The Lake Central Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (LCSC SEPAC) hosted their annual Resource Fair on Oct. 14 throughout the first floor with various organizations for parents and students to connect and utilize. The event was welcome to the public and anyone was welcome to attend and check out the resources around the Northwest Indiana region.
“Our Resource Fair features a wide variety of exhibitors offering programs and services that support individuals from early childhood through adulthood. Exhibitors include therapeutic service providers, mental health agencies, health-waiver programs, recreational and extracurricular organizations, as well as college and transition services. With the collaboration with Lake Central School District, we wanted to connect families with all the wonderful resources available for individuals with special needs,” Mrs. Humuria Mohiuddin, LCSC SEPAC Leadership Committee member, said. “Many families, including our own, often don’t realize just how many supports and services exist in our community. We thought — what better way to share that information than by hosting a Resource Fair? Thanks to our partnership with Lake Central, we’ve been able to make this annual event. It’s been such a positive experience for families and the district, helping everyone feel more informed, supported, and connected,.”
The LCSC SEPAC organization is made up entirely of parent volunteers, and they work alongside the district to make sure their children have all the support they need.
“The Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is a parent-driven group that plays an important role in ensuring families and schools work together effectively to support students with disabilities. SEPAC provides a platform for parents to share concerns, offer input, and collaborate with school administration to improve programs and services for all students receiving special education,” Mrs. Mohiuddin said.
There are also many benefits to having the resource fair at the school in one place.
“The resource fair is an opportunity for parents to access information about a variety of community vendors all in one spot. We have over 70 community resources attending this year. It makes it easy for parents to get information all at once instead of having to search for it. We do all the hard work of searching for the resources and gathering them together,” Mrs. Rebecca Gromala, Director of Student Support Services, said.
For parents, there are many ways to find out information about LCSC SEPAC such as through their Facebook page where they post upcoming events.
“Other events hosted by LCSC SEPAC include parent workshops and speaker nights on topics such as navigating the IEP process, understanding waivers, promoting inclusion, and planning transitions into adulthood,” Mrs. Mohiuddin said.
