Event Calendar

The events included below are shared for informational purposes, and listing may not be inclusive of all available community learning opportunities and inclusion of opportunities does not reflect endorsement by Arlington Public Schools.   

Arlington County Events

 

 

 

 

Therapeutic Recreation Corner
Office: 703-228-4740
TTY: 711
Email:[email protected]
Follow TR on Facebook!

• Visit the Therapeutic Recreation Facebook page to see recreational activities posted weekdays that can help you practice your skills or develop new skills ones. Their daily themes are:
  • Monday: Self-Regulation skills
  • Tuesday: Fine motor skills
  • Wednesday: Gross motor skills
  • Thursday: Communication skills
  • Friday: Social skills

Parenting Wisely
Parenting Wisely, for parents/guardians of children ages 6 to 11. This self-paced course is available 24/7, online, in English and Spanish.
Parenting Wisely English flyer
Parenting Wisely Spanish flyer

Support Group for Parents/Caregivers Affected by Youth Substance Use Connect with others who are coping with the challenges of supporting a youth who has substance use concerns. This virtual group is facilitated by Children’s Behavioral Health specialists, including a Family Support Partner and meets every other Thursday at 5:00 pm, starting on March 13. Support Group English flyer

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Reoccurring programs

• TRUST TALK TUESDAYS
  These small group discussions will focus on Special Needs Trusts and futures planning. Questions pertaining to general disability issues in regards to future financial planning are welcome.
• CHAT WITH AN ATTORNEY
  Parents can schedule a free 45-minute meeting with an attorney to receive advice and guidance on any number of special education topics for their student.
• BASICS of MEDICAID WAIVER
  In this one hour presentation, Lucy Beadnell, Director of Advocacy, will review what Waivers are, services Waivers offer, how to apply, and give tips for families on waiting lists for services.
• Building Independence with the TFIL Team
  The Tech for Independent Living Team invites you to join their monthly virtual event on the first Thursday of each month to discover the amazing Arc2Independence app.
• Transition Lunch and Learn
  These sessions are not recorded. Planning to transition from school to adult services can be overwhelming. Once your child exits the school system, adult services are based on eligibility criteria and funding availability. These small group sessions are an opportunity to begin creating a plan for the future. Learn what employment and meaningful day support services are available, how to explore post-secondary options, what transportation supports exist, how to help your child make decisions and advocate, when to apply for SSI and manage benefits, and what recreation activities are available. This informal opportunity is to ask questions and discuss with the facilitator and other participants.
• Metro Travel Training
  Interested in travel training? Come join our Tech for Independent Living (TFIL) team on a metro trip! Individuals with disabilities and a designated adult are invited to join our TFIL team on a short Metro trip. During this practice trip, individuals with disabilities will learn basic travel skills and will become more comfortable traveling on the Metro. SmarTrip cards will be provided. These in-person travel training events are FREE to attend, but pre-registration is required.
  

March Events

• All About Extended School Year (ESY) – Thursday, March 20
• Arc2Independence Connect– Friday, March 21
• Personal Safety for Teens & Adults – Saturday, March 22
• TFIL Talks: Lessons from the Arc2Independence App – Tuesday, March 25

Northern Virginia 2025 Safety Fair with the Arlington First Responder Community
Saturday, April 5, 2025: 11 AM-2 PM
Gunston Middle School
2700 S Lang St.Arlington, VA
This event is free and open to all, though the focus is on people with all types of disabilities. We know first responder interactions for any reason can be stressful for all, but especially for people with mental health, substance use, and DD related needs, and we’ve learned that practicing and feeling safe asking questions is key to increasing the chances that these situations go well.

Learn more and register

Join The Arc for a resource fair and practice event with Arlington first responders and community partners as we learn about emergency and crisis resources, and practice navigating emergencies.  You’ll be able work on creation the of DD identification cards to hand to first responders to identify a disability in the event of an emergency.  You can also work with first responders to role play a variety of situations and ask questions about how you can navigate emergencies safely.  Learn about setting up your own Emergency Health Profile.  The Emergency Health Profile allows individuals to voluntarily create a free emergency health profile to provide first responders with their vital health and medical information (behavioral health related information included) when calling 9-1-1 or 9-8-8 during an emergency or crisis.

Individuals over the age of 16 may sign-up for an Emergency Health Profile through the Emergency Health Profile Association. Legal guardians may sign up individuals under the age of 16.  This team will also discuss 988 and options to call during a behavioral/mental health emergency, and what you can expect.

The Arc of Northern Virginia’s award winning Tech for Independent Living team will be present to talk about free customized apps to grow skills, independence, and safety.

Event partners:

• ACPD
• ACPD SWAT
• ACPD K-9
• ACFD
• Metro Transit Police Department
• Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department
• Marcus Alert
• Mobile Outreach Support Team
• Emergency Services
• Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management

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Arlington DADS Group
A Dinner and Conversation Group for Arlington Dads of students with disabilities
Thursday, March 20th
Ireland’s Four Provinces, Falls Church, VA

Additional dates:
Tuesday, April 22nd
Thursday, May 15th

To participate, please contact George Buzby at: [email protected]

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Spring Forward Fun Day Registration is OPEN!
Our 12th annual event, just for foster, adoptive, and kinship families and family-serving professionals, will be Saturday, May 3 at the GMU Science and Technology campus in Manassas. We have a great line-up of presenters and exhibits for the adults and SO much fun for the kids in outdoor activities. Light breakfast and family lunch are included. We can’t wait to see you!

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The Lab School Speaker Series
6:30 – 7:30pm

• April 9, 2025 | What We Know About Brain Plasticity: Why Effective Teaching Matters

Use this link to access details and registration.

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NAMI Arlington – Parent Support Group
Parents/Caregivers of School Age Students and Teens (PK-12) for 2024-2025 
3rd Mondays 7:00-8:30pm
Next Meeting: Monday, April 21

This group is geared to parents whose child is experiencing symptoms of a mental illness, including: depression, anxiety, eating disorders, mood disorders and more. No diagnosis is required to participate. Participants are given the opportunity to share their story, experience support, and glean guidance (as desired) from group members regarding both community and school resources. Confidentiality is respected.
Register here: bit.ly/PSGArlington

Questions? Contact:

• Michelle Best ([email protected])
• Sandy Minners ([email protected])
• Robin Pentola ([email protected])

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NAMI Virginia Offers FREE training and support groups for Peers, Friends, Family, Parents, Caregivers, Youth, and Young Adults. Find more information about local training and support through your local Affiliate.

NAMI Family Support Group for Parents and Caregivers of Youth under 18.

• First and Third Wednesday of the month
  7 – 8:30 PM on Zoom
  This Family Support Group, following NAMI’s signature programming model, is for parents or caregivers of children under the age of 18. For more information, please contact Nicole Anjum at [email protected] or join here. Hosted by Virginia Family Network.
• Parent Leader Network Call
  Second Monday of the month 10- 11:30 AM on Zoom
  Connect with other parent leaders, learn new skills, and find out about upcoming learning opportunities. For more information, please contact Nicole Anjum at [email protected] or join here.
  Hosted by Virginia Family Network.
• Book Club
  Second and Fourth Thursdays 7-8 PM on Zoom
  This is an online book club for parents and caregivers. The books will center on mental health and wellness, discovering yourself, and systems that parents and young people have navigated. This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents in a relaxed environment. The group is ongoing, so you can jump in at any point! For more information, please contact Nicole Anjum at [email protected].
• Virtual Coffee Chat for Self-Care
  Third Thursday of the month 9 AM on Zoom
  Connect in a relaxed, informal setting and discuss your own self-care journeys while drinking your morning coffee, tea, or water! Contact Nicole Anjum at [email protected] with questions and join here.
• Monthly Lunch & Learn
  Last Thursday of the month at noon on Facebook.
  Lunch and Learn is a monthly, one-hour-long presentation on topics for parents and caregivers. Past presentations centered on trauma, restraint, and seclusion, self-care, school during COVID-19, and more. Please send questions to Nicole Anjum at [email protected] and Join us on our VFN Facebook Page.
• Youth Move Virginia Youth & Young Adult Peer Support Group.
  This youth support group creates a space for youth to take initiative in conversations, activities, and movements about mental health. Contact Miranda Schnoor at [email protected] for upcoming dates and any questions or register here.
  Hosted by Youth MOVE Virginia

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• February 4th-March 25th 6:30pm
  Spanish Winter Special Education Series
  (sessions are every other Wednesday and will last an 1 to 1.5 hours)
• February 10th at 8am-April 14th at 11:30pm
  Transition University
  Self-Paced Online Training
• IEP University – an asynchronous learning opportunity that is excellent for both families and staff; provides an in-depth look at the eligibility and IEP processes from the parent perspective; starts 3/10, registration is now open
• Ins and Outs of IEP Meetings – live webinar on 3/12 from 6:30-8pm

PEATC LATINX

Grupo de Chat para Padres: Únete a nuestro nuevo GRUPO DE CHAT mediante la aplicación de WhatsApp y podrás mantenerte al tanto de todo lo que PEATC Latino está haciendo. Entra al GRUPO: https://bit.ly/2VoU2vw