Click Here to check out our calendar and stay up to date!

March 16th - St Patty's on the Square in Pocahontas presented by the City of Pocahontas. Click Here!

March 23rd - Sensory Cinema showing of Ghostbusters Frozen Empire in Jonesboro presented by TCFEF and our sponsors. Click Here!

March 23rd - Sensory Friendly Egg Hunt in Sherwood presented by Sherwood Parks and Recreation. Click Here!

March 27th - Transition Fair in Little Rock presented by Division of Services for the Blind. Open to the Public. Click Here!

March 30th - Special Egg Events in Bentonville presented by NWA Special Kids. Click Here!

April 6th - Autism Spring Fling in Bono presented by Lighthouse Homeschool Cooperative. Click Here!

April 18th - Inspire Saline County Recreation Fair and Family Fun Day in Benton presented by Benton Parks and Recreation. Click Here!

April 20th - Autism Festival and Walk in Little Rock presented by the Arkansas Autism Foundation. Click Here!

April 20th - Famous Family Bistro & Disability Resource Expo in Conway presented by the Parent Advisory Council. Click Here!

April 27th - Autism Funday in Little Rock presented by All Things Autism, Shatobeca Rhymes and Sharica Smith. Click Here!

Webinar Wednesdays!

Join TCFEF on Wednesdays at 12 PM for presentations and information to help you in your journey advocating for your child, client, or student!

Click Here to access our calendar for dates and topics for Webinar Wednesdays

Click Here to register for all Webinar Wednesdays and get a dedicated link so you can attend when you want!

Loreena Hegenbart will be retiring March 31st. If you would like to send a personal note or card for her, you can do so at: PO Box 16125 Jonesboro, AR 72403. We will collect the cards and present them at her retirement event. Thank you!

-Shelby Knight

The time has come for me to say goodbye to you. I have enjoyed these 9 ½ years working with The Center for Exceptional Families. This organization has given me the opportunity to travel across Arkansas, visit wonderful communities, meet, instruct and encourage parents who are great advocates to be better. I hope through encouragement that they can identify their child’s strengths, weaknesses, hobbies and dreams for their future. My goal for them is to impart a dream for their child and build upon it. I wanted them to share with the administration, their child’s teachers and people in their communities these ideas. I hope that the parents and school administration saw that TCFEF is a bridge for them to use to help with communication, emotions, advocacy and teamwork. Thank you, parents, teachers, administrators and LEAs, for the opportunity to be present. You all have taught me a great deal.

When I began this journey, I had no idea what to do other than sit in an IEP or 504 meeting and just “read the room,” add my opinion, give TCFEF information and move on to the next client. I believe I left a little bit of me behind and received a little bit of everyone I met. My heart is grateful, joyful, and a little sad. I know that my departure with my awesome colleagues is bittersweet, but I have grown to love each one of them. This TCFEF team has unique qualities that create a wonderful mosaic of skills, ideas and talents. I am forever grateful to Shelby Knight for giving me the opportunity to be me. The experiences in advocacy challenged me, caused me to be creative, to be silent and thoughtful.

As I begin a new decade of my life, I do not think I will stop sharing my experience with people I meet. I will direct them to a group of people who have their back. I have so many trails to travel, waterfalls to see, and new dance steps to learn. I plan on taking my son to all the 52 state parks and finding out how accessible they are. You may find us on YouTube. I plan on writing a book, maybe now will be the time. Look for it in a few years. “On tour with Eysiah, every day is a new adventure.” I had a wonderful adventure with TCFEF and this organization will always have my heart.

-Loreena Hegenbart, North Central, NW, and River Valley Parent Mentor

Keith Watson is the newest member of the TCFEF team. Keith is the parent mentor for the NW and River Valley area of Arkansas. He had this to say about his new position,

"I am excited to join the staff at TCFEF. I want to thank all of the TCFEF staff for the warm welcome, especially Loreena Hegenbart for her assistance with the NWA and River Valley Region. I retired from Wynne Public Schools as a high school administrator and also worked at Trumann Public Schools as a teacher, coach, and administrator for a number of years. I look forward to working with families in order to improve educational opportunities for students with disabilities. I have been married for over 41 years. My wife and I live in northeast Arkansas where we enjoy spending time with our children and 4 granddaughters."

Jerrica Switzer is also a new member of our team. She is TCFEF's administrative assistant and supports TCFEF staff plus professionals and families who reach out to us! She is also in charge of our Parent Toolkit Project! If you would like an opportunity to meet Jerrica and learn more about our services, she will be at the TCFEF booth for the St. Patty's on the Square event on March 15th from 10:00-4:00 in Pocahontas, Arkansas! Click Here to learn more!

I want to thank Loreena Hegenbart for her service ‘with a heart’ over the past years to the families in Arkansas. I had the privilege of meeting Ms. Loreena 11 + years ago. As a new hire, at that time, with the Arkansas Parent Training and Information Center (PTI), it was intended for me to assist her with PTI training and exhibiting. I can say that I left her presence that day feeling as if I was the one who had been assisted. She is one of those rare paths crossed that remain imbedded in your soul and mind. It has for me been an opportunity of a lifetime to work beside her. I wish you much healthy living, dancing, hiking, and caretaking.

-Karen Lutrick, SW and Central Parent Mentor

Happy Spring Readers! I want to remind you that Annual Reviews are coming up in April. It is so important for you to attend the Annual Review. This is the time to meet with your IEP team and review the progress your student has made this year. It is a time to look at achievements and challenges. This is also the time programming for next year will be conducted based on those achievements and challenges. Please watch the videos we have on our website and FB regarding Annual Reviews.

-Teresa Hendrix, NE and Delta Parent Mentor

Receiving a diagnosis for a child can be a difficult time for any parent or guardian; can you imagine adding the stress of being in a new country with a language barrier? As a child of immigrant parents, helping families is what I love doing. If you have a child, student, family, or a group that needs support with IEP or 504 plans in Spanish, you can email me at candie.corona@tcfef.org. You can also request a parent workshop, receive individual support, or request a parent mentor to attend an IEP or 504 meeting.

Recibir un diagnóstico para un niño puede ser un momento difícil para cualquier padre o tutor; ¿Te imaginas agregar el estrés de estar en un nuevo país con el inglés limitado? Como hija de padres inmigrantes, lo que me encanta hacer es ayudar a las familias que necesitan apoyo. Si usted tiene un hijo, estudiante, una familia o grupo que necesita apoyo con IEP (plan de educación individualizado) o 504, puede enviarme un correo electrónico a candie.corona@tcfef.org. También puede programar un taller para padres, recibir apoyo individual o solicitar la asistencia de un mentor para reunion de IEP o 504.

-Candie Corona, Parent Mentor and Hispanic Community Outreach