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Preparing students with developmental disabilities for life: SBLSD Third Thursdays connect families to resources

Preparing students with developmental disabilities for life: SBLSD Third Thursdays connect families to resources

Graduation is on the horizon for Marilee Fisher’s son, Max, who is a senior at Bonney Lake High School.

It’s an exciting milestone, but it also prompts another question: What’s the next step for Max?

For Marilee, and other parents or guardians of young adults with developmental disabilities, navigating a post-high school world can be overwhelming without the right resources.

The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District provides transition services for students with disabilities, which includes writing a transition plan with post-secondary goals and the pathway to achieve those goals, including the student, parent and school Individualized Education Program (IEP) team working together with disability service agencies. 

But there’s another service unique to the District that the SBLSD Special Services Department hosts: a free family information series every year to bring the resources straight to families who need them. The series, coined “Third Thursday,” was developed by Kristine Nelson, School Psychologist and Secondary Developmental Learning Center (DLC) Programs & Sumner-Bonney Lake District Transition Coordinator. This year is the fifth year of running the series.

Kristine started the series after she found parents and guardians needed a setting where they could ask questions about their particular families’ needs with trusted professionals. Whether it be filling out paperwork or learning about financial planning, they needed help beyond a booth at a resource fair. 

“We want families to understand that we’re here to help them — to grow their network of support,” Kristine said. “So many families aren’t even aware of the possibilities.” 

This year, the Third Thursday series is taking place once a month between January and May, and is diving into the following topics:

  • Navigating Community Disability Services: Meet potential partners to help navigate community disability services, and learn about opportunities outside of IEP school system services that prepare for adulthood support.
  • DDA Paperwork Slam: Meet 1:1 with staff to learn the importance of DDA services and how to access life-long support.
  • Let's go to Work, School to Work Program: Meet with those who work directly with adults with disabilities focusing on the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace within their communities.
  • Guardianship/Legal Issues and ABLE Savings Plans: Receive information and ask questions about financial planning, guardianship options, and planning across the lifespan.
  • Adaptive Recreation and Fun: Learn about opportunities for fun times during the summer and throughout the year in Pierce County.

At each session, various agencies are present to help families through their particular situation. That includes state agencies like the Developmental Disability Administration (DDA) and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), which can provide various services, such as pathways to employment, career counseling, training, accommodations and more. 

In Marilee’s case, she heard about the series through Tina Oxford, a DLC teacher at Mountain View Middle School who has helped directly connect families with Third Thursday resources. Connie Haines, district assistive technology lead and a speech language pathologist for many years, is another unsung hero who has advocated and supported young adults that may need assistive communication.

Marilee said she just wants what is best for Max, and is glad Third Thursday is a resource for her and other parents like her.

“I’m grateful this is here so that we can learn what to do for Max to make him the most successful he can be,” she said. 

Kristine wants families to be able to access resources early to prepare for life during and beyond school. Every student, she said, deserves equitable access to a fulfilling and successful life. 

There are two more Third Thursday sessions for the 2022-23 school year: April 20 and May 18 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Sumner Middle School library. For more information, contact Kristine Nelson at kristine_nelson@sumnersd.org, (253) 891-5091.