Parent Resource Center Monday Message: 2.14.22

February 14, 2022 

Valentine’s Day Greetings from the team at your Parent Resource Center! We are pleased that Valentine’s Day coincides with our Monday Message distribution so that we have the opportunity to tell you all how grateful we are to be supporting your work. Whether you are a parent, a colleague, or a community member, we love learning from and collaborating with you to support and celebrate the success of Arlington Public Schools students. Wishing you all a happy day today!

We are very excited this week to be co-sponsoring a presentation by Our Stomping Ground -an innovative non-profit organization created to build community and support affordable, inclusive housing for individuals with disabilities. Our Stomping Ground offers vocational, educational, social and therapeutic programming to residents and community members with and without disabilities to build inclusive and understanding communities from which everyone benefits. All are invited and encouraged to learn more about the opportunities offered by Our Stomping Ground during the information session at 7:30pm this Wednesday, February 16th. Additional details are in our Events section below.

Arlington Public Schools has opened the registration portals for PreK and Kindergarten.

Kindergarten registration for the 2022-23 school year is open. Find your neighborhood school here.

Families interested in attending a Pre-K/ Elementary option school or program for the 2022-2023 school year must apply online between February 1 and April 15, 2022, at 4 p.m. Learn more here.

Summer Planning

Although a chill is still in the air and there were snow flurries outside of the Parent Resource Center earlier today, it’s time to begin planning for summer!

Virtual Sumer Activities Fair
Arlington Public Schools will hold a Virtual Sumer Activities Fair on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, at 6 p.m. The Virtual Summer Activities Fair provides a venue for families to learn about summer programs. The fair presents a wide range of local and regional opportunities for students of all ages in academic, cultural enrichment, outdoor adventure, sports, exploration, and virtual activities. Many programs also offer volunteer and employment opportunities for teens!

Summer School 2022
Arlington Public Schools has posted an informational video about Summer School 2022 online here.

Arlington County Department of Parks & Recreation 2022 Summer Camps
The Arlington County Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) is hopeful and eager to provide summer camps to the Arlington community this year. While DPR is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and specific guidance for camp operations at the local, state and federal levels, DPR is also preparing for the upcoming camp season. DPR’s top priority is to meet the health and safety needs of campers and staff and provide a positive and fun experience for all. Registration for DPR’s 2022 Summer Camps begins on Wednesday, February 23 2022 at 7 a.m.
View the 2022 DPR Summer Camp Catalog (PDF)
View a guide to learn about what’s new for 2022, registration tips, resources and more.
For the searchable camp database and additional information on DPR’s Summer Camps, please visit the following link: https://parks.arlingtonva.us/programs/summer-camps.

Therapeutic Recreation
The Therapeutic Recreation (TR) Office within Arlington Parks and Recreation provides specialized services for individuals with disabilities in both adapted and general recreation programs. They work with participants, parents/guardians, and staff to help ensure that supports are in place to promote an enjoyable and successful program experience. Select here to read more about TR’s adapted camp options and inclusion supports. 

Fairfax County Parent Resource Center – Summer 2002 Padlet
Our colleagues at the Fairfax County Public Schools Parent Resource Center have a 2022 Special Needs Summer Camp padlet in progress at: https://padlet.com/prc9/SNsummercamp.

Make Social Learning Stick offers free resources, a parent training video, and a newsletter to support parents interested in learning more about emotional regulation and anxiety, social communication and executive functioning.

PEATC has a new Social Media and Students with Disabilities fact sheet available, along with several transition-related fact sheets:

• Transition Guide: Internships
• Transition Guide: The Transition IEP
• Transition IEP Case Examples
• Transition Guide: Self-Directed IEPs
• Planning for the Future: Choosing the Right Diploma Option for Your Child
• Top 10 Things to Avoid in Transition Planning

Please visit the Parent Resource Center’s Events Page at aps2016.apsva.us/prc-events for upcoming school and community events.