Posts by Candi Medeiros
April Advocacy Monthly
IEP and 504 Plans, What’s the Difference? The laws regarding education of students with special needs is entrenched in terminology that is often confusing and sometimes bizarre, as is often the case between the terms IEP and 504 plan. In many ways, an IEP and a 504 plan have the same objectives: to provide protection…
Read MoreMarch Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Carol Chamberlain From the minute she walked in the door of our playhouse, we knew Carol Chamberlain was going to be a wonderful volunteer. Carol is organized, responsive and thoughtful. Her gentle demeanor and experience as an educator make her a perfect Leaps and Bounds co-leader. She jumped into the position a few months ago and has…
Read MoreFebruary Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Maria Liparulo Maria is one of our newest program leaders. She joined us in the fall of 2020 as a Leaps and Bounds Co-leader, and right from the start we knew she was amazing! Maria brings her interactive teaching style, sense of humor and culinary skills to every Leaps and Bounds session. Our participants love working with her…
Read MoreAdvocacy Monthly – IDEA and Child Find by Ed Spinks
IDEA & Child Find Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004 (IDEA) is a Federal Law that provides for the right to education and protections for children with disabilities and their families. The The primary purposes of IDEA are: To provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to children with disabilities. To give parents a voice…
Read MoreJanuary Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Melissa Giblin Melissa Giblin is one of our amazing LMNOP Program Leaders. She has been with the Tampa Playhouse since it opened over two years ago. In that time, Melissa has provided support to countless babies and their families. She is a hardworking, organized and loyal volunteer, and most recently has used her phenomenal leadership skills…
Read MoreDecember’s Volunteer Spotlight
Dave Miller Dave Miller has been a volunteer with GiGi’s Playhouse Tampa since it began in 2018. He is currently the Program Lead for the Fantastic Friends Program, and thoroughly enjoys working with the adult participants here. When COVID-19 shut down GiGi’s Playhouse Tampa in the Spring of this year, Dave, with the help of…
Read MoreAdvocacy Monthly – IEP Goals
The law requires your child’s IEP to include: …a statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals, designed to meet the child’s needs that result from the child’s disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and . . . meet each of the…
Read MoreNovember’s Volunteer Spotlight
Tyler Russo GiGi’s Playhouse Tampa‘s Volunteer Spotlight for November is Tyler Russo. Tyler joined GiGi’s Playhouse Tampa as a volunteer in 2019. He immediately began making a positive impact in each of the lives he touched. Tyler has volunteered in many programs and events over the last year, including being a Literacy Tutor. Also, he…
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