{"product_id":"free-back-to-school-iep-workshop-special-needs-parents","title":"Free Back-to-School Prep Workshop for Special Needs Mothers","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA strong IEP doesn't begin at the first meeting. It begins before the first day of school.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWednesday, August 19, 2026 | 7:00–8:00 PM ET\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLive virtual workshop via Zoom through The Special Needs Mama Bear® Den membership community\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour child begins experiencing the new school year before the very first day. Decisions are already being made, information is being shared, and plans are being put in place that can affect how well the school team understands and supports your child.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet many important IEP conversations do not begin until weeks into the school year or after a problem arises. By then, your child may have already lost valuable learning time. If additional services, supports, or resources are needed, it can take even longer before they are approved and put into place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut what if you did not have to wait?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA strong IEP does not begin at the first meeting. It begins with what you review, communicate, and put into motion before school starts and during those critical opening weeks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin Christine Staple Ebanks, founder and CEO of Raising Special Needs Inc. and creator of The Special Needs Mama Bear®, for a free, practical workshop designed to help special needs mothers become active participants in preparing for their child's school year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring this one-hour informational workshop, you will receive practical information and guided checklists to help you:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eBegin reviewing your child's current IEP in preparation for the new school year\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eRecognize areas that may require closer attention or further discussion with the educational team\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eConsider what the school team needs to know about your child's strengths, communication, daily support needs, and educational priorities\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003ePrepare important information to share with teachers, therapists, transportation providers, and other members of the educational team\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cem\u003eBegin informed conversations with the school about any questions or concerns you identify\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou will also receive practical back-to-school resources to help you organize and communicate important information, prepare for the first day, and monitor your child's experience during the opening weeks of school.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe workshop will include time for participants' questions and practical insights from resource people in special education and speech-language pathology.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYour child cannot afford to lose the first weeks of school waiting for the right conversations to begin. Start planning before the first day, not after the first problem.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eYour Workshop Host and Facilitators\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eChristine Staple Ebanks — Workshop Host and Facilitator\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChristine is a mom of four children, including Nathan, who has cerebral palsy. She is the founder and CEO of Raising Special Needs Inc. and the creator of The Special Needs Mama Bear®. She is also an author, parent educator, and human services practitioner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more than 20 years, Christine has navigated educational, healthcare, therapeutic, and community systems alongside her son. Drawing on that lived experience and her professional background in human services, she has spent more than 19 years developing parent education curricula and delivering training workshops that equip parents of children with disabilities with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to make informed decisions and advocate for their children. Her work has reached families in the United States, Jamaica, and other countries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring this workshop, Christine will share what parents can do before school begins to prepare for their child, organize and communicate important information, and begin identifying areas of their child's current IEP that may require closer attention or further discussion with the educational team.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJordanne W. S. Ebanks, CCC-SLP\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpeech-Language Pathologist and Special Educator\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJordanne Ebanks is a speech-language pathologist who holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). She is also certified in elementary special education. Her experience includes supporting children in public and specialized school settings and clinical settings. Collaborating with occupational therapists, physical therapists, educators, families, and other professionals to address students' communication, educational, and developmental needs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe has experience helping students develop their speech and language skills and supporting children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), including speech-generating devices. Jordanne also brings personal experience as the sister of a young man with cerebral palsy, giving her a valuable understanding of communication support from both a professional and family perspective.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the workshop, Jordanne will share what mothers should consider about their child's communication needs, what the educational team needs to know, and what information should be communicated as the new school year begins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTara Sanchez\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSpecial Educator, Instructional Leader, and Dyslexia and Literacy Resource\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTara Sanchez is an experienced special educator and instructional leader with more than 20 years of experience in special education, life-skills instruction, literacy education, behavior support, and school leadership. She holds a Master of Science in Special Education and is certified in Special Education EC–12, educational administration, English as a Second Language, and multiple areas of classroom instruction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout her career, Tara has served as a life-skills teacher, resource teacher, virtual special education teacher, special programs coordinator, behavior specialist, campus principal, dyslexia and reading enrichment teacher, and parent trainer. This combination of classroom and leadership experience gives her a broad understanding of students' learning and support needs and how educational programs are implemented across school settings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the workshop, Tara will share what mothers should consider about their child's learning needs, educational supports, and the information that should be communicated to the school team as the new school year begins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho Should Attend?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis workshop is designed for special needs mothers, fathers, and other caregivers who serve as their child's primary family representative—the person responsible for participating in IEP meetings, educational planning, and ongoing communication with the school team.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Register and Access the Workshop\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis workshop will be held via Zoom through The Special Needs Mama Bear® Den membership community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdvance registration is required, even though the workshop is free.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImportant:\u003c\/strong\u003e You must use the same email address when registering for the workshop and accessing The Special Needs Mama Bear® Den. Your workshop registration and access will be connected to that email address.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegistration includes free access to the Mama Bear Den. After registering, you will receive instructions for joining the community and accessing the live Zoom workshop. Please follow the instructions and complete your Den access before the workshop begins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRegister Today\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegister for your free spot today and learn how to start planning before the first day, not after the first problem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thespecialneedsmamabear.com\/products\/the-mama-bear-den-free-membership\"\u003eReserve Your Free Spot\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eImportant Event Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThis is a live virtual event.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe workshop will be held via Zoom through The Special Needs Mama Bear® Den.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdvance registration is required.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRegistration includes free access to the Mama Bear Den.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eParticipants must use the same email address for workshop registration and Mama Bear Den access.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccess instructions will be shared in the Mama Bear Den Community before the workshop.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo physical product will be shipped.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"The Special Needs Mama Bear®","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54130355601772,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0906\/4991\/9852\/files\/back-to-school-workshop-square.png?v=1785770778","url":"https:\/\/thespecialneedsmamabear.com\/products\/free-back-to-school-iep-workshop-special-needs-parents","provider":"thespecialneedsmamabear.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}