UPCOMING WORKSHOPS & SEMINARS (Oct. 2008 - Nov. 2009, updated 09/30/08)

(Compiled by Kathy A. Ryan, MCCPTA-SEC, 301-987-0349)

Available at: http://www.mccpta.net/specedCal.html

Support Group meetings at: http://www.mccpta.net/SupportGroups.html

Workshops are FREE unless otherwise noted.

* Workshops geared towards professionals, may be of interest to parents

New items

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Mon. - Fri., 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Bi-Lingual Case Coordination Service - Family Service Agency. Community resources for Spanish speaking residents in Gaithersburg. Get information about clothing, food, furniture programs, counseling, education, notary services, medical, dental & much more. Family Service Agency (FSA), 610 East Diamond Ave., Gaithersburg. Co-sponsored by FSA and the City of Gaithersburg, make an appointment with Lucia Torres, 301-840-3234.

TBD. Parents and Teachers as Allies: Recognizing Early-Onset Mental Illness in Children and Adolescents, FREE. A two-hour program focuses on training parents and school staff to identify the signs of mental illness in children and refer children and families to appropriate mental health services. The presentation features four speakers - 3 parents of children with mental illness and a young person with mental illness. One of the parent speakers is also an educator. At Your School In-Service or PTA meeting. Offered by NAMI of Montgomery County, call to receive a packet of information or to schedule a presentation this coming summer/fall/winter with Emily Novick, Child and Adolescent Program Coordinator, 301-949-5852, ext. 101, enovick@naimimc.org, www.namimc.org.

Sept. 30, 8:45 - 10:00 AM. Commonwealth Academy Open House. Serves bright to average students in grades 6-12 in small classes with accommodations for LD & ADHD. 1321 Leslie Ave., Alexandria, 793-548-6912, www.CommonwealthAcademy.org, Susan_Johnson@commonwealthacademy.org. (Also Dec. 11)

Sept. 30, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Bullying Prevention & Building Social Skills -Parent & Teacher Workshop. Oakview Elementary School, 5004 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax. Offered by Kirk Martin, http://www.celebratecalm.com/Events.html

Oct. 1, 2, 6 & 7, 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM. MCPS Cultural Arts Showcase. Opportunity to preview cultural arts performers. Different performer every 15 minutes - every day different performers. Carver Educational Services Center, Auditorium, 850 Hungerford Dr., Rockville. Sponsored by MCCPTA/EPI, Seda Gelenian. Showcase Producer/Coordinator, 301- 540-4180, sdagelenian@starpower.net. Schedules are now posted on the MCCPTA webpage at http://mccpta.net/culturalArts_dir.

Oct. 1, 10:00 AM. Online Forum - The Role of Response to Intervention in LD Identification. Dialogue with national leaders on Response to Intervention (RIT) to arrive at a greater understanding of the role RTI can play in the accurate and timely identification of learning disabilities. Presenters include Drs. Don Deshler, Jack Fletcher and Rick Wagner. Connect at: http://www.connectlive.com/events/rtinetwork100108/. Presented by the RTI Action Network, Negar Kordestani, NKordestani@ncld.org, http://www.rtinetwork.org/.

Oct. 1, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Circus of the Senses. Free tickets for children with hearing impairments and other disabilities. Excellent opportunity to experience the excitement of a circus under the big top. ASL interpreters, and option to have live audio play-by-play description broadcast through wireless headsets. Dulles Town Center, 45630 Dulles Town Center Blvd., Sterling. Big Apple Circus, Circus of the Senses, Pia Cooperman, 212-268-2500, http://www.bigapplecircus/community/circus-of-the-senses.aspx. Ticket applications due Sept. 12, 2008.

Oct. 1, 1:00 - 3:00 PM. Voter Forum. Representatives from the Obama and McCain campaigns will answer questions posed by the audience about issues important to the disability community. Purpose of the forum is to register more people with disabilities to vote, give the community an opportunity to hear from the two major campaigns their position on issues of importance to people with disabilities, become visible to the campaigns and get our community informed, energized and motivated to go to the polls. The League for People with Disabilities, Meyerhoff Multipurpose Rm., 1111 E. Cold Spring La., Baltimore. Hosted by the Maryland Disability Law Center, Kim Berney, 410-727-6352, ext. 2492.

Oct. 1, 6:30 - 8:00 PM. Adult Literacy, $15. 22 West Jefferson St., Suite 307, Rockville. Offered by the Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center, 301-762-2414.

Oct. 1, 7:00 PM. MCPS Fundamental Life Skills (FLS) Curriculum and the Alternative Maryland School Assessment (Alt-MSA). MCPS staff, Dr. Deborah Taylor and Ms. Myra Byron, will answer parents’ questions about who uses the FLS Curriculum and how important their contribution is to their child’s ALT-MSA. Carver Educational Services Center, Cafeteria, 850 Hungerford Dr., Rockville. Co-sponsored by the Education Committee of the Arc of Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Chapter of the Autism Society of America, RSVP Haydee De Paula, 301-984-5792 or Liz Roth, 301-924-2211.

Oct. 1, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Getting Into The College of Your Choice. Eliot Appelstein will discuss important variables for getting accepted into college, how applicants are evaluated, differences between the SAT I, SAT II and ACT, what constitutes a good college essay and much more, http://bestfouryears.com/. Norwood High School, Auditorium, 9191 University Blvd., West, Silver Spring. Sponsored by the Norwood High School PTSA.

Oct. 1, 7:30 - 9:00 PM. Dealing with the Challenges of Parenting Preteens & Adolescents. Molly Jackman, PEP presenter addresses important parenting issues for the pre-teen & teen set. Redland Middle School, Media Center, 6505 Muncaster Mill Rd., Derwood. Sponsored by Partners in Parenting, Jean Sommerville, 301-924-0128, wilbursfriend@aol.com or Cindy Batz Arnold, 301-869-0933, cbarnold@comcast.net.

Oct. 2, TBA. Deaf Parent Network: Internet Safety for Children and Teens. Get information and resources on how to keep your kids safe on the internet. Topics include: online victimization and bullying, prevention strategies, and practical tips. JSSA, 200 Wood Hill Rd., Rockville. Offered by Jewish Social Services, Lizabeth Katz, LCSW-C, TTY 301-309-2597, V 301-838-4200, pre-registration required.

Oct. 2, 8:00 - 11:00 AM. The Task Force on Mentoring of Montgomery County 18^th Annual Breakfast-Giving Them A Reason to Hope, $30. Dialog with Montgomery County Board of Education members Judy Docca and Shirley Brandman about the mentoring of K-12 students. Johns Hopkins University, Bldg. 3, 9605 Medical Center Dr., Rockville. Sponsored by the Task Force on Mentoring of MC, Daryl Gincherman, 240-426-6189, 301-330-0330 or Joy Raffey, 240-472-9319, www.mentor-me.org.

Oct. 2, 5:00 - 9:00 PM. Parent Choice & Academy Information Meeting for the Northeast & Down County Consortia. Information meeting for parents of 8th grade students to discuss the High School Academy programs. 5-6 & 7-8 pm, Choice process and the consortia high schools; 6-7 & 8-9 pm, countywide magnets. Special Education for DCC included. Deadline for choice form - Nov. 14, 2008. Northwood High School, 919 University Blvd., Silver Spring. Sponsored by MCPS, 301-592-2040 or 301-649-8081, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/downcounty/includes/0809info.pdf. Open House Oct. 16, 7:00 PM.

Oct. 2 & 16, 5:30 - 7:00 PM. S.O.L.U.T.I.O.N.S. (Supporting Our Loved Ones Unconditionally Thru Ideas, Opinions, New Information and Strategies) (1^st & 3^rd Thurs., 5:30 - 7:00 PM). Bi-monthly family-to-family support group for parents and caregivers of children and youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges. Opportunity to address concerns, exchange ideas, share new information and learn effective coping strategies. Le Don’s Salon, 1 Maryland Ave., Gaithersburg. Sponsored by the MC Federation for Children’s Mental Health, contact Brenda Smith, 301-681-8929 to register.

Oct. 2, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Edline: Monitoring Your Child’s Academic Progress (Middle and High School). Benjamin Banneker Middle School, 14800 Perrywood Dr., Burtonsville. MCPS Parent Academy Workshop, 301-517-5940, 301-279-3100, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy.

Oct. 2, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Volunteer Coordinator Training. For returning volunteer coordinators. Be updated about the volunteer hour tracking and reporting, hear about community resources for volunteers in your school and share best practices. Watkins Mill High School, Cafeteria, 10301 Apple Ridge Rd., Gaithersburg. Offered by MCPS Div. of Family & Community Partnerships, Kimberly Bloch-Rincan, 301-279-3100, Kimberly_A_Bloch-Rincan@mcpsmd.org, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/familycommunity/staff.aspx.

Oct. 2, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Next Step Series Workshop - Adult Services. Presentation for parents of children ages 14 who receive special education services and will require long-term services through DDA. Representatives of the Developmental Disabilities Administration, Division of Rehabilitation Services, DHHS-Aging and Disability Service & MCPS Transition Services will discuss what services are available and how to go about obtaining necessary supports after graduation. Earle B. Wood Middle School, Cafeteria, 14615 Bauer Dr., Rockville. Sponsored by the MCPS Transition Services, 301-517-8278, Spanish language & sign language interpreters available if requested by Sept. 15.

Oct. 3, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM. *Including Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Personal Journeys - Hear from the Experts, $125 includes lunch & materials. Workshop for parents, general & special education teachers, related and support staff. Panels of persons with autism discussing their experiences and recommendations for successful inclusion; of parents of children with autism sharing their dreams, strategies for communicating with teachers and experiences in advocating for their children; of educators discussing their experiences with inclusion and strategies for making it successful and of professionals discussing issues, priorities and strategies supporting social skills and relationships in the public school setting. The Meeting House, 5885 Robert Oliver Pl., Village of Oaklands Mills, Columbia. Sponsored by the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education, 410-859-5400, 800-899-8837, mcie@mcie.org, hppt://mcie.org/docs/Conf_Events/ASD08_brochure.pdf. Registration Deadline Sept. 29.

Oct. 3, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Parent Workshop. Heritage Presbyterian Church, 8503 Fort Hunt Rd., Alexandria. Offered by Kirk Martin, http://www.celebratecalm.com/Events.html

Oct. 4, 8:30 -11:30 PM. Opening Day of George B. Thomas, Sr., Learning Academy. A tutoring and mentoring program for students grades 1-12 on Saturday mornings, 8:30 -11:00 AM, Oct. - May. 8:30-9:45 AM: Parent Orientation. 9:45 - 11:30 AM: Registration. Bring recent report card, student ID & $20 registration fee. Program is free. Montgomery Blair HS, Albert Einstein HS, Gaithersburg HS, John F. Kennedy HS, Col Zadok Magruder HS, Northwest HS, Paint Branch HS, Rockville HS, Sherwood HS, Watkins Mill HS, Springbrook HS, & Wheaton HS. George B. Thomas, Sr., Learning Academy, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/gbtla/about/enroll.shtm, 301-320-6545.

Oct. 4 & 11, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Northern Maryland Health LEADers Program. Parents and guardians of children with special health care needs gain the tools and information to successfully advocate for the rights of children with disabilities and special heal care needs. Topics include accessing health care resources, obtaining needed services from your health care plan, appealing insurance denials, understanding Medical Assistance/Medicaid and learning about the health care system in Maryland. Mountain Christian Church, 1824 Mountain Rd., Joppa. Co-Sponsored by Parents Place of Maryland and the Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health. Apply with Rochelle Howell, 410-768-9100, ext. 104, 443-935-1076, Rochelle@ppmd.org.

Oct. 4, DEADLINE. Dorothy Lattner Memorial Scholarship for Educators and Therapists Working with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. $1000 award to an educator including occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech & language pathologists/therapists in Montgomery County who is continuing his/her studies in the autism field. Offered by the Montgomery County Chapter of the American Autism Society, 301-652-3912, http://www.autismmontgomerycounty.com/.

Oct. 4, 10:00 AM. Montgomery County Transitioning Young Adults (MCTrans) (1^st or 2^nd Sat, 10 AM). Roberta Buckberg, Montgomery College, Takoma Park, Career/Transfer Center Coordinator, will cover resumes, interviewing and job hunting. Bring your young adult. MC Arc, 11600 Nebel St., Rockville. Affiliated yahoogroup located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MCTrans/ or subscribe by sending message to MCTrans-subscribe@yahoogroup.com. Group co-moderator - Reda Sheinberg, rjsheinberg@yahoo.com, http://www.mctransitions.org/

Oct. 4, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Ask the Advocate IEP Workshop, $50/person, $60/couple includes lite breakfast & lunch. Panel of advocates will be on hand to make presentations and answer your questions. Lansdowne on the Potomac, 43459 Riverpoint Dr., Lansdowne. Presented by the Arc of Loudoun County & Parents for Autistic Children’s Education (PACE), register at www.thearcofloudoun.org, 703-777-1939.

Oct. 4, 11 & 18, 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM. FLAVORS (Families Linked to Advocacy and a Variety of Resources and Supports) (Sat., 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM). Program for families who have children or youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Assistance with transportation available. Spanish/English translation available. Elwood Smith Community Center, 601 Harrington Rd., Rockville. Sponsored by the MC Federation for Children’s Mental Health, contact Brenda Smith, 301-681-8929 to register. (Oct. 4, 11, & 18, 2008).

October 5, 12:20 - 2:30 PM. Tourette Syndrome Treatment. Dr. John Walkup will present updates on the treatment of TS and associated disorders. J.R. Marghi will also lead a discussion for children and adolescents on bullying. Mercy Medical Center, Weinberg Dublin Room, 301 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, Maryland. Chapter Meeting of the Tourette Syndrome Association of Greater Washington (TSAGW), 301-681-4133, tsagw@aol.com, www.tsagw.org.

Oct. 5, 1:00 - 4:00 PM. Survival Strategies For Everyday Living, Part 1, $20/members, $30/non-members. Part 1 of this workshop series will focus on behavior management. Amy McGinnis will teach families how to cope with autism and discuss strategies that help in every day living. Hilton Alexandria at Mark Center, 5000 Seminary Rd., Alexandria. Sponsored by the Autism Advocacy Coalition of Virginia, http://aacva.org/amyws100508.html.

Oct. 5, 1:30 - 4:30 PM. Parent to Parent: Family Training on AD/HD-Impact of AD/HD on the Family & Creating Developmentally Age-Appropriate Positive Behavior Interventions, $100/CHADD members; $145/non-members for 4 sessions. Course for parents by parents. St. Martin of Tours School, 115 South Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg. Offered by CHADD of Montgomery County, registration information at www.chadd-mc.org/downloads/montgomery/P2PReg.doc.

Oct. 5, 4:00 - 5:30 PM. Preparing to Launch: Smoothing the Transition for You and Your Teen from High School to College or Full-time Work ($22/person, $41/couple; $19/PEP member; $34/PEP couple). For parents of high school juniors and seniors. PEP, 10100 Connecticut Ave., Kensington. Offered by the Parent Encouragement Program (PEP), registration required, 301-929-8824, www.parentencouragement.org/.

Oct. 5, 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Parent Workshop. Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington. Offered by Kirk Martin, http://www.celebratecalm.com/Events.html

Oct. 6, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Kennedy HS DCC Open House. Information meeting for parents of 8^th graders about the programs at Kennedy High School. Deadline for applications - Nov. 14, 2008. John F. Kennedy High School, 1901 Randolph Rd., Silver Spring. Sponsored by MCPS, 301-592-2040 or 301-649-8081, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/downcounty/includes/0809info.pdf.

Oct. 6 - Nov. 10, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Communicating Success to Children, required text $20 (6 week session). Parents will learn the purposes of a child’s misbehavior and develop effective discipline and encouragement strategies for positively redirecting these behaviors. YMCA Ayrlawn Program Center, 5650 Oakmont Ave., Bethesda. Offered by the YMCA Bethesda Youth & Family Services. Questions or registration with Pam Mintz 301-229-1347.

Oct. 6, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. What You Need to Know About Gifted & Talented Programs & Services. Takoma Park Middle School, 7611 Piney Branch Rd., Silver Spring. MCPS Parent Academy Workshop, 301-517-5940, 301-279-3100, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy.

Oct. 6, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Raising Responsible Children: Teaching Accountability through Chores and Allowance. Parenting workshop addressing getting children’s cooperation with chores, instituting a plan for allowance and setting limits that hold kids accountable. Spanish translation available (traducción en español disponible). White Oak Library, 11701 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring. Offered by the YMCA Bethesda Youth & Family Services, 301-229-1347.

Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Workshop Series on Executive Function Disorders, $300/parent; $500/couple.) 4 week program to educate parents on the symptoms of executive dysfunction (many children with ADD, LD and Social/emotional/behavioral challenges have impaired executive function). Learn how to support your child at home and school. CAF, 5750 Executive Dr., Suite 107, Baltimore. Offered by the Center for Adoptive Families, 301-422-5110, caf@adoptionstogether.org, www.centerforadoptivefamilies.org.

Oct. 6, 7:30 PM. MCCPTA Special Education Committee Annual Kickoff Meeting. Various special education advocacy groups will present information about their organizations. Come hear how advocates from around the county provide support for the various special needs populations. 850 Hungerford Rd., Rockville. Sponsored by the MCCPTA Special Education Committee, Jeanne Taylor, FRTJMT@aol.com, http://www.mccpta.com/specneeds.html.

Oct. 7, 8:30 - 10:30 AM. Volunteer Coordinator Training. For new volunteer coordinators. Learn about volunteer hour tracking and reporting, hear about community resources for volunteers in your school and share best practices. Center for Technology Innovation, 4 Choke Cherry Rd., Suite 120, Rockville. Offered by MCPS Div. of Family & Community Partnerships, Kimberly Bloch-Rincan, 301-279-3100, Kimberly_A_Bloch-Rincan@mcpsmd.org, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/familycommunity/staff.aspx.

Oct. 7, 9:00 AM – 1:15 PM. *Identifying the Young Child “At Risk” for Learning Disabilities and ADHD, $125*, 4 CEUs. Focuses on children pre-school to 2^nd grade differentiating between lags and potential learning problems along with creating an effective learning environment. Lab School, 4759 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, D.C. Offered by the Lab School, Lois Meyer, 202-944-2232, Emily Marchetti, 202-944-3083, http://www.labschool.org/content/workshops. *”At Risk” Trilogy discount: $325.

Oct. 7, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM. Time for Tea - Panel Discussion of Special Challenges. Join other parents of young children with special needs for tea, coffee, light refreshments and conversation. Panel of speakers include Amy Kealiher and Jill Ginsburg, from MC Infants & Toddlers, Karen Mull Special Needs Services Coordinator from Child LOCATE, discussing childcare options and Karen Patterson from Respite Services of Montgomery County. Rockville Library, 2^nd floor Meeting Room, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville. Co-sponsored by MC Government, the Arc of MC and JSSA, RSVP 240-777-1216.

Oct. 7, 6:45 - 8:45 PM. Behavioral Strategies, Childcare & Respite Care. One of the Educational Seminars for Family Members Caring for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities. Overview of behavior strategies and childcare and respite resources. Rockville Library, 21 Maryland Ave. Rockville. Sponsored by the Collaborative Outreach & Training Committee - JSSA, Mont. Co. Dept. of HHS Aging and Disability & the Arc of MC, register at 240-777-1216 (also Dec. 3).

Oct. 7, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. An Introduction to Special Needs Planning. Speakers from the Washington Group will discuss important planning issues in this first of a four part series. Montgomery Primary Achievement Center and Karasic Child Care Program, 10611 Tenbrook Ave., Silver Spring. Sponsored by the Arc MPAC/Karasic Child Care Center, RSVP Tom Walsh, 301-581-7290, twalsh@finsvcs.com. (Also Oct. 14, 21, 28).

Oct. 8, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. *Maryland’s 20^th Annual Suicide Prevention Conference - Building a Culture of Hope, $90, CEUs. Keynote speaker Terrie M. Williams and a choice of 15 workshops. Martin’s West, 6817 Dogwood Rd., Baltimore. Sponsored by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Henry Westray, Jr., westrayh@dhmh.state.md.us, www.regonline.com/mdsuicideconf or call MC MHA, 301-424-0656, ext. 516. Registration Deadline - Sept. 30.

Oct. 8, 11:00 AM. Nourishing Our Children - Maryland Autism Recovery Coalition Support Group (2nd Wed., 11:00 AM). Featured speaker this month is Liz Reitzig, representative of Maryland Independent Farmers and Consumers Association (MICFA). Einstein’s Bagels, Community Rm., 531 Quince Orchard Rd., Gaithersburg. MARC, Cyndi Greene, 301-216-0375, cjgreene@starpower.net, http://mdautism.tripod.com.

Oct. 8, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Bullying: More Than Sticks and Stones-Teleconference. Learn what your child’s rights are, and how to enforce them. Presented by the Parents Place of Maryland, RSVP Missy Alexander, 301-884-4662, alexander@md.metrocast.net, for presentation materials and call-in information.

Oct. 8, 3:00 - 4:30 PM. Monthly Downcounty Latino Network Meeting (2^nd Wed., 3:00 - 4:30 PM). Welcomes participation from all community members. (meeting location varies). Downcounty Latino Network, Karla Silvestre, Karla.Silvestre@montgomerycountymd.gov, 240-777-2525.

Oct. 8, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Special Education: Advocating for Your Child (Session 1 of 4). Col. E Brooke Lee Middle School, 11800 Monticello Ave., Silver Spring. MCPS Parent Academy Workshop, 301-517-5940, 301-279-3100, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy.

Oct. 8, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Launching an ADD Friendly Life: Helping Young Adults with Attention Deficit Achieve Successful Independence, $15/person, $20/couple; series of 8, $100/person, $150/couple. Presentation by Dr. Kathleen G. Nadeau, Clinical Psychologist Director, Chesapeake ADHD Center of Maryland and author of “ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life”. Lab School, 4759 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, D.C. Offered by the Lab School, Kaiser Permanente Lecture Series, Emily Marchetti, 202-944-3083, emily.marchetti@labschool.org, http://www.labschool.org/content/lectures.

Oct. 9, 9:00 - 11:00 AM. Kingsbury School Open House. Serves grades K-12 with learning differences. 5000 14^th St., NW, Washington, D.C. Kingsbury School, 202-722-5555, www.kingsbury.org. (Also Nov. 13).

Oct. 10, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. *Autism Spectrum Symposium-Working Together to Connect the Pieces, $100/professional, $50/student. Day-long symposium aims to provide academic student affairs, and rehabilitation professionals with a framework for understanding students with autism spectrum diagnosis and share best practices when working with these students. The George Washington University, 1975 E. St., City View Room, Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the George Washing ton University Office of Disability Support Services, 202-994-8250, dds@gwu.edu, http://gwired.gwu.edu/dss. Registration Deadline, Sept. 10.

Oct. 10 - 24, 9:30 - 11:30 AM. Managing Anger: A Parent’s Guide ($81/person, $139/couple; $70/PEP member; $129/PEP couple; 3 sessions). Learn some constructive techniques to change what you think, say, and do -- which will improve communication and build stronger relationships. Focus on how to help children learn coping strategies and techniques. St. Luke Orthodox Church, 6801 Georgetown Pike, McLean. Offered by the Parent Encouragement Program (PEP), registration required, 301-929-8824, www.parentencouragement.org/.

Oct. 10 & 11, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Parents as Therapists, $220. Two-day workshop for families with children in the Autism Spectrum who are interested in providing sensory and motor therapy at home. G.M.S Institute, 7233 Nathan Ct., Manassas. Offered by G.M.S. Sensory Motor Integration, 703-392-5055, http://www.gmskids.com/smi/news.html

Oct. 11. Learning Disability Association of West Virginia Annual Conference. Keynote speaker will be Megan Marsano Yoho, Director, Lindamood Bell Learning Processing Center, Raliegh. Charleston Civic Center, 200 Civic Center Dr., Charleston. Sponsored by Learning Disability Association of West Virginia, Lori Dubrawka, 304-744-8188, dubrawka@aol.com, http://www.ldawv.org/.

Oct. 11, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM. *3rd Annual Betty Levinson Memorial Lecture -Comprehension Begins with a Word, $150; discounts for groups of students & teachers. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Marcia Henry on unlocking the mysteries of fluency and comprehension at all levels of instruction. University of Maryland, Shady Grove, 9630 Gudelsky Dr., Rockville. Offered by the Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center, 301-762-2414, http://www.asdec.org/.

Oct. 11 & 18, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM. Love and Logic: Teaching Children Responsibility, $150/person, $200/couple. This 2-day seminar uses videos, books and interactive lecturing to strengthen parents’ ability to raise children to become self-confident, motivated and equipped to cope with the real world. Lunch included. 4000 Blackburn La., Suite 260, Burtonsville. Offered by the Center for Adoption Support and Education, Valerie, 301-476-8525, caseadopt@adoptionsupport.org. Registration required.

Oct. 11, 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM. Living with FASD/PDE: Let’s Help the Helpers, $60. Learn to identify symptoms and prevent long-term complications resulting from in utero alcohol and drug exposure. 10230 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 200, Silver Spring. Offered by the Center for Adoptive Families, 301-422-5110, caf@adoptionstogether.org, www.cen