Parents group plans meeting for Nov. 2

JACKSON - The next session of the Jackson Parent-to-Parent support group will be held Nov. 2. The topic for the evening is building language and social skills in children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder).

The speaker for the evening will be Mark Corallo, who has an extensive background in using creative art therapies to assist with building language and social skills.

A practicing speech pathologist for nine years, he has been trained in Links to Language, Prompt Therapy, Deborah Beckman Oral Motor Therapy and in applying principles of DIR (Develop-mental, Individual-Difference, Relation-ship-Based)/Floortime techniques in therapy.

Parents of children with ADHD and PDD and others interested in learning more about building language and social skills will find the presentation informative. All are welcome to attend.

Jackson Parent-to-Parent sessions are held in the Crawford-Rodriguez Elementary School library at 1025 Larsen Road from 7-9 p.m. During the last half-hour, parents and caregivers have the opportunity to share and receive support related to specific challenges their families face.

The Jackson Parent-to-Parent support group is dedicated to serving the special education needs in Jackson.

The mission is to provide a forum where parents and those providing care can find emotional support on the challenges of raising a child with special needs and a venue for information on matters related to special education.

This is accomplished through encour-aging, facilitating and educating parents and caregivers in addressing and resolving issues related to special education and empowering them to be effective advocates on behalf of their children and others with special needs.

The Parent-to-Parent support group promotes collaboration with the Jackson school district as effective partners in improving educational outcomes for all students, according to a press release. The group also provides resources and educational workshops.

Individuals who would like to attend the Nov. 2 meeting and need child care services may call Pattie Carollo now at (732) 886-9584. Child care arrangements are limited.

For additional information or to discuss special needs, contact Pattie Carollo at (732) 886-9584 or visit the Jackson school district Web site at www.jacksonsd.org and click on Special Education.