SEPAC Cyber Bullying Event at Millburn Middle School

SEPAC, Special Education Parent Advisory Committee of Millburn Township sponsored this amazing event the other day.  SEPAC is a state mandated parent advisory group that the district has appointed 11 or so people to represent the different schools and programs within the district.  I serve as the representative for the Hartshorn Elementary School, and am happy to do so. 

The event that was planned was just another fine example of how great this community truly is!  

The speaker was Srgt. Tom Rich, a New Jersey police officer and Internet safety expert.  He focused on the social media activities our children are engaging in and the problems they can cause.  He also covered how parents can protect themselves and their children, as well as how these forms of communication can be used positively, moderation, and safely.

Here’s a testimonial from one of our own Millburn teachers:

"In case anyone is interested in this workshop but unsure if they should attend, I recently attended a workshop in Livingston that Tom Rich participated in and I thought he was very informative and helpful.  The speed at which technology is changing and the young age at which children are using social media is unbelievable.  He talked about social media sites that I had never heard of (but my 6th grader had!) If you have a chance to see him speak, it is well worth it!"

The best take aways for this event for me, were that our district actually has a program in place that educate our children on cyber bullying already.  Minecraft has chat rooms.  There is an app for texting on an iPod.  Some sites let you post information anonymously.  Posting pictures of naked body parts and sharing that photograph could be considered a criminal offense, and the person could actually be placed on the national registry of sex offenders for life.  Instagram has a location finding part of it's application that can place your exact address.  Once you put it out into the internet world, it is out there FOREVER!  Set Facebook settings to prevent stalking.

Summary, its important be educated and have an open line of communication with our children.  It was requested that this speaker come again, but directly speak with the children.  I will certainly blast if that happens!    

Find more info about Tom Rich at his website www.AlwaysConnected.com

Find more info about me at my website www.RealShortHills.com

31st Annual NJ Autism Conference in Atlantic City

This past weekend I attended the 31st annual NJ Autism Conference in Atlantic City.  Governor Christie was scheduled as a keynote speaker and was a no show!  A good highlight was Julianna Kusz was in attendance.  She is the Director of Special Services for Millburn Township, and I saw her buying books from Brooks Publishing for our township!  Brooks Publishing is definitely a friend to Millburn, for the third year in a row they have given us books. Each year I have brought some books home to our town that are housed in the Hartshorn Elementary School. We (MSPEC) considered the public library to house these books, but we wanted those teachers (many of whom are not town residents) to also have access to these books. 

I have added 5 new titles to our library this year.  They include "Social Skills and Adaptive Behavior in Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders", "Autism Services Across America", and "The Special Educator's Toolkit".  I also purchased 2 books that may be found in the library titled "Autism in the family, caring and coping together", and "The Principal's Handbook for Leading Inclusive Schools" (that one I gave to Mr. Frattini, the school's principal).  All that you need to do is go to Hartshorn's library or contact the librarian to check these books out under your child's name. The teachers may check these books out as well.  

As for the conference, my very best take away (besides the books) was to learn that there is a new rise in higher education programing for people on the spectrum.  It was stated in more than one of the seminars I attended how people affected by autism spectrum disorder have many strengths; along with more and more employers are looking for individuals that can provide attention to detail, engage in savant thinking and commit stern dedication to tasks.  Most individuals on the spectrum possess these types of attributes, and with the right help and support go on to lead healthy normal lives. The school programs will aim to foster a bridge regarding chosen career paths by individuals on the spectrum and employers seeking those strong characteristics.     

The future looks bright.  Enjoy the books.