Washington County Virginia Schools - Parent Resource Center

09/17/2026

🎉 We’re officially about a week and a half away from our Kickoff to Connection! Resource Fair! 🎉

We are so excited to bring Washington County families and community partners together for an evening focused on connection, collaboration, and support!

📅 Monday, September 28
⏰ 5:00–7:30 PM
📍 Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center – Abingdon

🤝 20+ community partners will be there to share information, answer questions, and help families connect with resources and services available in our community.

Whether you know exactly what resource you're looking for or you're simply curious about what is available, this is a great opportunity to meet people, ask questions, and discover resources you may not even know about!

And the best part? It's completely drop-in! Families can come whenever it works for their schedule and stay as long as they'd like.

We'll also have:
🍽️ Food
🎟️ Raffle prizes
💬 Opportunities to connect
🤝 Lots of community resources

We hope to see you there! Come make some connections, learn about what's available, and help us Kickoff to Connection! 🎉

👉 Haven't registered yet? There's still time!

Join us for the Kickoff to Connection! Resource Fair on Monday, September 28th from 5 pm - 7:30 pm, for a community event designed to connect families of students with disabilities to local resources, services, and support networks. This event will feature a number of awesome community organizations...

09/03/2026

🎉 KICKOFF TO CONNECTION! RESOURCE FAIR IS ONLY A FEW WEEKS AWAY! 🎉

Good morning and Happy Thursday!

We hope everyone is having a great start to the new school year!

We’re getting closer to our annual Kickoff to Connection! Resource Fair, and we have an exciting update to share…

🍽️ A FREE MEAL WILL BE PROVIDED!

We hope this makes it even easier for families to join us for an evening of connecting with community partners, discovering resources, and learning more about what’s available in our community.

We’ll have 20+ community partners, several NEW organizations, raffle prizes, and now a free meal for families attending! We’re looking forward to a great evening together!

📝 Haven’t Pre-Registered Yet?

If you haven’t already, please take a moment to pre-register! Pre-registration helps us better plan for the event, including making sure we have enough food and materials for everyone who attends.

👉 https://forms.gle/sft6Ktbte8EcYNXP7

📅 Monday, September 28, 2026
📍 SWVA Higher Education Center – Abingdon
⏰ 5:00–7:30 PM

We can’t wait to see you there!

08/13/2026

Good afternoon!

We hope everyone has had a great first full week of the 2026-2027 school year!

Our latest PRC EmpowerED Podcast episode is NOW live on Spotify! 🎙️🎧

We’re joined once again by VCU’s Dr. Staci Carr and Candice Zimmerman to explore Self-Regulation for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Shaped directly by the input and survey responses from families like yours across our elementary, middle, and high schools, this conversation covers:

🔍 Early Warning Signs: How to spot dysregulation before meltdowns happen.
🤝 Co-Regulation: Practical ways to calm down with your child before expecting independent coping skills.
🧸 Practical Sensory Tools: Strategies for managing anxiety, frustration, and unexpected routine changes.
💙Meltdown Recovery: How to reset compassionately without feeling like you're resorting to punishment.
🏫 Home-to-School Continuity: Tips for building a consistent plan across classrooms and home.

👉 Listen to Episode 5 on Spotify Here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0RMNvGBl4PH2tkB3DdPtum?si=w70CMubLS9OGJigEda72IQ

🎧 Missed an Episode? Catch Up Anytime!

Whether you missed our previous ASD series episode on parent burnout and stress or want to check out our earlier conversations, you can find every single episode in one place: 👉 Browse the Full EmpowerED Podcast Library on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5AJoy78OgYw57PZ2nSaFQb?si=kQ6bcX7ORHyAzNGKPZNgeA

A huge thank you to all the parents and caregivers who submitted questions and feedback to help make this episode possible. We hope this discussion brings you valuable, practical insights for your family's journey!

👀 Keep an eye out for upcoming PRC event news for the 2026-2027 school year!

Podcast · Justin Gobble · EmpowerED is a podcast for families of students with disabilities, created by the Washington County Public Schools Parent Resource Center. Each episode offers practical guidance on special education services, IEPs, and building strong school-home partnerships, with insigh...

07/30/2026

🎉 Welcome Back, WCPS Families! 🍎📚

As we get ready for an exciting new school year, we are thrilled to welcome back our returning students and families and to meet all of the new faces joining the Washington County Public Schools community! We can't wait to see what this school year has in store.

To kick off the year, we're excited to share the newest episode of the EmpowerED Podcast from the Washington County Public Schools Parent Resource Center!

🎙️ This episode features the I'm Determined Center, where we discuss:
⭐ Self-determination
⭐ Self-advocacy
⭐ Practical ways families can help their children build confidence, independence, and the skills they'll need for success in school and beyond.

🎧 Listen here:
🔗 https://open.spotify.com/episode/4pxWfVY8xms9DyUSNaKHEZ?si=Mob37AJ_RBq_lwaWGYIKRA

Looking for more helpful resources? Explore all of our EmpowerED podcast episodes on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5AJoy78OgYw57PZ2nSaFQb?si=kQ6bcX7ORHyAzNGKPZNgeA

We hope you enjoy this episode, and we wish all of our students, families, and staff a fantastic start to the new school year!

EmpowerED Podcast · Episode

06/25/2026

🎙️ New Episode Alert! 🎙️

The latest episode of the EmpowerED Podcast is now available!

In this episode, we discuss a topic that impacts so many families: Parent Stress, Burnout, and Self-Care with the Executive Director of PEATC (Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center) and their IEP Family Support Specialist.

🎧 Listen now:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7CZ9o4R1ljAeOllHG2O2Gd?si=S5sbjNceRfSUiE_skJPyyg

Don't forget to follow the EmpowerED Podcast on Spotify so you never miss an episode!
https://open.spotify.com/show/5AJoy78OgYw57PZ2nSaFQb?si=kQ6bcX7ORHyAzNGKPZNgeA

Be sure to stay tuned for our next episode coming in July with the I'm Determined Project!

Podcast · Justin Gobble · EmpowerED is a podcast for families of students with disabilities, created by the Washington County Public Schools Parent Resource Center. Each episode offers practical guidance on special education services, IEPs, and building strong school-home partnerships, with insigh...

06/08/2026

☀️ Hello and Happy Summer! ☀️

We're excited to announce that the next episode of our PRC EmpowerED Podcast Series on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will focus on a topic that resonates with many families: parent stress, burnout, and self-care🎙️

For this special episode, we'll be joined by an amazing panel of guests:
🎓 Dr. Staci Carr – Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
🎓 Mrs. Candice Zimmerman – Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
⭐ Ms. Tammy Burns – Executive Director, Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)

Together, they'll share practical strategies, valuable insights, and encouragement for families supporting children with ASD.

🗣️ Before we record, we want to hear from YOU! Your feedback will help shape the conversation and ensure we're addressing the topics that matter most to families.

👇 Take our quick survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxVfH5TeKWF10zS4u751XuH_9F1Dkrr4Ebew87P3NO9emGuQ/viewform?usp=header

🎧 Missed the first episode in our ASD podcast series? Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3n0T8sKfJNectXHQ7Qmzp3?si=V_1Wif6ITe-CfMTBzsaSMg

Thank you for sharing your voice with us! Your input helps us create resources and conversations that better support families across our community.

EmpowerED is a podcast created by the Washington County Parent Resource Center (PRC) to connect with and support families of students with disabilities. Each episode will feature conversations with community partners and school professionals to highlight resources, services, and opportunities availa...

05/18/2026

🎙️ New EmpowerED Podcast Episode Now Available on Spotify! 🎧

The Washington County Parent Resource Center is excited to launch the first episode in our new Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) podcast series!

Join the PRC, alongside special guests Dr. Staci Carr and Mrs. Candice Zimmerman as they discuss topics identified by families as areas of greatest interest, including:

✨ Parent stress, burnout, and self-care
✨ Supporting independence with daily living skills
✨ Teaching self-regulation skills
✨ Autism and co-occurring conditions such as ADHD and anxiety

This episode serves as an introduction to these important conversations, with future episodes taking a deeper dive into each topic!

🎧 Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3n0T8sKfJNectXHQ7Qmzp3?si=V_1Wif6ITe-CfMTBzsaSMg

A huge thank you to the families who completed our survey and helped guide these conversations!

EmpowerED Podcast · Episode

04/30/2026

We’re excited to announce that the next PRC EmpowerED podcast episode will focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 🧩🎙️, and we’re especially excited to be collaborating with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to bring this episode to life!

As we plan this episode, we want to hear from YOU 💬. Your input will help shape the topics and questions we explore so the conversation reflects what truly matters most to families.

Please take a moment to share your ideas here: https://forms.gle/LMKUPaAjgZPpCuYT7

Your voice matters, and we can’t wait to build this episode together with VCU and our families!

04/13/2026

🌟 Event Update – We Hope You’ll Join Us! 🌟

We’re excited to share more details about our upcoming PRC event:

Pathways to Independence: Postsecondary Transition for Individuals on the Spectrum
📅 April 20th
🕠 5:30 – 7:30 PM
📍 Blue Mountain Therapy

We are thrilled to highlight our amazing speakers and partners:

🎓 Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
• Dr. Staci Carr – Developmental psychologist and researcher focused on transition, employment, and inclusive postsecondary education, with a passion for fostering independence and meaningful connections.
• Mrs. Candice Zimmerman – Special education expert with 16+ years of experience and current member of VCU’s Center on Transition Innovations, specializing in work-based learning and real-world skill development.

✨ Featured Resource: Learn about an exciting app created by a parent of a child on the spectrum—designed to support independence and daily living in practical, meaningful ways!

🤝 In partnership with Blue Mountain Therapy, with DARS (Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services) also joining us to share valuable resources.

During this session, families will explore:
✔️ Independent Living Skills
✔️ Competitive Employment
✔️ Postsecondary Pathways

💡 This workshop is great for families of students of all ages—even elementary! It’s never too early to start planning for the future.

Families will engage in hands-on activities to identify strengths, set goals, and leave with clear next steps toward independence.

👉 Pre-register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCC08e_4pGln7hTErU9iK8WoIarqDGLdZgXGy7-au5Fkf-hg/viewform?usp=header

We look forward to an informative, engaging, and empowering evening with you!

04/08/2026

Don’t miss this upcoming Parent Resource Center (PRC) event designed to support you and your child as you plan for life after high school:

Pathways to Independence: Postsecondary Transition for Individuals on the Spectrum

📅 April 20th
🕠 5:30 – 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Blue Mountain Therapy

We are excited to partner with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Blue Mountain Therapy, and DARS (Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services) will also be in attendance to share valuable resources and supports.

It’s never too early to start thinking about life after school! Whether your child is just beginning their journey or getting closer to graduation, this event will provide helpful guidance and practical tools.

During this workshop, families will explore:
✔️ Independent Living Skills
✔️ Competitive Employment
✔️ Postsecondary Pathways (college, training, and more)

👉 Pre-register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCC08e_4pGln7hTErU9iK8WoIarqDGLdZgXGy7-au5Fkf-hg/viewform?usp=header

We would love to see you there!