Tag Archives: Special Needs

What Happens at Camp Arroyo, Stays at Camp Arroyo, Year 3
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Posted on August 10, 2017 by

Last week, my daughter Katie attended Camp Arroyo, which is where the Exceptional Needs Network (ENN) holds its summer camp for special needs children in conjunction with the Taylor Family Foundation. This was her third year. The camp may be … Continue reading →

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Gratitude for Attitude (School Update #2)
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Posted on July 20, 2017 by

As part of our effort to save the new building in Menlo Park for my daughter’s fabulous school, many of the parents wrote testimonials. After I helped Marina Vaserman, Director of Open Mind School, write a killer advocacy letter to … Continue reading →

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Chaos and Change, Part 3
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Posted on June 8, 2017 by

As I wrote before, Open Mind School (OMS), my daughter’s fantastic new school in Redwood City, was being kicked out of its current location by Oracle’s childcare provider and then lost its new location in Menlo Park to Facebook. We … Continue reading →

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Special Olympics Are Truly Special
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Posted on May 18, 2017 by

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I signed up my daughter for the Tri-Valley Special Olympics track team (aka the Tri-Valley Rockets). As I told my father at the first practice, I would have been happy if Katie managed … Continue reading →

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Viewing the Moon with Brownies
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Posted on May 4, 2017 by

If I needed further proof that chaos and change was my new normal, than I need look no further than yesterday. While I was helping Nate and other Eastbay Astronomical Society (EAS) members set up for a “girls only” star … Continue reading →

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Turning the Corner
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Posted on March 30, 2017 by

Recently it feels that my daughter and I have turned a corner, crossed some invisible line. Partly this is due to Katie’s placement at Open Mind School (OMS) and partly due to our use of the rapid prompting method (RPM). … Continue reading →

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The Myth of “Just Words”
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Posted on February 2, 2017 by

Hate. American chose hate. I am still grappling with this outcome, still feel as if one day I will wake from a bad dream. Except this isn’t a dream. Donald Trump has just been inaugurated so our collective nightmare won’t … Continue reading →

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Hope Blooms
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Posted on December 15, 2016 by

It’s hard to have hope after the most qualified woman—technically the most qualified person, male or female, in decades—loses an election to a compulsive liar without an ounce of relevant governmental experience. But something about the fear and the shock, … Continue reading →

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School Update #1
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Posted on November 17, 2016 by

Four weeks ago, my daughter started at Open Mind School. So far, it’s been terrific, and every day I am more convinced that I made the correct decision when I placed Katie there. Here’s the message that I received after … Continue reading →

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What’s the Problem?
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Posted on October 27, 2016 by

Sometimes I wonder, is the problem me? Other parents have special education horror stories, but no one has twisted tales of terror like mine and my daughter’s. Am I a bad parent? A poor advocate? But no, I have moved … Continue reading →

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