May Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Kaytlan Rouse Kaytlan joined GiGi's Playhouse Tampa in January 2021 as an intern. Immediately, she began jumping in and getting involved wherever she could. Kaytlan has been involved in a lot of behind the scenes projects during her time here, and has done everything from clean the playhouse to create beautiful projects...
Meet Our Programs – Fantastic Friends
Fantastic Friends – A fun night out to facilitate social interactions between adults with Down syndrome, their peers and the community. Supports the development of social skills and language through peer to peer interaction in a casual and fun setting. All adults welcome from ages 18 and up. Increase social...
Meet our Programs – LMNOP
What is LMNOP? We’re glad you asked! LMNOP is our signature Language Music and Our Peeps Program. Designed for children ages newborn to 36 months, LMNOP is an interactive and engaging program designed to guide parents and young children, through learning basic sign language and other forms of communication using...
April Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Danielle Wanek Danielle joined GiGi's Playhouse Tampa in December of 2020, and became interested in our LMNOP Program. She now leads our Wednesday morning program with the assistance of several other wonderful volunteers. Danielle does and amazing job, is a great leader, and she is always a pleasure to be...
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...
March 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...
February 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...
Advocacy 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....
January 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...
December’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,...
Advocacy 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 . ....
November’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...