Statewide

Conference: Helping Children with Learning Disabilities Find Social Success

The Audrey Hohenwalter Endowment Fund sponsored a conference presented by Richard Lavoie on February 22nd. This seminar identified specific causes of social skill deficits, as well as field-tested strategies that will be presented that can be used by parents, teachers, coaches, and caregivers to assist students in gaining peer acceptance and developing age-appropriate social skills.

Southeastern WI

Valentine’s Dance
The Valentine’s Dance is always one of the most fun events of the year! The DSAW headquarters transformed into a lively Valentine’s Day dance floor. The atmosphere was filled with red and pink colors, and plenty of smiles!

Club DSAW

For this month’s Club DSAW, we traveled to Urban Ecology Center for a Winter Wonderland Nature Hike. Many enjoyed a hike around the woods, followed by a hot chocolate bar and other activities.

Meals, Money, and More Our Meals, Money, and More class revolves around healthy living and wellness as well as money management and other independent living skills for transition age individuals with Down syndrome. Click here to register for the Eastside and Westside location for this semester.

How to Balance My Social Life Class
We began our winter class helping students understand social boundaries, cultivate friendships, personal safety, social media, and dating. Click here to register for our Eastside and Westside locations for the winter 2020 semester!

Personal Safety Awareness Eastside
We started our Winter Semester of our Safety and Self Defense class. This class teaches real world safety techniques and strategies. Students learn self defense skills, how to get help, and how to assess a dangerous situation. Learn more about here.

Digitability Class We began our winter semester of our award-winning employment-readiness course used to prepare students with special needs for today’s tech-driven workplaces! Learn more about the West Allis location here for the winter semester. Interested in the Eastside location? Click here!

Life Skills Bootcamp
We meet every Tuesday year-round to learn a variety of fun, practical life skills while making new friends. Stay tuned for next month’s topic! Register Here!

Motor Skills Playgroup
Our Motor Skills Playgroup meets every second and fourth Tuesday morning from 9:30 to 11:30! This group is a fun chance for children to learn occupational therapy skills in a free environment, while parents enjoy coffee and each other’s company. We offer free music therapy in conjunction with playgroup too! Come check out our newly renovated Littles Room at playgroup!

Young Leaders Academy
Our Young Leaders Academy at our West Allis office meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month. We also have a Young Leaders Class at our Northeastside location in Mequon! This location meets the first and third Wednesday of the month! Classes start off with an energetic game and end with an hour of employment-readiness curriculum. Self-Advocates are invited to join our class anytime.

Cooking with the Kiddos
Cooking with the Kiddos is held every first and third Wednesday at DSAW’s state headquarters! Bring your children ages 8+ to spend the evening cooking a healthy meal together! You can also drop off your child for a night of respite. Let your dinner be on DSAW!

Tween Club
The second Friday night of the month, DSAW transforms into a hoppin' place for tweens to hang out! At DSAW’s Tween Club, we play games, watch movies, make crafts, and have a great time hanging out! Sign up for Tween Club!

Parent's Night Out
Each month, DSAW parents, grandparents, and caregivers get together for a night of casual conversation and free appetizers. We meet every second Friday of the month at Cleveland Pub, in conjunction with Tween Club! Come join us for one of our favorite nights of the month.

Fox Cities

Teen FrienDS Club At Teen FrienDS Club, we listen to music, watch movies, eat snacks, and play games! Teen FrienDS Club is hosted the 2nd Friday night of each month.

Valentine’s Dance
DSAW-Fox Cities had a great time at our annual Valentine’s Dance!

Green Bay

Normie Screening Event

DSAW-Green Bay and Best Buddies Green Bay co-sponsored a special viewing of the documentary Normie: “When Annemarie looks in the mirror, she sees Down syndrome. She hates it. To her, the diagnosis is a giant barricade keeping her from the independence and intimacy she desperately desires. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to understand what it means to be normal.” Thanks to all those who attended!

Buddy Up Tennis
DSAW-Green Bay started a new session of our new Buddy Up Tennis, Inc. Program, a high energy, adaptive fitness program for children and adults with Down syndrome, this month.

Young Leaders Academy
Our Young Leaders Class is a respite program coupled with a unique curriculum that will introduce students to important topics such as work ethic, attitude, communication skills, time management, problem-solving, and more.

Playgroup
DSAW-Green Bay meets the first Saturday morning of every month for playgroup. We got to play at Get Air Green Bay this month. This Trampoline Park offered dedicated time just for jumpers with special needs. Music is played at a lower volume and park’s atmosphere is calmer! So much fun! DSAW-Green Bay hosted another playdate this month at Kidz Town, free of charge. Everyone had so much fun playing with the toys and meeting new friends.

Mom’s Night Out

This month, moms, aunts, grandmas, and female caregivers gathered for a night of camaraderie and great food at Mr. Brews Taphouse. Yum! Thanks for the great conversations!

Central Wisconsin

“Working” Coffee Club

Parents gathering for coffee and to talk sponsorship and donation strategies for the upcoming Awareness Walk!

Book Club
We continued a new book club for parents, adult siblings, and caregivers of individuals with Down syndrome. We discussed the first four chapters of Scoot Over and Make Some Room by Heather Avis. Future meetings will take place at Mosinee Brewing Company on the second Tuesday of each month (from 5:30-7pm) and will include appetizers! Click here to learn more!

Wellness Club
Our Wellness Club has had an incredible winter run! We had our last session of the season this month.

MADSS

Family Bowling & Pizza Party
Strike! MADSS families enjoyed two hours of bowling, delicious pizza, and thirst-quenching soda, all for FREE.

Dynamic Duals
MADSS had their first Dynamic Duals of the decade! “Dynamic Duals, a program created and piloted as a collaboration with GiGi’s Playhouse in Madison and MADSS, is a monthly program designed specifically for families with a dual diagnosis of DS-ASD and/or sensory behavioral challenges.” The Duals engage in a variety of activities that work to support motor skills, improve communication, and explore the sensory world.