Fall 2013 - Appleton

Autism Society of the Fox Valley
Fall 2013
Volume 8, Issue 4
ASFV Fall
Newsletter
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
I hope you and your families have made a smooth transition back into
the school routine. The ASFV board has been very busy planning and
holding events for our members. We had a great turnout of members at
the Timber Rattlers game. We almost doubled the number of people
who came to the wine tasting event. The golf clinic and football camps
were very well attended by happy kids and their families. Thank you to
all of you who participated or volunteered your time to make these
events successes.
On October 5th, we will hold our annual membership meeting at Monkey Joe’s in Appleton. There will be a short meeting, starting at 9:30
am, to discuss the election results, an update about parent/educator
workshops and social outings, and CAKE.
In doing some research about transitioning from high school to college,
I discovered a fabulous website for young adults and their families. The
site is called Autism After 16: www.autismafter16.com. Navigating
through this website is very easy. The clearly labeled tabs for education, postsecondary, housing, transition and more open to a wealth of
knowledge. There is a roadmap of services for Wisconsin under the
resources tab. I was very impressed by the quality and accuracy of the
information.
Have a wonderful fall,
Diane Nackers, President ASFV
CHANGE IN EMAIL ADDRESS
ASFV has made a change in our email address. The new email
is [email protected]
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
ASFV event summaries
2-3
Workshop/ Outings
4-6
Community opportunities
Conrad’s Corner
Music Therapy
7
8
9-10
Little Chute Park
11
Membership form
12
6TH ANNUAL BOB BURNS’ GOLF CLINIC FOR
KIDS WITH AUTISM
The Sixth Annual Bob Burns’ Golf
Clinic for Kids with Autism took place
on July 27th. It was a beautiful, sunny morning for the event. This was an
ASFV members-only event and 30
kids between the ages of 6-20yrs participated. Bob Burns and his excellent
staff set up 4 different stations to
learn specific golf techniques. These
stations included putting, chipping at
the sand trap, driving and using
irons. It was absolutely amazing to
see how these kids have improved
over the years. Some golfers even
brought their own clubs. Bob mentioned that several of the kids have
real talent.
After the clinic, a picnic lunch was
provided by ASFV. It was wonderful
to see kids go back to golfing after
lunch was done. We are very thankful
to Bob Burns and his staff for putting
on this clinic for our autism community. Bob has 2 grandchildren on the
autism spectrum so this issue is very
near and dear to his heart. We appreciate all of his contributions to our
organization. We would also like to
thank Erin Lemieux who donated
$80 towards the golf clinic. We appreciate her generosity.
Thanks to all of you who made this
clinic a huge success.
TIMBER RATTLERS FAMILY OUTING
The ASFV families had a wonderful time at the Timber Rattlers game in
August. The picnic supper, the special visit from a mascot, and a great
game followed by fireworks made this outing very special.
2
8TH ANNUAL ASFV/ XAVIER FOOTBALL
Another very successful football camp was held on September 14th, 2013. Over
80 kids with autism, and many siblings, took part in the annual camp practicing football moves with the Xavier Hawks football team. Coach David Hinkens
imparts his passion for this event by telling the team members, “This is the best
day of the year.” That sentiment was shared by many parents and kids.
Kerry Fruend wrote, “Thank you again to everyone. To the high school players—you will never know how much your interactions meant to both my boys!
I rarely see them smile the way they did on Saturday! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
Jenifer Rettler wrote, “This picture shows my son in football camp heaven. It
was the first year of many years that we will be a part of this event. Thank you
to all the Xavier football team members, coaching staff, cheerleaders, and Xavier family members who helped make this such an exceptional day for all of the
kids and families.”
3
PARENT/EDUCATOR WORKSHOP—OCT 14TH
The Autism Society of the Fox
Valley is offering a parent and educator workshop.
ASFV Parent-Educator Workshop
Date: Monday, Oct. 14th
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Location: Miron Construction 1471 McMahon Road,
Neenah, WI 54956
Presenter: Lisa Lesselyong, Autism Consultant CESA 6, Speech
and Language Pathologist
Topic: Behavior is communication!
The presenter will discuss neurological characteristics that can
cause challenging behavior in in-
dividuals with ASD. The presenter
will share "tried and true" strategies (use of visual supports, routine and predictability, sensory
accommodations, communication
strategies, etc.) designed to increase the ASD learner's understanding of expectations, which
often results in a reduction in
challenging behavior.
Certificates of Attendance will be
provided.
***WE WILL BE TAKING REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT!
To Register: go to http://
www.focol.org/asfv/register.htm
or e-mail Peggy Bartman
at [email protected]
ASFV is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization run by an all volunteer board.
PARENT/EDUCATOR WORKSHOP—NOV 12TH
Tuesday, November 12th
Time: 6:30-8:30 pm
Location: Miron Construction 1471 McMahon Road, Neenah, WI
54956
Korah Petrasko—an adult on the spectrum—will be sharing her life, her
diagnosis and what makes her awesome.
Much more info to come about her presentation.
4
MONKEY JOE’S PLAYDATES ARE BACK
Monkey Joe’s and ASFV offer a once
a month play time open exclusively
for families with a child on the spectrum. This event is free for all members. All non-members pay only
$5.00 per family. It’s a chance for the
kids to play while parents network.
An ASFV board member is on site to
answer questions about our chapter,
fill out membership forms, or offer
support.
Monkey Joe’s playdates are the first
Saturday of every month during the
school year.
1800 N. Casaloma Appleton, WI
54913 Phone: (920) 954-5437
Come and join the fun!!
October 5th
November 2nd
December 7th
January 4th
February 1st
March 1st
HANGIN’ TIL TEN SOCIAL GROUP
Our newest social outing group is off and running. If your child is 7-10 years old and
would like to receive all of the outing updates, email Diane at [email protected] or
Heidi at [email protected]
October 12th Gordon Bubolz Nature Center, Appleton 12:30-2
The kids will be taking a nature hike looking for animal tracks. Each participant will then make their own animal track out of plaster.
The cost is $5.00 per child—payable at
event.
November 9th—ATA Tae Kwon Do 9-10 am
The kids will participate in a wide variety of
Tae Kwon Do activities. Rick Glenn encourages parents to participate. The kids should wear pants they
can kick in (sweat/workout) and a t-shirt. No shorts
please. Some of the things we will do: Taekwondo basics, Self-defense,
Bullying prevention, Fun games, Board breaks, plus other things!
This event will be free to all participants.
December 7th – Fox West YMCA - Christmas party
January 4th – Funset Blvd
February 15th—Badger Sports Park
March 1st TBA
April 5th TBA
May 3rd TBA
5
TEEN GROUP OUTINGS PLANNED
The ASFV Teen Group has been meeting monthly for the past 4 1/2 years.
We have gone to the EAA, bowling, out to eat, karate lessons, Funset Blvd,
and many more places. The outings are designed for pro-social interactions
between the teens with adult supervision. If you have a teen, 13-20 years
old, who wants to connect with other teens on the autism spectrum, email
Peggy Bartman at [email protected] or Diane Nackers at
[email protected] to be added to the emailing list.
October 12th – Bubolz Nature Center 12-2
November 9th – Shopping scavenger hunt Northland Mall
December – Funset Blvd Christmas gift exchange
January 11th – Diane’s house
February 15th - Badger Sports Park
March 15th—Fox Valley Tech Tour
TWENTY SOMETHING SOCIAL NETWORK
ASFV's 20 Something group invites
you to attend their next social outing.
The group is designed for young
adults with ASD, 19 –29 years
old, who can independently participate in social activities and are interested in social networking.
The group is always looking for more
members to participate (we require a
minimum of 3-5 participants to hold
each event.) Participant costs are
minimal ($5.00 per event).
Events are facilitated by 1 or 2 adult
ASFV board members or volunteers.
If 20 Something sounds like fun to
you, contact Lisa at
[email protected] to inquire
more about the group and/or its activities.
PARENT SUPPORT GROUP MEETING
The ASFV Parent Support Group Meeting will now be held the SECOND SATURDAY of
each month from 9:30-11:30 am in the Red Room.
The parent group meets at The Harmony Café, 233 East College Avenue, in downtown
Appleton.
Time: 9:30 —11:30 am. The meetings are facilitated by a board member.
Enjoy friendly conversation and meet other parents or caregivers who love and care for
someone with autism. To be added to the support group list, send an email to
[email protected].
New handouts from the Department of Public Instruction and The Autism Society of
America will be available at each meeting.
Follow the link to more terrific resources. http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/
autism-support-groups.html
6
YMCA—SENSORY SWIM AVAILABLE
Open Swim and private lessons,
including private lessons for children with autism in partnership
with the Autism Society of the
Fox Valley, are offered at Fox
West.
Fox West YMCA
W6931 School Road
Greenville, WI 54942
Phone: 920.757.9820
Contact Paul Bady at
[email protected] or
920-560-3412 to learn more.
All staff have been trained in the
use of visuals, understanding the
sensory system and its impact on
learning to swim, and autism
foundational information.
BERTRAND SCHMITZ AUTISM CONSULTING
Thursday Oct. 3rd Bowling at Sabre Lanes 4:30 to 6:00 pm
Thursday Nov. 7th Bowling at Sabre Lanes 4:30 to 6:00 pm
Thursday Dec. 5th Bowling at Sabre Lanes 4:30 to 6:00 pm
Saturday Dec. 7th Christmas party at Brillion Community Center, bring
your swim suit and gym shoes. The party starts at 11 am and goes until
3 pm.
All the activities this fall are sponsored by the Jimmy Coraggio family.
Just as an FYI the Brillion Community Center has free swim on the following Saturdays: this is an extra activity you may want to take advantage of. It is not part of the rec. club. If you have outings you think
others may want to go to, please let me know so that we can get the
word out.
Oct. 26th from 1-3 pm
Nov. 16th from 1-3 pm
Dec. 31st from 1-3 pm
For more information contact Dick and Mark at (920) 378-0940 or
(920) 205-1087
7
USING MUSIC TO HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN
by Kathy Schumacher, MT-BC
Can you imagine a world without music? No radio in the car, no iPod for exercising, no soundtrack during a movie. In these examples, music helps time pass
quickly and keeps kids entertained on long trips. Music serves as a time keeper
--just keep moving until the song ends--and in the case of a movie soundtrack,
it heightens our emotional reaction.
Exposure to quality music and opportunities for active music making are important components of childhood. Music provides a crucial building block for
success in academics and life in general. Recorded music is great, but nothing
can beat live music for early childhood development.
For those adults who are not comfortable singing (I’m a music therapist and I
used to be one of them), the following are some tips for incorporating music
into your child’s life:
Your child strongly prefers your live voice over any recorded musician. In this case, quantity is more important than quality. Besides,
the quality probably isn’t as bad as you think anyway. I recommend
practicing in the shower because of the great acoustics!
Start with good old-fashioned nursery rhymes. Some have tunes
attached to them and some can just be recited in a rhythmic fashion.
Frequent exposure to nursery rhymes develops rhyme recognition,
an important phonological awareness skill and a precursor for being
able to read with comprehension.
Development of beat competence (keeping a steady beat in time with someone
else) is critical for brain development and later ability for academics including
reading and math. You can start by simply playing simple rhythm instruments or even the kitchen pots and pans along with your child in time to a
recording.
Even more powerful is having your child play instruments or body
percussion (clap hands, stamp feet, tap knees) in sync with your singing. You will have better luck if you first observe your child’s natural
rhythms and body movements. Choose a speed that is close to your
child’s natural cadence but then gradually slow that tempo down if it
is too fast.
Music is structured and predictable. It helps immensely with facilitating smooth transitions. Sing a specific song for each daily activity
including those that are not very challenging and the ones that typically cause distress. Piggyback songs--putting new words to a familiar melody--work great for this.
Try this simple song for helping a child stop an activity. Clap two
times for each number and use any variation of sign language for “all
done” while singing those words. Clapping and counting backwards gives
them just a little bit of time to prepare and get ready for the transition.
8
USING MUSIC TO HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN
CONTINUED….
For those of you that don’t read music notation but are familiar with the
movie The Sound of Music, you may be able to figure out the melody using
this system: sol - fa - mi - re - do - - - re - - - do - - -.
For children who are nonverbal or just starting to use language, using the
structure of music to prompt a response can be extremely effective. After
singing a song fifty or more times so that it becomes familiar, pause at a
strategic spot in the music. The brain wants to fill in that space and the
melody and rhythm provide a template for a response.
Enroll your child in an early childhood music class. In the Appleton area,
check out www.lawrence.edu/s/academy/programs/classes/special needs
or call for information at 920-832-6632. In the Oshkosh area, check out
www.AdventuresinMusic.org or call for information at 920-379-4547.
Both programs offer classes taught by board-certified music therapists
trained in adapting each session for individual needs.
Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about experiencing a world without music. It’s non-musical benefits are numerous and it’s just plain motivating
and fun for kids and adults. Sing a song with your child today!
SHINING STAR STORYTIME HAS RETURNED
When: Tuesdays—October 1st, November 5th and December 3rd
Time: 6:30-7:15 pm
Where: Children’s section
Registration Details: Please click on the "View in the Calendar" link above
or call 832-6187 to register
What is Shining Star?
A story time for children on the Autism Spectrum. The program is designed
developmentally for 4-8 year olds.
Important Details:

When you register for the program the library, please mention any high
interest areas (so that they might be included in the program). Special
accommodations can also be made at this time.

A parent or therapist must accompany each child.

Siblings are welcome to attend but must be supervised by an additional
adult.
This program will use visual supports and high interest activities to engage
the children. A "break" room will be provided for children having difficulty
participating with the group. Fidget sensory toys and seating cushions will
also be available.
9
CONRAD’S CORNER
The following message is from Conrad. He is a freshman at UW Whitewater. UWW has an exceptional transition to college program, called
the Center for Students with Disabilities. The Center for Students with
Disabilities’ (CSD) mission is to be partners in creating an accessible
learning community where students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of the educational experience. Through partnership with students, faculty and staff, we promote
students’ independence and recognition of a student's ability,
not disability.
Values

To provide services in a respectful manner, acknowledging that students have rights and responsibilities

To promote student's autonomy and management of their services

To promote diversity on the campus

To recognize a student's rights to privacy and confidentiality

To provide information in accessible formats to enable students to
make informed decisions

Offer services in a timely manner
Conrad participated in a summer program to help with the transition.
He writes his advice from his perspective.
“College can be fun, challenging, stressful, or even all the above. However, navigating your campus of choice may not be the easiest. For example, if I need to know where a Hall is (for classes, dormitory areas, or
other points of interest), I walk around campus until I'm familiar with
the Hall I need to go to as well as the path that is best to travel there.
Don't be discouraged by the amount of buildings at campus - other college kids walking to their destinations can help you out by pointing you
to the building that you need. There are also maps around campus so
you can see where you are located and all the Halls and buildings.
The most helpful tip I can give you is to familiarize yourself with all the
buildings before school starts; this is where you should look at your
class schedule and see where your classes are located and walk around
campus a few days prior to college starting back up. Professors do not
like it when students roll in late the first day, so be prepared to travel
your route in the time needed by familiarizing yourself with the campus.”
For more information about UWW: http://www.uww.edu/csd/
10
Autism Society of the Fox Valley
1800 Appleton Rd.
Menasha, WI 54952
(920) 968-6829
Email: [email protected]
ASFV Board Members
Diane Nackers, MS CCC-SLP —
President
Ann Olson—Vice President
Bob Olson—Treasurer
Kristin Wahl
Steve Brennan
Peggy Bartman, OT
Archna Hendricks, MD
Heidi Dahle
Lisa Lesselyong, MS CCC-SLP
Chad Leder
www.focol.org/asfv
Newsletter Submissions
Articles of interest, stories/poetry of persons with autism, book reviews and upcoming conferences or workshops are accepted. Submissions can be sent to: Diane Nackers, 8042 Sequaro Ct, Neenah WI
54956 email: [email protected].
Submission deadlines are November 30, February 28, May 15, and
August 15 . Responsibility for accuracy of information remains that of
the author of the article.
Articles from this publication may be reprinted, giving credit to the
author and ASFV. The ASFV Editorial Review Board reserves the right
to edit or refuse submissions.
Like the Autism Society of the
Fox Valley on Facebook to stay
informed.