“Chat With Ang” A Success
The COVID-19 pandemic affected everyone, and the Parent Mentors at Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center wanted to help parents and guardians of students with special needs while everyone was distance learning, knowing that they are a necessary and large piece of continuing services for their children.
To do so, Mid-Ohio ESC’s Parent Mentors, Lindsey Schonauer-Howald and Cindy Wrobleski, collaborated with Ang Fetter, Special Education Consultant, to offer parents of students with disabilities an opportunity to network via Zoom Conferencing each Thursday evening of April at 7:00 p.m.
At each conference, Fetter shared tips to promote positive academic and behavioral outcomes for children. She talked about managing difficult behaviors, the need to have schedules and different ways they can look, how to engage a child with autism, and how to request an evaluation for special education services for a child.
“Some parents have expressed that they are completely overwhelmed with trying to balance work and having to facilitate learning at home for their children,” said Crum, “and the Zoom meetings provided some comfort in knowing that they are ‘all in this together.’”
Wrobleski agreed. “We had grandparents, parents and professionals join our group. The meetings provided ideas and examples for handling different situations and issues. We even had adult talk time when many people needed it. Ang is an excellent speaker with so many good ideas for handling real life struggles.”