The Right to Read Podcast
The Right to Read podcast supports today’s dyslexic thinkers by bringing listeners relevant information on community resources, best practices for dyslexic learners, legislation that supports the Right to Read, and personal and professional success stories. Through our actionable insights, you will learn something that will empower a dyslexic thinker today.
This podcast is made possible by a community collaboration with Verso Studios located at the Westport Library, in Westport, Connecticut.
Laura Heneghan, Esq.
Special Education Attorney
Episode 4: Parents: These Are Your Rights
Attorney Laura Heneghan is a special education attorney dedicated to a collaborating with families, school administrators, and staff to bring about positive outcomes. As a parent of a child with disabilities, Laura leverages her personal insight and student-centered approach to ensure that children and adolescents who are struggling with disabilities of their own receive the appropriate services and support from their public-school districts. In this episode, you will learn more about parental rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Laura discusses procedural safeguards including right to parent consent and notification, right to meaningful parent participation, prior written notice, and more!
Key Takeaways:
“I've learned that knowing you have rights doesn't mean you have to assert them. My experience is that collaboration with your school district many times is the best way to work through issues, but when that isn't working, you need to know what you can do and that it is to exercise these guaranteed civil rights, regarding your child's education.”
“You as a parent have certain rights based on where you are in the process, and this document {procedural safeguards} explains those rights.”
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) created in 1975 ensures all children with disabilities have the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE)
§504 of the Rehabilitation Act protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability AND provides students with disabilities a free appropriate public education (FAPE- but a different one)
Links from the episode:
Procedural Safeguards Notice, State of CT DOE – Bureau of Special Education
Annika Ahlström
Executive Function Coach
Episode 3: How to Support Your Child’s Executive Functioning Skills
Sklar Certified Executive Function Coach Annika Ahlström discusses executive functioning skills and offers three actionable tips to support executive functioning skills for students with learning disabilities and their families. In her coaching, she teaches families how to embrace their brain differences so all members can thrive.
Key Takeaways:
Executive functions are those cognitive skills that help us to get things done such as organization, planning, and time management, and these are skills that continue to develop over time.
Students with learning challenges often face self-esteem challenges. Through executive functioning coaching, a system is created to help students so they can feel good about themselves and reach their potential.
Actionable tips include using a family calendar in a high traffic area of the home, having weekly family meetings, and using visual timers.
Links from the episode:
Episode 2: Special Education Advocates Share What They Wish They Had Known as Parents
Robin Beauchemin, Megan Hunemuller, and Catherine Scholl
Special Education Advocates
This episode brings together the insights of three non-attorney special education advocates: Robin Beauchemin, Megan Hunemuller, and Catherine Scholl, all of whom are members of Right to Read Advocacy. Their personal experience of supporting their dyslexic children propelled each of them to pursue professional advocacy. Learn what they know now as advocates that they wish they had a better understanding of as parents when they first started the special education journey. Key Takeaways:
If you have a feeling that something is off with your child, do not delay, trust your instincts.
As a parent, you have the right request an evaluation for special education, which provides insight into whether the child has a disability and if they need specialized instruction and support.
As a parent, you are the expert on your child and you’re an equal member of the IEP team.
Be sure to document any concerns/requests by putting them in writing and sharing them with the school. Also, ask for the school team for documentation through Prior Written Notice.
Links from the episode:
Jake Sussman
Founder & President at Superpower Mentors
Episode 1: Mentorship Ignites Confidence in Students with Learning Disabilities
Jake Sussman, Westport Native and Founder of Superpower Mentors, developed one of the world's most effective online mentoring programs designed to empower youth and young adults with learning differences. In this episode, Jake recalls the challenges of being a student with hidden learning disabilities and how his journey, although painful at times, fueled him to launch an organization that would propel the potential of neurodiverse students.
Key Takeaways:
“You can't teach a kid how to learn anything when their entire relationship with it [education] is pain.”
The mission of Superpower Mentors is to empower the next generation of neurodiverse thinkers to confidently succeed in any environment.
The organization is known for its match of mentor-mentees. The pairs are neurodiverse with disabilities including dyslexia, ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and Tourettes.
Mentorship supports the child and the family because families should not have to go this journey alone.
Links from the episode: