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Your product information source for disability products and services!

When you go to your local medical equipment dealer, you are limited to the products your dealer has in their showroom. There are many other products available for you. Our mission is to show you them, and help you locate them.

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We invite you to experience film and video related to the field of developmental disabilities.
People with developmental disabilities as subjects and performers remain marginalized in the media. The Sprout Film Festival aims to raise their profile by showcasing works of all genres featuring this population.

By presenting films of artistry and intellect, the festival hopes to reinforce accurate portrayals of people with developmental disabilities and expose the general public to important issues facing this population. The goal is an enjoyable and enlightening experience that will help breakdown stereotypes, promoting a greater acceptance of differences and awareness of similarities.

History

The Sprout Film Festival was founded in 2003 and is programmed and supported by Sprout, a NYC-based non-profit organization, dedicated to bringing innovative programming to people with developmental disabilities. Sprout has been making videos related to the field of developmental disabilities since 1995 and has witnessed the myriad benefits these videos have for this population and the general public.

Contact

Sprout 888-222-9575

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Sprout Film Festival - International Documentaries focusing on Special Needs

For Students, Parents and the General Public



Get Tickets and directions


TICKET INFORMATION
* Food and drinks are not allowed inside the screening rooms.
* All sales are final, there will be no refunds or exchanges.
* Festival is appropriate for ages 10 and up.
* We appreciate that children be accompanied by a parent.
For additional information call 212-223-5055

GENERAL ADMISSION

Program 1 (3:15-5:00pm)
Program 2 (5:15-7:00pm)

General Public: $15 for 1 program or $20 for two programs

Ο Single Program $15.00 Please specify which program:
Ο Two Programs $20.00

Ο TCS Discount $10 Total for both

Limited Seating
Please Buy Tickets in Advance
www.thechildschool.org

BY PHONE:
To use a Credit Card call 212-223-5055

BY MAIL:
Checks and money orders only - payable to:
The Child School 587 Main Street Roosevelt Island, NY 10044
Please specify how many tickets and for which programs.

IN PERSON:
Tickets may be purchased at The Child School 587 Main Street Roosevelt Island
Monday - Friday (8am - 4pm)


DIRECTIONS
Take the F subway train
conveniently 1 stop east of Lexington Avenue
You can also take the Tram or Car to Roosevelt Island.
Get directions with our student-created map online.


Learn what it's like to have a disability in Ghana, Iran, Iceland, Lebanon, UK, USA & Japan. Topics such as acceptance, inspiration, college, challenges, stigmas, dreams, advocacy & prejudice.


Program 1 3:15-5:00pm

SVEN-G-EGLAR
9 min. / Music Video / Iceland
This unforgettable video, features the Perlan special-needs theatre group acting out a simple but beautiful play about the elements.

DIFFERENCE IS NORMAL
3 min. / Music Video / Lebanon / in Lebanese with English subtitles
A unique music video from Lebanon with
a universal message of acceptance and tolerance.

LIVING RIGHTS: YOSHI
29 min. / Documentary / Netherlands / in Japanese w/ English subtitles Sixteen-year-old Yoshi has Asperger's Syndrome. Yoshi's dream is to attend a regular Japanese high school, but his disability has prevented him from making that dream happen. He is working to understand his disability and make changes.

SOUVENIR
21 min. / Narrative / Iran / in Iranian with English subtitles
A father and his son with Down syndrome navigate life's difficulties on the streets of Tehran, tackling unemployment, prejudice and homelessness. We see the complexity of surviving life's challenges on the Iranian-Afghan border.
READY OR NOT
16 min. / Documentary / USA
This documentary follows three New York City high school seniors with different disabilities as they graduate and attempt to make plans for their future.

LOOK I'M IN COLLEGE!
31 min. / Documentary / USA
The story of what happens when four young men with autism, from a public school, are chosen to pilot a college inclusion program in NYC.



Program 2 5:15-7:00pm

THE THIRD PARENT
6 min. / Documentary / USA
Exploring the relationship between Ariana, an eleven-year old girl, and Marcello, her five-year old non-verbal autistic brother.

WHO IS DISABLED?
8 min. / Documentary / Ghana Challenging our notion of "handicapped," this short film from Ghana illuminates the stigmas and prejudices parents face when raising a child with disabilities in West Africa.

FATHER'S VOICES
14 min. / Documentary / USA
Focuses on four men raising children with developmental disabilities. In a close up, honest and powerful manner, they share their hopes, dreams, joys and challenges.

TALK TO ME
27 min. / Documentary / USA
Takes viewers into the lives of children with autism at home and at school, and profiles the efforts of their parents and teachers to help them achieve their potential. The families are struggling to obtain appropriate services.

CHILDREN OF THE STARS
50 min. / Documentary / China
There are hundreds of thousands of families
in China who are affected by autism.
These families often face a desperate situation. They have little or no knowledge
of autism and do not know how to teach or cope with their child. They are also largely excluded by a society that does not understand or accept them.

Why cant we have something like this in NJ

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Who: Mayor C. Booker (Newark, NJ)
When: 05-11-09
Source


This week, I became a more active tweeter (@CoryBooker)! I was encouraged by the dialogue that came from one of my tweets regarding education reform. There is no doubt that America faces severe educational challenges.

We are a nation that proclaims unalienable rights and "that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." These are not some ethereal principles -- they are tangible and worthy ideals for which to struggle. Our children call to us daily from schools across the nation that we are "one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all." Justice, liberty, life, happiness -- critical to all of these ideals are wide universally accessible avenues for our youth to obtain a high quality education.

Few can argue with this and few would argue that the long-term success of our nation, in an increasingly competitive global knowledge-based economy, relies squarely on what is happening in American classrooms every day. In the United States, a highly educated populace would result in a GDP trillions of dollars higher than our present GDP -- more jobs and more opportunities for so many Americans.

As other nations continue to outpace us in K-12 education, our country must seriously grapple with the consequences of lack of progress in school improvement. Further, American demographic shifts should sober all of us as to the work that must be done in America. Every year, minorities comprise a greater percentage of our total workforce, yet the racial achievement gap (and socioeconomic achievement gap) in American education remains unacceptably large. We cannot be two nations -- one with access to high quality schools and another with failing schools and limited options.

There is, however, tremendous hope in America for change. David Brooks' opinion piece in last Thursday's New York Times clearly articulates the potential of education reform. Schools in Harlem, Newark and numerous other cities are succeeding in replicating models that are erasing the education gap evident along both racial and socioeconomic lines. In fact, the highest performing public school in all of Essex County, New Jersey -- a county that has both pockets of poverty and great affluence -- is a Newark charter school with a student population that is nearly entirely minority and with a significant percentage near or below the poverty line.

In America now, I can confidently say that it is no longer a question of CAN we educate all of our children at equal and high levels -- it is a question of WILL we.

This is not a philosophical debate. I have no loyalty to charter schools, traditional public schools, magnet schools, small school models, publicly funded scholarships (vouchers) or private schools. I have loyalty to results. The important question should not be one of philosophy or political perspective, it should be: What is working to empower poor and minority children to have the same educational opportunities in America as those who are more affluent? We should embrace those successful school models, learn from them, infuse that understanding into all of our reform efforts and no longer tolerate any institution that fails to live up to our common community standards of excellence.

In Newark, there are many models of success and we are aggressively working to replicate and expand them. Last year, Newark was selected as one of three cities for a huge investment in our charter schools. The goal is to make our entire charter school sector in Newark high quality in accordance with the highest and most uncompromising standards and outcomes and work to expand those schools so more Newark youth can have high quality choice.

We have recently begun a small school initiative for our high school students who are at risk of dropping out. Further, among other things, our new superintendent is looking to expand our magnet schools of excellence which have long waiting lists and completely reorganize our persistently failing schools.

Here in Newark, there is much work to do and we face many challenges. As Mayor of this great city, I want everyone to understand that, beyond continuing the dramatic reduction in violent crime, the fight to realize our educational dreams for our children is the most important work of Newark.

More than this, the most important work in our nation is the fight in cities all across America to establish a United States education system of the highest standards and achievement to finally secure our nation's ambitions. K-12 education is the front line of the fight for the American dream -- our elected officials, policy makers, educators, administrators, parents and students are engaged in the last great struggle to help our nation achieve herself - we all must join in this struggle for the outcome of this fight will determine our common destiny. If we fail, America fails.

Let us take up the cause of America again, like those who signed our original declaration, and the many more unnamed heroes who bled to push, pull, drag and lift our nation closer to its sacred ideals. Let us all take up the cause of educational justice -- it is the cause of American justice.

As our Declaration of Independence concludes, "With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

DOWNLOAD

List of all the approved NJ Department of Children and Families
Licensed Child Care Centers
As of May 5/5/09

information enclosed:


COUNTY
NAME
LOCATION
AGES
SERVED
LIC. CAPACITY
PHONE

....... where is the money kimberly ricketts stated in her testimony that goes to childcare for our disabled kids.......

Don't Forget

When: WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM
What: Department of Children and Families hearing before the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee!
Where: Statehouse Annex/ 125 W. State Street, Trenton, NJ

GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
Below you will find a list of some of the Senate Budget Committee members that cover most of our Regional School Districts!

Staff and especially parents should contact some of the members of the Senate budget committee between now and Tuesday. Any staff or parents who live in these districts should call and send letters:

Senator Kevin J. O'Toole (Republican) District Office: 155 Route 46 West, Suite 108, Wayne, NJ 07470 (973) 237-1360

Senator Sandra B. Cunningham (Democrat) District Office: 1738 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305 (201) 451-5100

Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (Democrat) District Office: 166 Bloomfield Ave., Newark, NJ 07104 (973) 484-1000

Senator Anthony R. Bucco (Republican) District Office: 75 Bloomfield Ave., Suite 302, 3rd Floor, Denville, NJ 07834 (973) 627-9700

Senator Marcia A. Karrow (Republican) District Office: 1 Maple Avenue, Flemington, NJ 08822 (908) 782-5127

Senator Steven V. Oroho (Republican) District Office: 115 Demarest Rd., Suite 2B, Sparta, NJ 07871 (973) 300-0200
District Office: 227 Route 206, Bldg. 1, 1st Floor, Flanders, NJ 07836 (973) 584-4670


Senator Joseph Pennacchio (Republican) District Office: 101 Gibraltar Dr., Suite 1-A, Morris Plains, NJ 07950 (973) 984-0922

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mothers day!

How i stayed away from posting i have no clue.. but im back... :)

Im putting together another wave of mediation forms ..
these letters will go out on Friday, May 15.
Cut off date is Wednseday, May 13.

The next wave will not go out till June 5th, Cut off May 31st.

if your parents are interested please contact me. testcardkids@gmail.com