Parents of Students with Disabilities, Learning Differences Invited for Special “Night Out”

Do you have a school-aged child with a disability or learning difference that is being addressed either through an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan? Do you want to feel more connected to other Wilton parents who are working hard to get their child(ren) the best support possible?

If so, please mark your calendars for Friday, Sept. 18, 6:30 p.m. at the Wilton Library. On that evening, the Parent Advisory Board (PAB) will host its annual Parent’s Night Out.

I still remember when I moved to Wilton five years ago, not knowing a single soul. I had lived in town less than two weeks when I managed to escape the chaos of my house to meet with this amazing group of parents – and to feel welcomed to Wilton Public Schools for the first, but not the last, time.

It was so refreshing to connect with other people who had a child with a learning difference or a disability, and to hear more about how the school programs worked, what services might be available outside of school, and where I could get additional information should I need it. Most of all, though, it was a wonderful way to begin friendships with people who truly understood and cared.

Five years out, I still count many of the people I met that first evening among my friends here in Wilton. But it didn’t end that night. Every year at the fall social, I meet more wonderful people who also happen to parent a child or children with unique needs. Together, we talk, laugh, and break out of the isolation that can sometimes characterize life with a child who learns differently.

So if your child has an IEP or 504 plan, please join us for drinks, home-made hors d’oeuvres, and informative conversation, as well as news about upcoming PAB-sponsored events. Parent’s Night Out is truly something special. We hope to see you there.

To learn more about the Parent Advisory Board, visit the PAB website. To RSVP for the Night Out, please let us know if you plan to attend via email.

Mary Jane Reis is Secretary of the Parent’s Advisory Board, a group of parents and administrators dedicated to improving communication, education and trust among parents of children with special needs and Wilton Public Schools. Mary Jane is also the also Special Education representative for the Cider-Mill PTA.