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Pictured from left to right:
Deepa Srinivasavaradan, SPAN Program Director of Early Childhood/NJLEND Alumni; Dr. Carrie Coffield, Director, NJLEND Program; Joann Nahmias, SPAN Staff Trainer/NJLEND Fellow; Jeannette Mejias, SPAN Program Director of Family Engagement/NJLEND Alumni
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SPAN Participates in 9th Annual NJLEND Maternal and Child Health Leadership Symposium
On May 2, SPAN was honored to participate in the 9th Annual New Jersey Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (NJLEND) Maternal & Child Health Leadership Symposium, hosted by The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development at Rutgers University.
This event celebrates the outstanding achievements of the 2024–2025 NJLEND Fellows, and SPAN is proud to be a dedicated partner in this meaningful work.
A special congratulations to Joann Nahmias, who graduated as a Family Fellow. Joann recently joined the SPAN team as a Staff Trainer, and we are thrilled to celebrate her success. Her dedication and impact continue to inspire us!
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Pictured left to right: SPAN Youth Engagement Program Director, Dawn Monaco;
NJ Statewide Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, Paul Aronsohn; and
SPAN Family and Professional Training Program Director, Nicole Pratt.
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SPAN Youth Advocacy Summit
SPAN's Empower Tomorrow: Youth Advocacy Summit 2025 took place on April 26 and brought together parents/caregivers, youth, professionals, community partners and exhibitors at the Mercer County College Conference Center. The event focused on leadership advocacy skills, understanding school to adult life transition, and healthcare/wellness goals.
Two session tracks were provided:
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Transition Track: Presentations on self-advocacy and transition, featuring experts from the N.J. Department of Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Division of Developmental Disabilities.
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Healthcare Track: Sessions covering self-care, mental wellness, navigating health insurance, and understanding healthcare transition.
We were also proud to feature NJ Statewide Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, Paul Aronsohn as our keynote speaker.
More than 80 attendees participated and we would like to thank all of our exhibitors for supporting the event.
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2025 RAISE
Meeting and Summit
The RAISE Center held a dinner during the National Parent Center Conference, as an opportunity for representatives from the eight Rehabilitation Service Administration (RSA) Parent Centers and members of the Youth Engagement Transition Initiative (YETI) to network and reflect on how to best serve the population of youth and young adults with disabilities. The focus of the discussions was the importance of continuing to have youth/young adult representatives in Parent Centers and at local and grassroots disability organizations.
The RAISE Summit took place immediately following the National Parent Center Conference. Three sessions were held:
- Enhancing Outcomes for Young Adults through Collaborative Partnerships: A Blueprint for Success
- Youth Engagement Now (YEN)
- Plenary session with a Youth Panel moderated by a member of YEN
During the Summit, Regional RSA Parent Centers presented several resources they have developed during the year to support parent centers and families.
Following this presentation, participants learned from RAISE mini-grant recipients who shared their experiences in co-creating resources with youth leaders with disabilities, strengthening engagement, fostering innovation, and building lasting partnerships.
To learn more about the RAISE Center, click here.
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Pictured left to right: SPAN attendees Cindy Weber, Mita Bhattacharya, Paulina Vargas, and Yvonne Robles
SPAN's New Jersey Inclusive Child Care Project at CITE Conference
On April 26, 2025, SPAN was again proud to support the annual conference of the Coalition of Infant and Toddler Educators (CITE). CITE is an all volunteer, non-profit organization for Early Childhood educators. Their mission is “to provide quality infant and toddler care and education by building collaborations; providing professional development opportunities, support and resources; and by influencing public policy.”
SPAN’s NJ Inclusive Child Care Project provided scholarships to support the participation of 20 Family Child Care Providers who would have otherwise been unable to access essential professional development. This year’s theme was “Small Steps, Big Insights” and we provided professional development in English and Spanish about meaningful family engagement.
Rebekka Zydel, President of CITE, shared her gratitude with the SPAN team as she wrote, “Your session helped us create a rich professional-learning experience for early-childhood professionals who joined us. Among the evaluations she sent with high marks from participants was a note from one: “Thank you for this wonderful presentation and resources. I will use this every day in my work.”
To learn more about SPAN's New Jersey Inclusive Child Care Project (NJICCP), click here.
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Positive Strategies for Toilet Training
May 22, 2025
1:00 PM
Online
Come join us during Early Intervention Week as we discuss positive strategies and helpful resources for supporting your child as they start to learn the skills needed to use the toilet independently.
Learning outcomes:
- Identify when your child is developmentally ready for toilet training.
- Review positive parenting strategies to use when toilet training your child.
- Explore helpful resources for supporting your child to learn toileting skills.
To register, click here.
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Upcoming Events
SPAN offers a variety of learning opportunities for families and the professionals who work with them.
Highlighted Event This Week
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Empowering Families: Strategies for a Family-Friendly Learning Environment
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
11:00AM - 12:00 PM ET
Online
Struggling to create engaging learning spaces?
Join the NJ Family Engagement Hub's webinar, where we'll share practical strategies to transform any space - home, classroom, or community center - into a vibrant learning hub.
Learn how to design diverse learning zones, maximize resources for education, and foster creativity through fun, collaborative activities. Discover ways to strengthen family involvement to boost student success at any age.
Don't miss this change to enhance learning wherever children are.
To register, click here.
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