Virginia Down Syndrome Association

Wear Blue & Yellow for Down Syndrome Day Spirit Week
2023-03-20
Wear Blue and Yellow. Post on social media or email jsamuel@virginiadsa.org
Use hashtag: #WorldDownSyndromeDayVDSA

World Down Syndrome Day Spirit Week!!
2023-03-20 - 2023-03-24

Learn to Grow (baby parenting class)
2023-03-20 19:30 - 21:00, 2023-03-27 19:30 - 21:00, 2023-04-03 19:30 - 21:00, 2023-04-10 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Learn to Grow, offered to parents of babies with Down syndrome (<18 months). Starts Monday February 27, 2023, 7:30-9pm, virtually. FREE!
Parents of 2022 Babies. Learn to Grow for baby to 18 months old.
This class is in partnership with Suzanne McKeever, The Speech Path
8-week series of classes. Information & resources to answer your questions about the 1st year of development.
Topics include:

Speech and language Oral Motor & Feeding
Sensory Fine Motor Development
Physical Therapy Behavior/Social
Vision and Hearing

When are Classes?

Mondays starting February 27, 2023 to April 24 (no class on April 3)

Each week, 7:30-9:00pm via Zoom

Register: https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/learnandgrow2023/index.html
Contact Sherry Klauer for program information sklauer@virginiadsa.org (even after class has started).

World Down Syndrome Day!
2023-03-21

World Down Syndrome Day
2023-03-21 08:00 - 17:00

Adult Communication Class with Longwood, virtual
2023-03-21 16:00 - 16:30, 2023-03-28 16:00 - 16:30 | Zoom
Speech/communication conversation with Longwood speech grad students! Fun! Ages 18+ welcome!
Register at –
https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/registerforsocialandcommunicationspring2023/index.html

Teen Talk with Longwood, virtual
2023-03-21 16:30 - 17:00, 2023-03-28 16:30 - 17:00 | Zoom
Speech/communication conversation with Longwood speech grad students! Fun! Ages 12-17 welcome.
https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/teentalkspring2023/index.html

Spirt Week - Rock Your Socks Get Together - World Down Syndrome Day Spirit Week
2023-03-21 16:30 - 18:30
Rock Your Socks! We celebrate and raise awareness by wearing our brightest, loudest socks. Join us to create sock puppets for World Down Syndrome Day,
Tuesday, March 21
4:30-6:30 pm at
Virginia Down Syndrome Association Activity Room.
Pizza will be served.
Register: https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/RockYourSocksGetTogether2023

Read a Book! Book List
2023-03-22
Take a look at our Toolkits and Book List!
Click here:
https://app.box.com/s/si8ae88bgqdnemkdz2dspy5scf41vwn4

Field Day at Cara Therapy
2023-03-23
World Down Syndrome Day Spirt Week
Field Day at Cara Therapy

Thursday, March 23

Field Day at Sensory Gym at Cara Therapy, Midlothian
Two times: 10:30am-11:30am and 5:00pm-6:00pm (ages baby to 12)

Register here: https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/FieldDayatCaraTherapy

Field Day at Cara Therapy - World Down Syndrome Day Spirit Week
2023-03-23 10:30 - 11:30, 2023-03-23 17:00 - 18:00

Improvaneer - ages 16+ (Virtual)
2023-03-23 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-03-30 19:00 - 21:00, 2023-04-06 19:00 - 21:00
The Improvaneer Method – Online Style (Virtual) for age 16+, 5 week class
This virtual class helps build key skills that enhance social, workplace, and lifetime opportunities in ways never imagined before!
Thursdays from 7:00-8:00 pm. Cost: $35 per person for 5 week class
March 9 to April 6th
Scholarships Available – https://virginiadsa.org/scholarships/
Register here:https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/ImprovaneerMethodMarchApril2023
Learn more at https://www.theimprovaneermethod.com/

Vision Board Activity
2023-03-24
World Down Syndrome Day Spirit Week
Friday, March 24

Vision Board Activity – In Person
Join VDSA to create a Vision Board. 5:00pm-6:30pm at Creative Approach in Henrico VA . Visions Boards: Dealing with feelings activities, Believing in yourself, Positivity and Affirmations
Register here: https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/VisionBoard2023

Vision Board Activity - World Down Syndrome Day Spirit Week
2023-03-24 17:00 - 18:30
World Down Syndrome Day Spirit Week
Friday, March 24

Vision Board Activity – In Person
Join VDSA to create a Vision Board. 5:00pm-6:30pm at Creative Approach in Henrico VA . Visions Boards: Dealing with feelings activities, Believing in yourself, Positivity and Affirmations
Register here: https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/VisionBoard2023

Creative Approach Development Center, LLC, 2819 N Parham Rd Suite 150, Richmond, VA 23294

The Learning Program
2023-03-25 09:30 - 11:30
The Learning Program – The 2022-2023 Series

The 10th year of the Learning Program at DSAGR kicked off in September 2022 as a hybrid model.
Registration is closed for 2022-2023. Contact Sherry Klauer for program information for Sept 2023 to June 2024.
sklauer@virginiadsa.org
The Learning Program is an educational program that serves as a platform for sharing literacy and math instructional strategies, resources and activities to improve academic outcomes for students with Down syndrome, equipping families with the knowledge and tools to work effectively at home and at school.
There will be a total of 8 sessions held on Saturdays between September 2022 and May 2022. 5 of these sessions are for parents only in a virtual format (October, January, April, May, and June). 3 of these sessions are in person and be for both parents and children to receive instruction (November, February, and March). In September, we had a Family Day to meet teachers, other families and enjoy a park day.
During the in-person sessions, parents will receive instructions in a separate parent only class. Children will receive hands-on learning in a student class with centers that focus on literacy, math and fine motor/handwriting setting led by a qualified teacher and occupational therapist with volunteers to maintain a low teacher to student ratio. All in-person classes will be held at River Road Church Baptist in Richmond, VA. All the dates are below.

What level might be best for your child?

LP Level 1 (recommended ages PreK-1st grade or emerging readers)
LP Level 2 (recommended ages 2nd-3rd grade)
LP Level 3 (recommended ages 4th-6th grade) – will be offered depending on interest

Parent classes are taught by a local teacher using the Learning Program curriculum. Watch this sample video for a snapshot of what is covered in the parent learning classes – ABCs of Effective Reading Instruction. The in-person student classes are like the learning in this Learning Program video here!
Cost: The cost of the program is $195 (Scholarships Available). The cost covers:

8 parent learning sessions (Sept-June)
Student reading books for Fall and Spring
Math number line for each new participant
Resources related to literacy, math and more
Access to the LP Online resources
Access to a private LP Online Facebook page

Williamsburg Bowling Outing in Yorktown - Ages 10 to Adult
2023-03-26 15:00 - 17:00
Williamsburg Bowling Outing in Yorktown – Ages 10 to Adult
AMF Yorktown, 4200 George Washington Mem Hwy, Yorktown, VA 23692
3:00-5:00 pm
Siblings Welcome
$5 per bowler including shoes
Register: https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/BowlingWilliamsburg

Parent Mentor Training
2023-03-28 10:30 - 11:30, 2023-03-28 20:00 - 21:00
Mentor Program
Virginia Down Syndrome Association is excited to announce our Mentor program.
Mentors provide support, answer questions, are willing to share their experience as a personal resource to other parents. Through a mentor training, mentors will be prepared with the necessary tools to be effective peer guides in receiving information on Down syndrome, navigating resources, connecting through personal experiences, medical and healthcare needs, attending social and educational events, and much more.
What is a Mentor? Someone with lived experience raising or supporting a child with Down syndrome who wants to support other parents.
Who are Mentors? Parents, Grandparents, Caregivers
What are the requirement of a Mentor? 1) Attend Mentor Training (Virtual) 2) Dedicate a few hours a month 3) Have an open and honest heart
Bilingual parents in English/Spanish are encouraged to join.
Training dates are:

March 28th at 10:30 am
March 28th at 8:00 pm

Fredericksburg Spring Family Program, Picnic at the Farm
2023-04-02 15:00 - 17:00
Fredericksburg Spring Family Program, Picnic at the Farm
April 2nd at 3p.m. at Steadfast Trail Farm, 6830 Hickory Ridge Rd,, Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA 22551
Potluck, Egg hunt and Farm activity
Register here: https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/SpringFamilyProgramPicnicattheFarm

21 Shades (Black Family Support Group) - Virtual
2023-04-05 20:00 - 21:00
21 Shades (Black Family Support Group)
Please join the Virginia Down Syndrome Associations monthly 21 Shades of Virginial Black Family Support Group.
The group, 21 shades of Virginia, is a support group created after an expressed need in support of families expecting or raising a Black/interracial child with Down Syndrome.
The purpose of this group is to create a safe space for the Black Community to network, collaborate, create and share information while building meaningful connections.
Upon registration you will be sent a link to Zoom.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Raena Gradford, rgradford@virginiadsa.org.

Feb. 1, March 1, April 5 & May 3

Register here: https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/21ShadesMonthlySupportGroupforBlackFamilies

Fredericksburg Dads' Night Out at Mio Rancho
2023-04-14 19:00 - 20:30
Register here: https://virginiadsa.salsalabs.org/FredericksburgDadsNightOutApril2023

Life in the Community Symposium
2023-04-15 09:00 - 15:00 | Dominion Innsbrook, VA, United States
Back again!
Life in the Community is an informative conference for caregivers of adults with disabilities. Co-hosted with the Autism Society of Central Virginia.
Saturday, April 15th, 2023 | 9:00AM–4:00PM EDT | Dominion Energy’s Innsbrook Conference Center, 5000 Dominion Blvd, Glen Allen, VA
Parents & caregivers of adults and self-advocates are invited to join us for a day to explore interests and get better connected to opportunities within our community.
Through interactive “Community Mapping” activities, all will walk away with tools and strategies for increased community engagement.
Registration Includes:
– Five dynamic sessions
– Buffet lunch
– Exhibitors sharing resources & services
– DD Medicaid Waiver Consultations
Cost: 1 for $25, 2 for $40
Email info@ascv.org to request a scholarship
Sign up here to get more information and to register: https://ascv.org/lifeinthecommunity/
