• A Note from Dr. Pogonelski

• Upcoming Events

• The Fridge - Where Important Documents Are Easy to Access 

A Note From Dr. Pogonelski

As we begin the new year, we are pleased to welcome you to 2026 and share our first newsletter of the year. This month’s edition is arriving a bit earlier than usual, as several timely opportunities and important updates became available that we wanted to communicate to families as soon as possible. We hope this early outreach allows you the time needed to review the information and take advantage of any offerings that may be of interest. As always, we value our partnership with families and encourage you to reach out with any questions as we move forward together into the new year.

Best,

Dr. Meghan Pogonelski

Upcoming Events

Dr. Temple Grandin @ Fairfield U

Dr. Temple Grandin gets down to the REAL issues of autism, the ones parents, teachers, and individuals on the spectrum face every day. Temple offers helpful do's and don'ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips, all based on her 'insider' perspective and a great deal of research. These are just some of the specific topics Temple delves into: *How and Why People with Autism Think Differently. *Economical Early Intervention Programs that Work. *How Sensory Sensitivities Affect Learning *Behaviors Caused by a Disability vs. Just Bad Behaviors. *Teaching People with Autism to Live in an Unpredictable World. *Alternative Medicine vs. Conventional Medicine. *Employment Ideas for Adults with Autism.

SERC 3 Part Webinar Series - Dr. Ross Greene

CPAC invites families and professionals to a three-part webinar series:

Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) Series: Implications for Rethinking Perspectives and Practices with Students Who Are Struggling with Behavior

Presented virtually by: Ross W. Greene, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Founder, Lives in the Balance

Part 1: Overview of New Perspectives and New Practices with Students Who Are Struggling with Behavior

We've learned a lot about kids with concerning behavior over the past four decades...unfortunately, our practices don't always coincide with what we now know. In this segment, Dr. Greene will review some important themes to get things moving in the right direction.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 6:00 PM

Register here: https://bit.ly/44jGBRN

Part 2: Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS): How Solving Problems Collaboratively and Proactively Enhances Emotion Regulation

In this segment, Dr. Greene will take a deeper dive into the practices of the CPS model, with an emphasis on how solving problems collaboratively also enhances some critical skills.

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 6:00 PM

Register here: https://bit.ly/3MmntfR

Part 3: Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS): Memorializing New Perspectives and New Practices in the IEP or 504 Plan

Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans often point caregivers and educators toward concerning behaviors and modifying them. How can these documents be revised to point caregivers and educators toward the problems that are causing those behaviors and solving them?

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 6:00 PM

Register here: https://bit.ly/4rPIvDJ

CPAC Presents Transition Tuesday

CPAC PRESENTS TRANSITION TUESDAY

Equipping High School Students with Dyslexia for Life Beyond High School

During this session, presenters will guide families and educators through key supports and planning considerations for

students with dyslexia as they transition beyond high school.

Presenters will:

• Review and introduce a range of low-tech to high-tech tools that support students with Specific Learning Disability

• Identify and explore the academic and personal skills students need for success, with examples of practical activities

• Discuss the importance of comprehensive, up-to-date evaluations of reading, writing, language, and cognitive

processing skills

Presenters: Claire Conroy, Ed.D., State Education Resource Center (SERC) Consultant, Kristin Allen, Associate Education

Consultant in CT State Department of Education’s Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities, and Jennifer Sullivan, M.S.,

CEO of Fast Forward College Coaching & Author

The Fridge

Dr. Meghan Pogonelski

Assistant Superintendent for Special Education & Student Services

mpogonelski@er9.org

203-261-2513