As families build Participant Directed Programs for their young adults, one of the biggest questions is: How do we find the right tools and curriculum to support our child’s goals? In our son L’s case, two of his priorities identified in his person-centered plan were moving out of our home and finding employment. To helpContinueContinue reading “SD #18: Exploring the Transition Binder in Unique Learning System—and How It Can Benefit Your Program”
Author Archives: Cheryl Farley
Transition 101 #12: Updated DESE Graduation Requirements — What This Means for Your Student
In July 2025, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released Special Education Policy Memo SY2025-2026 — 2: Graduation and Transition Planning for Students with IEPs. For many parents of teens or young adults with disabilities, this memo raises important questions about how and when their child graduates, and how it impacts ongoingContinueContinue reading “Transition 101 #12: Updated DESE Graduation Requirements — What This Means for Your Student”
Transition 101 #11: Keeping It All Together – Why I Rely on Plan-a-Palooza for Annual Planning
In this week’s blog post, I am going to highlight a program that I have been using to help keep my life organized: Plan-a-Palooza. As an FYI: I am not an affiliate of this program and do not receive any compensation for any sales from this event… it has truly made a difference in myContinueContinue reading “Transition 101 #11: Keeping It All Together – Why I Rely on Plan-a-Palooza for Annual Planning”
SD#17: 🌊 Riding the Waves: Exploring Surf Therapy with Gnome Surf
In this week’s blog post, I want to shine a spotlight on one of the organizations that L participates in as part of his self-direction program: Gnome Surf. When we were developing L’s programming model, he expressed in his person-centered plan that he wanted to try different sports and activities to support both his socialContinueContinue reading “SD#17: 🌊 Riding the Waves: Exploring Surf Therapy with Gnome Surf”
SD #16: Gearing up for Summer and the New Fiscal Year
Practical Tips for Staying Organized and Making the Most of Summer in Self-Direction Hello, Summer! Summer has arrived—and with it comes a chance to reset, relax, and prepare for the new fiscal year. While self-directed programs don’t follow the school calendar, the July 1st fiscal year start does bring some familiar structure. In this blogContinueContinue reading “SD #16: Gearing up for Summer and the New Fiscal Year”
#Life Without a Filter 