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News and Events
(Last update on 3/27/07)

| Latest News | Workshops, Meetings & Events |
| March 2007 | April 2007 | May 2007 | June 2007


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Latest News!

NEW UPCOMING WORKSHOPS!!    Click here for more details.



2007 DSACT Spring Picnic!
When: Saturday, April 21, 2007, 10:30a
Where: Brushy Creek Lake Park, 3300 Brushy Creek Road, Cedar Park, TX

Come help DSACT celebrate spring by attending our Potluck, Carnival Spring Picnic.

Brushy Creek Lake Park is a 90-acre park. Facilities include: A playground, hike and bike trail; nature trail; exercise station; picnic tables and BBQ grills; sand volleyball court; canoe/kayak launch; fishing pier; wildlife observation area; labyrinth. Feel free to bring a fishing pole and or a non-motorized boat. Inflatables will be available and will accommodate all ages, even adults. There will be all kinds of entertainment to make this the best Spring Picnic yet! Bring a blanket your family and friends and a dish to pass.

Please include the dish you will be bringing with your RSVP response.

If you have any questions feel free to contact:
Serita Silvestri, DSACT Social Coordinator, (512) 695-9847.




InkDots: Education and Fun for Early Childhood
InkDots is a social playgroup for children with Down syndrome between the ages of infant and 6, siblings and parents. Please join us every first Saturday of each month to play and socialize. Siblings are invited. For more information, Serita Silvestri, (512) 695-9847, or e-mail Serita at
Serita Silvestri

This year, there is an added educational component to the social playgroup. We are dedicated to bringing you information about development as well as local resources and services. Each quarter, we will focus on hot topics surrounding early childhood, such as speech, communication and motor skills.
* Please RSVP (Yes)(NO) or (Maybe) by e-mail to Serita

Free KiDSACT Classes! - Creative Movement Class
Ages 6 - 12
Saturdays, February 3 - April 14, 2007, 3:30p - 4:30p
Athena Montessori Community Resource Center

Join Joan Wolfe, director of the Creative Movement Division at Ballet Austin Academy, as she guides children in her thematically based Creative Movement classes. Each class is thematically based as the students are led through a series of original movement stories and pre-ballet activities. The creative play throughout the class enhances the development of fine and gross motor skills as they run, skip, leap, stretch, coordinate, isolate and move to the music.

Register now while classes are available! Just fill out the
registration form and mail to: Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas, ATTN: Programming, 3710 Cedar Street, Box 3, Austin, TX 78705. You may also e-mail your information to Gerard Jimenez or Lori Barta.
For more information, contact Gerard Jimenez at 496-6100 or e-mail Gerard at gerard@austin.rr.com.


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Behavior Management Workshop - FREE!

Sponsored by: The Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas (DSACT)
When: Saturday, March 31, 2007, 10a - 11:30a
Where: AGE Building (DSACT Office), 3710 Cedar Street (off of 38th Street & Guadalupe) Austin, TX 78705
If you would like to request childcare, please send your RSVP to Melly Mendoza at e-mail Melly Mendoza or call at 424-0253.

This Behavior Management Workshop will focus on teaching parents and family members, as well as professional staff, specific methods for addressing challenging behaviors.

Participants will learn:

1. To identify possible functions of challenging behaviors
2. To implement interventions to teach appropriate replacement behaviors

For more information, contact Melly Mendoza at 424-0253.


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Educating Children with Down Syndrome - Middle School Age
When: Tuesday, March 20, 2007, at 6:30p
Where: Rosedale, 2117 W. 49th Street
Pizza and childcare will be made available at 6:30p.

On Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 7 p.m. a teriffic panel on educating children with Down syndrome (and other significant intellectual disabilities) at the middle school level will take place. Parents, experienced teachers and a high-level school administrator will be joining us. Please come to be part of this discussion and to learn, whether your child is in middle school or soon to be there, or not. These discussions are so valuable and we won't have another opportunity for this kind of gathering for some time to come.

El martes 20 de marzo comenzando a las 7 en punto tendremos una discusion sobre la educacion de ninos con sindrome de Down (y otras disabilidades intelectuales significantes) al nivel secundario. Padres, maestros con experiencia y una administradora de lto nivel se juntara con nosotros. Por favor vengan a esta discusion a participar y a aprender, si su hijo(a) esta en secundaria o no. Estas discusiones son muy valiosas y no tendremos otra oportunidad asi por un buen rato. Habra traduccion al espanol disponible.

For more information, contact Deborah Trejo by e-mail at
Deborah Trejo.


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Free KiDSACT Classes! - Music and Movement Class
Various ages and various class times
Saturdays, February 3 - March 31, 2007
VSA arts of Texas

Eight week class combines instrument play, exploring the singing voice and creative expression through music and movement activities. Each session will provide opportunities for children to explore and identify sounds and moving to a steady beat. Selfexpression, social skills, language skills as well as fine and gross motor coordination skills will also be addressed. Course content is altered for age appropriate. Go to the DSACT website at www.dsact.com/programs.html for more information.

Register now while classes are available! Just fill out the registration form and mail to: Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas, ATTN: Programming, 3710 Cedar Street, Box 3, Austin, TX 78705. You may also e-mail your information to Gerard Jimenez or Lori Barta.
For more information, contact Gerard Jimenez at 496-6100 or e-mail Gerard at gerard@austin.rr.com.


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Free KiDSACT Classes! - SNAP (Special Needs Aquatic Program)
Ages 6 - 12
Session 1: February 3 - March 31, 2007, 12p - 12:40p
Session 2: April 7 - May 26, 2007, 12p - 12:40p
Town Lake YMCA

This course is designed for those with ADHD, Down syndrome and low level autism. Parent must be in pool with child. In this class, participants will work on swimming skills & water safety.

Register now while classes are available! Just fill out the
registration form and mail to: Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas, ATTN: Programming, 3710 Cedar Street, Box 3, Austin, TX 78705. You may also e-mail your information to Gerard Jimenez or Lori Barta.
For more information, contact Gerard Jimenez at 496-6100 or e-mail Gerard at gerard@austin.rr.com.


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Workshops, Meetings & Events


Inclusion Works Conference, February 28 - March 3, 2007

It's the state's premier conference for educators and parents working to educate students with disabilities. Please be sure to tell your teachers, teacher's aides and principal about it. Whether you child is in a life skills classroom or spends part of their day in a general education classroom and part in a resource room or is fully included in a general education classroom, there is an incredible amount of valuable, ready to use information presented at this conference.

For more information about the conference, registration, or the stipends, please visit the ARC of Texas website at
www.thearcoftexas.org

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January 20:   Junta del Comite Latino

When: Saturday, January 20, 2007, 3:00p
Where: Prince of Peace Church/Iglesia Principe de Paz, 1711 East Oltorf, Austin
Para mas informacion, hable a Rebecca Tobias a (512) 447-6974 o escriba a Amelia Mendoza a
mellymendoza@yahoo.com

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February 2:   Pinocchio! Presented by the Scottish Rite Children's Theatre


Presented by
Scottish Rite Children's Theatre
When: Friday, February 2, 2007, 7:00p
Where: 207 West 18th Street, Austin, TX 78701; See map here

Adapted by Gwendolyn Kelso and Stephanie Delk, this version of Pinocchio is based on the classic tale with some unique twists that add interactive fun for children. Sharing the stage with Pinocchio and the toymaker Gepetto are Mary, the Good Fairy, and her accident-prone sister, Harriet (a.k.a Harry Fairy) whose spell has left Pinocchio a wooden puppet. Audience members help reverse the spell-gone-wrong so Pinocchio can realize his dream of becoming a real boy! Best for ages 3-10.

If you are interested in attending please contact me with the number of tickets you need for your family. Please do not delay reserving your seats. It will be first come first serve. Our wonderful sponsors, the Scottish Rite Children's Theatre, is giving us 50 tickets!

For more information and/or tickets, contact Gerard Jimenez at Gerard Jimenez or call 496-6100

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February 6:   Elementary School Education Meeting for Children with DS

When: Tuesday, February 6, 2007, 6:30p
Where: Rosedale Elementary, at 49th St. & Burnet Road, Austin

If you are the parent of a child with DS between the ages of 0 and 12, PLEASE plan to join us for the evening of Feb. 6th. We are going to have a teriffic panel (and probably won't have another one quite like it for at least a year). (Habra traduccion al espanol.)
(Pizza and childcare start at 6:30p)
For more information, contact Deborah Trejo at
Deborah Trejo or call (512) 320-5466

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February 14:   Attend Capitol Day 2007

When: Wednesday, Februar, 3:00p
Where: Prince of Peace Church/Iglesia Principe de Paz, 1711 East Oltorf, Austin
Para mas informacion, hable a Rebecca Tobias a (512) 447-6974 o escriba a Amelia Mendoza a
mellymendoza@yahoo.com

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Disclaimer: The Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas (DSACT) provides information on upcoming events and news as a public service for informational purposes only. DSACT does not endorse any of the products, services, vendors or speakers referenced.


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(Last Updated: March 27, 2007)