Raising and providing for the education of a child with special needs, in a world that is not always set-up to accommodate differences, is a huge endeavor. Most families and educators take on this challenge with love and commitment. But sometimes it takes a little more than the resources at hand. An investment of appropriate education and remediation in a special needs child pays huge dividends in that child's future and may reduce the amount of support the child needs as an adult. We encourage everyone to get to know these special kids - they have a lot to teach us.
To make a donation of time, resources or money, contact:
Kim Ortloff, SPEED STEP president
kim@olypentitle.com
457-6956
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CURRENT REQUESTS:
Cory’s Day at the Farm is an annual excursion for special education students on the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas. It is sponsored and hosted by the Cory family. The outing is a trip to the Kitsap County Fairground where the Cory Family has set up pony rides, a petting zoo, musical and other performing arts, crafts and other interactive projects, lunch and a free tee shirt for all the kids who participate. The Cory’s make sure that there are accommodations for all types of disabilities so everyone has an enjoyable time. There is no cost for the children to attend, but it will cost around $3,000.00 for the buses to transport them there and back.
All children look forward to school field trips. The extra expense of such outings is something most school districts do not have room for in their budgets and it is up to PTO’s and other groups to put together funding. For special education students, the expense is even higher as there are additional transportation requirements and extra personnel needed to take many of these kids off of school grounds. The benefits to the kids are enormous as they get to experience new things with their Teachers and Para educators. This type of opportunity gives Teachers and Para educators a chance to see how the kids are applying in the real world what they learn in the contained and controlled environment of the classroom. It is another gauge for checking off skills that have been mastered and revisiting those that have not translated well in different situations. And, as with all school field trips, it provides a wealth of shared experience from which to draw upon for future lessons in the classroom.
This year the Special Education Teachers in our district have expressed a desire to take over 100 students on this trip. It will require an additional 60 adults. It is our hope that SPEED STEP will be able to do enough fund raising on our own each year to cover the cost of this trip. This year, however, with time running out, we are unable to accomplish this through traditional fundraising. We are seeking assistance from the local service clubs and others to make this trip possible. Any donation would be greatly appreciated. We are trying to find 15 separate $200 donations to cover the cost. If, by chance we raise more money, the additional funds will be earmarked for next year’s trip. Donations can be made through the Port Angeles Education Foundation by making checks payable to “Maria White, Special Education” and writing “Farm Trip” on the memo line. Checks can be sent to PA SPEED STEP c/o Kim Ortloff, 4339 S Mt Angeles, PA WA 98362.
Thank you for your consideration, Kimberly Ortloff
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need for 2 or 3 weighted vests for children 3-6 years old. These can be hand-made to reduce costs. One parent purchased a child's vest and sewed pockets around the inside of the hem, with velcro closure, to insert weighted materials such as clay or sand. This way the weight could be varied based on child's size. Any help would be very much appreciated!
