Events
Inclusive Book Reading
Saturday, October 25, 2025
10:30am to 12:30pm
Cost: This is a no cost event.
Location: 200 N Main St, Wallingford, CT 06492
The HELLO Lab at UConn is teaming up with Wallingford Public Library for an inclusive and accessible storytime featuring the empowering Mighty Mila book. Come enjoy a fun and inclusive story time with us followed by hands-on literacy games! This free event is designed with ALL families in mind — especially those with children who are D/deaf or hard of hearing.
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» View event flyer
Lectura Inclusiva
Saturday, October 25, 2025
De 10:30 a 12:30 horas
Cost: Este es un evento sin costo.
Location: 200 N Main St, Wallingford, CT 06492
Nos hemos unido con la Wallingford Public Library para ofrecer una hora de cuentos inclusiva y accesible con el inspirador libro Mighty Mila.
¡Acompáñanos para disfrutar de una divertida hora de cuentos seguida de juegos prácticos de lectura y escritura!
Este evento gratuito está pensado para todas las familias, especialmente aquellas con niños que son sordos o con dificultades auditivas.
» Register for event
» View event flyer
Early Steps Together
Monday, October 27, 2025
6:30–7:30 PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Online
Early Steps Together
Are you a parent of a young child (ages 0–5) who has received Birth to Three (B23) services? You’re not alone!
Join our virtual parent support group starting October 6th, designed to bring families together to share, learn, and grow through early support.
In this group, you’ll find:
✨ A safe space to connect with other parents
✨ Support navigating early intervention
✨ Resources for your child and family
✨ Encouragement from others who understand your journey
Where: Online – join from the comfort of your home
When: Mondays starting October 6th, 6:30–7:30 PM
Come share your story, connect, and take your next steps with confidence. Together, we’re stronger. ?
» Register for event
No es solo un trastorno de la lectura
El impacto más profundo de la dislexia
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
6:00 PM to 7:15 PM
Cost: Gratis
Location: Virtual
No es solo un trastorno de la lectura: El impacto más profundo de la dislexia
La dislexia afecta mucho más que la lectura y la escritura. Puede influir en la autoestima, la confianza y las experiencias sociales de maneras que a menudo se pasan por alto. Únase a nosotros para explorar el impacto socioemocional de la dislexia, escuchar historias personales y analizar estrategias para apoyar al estudiante de manera integral—tanto académica como emocionalmente.
Este panel será facilitado por Alissa Heizler-Mendoza, Coordinadora de Participación de Padres en Decoding Dyslexia CT.
» Register for event
Not Just a Reading Disorder
Dyslexia’s Deeper Impact
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
6:00 PM to 7:15PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Virtual
Not Just a Reading Disorder: Dyslexia’s Deeper Impact
Dyslexia affects far more than reading and writing. It can shape self-esteem, confidence, and social experiences in ways that are often overlooked. Join us as we explore the social-emotional impact of dyslexia, hear personal stories, and discuss strategies to support the whole student academically and emotionally.
This panel will be facilitated by Alissa Heizler-Mendoza, Parent Engagement Coordinator at Decoding Dyslexia CT.
» Register for event
Early Steps Together
Monday, November 3, 2025
6:30–7:30 PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Online
Early Steps Together
Are you a parent of a young child (ages 0–5) who has received Birth to Three (B23) services? You’re not alone!
Join our virtual parent support group starting October 6th, designed to bring families together to share, learn, and grow through early support.
In this group, you’ll find:
✨ A safe space to connect with other parents
✨ Support navigating early intervention
✨ Resources for your child and family
✨ Encouragement from others who understand your journey
Where: Online – join from the comfort of your home
When: Mondays starting October 6th, 6:30–7:30 PM
Come share your story, connect, and take your next steps with confidence. Together, we’re stronger. ?
» Register for event
Early Steps Together
Monday, November 3, 2025
6:30–7:30 PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Online
Early Steps Together
Are you a parent of a young child (ages 0–5) who has received Birth to Three (B23) services? You’re not alone!
Join our virtual parent support group starting October 6th, designed to bring families together to share, learn, and grow through early support.
In this group, you’ll find:
✨ A safe space to connect with other parents
✨ Support navigating early intervention
✨ Resources for your child and family
✨ Encouragement from others who understand your journey
Where: Online – join from the comfort of your home
When: Mondays starting October 6th, 6:30–7:30 PM
Come share your story, connect, and take your next steps with confidence. Together, we’re stronger. ?
» Register for event
DDS Commissioner Stakeholder Forums 2025 - Morning
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
11:30 am -1:00 pm
Cost: No cost
Location: Virtual
The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) invites you to join our 2025 Commissioner Stakeholder Forums.
These virtual sessions are a chance to:
Hear updates directly from Commissioner Jordan Scheff, Deputy Commissioner Elisa Velardo, and other DDS leaders.
Learn about new projects, priorities, and changes that may affect you, your family, or your provider.
Share your ideas and ask questions with DDS leadership.
We welcome individuals, families, providers, advocates, and community partners to take part.
? Please don’t forget to register so you can join one of the sessions.
» Register for event
DDS Commissioner Stakeholder Forums 2025 - Evening
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Cost: No cost
Location: Virtual
The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) invites you to join our 2025 Commissioner Stakeholder Forums.
These virtual sessions are a chance to:
Hear updates directly from Commissioner Jordan Scheff, Deputy Commissioner Elisa Velardo, and other DDS leaders.
Learn about new projects, priorities, and changes that may affect you, your family, or your provider.
Share your ideas and ask questions with DDS leadership.
We welcome individuals, families, providers, advocates, and community partners to take part.
? Please don’t forget to register so you can join one of the sessions.
» Register for event
Early Steps Together
Monday, November 10, 2025
6:30–7:30 PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Online
Early Steps Together
Are you a parent of a young child (ages 0–5) who has received Birth to Three (B23) services? You’re not alone!
Join our virtual parent support group starting October 6th, designed to bring families together to share, learn, and grow through early support.
In this group, you’ll find:
✨ A safe space to connect with other parents
✨ Support navigating early intervention
✨ Resources for your child and family
✨ Encouragement from others who understand your journey
Where: Online – join from the comfort of your home
When: Mondays starting October 6th, 6:30–7:30 PM
Come share your story, connect, and take your next steps with confidence. Together, we’re stronger. ?
» Register for event
Early Steps Together
Monday, November 10, 2025
6:30–7:30 PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Online
Early Steps Together
Are you a parent of a young child (ages 0–5) who has received Birth to Three (B23) services? You’re not alone!
Join our virtual parent support group starting October 6th, designed to bring families together to share, learn, and grow through early support.
In this group, you’ll find:
✨ A safe space to connect with other parents
✨ Support navigating early intervention
✨ Resources for your child and family
✨ Encouragement from others who understand your journey
Where: Online – join from the comfort of your home
When: Mondays starting October 6th, 6:30–7:30 PM
Come share your story, connect, and take your next steps with confidence. Together, we’re stronger. ?
» Register for event
Transition Tuesday
Transition Assessments and Why They Matter
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
7:00 pm
Cost: No cost
Location: Online
This session will provide an overview of the purpose and process of secondary transition assessments, highlighting the important role parents play as contributors and collaborators in the transition process. Participants will learn about both formal and informal assessment tools used to identify a student’s strengths, interests, preferences, and needs related to postsecondary education, career development, and independent living goals.
Presenters: From the Regional Educational Service Centers (RESC)
Morgan O’Malley, M. Ed, Secondary Transition Consultant, EASTCONN
Claudia Provenzano, Education and Transition Specialist, Capitol Region Education Council, (CREC)
» Register for event
Martes de Transición
Evaluaciones de Transición y Por Qué Son Importantes
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
7:00 pm
Cost: Gratis
Location: Virtual
Esta sesión ofrecerá una descripción general del propósito y el proceso de las evaluaciones de transición secundaria, destacando el importante papel que desempeñan los padres como colaboradores y participantes activos en el proceso de transición. Los participantes aprenderán sobre herramientas de evaluación formales e informales que se utilizan para identificar las fortalezas, intereses, preferencias y necesidades de los estudiantes en relación con la educación postsecundaria, el desarrollo profesional y las metas de vida independiente.
Presentado por: Regional Educational Service Centers (RESC)
Morgan O’Malley, M. Ed, Secondary Transition Consultant, EASTCONN
Claudia Provenzano, Education and Transition Specialist, Capitol Region Education Council, (CREC)
» Register for event
Effective Engagement with Your Board of Education
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
6:00pm
Cost: No cost
Location: Virtual
Families, community members, and Boards of Education (BOEs) all want the same thing—student success. But how do BOEs make the decisions that shape every child’s education? From setting policies and priorities to balancing budgets and staffing challenges, their choices have a direct impact on classrooms across Connecticut.
In this dynamic session, you’ll get an inside look at:
How BOEs work: What drives their decisions and responsibilities.
The power of your voice: How families and community members can influence outcomes.
Real-world strategies: Ways to engage effectively—even during tough conversations about funding, staffing, or policy.
You’ll leave with practical tools to strengthen partnerships with your BOE and make your voice count in shaping your child’s education.
Presented by:
Patrice McCarthy
Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE)
Executive Director and General Counsel
and
Jennifer Lussier
Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC)
Partnership Programs Manager
» Register for event
PARTE UNO: Cuando explotan los cerebritos
Crianza compasiva: cerebro, emociones y conducta
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Cost: Gratis
Location: Virtual
Está pasando otra vez. Tu hijo en edad preescolar grita por el “plato equivocado”, tu hijo
de secundaria da un portazo, o tu adolescente te lanza esa mirada helada que te
atraviesa el alma. Sientes que tus propias emociones comienzan a subir. ¿Y si estos
momentos – estos momentos exactos – son en realidad el cerebro de tu hijo tratando
desesperadamente de decirte algo? ¿Y si su “conducta difícil” es en realidad un mensaje
en clave que nunca has aprendido a descifrar, sin importar su edad?
Acompáñanos para:
-Definir la crianza compasiva y sus principios fundamentales
-Comprender el cerebro de “arriba” y el cerebro de “abajo”
-Reconocer los momentos de “perder el control” en ti y en tu hijo
-Descifrar la conducta como comunicación: desde la infancia hasta la adolescencia
-Identificar disparadores personales que sabotean tus respuestas como padre o
madre
Presenter: Dr. Maureen Ruby, DMD, PhD
Sacred Heart University
Farrington College of Education and Human Development
Center of Excellence for Belonging & Leadership
» Register for event
PART ONE: When Little Brains Explode
Compassionate Parenting: Brain, Emotions, & Behavior
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Cost: No cost
Location: Virtual
It's happening again. Your preschooler screams about the "wrong" plate, your middle
schooler slams their door, or your teen gives you that icy stare that cuts to your soul. You
feel your own emotions rising. What if these moments - these exact moments - are
actually your child's brain desperately trying to tell you something? What if their
"difficult behavior" is really a coded message you've never learned to decode, no matter
their age?
Join us VIRTUALLY to:
-Define compassionate parenting and its core principles
-Understand the “upstairs” and “downstairs” brain
-Recognize “flipping your lid” moments in you & your child
-Decode behavior as communication: toddler to teen
-Identify personal triggers that hijack your parenting responses
Presenter: Dr. Maureen Ruby, DMD, PhD
Sacred Heart University
Farrington College of Education and Human Development
Center of Excellence for Belonging & Leadership
» Register for event
Early Steps Together
Monday, November 17, 2025
6:30–7:30 PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Online
Early Steps Together
Are you a parent of a young child (ages 0–5) who has received Birth to Three (B23) services? You’re not alone!
Join our virtual parent support group starting October 6th, designed to bring families together to share, learn, and grow through early support.
In this group, you’ll find:
✨ A safe space to connect with other parents
✨ Support navigating early intervention
✨ Resources for your child and family
✨ Encouragement from others who understand your journey
Where: Online – join from the comfort of your home
When: Mondays starting October 6th, 6:30–7:30 PM
Come share your story, connect, and take your next steps with confidence. Together, we’re stronger. ?
» Register for event
Comprendiendo las evaluaciones de la dislexia
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Cost: Gratis
Location: Virtual
Comprendiendo las evaluaciones de la dislexia
Las evaluaciones son más que exámenes: se trata de un proceso integral que explora las fortalezas y desafíos de un estudiante en áreas como el procesamiento fonológico, la identificación de palabras, la fluidez lectora, la comprensión y el vocabulario. Conozca las herramientas de evaluación que se utilizan con frecuencia, cómo se interpretan los resultados y cómo esta información guía la intervención eficaz y otros apoyos. Acompáñenos en esta sesión informativa presentada por: Sheryl Knapp, M.Ed., C/OGA, C-SLD, directora y terapeuta de lectura en literacy learning and Assessment of CT
» Register for event
Understanding Dyslexia Evaluations
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Virtual
Understanding Dyslexia Evaluations
Evaluations are more than tests — each is a comprehensive process that explores a student’s strengths and challenges in areas such as phonological processing, word identification, reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. Learn about specific assessment tools that are often utilized, how results are interpreted, and how this information guides effective intervention and other supports. Join us for this informative session presented by: Sheryl Knapp, M.Ed., C/OGA, C-SLD, Director & Literacy Therapist at Literacy Learning and Assessment of CT
» Register for event
Early Steps Together
Monday, November 24, 2025
6:30–7:30 PM
Cost: No cost
Location: Online
Early Steps Together
Are you a parent of a young child (ages 0–5) who has received Birth to Three (B23) services? You’re not alone!
Join our virtual parent support group starting October 6th, designed to bring families together to share, learn, and grow through early support.
In this group, you’ll find:
✨ A safe space to connect with other parents
✨ Support navigating early intervention
✨ Resources for your child and family
✨ Encouragement from others who understand your journey
Where: Online – join from the comfort of your home
When: Mondays starting October 6th, 6:30–7:30 PM
Come share your story, connect, and take your next steps with confidence. Together, we’re stronger. ?
» Register for event