An unusual gathering of educators, service providers parents and tomorrow (Tuesday) will look at ways local schools can meet the needs of the rapidly growing number of students diagnosed with autism.

Andrew Bailey is  Executive Director of Anova Center for Education , which has campuses in Santa Rosa, San Rafael and American Canyon in Napa County. Anova was founded in 200o.

SONOMA COUNTY'S 1ST ANNUAL AUTISM COMMUNITY SYMPOSIUM

When:             Tuesday, October 21st, 3:30pm-6:30 pm

Where:            The Anova Center for Education 

                         3033 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA

Cost:                FREE to participants and attendees

For more information or to reserve your seat, contact Anova at: (707) 527-7032

 

Anova will be hosting the Autism Community Team (ACT!) of Sonoma County in the First Annual Autism Community Symposium, "Meeting Challenges and Creating Opportunities". This forum brings together parents, public schools, regional centers and private providers to increase understanding of what services are currently available to those impacted by autism, and to discuss all that remains to be accomplished.

Autism is the fastest growing disability in the US.  With 1 out of every 150 children diagnosed with autism, autism is more prevalent than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined. Here in California, the number of students with autism in grades K-12 has increased more than 1000% over the past 20 years. With statistics such as these, there is no question: autism has a widespread emotional, social and economic impact on our community, and has ramifications our community must be prepared to fully address.

 

As autism spectrum diagnoses become more frequent among local students, Andrew Bailey says it is increasingly important for schools to implement cost-effective approaches to meeting their needs.

 

Job training, social work and gourmet food all converge in chef Evelyn Cheatham's unique Worth Our Weight culinary apprentice program.

 

Chef Cheatham explains the origin of her program's name.

 

Luke, one of the current students in the WOW program, talks about what he hopes to get out of it.

 

 Worth Our Weight is currently open Fridays and Saturdays from 9 to 4, and serving Sunday Brunch from 9 to 1.They also have a catering service and a tent at the Santa Rosa Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.

The new location is at 1021 Hahman Drive, next to the Boys and Girls Club, between Montgomery Village anMontgomery High School.

 

 

As gang-related activities increase in the Sonoma Valley, new prevention efforts are being launched to help parents redirect affected kids.

 

 

For details about the upcoming seminar series, click here . You can hear Jill Royce describe the full series in this audio clip:

 

To view the services provided by LifeWorks, click here .

 

                                                                                          

To learn about the Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force in Santa Rosa, click here .

California's schools may not be teaching civics and government as much as they once did, but the state's educators are more deeply engaged in these subjects than ever.

 

  David Sanchez, a Kindergarten teacher from Santa Maria  is president of the 340,000 member California Teachers Association.