Mary Cunningham, B.Ed. P.H.Ec. has worked with parents, educators and other direct service professionals as a FASD educator and supporter since 2003 when she retired from a 30-year career as an Ontario secondary school teacher, department head, educational consultant, curriculum developer, and textbook author. (Parenting in Canada, 2003) Mary met FASD “head on” in 1998 in her 25th year of teaching when she realized that she was parenting a child with FASD. Parenting a young person with FASD changed her professional practice and underscores her current education and support efforts around success for students with FASD and the welfare of people with FASD in the justice system. She is published on both of these topics and has presented widely on FASD provincially, nationally and internationally. Mary is a member of the Waterloo Region FASD Action Group and the FASD Ontario Network of Expertise (FASD ONE). She is the current Lead of the FASD ONE Education Action Group (EAG).

In this presentation participants will have an opportunity to:

• Learn to recognize students with FASD or potential FASD from a neurobehavioral perspective and understand reasons for the educationally difficult behaviours caused by Pre-natal Exposure to Alcohol (PAE).
• Learn about promising, new brain-based intervention and support strategies now starting to produce school successfor students with FASD; and why it is essential to make personal “paradigm shifts” in order to support all students with FASD, diagnosed or suspected.
• Review the best resources and strategies available to implement the personal and system-wide changes necessary for implementing success for students who have or may have FASD.

** Participants may include caregivers, teachers, early childhood educators, child and youth counsellors, administrators, guidance counsellors, trustees and anyone else that may be interested in supporting children and youth living with FASD.

RSVP to Karen Huber at k.huber@dscwr.com or 519-741-1121 ext. 2246