December & January Events with The Arc of New Jersey

Peace of Mind: Maintaining a Healthy Mindset

• Friday, December 16, 2022
• 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Your mindset is defined as a set of beliefs that shape how you make sense of the world. Your mindset influences how you think, feel, and behave in any given situation.

In our mindset talk, we will begin learning how to harness the power of positive thinking in order to empower you to focus on that which is within your control. Positive thinking is an emotional and mental attitude that focuses on the good and expects results that will benefit you. It is about anticipating happiness, health, success and abundance. It is becoming the master of your emotions and taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions. Once you empower yourself to change what is within your control, you can have anything that you desire in life.

Mondays with Michael: Resources to Help With Homework/Assignments

• Monday, December 19, 2022
• 10:00 am - 10:15 am

Join us every Monday at 10am on Facebook Live for a brief chat with Michael Pearson Jr., Director of Children's Advocacy at The Arc of New Jersey. Each week, Michael will discuss a topic related to special education and share helpful tips and resources for families. No registration is necessary, just visit our Facebook page every Monday at 10am.

Art Therapy Session

• Wednesday, December 21, 2022
• 11:00am - 12:00pm



The American Art Therapy Association defines Art therapy as an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.

Live viewers will be able to share comments, ask questions, and participate in real time. Please share your video and follow along to make this a true interactive experience!

Exploring a Closer Look: Transforming the Special Education School-to-Prison Pipeline

• Thursday, December 22, 2022
• 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Did you know that youth with disabilities are more likely to enter the juvenile justice system? The Special Education “School-to-Prison Pipeline” refers to policies and practices that push students out of classrooms and into the juvenile criminal justice system. The prevalence of youth with disabilities in juvenile corrections is 3 to 5 times greater than youth without disabilities, and 85% of youth in juvenile detention facilities have special education qualifying disabilities. We can do better! Informed, proactive, and educated communities can help prevent entry into the juvenile justice system!

Presenters Hanni Raley and Erica Dennison of The Arc of Aurora will review:

• What the Special Education School-to-Prison Pipeline is
• Why the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) matters
• How to handle schooling issues for a child as they surface
• Effective, data-driven practices that can influence the school and classroom environment
• How to support and transform punitive systems to interrupt the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Person- Centered Planning: Who Will Care For My Loved One When I Am Gone

• Tuesday, January 10, 2023
• 6:00pm - 7:00pm

The purpose of this workshop is to educate families who have a loved one with a significant disability about the importance of planning for the individual’s future support. Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of NJ (PLAN/NJ) will guide families in this estate planning and life-long support process. This session will address future planning issues such as independent living supports; estate planning, legal and financial protections. Topics include how to implement a future life plan for people with disabilities; guardianship, Special Needs Trusts, home visit monitoring and advocacy. Handouts will be provided to families to highlight the topics of the session.

College Funding Secrets

• Wednesday, January 11, 2023
• 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Chris Curran, the founder of College Funding Concepts, has spent the majority of his 25-year career in the financial services industry specializing in helping families navigate the confusing and often frustrating process of selecting, applying to, and paying for college.

The four main objectives of this workshop will be:

1. Learning the rules of the financial aid system

2. Avoiding common mistakes when planning for college

3. Selecting the right schools to fit your budget

4. Exploring the options available to pay the tuition

FI Fireside Chat with Jerisa Maseko from Planning for Adult Life

• Thursday, January 12, 2023
• 6:00pm - 7:00pm

Chat with Jerisa Maseko, Director of The Planning For Adult Life Program. Jerisa will give us an overview of the program and talk a little about how they can help individuals with IDD plan for their future.