Advocating 4 Kids, Inc

06/25/2026

𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀

E𝗻𝗱-𝗼𝗳-𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸

🎉 Too many people only tell stories about what's wrong.

Lets tell joys and wins stories .

Celebrate students meeting goals.
Celebrate accommodations finally working.
Celebrate confidence.
Celebrate parents who kept showing up.

👇 Tell us one win from this school year.

Because of grant support and community partners, we were able to host free workshops and support families as they navigated IEPs, evaluations, and school challenges this year. Thank you for helping build a village where Black neurodivergent children can thrive.

06/25/2026

Dear Parents,
Don't forget to take time for yourself.
Sometimes we all need a mental health day!
Mine was today spending time in the garden.
Tell us what you do for "me time"?
Happy Adocating!

06/24/2026

🎤 A FEATURED PRESENTER ANNOUNCEMENT 🎤

I am excited to share that I will be presenting at the **Sickle Cell Youth Transition Self-Care Symposium** hosted by **Sickle Cell Family and Peer Advocates of Tidewater, Inc. (SCFPATW)** on **June 26, 2026**!

My session is:

📚 **What Are IEPs and Section 504 Plans for Youth with Sickle Cell Disease?**

Many students with sickle cell disease experience challenges related to attendance, fatigue, pain episodes, medical appointments, and academic performance. During this session, we will discuss:

✅ The differences between IEPs and Section 504 Plans
✅ Educational rights and protections for students with sickle cell disease
✅ Accommodations and supports that can help students succeed
✅ How youth can develop self-advocacy skills for school and beyond
✅ Resources families can use to ensure their children receive appropriate support

As youth prepare for adulthood, understanding educational rights is a powerful form of self-advocacy.

I look forward to connecting with youth, families, educators, healthcare professionals, and community advocates as we learn, share, and empower one another.

📅 Friday, June 26, 2026

Thank you to **Sickle Cell Family and Peer Advocates of Tidewater, Inc. (SCFPATW)** for this opportunity to support and empower our youth.

06/24/2026

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱

📂 𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗦𝗡𝗔𝗣𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗧

A parent came to us feeling defeated.
The school said:"Your child is making enough progress."
The data said something different.Together, we reviewed the records.
We organized the receipts.We asked better questions.

The result?
✅ 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱
✅ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱
✅ 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴

Nothing changed because we got louder.Things changed because we got clearer.
That's the power of documentation.You're not being difficult.You're advocating.

🎁 Learn how to build your own Folder system in our Advocacy Starter Kit.

06/23/2026

𝟯 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝗱-𝗼𝗳-𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗜𝗘𝗣 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲

📋 Before the school year ends, check these 3 things in your child's IEP:

✅ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀
Can the school show actual evidence of progress?

✅ 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Which supports actually worked this year—and which didn't?

✅ 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿'𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀
Don't wait until August to identify concerns.

✅ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹.
They deserve support that works.

Save this post for your next meeting.

🎁 Want help understanding what you're reading? Join one of our free workshops.

06/22/2026

Finally, a Virginia Hearing Officer who understands the HELL, LEAs cause on Parents advocating 4 their children!

"FCPS cross-examined the mother and advocate about emails containing disparaging comments about FCPS personnel. The hearing officer described the comments as uncivil and said it was “unwise to put it in writing,” even though the comments were not intended for others to read. But she also recognized that the mother is the parent of the child, that she was emotional and crying at times, and that “some leeway should be given the Mother.” She also noted that criticisms made by the petitioners in their opening and reply briefs “are no different than the SD criticism of the Mother and the advocate.” Her bottom line was the right one:

“This is contested litigation. The focus remains on the best interest of the Student.”

That should be the rule. Instead, the behavior is often the focus—and FCPS’s lawyers have been blaming parents for years, just as they’ve been arguing for educator deference for years (see article three in this series)."

FCPS questioned the mother and advocate about private emails, but the hearing officer kept the focus where it belonged: whether the student received FAPE.

06/22/2026

𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲
📚 School's almost out. What paperwork should you save before summer?

If you're cleaning out backpacks, folders, and email inboxes this week, don't throw away evidence that tells your child's story.

Before summer starts, make sure your Folder includes:
✅ Progress reports
✅ Report cards
✅ IEP meeting notes
✅ Discipline records
✅ Emails with teachers and staff
✅ Work samples that show growth

Future you will be grateful when it's time to prepare for next year's meetings.
Remember: Stories live in receipts.

👇 Ask your end-of-year advocacy question below and we'll answer as many as we can.

🎁 Need help getting organized? Download our Advocacy Starter Kit and join an upcoming free workshop.

06/21/2026

Happy Father's

06/21/2026

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿?

Because children only get one education.
Because families deserve information, not confusion.
Because support should never depend on how loudly a parent can fight.
Because Black neurodivergent children deserve to be seen for their brilliance—not reduced to labels.
Because every email, every record, every meeting, and every question is part of protecting a child's future.

Advocacy isn't about being difficult.
Advocacy is what love looks like in public.
As this school year comes to a close, remember:
Your voice matters.
Your observations matter.
Your child's story matters.
And you do not have to navigate this journey alone.

🎁 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗞𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿.

06/20/2026