In this episode of Journey of a Disability Warrior: The Roads We've Traveled, the Tutor family shares their incredible journey, hoping to inspire others on a similar path.

Kayla and John met in high school while volunteering at a special needs summer camp. After tying the knot a decade ago, they moved to Charleston, South Carolina. It was during their time in Charleston that they discovered they were expecting Ava. Before her birth, they learned that Ava had Down syndrome. Being away from their family during this period was challenging, but Charleston provided them with more resources about Down syndrome than they would have found in Mississippi. This allowed them to navigate their new reality and find the necessary support.

Upon receiving Ava's diagnosis, Kayla immediately sought out information and resources to understand and prepare for their new journey. The local community in Charleston was instrumental in providing them with information. When they moved back to Mississippi, they realized the lack of local support in Tupelo. This realization led them to 21 United, a Down syndrome group in Oxford, MS.

The Tutors have since expanded their family. Ava, now six years old, has a four-year-old and a two-year-old sibling. They reside in Tupelo, where they are actively involved with the Northeast Mississippi Down Syndrome Society. John serves as the chairman, Kayla as the secretary, and Ava is the inspiration for all their efforts.

Receiving a diagnosis of Down syndrome can be a profound shock for parents. It's essential for new parents to understand that it's okay to feel sadness upon learning the diagnosis. Every parent has a vision of their child's future, and when that vision changes, it's natural to grieve. However, it's crucial to embrace the joy that the child brings into their lives.

For parents with a newborn diagnosed with Down syndrome, there are so many emotions that you experience. Find support groups, ask your doctor for information about Early Intervention, therapies, IFSPs and school and education will come later. Connecting with other parents can be incredibly beneficial. Parents and support groups offer resources, shared experiences, and a sense of community.

Ava, like many children with Down syndrome, is full of love, offering endless hugs and kisses. Early Intervention is vital for children with Down syndrome. As a special education teacher, Kayla emphasizes the importance of early therapies, which can significantly impact a child's future. Treating children with Down syndrome like typical kids, setting boundaries, and ensuring they understand consequences is equally crucial.

This is just a glimpse into the Tutor family's journey. Their story serves as a testament to the power of love, resilience, and community support. To hear more about their experiences and insights, watch the full interview on the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center's (MSPTI) YouTube channel.

MSPTI's 2023-2024 Parent Advisory Council (PAC) is open for new members. The council is made up of parents, grandparents, foster parents, military families, community members and professionals from across MS that share the desire to promote and better understand the educational, special health care and transition needs of Mississippi children and youth with disabilities and their families.

As a member of the council, you will have the opportunity to share your story, help others, learn how to create systemic change and about the many resources that are available to families of children and youth with disabilities. If you’re interested in becoming a member and sharing, learning, and networking with families walking this journey please fill out the application at the link below. We are each a powerful force as parents, grandparents, family, and community members. As a group we can move mountains for the parents that will walk the footpaths we have traveled. If you decide to apply, we look forward to getting to know you and working together.

Our next PAC meeting is Monday, October 16th, via Zoom, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This meeting will be an opportunity to meet our staff and the other members of the council. We will set the dates for future meetings, discuss our plans, and talk about possible topics and speakers. Thank you so much for your time and interest in being on the council.

If you’re interested in learning more, applying and/or becoming a council member please fill out the application by clicking here.

If you have any question email MSPTI Project Director Leslie Junkin at leslie@mspti.org.

The 9th Annual Special Education Law Conference and CLE was held on Thursday, July 13, 2023 at Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson, MS. The conference included legal and policy updates in special education, an overview of conflict resolution and attorney fee options, the essential and lawful role of lay advocates and a panel presentation on resolving conflicts with views from multiple perspectives.

Diana MTK Autin, Esquire, was a featured speakers at the conference. For 28 years, she served as Executive Director or Executive Co-Director of the SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN), New Jersey’s Parent Training and Information Center. During that time, SPAN has been involved in multiple class action lawsuits regarding special education, including cases focused on inclusion, especially for children of color who are most overrepresented in segregated settings; the State Special Education Code; and most recently, New Jersey's failure to ensure due process hearing decisions are issued within the required 45 calendar days of request.

MSPTI Project Director Leslie Junkin and Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities Executive Director Pam Dollar attended the OSEP Leadership and Project Director Conference in Arlington, VA on July 24-26. The Leadership Conference enhances leadership through opportunities to hear from experts in the field and to learn about evidence-based practices that will support participants’ ability to improve results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

The Creating Your Own Path: Successful Transitions for Persons with Autism Conference was held on September 7-8 at the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services in Madison, MS. The conference provided parents, advocates, professionals, and persons with autism the opportunity to learn about resources and evidence-based best practices regarding planning and executing successful transitions.

Motivational speaker and autism advocate Anthony Ianni and Jeffrey Mathews were keynote speakers at the conference. Breakout sessions were held on behavior, ABA, social skills, job skills training, social security benefits, social justice and assistive technology, as well as a family and adult panel.

MSPTI held a Special Education Boot Camp in Gulfport on Saturday, September 16 with 20 parents in attendance. Participants learned about effective communication, conflict resolution, Individualized Education Programs or IEPs, resources available on the MSPTI website and received a variety of information to take back to their communities and share with other families. The training provided a great opportunity to build a network of families that can support each other.

Joni and Friends invites you to their 16th annual Barnyard Dance on Saturday, October 21st from 3:00-7:00 p.m. in Lena, MS.

The Barnyard Dance is a time of fun and fellowship. There will be great food, hayrides, horses and dancing. All food is provided, but if you would like to bring a dessert, you may!

For more information, click here.

Every October, Blindness Awareness Month brings a heightened focus on the blind and visually impaired community and the realities of living without sight. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “everyone, if they live long enough, will experience at least one eye condition in their lifetime”. The proof is in the numbers. An estimated 2.2 billion people around the globe suffer from some form of visual impairment or blindness – including everyone who simply wears corrective lenses. One billion of these cases could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed.

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Little People of America launched Dwarfism Awareness Month in 2009 in an effort to raise positive awareness and share information about the lives of people with dwarfism. Many people within the dwarfism community have done great things for Dwarfism Awareness Month, including getting local politicians to recognize October as Dwarfism Awareness Month, asking local businesses to sponsor awareness month activities, and raising money to support awareness causes.

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International AAC Awareness Month is celebrated around the world each October. The goal is to raise awareness of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and to inform the public about the many different ways in which people communicate using communication devices.

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October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month — a time to celebrate the hundreds of thousands of people living with Spina Bifida. Every October, we share community stories that challenge us to raise more awareness and support for those living with Spina Bifida. As a community, we can do this by raising awareness about Spina Bifida either in our own circles or to the larger networks of which we are a part.

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The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals Board of Directors is proud to recognize Lisa Burck with our most prestigious award, the John F. Kennedy Jr. Award for Workforce Advocacy and Leadership. This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a distinguished career of excellence and leadership in support of NADSP’s mission to enhance the quality of support provided to people with disabilities.

Lisa embodies the values of the NADSP. Over the decades, she has lead workforce initiatives in Mississippi and nationally with grace and dignity. She is always setting an example for other leaders and sharing her wisdom with direct support professionals.

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