Conference geared toward parents of children with special needs slated for Jan. 21

The Kern County Consortium SELPA, a division of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office, will host an all-day conference geared toward parents of children with special needs on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022 from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hodel's Country Dining, 5917 Knudsen Dr. in Bakersfield. Admission is just $10, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

The fourth bi-annual conference, titled "Specially Yours," is being organized to educate and empower parents who are struggling to meet the needs of their complex families.

"This conference was created to give our parents access to professional learning and networking opportunities as it relates to families with students with special needs," said SELPA coordinator Melissa Wood. "There's a lot of information out there, and these families need support to determine the best course of action for their children. Our goal is always to provide best-practices strategies, delivered by experts in the field, so parents can have access to what they need to best serve their children and families."

The conference will host well-respected speakers who are local to Kern County, and who have extensive experience in education. Speakers will include: Chris White, Special Education Teacher and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA); Karlyn Farber, a BCBA and professional educator with 30-plus years of experience and Clinical Supervisor for California Spectrum Services; Nita Jacobson, a Behavioral Health Coordinator with the Kern County Consortium SELPA; and Saul Gonzaga, a Special Education Teacher and Director/Clinical Director for California Spectrum Services. Topics covered for the event will focus on academics, behavior, and social/emotional learning.

In addition to the vast knowledge parents will take away from our speakers, the conference will be an ideal networking opportunity wherein parents can meet and mingle amongst vendors whose missions are to serve children with special needs.

To register for Specially Yours, visit http://www.schoolpay.com/parent/mip/Mdy8. The registration deadline is Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. The event will be abiding by all current county COVID guidelines at the time of the event. For more information, contact SELPA coordinator Melissa Wood at (661) 636-4864.