10/1 ESE Department 4 Rivers SPIRIT Day located at 874 West Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, FL 34741

10/1 Lunch & Learn Virtual Parent Training at 11:30 AM

10/10 End of the 1st 9 Weeks

10/13 No School-Teacher Workday/Student Holiday/Professional Support Staff Professional Learning Day

10/14 1st Day of 2nd 9 Weeks

10/15 Empower Hour Virtual Parent Training at 2:00 PM

10/28 College and Career Readiness Night 5:30 PM-7:30 PM at Osceola High School Auditorium

Upcoming Important Dates in November

11/5 Lunch & Learn Virtual Parent Training at 11:30 AM

11/5 ESE Department Rolled Ice Cream Spirit Night at 1348 S Narcoossee Rd, St Cloud, FL 34771

11/11 Veterans Day- No School

11/19 Empower Hour Virtual Parent Training at 2:00 PM

11/24-11/28 Teacher/Student Holiday (Thanksgiving Break)

ESE Department 4 Rivers SPIRIT Day happening on Wednesday, October 1st from OPEN (11:00 AM) to CLOSE (9:00 PM)!

20% of proceeds from the event will benefit the ESE Department.

Dine-in and mention SPIRIT Day at the register, or order online using the code SPIRIT. Check out the flyer for the event.

Below you will find the complete list of trainings and workshops currently scheduled for the 2025-2026 school year.

Communicating Childhood Experiences - Promoting Positive Peer Relationships, Acknowledge and Listen: Training will encourage parents to create a safe and open environment for their child to talk about their experiences. Validate the child’s feelings and experiences without judgment or immediate solutions. Communicate effectively and seek professional support when needed.

RSVP to attend here... https://forms.office.com/r/ig6kqeqBVP

Parents, caregivers, and guardians are important members of the IEP team. Your active participation is vital to the creation of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for your child. This session will provide an overview of IEP components and team discussions that you can expect in an IEP meeting. It will provide you with key terms and understandings that are essential to the development of a well-written, meaningful, and beneficial education plan.

RSVP to attend here... https://forms.office.com/r/LWyzLfvc2Q

RSVP for the event at... https://forms.office.com/r/CabdVfi5sX

Executive Function is a set of skills that help us plan, organize and manage tasks in order to meet goals. These skills begin to develop at very early ages and aren’t fully developed until mid 20’s to early 30’s. Children with autism can show weaknesses in their development of executive function skills but the good news is, these skills can be taught.

Please join us for this 4-Part Miniseries intended to support Parents of Middle School students. You will learn to be an EF coach for your child and guide them toward independence and success in school, social opportunities and life skills.

 

Register now: seats are limited! https://msef25.eventbrite.com

"The Loving Push" For Parents of Young Adults. Are you worried about your adult son or daughter getting "Stuck" on the couch, dealing with depression, learned helplessness and inertia? The Loving Push is a necessity to prepare your child for launching into independence in adulthood. In this “must read” book, Dr. Temple Grandin partners with psychologist and autism specialist, Dr. Debra Moore, to outline the “must-dos” for parents to help their offspring with autism build hope, motivation, and success! Dr. Grandin credits the loving pushes that her mother provided to her during her childhood and adolescence to be one of the key factors in her life success and in this book she shares with you how to do the same for your children!

Join UCF CARD Autism Disorders Specialist, Jennifer Collins, in reading and discussing the book with other parents. We will discuss reactions to the book, strategies outlined, and how to put all of this into practice with your own child. Seats are limited and the book must be borrowed or accessed in advance of the first session. Register: https://tlp10.eventbrite.com

This online workshop will overview how visual supports can be used to decrease problem behavior and increase communication skills. An assortment of examples will be shared. Participants will become familiar with a variety of visual supports including: visual schedules, choice boards, and motivational tools. Register: https://VisualS25.eventbrite.com

This training introduces three video-based interventions—Video Modeling, Video Self-Modeling, and Video Prompting/Task Analysis—with applicable use across a variety of environmental settings. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of each video-based intervention, learn how to select the most appropriate one for a given social scenario and/or to assist in meeting the behavioral needs of an individual, as well as learn how to apply each of the selected video-based interventions. Examples of each type of intervention will be shared, analyzed, & discussed during this presentation. Register: https://videointervention1021.eventbrite.com

What do those initials mean anyway? Many professionals in the disability community speak in acronyms, well we are here to break the code and find out what all those letters mean. Attend this training and you too will be able to speak the disability code language with ease. Register: https://asoup4820.eventbrite.com 

Are you an autistic job seeker or parent of an adult interested in preparing for a career in IT? Sign up through this Eventbrite page to learn more about the program. The Specialisterne Academy is an 8-week, fully online employment prep program where you can build both technical and workplace skills — at no cost!

What makes this program unique?

· Graduates earn industry-recognized credentials   · Practical, hands-on exercises

· Self-directed eLearning plus real-time instructor-led programming

· Small class sizes and supportive coaches · Focus on social and professional skills, not just technology

The next cohort will begin in January 2026 ---join us to learn more!

Register here: https://specialisterne1025.eventbrite.com

Los participantes recibirán una visión general del entrenamiento para ir al baño dirigido a niños pequeños con trastorno del espectro autista. Se cubrirán habilidades previas necesarias junto con señales de preparación, recolección de datos y técnicas comprobadas por investigaciones. Registrarte: https://eboctubre25.eventbrite.com 

Our goal is to provide support to black families who have a child or family member on the spectrum become more accepting, aware, and supportive in all communities. We share resources, provide insights, and assist one another. Join us on the second Wednesday of every month!

*Black - of or relating to any of various population groups including, but not limited to, African American, Caribbean, Haitian, Nigerian, Kenyan. 

Register: https://BFSG25.eventbrite.com

It's back to school time! Whether returning or just starting school or preschool, the first weeks are full of ups and downs! Join us to share concerns and celebrations while managing life as parents of young children with ASD. We share resources, provide insights, and support one another. New participants come each time and are always welcome! This support group is for parents of 2-11 year old who are registered with UCF CARD. This can be a great place to ask the facilitator, or other parents, questions about how they are navigating this with their child, resources that have worked, and those that haven't worked. Some parents come to listen, others come to vent, and others come with questions - all are acceptable! We meet monthly via zoom on the second Thursday of each month and would love to have you join us! 

Register: https://POYCoct.eventbrite.com

Fathering a child with ASD makes you part of a special group of dads. Gather with others who are "walking the walk" you walk. Fathers and grandfathers who are raising children or adults with ASD are welcome. Come with questions, stories, concerns and share personal experiences and meet other dads like you.

Register: https://JFD25.eventbrite.com

­Wednesday, October 15th, 6:30 PM ZOOM

Free monthly resource and discussion group for parents of adults and late teens (16+) on the autism spectrum. Open forum for parents to discuss concerns, seek resources, and gain support in assisting their adult children. 

Register: https://coa4654.eventbrite.com

Acompáñenos en una sesión informativa diseñada para empoderar a familias con estrategias prácticas para usar apoyos visuales en mejorar la comunicación, la independencia y la regulación emocional en personas con autismo. Descubra cómo herramientas como horarios visuales, tableros de opciones e historias sociales pueden reducir la ansiedad, mejorar la comprensión, y fomentar un comportamiento positivo en casa y en la comunidad. 

Registrese: https://creandoapoyosvisuales.eventbrite.com

Ven y únete a nosotros en LUPA, donde hablamos en español sobre temas importantes para nosotros como padres de niños y adultos con TEA. Registrese: https://lupamesdeoctubre.eventbrite.com

Los participantes recibirán una visión general del entrenamiento para ir al baño dirigido a niños pequeños con trastorno del espectro autista. Se cubrirán habilidades previas necesarias junto con señales de preparación, recolección de datos y técnicas comprobadas por investigaciones. Registrarte: https://eboctubre25.eventbrite.com  

Special Needs Screenings present movies in a sensory friendly with the lights up, the volume low, and moving around, talking, and even dancing in the aisles are welcome. Special Needs Screenings are shown on select Saturdays at 11:00am at all SMG locations unless noted otherwise. Tickets are available at the Box Office only as early as the Wednesday prior to these screenings. Tickets are free to all attendees and seating is first come, first served. Parental guidance is suggested.

The next screenings are Gabby's Dollhouse The Movie on October 4th and Tron Ares on October 18th!