Elementary making crafts, meeting Santa and having yummy treats. Thank you to volunteers that made this event a success!
Big Al’s Family Night
Thank you Big Al’s for donating the night of bowling and arcade play! Families and friends got a free night to be together in a sensory friendly inclusive environment.
What We Are Working On: If any of these interest you, we need your help to get them off the ground!
DDA Respite Community Providers: Camas only has one program that takes respite funds for students over 16 years of age. We are trying to get more programs and businesses to contract with DDA to serve those living in and around Camas.
High School Aged Social Group: We heard that older students need a space outside of school to create friendships.
Parent role in the IEP process: Does the parent feel like they are a part of the IEP team? What role do they play and how to make sure their voice is heard.
Special Programs Student Directory: How do students that are unable to communicate with their peers form friendships and connections? We are working on getting the special programs within the district to create contact lists so that parents have a means to contact other parents to help their students connect.
Upcoming Events and Happenings
Peer Play Clinic
First ever district led Peer Play Clinic where peers and special education students, parents, therapists and support staff work together to understand and learn how your student plays. The parents intention would be to observe their student across different types of play and see their child’s strengths and challenges. The professional team would stay in a play space allowing them to see all of the kids over the course of the clinic.
Neurotypical peers would get skill building and hands on inclusion practice, all students would get play practice, parents would get to see how their kids play with others and learn more about the play types, paras could get practice standing back and coaching play partners instead of always buddying up and pre-solving problems.
The Peer Clinic is happening in March and specific students were invited to attend. We hope the Peer Clinic is a success! The Peer Play Clinic is a great segway into our new Elementary Aged Play Group.
Elementary Aged Play Group: Coming in March
An hour long drop in play group that meets regularly for social time. Peers and special education students will get together for games and free play. Caregivers/parents must accompany students. This is a time for practicing inclusion and appropriate play. We will be using the skills and knowledge we learn from the Peer Play Clinic during our play group. More info coming out soon!
Drop In Parent/Caregiver Support Group: First Monday of the month @ 6:00pm – 7:30pm at the Camas Public Library (Upstairs)
A free drop-in group for parents and caregivers of children offering a safe space for conversation and commiseration on all things parenting. This group is all-inclusive and all are welcome! Topics include: behavior, rules and discipline, parenting styles, self-care, special needs support, IEP/504, neurodivergence, equity and inclusion. Please join us and bring your questions, concerns, challenges, and success stories!
Drop in format: New people and discussions each time. Come when you can and leave when you need to. Adults only please. Guided by Tori Watrous, M.Ed., LMHC
Book Club: Next meeting in March – TBD
Do you like to read and want to make some new friends? Read the book and then meet in person to discuss. Different people choose bestsellers and we meet every other month at a local café.
February Book pick is The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. We will meet in March to discuss. Follow our Facebook page for up to date info.
Easter Event: April -TBD
Would you like to see a sensory friendly Easter Bunny in Camas? Maybe you’d like an Easter egg hunt designed for kids with special needs? Whatever it is, if you’re interested in helping plan an event for Easter, contact us at team@camasptso.org.
General Virtual Meeting: Early May – TBD
End of Year Party: May/June -TBD
CamTown Youth Festival: June -TBD
We need a team to help plan and staff this event. If you’re interested in how to make city events more inclusive, contact us at team@camasptso.org
Food for Thought
Sensory Friendly vs. Inclusion: Understanding the Differences
Sensory Friendly refers to creating environments or experiences that are specifically designed to accommodate individuals with sensory processing differences, such as those with autism or other neurodiverse conditions. Sensory-friendly spaces reduce overwhelming stimuli like bright lights, loud noises, or strong smells. This may involve dimming lights, lowering volume levels, providing quiet areas, or offering sensory tools (e.g., noise-canceling headphones) to make the environment more comfortable for those sensitive to sensory input.
Inclusion, on the other hand, is a broader concept that emphasizes creating spaces, activities, or communities that embrace and celebrate diversity. It ensures that individuals of all backgrounds, abilities, and needs have equal access and opportunities to participate. Inclusion focuses on removing barriers and providing support, not just for sensory needs, but for physical, cognitive, and social aspects, to ensure everyone feels welcomed, valued, and integrated into the group or activity.
In summary:
- Sensory Friendly is about minimizing sensory overload for people with specific sensory sensitivities.
- Inclusion is about fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of their differences, are welcomed, valued, and fully integrated into the experience.
Both concepts are important but address different aspects of accessibility and support. Would you like to see more inclusive events or more sensory friendly events? Let us know!
IEP or 504 Meeting Feedback
Would you like to provide anonymous meeting feedback regarding your IEP/504 meeting experience? What worked and what didn’t? We will continue to get data from this survey throughout the year to share with the district. If they don’t know they can’t change!
Have you received the meeting handout we created with district input at your last meeting? This handout gives you a place to jot down notes, record important names and titles, a list of common acronyms used in special education and a flow chart of where to go if you have questions or concerns.
Resources
We are constantly using and recommending the below resources. Check out how they can support you and your family.
- Camas School District Resource Center: The FCRC seeks to offer a sense of community and an abundance of resources so we can fulfill our common goal as a school district for ALL students to thrive. If you need ANY type of support, this is a great place to check out!
- Peace NW: Their mission is to enhance community for individuals of all abilities. On their website you can find resources, informational and fun events and get help.
- Pave: PAVE provides support, training, information and resources to empower and give voice to individuals, youth and families impacted by disabilities in Washington.
Important links
Facebook : Where the most up to date info is posted, where resources are shared.
Website : One stop to find everything you might need.
Volunteer Page : We need your help!!! Please let us know if you are interested in volunteering so we can reach out.
Event Page : Where all the events are listed and the details, RSVP links.
Get to Know You Questionnaire : We want to know who you and your family are!
Please consider becoming a member. We cannot continue without membership dues! You can purchase memberships here.
Next Newsletters will be SPRING and SUMMER.
Support Camas Special Education PTSO Newsletter
By Camas PTSO · Launched 2 years ago
Camas School District Special Education Parent Teacher Student Organization