Pottsgrove Village

12/24/2025

🤝A helpful read from 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙝𝙖𝙢 𝙈𝙤𝙢 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚, a parenting/community website that publishes family perspectives and practical tips.

💙In this quick read, you’ll find ideas for navigating holiday overwhelm, supporting sensory needs, and making celebrations more manageable for kids and adults with diverse abilities and their families.💛

🔗

Below are some things I have found useful, through plenty of trial and error, to help navigate the holidays with a special needs child.

12/24/2025

📅 February 3, 2026
🕤 9:30–11:00 AM
💻 Zoom

𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 👉 www.mciu.org/ltf-register

🏀𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱?🎵

This LTF23 Zoom session will highlight inclusive extracurricular opportunities like Unified Sports, Special Olympics, and other community activities that build 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, and 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 beyond the classroom.🤸‍♀️🤝

📅 February 3, 2026
🕤 9:30–11:00 AM
💻 Zoom

𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 👉 www.mciu.org/ltf-register

Special guests: Mike Bovino (PA Special Olympics Advisor)

12/17/2025

🎉 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 🎓
Families, educators students, self-advocates and caregivers are invited to a family-friendly resource fair designed to support young adults as they plan 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 🆓 Free to attend!

📅 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
⏰ 𝟭:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠 – 𝟱:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠
📍 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗮 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿
𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗔 - 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘃𝗲, 𝗢𝗮𝗸𝘀, 𝗣𝗔

🔗𝙍𝙀𝙂𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙍: 𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺𝘶𝘳𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳

👇𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝👇
- Post-secondary education options
- Inclusive employment opportunities
- Transition & life skills supports
- Transportation resources
- Behavioral & community supports
- Legal & financial planning
- Arts, recreation & social programs
- Residential & day programs
…and so much more!

Hosted by: Rep. Joe Webster, The Arc Alliance and a team of local families and volunteers.
📧 Questions? Email: [email protected]

11/10/2025

📣Community-Wide Event!📣

𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥.𝟭𝟯𝘁𝗵
Pottsgrove High School
6:30–8:30 PM

𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗧 & 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬: Family Online Safety Night!💻
✅ Kids: 1 hour of learning then 1 hour of fun!
✅ Parents & Caregivers: 2 full hours of expert-led learning on online safety, boundaries & digital balance.
🍕 Pizza provided for everyone!

🔗 Register now: https://missionkidscac.org/.../family-online-safety-night
👉 FREE event - just make sure to register so we can order enough pizza for all!

10/28/2025

🗓️ Last night’s Montgomery County Developmental Disabilities Committee meeting focused on Advocacy, a great discussion led by Parent Advocate Ruth Landsman!

The DD Committee brings together families, self-advocates, and community partners to share ideas and help improve services and supports for people with developmental disabilities.🤝

📧 For questions or to learn how to get involved, contact:
Annetta McHale at [email protected]

🔗 Learn more: https://www.montgomerycountypa.gov/1247/DD-Committee

10/22/2025

👉About 10% of Americans live with an invisible disability, meaning it's more common to meet someone with an unseen disability than you might think!❤️🎗

Invisible disabilities are conditions that aren't immediately noticeable but can still significantly impact daily life. They include things like chronic pain, mental health conditions, learning differences, and more.

About 10% of Americans live with an invisible disability, meaning it's more common to meet someone with an unseen disability than you might think!

For those living with invisible disabilities, it can be hard to get the accommodation and support they need. Because their challenges aren’t always visible, their disabilities are sometimes misunderstood or not taken seriously. But just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

This week is Invisible Disabilities Week. Take a minute to share this post to remind others that not all disabilities are visible and that inclusion matters.

10/18/2025

Join the PEAL Center for a Pop-Up Webinar on what potential changes at the federal level mean for students with disabilities.

➡️ Register Here: https://www.tfaforms.com/5199930

Join the PEAL Center for a Pop-Up Webinar on what potential changes at the federal level mean for students with disabilities. Cindy Duch, PTI Director, will cover the purpose and function of specific agencies at the Department of Education and provide resources that both support and empower.

➡️ Register Here: https://www.tfaforms.com/5199930

10/13/2025

🎉New Pottsgrove Village Newsletter is here!

This edition is filled with exciting updates, including:
📌A message from our Village Team
📌Meet our amazing new Special Education teachers!
📌More Alike Than You Think - a heartwarming feature on inclusion and connection
📌October is ADHD Awareness Month - learn about strengths of the ADHD mind

🗓️ Upcoming community events and mental health resources.
💡Check it out and make your voice heard in our Community Input Survey!

10/10/2025

Building Bridges Between You & Your Child’s Educators🌉
🗓October 14, 2025
⏰9:30–11:00am
✅Via ZOOM
Led by a Family Support Specialist focused on strengthening school–family partnerships.

🌉 Building Bridges Between You & Your Child’s Educators!

October 14, 2025 9:30–11:00am - Zoom
Join us for a practical and supportive session led by a Family Support Specialist focused on strengthening school–family partnerships.

💡 Learn how to build strong, respectful relationships with your child’s teachers.
🧩 Get tips for navigating IEP meetings and communicating effectively with your school.
🤝 Connect with other parents advocating for inclusive, supportive learning environments.

✅ Register today: www.mciu.org/ltf-register
Don’t miss your chance to share feedback and shape future session topics!

Hosted by Right to Education Local Task Force 23 of Montgomery County.

10/02/2025

🍂This month, in Pottsgrove High School's October Newsletter, Counselors shared that they’re meeting with students to plan for life after graduation, whether that’s college, tech school, or the workforce. The newsletter also highlights 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗶𝗱 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 on October 27 at 6:00pm in the PGHS Auditorium.💲

For families of students with special needs, 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 is especially important, and there are excellent resources available to help.🎓

📌PA Secondary
A statewide hub with checklists, timelines, and tools for students and families planning the move from high school to adulthood—college, training, work, independent living.
https://www.pasecondarytransition.com/

📌PEAL Center
Pennsylvania’s Parent Training & Information Center—free trainings and one-on-one guidance on IEPs, 504s, transition planning, and student self-advocacy.

📌 OVR - Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
State agency supporting students with disabilities on the path to employment: career counseling, Pre-ETS services (job exploration, workplace readiness), training, and college/tech program supports.
https://www.pa.gov/services/dli/apply-for-vocational-rehabilitation-services.html

📌Access Services, Inc.
Community and employment supports, autism and ID services, and transition-age programs that help young adults build skills for work, community life, and independence.

📌 The Arc Alliance
Advocacy and family support for transition planning—navigating services, coordinating supports, and connecting teens to adult-life resources after graduation.

💲Financial Aid Night (PGHS 10/27 @6:00pm-PGHS Auditorium)
Families can learn how FAFSA works, what aid is available, and how to compare college or technical program costs—perfect for seniors and juniors planning next steps.

09/20/2025

I am so excited about the next episode of Life Matters: A Penn Mutual Podcast. Two of the absolute best people in the industry, Pat Bergmaier, CFP® ChSNC® and Advanced Sales Superstar Jenna Washatka JD, CLU®, ChFC®, ChSNC® discuss the incredibly important topic of Special Needs Planning. If you...

09/11/2025

🌟𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗴𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼🌟

📅 Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2025
🕕 6:00–8:00 pm
📍 MCIU, 2 W. Lafayette St., Norristown
Register here👉 https://learn.mciu.org/mcre25

FREE EVENT for students, families, educators, and community members to connect with organizations and services that support children and young adults with disabilities.

**𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿:** School districts & the MCIU Envisions program will showcase and sell products created by students in transition programs! Plus, stop by **Barista Buddies** for a treat ☕

🌟𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲🌟
Financial planners, Support coordinators, Colleges & transition programs, Social & leisure groups, County & state agencies

🎉 Fun activities for kids: balloon artist 🎈, video games 🎮, robots 🤖, and more!
🎁 Giveaways from vendors & student groups, too!