Lynnfield SEPAC

08/25/2026

Back-to-school is more than supplies and schedules—it’s about knowing your rights and advocating for your child. 💙

For parents of children with special needs, a new school year can bring IEPs, 504 Plans, accommodations, meetings, and plenty of questions.

Our latest article offers practical resources to help you understand your rights, prepare for school conversations, and advocate with confidence.

Know your rights. Know your child’s needs. Know that your voice matters.

Start the school year informed, prepared, and empowered. 💙

Read the full article here: 🔗 Link found in the comments!

If this article resonates with you, please consider sharing it with another parent or caregiver who could use a little encouragement today. Sometimes the right information at the right time can make all the difference.

08/25/2026

Northeast Arc's Community Resource Center, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services Office of Human Rights and Family Support Centers throughout the Northeast Region, is offering a series of free informational workshops on voting rights, accessibility, and voting options.

These presentations are designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and/or autism, family members and caregivers, agency staff, educators, school personnel supporting students age 18 and older, and day program staff.

Participants will learn about:

Accessible voting options and accommodations

How and where to vote

Voting rights for individuals under guardianship

Resources and tools to support voters

How to register to vote

The workshops provide information to help individuals with disabilities and/or autism understand their voting rights, make informed choices, and participate confidently in the voting process. These sessions are free and open to everyone.

RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/DDSVotingRights2026 to help us plan for space and materials. Please request accommodations at least 2 weeks in advance.

08/20/2026

⚽ **Fall 2026 TOPS Registration is OPEN!**

North Reading Youth Soccer’s TOPS fall season runs Sundays, September 13–November 1, from 11:00 AM–12:00 PM at Maguire Field in North Reading.

Registration is FREE and spots are filling quickly!

🔗 Visit www.nrys.org and click “Register” to sign up.

Sharing for any families who may be interested!

North Reading Youth Soccer

08/18/2026

• Upcoming Changes to MassHealth bit.ly/45YTi4I
• Accessible Day at Deer Island bit.ly/4qmTrbE
• Grant for New England Therapeutic Programs bit.ly/3Rtgwwn
• Adoption Meet & Greet for Children w/ Disabilities in MA bit.ly/45i2uRp
• Special Needs Family Day @ Cummington Fair bit.ly/45wZzEz
• Disability Summer Fairs bit.ly/3MBYlCd
• Pathways to Friendship Disability Workshop bit.ly/4hS6bVq
• Special Olympics Masschusetts bit.ly/3v6TYpK
• Accessible Pools, Beaches/Floating Wheelchairs in Mass bit.ly/4o0KZh8
• Inclusive/Adaptive Team Sports bit.ly/4suOOfU
• Transition-to-Adult Disability Workshops: bit.ly/3TC4XSc
* Sign up for this newsletter www.spedchildmass.com/newsletter-signup/

08/18/2026

Join The Dyslexia Foundation at Boston University
for a groundbreaking conference exploring the complex intersections of dyslexia with ADHD, anxiety, and executive function challenges in the school setting.
Leading experts will present the latest research and evidence-based strategies for educators and clinicians.

https://events.zoom.us/ev/Aq0bOlkpfZ8GE6CM0ym29WAf8rbBA-O-TJ8hOeQQgRmzmEqbV872~AmpfiHby7StXZxnOy1OrM2GsfeiaMVe8eqsAhhd6pd3QvatgkzCgbt3oNQ

08/11/2026

BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! 📚
Register for this Thursday’s live webinar, “Behavior is Biology: Five Principles for Better Supporting Autistic Learners.”

With school starting soon, this is an especially timely session for parents and caregivers. Guy Stephens will share practical strategies for understanding what may be driving challenging behavior, recognizing stress and nervous system responses, and helping autistic children feel safer and more supported at school.
Learn how trauma-informed care and neuroscience can help parents and educators look beyond the behavior, better understand what a child may be communicating, and create safer, more supportive, truly inclusive environments.

Thursday, August 13 at 7:00 PM ET
Live Q&A to follow.
👉 Register at on our website and share with a friend or family member.

08/01/2026

If you've ever wished there were more recreational opportunities or different types of programming available, now is the time to share your thoughts!

📝 Survey link: https://ow.ly/vsOr50ZnueQ

Northeast Arc is seeking community feedback as they explore expanding their recreation offerings. By completing this survey, you can help advocate for more inclusive programs and activities that better meet the needs of our families.

Please consider taking a few minutes to complete the survey and help ensure our community's voices are heard.

Northeast Arc is exploring opportunities to expand our Recreation offerings and better meet the needs and interests of individuals, families, and community members. Your feedback will help us identify program areas that are most important to you, understand current gaps in services, and guide future planning and development. Complete the survey here: https://ow.ly/vsOr50ZnueQ

Whether you are a current participant, family member, caregiver, or someone interested in future opportunities, your input is invaluable. By sharing your thoughts, you are helping us create more inclusive, engaging, and meaningful programs that reflect the interests and needs of our community.

We appreciate your time and look forward to using your feedback to grow and enhance our recreation services.

07/28/2026

National Night Out is coming to Lynnfield! 🇺🇸💙

Join A Healthy Lynnfield and the Lynnfield Police Department for a fun, FREE evening bringing our community together!

📅 Tuesday, August 4
⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Lynnfield Middle School

There’s something for the whole family — a Police vs. Youth Softball Coaches game, BBQ, Cool Cow ice cream, kids’ scavenger hunt, face painting, henna, DJ, karate and self-defense demo, and a Massachusetts State Police K9 demonstration! 🐾

A huge thank you to LPD, Bianco Sausages, Kayem, Hixon & Bevilacqua Home Group, Ellen Crawford Realtor, and Cervizzi’s for helping make the night possible.

Bring the kids, bring your neighbors, and come spend a summer night connecting with the people who make Lynnfield such a great community. We hope to see you there! 💙

07/21/2026

Join us for a free educational speaking event focused on women's mental health. Mental health services for women are DIFFERENT and need to be tailored to the unique female body and brain. Here, we will discuss how psychiatric services need to look different for women dealing with Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, pregnancy and postpartum mental health issues, professional and/or caregiver burnout, ADHD, and perimenopause/menopause mood changes. Let's dig deep to highlight what a woman's unique toolbox for mental health wellness might look like. Everyone's toolbox is different!

Danielle Cogliano is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with 20 years of psychiatry experience. She was educated at Clark University, where she received a BA in Biology and then Vanderbilt University where she received an MSN and completed her nurse practitioner studies at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Ms. Cogliano is Board Certified with the American Nurses Credentialling Center in Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing and has spent 20 years treating adults in MA and NH who have mental illness. She has extensive experience working with women across the lifespan and has focused her work on the reproductive hormonal impact to mental health. In her private practice at Northeast Women's Psychiatry, she treats women via a whole body psychiatric lens, using integrative methods in addition to traditional psychiatry.