Awareness Articles

SAGE PTA was thrilled to support the RISD community through contributions to the familiaRise section of the RISD Community News.  We continue to create and share awareness articles to help educate the community about the diverse needs of RISD students. 

We invite parents, educators, and community members to browse our contributions and articles below!

September 2025 Awareness – What is the Purpose of SAGE?

SAGE stands for “Special and Gifted Education,” and in Richardson ISD, SAGE began as a special committee of the Richardson ISD Council of PTAs.  In 2015, when past PTA Council President Marni Kaner helped the Council SAGE Committee to create a Designated Fund, she shared her vision for SAGE to someday become a districtwide Special Education PTA (SEPTA).

In 2022, Marni’s vision for SAGE became a reality, and SAGE PTA was chartered by Texas PTA.  Because PTA access was so important to Marni, SAGE PTA has created a membership scholarship in her memory, providing free membership to families facing financial hardship.

Why was SAGE created, and what does SAGE do?

Children with disabilities and other learning differences, including gifted needs, face unique challenges.  These students often require different teaching strategies, supports, and/or adjustments to their learning environment in order to learn in school.  Diagnoses and symptoms can be missed or misunderstood, and SAGE students can face social isolation if strategies are not used to ensure inclusion and appropriate grouping.  Parenting a child with SAGE needs can be difficult, confusing, exhausting, and lonely.  Our teachers and our schools do the best they can, but advocacy is often needed at the local, state, and national levels to ensure that SAGE needs are seen, understood, and prioritized in a way that enables all students to thrive.

The mission of SAGE is simple: SAGE educates the community, supports families, and advocates for students and teachers.  SAGE PTA supports multiple awareness efforts (including this blog!) to help our community better understand and support SAGE needs.  We provide safe spaces for parents to connect and support one another, as well as individual assistance and referrals for parents who contact our board for help.  Finally, we advocate at all levels for the laws, funding, policies, and practices needed for SAGE students to learn in a healthy environment and to reach their full potential.  We engage in positive collaboration with RISD’s SAGE departments, and we support RISD’s work to meet student needs.  We follow the Positions and Resolutions of National PTA.  We hold meetings, just like any PTA, and we support educator appreciation efforts, like many school-level PTAs. However, when it comes to outreach and assistance, our role is unique, just like the students we exist to support.  

If you are the parent or educator of a student with SAGE needs, or if you are a community member who supports our mission, there is a place for you in our PTA!  We encourage you to become a member, to get involved, and to help us spread the word.  The mission of National PTA is “every child, one voice,” and we are proud to be the voice for every RISD child with SAGE needs.  We hope you will join us.  

August 2025 Awareness:  Back to School Tips and Communication

Back to School can be an anxiety-inducing time for families of students with diverse learning needs. If you’re feeling worried, you’re not alone! Every year, families learn how to navigate the challenges of helping their child(ren) as they adjust to a new schedule and a new teacher or teachers. Although solutions will differ for every family, and the details will depend on the specific disability and ability needs of your child, it may help to review suggestions compiled by organizations dedicated to these differences. Please see below for sites you may find helpful.

• Getting Ready for the New School Year – Informing a New Teacher, from Navigate Life Texas, hosted by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services 

• Back to School Support Guide, from Understood.org 

• Why and How to Partner With Your Child’s Teacher, from Understood.org

• Back to School Tips for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders - from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

• Back-to-School Anxiety, from Child Mind Institute

• Back-to-School: A Parent’s Take on Kids with Anxiety and Learning Disabilities, from the Learning Disabilities Association of America

• Back to School Guide for Students with ADHD, from ADDitude Magazine

• Tips for Talking to Teachers about ADHD, from CHADD

• The Ultimate Back to School Guide for Families of Children with Disabilities, from The Arc 

• How to Work Well with Your Child’s Teacher, from the Child Mind Institute

Joining a support group can be an enormous help for parents of students with disabilities – and fortunately, SAGE PTA is here for RISD families!  SAGE PTA membership is open to anyone (parents, teachers, students, grandparents, and even community supporters!), and our organization offers additional networking and support specifically for Richardson ISD parents and employees. Visit bit.ly/JoinSAGEPTA25 and join us for the new school year starting on August 1st.  We hope to see you at a meeting soon!

May 2025 – SAGE Suggestions: Awards Season

For some students, awards ceremonies may be routine. For students with SAGE differences, however, they can be sources of joy, inspiration, and hope— or they can cause sadness. SAGE families offer the following suggestions and requests to teachers or parent volunteers who may consider giving awards to students, either at the end of the year or during the school year.

PLEASE DO:

*  Consider celebrating nontraditional gifts that students may have — not all students are able to excel in academics or behavior in a given year. 

*  In elementary school, consider an event where each student in the class receives recognition for one of their own unique areas of strength, such as kindness, empathy, or creativity.

*  Please take care to double-check the spelling of each student’s name on certificates — for some students, errors can make them feel like their award is not important. Many families treasure the opportunity to display the awards of students who may be struggling, and they cannot do this if their student’s name is misspelled. 

*  Consider whether certain students may have been left out of awards during a given school year, and find ways to recognize them for their individual growth or unique strengths. Students who struggle—and their families—do notice if they are left out of awards that are eventually received by the majority of other students in their class. Feeling unrecognized or unseen can cause deep pain. 

PLEASE DON’T:

*  Provide students with wrinkled or damaged certificates. If teachers choose to give awards to students, please take the time to ensure that students receive awards that signal that their achievements are worth time and care. 

*  Give “joke” awards, such as “class clown” or “most likely to never leave Richardson.”  While some students may not be bothered by this humor, students with unseen struggles can be profoundly hurt by words that could be perceived as mocking, even if harm was not intended. 

* Give “perfect attendance” awards— these exclude students who have disabilities that cause absences. Attendance awards may also encourage sick children to come to school while contagious, endangering medically fragile students or family members. 

*  Underestimate the impact of your recognition of a student’s strengths— you make a difference!  For some students, your positive recognition truly means the world.

February 2025 Awareness – Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) is February 24th through March 2nd, and we encourage our community to take this opportunity to learn, to share information with others, and to provide hope to loved ones impacted by these conditions. Did you know?

• A recent study estimates that as many as 1 in 5 teenagers may struggle with disordered eating behavior, and eating disorders are the third most common chronic illness in teenagers;

• Approximately 1 in 3 people with an eating disorder is male;

• Warning signs can include: preoccupation with weight and appearance, food rituals, social withdrawal, frequent dieting and body checking, extreme mood swings, weight fluctuations, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, eating in secret, a hyperfocus on healthy foods, difficulty with concentration or sleep, and additional symptoms, such as issues with dental, skin, nail, or hair health;

• Eating disorders cause health problems, including heart rate and electrolyte abnormalities, paused puberty, and stalled growth, which can negatively impact bone health, adult height, and other aspects of a person’s health;

• Eating disorders have the highest rate of death of any psychiatric illness.

Fortunately, help and treatment are available.  Parents with concerns should talk to their child’s pediatrician.  Additional resources and information may be found through NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), Mayo Clinic, and local hospital programs.  

January 2025 Awareness – Celebrations and Scheduling: Including All Families

Our beliefs are part of who we are.  As National PTA explains, although public education and religious teaching are separate, some beliefs impact the everyday lives of families. Just as we expect others to respect our beliefs, we want to equally respect the beliefs of others. When we are aware of differences, we can show the same respect to others that we ask for ourselves.  

How can we show and receive respect for beliefs in our PTA communities? 

• Holy days: some families fast or attend services on days that are not school holidays. To enable all students to attend after-school events, schools and PTAs can check the PTA Multicultural Calendar or other interfaith calendars before scheduling.

• Diet: some families refrain from pork, beef, shellfish, meat, or other animal products. Asking and planning for these differences allows all students to eat food provided for groups.

• Words we choose:  beliefs often have deep personal or family roots. Some families wear religious clothing, head garments, or jewelry, and some beliefs limit students’ participation in certain activities. We can let our children know that we do not need to believe something ourselves in order to respect that it is important to another person, and that the words we choose in communication are important in showing this respect.  

SAGE PTA celebrates the beautiful differences in our community, and we encourage conversations at home about ways we can help our PTAs and our friends to equally respect these differences in our community. 

familiaRise November 2024 – Invisible Disabilities: ADHD

When students have disabilities that are “invisible,” symptoms may go unnoticed or be misunderstood. One of these disabilities is ADHD.

Children with ADHD can struggle with attention, concentration, organization, due dates, taking turns, impulse control, time management, resisting distractions, and completing tasks. They may have difficulty sitting still or with social skills. According to experts, the ADHD brain “struggles to regulate or ‘shift’ attention. Sometimes it shifts too quickly, causing inattention and impulsivity. Other times it struggles to shift at all, allowing for hyper- focusing and making transitions difficult.”  Parents and caregivers can seek support from their pediatrician, and if recommended, other providers. Several organizations offer free online resources with possible strategies to support success.  

School supports can be provided through IDEA (an IEP) or through Section 504 accommodations, allowing for equal access and assisting students with building skills. Accommodations must be individually designed and specific. Some possibilities include:

• Adjustments to how instructions are communicated or assignments are completed

• Learning environment adjustments to support focus 

• Positive behavior supports 

• Opportunities for needed movement and attention breaks

• Reducing or eliminating late work penalties 

• Extra time or extended deadlines 

Families with questions about their child’s school needs can contact their RISD school counselor or campus administrator, and SAGE PTA offers parent-to-parent support. Children with ADHD have many incredible strengths, and together, we can support them in achieving their goals.  

familiaRise October 2024 – Dyslexia Awareness: What Should We Know?

Our PTA is grateful for RISD’s commitment to dyslexia services, including the recent dual accreditation achieved by the RISD Dyslexia Training Center!  Did you know:

• Dyslexia is lifelong (though intervention can help students learn to read!) and it is experienced by 15-20% of people.

• Students must receive an identification of dyslexia before receiving specialized instruction to remediate their reading process. Teachers, parents and administrators play vital roles in the identification process under Texas law. If parents suspect their child may have a learning disability, they may request a full evaluation from RISD.

• Dyslexia has no impact on intelligence and occurs in learning at all levels.

• Nationally, English Learners, African American students, and other non-white populations are underrepresented among those identified with dyslexia; increasing awareness is important for accurate identification.

• Accommodations for dyslexia– as for any disability– do not put students at an “advantage,” but rather remove barriers to provide equal access.

• Contrary to myth, dyslexia does not involve seeing things backwards. (Check out some dyslexia myths and facts!)

• Students may feel encouraged to know about world-changing artists, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders with dyslexia! 

We invite parents and teachers to raise awareness, to celebrate the strengths of dyslexic individuals, and to engage in conversations about the needs of these incredible students.

familiaRise September 2024:  Safe Storage for Student Safety

Each year at the beginning of September, during Suicide Prevention Month, several organizations raise awareness about safe firearm checks and storage.  What is safe storage, and why is it so important in suicide prevention?

• In recent years in the U.S., up to 700 children each year have died from suicide using a firearm 

• Nearly 90 percent of suicide attempts involving a gun result in death 

• Over 80% of child firearm suicides involve a firearm from the child’s own home or from the home of a friend or relative

• The good news: in a study involving 37 counties across 5 states, researchers found that safe storage practices (locked, unloaded, separate from ammunition) are connected with lower rates of both accidental and self-inflicted firearm injuries in children and teens.

In July, the National PTA voted to update its resolution on Safe Storage of Firearms to address accountability for adults, and National PTA continues to promote a program called Be SMART as a helpful resource for families.  SAGE PTA invites families to explore Be SMART and to learn together with us about ways that we can all work to keep our children safe. 

familiaRise May 2024:  Mental Health Month, Important Conversations 

Mental Health Month is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about and to de-stigmatize the mental health needs of students. Doctors know that mental health is just as important as physical health, and in fact, the two are closely linked. It is also important to have conversations about the unique mental health needs of diverse populations. For example, did you know: 

• Autistic people are at higher risk for depression than those who are not autistic

• People with learning and attention disorders, such as ADHD and dyslexia, can experience anxiety and depression in connection with their disability symptoms 

• Researchers have found that when Black youth seek mental health treatment, their mental health concerns are more likely to be misdiagnosed

• More than 20% of teens have seriously considered suicide, according to the American Psychological Association 

• Acceptance and support at home and at school impact the mental health of LGBTQ+ children, including risk of suicide

National PTA has developed Healthy Minds resources to make mental health a priority, and adults can take positive steps to support the mental health of children.  We invite you to join us in working to #EndTheStigma, to prioritize the unique mental health needs of all students, and to have conversations about these needs throughout the year.

familiaRise April 2024:  Autism Resources for RISD Families 

To celebrate acceptance and awareness of neurodiversity during the month of April, below are a few resources for families of students with autism. 

• RISD’s Special Student Services Department offers a newsletter especially for families of students with autism. Each email includes helpful articles, parent training opportunities, and more. To sign up, visit https://bit.ly/AutismNewsletterSignup 

• Parents, teachers, and even students can join SAGE PTA, a districtwide organization that supports families, advocates for students and teachers, and educates the community.  We are made up of welcoming, neurodiverse families, and we would love to include you! Need-based membership scholarships are available. Please contact risdsagepta@gmail.com with questions.  

• Parents can volunteer to help their school and campus PTA create sensory-friendly spaces and times during the school day, during special events, and more. If your school’s PTA board does not yet have a “SAGE Chair” to help promote inclusion of neurodiversity, you can volunteer to serve. 

We encourage everyone in RISD to consider engaging in conversations about including peers with differences. What does the word “inclusion” mean to you?  What does it feel like to be included – or to not be included?  How can we be welcoming to classmates who experience school and the world differently than we do?  What does it feel like when your strengths are recognized and celebrated?

Thank you for helping to make RISD a nurturing place for neurodiversity. 

familiaRise March 2024:   I Think My Child Might Have SAGE Needs!  What Do I Do Next? 

Did you know that 1 in every 5 children in the United States has a learning or attention disorder, and nearly as many (17%) have a developmental disability?  Sometimes, teachers are the first to notice that a child might need to be evaluated for a disability, but sometimes parents notice first.  Parents may also notice that their children may be struggling with anxiety or other mental health needs, or they may see that their child’s academic abilities are more advanced than grade level expectations. As a parent, if you are concerned that your child may have an undiagnosed disability, a mental health need, or above-level learning needs that require advanced instruction (gifted services), where can you go for help?

We recommend that parents start with their child’s school counselor.  Your counselor can gather information and help guide you on the steps to request a disability evaluation, support for your child, or information on referrals for gifted services. For more information, please contact these RISD central office departments:

• RISD Child Find, for disability evaluations and services:  469-593-7523

• Counseling and Prevention Services, for counseling support: 469-593-9142

• Advanced Learning Services, for gifted assessments and services (for further questions, contact info is available through links)

  • Elementary Gifted Services 

  • Secondary Gifted Services 

Families can also receive support from fellow parents through the SAGE PTA, a districtwide PTA formed to support families of students with diverse learning needs, to advocate for students and teachers, and to educate the community.  We encourage families to email us at risdsagepta@gmail.com to seek support or information.  We are here for you!

familiaRise February 2024:  Teen Dating Violence: Awareness and Prevention

Each February, Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month enables parents and schools to have conversations that can keep teens safer when dating. Many parents are surprised to learn how common dating violence is. Quick facts: 

• Nearly 1 in 5 teens experience physical or sexual dating violence.

• More than 1 in 3 teens are victims of psychological dating violence.

• Females are more likely than males to be dating violence victims in heterosexual relationships, but it can also happen to males, as well as in same-sex relationships. 

• Teen relationship abuse happens in all income levels and types of neighborhoods.   

• The impact of dating violence can include decreasing grades, more school absences, more risk of drug use, and greater likelihood of suicidal thoughts or attempts.

Because only one third of teens in abusive relationships tell anyone, and rarely tell parents, it is important for parents to watch for changes in behavior and to learn warning signs. Texas law requires districts to educate students on dating violence, and school prevention programs can reduce the likelihood teens will be involved in abusive dating. 

The role of parents is very important. We can talk with our teens about what healthy relationships look like, and we can encourage them to come to us with concerns about their dating or the relationships of their friends. These conversations can be hard, but they can help our teens stay safer and healthier as they grow, learn, and become adults. 

familiaRise January 2024:  Bullying Prevention and Social Inclusion

None of us want our kids to be bullied or to engage in bullying. Unfortunately, it is very common. Quick nationwide facts from the CDC and the PACER Center:

• 1 in 5 high school students are bullied at school

• More than 1 in 6 high school students were bullied electronically in the last year

• LGBTQ+ students are nearly twice as likely to be bullied

• Students with disabilities are 2 to 3 times more likely to be bullied

• Bullying negatively affects concentration, learning, and attendance 

• Students involved with bullying are more likely to engage in suicide-related behaviors.

One form of bullying is relational/social, which involves spreading rumors and/or exclusion from a group. Below are a few questions parents might consider to help with prevention.

• If your child tells you about bullying, how can you show that you take them seriously? 

• Do you know warning signs to watch for, such as changes in behavior?

• Can you monitor technology use and set tech boundaries?

• Does your child know strategies for responding to bullying?

• How does your family model inclusion of peers with differences?  Are there additional ways you could try?

• How can we encourage being an upstander when we see unkind behavior or exclusion?

.

SAGE PTA is grateful that RISD ensures all students know how to report bullying at school. Please join us in supporting RISD, in talking with our children, and in helping to make our schools safe and inclusive for every single child.    

familiaRise December 2023:  Embracing Individuals with Disabilities

December 3 is recognized as the “International Day of Persons with Disabilities.”  In the United States, about 1 in every 4 adults and nearly 1 in 6 students in public schools have a disability (CDC, NCES).  

The way we talk about disabilities affects how our children feel about people with disabilities!  Below are some questions parents might consider when disabilities come up in conversation.

• How can I help my child to feel empathy (different from sympathy) for children and adults with disabilities?  

• When we meet someone with a disability, how can I help my child focus on the person first, before the disability? 

• How can I talk with my child about forming friendships, and about inviting and including other children their age, especially people with differences?  

• In what ways can we show respect for the strengths and lived experiences of people with disabilities?  

• Does my child know that their peers may need assistance or resources (such a wheelchair, special instruction, or therapy) to access the same education?  Do they know that sometimes students travel between classrooms to receive services, and that we can help by welcoming and supporting students who learn in different ways?

• How can I help my child understand that not all disabilities are visible to our eyes, that some disabilities are “hidden,” as with differences like dyslexia, and that we can help by respecting both the struggles and strengths of other learners? 

SAGE PTA suggests the resources below as a starting point to explore this topic.  Thank you for helping to create an inclusive world for children of all abilities!

Resource:  How to Teach Children About Disabilities and Inclusion (Baylor University)

Video: Things People With Disabilities Wish You Knew (Buzzfeed)

Resource: Talking About Disability (New York Public Schools) 

Resource:  How to Talk to Kids About Disabilities (Verywell Family)

#UnderstandingDifferences #RISDBelievesInAllAbilities #RISDWeAreOne

familiaRise November 2023:  Dietary Differences in our Community

Students and teachers in our community have a wide variety of dietary needs and practices!  Some of us have disabilities or medical conditions that require us to avoid certain foods.  A few of these conditions include:

• Celiac disease: when gluten, found in wheat and some other grains, causes damage to the digestive system, leading to other health problems

• Food allergies: when certain nuts, fruits, or other foods cause allergic reactions ranging from mild to extremely dangerous (life-threatening)

• Diabetes: when a person must monitor blood sugar levels, affecting what and when they can eat

• Gastrostomy tube (G-tube): when certain medical conditions make it hard to get enough nutrition by mouth, a G-tube is sometimes needed to bring nutrition and fluid directly to the stomach

• Lactose intolerance or sensitivity: when a person has to limit the amount and type of dairy they consume

• Sensory sensitivities: when people have diagnoses that include heightened sensitivity to textures, and they need to avoid certain foods.

Many religious, cultural, and ethical beliefs also include observing special diets!  A few examples of these can include: fasting on religious holy days; refraining from eating pork, beef or shellfish; refraining from eating meat; avoiding using or eating animal products; choosing a food to give up for a religious observance; or eating special or traditional foods for certain holidays.

Dietary differences are often personal for the person following the diet.  As parents, we can help our children to understand and respect these differences, and when we volunteer in our schools, we can ask and keep these in mind when planning activities that involve food. Most importantly, learning and teaching our children about these differences can help them to be accepting and supportive of their classmates and friends, both now and in the future.  

#UnderstandingDifferences #RISDBelievesInAllAbilities #RISDWeAreOne