Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County

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Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County

Our vision is effective education and community inclusion for people with Down syndrome.

08/22/2026

Last week, I offered a free one-hour Quick Start Reading session for families who wanted some practical guidance for getting started with reading. Then, in a moment of either inspiration or questionable judgment 😂, I decided to keep going and offer three more weeks.

Today, one of the moms sent me this video of her working with her daughter on some of the activities we shared.

This made my whole week. 💙💛 Keep sharing, parents. Keep working with your kiddos. It’s amazing what can happen with a little time, effort, and the right tools.

Let us know if you’d like help getting started.🙌

08/16/2026

The response to Quick Start Reading was so encouraging that I couldn't stop at one session.

So...I'm giving it away.

Three more weeks.

No cost.
Practical reading instruction.
Real questions.
Real strategies.
Real community.

If you're supporting a beginning reader with Down syndrome, I'd love to have you join me.

Registration closes tomorrow!
https://forms.gle/vMi5mY1WTx9YGM226

08/07/2026

Looking to jump start your learner's reading journey? Join us next Wednesday - August 12th - at 5:00pm PST for a free session. Sign up at: https://forms.gle/WFpyLMTeFysp27Vz8. A zoom link will be sent to you a day or two before the session. Questions? Ask below.

08/07/2026

A helpful guide to "inclusion blindspots" created by Julie Causton and Kristie Pretti-Frontczak. Their website - https://www.inclusiveschooling.com/ is filled with useful information and guides.

Have questions about how to make inclusion work? Reach out and ask us!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/15Y5D2Me6XcrQZtNKJPKbo4MxGmBxIOQqMLMOzhpmQ8U/edit?tab=t.0

Inclusive Structural and Instructional Practices Self-Assessment Designed to help leadership teams move beyond asking, "Do we value inclusion?" to asking, "Where can we actually see it?" Directions Step 1: Print (click here to download pdf) or make a copy of this DRIVE document. Step 2: Comp...

06/25/2026

One of the most important questions we can ask isn't, "How can I provide more support?" It's, "Is this support actually helping?"

This thoughtful handout offers 30 simple questions to help parents, educators, and support staff reflect on whether the assistance they're providing is promoting independence, dignity, choice, and meaningful inclusion, or unintentionally creating dependence.

I especially love the guiding principle:
"Support others as you would wish to be supported."

It's a powerful reminder that the goal isn't to do more for someone. It's to help them do more for themselves.

Many thanks to Dr. Julie Causton for her influential work, "The Golden Rule of Providing Support in Inclusive Classrooms," which inspired this resource, and to Inclusive Schooling for creating and sharing this practical reflection tool.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m1s0s5rji0vbvu2yqqo5v/IsMySupportActuallySupportive.pdf?rlkey=14hh46ppyz7xgrx4o4r3vlnht&dl=0

Shared with Dropbox

06/23/2026

Hello friends,
I've been meeting so many wonderful new teachers and families, and getting lots of questions about where to find me over the next several months. So here's the full lineup (with Fall parent focused sessions to be added). Whether you're an educator or a parent, I'd love to connect.

EDUCATOR FOCUS (Face to Face) — parents always welcome

These are Educators Conferences hosted in partnership with the National Down Syndrome Congress, each running 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. I'll present a 1.5 hour session, "Strategies for Effective Literacy Instruction," and join a Q&A panel.

📍 Friday, July 24, 2026 | Orlando, Florida
Hilton Signia, as part of the National Down Syndrome Congress Annual Convention

📍 Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | Delaware
Details to come

📍 Saturday, January 23, 2027 | Down Syndrome Alabama
8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., location to be determined

📍 Saturday, February 6, 2027 | Down Syndrome Association of Houston
8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., location to be determined, presented by The Katherine Ferruzzo Legacy Foundation

More on the Educators Conferences: https://ndsccenter.org/programs-events/educators-conference/

FOR PARENTS (Virtual and Face to Face) — all welcome

These sessions are aimed at parents, though everyone is welcome.

🖥️ Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 8:00 p.m. EST
Quick Start Reading (Virtual)

📍 Saturday, July 25, 2026 | Orlando, Florida
Face to face at the NDSC Convention, three sessions:

📖 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. — Your Learner's World of Circles: Teaching Safe Connections and Healthy Boundaries

🤖 1:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. — AI for Inclusion and Independence: Practical Tools for Home and School

📚 3:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. — How to Teach Reading: A Practical, Research-Driven Approach for Learners With Down Syndrome

I hope to see you at one of these events. Please reach out before if you want to connect more personally so we can schedule time. 💛💙

Join the National Down Syndrome Congress for a one-day conference designed for educators working to enhance outcomes for their students with Down syndrome, autism, and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.

06/19/2026

For accurate information, see message and link below.

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the National Down Syndrome Congress, and the National Down Syndrome Society have teamed up to publish the third edition of the groundbreaking Prenatal & Newborn Down Syndrome Information Pamphlet, available in English, Spanish and Icelandic. The third edition

Address

Mailing Address: 1048 Irvine Avenue , #575
Newport Beach, CA
92660

Telephone

+19492982020

Website

http://www.dsfoc.org/

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